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The televised main card is set for next month's UFC 138 event.
The overseas show, which airs via same-day delay on Spike TV, features five main-card bouts, including a middleweight headliner between Mark Munoz and Chris Leben.
UFC 138 takes place Nov. 5 at LG Arena at National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England.
The event's preliminary card is expected to stream on Facebook.
In addition to Leben (26-7 MMA, 12-6 UFC) vs. Munoz (11-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC), the main card features bantamweights Brad Pickett (20-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC) vs. Renan Barao (26-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), welterweights Thiago Alves (18-8 MMA, 10-5 UFC) vs. Papy Abedi (8-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), lightweights Anthony Njokuani (14-5 MMA, 1-1 UFC) vs. Paul Taylor (11-6-1 MMA, 4-5 UFC), and welterweights Matt Brown (12-10 MMA, 5-4 UFC) vs. John Hathaway (15-1
In addition to the main card, officials have finalized a preliminary-card fight between heavyweights Phillip De Fries (7-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and Oli Thompson (9-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC).
The latest UFC 138 card now includes:
MAIN CARD (Spike TV)
- Chris Leben vs. Mark Munoz
- Renan Barao vs. Brad Pickett
- Papy Abedi vs. Thiago Alves
- Anthony Njokuani vs. Paul Taylor
- Matt Brown vs. John Hathaway
- Terry Etim vs. Edward Faaloloto
- Cyrille Diabate vs. Anthony Perosh
- Michihiro Omigawa vs. Jason Young
- Philip De Fries vs. Oli Thompson
- Chris Cope vs. Che Mills
- Chris Cariaso vs. Vaughan Lee
- James Head vs. Mark Scanlon
For more on UFC 138, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.
(Pictured: Mark Munoz)


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Rizzo looks to improve on situational hitting
PHILADELPHIA -- Anthony Rizzo has been the Cubs' most productive hitter this season.
The first baseman's 63 RBIs lead the team, and are a rather large number for a player who is hitting under .200 with runners in scoring position. Rizzo has a .240 average and .784 OPS on the season, but those numbers are .184 and .612 when runners are on second or third.
"If he's hitting .300 with runners in scoring position, you're looking at 80 RBIs instead of 62, or whatever he has," manager Dale Sveum said. "That's' the stat that has to be better."
Rizzo, who turns 24 on Thursday, is playing in his first full Major League season, but he posted good numbers in 87 games after being called up in June last year. That included those key RBI situations, as Rizzo hit .338 with a .961 OPS with runners in scoring position in 2012.
"He was hitting the ball the other way a lot. He did a lot of good things with runners in scoring position," Sveum said. "This year, it's like he's trying to hit a home run every time somebody is in scoring position."
Rizzo also has a team-leading 18 homers, and four of his last six hits have been home runs. Rizzo, whose OPS in his last six games is 1.099 because of all the homers, was out of the starting lineup on Wednesday against Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels.

subset: commoncrawl


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Search maps
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East Asia to west Pacific
Regional map that extends from India north to Korea and east to Vanuatu. [14-159]
Region: Asia, Asia - Southeast
SE Asia to west Pacific
Region: Asia, Asia - Southeast, Pacific
Taiwan region
Taiwan's position in the Pacific and its closest neighbours.
Region: Asia
Country: Taiwan


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Raytheon May Know Where You've Been - and Where You're Going
Feb 11, 2013 3:55 PM PT
Raytheon has developed software capable of quickly mining social networks for information that can reveal where particular individuals have been and where they may be going, The Guardian reported.
The Rapid Information Overly Technology reportedly can track check-in posts and geotagged photos in social media. Further, it can chart social connections and highlight those an individual communicates with most often.
This no doubt will raise hackles about an ominous-sounding breach of privacy on the horizon, but it's not clear that RIOT should cause greater concern.
"This technology isn't new," said Ashkan Soltani, a privacy researcher and consultant. "Ultimately this technology drastically alters citizens' ability to maintain practical obscurity in the contexts that society has typically agreed are valuable -- that is, personal, social and recreational. It ultimately undermines any privacy manners we've enjoyed in the past."
Data Mining
What may make this technology unique isn't that it is data mining, as that isn't itself new -- but the sources perhaps are.
The software draws upon data from Foursquare, Facebook and Twitter, "because that is what they had access to, but this could be used in the future with other data," said Daniel Castro, senior analyst at the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation.
This could be the telematic technology in a vehicle, a mobile phone or other device, he told TechNewsWorld.
"There have been other Big Data mining and spying projects in the past -- but to my knowledge, they've only seen limited use and deployment," said Greg Sterling of Sterling Market Research. "Metacarta, for example, was a company whose technology was used by the DoD -- acquired by Nokia -- for data mining and analysis."
The question remains whether a line could be crossed, given that this technology has the potential to track social media.
"The question remains where the line will be drawn with privacy," added Castro, noting that with many tech advancements, the action may be the same, but the results could be different.
"Is there a privacy concern when you are just being more efficient?" he wondered.
What's at Stake
On the one hand, RIOT could save tax dollars, as well as make it easier for police to chase down bad guys and help government officials stop terrorist attacks. On the other hand, the price could be the loss of individual privacy.
"The problem when you make something more efficient is you also make it possible for law enforcement to track everyone wholesale," said Ginger McCall, director of the open government program at EPIC. "It creates dragnet surveillance regardless of guilt -- regardless of the lack of evidence or suspicion."
It could also be problematic -- not for criminals but average users -- because of how the social networking companies operate, McCall told TechNewsWorld. "They don't make it obvious to users."
Countering the Tracking
It's also possible that the potential benefits to law enforcement are overrated.
Criminals already knows about the software's existence and can easily avoid being tracked via social networks -- or even leave a false trail. In other words, if terrorists or criminal masterminds know that this technology exists, they can just establish a misleading routine to throw off pursuers when they make their actual strike.
Meanwhile, members of the population as a whole could be ignorant of the technology and fail to take necessary steps to protect themselves.
"Because these social data now exist, it's tempting for governments to mine it for law enforcement purposes or other sorts of monitoring -- think Chinese monitoring political activists," said Sterling.
"I don't believe that terrorists will be regularly checking-in to leave a trail, once they understand how those data are used," he pointed out.
"Most likely this will simply enable governments and law enforcement to monitor the actions and movements of ordinary people, and in that sense it's a threat to our privacy and perhaps even our liberty," Sterling told TechNewsWorld.
The Black Swan Factor
Another consideration is whether this technology actually could provide the intelligence required to predict a crime or terrorist activity.
The holy grail for folks in the security community is a fact package that can be reliably pieced together to telegraph actionable information in time to do something about it, said Jim Purtilo, associate professor of computer science at the University of Maryland.
"We've always been pretty effective at reconstruction after some event, of course, and all the more so with policy changes post 9/11," he observed.
That said, it is still unlikely that this technology will replace traditional intelligence gathering techniques. This blanket and wholesale capture of endless details about an individual's life works on the premise that a single "black swan" moment -- an event that is a surprise to the observer -- would be apparent.
"Let's be frank: Social media analysis wasn't up to telling us our high-profile CIA director was having an affair with potential national security consequences," said Purtilo. "How realistic is it that these techniques will find a black swan which didn't come to light by more traditional intelligence-gathering techniques?"


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Before I write another word, simply listen to this…
Poor Side of Town
THIS, is who I imagined that Taylor Hicks would be after he won American Idol. A little Wilson Pickett, a little Otis Redding, and a lot James Brown, Eli honed his skills by street performing on Harvard Square in high school, after teaching himself piano, guitar and harmonica. (Sound familiar?)
The son of a music critic who exposed his son to a vast soul record collection (again, sound familiar?), Eli ended up in Clarksdale, MS after high school, eventually ending up under the tutledge of legendary blues drummer, Sam Carr. He frequently adorned his grandpa's chapeau, which garnered the "Paperboy" nickname.
With a cool blues moniker, a degree in Southern blues, and a HUGE passion, Eli was convinced to enroll in the University of Chicago by his concerned parents. While in Chi Town, Eli broadened his soul horizons by reaching out to Mitty Collier, who scored the 1964 hit, I Had a Talk With My Man.
Now involved in ministry, Mitty hired Eli Reed as her music minister, where he served for a year before returning to Boston with a different kind of education. There, he put together his band, The True Loves, and recorded and self-released his first collection of originals and covers entitled, Sings "Walkin' and Talkin' (For My Baby)" and Other Smash Hits.
After a phenomenal performance at the 2007 SXSW, Eli "Paperboy" Reed & The True Loves recorded and released Roll With You on the Boston-based, Q Division label. (Even the album art is retro boss.)
Some highlights from that compilation:
Am I Wasting My Time (diggin' on the Aretha shirt) — oddly reminiscient of LaMontagne's You Are the Best Thing
Take My Love With You on Jools Holland
Doin' the Boom Boom
The Satisfier
Eli is currently embarking on a European tour and is recently signed to Virgin Records, after opening for the likes of Dave Matthews recently.
Eli's NPR interview shows his love of music and his enthusiasm to spread it around. At 24, he produces a much older and "experienced" sound. But, then again, Otis, James, Jackie and Wilson were all about his age when they came into their own. He is proficient at old soul, mixed with passion and love of music. His music is infectious and draws you in. Many critics and observers have dubbed him as the next sensation. I am definitely on board.
Paperboy, stay true to your school and you shall go far…perhaps an example for many.
Visit Eli "Paperboy" Reed at http://www.myspace.com/elipaperboyreed and buy some stuff. You will not be disappointed.


