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Following his rumored relationship with "Twilight" co-star Kristen Stewart and his dreamy coif, the most talked about Robert Pattinson tidbit is his alleged stench – but according to his co-star, Peter Facinelli, it's all part of a plan to get a leg up on the paparazzi.
"He's smart, because if he doesn't changes his clothes and the paparazzi get pictures of him in the same outfit all the time, then they can't sell the pictures," Peter told New York Magazine last week at the Cinema Society screening of "The Twilight Saga: New Moon."
VIEW THE PHOTOS: 'New Moon' Tour Takes The World By Storm
In fact, Peter said he came up with the aromatic approach to thwarting the snappers.
"That's what I said he should do; I said, 'You should not change your clothes, this way, how are they going to sell the picture of you in the same outfit all the time, because it will look like it was from the same batch,'" he continued.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Robert Pattinson - Hollywood's Hottest Vampire!
Ashley Greene, who stars as Robert's sister Alice Cullen in "The Twilight Saga" films, said the plan also keeps rabid Twi-hards at bay.
"You know what, I think maybe out of a defense mechanism, I don't sniff him," she said with a laugh.
As for director Chris Weitz, he's glad that he can always tell when the 23-year-old actor is nearby.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: See The Men Of 'Twilight' - Shirtless!
"I can smell him coming, that's the nice thing," Chris joked.
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
PLAY IT NOW: 'New Moon' Mania: Robert Pattinson Tells All!
PLAY IT NOW: Access Extended Part I: Robert Pattinson On Hiding From Fans & His Famous Hair
MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: Robert Pattinson - Movies - Chris Weitz - Paparazzi - New Moon


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Kitchen confidential: Tomas Rahal, Mas tapas
The secret to great cooking is... no shortcuts, be patient, and wait until the very last possible moment before finishing so everything peaks at the same time.
The secret to success in the restaurant business is... a solid business plan, realistic expectations, excellent staff training, and earning customers' trust over time. Always exceed expectations.
The secret to making Mas's pan-roasted wild steelhead trout is... super-fresh fish and wild mushrooms. As a rule, practice patient cooking, never rush "slow-cooked foods" because you're developing the flavors more deeply, and that can't be rushed.
Mas's pan-roasted wild steelhead trout
filet of fresh trout or wild salmon (about 6-8 oz.)
fresh thyme
1 shallot
2 cups of hedgehog or wild mushrooms
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 bay leaf
Pre-heat oven to 375.
Take your trout filet and rinse in clean, cold water. Leave the skin on, and allow to dry on towels in fridge.
Meanwhile, trim a heaping handful of mushrooms and brush (do not rinse) clean of dirt, ferns, etc. Slice and dice one whole shallot.
To make mushroom stock, take the non-dirt mushroom trimmings, part of the shallot, a pinch of pepper, 2 cups of spring water, a sprig of fresh thyme, and a fresh bay leaf. Cook in a sauce-pot until reduced by one half.
Season the trout with grey sea salt, cracked white pepper, and a smidge of minced garlic by rubbing the mixture gently into the flesh.
Bring a sauté pan to medium high heat and place fish flesh down with a tablespoon of cooking oil, light olive oil, or clarified butter. Allow the fish to cook and caramelize thoroughly on the first side before flipping over. This generally takes about 8-10 minutes depending on the thickness of the filet.
Flip the filet and place skin down in the pre-heated oven for about 5 minutes to crisp the skin and plump up the fish. Lightly salt the cooked side and remove fish from pan.
Place the mushrooms, thyme, and shallots in the pan with a drizzle more oil, sauté well, deglaze with the stock and white wine, and reduce until it sticks to the back of a spoon nicely.
Pour mushrooms and glaze over the fish to plate. You may also mount or swirl a tablespoon of sweet butter into the glaze before plating if you wish.
This dish is best when paired with a floral, dryly acidic white or Rosado wine, or a pungent pale ale.

subset: commoncrawl


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Leadership Change for Missouri Department of Transportation
JEFFERSON CITY - The Missouri Department of Transportation Director Kevin Keith steps down and Chief Engineer Dave Nichols assumes the role of interim director for the department.
Keith has submitted his resignation and will leave his role, taking a medical leave of absence with plans to retire on July 1, 2013. Nichols will step in as interim MoDOT director for a minimum of one year, according to Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission Chairman Joe Carmichael.
"The commission has accepted Kevin's resignation and we are grateful for his long career of dedicated, results-oriented service to MoDOT and the citizens of Missouri," said Carmichael. "We are committed to a seamless leadership transition for the benefit of our employees, our customers, and our stakeholders."
Interim MoDOT Director Dave Nichols has served with MoDOT for 29 years in a variety of leadership roles, including his work as the department's first director of program delivery prior to becoming chief engineer. He has also served as district engineer for the department's Northwest District headquartered in St. Joseph and worked in MoDOT's Kansas City District.
"The commission is very confident in Dave's ability to carry MoDOT forward in all respects," said Carmichael.


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Carey Price made 18 saves in his 300th NHL game to lead the Montreal Canadiens to a 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday.
Max Pacioretty scored twice and Andrei Markov and Jeff Halpern also scored for Montreal, which swept the season series against Carolina and remains undefeated in 10 games against the Southeast Division this season.
Jordan Staal scored and Justin Peters stopped 25 shots for Carolina, which has just one win in its past nine games.
The win gives Montreal a three-point lead over the idle Boston Bruins in the race for the Northeast Division title.
After the Canadiens were unable to convert on a couple of quality chances in the opening minutes of the first period, the Hurricanes took advantage on a delayed penalty call against Montreal.
Patrick Dwyer broke in, impeded by defenseman Alexei Emelin. Price made the save but the rebound came out to Staal, who scored his 11th of the season at 3:38.
Markov evened up the score on the power play at 15:03 with a slap shot from the right point. P.K. Subban added an assist on the play, tying him with Pittsburgh's Kris Letang and Minnesota's Ryan Suter for the league lead in points by a defenseman.
The Canadiens went ahead early in the second when rookie defenseman Nathan Beaulieu found Halpern in the slot for the veteran's first of the season. The assist was the first point for Beaulieu, who made his NHL debut on Saturday.
Jiri Tlusty nearly tied things up in the opening minute of the third, only to hit the post.
Pacioretty provided the Canadiens with some insurance at 10:58 of the third when he slipped the puck through an opening to Peters' left side. Pacioretty also added a goal into an empty net.
Canadiens winger Colby Armstrong had to be helped off the ice early in the third after a hard collision with Dwyer that left him favoring what appeared to be his right leg. He did not return.
Notes: The Canadiens scratched forward Mike Blunden and defensemen Tomas Kaberle and Yannick Weber. ... The Hurricanes scratched forward Adam Hall and Tuomo Ruutu (injured).


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The Government consists of the Prime Minister and ministers. The Government represents the executive power in Lithuania. It resolves public issues by taking a majority-vote decisions in its sittings. In its work, the Government is guided by the Rules of Procedure of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.
The Government shall follow the principles of collegiality, democracy, lawfulness and publicity.
Government rights and responsibilities include submitting proposals to the President regarding the announcement of early election to the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, in the case where the Seimas expresses direct non-confidence in the Government.
Where the Seimas fails to convene and announce the presidential election within 10 days in the cases provided for in Article 89(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, the presidential election shall be announced by the Government, through its resolution.
The Government has the right of legislative initiative at the Seimas. The Government adopts resolutions on Seimas draft laws and other proposals submittable to the Seimas. The Prime Minister or a duly authorized minister attends the proposal deliberation procedure.
The Government:


text:
Olumide Gilbert: "No. I'm pretty happy. It's a question of aesthetics. Plus, I like things that are always in style, not fads or trends."
Larry Engle: "I don't believe so, because it's the inner and not the outer."
Lisa Horsley: "No. I'm just coming to terms with aging, which is beautiful. I love my gray hair, and the wrinkles are okay."


text:
Call Us For Ideas & Pricing 630-628-9696
Outstanding Service Since 1974
Call Us for Pricing & Availability 630-628-9696
Since 1974, Four Seasons Amusements has provided thousands of customers great memorable events, unique attractions, and an excellent record of safety. We want your business and promise to do our best for you! We will meet or beat competitor's prices and combine it with our spectacular service.
Chicago Web Design: Tecture
©2004-2020 Four Seasons Amusements • All Rights Reserved


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Lewis & Clark students gear up for election
October 22, 2012
As candidates for the nation's highest office prepare for their final debate, Lewis & Clark's President Barry Glassner and undergraduate student body president Xander Blair will host an event to cap off a busy election season.
On Monday, October 22, students will once again pack Council Chamber as Glassner and Blair host the final event in a very popular series of presidential and vice presidential viewing parties.
"Many students here at Lewis & Clark are frustrated with the current state of American politics and are basing their candidate choice by looking down the road," said Lincoln Boyd '15, head of the College Republicans.
A student organization, Election Watch, created a blog as a platform for student discussion about the presidential candidates and important issues such as the economy. Students post anonymously, offering honest reflections about topics ranging from campaign contributions to dissatisfaction with the major political parties.
Voter registration has been another major initiative this fall.
"There is plenty of evidence of how active students here are," said Will Aime '15, one of the leaders of Students for Obama. "Just from doing voter registration around campus, there were plenty of people who had already registered, or were planning on voting in their home state and had filled out an absentee ballot. There are also plenty of other groups trying to raise awareness for their issue."
A robust website provides nonpartisan voter and civic engagement resources for all Lewis & Clark students to prepare for and participate in the upcoming election.
Blue Lassiter '15 contributed to this story.


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Use the Zenergy Chakra Chime to begin and end a meditation, yoga, centering prayer, therapy, or other type of session. The pure, resonating chimes will clear and tune the chakra energy centers and set the stage for a peaceful session. The seven chimes and stones are tuned to each chakra center.
See the Table of Frequencies and Stones in the images. Frequencies are noted in common musical scale note, intervals in Cents, and Hertz.
Listen to the Zenergy Chakra Meditation Chime Sound
- 7 Polished Solid Aluminum Chimes Tuned Specifically to each Chakra (See table and illustration in the images above)
- Gem stone inlay for each Chakra
Tiger's Eye
Yellow Jade
Rose Quartz
- Includes rubber mallet
- Measures 11.50 in Long by 6.25 in Wide by 1.50 in Tall
- Hardwood finish
- Silkscreened "OM" symbol


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You have no items in your basket.
3 Items
Old Mill Saddlery is proudly a leading equestrian retailer based in the United Kingdom. The strengths of our business come from our core values which are to provide our customers with a quality shopping experience, outstanding customer care and selling only quality products at excellent value.
Old Mill Saddlery started out in 1985, when our Managing Director Robert Patton spotted a niche for supplying, manufacturing and repairing horse wear and tack. Robert has an extensive background with horses, show jumping ponies from the age of ten and moving on to point-to-point riding at sixteen. Robert continued to ride over the next twenty years and was lucky enough to win a Northern Championship in 1999.
Robert still remains very active within the business, overseeing every aspect of the company and providing an extremely attentive saddle fitting service. You can read more about our saddle fitting services "here.
Over the past number of years we have gone from strength to strength, always keeping to our core values of quality, customer care and value for money. In 2008 we opened the doors of our superstore based in Ballycarry, County Antrim which gave us the opportunity to display our extensive range of horse, rider and pet wear.
Our business has continued to expand and in 2015 we began construction for a second warehouse to accommodate our extensive range of stock which hosts a range of equestrian brands including Ariat, Horseware, Samshield, Freejump, Mountain Horse, Dubarry, Caldene, Toggi, Equine America, Horse First and Pikeur to name but a few.
E. email@example.com
© 2020 Old Mill Saddlery
Ecommerce by Fisheye
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Peel off nail polish
100% new retail and high quality
Apply to areas you want free of polish when you are painting your nails
Create a perfect manicure with this tape that avoids the nail polish to stain your cuticle and fingers.
Apply as a base coat to easily remove dark and glitter nail polishes.
Liquid tape to protect your nails when painting them. Just apply, let it dry and peel it off.
It smells great and leaves an amazing smell on your fingers
Shipping Times
Please allow up to 7 business days from the day placing your order for the item to be shipped. In most cases, items are shipped that day if ordered before 2pm CST, however for some products, we do need a little longer to get out the door, therefore we say up to 7 business days to manage your expectations.
Depending where you live, the shipping times range based off the carrier and your location.
We try and get your order out of our warehouse as soon as possible, however sometimes the carrier can take a few days longer than expected.
We understand sometimes returns and exchanges are necessary.
We want to make you, our beloved customer, happy. So, if for any reason you are not happy with the order you received, please contact us to help make it right.
We very much appreciated you business, however if you have a problem with the item(s) shipped to you, Sam's Finds will fix it immediately given the fault is on our part. We will only accept returns and issue a refund under the following conditions:
- The item is damaged and/or materially-flawed
- You received the wrong order
- The design is different from your order
In all these cases, we require photo proof to process your refund.
To return an item, send it to:
For USA Returns
Sam's Finds
1300 Rosa Parks Blvd
Detroit, MI 48216, USA
For All Other Returns
Sam's Finds
C/o Wohl Enterprise Hub
Redbourne Avenue, London N3 2BS, United Kingdom
Kindly include in your package a signed letter stating the reason for your return and the original receipt.
Item(s) that has been worn, used, or altered will not be accepted for return or exchange.
Sam's Finds do not refund the original shipping and handling fees that you paid for your order, however we will cover the cost of shipping for any replacements we send out to you.
Refunds (if applicable)
Once your return is received and inspected, we will send you an email to notify you that we have received your returned item. We will also notify you of the approval or rejection of your refund.
If you are approved, then your refund will be processed, and a credit will automatically be applied to your credit card or original method of payment, within three working days.
Late or missing refunds (if applicable)
If you haven't received a refund yet, first check your bank account again.
Then contact your credit card company, it may take some time before your refund is officially posted.
Next contact your bank. There is often some processing time before a refund is posted.
If you've done all of this and you still have not received your refund yet, please contact us at email@example.com.
Sale items (if applicable)
Only regular priced items may be refunded, unfortunately sale items cannot be refunded.
Exchanges (if applicable)
We only replace items if they are defective or damaged. If you need to exchange it for the same item, send us an email at firstname.lastname@example.com and send your item to:
For USA Returns
Sam's Finds
1300 Rosa Parks Blvd
Detroit, MI 48216, USA
For All Other Returns
Sam's Finds
C/o Wohl Enterprise Hub
Redbourne Avenue, London N3 2BS, United Kingdom
You will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are non-refundable. If you receive a refund, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund.
Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you, may vary.
If you are shipping an item over $75, you should consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don't guarantee that we will receive your returned item.
You can cancel your order within two working days of your original order.
Why Buy From Us?
Easy answer... why not?
Only kidding! If only all things in life were that simple!
We want to provide you the best shopping experience ever, so we promise to do everything possible to make that happen.
We understand that today's world where us small independent retailers need to compete with the likes of Amazon, we need to be a little different.
Why are we different?
Award Winning
Customer support!
We totally, categorically, 100%, MASSIVELY appreciate you spending your hard earned money with us rather than over at Amazon.
For this reason, I (we) will do all we can to make sure you have an excellent experience at Sam's Finds.
Of course, things happen. Sometimes, the shipping takes longer than it should. Sometimes you may need to send your item back...
Fear not my friends, my team and I will do everything we can to make everything right... from sending you freebies to walking over hot coals if we have too.... you can be confident shopping with us.
Iron Clad Guarantee
& Free Gift
You will have a 60-day refund guarantee, which means at any time within the first 60 days after purchasing, you can send us an email, give us a call or send us a carrier pigeon and you'll get a refund. No questions asked. No harm, no foul. All we ask is you send back your item in its original packaging and unused. Sound fair?
On top of that, if you do, indeed, need to return any item, we will send you a free gift. Our way of saying thanks for giving Sam's Finds a go.
Thousands Of Happy Customers
We are honored to have thousands of our products around thousands of
homes all around the world. We would love to have you join that club. We
appreciate you and your business.
Quick Shipping Times
You've bought an item - you want it in your hands as quick as possible. We get that, that's why 90% of our items are shipped from our USA warehouse or UK warehouse depending on where you live. This means you get your order quicker.
Voted One Of The Most Trusted
& Innovative Apparel Stores
We regularly ask our customers which stores in the online product space they shop at just the once compared to on a regular basis. Here at Sam's Finds, we are delighted we come out on top for happy customers who keep coming back to purchase again and again.
We are also told that Sam's Finds is the most innovative weird and wonderful product stores they've shopped at. Ahhh, thanks everyone.
Our Promise
This pretty much sums up why you should buy from Sam's Finds. My personal promise to you is trust us with your order and we won't let you down. Even if we get it wrong (like sending you the wrong item or the wrong size) we will make it right and go above and beyond.
Thank you for your custom. It means the world to us.
Yours Sincerely,
Sam and everyone here at Sam's Finds


text:
Right now, the GOP is reeling from a loss that was unexpected, a result from an electorate that was unanticipated, and a future that is altogether uncertain.
Still, there's a lot to take encouragement from when you get into the demographic data.
One major source of encouraging data for the GOP comes from Resurgent Republic's 2012 post-election survey.
The reality is, now that the GOP understands the electorate, the party can adapt to it. To do so, they'll have to take a hard look at these numbers.