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The dG is the first long-range optical device to allow you to identify and document your sightings and share them with other people.
Learn more about the wildlife you spot. The dG helps you to identify birds andother animals on your own. With the simple push of a button, your sightings aretransferred to your smartphone, your Merlin Bird ID app, or the dG Mammals app for automatic identification.
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Share your discoveries with others. An integrated Wi-Fi hotspot allows several of your companions to follow your sightings by live stream. You can also share your adventures on social networks with friends and the worldwide community.
Apps provide information about the wildlife and help you to identify your sightings. SWAROVSKI OPTIK recommends Merlin Bird ID and dG Mammals.
The Merlin app's main function is to identify more than 5,000 bird species worldwide. When you take a photo, it is transferred directly to the Merlin app.
The SWAROVSKI OPTIK dG Mammals app identifies nearly 100 of the most common mammals in Europe.
The functions can be controlled by a single button in the center.
Simply set up a Wi-Fi hotspot wit a 5-meter (16-foot) range and live stream your sightings.
Pouring rain, dirt, or dust – it's no problem for the dG.
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Say it ain't so: Museum to go
From gold records to fan mail to American flag-decked leather jackets, Staunton's Statler Brothers have amassed large quantities of memorabilia over their 40-year career. And fans have come from all over the country to enjoy such tokens of the quartet's past at the Statler Museum in Staunton.
But come October 31, all the guitars, cowboy hats, and red-white-and-blue outfits will be packed away. As if the Statlers' decision to stop touring wasn't enough of a blow, Stauntonians and fans worldwide have now been told the museum is closing its doors forever.
"It's certainly a disappointment," says Sergei Troubetzkoy, director of Staunton visitor's bureau. "Any way you look at it, it's a loss."
Staunton made headlines just a month ago for an ambitious plan to raise $20 million to parlay Woodrow Wilson's birth into a massive presidential library. And like a good PR man, Troubetzkoy realizes his small Shenandoah Valley city remains viable as a tourist destination.
"It will not have a tremendous effect," Troubetzkoy says. "Most people don't come for any one attraction."
The good news: all four Statlers still live in Staunton, and the the gift shop will remain open at a new location. It'll move about a mile across town to 1409 Augusta Street. Office manager Ann Peters reports an increase in traffic to the free-admission museum since word got out that it was closing.
The Statlers bought the Beverley Manor School complex in 1981 and converted it into offices, rehearsal space, a gift shop, and the Statler Museum. The complex, built in 1910 and 1927, contains the elementary school that all four of the original Statlers attended. (Jimmy Fortune, who replaced ailing Lew DeWitt in the early '80s, grew up in Nelson County.)
There is one happy bit of serendipity to end this story: The vacated Statler complex will return to its original function, as a school.


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Auto Publishers Price Starting at
*Based on model year EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your atual mileage will vary, depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions, battery pack age/condition (hybrid only) and other factors.VIEW OUR INVENTORY
Efficient engine offerings; sharp styling inside and out; well-equipped standard features
The newly re-designed Chevrolet Equinox aims to compete in the red-hot crossover market. On the outside the Equinox is noticeably smaller and weighs almost 400 pounds less. The interior design takes advantage of Equinox' new architecture with its down-and-away instrument cluster and low windshield base for better visibility. A choice of three new turbo charged engines add a new powerful and economic element to an already successful platform.


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Hans Wegner design, 1953.
The Valet Chair is about the problems in folding clothes in the most practical manner at bedtime. Unites function with a playful sculptural design. The top rail is shaped as a coat hanger while the seat is basically a box for storing.
Solid wood chair with the seat to be lifted forward.
L51 * P50 * H95 cm, seated at 45 cm.
Maple, cherry, or pine with seat in teak tree.
Soap, oil, lacquer.
The Fionia Stool by Jens Quistgaard is an expression of brilliant design and workmanship. The stool is elegant even when folded. It can be used in every room of the home, as a footstool, side table, bedside table or as a stand for flowers.
Director's chair in teak, for indoor and outdoor use.
This folding Vendia chair is flexible, smart and comfortable to sit on. Its size also makes it ideal for small balconies, patios or kitchens.
The size of this round three-legged table makes it ideal in confined spaces. At the same time, its light weight makes it easy to move around.
Arcadia CH110 by Hans Wegner is an office desk in veneered massive wood, with two large drawers equiped with a lock.
Hans Wegner design for Carl Hansen, 1970. Upholstered armchair for outstanding office with a very confortable seat for a conference table or simply suitable at the desk.
Hans Thyge design. Sala stacable chair made of laminated wood, also with the back seat in nylon, with double thoracic curve.
Designer: G&N HaugesenTwo-seater Xylophone bench in teakwood and galvanized steel.
Designer: G&N HaugesenXylophone deck chair in oiled teakwood and galvanized steel.
Designer: G&N HaugesenXylophone chair in oiled teakwood and galvanized steel.
Designer: G&N HaugesenXylophone table for 4-8 people in oiled teak and galvanized steel with 2 extensions on each side folding table
Hans Wegner design for Carl Hansen. Round coffee table, on a base of 3 feet, entirely in solid wood.
Hans Wegner design for Carl Hansen. Armchair in solid wood (arms and legs) and veneer (seat and back), which may or may not be realized with seat and back in foam and upholstered in fabric or leather from many choices.
Hans Wegner design for Calr Hansen. Easy chair with seat and back foam gasket, and stainless steel base. Designed for the Kastrup Airport in 1958. Can stand alone, in groups or in series as a sofa. Well suited for both public spaces and private homes.
Hans Wegner design for Carl Hansen. Armchair in solid wood with armrest, seat in natural linen.
Hans Wegner design for Carl Hansen, 1950. Iruna CH25 by Hans Wegner is a very comfortable armchair, perfect for relaxing. It can be placed in a living room, next to a coffee table, or in a corner with a reading lamp. It also looks beautiful as a conservatory armchair, to let you make the most of the sunlight whilst comfortably seated indoors.
Hans Wegner design for Carl Hansen. Laminated wood chair with cushion in leather or fabric with solid seat and back.
The Wing or CH445 armchair was designed by Hans Wegner in 1960. Built around a solid beech frame with legs in polished stainless steel. Upholstered in foam and covered with fabric or leather choices.
Hans Wegner design for Carl Hansen, 1965. Chair in hardwood with armrests and hand-woven seat in natural paper cord.
Designed by Hans Wegner for Carl Hansen, in 1956. CH20 is a compact dining chair that can also be stacked. The lower back support and horizontal seat also make the chair suitable for working at a table or desk.
Hans J Wegner design, 1949 for Carl Hansen. The CH24 chair is simple and functional and is one of the most emblematic pieces of furniture of the 20th century. Inspired by the Chinese imperial style, under the Ming Dynasty, Wegner above all wanted to create a chair which would look beautiful under every angle. Perfect for a dining room or kitchen, but can...
Hans J. Wegner design, Carl Hansen, 1962. The simplicity and elegance of the Wegner CH327 table means it can be used as a dining room or living room table, but is also highly appreciated as a desk. Whatever your choice, it will transform your interior by adding a pleasant, natural touch. Available with optional extending leaves.
Hans J. Wegner design by Carl Hansen. Beautiful elliptical-shaped dining room table, perfect for daily use. The table combines a modern and natural look with a high level of functionality. It quickly adapts to the number of guests thanks to its well-thought out extension system. The CH20, CH33 and CH24 chairs by the same designer perfectly complement the...


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- Solutions
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Your customers need to be able to reach you, no matter where you are. Cloud, hybrid, or onsite; a business phone system must be flexible and put productivity first.VIEW ALL
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Headquartered in West Chester, PA with satellite offices in Allentown, PA, Audubon, PA and Washington, D.C., Comstar Technologies serves customers nationwide as well as Canada, Mexico, China and South Africa. We design, install, and maintain solutions for your business in telecommunications (Cloud, onsite, hybrid, Avaya, Mitel business phone systems), as well as network cabling, Audio/Visual, access control, and IT Managed/Cloud services.
Comstar's diversity only enhances their value to us by providing our offices with services ranging from simple moves / adds / changes to complete system installations.
During the past few years as a customer of Comstar, the quality of care has been top-notch. Originally, we had a rather outdated phone system that consistently gave us problems.
Comstar Technologies implemented a new Avaya phone system for Oracle USA, Inc., taking us from a limit of 200 phones to thousands with minimal user interruption. They were on time, on schedule, and their work was impeccable.


text: Explore the history of the great composers with these attractive full-color 9" x 12" laminated posters presenting 24 composers from the Renaissance period to the 20th century. Each poster includes a photo or illustration on the front and short biography on the back, as well as interesting "fun facts." You'll find dozens of uses for this handy resource, including bulletin boards, class discussions, activities and much more! Featured composers include: Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner, Haydn, Brahms, Schubert, Handel, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn, J. Strauss, Schumann, Liszt, Chopin, Stravinsky, Verdi, Debussy, Rossini, Grieg, Beach, Still, Villa-Lobos, Chavez, and Copland. With the digital version you can explore these composers with interactive projection and sound. The enhanced version also features 20 carefully selected recordings, so your students can experience a representative masterwork by each composer. The recordings are embedded into the projected file, so you can listen and watch with a single click. A variety of listening ideas and assessments are also included.