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Lowe's incident: Assailant convicted; plans to appeal
The man who hurled racial slurs at a local shopper and then punched her at Lowe's was convicted of misdemeanor assault and battery November 19 in Albemarle General District Court.
Frank Joseph Bennett, who was sentenced to 30 days in jail with 26 suspended, has appealed the conviction to Circuit Court, and a court date is set for April 11.
Ramona Bratcher was shopping for a peephole at Lowe's July 18 with her 17-year-old daughter. When her path crossed Bennett's for the third time on a ladder-clogged aisle, she said, "Excuse me." She later told The Hook that Bennett called her a racial slur several times before hitting her in the face.
In the police report, Bennett admitted he called Bratcher "nigger," but claimed she struck him in the face. He says Bratcher had already gotten by him, then came 20 feet back down the aisle to say, "You really think you don't have to move, do you?" and proceeded to berate him and call him "asshole."
"She got in my face and put her finger in my face and pressed it underneath my left eye," he says. When he moved her arm, "She clenched up and hit me," says Bennett. "My knee-jerk reaction was to strike back immediately."
He adds that Bratcher and her daughter admitted all that under cross examination, "except for striking me first."
After the trial, Bratcher says she's had a very "disappointing" week and declined to comment further on Bennett's conviction and appeal.
Bennett is less concerned about spending 48 hours in jail than having assault charges following him around. "I'm a big boy," he says. "I've decked people bigger than Ms. Bratcher."
And while Bennett does not deny his use of the N-word, he does deny being a racist.
"Absolutely not," he stresses. "I wish I could bring back my two black girlfriends or my black friends. Without blacks, I'd be pretty lonely."
His attorney, Adam Rhea, was quoted in the Daily Progress after the verdict as saying, "It's an understandable decision." He did not return numerous phone calls.


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Garment Dryer
Workhorse Products
Workhorse Products (www.workhorseproducts.com) reports recent upgrades to its Powerhouse dryer, designed to boost versatility and dependability. The company now builds the dryer with a larger control panel, intended to make the user interface easier and more intuitve. Workhorse also moved the exhaust for the dryer from the center to the rear to vent exhaust more efficiently. The dryer belt now moves in forward or reverse directions, thereby enabling users to station a press at either end of the dryer for space-saving production switch-offs. Workhorse also added heat-resistant handles to the doors that are used for height adjustment. The Powerhouse series come in four standard sizes: 26 in. x 8 ft (660 mm x 2.4 m), 30 in. x 11 ft (762 mm x 3.4 m), 40 in. x 13 ft (1016 mm x 4.0 m), and 52 in. x 17 ft (1321 mm x 5.2 m).


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Authorities announced the arrest of four men in connection with the theft and transfer of a .38-caliber revolver used in the February 2012 slaying of Clay County Sheriff's Detective David White.
During the investigation of White's murder, investigators tracked the firearm used and found it had been stolen in Jacksonville in May 2011. Investigators from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms allege Robert Apple II, 22, of Orange Park stole the weapon.
Authorities allege it was passed through the hands of Christopher Henderson, 22, and Curtis Dingler, 22, both of Middleburg, and Jack Lemond, 36, of Orange Park. Investigators allege that all the men knew the weapon was stolen.
They charge that Lemond provided the weapon to Ted Tilley, a convicted felon, who used the weapon on White and Detective Matthew Hanlin. White was fatally shot and Hanlin was wounded. Tilley also was shot and killed.
The four men are being held in the Clay County Jail on a charge of dealing in stolen property.


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I think I'm gonna die laughing.
Mind you I think the actual written text should more emulate shitty erotic fantasy - like "I love you so much my bosom is exploding with passion" - but concept wise I think you got da shit down.
Freedom Cabbage wrote: *cough*
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text:
Rule #1 - Be Patient - Rule #2 - Don't ask when, if you don't contribute - Rule #3 - You have coding skills - LinuxMCE's small brother is available: http://www.agocontrol.com
Hi mce peeps,I have only just come across Linux MCE and so far from what I have read it seems to be exactly what I have been looking for. I have been using Ubuntu on a few linux boxes for quite a while so was doubly please to find that linuxMCE seems to be based on this. Of my experiences of linux in a desktop enviroment ubuntu so far has been top so this gives me a good feeling about this being the right way to go.I am in the UK and currently I have sky+. I love the ability to be able to record 1 channel while watching another but this is tied to the room where the box is located and quite often I find I need to record 2 programs while watching another and want to be able to do this in any room i have a tv in so as you see I am experiencing a few drawbacks and restrictions which it looks as though linuxmce could solve.After watching the mce video and having a good look around the forum I decided I would start putting together the parts i want to use to build the core for my setupI have started with the Asus M2UPV-VM mother board as it seem from what I have read that this is what they develop on and then a AMD AM2 Athalon 64 dual core 4000, 1 gig RAM - will I have enough power here?initialy the main functionality I need to get set up on this base is the sky+ style functionality. I am obviously going to need some tuner cards if I want to do this.biostar 200n ukMy plan is to have 2 conventional tuner cards taking their input from 2 different sky satalite boxes which from what I can make out I should be able to control with an ir usb dongle to change channels then I would like to have a third digital tv tuner to allow me to make use of all the freeview digital channels that are broadcast in the uk giving more channel options and recording possibilities.I am wondering if any one can just make sure I am heading in the right direction with this and what I want to do is possible? I am also not sure about what choice of tunner cards to go with. i have read quite a few threads on this and hauppage is a name that keeps appearing. checking prices they go from £20 to £400, mpeg2 sounds as though it would be helpful, but can anyone suggest any models that are going to be upto the job but not overkill and un needingly be pushing up the prices.I would also like to hook up my security cameras to the systebiostar 200n ukm, I currently have a Conexant BT878 based card, will I be able to get this setup in the system?biostar 200n ukI want to be able to control the whole system with ipaq pdas if possibly as we already have a couple and have a blue tooth usb dongel. how stable is this as a method of controling stuff? I also like the look of the cutom remotes so maybe that is a better way to go.anyI woulds also like to get a zwave control unit to be able to start controlling lights heating etc although it seems the module thingies are limited in the UK currently as we run on 230volts and this isn't compatible with all the US stuff.for the Media Directors (md) or slim cliConexant BT878ents I think they are also refered to as, I have a few biostar 200n systems which I would like to make use of. currently they only have AMD sempron 2300 in so i am thinking of upgrading them to athalon 3200 should this be ok with 512 ram? these come with a built in ir port which I assume should allow the MD to turn the tv and audio on and off in thier respective rooms?there are few more things I want to look into being able to do through linux mce but this, I think, is enough for now.sorry for the long post and I hope its in the right place. I will start to get the parts shortly and keep you informed of how I get on and probably answer a lot on my own questions which hopefully will help others


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Friday's Love List!
Ma Vie en Rose
Bonjour et Bienvenue!
I'm Jennifer...
Thank you for stopping by for a spell!
I am a 40-something year old American woman. Born in Texas, raised in Las Vegas!
Frenchified for Life
is a fabulous little lifestyle blog about truly embracing French life!
My intent is to simply inspire you to create something unique and beautiful in your everyday life. The French have this wonderful and annoying habit of seeing the world through rose colored glasses, might as well learn something from them!
That said, I lift my glass to you!
By the way, I mention the name Cachou (or The Cash) a lot, I'm referring to her...
March 2019


text:
The Pacific women's basketball's season is still alive, thanks to an explosive second half.
The Pacific women's basketball's season is still alive, thanks to an explosive second half.
The Tigers trailed by eight at halftime, but dominated the second half against the host Washington Huskies to win 85-78 in the second round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament on Sunday at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle.
Pacific advanced to the third round of the WNIT for the for the first time in the program's history. The Tigers (27-7) also extended the program record for the most wins in a season.
"I was proud of our second half; it was a tremendous second half," Pacific coach Lynne Roberts said. "It was a great win for our program. Another first for us, and we want to keep it going."
Kendall Rodriguez scored 27 points for the Tigers, making 5 of 9 3-point attempts, and pulled down 10 rebounds, and fellow senior Erica McKenzie scored 18 points, all on 3-pointers.
"The best thing is that we didn't give up," Rodriguez said, referring to a 45-37 halftime deficit. "We didn't have any loss of confidence when we were down in the first half."
Kendall Kenyon, a former St. Mary's star, had 14 points and 14 rebounds.
Pacific jumped out to a 10-2 lead early, but the Huskies outplayed the Tigers for much of the half. Pacific came out scorching after intermission, opening the second half with a 13-2 run to pull ahead 50-49. After trading the lead for a few minutes, Pacific took command once more with an 18-5 run for an 71-60 edge.
The Huskies eventually trimmed the Tigers' lead to 81-77 with 48 seconds left, but Rodriguez made four free throws in the closing moments.
"Offensively, I think we started thing less," Roberts said. "Sometimes when you over-think, you can be tentative, and in the second half we just played with our instinct. Kendall Rodriguez got hot in the second half, and Erica McKenzie was hot all game from 3."
McKenzie deflected the credit to Rodriguez.
"Kendall did a really great job," McKenzie said. "The second half, Kendall was on fire - high-post, layups, 3s, you name it. She was hitting it. She did a great job today."
Kristi Kingma had 21 points to lead Washington (21-12). Teammate Talia Walton scored 15 points, and Aminah Williams finished with a double-double, scoring 14 points and a team-high 12 rebounds.
Pacific faces either Utah or San Diego, who play each other at 6 p.m. today in Salt Lake City. Game time and place has yet to be determined.


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Barry University's Adrian Dominican School of Education (ADSOE) is set to depart the Orlando area when it closes the doors of its Alafaya location on June 30, 2015, after 15 years of operation.
ADSOE has operated a location in Orlando since 1999 following Barry's purchase of the University of Orlando. At the time of the purchase, Barry retained Orlando's School of Law and School of Education, which merged with Barry's existing Adrian Dominican School of Education. The ADSOE Orlando programs were originally housed in the Graduate Studies building located on the campus of the School of Law. When Barry Law experienced rapid enrollment growth, the ADSOE Orlando programs relocated in 2005 to the Alafaya location, signing a 10-year lease.
The Alafaya site was chosen because the new construction provided Barry with the opportunity to design the interior space to meet the ADSOE's needs, including a Counseling Clinic.
Since 1999, Barry University graduated more than 350 students from its Orlando location. A large number of these graduates were engaged in scholarship by presenting at state and national conferences and publishing in refereed and non-refereed journals and newsletters. Some were recipients of competitive national scholarships and awards.
ADSOE Orlando students also engaged in service in the Orlando area through the Barry University Counselor Association Orlando (BUCAO) and the award-winning Chi Sigma Iota-Beta Upsilon Chapter (CSI-BU). Beginning in 2007, BUCAO became integral to bringing a sense of community and professional identity to the Orlando campus counseling students. Over the years, students engaged in community service activities such as annually raising awareness about the needs of our migrant farmers and their families, domestic violence, Haiti Earthquake Disaster Relief Effort, homelessness, and teen pregnancy by initiating clothes, toys, house good, and food drives to donate items to area shelters and agencies.
A year after starting BUCAO, Orlando students were granted the occasion to join the Chi Sigma Iota- Beta Upsilon Chapter (CSI-BU) as student members and even were given a position on the CSI-BU's Executive Council to ensure that the Orlando counseling students had a voice and could participate in the organization's activities.
In addition to the students, many dedicated faculty and staff have taught Barry students at the Alafaya location. A pivotal member of the ADSOE Orlando faculty at its inception was A. Eugene Tootle, EdD, former Dean of the University of Orlando School of Education. Tootle was instrumental in the reconfiguration of programs and courses to integrate what had independently been offered by the University of Orlando and Barry University.
The faculty and staff at ADSOE's Orlando site will be best remembered for creating a close-knit learning community and build partnerships throughout the Orlando area.
Soon after ADSOE moved to the Alafaya site, Barry's School of Professional and Career Education (PACE) moved one of its Orlando sites into space contiguous to ADSOE's location at Alafaya. Through the duration of the lease, ADSOE and PACE have shared administrative staff, jointly hosted social and academic events, and enjoyed great comradery among the faculty of both Schools. PACE will continue to operate in the Orlando area and will consolidate its location with the present location at Florida Mall Business Center.
Due to changing demographics in the Orlando area the ADSOE-OR program was gradually "taught out" and the PACE program was relocated. The last cohort of ADSOE Orlando students were admitted in the fall 2012 semester and will graduate prior to the closing of the Alafaya site.
As a celebration of the time the Adrian Dominican School of Education has spent in the Orlando area, the School hosted an Open House on April 25, 2015, which was attended by students, alumni, and former and current faculty and staff. ADSOE will continue operations at six locations including at Barry's main campus in Miami Shores and in The Bahamas in both Freeport and Nassau.


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What are the hot trends for bathrooms this year? And why should you care? If you're planning a remodel, building a new home or creating a bath addition in 2012, you'll want to take advantage of new features that enhance your enjoyment and functionality, while also potentially increasing your home's value. I asked a number of manufacturing and retail pros what they're making and stocking for bathrooms. These are the trends you'll see at your local showrooms and home centers this year.
Bathroom appliances
Rob Buksa, showroom consultant at the San Diego-based Ferguson showroom, shares that TVs integrated into bathroom mirrors will be hotter than ever this year. "This technology has been improved to eliminate performance issues with humidity," he notes. Offerings come in mirror-only or even medicine cabinet styles.
Tankless water heaters are big, observes Buksa. "In 2012, we foresee a spike in the sale of hybrid water heaters." Those newer systems integrate technology from both tankless and traditional models for consistent water pressure and hot water availability, he adds.
Bathroom fixtures
Digital showering, with preset comfort levels for each user, is hotter than ever. Newer systems coming on the market give you this amenity at ever-more-affordable price points.
Rick Carpenter, store manager at the Sports Arena Home Depot, says conservation is another strong trend. Look for WaterSense — the EPA's water-saving equivalent to Energy Star — on more shower heads, sink faucets and toilets. Products on the market also help convert existing toilets to water-saving, dual-flush models, Carpenter says.
On the style front, he says, look for more single levers, high-arc design and rustic finishes, including one you might not have seen before: midnight chrome. (Look for new spot-resistant technology to help them stay great-looking, too.)
Square sinks and wading pool models, as shallow vessels are called, are also on trend, as are integrated sinks that blend seamlessly into the countertop.
One of the major features of a bathroom — particularly a master — is its cabinetry. "Wood-toned finishes are growing in popularity, compared with the painted wood that was popular in the past," shares Sarah Reep, KraftMaid's director of designer relations. Reap attributes the trend to homeowners and designers more closely connecting the bedroom's décor with the bath, especially in open-plan master suites.
Frameless cabinetry is also rising in popularity. The contemporary appeal of both high end and affordable European imports helps drive the trend.
Tile and tops
The biggest tile trends are European, and larger sizes. Lorin Moch of International Bath and Tile in San Diego notes: "People want larger formats (and) cleaner lines. Rectified tile (with its very thin grout lines) makes this possible."
Glass is still hot, she shares. So are textured finishes. American manufacturers have come a long way, she adds, but "the inspiration definitely comes from Spain and Italy."
I'm also seeing graphic-inspired Spanish and Italian tiles as a hot trend.
This year's Color of the Year, according to color authority Pantone, is Tangerine Tango. If you're looking for a fresh, happy color for a powder room or a kids' bath, this could be it.
You'll likelier seek a calmer color for your master bath. Debi Palumbo, Sherwin-Williams' local rep, notes, "Watery blues and greens are really strong for baths this year, especially in coastal cities like San Diego."
Additional resources
You can read more about the trends on my blog, linked from my website (see below). You can also find tons more trend photos in my Houzz Ideabooks, linked from the blog.