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I think I've mentioned this one or twice or a hundred times already, but solitary craftwork has always been where I've been most content. There's just a focus and a safety that I find standing at a counter making something. I had dreams of becoming a luthier once upon a time, and it was a lovely ambition that it doesn't hurt to daydream about again while watching this: [via] … [Read more...]
Carving a Sound
NPH Gonna Let the Tonys Finish, But…
Though I almost always miss watching the Tony Awards on television, it's hardly painful when Neil Patrick Harris so neatly sums the results up for you and they are posted online in time for Monday morning catch up. The 2010 presentation was awesome, but this year's recap didn't drop a beat. … [Read more...]
How They Used To Do It
While brushing my teeth this morning, I noticed this line on the back of an Old Spice product: "If your grandfather hadn't worn it, you wouldn't exist." Ha! Cute. Not as cute as Isaiah Mustafa, perhaps, but still. What caught me about this sly little marketing tag line was that the brand was pushing the cred it already had in spades but that the general public seemed to have simply forgotten about. Rather than trying to reinvent itself as something shiny, new and hip to get attention again … [Read more...]
What You Get is What You See
I've watched Beyonce's performance at the Billboard Music Awards a few times today. Online chatter is generally gushy about the video effects and the dancing, but the song itself gets the least love among the many moving parts. "What a shame that such a performance was wasted on such a weak song. You'll never hear that song 10 yrs from now," one commenter noted. You won't get any push back on that appraisal from me. Still, my mind wandered to what other music might make use of such a … [Read more...]
I Was Looking at the Ceiling And Then…
I have been completely sucked into the series currently running on Slate investigating the carvings inside Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland, and today's installment asks a musical question: "Are the chapel's mysterious stone symbols a musical score?" I've always associated the whole "amazing things in sand and sonic frequency" bit with the work of Alvin Lucier (and coincidentally, I just got a press release for a performance of his Queen of the South yesterday), but if you scroll through to the … [Read more...]
Slow Down and Think About It
Barely having had the patience to finish my undergraduate education before busting out to grab hold of my adult life, I've missed the exchange of ideas that is (even-higher?) education in general and the academic conference in particular. Through the years, friends have related to me their agonies and triumphs as they prepared, submitted, and delivered lectures in their subject areas among small groups of colleagues on campuses around the globe. In contrast, during this same era I was preparing … [Read more...]
The Numbers Game
There's a quote that gets thrown around when arts talk turns to impact: "If you can't measure it, you can't manage it." The economy and the government budget standing as they do, discussions surrounding the perceived "value" of the arts (in every definition of the word) are getting a lot of air time. I've been really impressed by the persuasive power of efforts like this one in support of PBS. Then, this morning, I saw the video below and was really blown away: I've been considering … [Read more...]
You Might Also Like
Flavorwire does some equal-opportunity cheerleading for ten of the lady composers who charted on WQXR's crowd-sourced 100 Composers Under 40 list. Words like "innovators" and "fascinating" are thrown around and no one utters a peep lamenting the lost composerly skills of Beethoven. There are sample tracks, videos, and attractive head shots scattered all over the internet related to this story. Could this democratic recommendation list represent the tipping point/spring board to a broader … [Read more...]
With a Bow and a Beat
If, like me, you got lucky and were enrolled in a K-12 school system with a music budget, you may have a memory of the day everyone was trotted down to the cafegymnatorium and told to select an instrument. It was so competitive! Kevin Olusola is doing more than his part to recruit kids to the cello section. There are more-than-respectable Justin Bieber covers here, people! But if you're like me, you're going to want to skip that for now and catch the beatboxing below at @1:06, I'm … [Read more...]
The Rules: Understanding Copyright (Animated Edition)
Despite the juvenile cartoon approach (shades of Donny the Downloader, anyone?), I felt compelled to watch YouTube's educational copyright video through to the end even though I hadn't been required to and it didn't exactly seem age-appropriate. I was hoping it would provide a clear distillation of the complex world of copyright (at least the basic points), something I could pass along when people asked me if I could help them better understand what they could and could not do with IP online. … [Read more...]


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These were the Homes for Sale November 2011 for Zip Code 36064 for Pike Road and eastern Montgomery County including subdivisions Bon Terre, Woodland Creek, Bridle Brook, Avalon, Merrywood, Foxwood and The Waters. How to use: Find the Price Range in which your home falls. This will show the number of active listings (your competition if you are selling), the number of homes that closed in the last 90 days, the number of homes that close on average in a month, the Percentage Closed Monthly (the likelyhood that one home will close in a month), and the Months of Inventory (how many months worth of homes to sell if no other homes come on the market). A high Months of Inventory figure indicates a chance for a better bargain for a buyer. For a personalized report, feel free to contact me.
November 2011 Home Sales Zip Code 36064
December 8, 2011 By


text: In response to a gift from a fan at a recent concert, live joint smoker Lady Gaga broke out into a more than capable version of "Be Our Guest" from Beauty and the Beast. She then confessed that one of her secret simple pleasures is to get high and watch Disney movies. Does this mean that we can expect some Jerry Orbach-inspired outfits in Gaga's near future?


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This GivingTuesday, drive innovation forward.
Supportive care for esophageal cancer
Supportive care helps people meet the physical, practical, emotional and spiritual challenges of esophageal cancer. It is an important part of cancer care. There are many programs and services available to help meet the needs and improve the quality of life of people living with cancer and their loved ones, especially after treatment has ended.
Recovering from esophageal cancer and adjusting to life after treatment is different for each person. Recovery depends on the stage of the cancer, the type of treatments and many other factors. The end of cancer treatment may bring mixed emotions. Even though treatment has ended, there may be other issues to deal with, such as coping with long-term side effects.
Talk to your healthcare team about the following concerns. They can suggest ways to treat, manage or help you cope with these problems.
Self-esteem and body image
How people feel about or see themselves is called self-esteem. Body image is someone's perception of their own body. Esophageal cancer and its treatments can affect a person's self-esteem and body image. Often this is because cancer or cancer treatments may result in body changes, such as:
- scars
- hair loss
- skin problems
- weight loss
- having a feeding tube
Some of these changes can be temporary, others will last for a long time and some will be permanent. Find out more about managing symptoms and side effects.
Nutrition problems
Many people with esophageal cancer have nutrition problems. This is because the cancer itself, treatments or side effects of treatments can affect your digestive system and make it difficult to eat and drink.
Because esophageal cancer can affect your nutrition, a dietitian is a key member of your healthcare team. A dietitian can counsel you to make sure you get proper nutrition throughout your cancer journey and, along with the other members of your healthcare team, help you maintain good nutrition during treatment and deal with any side effects that make it hard for you to eat.
Getting proper nutrition during cancer treatment is important, so talk to your healthcare team if you have any of the following. Find out more about nutrition for people with cancer.
Difficulty swallowing
People with esophageal cancer often have difficulty swallowing, or dysphagia. Difficulty swallowing can develop if cancer or its treatments affect the esophagus so it can't open wide enough and food can't pass through it. Food may remain in the esophagus, causing discomfort and undigested food to come back up (called regurgitation).
Difficulty swallowing may happen because:
- the tumour blocks, or obstructs, the esophagus
- the wave-like muscle contractions in the esophagus (called peristalsis) change so food doesn't move as it normally would
- the esophagus is inflamed (called esophagitis) after radiation therapy or chemotherapy
- anastomotic stricture occurs
An anastomosis is the area where the 2 ends of the digestive tract are joined together. An anastomotic stricture occurs when the tissues around the anastomosis become narrowed after surgery or radiation therapy. This can make swallowing difficult or painful. The surgeon may treat the stricture by stretching the tissues around the anastomosis to open, or dilate, the esophagus.
Difficulty swallowing can affect how much food you eat and fluids you drink. This may lead to weight loss, malnutrition and loss of muscle mass (muscle wasting). Together these symptoms are called cachexia.
There are a number of endoscopic treatments that may be used to treat difficulty swallowing.
If you have swallowing problems, your healthcare team will do a swallowing assessment. Find out more about swallowing problems and how to manage them.
Weight loss
Weight loss is a very common problem for people with esophageal cancer. It is often the result of difficulty swallowing, dumping syndrome, diarrhea, loss of appetite and other problems caused by esophageal cancer and its treatments.
Advanced cancer leads to changes in the body that affect its ability to use the energy from food. As a result, the body burns energy at a faster rate. This increased energy use, along with a lower nutritional intake, leads to weight loss.
It is important for people with esophageal cancer to get proper nutrition and maintain their weight even if their appetite changes. Proper nutrition helps the body fight disease and cope with the effects of cancer treatments. Find out more about nutrition for people living with cancer.
If you lose a lot of weight, the healthcare team may suggest using a feeding tube. A feeding tube is a thin, flexible tube that is placed directly into the stomach or the first part of the small intestine (called the jejunum). Once the tube is in place, liquid nutritional supplements can be given through it. This is called enteral feeding. Feeding tubes can help make sure you get all the nutrition you need when it is too difficult to eat or drink. Find out more about tube feeding.
Dumping syndrome
Dumping syndrome is a group of symptoms that develops when food moves from the stomach into the small intestine too quickly. These symptoms include diarrhea, sweating and flushing after eating. Dumping syndrome can develop if all or part of the stomach has been removed.
Find out more about dumping syndrome and how to manage it.
Many people with esophageal cancer have diarrhea. It can be caused by different treatments, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy or surgery.
In some cases, diarrhea is a symptom of dumping syndrome. It may also happen if the vagus nerve was cut during surgery to remove the tumour and lymph nodes. The vagus nerve controls the movement of food in the digestive system. Damage to this nerve can cause sudden diarrhea.
Making some changes in your diet can help to reduce diarrhea. One of the most important things in managing diarrhea is drinking enough fluids to stay hydrated.
Find out more about diarrhea and how to manage it.
Nausea and vomiting
Nausea and vomiting are common side effects of chemotherapy, radiation therapy or surgery for esophageal cancer.
Nausea and vomiting can happen after surgery to treat esophageal cancer. Surgery often includes removing part of the stomach. After surgery, the stomach doesn't have as much room to stretch and store food, so it fills up quickly. Sometimes the vagus nerve is cut during surgery for esophageal cancer. The vagus nerve controls the movement of food in the digestive system. Damage to this nerve can affect the stomach so it takes longer to empty. This can make you feel sick and bloated.
Your doctor may prescribe antinausea drugs. Find out more about nausea and vomiting, including how to prevent and manage it.
Heartburn can develop after surgery from reflux. Reflux is when stomach contents back up into the esophagus. Many people have reflux when they are lying down.
Heartburn may be managed by medications and by:
- sitting upright after eating and drinking
- trying not to eat or drink a few hours before lying down
- keeping your head and shoulders elevated when lying down or sleeping
- avoiding spicy and acidic foods
- avoiding smoking and alcohol
Loss of appetite
Loss of appetite is common in people with esophageal cancer. Loss of appetite can be caused by surgery, radiation therapy to the chest, certain medicines, taste changes or the cancer itself.
Talk to your healthcare team if you lose your appetite. They can give you tips for coping with loss of appetite that can improve your interest in food and increase your appetite.
Find out more about loss of appetite and taste changes.
Feeling full after eating or drinking
Surgery to treat esophageal cancer often includes removing part of the stomach. Because the stomach is smaller, it can't hold as much food as it did before surgery. You may feel full after eating or drinking only a small amount.
It is important to get enough nutrition during and after cancer treatment, so talk to your healthcare team if you feel full after eating or drinking. Try to eat small meals or snacks every 2–3 hours. This may be easier than trying to eat 2–3 large meals a day. Avoid drinking fluids with meals because this can fill the stomach quickly. Drink high-calorie or high-protein fluids between meals. Limit the amount of high-fibre foods, such as whole grain breads and cereals, you eat during each meal.
Many people with esophageal cancer experience fatigue. Fatigue may be caused by the cancer and can be made worse by difficulty swallowing and poor nutrition. It can be hard to cope when you feel very tired and don't have a lot of energy, especially for a while after treatment or if the cancer is advanced.
Find out more about fatigue and how to manage it.
Together we can reduce the burden of cancer
Last year, we only had the resources available to fund 40% of high-priority research projects. Imagine the impact we could have if we were able to fund 100%.