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The new Audi Q5:
• The Audi Q5 builds on the foundation established by the Audi Q7, and strengthens Audi's presence in the SUV segment.
• The Audi Q5 will be offered in the USA as a 3.2 V6 FSI direct injection with quattro® all wheel drive and a six speed Tiptronic transmission.
• The Audi Q5 will be the first Audi offering with Generation 3 MMI, and navigation with real-time traffic information.
Ingolstadt – The new Audi Q5 combines the dynamism of a sports sedan with highly variable interior and versatile options for leisure-time and family use. Strong and efficient engines, quattro permanent all-wheel drive and agile running gear have been brought together to create a superior technology package for both on- and off-road driving. The sportiest SUV in its class is dynamic, multifunctional and comfortable.
The dimensions alone indicate that this is a SUV of all-new proportions. Measuring 4.63 meters (15.19 feet) long and 1.88 meters (6.17 feet) wide, the Audi Q5 is just 1.65 meters (5.41 feet) high – making it sportier than any of its competitors. What's more, this SUV sets another benchmark in its class amongst German competitors with a low drag coefficient of 0.33.
With its sporty elegance and artfully sculpted forms, the design of the Audi Q5 is perfectly in tune with the character of Audi as a brand. The front end is dominated by expressive headlights on both sides of the large single-frame grille; on request, they can be outfitted with bi-xenon lamps and LED daytime running lights. Viewed from the side, the large wheels and rising edges are especially prominent features.
Crowned by a railing, the elegant slope of the roof underscores the slim, coupe-like styling. At the rear, the wraparound tailgate – made from aluminum just like the hood – clearly identifies this SUV as a relative of its older brother, the Audi Q7. The taillights come with eye-catching LED technology as well, which will be standard in the USA.
Long wheelbase, roomy interior
At 2.81 meters (9.22 feet), the wheelbase is the longest in its segment – creating a roomy interior on board the Audi Q5. The vehicle comfortably accommodates five persons in ergonomically designed seats that can be flexibly arranged. The backrests for the rear seats are angle-adjustable and especially easy to fold down by activating the remote release lever in the luggage compartment. This compartment, offering access to a second storage area under the floor, then expands from 540 to 1,560 liters (19.07 to 55.09 cubic feet) in volume.
The Audi Q5 is a multi-talent for sport, leisure-time and family activities. As an option, Audi offers the "rear bench seat plus", which slides 100 millimeters (3.94 inches) lengthwise to provide a load-through facility. The front passenger's seat can be outfitted with a folding backrest for transportation of long objects such as surfboards. Numerous practical storage compartments, drink holders, bottle holders and onboard power outlets are supplied ex works. On request, Audi even offers a climate-controlled drink holder to keep drinks hot or cold. The storage package, standard in USA, features another clever detail as well – an attachment point in the passenger-side footwell to which various storage fixtures can be attached.
Top-of-the-line safety equipment is a matter of course for Audi cars. On the front seats, the belt force limiters and airbags work together in a new and especially intelligent manner. Much of the body of the Audi Q5 is made of high- and ultra-high-strength steel components assembled with maximum precision. They reduce weight while at the same time improving crash safety as well as rigidity and vibration patterns.
The Audi Q5 employs design elements typical of the brand in the interior, but adds its own unique variations – the driver-oriented cockpit is set higher, for example, in keeping with the upright sitting position. The ergonomics are exemplary, boasting the uncompromising craftsmanship one expects from Audi – a little treat for the senses in terms of look and feel. The clear-cut interior takes on even more charisma with fine materials such as aluminum, exclusive woods, chrome, leather and Alcantara as well as a large selection of optional design packages.
The Audi Q5 comes standard with an electromechanical parking brake, an intelligent chip key, 3-zone climate control system in the U.S. and a display screen in the instrument cluster depicting, among other things, the recommended ideal gear for efficient driving in the given situation. A large, central monitor is part of the standard equipment as well. When an onboard navigation system is added, many of the controls are shifted to the MMI panel on the center console. This is the next generation of the best operating system on the market – with even more intuitive graphics and control via the large rotary pushbutton.
Strong and efficient – the engine
The Audi Q5 is rolling off the production line for the USA in one engine/transmission combination: the fuel efficient 3.2 FSI six cylinder engine with fast-shifting Tiptronic and quattro permanent all-wheel drive. This engine is direct-injection – characterized by outstanding performance, hefty propulsive power and cultivated running while at the same time offering impressive fuel efficiency. It features 270 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque.
The pioneer of all-wheel drive, Audi builds the Audi Q5 standard with quattro permanent all-wheel drive – the only logical solution for a dynamic SUV. In normal running conditions, the transfer case distributes the power to the front and rear axle in a 40:60 ratio for a rear-focused style that enhances driving pleasure. When needed, the quattro driveline can deliver up to 65 percent of the power to the front axle and a maximum of 85 percent to the rear axle.
The running gear in the Audi Q5 further emphasizes its sporty nature. The five-link front axle and trapezoidal-link rear axle are made primarily from aluminum, the steering box below directs the steering impulse directly to the wheels. Large brakes ensure high retardation. The vehicle comes standard in the U.S. with 18-inch lightweight forged wheels. Audi offers even larger wheels of up to 20 inches in diameter on request.
The new performance SUV from Audi is sportily precise, spontaneous, safe and comfortable at the same time. Its electronic stabilization program (ESP) has been re-designed and enhanced with innovative functions not available from the competition. A sensor "tells" the ESP if a roof rack has been mounted, causing the Audi Q5's center of gravity to be shifted higher in keeping with the roof load of up to 100 kilograms (220.46 pounds). If a roof rack is present, the ESP engages earlier in the handling limit. Without a roof load, the driver is free to tap the full dynamic potential of the Audi Q5.
The numbers speak for themselves: The Audi Q5's climbing capability of 31 degrees of incline is exceptional. The overhang angle is 25 degrees thanks to the short front overhang. The ramp breakover angle, determined by the wheelbase, is 17.5 degrees. Ground clearance is an impressive 20 centimeters (7.87 inches), with a fording depth of up to 50 centimeters (19.69 inches) when driving through water.
The new performance SUV from Audi is rolling off the production line with a generous range of standard equipment including an audio system with eight speakers. A highly contemporary modular system of components is available for multimedia options – the highest upgrade level features a Bluetooth telephone, a DVD drive for Navigation, an iPod interface and a top-of-the-line sound system from the Danish specialists Bang & Olufsen. The excellent navigation system boasts a high-resolution monitor for new, three-dimensional representation of maps. The hard disk from which the system reads can also save music files in MP3 format.
The assistance systems: Straight from the luxury class
On request, the Audi Q5 comes with a spectrum of high-tech, onboard systems taken directly from the premium class to make driving an even more superlative and relaxed experience. These include the Audi parking system advanced with rearview camera, and Audi side assist, which warns of hazards when changing lanes.
Additional high-tech extras for the Audi Q5 include the advanced key for keyless access to the vehicle, the large panoramic glass sunroof with additional tilting function, the triple-zone climate control system (standard in USA), the dynamic cornering light system known as Audi adaptive light, and an electric tailgate.
Jeff Kuhlman
Christian Bokich
Audi USA


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Fake flower story troubled us
In its September 23 edition, the Hook published an article entitled "Grave matter: Faux flower ban riles," taking Buck Mountain Episcopal Church to task for enforcing its long-time rule against the placement of artificial flowers on graves in its cemetery.
Some 20 years ago, the church trustees determined that artificial flowers were not appropriate. Until that time, there had been little use of such decorations, so there had been no need to deny their use. Only real flowers– those that God makes– are used in the church itself. Since the cemetery is consecrated ground, the trustees decided that likewise only real flowers should be used on graves.
In May 1987, the then-senior warden sent a letter to all the area's funeral directors setting forth the rules and asked that they be communicated to the families.
Em Collier– on whose behalf the article was written– claims that she never heard about the artificial flower ban until this year. However, her mother was buried in the cemetery in 1995, so either she was not informed by the funeral director or she ignored what she was told.
Having been made aware of the rule, Collier has chosen to violate it, and in this appears to be supported by your reporter, Lisa Provence, whose article appears intended to injure our church.
If she meant to cause trouble for the church, she has certainly succeeded. Since publication, the Rector has been subjected to a number of anonymous and abusive calls.
Collier complains that she cannot afford live flowers and, since she is not allowed to use artificial flowers, she cannot put flowers on her parents' graves.
A packet of flower seeds sown in the spring at her home will yield flowers through the summer and fall. A small plant costs only a few dollars and will provide greenery from spring until frost if cared for. Even better, a prayer said at her parents' graves costs nothing but her time and attention.
Her late mother, as a member of Buck Mountain Church, surely would not approve her daughter's efforts to besmirch the reputation of the church over this insignificant matter.
None of us likes all the laws and rules to which we are subject through the valid exercise of authority. We either choose to obey them or suffer the consequences. In this case, if Collier chooses to continue to place artificial flowers, they will be removed and disposed of. We trust that she will make a wise choice.
We also trust that, in the future, your editorial policy will more closely consider whether the publication of such articles is in the best interest of peace and harmony within the community.
Members of the Vestry of Buck Mountain Episcopal Church
Albemarle County