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Welcome 'San Diego' to Museum of Art in Balboa Park
If you want to truly see San Diego, you are going to have to go to the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park.
The museum has just acquired a mid-17th century sculpture by Pedro de Mena: "San Diego de Alcalá." It joins the company of works by El Greco, Sánchez Cotán, Zurbarán, Cano and Murillo in the museum's upstairs gallery dedicated to Spanish art.
"One of my ambitions has been to build on the great collection of European art already in San Diego," said executive director Roxana Velásquez in a statement. The new work by Pedro de Mena strengthens our collection of Spanish art. Combined with the acquisition of the "Portrait of Don Luis de Borbón" by Anton Raphael Mengs that we acquired last year, we are expanding important holdings for San Diego.
The sculpture was located by the museum's curator of European Art, John Marciari, who like Velásquez, has a special interest in Spanish art.
"Given the famous group of Spanish paintings at The San Diego Museum of Art, we have for several years sought a significant piece of Spanish Baroque sculpture to add to the collection," Marciari stated. "The 'San Diego' is precisely the sort of work we had in mind."
Marciari pointed out how the work's realism makes it a counterpart to the museum's Cotán still life, the 1602 "Quince, Cabbage, Melon and Cucumber," while the saint's ecstatic expression resonates with the museum's "Saint Peter" by El Greco.
Pedro de Mena, who was born in Granada and later lived and worked in Malaga, is relatively unknown outside of Spain, according to Marciari. But with his works included in the recent "The Sacred Made Real" at the National Gallery in London and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, his achievements are gaining broader recognition.
San Diego (also known as Saint Didacus) was born in Spain in the early 15th century and was later celebrated for feeding the poor. The first of California's 21 missions established by Junipero Serra was named in his honor, the Mission San Diego de Alcala. It remains an active parish in the Diocese of San Diego.
Funding for the acquisition came from a portion of a $7.4 million bequest left to the museum from the estate of Donald W. Shira.
Get U-T Arts & Culture on Thursdays
A San Diego insider's look at what talented artists are bringing to the stage, screen, galleries and more.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the San Diego Union-Tribune.


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Me and my collegues write //comment all the time, at least while commenting out statements.
Are there any plans that the java version of builder will recognize // as a valid comment without followed by a blank (if not inside strings)?
I use builder.jar to compact my own source files (Ext application)


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Towards the end of the football season, speculation regarding players' and managers' movement inevitably starts to grow. Although the summer transfer window doesn't officially open until May in England, clubs often announce their signings before then, so gamblers looking to bet on potential transfers should stay alert throughout the latter stages of the season if they want to secure a good deal - something they can easily do with the Transfer Hound.
Thanks in particular to the internet and social media, the number of rumours surrounding potential deals each year has exploded, and transfer specials have consequently become some of the most popular football betting markets on offer. While these markets can provide a fun break from your usual football betting strategy, it is important not to get lured in by the tabloids' transfer headlines, given the gossiping media's love for hearsay.
The key to success in the 'transfer specials' markets, as with most types of sports betting, is knowledge. Read as much as you can – be it newspapers, football websites or official club pages. Rumours will fly around, so do your research into which of the stories could have an element of truth - one of the best resources for this is actually the player's personal Twitter account.
When considering a rumour, read up on the history of the player or manager in question, their agent, and the clubs involved in the story. Does he really want to move, or is his agent just trying to push his club into offering a new contract, as was the case with Wayne Rooney in 2010? Agents have a habit of creating hype around their player so be careful not to get sucked in without doing your homework.
Timing is also an important factor in successful transfer betting. As a deal nears completion, odds will shorten significantly. It's therefore a good idea to look around at different bookmakers to keep an eye on which transfers are being offered, and any promising shift in prices.
A player's performance will also often lead to an increase in speculation. For example, rumours surrounding Borussia Dortmund star Robert Lewandowski were rife for many years before the 2012-13 season, but the striker always ended up staying put. Then, following his incredible performance during his team's demolition of Real Madrid, the media pounced on the story once more. A betting market concerning the frontman's next permanent club was priced up. The bookmaker's favourite option was for Lewandowski to remain in Germany, which he eventually did by jumping ship to Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich.
This 'next permanent club' market can be a good option if you feel that a star player will eventually outgrow his current club, but aren't exactly sure when he will make his move - this market lets you bet on the next team he will play for, rather than on him moving in a particular window.
If you want to take a punt on some transfer specials, remember to stay well informed, and time your wagers right. If you keep one step ahead of the pack when it comes to transfer rumours, you could land yourself a substantial profit, so visit Paddy Power Sports today for a range of player and manager markets.
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No woman is an island. The people you surround yourself with help you interpret the world, support or question your decisions and just make this business of existing that much better or worse. There's a lot of talk about the toxic friends you need to ditch. But who should you hold on to for dear life? You probably have a gut feeling. But this is the trifecta.
1. The friend you can tell anything
Sometimes you need to define something by what it isn't. This isn't the friend who worries about you a lot. This isn't the friend who can't handle some aspects of your personality. This isn't the friend who is going out with your boyfriend's best friend. Sometimes this person is a little removed from the rest of your circle, making it easier and safer to divulge the nitty gritty. When you say you hate your other best friend/Mom/husband, she knows you don't really hate them, but also doesn't discount your feelings in the moment. You can tell her exactly what you drank on that business trip or what you did with that bartender (where is the really shocking part, anyway) without her going all nutzo. She takes it in stride and accepts you for all your little indiscretions and foibles, what you divulge today isn't going to affect how she looks at you tomorrow.
2. The friend who's a better person than you
You know it deep down. Even if it's not really true, it's your truth — this person is just better than you. Maybe she gets along with all her relatives and in-laws and makes flawless duck confit. Or maybe she is your moral compass. Either way, you don't always feel like you can tell this person everything. But when you need to make a decision or know if you did the right thing, you know their face or voice will tell you the truth even when their words cushion the blow. You need someone who you can depend on to keep you accountable to your goals, resolutions, and your authentic self. They may question you – you may need it.
3. The friend you've known forever
It's easy to let the threads of childhood friendships unwind, which makes it all the more special when you have a playmate you've stayed tight with. There's a shorthand with someone you grew up with which makes communicating that much easier and more seamless. You don't have to explain why what that jerk said hurt your feelings, he or she knows because they know your history, your insecurities, and your sensitive spots. Because you don't have to explain a backstory or where you're coming from, your conversations are full of the more meaningful stuff. Knowing who you were then gives them insight into who you are now. Plus, it always helps to have someone around who's seen you at your best and your worst to tell you that this moment you're living is neither of those extremes.
images: IMAXtree


text: Course Forex Basics Basics 0 steps completed0% 12 Lessons Lessons How to Start Trading Trading with a Regulated Broker Five Asset Classes What is a CFD? What is Currency Trading? Fundamental Analysis What is Technical Analysis? Important Economic Indicators Position Features Explained Order Types Explained Forex Market Hours How to use Trading alerts


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Only Helicopter flight school at Aurora State Airport in the heart of the Willamette Valley. Easy Access to down town. Also provide Helicopter Charter, helicopter maintenence , Aerial platform for motion picture, survey, patrol or special use.
Data is submitted by registered FlightAware members on 2009-Nov-30 17:46.You must register or login to edit FBO information.
Jet A and 100LL airport fuel prices for all FBOs at KUAO


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Here you will find a wide range of speedskates of all well-known brands: Rollerblade , Powerslide , Bont , Cado Motus , Fila, Mariani and K2. Of course you will find the three top-models of the australian manufacturer Bont in our onlineshop : Semi Race, Jet and Z. Our course Speedskate range also includes various Rollerblade-, K2- and Powerslide-types. Here is just a small selection : Rollerblade Tempest, Fila F110, Powerslide Grant Prix 125mm, Powerslide Vi-Skates, Rollerblade Powerblade GTM and K2 Longmount . It is not easy to choose a skate. Especially in the sector of ??speedskating. speedskates have to fit perfectly . Of course we will gladly help you in finding your speedskates. and you answer correctly questions about skate adjustment and custom skates. If you have any questions about skate adjustment and custom skates, do not hesitate to contact us: You can reach us from Monday to Friday 9:00 am bis 5.00 pm at +49 521-522 888 77 .


text: Young guy and his sister are got in the pool nude and having naughty adult fun! Freaky guy is standing in the water and holding his younger sister lying on poolside; he is stroking her cute teen boobies and amazingly young fresh body all over. Beauty babe spreads her legs and gets brother's impressively huge dick gently sliding into her tight and awesomely young pussy. She just loves to fuck with her brother


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Joe Lueken spent 46 years becoming a successful grocer and community benefactor here. Finally, at 70, he's ready to sell the business, travel the world with his wife, Janice, and reap some of what they've sown.
So when he strides into his south Bemidji supermarket and 2 1/2-year employee Maria Svare smiles broadly and asks him,
How do you like my store today? it might sound like a joke.
But it's not. And that's part of why hundreds of Bemidji residents are thankful this holiday season for Joe Lueken.
On 1 January, Lueken's Village Foods, with two supermarkets in Bemidji and another in Wahpeton, North Dakota, will begin transferring ownership to its approximately 400 employees through an Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP) — via redwolf.newsvine.com


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-- Captain Phil Harris Discusses his Life-Threatening Health Scare that Ended his Season Early --
(Silver Spring, Md) � Go behind the scenes with the unforgettable captains and crews of Discovery Channel's Emmy�-nominated series DEADLIEST CATCH on Tuesday, June 17 at 10 PM (ET/PT) with an all new season of AFTER THE CATCH. This five-part series � airing each week after the premiere of DEADLIEST CATCH � takes a deeper look at one of the most dangerous jobs in the world and the men who do it.
America's favorite crab fishermen swap tales of the Bering Sea in Gloucester, Massachusetts, a town famous for fishing and sea tragedies of its own. Mike Rowe (host of DIRTY JOBS and narrator of DEADLIEST CATCH) and the guys sit down with some of the Gloucester's legendary fishermen as well as author Spike Walker and Dutch Harbor bartender Lisa Roberts who has the inside scoop on what life is really like at the home port.
Topics covered in AFTER THE CATCH this year include: legendary fishing moments including monster waves and the treacherous ice pack; brothers who fish together and the respect they have for one another; close calls encountered by the fishermen over the years; deckhands and what they really think about their captains; and what life is like for these men when they are off the boat.
The most moving interview of the five-part series is one with Captain Phil Harris of the F/V Cornelia Marie and his sons, Jake and Josh. Phil recounts a terrifying ordeal in which he was thrown from his bunk after the boat took a massive wave during opilio crab season in January. He began coughing up blood and had trouble breathing but didn't know why. Calls made to the hospital back in town were not reassuring. But the boat was in high seas and rough winds � too rough for a Coast Guard helicopter to evacuate him from the Bering Sea. Phil was forced to tough it out on the boat until it was safe enough to get to town and see a doctor. The diagnosis was serious enough to keep him off the boat the rest of the fishing season.
The DEADLIEST CATCH episode featuring Phil's harrowing ordeal premieres on Tuesday, June 24 at 9 PM ET/PT. The AFTER THE CATCH episode recounting the incident premieres on Tuesday, July 15 at 10 PM ET/PT.
About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications is the world's number-one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 170 countries. Discovery empowers people to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity through 100-plus worldwide networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Investigation Discovery and HD Theater, as well as leading consumer and educational products and services, and a diversified portfolio of digital media services including HowStuffWorks.com. Discovery Communications is owned by Discovery Holding Company (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB), Advance/Newhouse Communications and John S. Hendricks, Discovery's founder and chairman. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.


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Generation Y, Not Generation Debt
A look at the recent Great Recession through a glass half full reveals a few positive effects of the economic malaise.
Do you sacrifice things you enjoy to save as much as possible? An occasional splurge is not such a bad thing, and it might even make you a better saver.
If you are willing to put in some time and work, you may be able to save money on your next home purchase by buying a fixer-upper. Here's what to look for.
Knowing how much you should invest can be a very difficult (and very personal) question. Read this overview of your options to help you decide.
Property buyers with cash can save as much as 30% off the market price at a foreclosure auction. Here's what to expect on the courthouse steps.
Tired of spending $30 on a single toy? Here are 10 super-fun toys and games you can make at home with common items.
It can be hard to find off-time entertainment when you don't work a regular 9 to 5, but this list proves that there are great frugal things to do at any time of day.
It goes against common advice, but you might be better off not saving for your child's college education. Here's why.
Chinese people generally save 30% to 50% of their take home pay. So where do they spend their savings — and what can we all learn from them?
The Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act is expiring at the end 2012. Find out what it could mean for you in the coming year.
Bank of America is forgiving up to $100,000 in mortgage principal for select borrowers. Find out if you qualify for this new program.
One writer shares her story about being charged for a cellphone text message service she never signed up for — and how you can avoid the same scam.
Last year, one Wise Bread writer and her husband purchased a property with cash. That's right — cash. Here's the process they went through.
What's more discouraging that unemployment? Long-term unemployment. Follow these steps to make your time productive and get back to work.
Simply living frugally doesn't always lead to financial greatness or happiness. Discover when it's better to bend the rules of frugality, and why.
The conforming loan limit for home loans in the U.S. fell back to pre-2008 levels recently. Now lawmakers want to raise it again. Learn how it could affect you.
If your idea of investing is ensuring that you'll never see your money again, then we have some great investment suggestions for you.
What would happen if the mortgage interest deduction were eliminated?
Are you struggling to pay for your mortgage? Uncle Sam is gearing up to pass out up to $50,000 to troubled homeowners, and it doesn't have to be repaid.
You don't have to buy an extremely expensive house to get your child into a good school. Here are some other approaches to consider.


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Rights group: Syrian regime behind mass killings
An international human rights group on Friday accused Syrian government forces and pro-regime militias of carrying out summary executions earlier this year that left at least 248 people dead in two predominantly Sunni Muslim towns along the Mediterranean coast.
The allegations by Human Rights Watch came as intense negotiations by top American and Russian diplomats were underway in Geneva over securing President Bashar Assad's chemical arsenal implicated in the alleged chemical attack near Damascus last month that killed hundreds.
It was the Aug. 21 attack in the sprawling Damascus suburb of Ghouta that prompted the U.S. to threaten Assad's forces with a military strike. Washington and its allies said Syrian government troops fired warheads that contained a nerve agent into the suburb, most likely sarin. The U.S. says more than 1,000 people were killed in the attack; other estimates put the death toll at 500, at the least.
More than 100,000 people have been killed so far in Syria's civil war.
The New York-based group said in its new report, released Friday, that mass killings took place in the towns of Bayda and Banias on May 2 and 3. It said the report was based on accounts of people and witnesses who saw or heard government and pro-government forces detain and then kill their relatives. The group's activists interviewed 15 Bayda residents and five from Banias, as well as survivors and local activists to compile a list of names of 167 people killed in Bayda and 81 in Banias.
The two towns are predominantly populated by Sunni Muslims, who dominate the armed revolt against Assad's regime. They are located in Syria's coastal area, the heartland of the ruling Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shiite Islam and a group that the president also belongs to.
"While the world's attention is on ensuring that Syria's government can no longer use chemical weapons against its population, we shouldn't forget that Syrian government forces have used conventional means to slaughter civilians," said Joe Stork, the acting Middle East director at HRW. "Survivors told us devastating stories of how their unarmed relatives were mowed down in front of them by government and pro-government forces."
In the 68-page report released Friday, HRW says it has witness accounts and video evidence to support claims that the "overwhelming majority" of the victims in the two towns were killed after military clashes ended and opposition fighters had retreated from the area. Most of the victims were shoot at close range, the group said, adding that the actual number of casualties is likely to be higher as it's difficult to access the area, Banias in particular, to account for the dead.
On the morning of May 2, Syrian government forces and militiamen clashed with opposition fighters near Bayda, a town of about 7,000 residents, mostly Sunnis. Witnesses told HRW that rebels retreated in early afternoon, when government troops entered the town, doing house-to-house searches.
Over a period of three hours, they "entered homes, separated men from women, rounded up the men of each neighborhood in one spot, and executed them by shooting them at close range," the report said.
HRW activists documented the names of at least 23 women and 14 children, including infants, killed in that incident, the report said.
At the time, Syrian authorities acknowledged its troops were operating in Bayda and Banias but said they battled and killed many "terrorists" there, the government's term for rebels fighting to topple Assad's regime.
Syria's crisis stared in March 2011 as largely peaceful protests against Assad's rule. The uprising turned into civil war after some opposition supporters took up arms to fight a harsh government crackdown on dissent. In the past two years, the fighting has taken increasingly sectarian overtones.
In the aftermath of the alleged chemical attack, Assad denied responsibility and accused U.S. officials of spreading lies without providing evidence. In an interview Thursday, the Syrian president described the Aug. 21 attack as a "U.S.-organized provocation."
Speaking to Russia's state Rossiya 24 news channel, Assad agreed to a Russian plan to secure and destroy his chemical weapons but said the proposal would work only if the U.S. halts threats of military action.
Assad also said his government will start submitting data on its chemical weapons stockpile a month after signing the convention banning such weapons.
Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed Syria's move, telling an international security gathering on Friday in Kyrgyzstan that joining the Chemical Weapons Convention has proven Damascus' good faith.
It shows that Syria has "serious intentions to embark on that path," Putin said at the summit dominated by Russia, China and Iran, all Assad allies.
On Monday, Russia proposed that Syria avoid a U.S. military strike by surrendering control over its chemical weapons to the international community for eventual dismantling. Damascus quickly jumped at the offer and top U.S. and Russian diplomats opened talks in Geneva on Thursday to discuss the specifics.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and a team of U.S. experts were to meet their Russian counterparts Friday for the second day of talks on a plan how some 1,000 tons of chemical weapons stocks and precursor materials as well as potential delivery systems could be safely inventoried and isolated under international control.
Russia, backed by China, has repeatedly used veto power at the Security Council to block resolutions calling for sanctions against Assad's regime.