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Steve Mason | 13/12/12
Some genuinely excellent news for you all: the incomparable Steve Mason has announced details of a brand new album entitled Monkey Minds In The Devil's Time which will be released by our friends at Double Six on Monday March 11th 2013.
Monkey Minds In The Devil's Time is an album saturated with politics. With a title referring to the Buddhist term for an easily distracted brain, the album features 20 songs: 9 recorded in London with producer Dan Carey and 11 short linking pieces self-produced in Mason's Fife studio. Monkey Minds In the Devil's Time is an album that has been shaped by the current global political climate and the lack of dissenting voices in music as well as popular culture in general. The righteous, undaunted anger at the heart of the album has helped to create Mason's best record to date.
All songs on the album were written by Mason, while Dan Carey appears on bass throughout the record and acclaimed London MC Mystro provides vocals on "More Money, More Fire".
As a way of whetting your appetite, Steve has made a video for "Fight Them Back". A protest song for a post-London riots era, the track hangs on a madly catchy, fantastically confrontational chorus and is matched with the equally striking video, which you can watch here:
Monkey Minds In The Devil's Time will be available on CD, vinyl and via digital download. You can PRE ORDER IT NOW, HERE. The tracklisting for the album is as follows:
- The Old Problem
- Lie Awake
- Flyover '98
- A Lot Of Love
- The Last Of Heroes
- Lonely
- Safe Population
- Friends For Ever More
- Seen It All Before
- From Hate We Hope
- Oh My Lord
- Goodbye Youth
- Never Be Alone
- Behind The Curtains
- More Money, More Fire
- Fire!
- Operation Mason
- Fight Them Back
- Towers of Power
- Come To Me


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TMC wrote:Mr. Crackerz wrote:The point is, a community listens to one another. If i ever post something that offends even 1 person (just 1), i will take it down right away. I don't get why we should all do the same. I think respecting everyone (not just the majority) should be the goal of a community. Doesn't mean that stuff will change, we all joke like 90% of the time anyways. I know migya meant that to be a joke, but it backlash and offended more then just a few people.
I'm with migya here. You just can't cater to every body's wishes. You'll always find somebody that has a problem with anything that has been posted, and that's why the majority rule has to apply. That and measuring the intentions of the post. Most often than not, these issues are just big misunderstandings that can be solved just by talking, like we're doing right now.
Nothing was resolved, just ignored & I was basically told to look the other way & shut up or leave...WOW
I just asked for migyas blatant sexist ignorant post to be deleted & asked if it was acceptable, Which it shouldn't be & I would've thought that a Mod would have took it upon themselves to delete that crude post
After the post remained I voiced my displeasure & did so in this thread only, I took the issue up in the State of the Board thread because I felt If his comments were acceptable than that reflects the current state of this board, especially considering that this board has seen 3 of its long time respected members leave I wonder Why
Meanwhile migya was BS'ing up the Rhianna thread so I exposed the BS by comparing his original disgusting comment to his hypocritical new 180 degree denial comment, along with the horrific picture of Rhianna's face after the beating to show just how ignorant/offencive & insensitive the original post was that still remained on the board & that migya was still justifying
I feel 110% that I have not been in the wrong in this situation, I also feel disrespected that the crude post wasn't simply just deleted by a Mod after I expressed how strongly I was offended, (I wasn't the only person either), & Instead my objection's to the post still remaining & me not just sweeping it under the rug has been more of an issue
I would understand not deleting it if it wasn't that bad but come on are you F'ing kidding me, The girl had just got her Ass kicked by a man & migya says she probably deserved the beating & should make him fuk her in her Ass
WoW I nominate that as the worst post in the 5 years that I have been on this board, absolutely appalling & disgraceful
Again I ask was that acceptable, If not why does the post remain & what does that say about the current State of the board
Shout out to Colt, Pest & 32...


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A fumble on the goal line. An interception returned for a touchdown. A missed game-winning field goal in the closing seconds. Most view these as just part of the game of football. But could these things actually be the work of God?
Well, according to a new poll, 27 percent of Americans believe that God "plays a role in determining which team wins" sporting events. That means about 80 million Americans believe that God will help one of the teams in this Sunday's Super Bowl.
If God influences which teams win championships, it's clear that God likes certain teams more than others. And God's favorite -- and I know many will hate to hear this -- is clearly the New York Yankees. The Bronx Bombers have won 27 world championships, far and away the most championships of any American professional sports team.
Other teams high up there on God's fantasy sports team include the Boston Celtics with 17 NBA championships, the Pittsburgh Steelers with six Super Bowl wins and the Detroit Red Wings with 11 Stanley Cup titles.
And if God's affection for your team translates into more championships, then God really hates the Chicago Cubs. OK, maybe "hate" is too harsh, but there must be a reason the Cubs haven't won a championship in more than 100 years. What did the team do to deserve this much pain?
Even the Cubs crosstown rivals, the Chicago White Sox, won a World Series in 2005. And keep in mind that organization was involved in the infamous "Black Sox" scandal, in which some of its players took bribes in exchange for intentionally losing the 1919 World Series.
But despite the Cubs' horrible history, a special place must be reserved in God's doghouse for the NFL's Buffalo Bills. Not only haven't the Bills won a Super Bowl in 46 years, they made it to the Super Bowl four years in a row, from 1991-1994, and lost every time.
The most painful loss was in 1991, when the Bills' kicker missed a game-winning field goal in the closing seconds, resulting in a one-point victory for the New York Giants. (Being a Giants fan, I was praying for the kicker to miss, so maybe God was involved on some level.)
Of course, if God is helping teams win, how do you explain the success of teams with names like the New Jersey Devils or Duke Blue Devils? The New Jersey Devils have three Stanley Cup Championships and the Duke Blue Devils are consistently a powerhouse in NCAA men's basketball, winning their last national championship in 2010. Perhaps God has some evil competition in the area of sports?
In any event, let's turn to Sunday's Super Bowl. Are there any signs that might indicate which team God may support in the match between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers?
It's truly a tough call. Both teams feature stars who have publicly declared their strong connection with the big guy in the sky. The Ravens' Ray Lewis excitedly announced after his team's victory propelling them to the Super Bowl: "God is so amazing." While the 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick recently said: "I think God watches over everybody. ... He has a plan for everyone."
But public displays of devotion to God alone have not proven to propel an entire team to victory -- just ask Tim Tebow. He's watching the Super Bowl on TV.
Maybe we should look at which team has had more success in the past -- that could be a sign.
Well, the Baltimore Ravens have won only one Super Bowl, the one played in 2000. But the team has consistently made it to the playoffs, year after year.
And while the 49ers haven't won a Super Bowl since 1995, the organization won five NFL championships between 1982 and 1995.
So, which team will God be rooting for come Sunday? As someone who believes strongly in God, I actually hope that God could care less which team wins. I'd hate to think prayers weren't being answered because God was watching the Super Bowl. I'd prefer that God be focused on helping people truly in need of assistance with bigger challenges than covering the point spread.
To me, San Francisco's Kaepernick had it right with his recent statement: "I don't think (God's) cheering for one team or another. I think he's helping everybody, just trying to keep everybody safe."
God does, indeed, work in mysterious ways, so we will truly never know if certain teams are favored. But if they are, here's praying that the New York Giants will be back in the 2014 Super Bowl.
Dean Obeidallah, a former attorney, is a political comedian and frequent commentator on various TV networks including CNN. He is the editor of the politics blog "The Dean's Report" and co-director of the upcoming documentary, "The Muslims Are Coming!" Follow him on Twitter: @deanofcomedy.


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To participate in these events, you must purchase a ticket in the Big Apple Reserved section.
Each ticket includes a Mr. Met Foam Waver which can be picked up in the Bullpen Plaza on the day of the game.
Click the 'Buy Tickets' buttons to the right to lock-in your seats. Your password is located on the member invitation you received.
Seats for this game will be upgraded into the Left Field Reserved. Kids will line up for the Warning Track at the Left Field Ramp for this game only.
The first 25,000 fans will receive a Knit Hat presented by Caesars. Kids under 12 can participate in running the bases post-game at the Mr. Met Dash!