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Are you in need of a user friendly reference to stars of particular interest to AAVSO? An interactive tool that lists all important stars in one place, but goes beyond just table of stars?
Below is the link to the KMZ file I use as an AAVSO customized virtual sky atlas and as a variable star tree with links to vast AAVSO resources.
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-YoxAS5MgmDSDQxNmV3Zng3ekE/edit?usp=sha... [3]
Download and open KMZ file in Google Earth/Sky or other sky viewing program that supports KML markup language. To avoid overcrowded display switch off most of Google Sky default layers, but leave DSS imagery on. Double clicking or clicking a star icons in sky pane, or categories and star names in the list view to the left, allows to navigate and read descriptions of stars. Adjust scale using Page Up and Page Down keys or mouse wheel.
Currently you can view these categories of stars:
Naked Eye Variables
AAVSO Easy To Observe
AAVSO Binocular Program
AAVSO Legacy LPVs
AAVSO LPV Bulletin 76
AAVSO Double Trouble LPVs
Mike Simonsen's CV Zoo
AAVSO Legacy CVs
AAVSO Z Cam Campaign
AAVSO Short Period Pulsators Program
AAVSO Eclipsing Binary Program
BSM North Targets
BSM South Targets
BAAVSS Polar Program
M67 Photometry
As this is work in progress, missing are DSLR program stars, current and past campaigns stars, etc. There is no real technical support, but I will try to include suggestions users may have. Mike Simonsen generously allowed me to use AAVSO logo for this little file.


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Less salt and fat. More whole grains, fruit, veggies and low-fat dairy. This is what kids can expect in the school lunchroom soon, according to new nutrition standards for school meals announced today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and first lady Michelle Obama.
"When we send our kids to school, we expect that they won't be eating the kind of fatty, salty, sugary foods that we try to keep them from eating at home," Obama said in a statement. "We want the food they get at school to be the same kind of food we would serve at our own kitchen tables."
And remember all the political shenanigans over pizza as a veggie? Yes, pizza can technically still count as one serving of veggies. But that slice of pizza won't be served alone. The new standards call for two servings of vegetables per meal. So the pizza will come with a side of carrots or green beans.
Chocolate milk made the cut, too, although from here on out it will be skim, according to a sample menu created to show what the new standards will look like once implemented.
"The new school standards are a terrific step forward," Margo Wootan of the Center for Science in the Public Interest told The Salt. "And they would have been even better if Congress had not meddled."
One example: French fries. Originally, the USDA proposed a standard that would have limited servings of the starchy potato. But Wootan explains that the potato lobby found friends in Congress to help scrap that provision. The result: French fries will likely remain a staple of the school cafeteria. But they're likely to be a little less salty.
Another change in store: setting limits on total calories for a meal. While there are still many children at risk of food insecurity or hunger, there's also the competing challenge of obesity. In trying to balance these concerns, the USDA decided to set a calorie range.
For instance, the USDA say elementary school kids should receive lunches between 550 and 650 calories, which is about one-third of daily recommended calories.
The price tag on the changes? $3.2 billion over the next five years, the agency says. But schools will get some help with those costs from the government — included in the package announced today is an increase of 6 cents per meal in reimbursement funds for schools. This is the first increase in reimbursement funds in 30 years.
Nearly 32 million kids participate in school meal programs every school day. In addition to revamping nutrition standards, USDA also recently began encouraging schools to partner with local farms to get more fresh fruits and vegetables into the lunchroom.
The first lady used a visit to a school cafeteria in Alexandria, Va., to talk about the new standards. And she also took the opportunity to nudge parents and teachers to be role models for their kids. She says that around her house, when she gets excited about something, her daughters get pumped up, too. And she says, in her experience, kids adapt to change so easily. "That's the beauty," she says.
As she pushed her tray down the lunch line and picked up the turkey tacos served with fresh salsa, brown rice, and whole grain flat bread, she told the kids that she has gotten her family into the habit of eating brown rice. And they all like it.
Parents who attended the first lady's announcement at Parklawn Elementary say the nice thing about the healthy changes is that the school isn't scraping kids' favorite dishes. So for these elementary school kids, school food is cool.
"My son loves the taco," says Ellisa Simmons, mom to a kindergartner. And the switch to lower-fat meat, brown rice and healthier sides isn't a big change.
Simmons says she's pretty sure the school lunch is better than what she can manage to pack in a brown bag.
"We're always so pressed for time," Simmons says, that it would be hard to get two veggies in a packed lunch. And with such healthy options at school, she says she won't even bother packing one.
This is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Melissa Block.
And I'm Robert Siegel.
The school taco is getting a makeover. Today, the USDA released new school lunch standards. They trimmed salt, sugar and portion sizes to make lunch healthier. First Lady Michelle Obama was on hand at an elementary school in Alexandria, Virginia for a taste test.
NPR's Allison Aubrey has the story.
ALLISON AUBREY, BYLINE: As the first lady slid her tray down the lunch line with a bunch of students at Parklawn Elementary, she scooped up the brown rice turkey tacos served with fresh salsa on whole grain flatbread.
MICHELLE OBAMA: This is so nice. It's so well prepared. Oh, I love it.
AUBREY: And she says this is what a meal is supposed to look like. Lots of color, lots of taste, but lighter on fat, calories and salt. Talking to parents who'd gathered at the school, the first lady says these new standards, which also mandate two servings of veggies per meal, aren't only about combating obesity. They're also about helping kids stay sharp mentally in the classroom, avoiding those mid-afternoon sugar crashes. And, hopefully, she says, the standards will help reinforce the messages lots of moms and dads have been trying to drill into kids' heads about good nutrition.
OBAMA: When we send our kids to school, we have a right to expect that they won't be eating the kind of fatty, salty, sugary foods that we're trying to keep from them when they're at home.
AUBREY: More than 32 million kids participate in school meal programs every day and advocates who've been pushing for healthier meals say this is progress, though the rules are not as aggressive as the Obama administration had hoped for.
Margo Wootan directs nutrition efforts at the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
MARGO WOOTAN: It's a huge step forward. These new school meal standards will mean much healthier foods on our kids' lunch trays.
AUBREY: Even though the trays will continue to carry servings of French fries and pizza, Wootan says the U.S. Department of Agriculture was not able to finalize a provision that would have restricted servings of French fries, nor were they able to cancel out a rule that allows schools to count pizza as a vegetable. On these issues, she says Congress and powerful food lobbyists prevailed.
WOOTAN: Under the new standards, even though USDA wasn't able to do what they wanted to do around limiting French fries and not counting pizza as a vegetable anymore, there still will be healthier pizza in the school lunch.
AUBREY: It'll have a whole grain, be lower in sodium and fat and it will need to be served with another vegetable. The USDA estimates that the price tag for new nutrition standards will total about $3.2 billion over the next five years, with many of the changes being phased in gradually. But Diane Pratt-Heavner of the School Nutrition Association says school food directors are already trying creative ways to win students over on healthier eating.
DIANE PRATT-HEAVNER: We're seeing more schools with salad bars and student taste tests and Harvest of the Month programs that they're really trying to encourage kids to expand their pallets and try fruits and vegetables that they might not have encountered at home.
AUBREY: As for mom, Ellisa Simmons, who attended the first lady's announcement today, she says these new lunches, especially the two servings of vegetables, will be better than what she usually manages to pack for her son.
ELLISA SIMMONS: We're always so pressed for time. You just throw here and there. You figure one is good enough.
AUBREY: So, Simmons says, from now on, her son will be eating the school lunch.
Allison Aubrey, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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Below is the common error that I always have when I force my Firefox to close.
Firefox is already running, but is not responding. To open a new window, you must first close the existing Firefox process, or restart your system.
You can't fix it by log out from the system. You can only do 2 things, kill the Firefox process or restart your system. The second option will take a longer time, so let's do the first one.
Open your Linux terminal (Applications>Accessories>Terminal) then type: ps ax | grep firefox.
You will see the PID number on the left side. PID is Program Identifier. The number can be different.
Have to have stop the process by kill the PID one by one.
Now, start your Firefox again. If you see the screen below mean the problem is fixed.


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James McAvoy's new film is a "f***ed up fairytale".
The actor plays a morally reprehensible policeman in 'Filth' which made presenting him as a character who viewers could sympathise with wasn't easy.
He said: "[It's] a f***ed up fairytale. It is not easy to make a really, really, good film about a homophobic, racist, sexist and misogynist guy.
"It's an exceptional story about an exceptional person. It is not about everyday life. That is reflected in the way it is shot. We are not trying to be gritty. There is edginess in the performances, of course, but it's like when you are in a theatre and you know you are watching a play."
James, 34, is seen taking drugs and having sex in the film - based on the novel by Irvine Welsh - and was initially concerned he was too young to play the part of a middle aged man, but director Jon S. Baird knew he was perfect for the role as soon as he met him.
Jon said: "I originally thought James was a middle class Scotsman, but he's definitely not. He's far edgier than people might imagine.
"Irvine [Ken Marshall, producer] and I were waiting for him to arrive, and in walked James wearing a baseball cap, looking about 15 years old. [But] as soon as we started talking about the character, James completely changed into this grizzled, middle aged cop."
'Filth' is in cinemas from October 4.
tagged in James McAvoy Irvine Welsh


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Miller Analogies Test (MAT)
Friday, November 30, 2018
10:00 am (registrants must arrive by 9:30 am)
Registrants should check in at the Admissions reception desk, 2nd Floor, LeChase Hall
The Warner School is an official testing site for the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). The MAT is one of the testing options acceptable under the new requirements for those seeking teaching or K-12 administrative certification for NYS. The MAT is a one hour test and the fee for taking the exam at the Warner School is $90. For more details about the test: http://www.pearsonassessments.com/postsecondaryeducation/graduate_admissions/mat.html.
Please use this link to register for the Miller Analogies Test at the Warner School: https://apply.grad.rochester.edu/register/Nov30MAT


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Recent IPCC report sites human influence cause of global warming
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) made available today the final draft of the Fifth Assessment Report. The report resulted from a worldwide scientific collaboration between 39 countries, 259 authors and 54,677 comments.
Notable findings include:
Scientists report human influence as the dominant cause of observed warming since the mid-20th century. Our subsequent and continued emissions of greenhouse gases will further warm and cause changes in all components of the climate system.
Changes include:
Scientists conclude that cumulative emissions of CO2 largely determine global mean surface warming by the late 21st century and beyond. Most aspects of climate change will persist for many centuries, even if emissions of CO2 are stopped. This represents a substantial multi-century climate change commitment created by past, present and future emissions of CO2.