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Garmin Vivofit 2 Activity Tracker Red
Activity Tracker with Move Bar and Alerts
· Features 1+ year battery life
· Reminds you to stay active with move bar and audible alert
· Learns your activity level and proposes a personalized daily goal
· Shows steps, calories, distance and time of day on backlit display; monitors sleep
· Automatically syncs to Garmin Connect to save, plan and share progress
Get up and get moving with vívofit 2. It's the only activity tracker with a 1+ year battery life and backlit display. It even reminds you to stay active throughout your day with its move bar with audible alert that lets you know when you've been idle for an hour or longer.
Tells Time and "Time to Move"
Research shows prolonged periods of inactivity such as sitting at a desk decreases your body's production of fat-burning enzymes. You can reverse that effect by taking frequent, short walk breaks throughout your day. And while you might lose track of time and forget to move, vívofit 2 knows. A red move bar appears on the display and a gentle alert sounds after one hour of inactivity. The move bar builds every 15 minutes until you reset it by walking for a couple of minutes.
24/7 Wearable
vívofit 2 follows your progress 24/7 and shows your steps, calories, distance and time of day on its easy-to-read, backlit display. Set the sleep mode when you go to bed and it will monitor your rest. At Garmin Connect, you can see your total sleep hours as well as periods of movement and restful sleep. vívofit 2 is water-resistant¹, so you can shower or get caught in the rain, worry-free. And thanks to its 1+ year battery life, you can keep this activity tracker on your wrist around the clock, helping you turn good intentions into lifelong habits. The band is soft and flexible and features a quarter-turn buckle that secures it to your wrist. Optional accessory bands in various color schemes let you coordinate your vívofit to your wardrobe.
Personalized Daily Goals
vívofit 2 learns your current activity level, then assigns an attainable daily goal. As you meet your milestones, vívofit 2 will adjust your goal for the next day, gradually nudging you toward a healthier lifestyle. At Garmin Connect, our free online fitness community, you can earn virtual badges and view your progress.
Get Connected
Throughout your day, vívofit 2 automatically syncs to Garmin Connect, where you can see a complete picture of your progress, join online challenges and earn virtual badges for extra motivation. It's so simple to get started. After you are set up, access our free online community from your computer or on your compatible mobile device with the Garmin Connect Mobile app.
Activity Tracking Features
Step counter, Auto goal (learns your activity level and assigns a daily step goal), Move bar (displays on device after a period of inactivity; walk for a couple of minutes to reset it), Sleep monitoring (monitors total sleep and periods of movement or restful sleep).
Garmin Connect
Garmin Connect compatible (online community where you analyze, categorize and share data), Automatic sync (automatically transfers data to your computer).


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Fog rolling off the Atlantic Ocean and over Kloof Nek into Cape Town, South Africa.
Star trails over Cape Town, South Africa.
View across Paris from the top of the Eiffel Tower at dusk.
Dawn view of the full moon setting over the district of Mutrah and surrounding mountains in Muscat, the capital of the Sultanate of Oman.
Boats and side-walk cafes along the Nyhavn canal in Copenhagen Denmark.
Tree silhouetted against the night sky and Milky Way seen from Sutherland in South Africa.
Stars over Kogel Bay near Cape Town, South Africa.
The sun rising over the Cirque de Mafate caldera on the French island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean.
Skogar waterfall in southwest Iceland.
Dawn view of Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, Java, Indonesia.
Interior and entrance of the Dahl Misfir (White Cave) in Qatar.
The Amphitheatre and the Tugela River in the Drakensberg Mountains of South Africa's Kwa-Zulu Natal Province.
Goats in a tree on the Marrakech to Essaouira road in Morocco.
Land Rover Defender in the Budongo Forest Reserve in Uganda.
Dinner tables on the beach at Matemo lodge in the Quirimbas archipelago in Mozambique.
Three Angolan children display their catch of fish in the northern Angolan town of Nzeto.
Indian woman with thali.
Woman cooking fish in Guludo village in the Quirimbas National Park in northern Mozambique.
Indian woman cycling on the Pondicherry waterfront in India.
Omani men sitting in the Mutrah souk in Muscat, the capital of the sultanate of Oman.
The second hand book market in London.


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GHNS Illinois Budget (7/30/08)
Here are the top Illinois stories coming today from GateHouse News Service. Stories are available at www.gatehousenewsservice.com. Please check www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/midwest/illinois/news in the evening for changes to story lineup, including breaking news.
If your paper has a story, digest item, opinion piece or standalone photo to share, please e-mail it to firstname.lastname@example.com.
- Casey Laughman: (217) 816-3343, email@example.com
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY PAGE: On Aug. 6, the GateHouse Niche Division will roll our first Pro Football Weekly page, with a focus on fantasy football. The page will be offered in various versions and formats and will include advice, tips and insight for players.
Did you know … Professional football has been America's favorite sport for more than 40 years.
Five favorites: A weeklong look at GHnewsroom.com's favorites from the first half of the year has begun. See more details at http://www.ghnewsroom.com/news.php?newsid=1217275307
Favorite videos: http://www.ghnewsroom.com/news.php?newsid=1217419437
Writing coach: Read Casey Laughman's writing coach blog at http://www.ghnewsroom.com/blogs.php?aid=16.
Mobile dental service leaves kids smiling
PEORIA – As Jacorey Summers, 10, grimaced, Dawn Booker, a hygienist with a mobile dental service, worked on his teeth Tuesday. "I told you, you could do it. You just didn't want to listen to me, did you?" she said. Later, he and his sister, Janieya, 6, grinned broadly for the camera after they had their teeth cleaned and some fillings added at the Crittenton Centers, where the Mobile Dentists and Smile Programs had a one-day service. By Catharine Schaidle of the Peoria Journal Star.
STATE BRIEFS: News from around the state. POSTED.
BODY FOUND: The body of a young black girl was found behind Sterling School in Peoria early Wednesday morning. She reportedly had been stabbed and beaten. She may have been in her early teens or younger, judging by who the police have been asking to view her body for an ID. By Leslie Fark and Erinn Deshinsky of the Peoria Journal Star. Will be posted this evening.
IDOT MOVE: Nearly three months ago, the state Department of Transportation caused a firestorm with its proposed move of its traffic safety division from Springfield to southern Illinois. Now state lawmakers will scrutinize the move in a highly anticipated public hearing at 5 p.m. Thursday at the state Capitol where both sides will lay out the pros and cons in front of an overflow crowd. By Doug Finke of the State Capitol bureau. POSTED.
Toddler's gesture gets family meeting with Bush
MACOMB – Zoe Sellers was just trying to blow her grandfather kisses. The 2-year-old Macomb resident didn't realize her gesture would gain she and her family a personal meeting with the President of the United States. By Bill Ford of the Macomb Journal.
Gun charges stick against Drew Peterson
JOLIET – A Will County judge denied a motion Wednesday to dismiss two felony weapons charges against former Bolingbrook police sergeant Drew Peterson, the sole suspect in his wife's disappearance. By Danya Hooker of Suburban Life Publications.
Planning begins for ring around Peoria
WASHINGTON – In five years, people may know exactly where the proposed four-lane eastern bypass ring road will go. And in about 27 years, they may be able to drive on it. By Kevin Sampier of the Peoria Journal Star.
Company keeps working despite massive fire
LOVES PARK – A business that lost a 13,000-square-foot building to a fire Tuesday opened Wednesday for its regular 6 a.m. shift with workers reporting to two other buildings that weren't damaged. By Corina Curry of the Rockford Register Star. With video.
Fair judging not an easy job
KNOXVILLE – Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder but the blue ribbons are in the hands of the judges. The domestic and fine arts building at the Knox County Fairgrounds was buzzing with activity and a few pesky flies Tuesday morning as judges ranked entries in nine categories ranging from quilts and paintings to table place settings and needlepoint. By Susan Kaufman of the Galesburg Register-Mail.
Facelift planned for grand old hall
PEORIA – A venerable Peoria landmark is looking to put on a whole new face. Brian Fox Ellis wants the Grand Army of the Republic Hall to continue its role as a place for the appreciation of history, but also become known as Peoria's new home for live entertainment. By Steve Tarter of the Peoria Journal Star.
Local banks handling crunch better than national chains
ROCKFORD – More banks are tightening requirements for unsecured loans and credit cards, but local community banks that issue personal loans and credit cards say they've largely avoided the crunch. By Nate Legue of the Rockford Register Star.
Video gamer finds her ideal workout
JANESVILLE, Wis. – It began as another game for Sarrina Phoenix. Her friend Shawn Benson brought the system home on June 10 and, six weeks later, the Nintendo Wii Fit is the first workout Phoenix has been able to stick to for more than a few days. So far, she has shaved more than 13 pounds and several inches off her body that she said weighed "nearly 300 pounds for a decade." By Mike DeDoncker of the Rockford Register Star.
Plain White Ts wear their Illinois roots with pride
SPRINGFIELD – After the hit single "Hey There Delilah," two Grammy nominations, appearances on the ABC Family show "Greek," a successful Web series and recording a new album ("Big Bad World"), the 11-year-old Chicago band the Plain White Ts is returning downstate with a 5:30 p.m. show Sunday on the Show Stage, Franklin and Eldorado streets, at the Decatur Celebration. By Nicole Milstead of the State Journal-Register.
BRITT: Toon on bad air during the Olympics in Beijing. Will be posted this evening.
Michelle Teheux: Taxes a certainty, even for teens
No one gets a pass from the IRS, not even teens.
Phil Luciano: Taking a bite out of puppy scam
Cathy wanted a pal for her pooch. The 10-year-old Yorkie mix lost her "best friend" upon the death of Cathy's other dog, an American Staffordshire terrier, Cathy says.
Editorial: Will foreign applause count in U.S.?
Well, it seems they take Barack Obama seriously abroad, even if he may have some work still to do on that front at home. An editorial from the Peoria Journal Star.
Editorial: Governor, do the right thing
Thursday's 5 p.m. hearing of the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability has the makings of one of those lengthy state government dog-and-pony shows where little is accomplished. The commission's only duty is to weigh in on whether Gov. Rod Blagojevich's plans to move about 100 Illinois Department of Transportation jobs to Harrisburg are a good idea. An editorial from the State Journal-Register.
MIKE NADEL: Nadel will be writing from Wednesday night's Cubs-Brewers game. Column to be posted about 10:30 p.m.
ILLINI: REALITY TV: Illinois coach Ron Zook feels there's nothing to hide, and he likes the idea of how a reality TV can help reach recruits. So the Big Ten Network begins filming in early August for a show that will follow the Illini through the season. By John Supinie. Will be posted this evening.
SMITH UPDATE: Illinois basketball player Jamar Smith has a court appearance after the Champaign County state's attorney filed a motion to revoke his probation following a weekend incident. By John Supinie.
Bill Liesse: Minor-league ball with major appeal
They called this "The Road to Wrigley," but we were already at Wrigley. The slogan was an obvious nod to the players.