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Sunset Meditation
Thursday, October 15
per guest
Learn more
Class Details
Find your zen as the sun sets behind the sea.
This painting is in testing and may run longer than scheduled times.
This event will take place IN STUDIO for a max of approx. 25 guests. We have re-arranged our interior to maintain social distancing and practice increased sanitation of all surfaces and equipment. We ask that you wear a mask when you enter and move about the studio. Masks can be removed while you are sitting at your table.
Please arrive 30 minutes early to avoid the bar rush for food/drinks.
Upgrade your work of art to a Wood Board or Tea Tray ($15) or a canvas tote bag or Magnetic Canvas Roll ($10)
The Perfect Night Out
Enjoy drinks, upbeat music and hanging out with your favorite people while you paint! It's as fun for first-time painters as it is for experienced artists.
Fun Atmosphere
From the moment you walk in, the mood is light, the music is fun and the conversation comes easy!
Easy to Do
You don't need to be a seasoned painter — we make it easy for everyone to find their inner artist!
Sit Together
You'll get seats with all your friends, even if you book separately. Just tell us your friends' names when you register.
Paint Your Way
There's no rule that says you have to follow the artist's steps. It's your art, so paint it however you like!
Frequently Asked Questions
Check out our FAQs to learn more about what to expect from your Pinot's Palette experience or feel free to call the studio to speak to a member of our staff.
Is there an age limit?
Our studio Elk Grove is open to all ages. Please check the event calendar for age appropriate paintings and Little Brushes classes. Please Note: Other Pinot's Palette locations are 21+. Please check with each location on their age restrictions.
How do I sign up for class?
Signing up is easy. Click the event calendar tab to view our current schedule. Select which painting you would like to paint and click "Add Painting to Cart." Follow the on-screen directions to complete the order. Contact us if you have trouble completing your order and we will walk you through the process.
Is there reserved seating?
Yes, we have reserved seating. If you have a friend or group that you would like to sit with, enter their names in the seating request box at check out. Feel free to email us at firstname.lastname@example.com if you have questions. We can not hold seats without payment in full.
How early can we arrive?
We open the doors 30 minutes before class starts
Where are you located?
We are on Elk Grove Blvd, in old town Elk Grove across from Bank of America.


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On 3 September 1939, the Prime Minister declared that Britain was at war with Nazi Germany. Thousands of young women, many of them barely out of school, were sent headlong into gruelling training regimes that would see them become wartime nurses. 'Sisters' features over 150 previously unpublished stories from the archives of the Royal College of Nursing. The vivid, poignant and riveting stories capture these nurses' incredible bravery and touching friendships
Available at Low Fell and Pelaw.


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Nielsen Recognized in Gartner's Vendor Panorama for Trade Promotion Management in Consumer Goods 2014
Schaumburg, Ill. – May 8, 2014 – Nielsen, a leading global provider of information and insights into what consumers watch and buy, announced today that Gartner, the leading provider of research and analysis on the global information technology industry, has recognized Nielsen in the recent "Vendor Panorama for Trade Promotion Management in Consumer Goods 2014" report*.
Gartner reviewed 20 service providers for the Vendor Panorama report, which profiles the marketplace and leading vendors to help consumer goods companies use technology to better manage in-store trade promotion execution. The companies were assessed according to company viability, geographic strategy, responsiveness and track record, deployment capabilities, market understanding, vertical/industry strategy, partner leverage, and company vision. These indicators help manufacturers and retailers better evaluate the reliability and ability to offer, over time, the solutions that are best suited to their needs. Nielsen's revenue management and optimization (RMO) received the highest evaluation of 'good to very good' in five of the eight criteria for company assessment.
"Our clients are already reaping the benefits of our unique end-to-end solution," said Rick Hall, Senior Vice President, Trade Promotions, Nielsen. "We believe Gartner's review confirms our leadership in the market and our commitment to providing customers with a truly exceptional and flexible solution. Nielsen RMO is addressing every client's unique promotional trade challenge from the strategic level down to the customer-end-event level and delivering greater return on trade promotion investments."
Among other findings, Gartner's report highlights the importance of integrating trade promotion management (TPM) and trade promotion optimization (TPO), as well as the value of the software as a service (SaaS) delivery model.
"We believe Nielsen was recognized for the overall quality and completeness of our global trade promotion management solutions," said Doug Bennett, Senior Vice President, Custom Analytics, Nielsen. "Nielsen is well-positioned in the industry because of our capability to combine comprehensive data with analytics that yield actionable insights, which are supported by powerful cloud-based applications to inform and drive optimal CPG trade decisions."
*Gartner, Vendor Panorama for Trade Promotion Management in Consumer Goods, 2014, Dale Hagemeyer, March 28, 2014.
About Nielsen
Nielsen Holdings N.V. (NYSE: NLSN) is a global information and measurement company with leading market positions in marketing and consumer information, television and other media measurement, online intelligence and mobile measurement. Nielsen has a presence in approximately 100 countries, with headquarters in New York, USA and Diemen, the Netherlands. For more information, visit www.nielsen.com.
Meg Chari, email@example.com, 647.463.2022


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Links relacionados
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SAMJ: South African Medical Journal
versión On-line ISSN 2078-5135
versión impresa ISSN 0256-9574
SAMJ, S. Afr. med. j. vol.101 no.4 Pretoria abr. 2011
Ambulatory care of paediatric and adolescent diabetic patients in the Western Cape
To the Editor: It has been proposed that routine care of paediatric and adolescent patients with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) in the Western Cape should be devolved from centres of excellence to centres at secondary or even primary level. Experience with adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in another African country is cited to support this notion.1 However, these two conditions have completely different aetiologies. While T2DM is entirely preventable and treatable by simple measures, this is not the case with T1DM. T1DM usually starts in childhood, and children can by no means be considered 'little adults'. They vary in size, growth phase and pubertal stage. Their manipulative skills can catch many a health worker off-guard. Maintaining optimal blood glucose control in order to prevent both acute (diabetic ketoacidosis and hypoglycaemia) as well as chronic (microvascular and macrovascular) complications is therefore far more difficult in this age group than in any other. The International Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) in the latest Clinical Practice Consensus Guideline (supported by delegates from Africa) therefore recommends that children and adolescents with diabetes 'should be cared for ... by members of a team of specialists, all of whom should have training, expertise, and understanding of both diabetes and paediatrics, including child and adolescent development'.2 Such a team would consist of a paediatric endocrinologist or an experienced paediatrician, a diabetic nurse educator, a dietician, a social worker, a psychologist and an ophthalmologist.
Randomised controlled trials in children with T1DM to support ISPAD's recommendation are not available, and for ethical reasons may never be done. In certain African countries where there are no or few paediatric endocrinologists or diabetologists, children with T1DM have a shortened life expectancy (0.96 years in Mali, 3.5 years in Mozambique, 11.2 years in Zambia).3 This suggests that lack of expertise is indeed associated with significant mortality among diabetic patients. In adult ambulatory diabetic care, adherence, monitoring of blood sugar and detection of complications is significantly better when patients are looked after by endocrinologists as opposed to generalists.4 These patients usually also have a better HbA1c level, and significantly fewer develop end-stage renal disease. Furthermore, a multidisciplinary diabetes management team has been shown to impact on the cost of diabetic keto-acidosis, duration of hospital stay, number of emergency room visits and hospitalisations, hypoglycaemia and foot infections.4
Given the above, a secondary hospital geographically distant from a centre of excellence should only consider duplicating a diabetic ambulatory service if a multidisciplinary diabetes management team is available. An appropriately stocked dispensary, run by a motivated pharmacist, is also essential to prevent some of the problems frequently encountered at primary care centres.5 If these requirements cannot be met, it would not be in the interests of children and adolescents with T1DM to devolve their care to secondary or primary level.
Ekkehard Zöllner
Paediatric Endocrine Unit
Tygerberg Children's Hospital
W Cape
Steve Delport
Paediatric Endocrine Unit
University of Cape Town
1. Bahendeka S. The provision of hospital-based glucose monitoring and structured clinical files improves metabolic control of diabetics in rural areas of Uganda. Diabet Med 2006;23(P1709):603 (abstract). [ Links ]
2. Pihoker C, Forsander G, Wolfsdorf J, Klingensmith GJ. The delivery of ambulatory diabetes care: structures, processes, and outcomes of ambulatory diabetes care. Pediatr Diabetes 2008;9:609-620. [ Links ]
3. Beran D, Yudkin J, DeCourten M. Access to insulin and diabetes care in Mali, Mozambique and Zambia and differences in life-expectancy. Diabet Med 2006;23(P1722):603 (abstract). [ Links ]
4. Cobin RH. Subspecialist care improves diabetes outcomes. Diabetes Care 2002;25:1654-1656. [ Links ]
5. Haque M, Emerson SH, Dennison CR, Navsa M, Levitt NS. Barriers to initiating insulin therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in public-sector primary health care centres in Cape Town. S Afr Med J 2005;95:798-802. [ Links ]


text: Karwa Chauth is a one of the longest day celebration commended each year by the Hindu ladies particularly in the North India. As we are know that different places have different moonrise time today on karva chauth. Every woman breaks her fast on karwa chauth day after seeing moon rise in the sky. There are… Read More


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Here's the latest article from the Basketball site at BellaOnline.com.
Warming Up To Prevent Injuries
Warming up is a key element to preventing injuries and it is often overlooked or not taken seriously.
Please visit basketball.bellaonline.com for even more great content about Basketball.
To participate in free, fun online discussions, this site has a community forum all about Basketball located here -
I hope to hear from you sometime soon, either in the forum or in response to this email message. I thrive on your feedback!
Have fun passing this message along to family and friends, because we all love free knowledge!
Lori Collvins, Basketball Editor
One of hundreds of sites at BellaOnline.com


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MY BLOG IS BACK. I wrote about my full-time RV life, my time-travel excursions to other centuries, and whatever else came to hand, for a decade. Took 2017 off from blogging completely. OK, vacation's over. New crafts. New states colored in on the map. Retired. Sold the big motorhome. Traveling light and lean (for me ;) ) in a minivan. Still changing yards regularly. So hello - listen to some music, read some adventures. ~ Gypsy Jane
Friday, September 11, 2009
Today's Yard, Sept. 11 2009
Posted by Gypsy Jane at 10:19 PM
Labels: Today's Yard
1 comment:
Sorry about the word verification, but I've had a lot of spam lately. It's all by "Anonymous" so "Anonymous" can't post any more. All comments to this blog are moderated. If you post spam it will do you no good. Comments from my actual readers are welcome and appreciated.
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ORCA, Mitt Romney's high-tech get-out-the-vote program, crashed on Election Day
Online voter-turnout system failed Tuesday
WASHINGTON — Mitt Romney's online voter-turnout operation suffered a meltdown on Election Day, resulting in a crucial 90-minute "buckling'' of the system
in Boston and the inability of some campaign workers across the country to use a vital smartphone program, according to campaign officials and volunteers.
Code-named ORCA, the program was kept secret until just before the election in order to prevent hacking of the system. It was then trumpeted by Romney's aides as an unrivaled high-tech means of communicating with more than 30,000 field workers who were stationed at polling places on Election Day. Those volunteers were supposed to track who voted and to alert Boston headquarters if turnout was lower than expected at key precincts.
But at Boston's TD Garden, where 800 Romney workers were staffing phones and computers in coordination with the field workers to oversee the turnout, the surge in traffic was so great that the system didn't work for 90 minutes, causing panic as staffers frantically tried to restore service. Some campaign workers also reported that they had incorrect PINS and had not been informed that they needed certification to work at polling places.
"The Garden definitely kind of buckled under the strain,'' Zac Moffatt, the campaign's digital director, confirmed in an interview. "The system wasn't ready for the amount of information incoming.''
Despite the problems, Moffatt said, the campaign had reports by the end of the day from 91 percent of counties, with information about 14 million voters, and he discounted speculation from frustrated campaign volunteers who worried the problems might have cost Romney the election.
"I definitely understand the frustration of people,'' he said, while adding that the problems were not "election determinative.''
Romney himself trumpeted the program shortly before Election Day in a video message to volunteers. Titled, "Thank you for your help with Project ORCA,'' the video showed Romney saying he was "encouraged to hear how well it is coming along. As part of this task force, you'll be the key link in providing critical, real-time information to me and to the staff so that we can ensure that every last supporter makes it to the polls. With state-of-the-art technology, and an extremely dedicated group of volunteers, our campaign will have an unprecedented advantage on Election Day.''
But the technology did not live up to Romney's billing, at least during the crash. The campaign did not respond to a question about whether a particular contractor was primarily responsible for the program but said it was overseen by staff.
While campaign workers in Boston struggled on their end to get the system back online, volunteers across the country reported a variety of problems, some of them unrelated to the issues at the Garden.
John Ekdahl Jr., a 34-year-old Romney campaign worker and Web developer from Jacksonville, Fla., said in a telephone interview Friday that he was sent a 60-page document by the campaign Monday that included instructions on how to use the program and a list of voters at his polling place. That sent him on a frantic run to find a store to print out the documentation. Still, as a web developer, he felt comfortable with the ORCA program, which is actually a webpage and not a typical smartphone app.
Ekdahl's instructions were to go to his polling place with the list of voters, use the secure campaign web page, and push a virtual "slider'' on his phone to alert Boston that an individual had voted. In theory, this was a 21st century equivalent of the traditional "strike list,'' in which campaign workers check off names of voters on reams of paper so that headquarters can know who cast ballots. The idea was to make everything happen instantaneously, with the names sent via the ORCA application to headquarters, where workers would try to track down likely supporters who had not turned out.
But when Edkahl went to his polling place with the document and his smartphone, he was told that he needed a certificate to allow him to work there. Checking his document, he found that he was not told about the certification. He spent several hours trying to tell the campaign about the problem but got nowhere. He gave up at 2 p.m., depriving the campaign of data at his station. He said he heard from a number of other volunteers across the country who had the same problem.
"I'm hearing almost universal condemnation of the thing,'' said Ekdahl, who first wrote about the "unmitigated disaster'' of ORCA on his personal blog. "It seemed like the basic coordination between ground ops and overall team was lacking.''
As problems continued throughout Election Day, Romney volunteers took to their Twitter accounts and blogs to seek help or express frustration. One volunteer wrote on his blog that he was told that he couldn't use a smartphone with a camera at the polling place, making it impossible to use the application.
A number of deeply upset volunteers wrote on a Romney campaign message board that they could not get the program to work and were unable to get through to technical support, either receiving a busy signal or a recording that said try again later.
"I have called the ORCA helpline. It was supposed to be live at 5 a.m. . . . still getting a recording. Com on Boston we can't help Mitt if you won't help us.!!!!!'' one volunteer wrote.
Some volunteers apparently did not understand how to access the ORCA application, mistakenly thinking they had to download it for their phone. But the application wasn't in iTunes or the Android store; it was a "web application,'' requiring the field workers to access it via a secure Internet connection.
There were reports that volunteers in some states could not get the security code supplied by the campaign to work on the web page. An anonymous campaign official was quoted on the conservative website, Breitbart.com, as saying that hundreds of volunteers in Colorado had called to report problems.
"The user names and passwords were wrong, but the reset password tool didn't work, and we couldn't change phone PINs,'' the official was quoted as saying. "We were told the problems were limited and asked to project confidence, have people use pencil and paper, and try to submit again later. Then at 6 p.m. they admitted they had issued the wrong PINs to every volunteer in Colorado, and reissued new PINs (which also didn't work).''
Moffatt, asked whether there was a problem with PINs that made it impossible to use the application, said he did not know.
Moffatt is the cofounder of Targeted Victory, a Virginia-based consulting firm that has a contract to work for the Romney campaign, according to the company's website.
It is not clear if the reported problems with the PINs happened as a result of the crash at TD Garden or were a secondary failure.
A senior official in President Obama's campaign said it had experienced problems when it first used a similar system in 2008. The official said the campaign had learned from that experience and, after two dry runs earlier this year, had no significant glitches in its Election Day program that also relied on a smartphone program. The official spoke anonymously because he was not authorized to talk about the matter on the record.
Romney campaign officials had expressed great confidence in the program. In an interview aired on Monday on PBS, campaign spokesman Gail Gitcho gave what appears to be the first extended preview of ORCA, describing it as a revolutionary tool to help the campaign boost turnout.
"At 5 o'clock when the exit polls come out, we won't pay attention to that,'' Gitcho said. "We will have had much more scientific information just based on the political operation we have set up.''
Despite months of preparation for obtaining the needed Election Day bandwidth, the crash apparently occurred because of the strain of so much Internet traffic in the Romney operation in a short period of time, campaign volunteers said.
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A few things that Lorraine immediately pointed out was that I was skeptical and that Jolie was a diva. Pretty spot on if you ask me. Here's a few more things she said:
- Bebe is Daddy's girl, oh and Bebe says Daddy gives her cheese even though you yell at him not to.
- Jolie is mad that Bebe had a photo shoot with sunglasses and she didn't (my jaw dropped).
- Bebe loves the perfume you spray on her, keep it coming she says.
- Jolie wants to be in clothing everyday and she said that you are slacking.
- Jolie expects all the attention and toys and she likes her parties.
- Bebe is very appreciative and loves her cupcake towers. It was this statement right here that made me CRY. The lavish parties that I have thrown Bebe her best photos are with her next to the cupcake towers I make her. Coincidence? Clearly not!
Miss Moore said some other stuff too which I will keep close to my heart, however if you're ever in the tri-state area I urge you to pay her a visit!


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Aron Belka
The proliferation of satellite imagery may be changing our daily perception of the world, from the way we understand news events to the way we get driving directions across town. A recent body of work from New Orleans artist Aron Belka, however, offers a different interpretation of this very imagery.
Belka's portfolio of "satellite paintings" are inspired by aerial and satellite views of the earth. The vantage can range from treetop-level to high orbit, but they're always translated in oil on canvas through his own perspective and imagination. Think of the approach as the big picture, re-imagined.
"When you see a landscape up close, there's all the visual noise in the way, but when you get farther
out, you get to see the design that's happening in the land, and that's where I start," he says.
A Mexican mountain range turns blue and green on his canvas, while in another painting a South African river twists like a tendril around the silver glimmer of a developed area before cutting across a great open expanse. For another painting, a dark circular feature turns out to be a New Zealand volcano ringed by a spreading deforestation.
Belka was raised in Salt Lake City in a family with a strong artistic tradition. His mother is a musician, and his father is an architect, which Belka credits for his own early interest in geometric design.
"I spend a lot of time perusing Google Earth, looking for compositions that appeal to me," he says. "At first it was very design-oriented, but now I'm more interested in what's going on at these locations, the environmental conditions, the social conditions."
One of his paintings is a representation of Mount Kilimanjaro. He's produced prints of the work in partnership with the Kilimanjaro Education Foundation, and half of the proceeds from this print's sales support the nonprofit's mission to improve schooling in Tanzania and other countries bordering the famous African summit.
"Sometimes people don't realize this work is based on satellite imagery at first, but when they do, the meaning of the painting can really change for them," Belka says. "There's so much material. It's the whole world, really, and there are places out there that are meaningful for different people in different ways."
See more of Belka's work and details about the Kilimanjaro Education Foundation project at www.aronbelka.com.