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Posts Tagged 'empty bottle'
Lets Make Lots of Money
(This is a story I wrote last April for my in-depth reporting class. It's about the music scene in Chicago and the controversial Event Promoters Ordinance which has been tossed around for a few years…)
Last weekend I overheard a conversation in the smoking tent at the bar I work at. A group of regulars were talking about forming a band. The most enthusiastic of them, a well-groomed, twenty-something blonde guy, suddenly yelled out in a fit of passion: "Chicago has an incredible music scene that just isn't happening!"
This got me thinking. Back in 2006, I spent six months traveling around the UK and Europe. During my trip, I spent a good deal of my time seeking out good local music. I was generally disappointed by what I didn't find. Although I did see some great bands in London and Liverpool, I found a lot of the music mediocre, unoriginal, and drab. England and Ireland seemed to be tripping over themselves musically and Europe was just way too into techno for my tastes. I finished my trip with an invigorated appreciation of Chicago.
Often, when I tell people I think Chicago is the best music city I've been to, they are surprised. Most people, especially people who don't live in Chicago, have no idea what's going on here musically. And, after minimal Internet research, I understand why. To say that Chicago has an amazing music scene might not be entirely accurate. Chicago has an amazing UNDERGROUND music scene. And if you aren't already part of it, it can be difficult to access. The Chicago music scene has a ton of potential, but is underrated and often ignored.


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I know both of my kids brother their cribs long before they could become even a toddler bed. Which should tell you something about my children.
For those leftover pieces, you might not know what to do with them. If the crib is intact you can always try and sell it, or maybe offer it in freecycle. But most are leery about taking a used crib, especially with all the recalls to hit the baby industry in recent years. You may not have as much success as you hope for.
Instead, why not get creative? Pinterest, home of all things DIY, has a ton of awesome ideas for upcycling cribs. Stylish, interesting and functional additions to your home are just a project away.
1. Wall Decor
You could do a lot with this idea, because it is entirely based around your personal tastes for decor and art. I like the concept of converting the grip springs into a canvas board, because it is light weight and yet would easily hold different items. You could probably come up with some other ways based on this principle.


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ECO, the Environmental and Conservation Organization, is hosting its fifth annual Environmental Film Festival from 6 to 9 tonight at Hendersonville Little Theater, 229 S. Washington St., Hendersonville.
ECO film festival tonight
ECO, the Environmental and Conservation Organization, is hosting its fifth annual Environmental Film Festival from 6 to 9 tonight at Hendersonville Little Theater, 229 S. Washington St., Hendersonville.
The festival will feature the award-winning environmental film "YERT — Your Environmental Road Trip," a fast-paced two-hour documentary that's both personal and planetary.
The festival is a fundraiser and educational opportunity for all members of the community. Tickets can be purchased online at eco-wnc.org, or at the door. General admission tickets are $15, student tickets are $10 with valid ID, and youth ages 12 and younger are $7. Concessions will be available for purchase and are provided by the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Hendersonville, Hendersonville Community Co-op and Jongo Java.
Call 828-692-0385 for more information.
Kat Williams at White Horse Black Mountain
Kat Williams returns to the stage of White Horse Black Mountain at 8 p.m. tonight with her "Dance 'Til You Drop Party."
The day she was offered a regular, paying gig, she quit her day job to be the house singer for Tressa's in Asheville, and later Magnolias. During that time, she developed her bright stage presence, mastered a large repertoire of jazz standards, and started writing her own material.
Williams is equally at home with jazz, blues, Motown, R&B, rock, pop, Broadway show tunes and gospel. She has become one of the most in-demand singers in the region since moving to Asheville in 1997.
The Emmy-nominated Williams was a finalist on "America's Got Talent" and has sung on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."
Tickets are $18. Visit katwilliamsmusic.com or call 828-669-0816 for more information.
Honey Holler at Feed & Seed tonight
The Feed & Seed at 3715 Hendersonville Road, Fletcher, hosts weekend shows starting at 7:30 p.m. The following bands are scheduled:
Tonight: Honey Holler
Saturday: West End String Band
Nov. 15: Country Pride
Nov. 16: Paul Cataldo, 6:30 p.m.; Wrecked Fretts, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 22: Canoe Grass
Nov. 23: Carolina Blue
Nov. 29: Common Ground
Nov. 30: Phil and Gaye Johnson, 6:30 p.m.; Ted White and Whitewater Bluegrass, 7:30 p.m.
For more information, call 828-216-3492.
Independent filmmaker in Columbus Saturday
Taylors Productions, an independent film company based in Mill Spring and owned by Chad Taylor, will be filming at 8 p.m. Saturday at Cocula Mexican restaurant at 338 W. Mills St., Columbus.
The public is invited to watch the filming.
Taylors Productions creates horror and suspense movies averaging two hours in length, with screenplays written by Taylor. This movie, titled "The Unknown," will feature nine main actors and several children as supporting actors.
For additional information, contact second executive producer Jamesion Ward at 828-575-6721.
Monday is Comedy Night at 185 King Street
Comedy Night begins at 8 p.m. Monday with Anthony Crawford at 185 King Street in Brevard.
Crawford is a high-energy storytelling stand-up comedian who has been entertaining crowds since he lost a bet in 1998.
After fullfilling his enlistment in the Air Force in 2002, he has performed with such comics as Katt Williams, Earthquake, Tom Simmons and Jon Reep.
Peter Smith McDowell, Ryan Folks, Leah Garth and Josh Rosenstein also will perform.
Folks is originally from Brevard and is excited bring his act to a hometown crowd. He is also one of the producers of the Laugh Your Asheville Off Comedy Festival.
Garth is a native of Weaverville, and Rosenstein is an Asheville-based stand-up comic. Rosenstein used to live in Brevard, where he taught music, history and backpacking at a small boarding school.
Tickets are $5 for members or $10 for nonmembers. Call 828-877-1850 or visit 185kingst.com for more information.
Brevard theater students to perform 'Beycot'
Brevard High School Theater I class will perform the musical comedy "Beycot, Can this industry Survive?" at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Brevard High School Auditorium.
Enter the world of financially troubled Beycot Corp. In this clever, and witty tale, you'll get an in-depth look at both management and union factory employee perspectives about success and failure from each other's point of view.
See what happens when the top young manager in the United States locks horns with an incredibly talented liar, con artist and experienced manager. Tickets are $2 at the door. Call 828-290-7028 for more information.
Van Wingerden open house on Saturday
The Van Wingerden International will host its 22nd annual open house from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in the greenhouses on Highway 191 in Mills River.
Visitors will see acres of poinsettias in full bloom. Employee hosts will be on hand to share how the plants are grown using environmentally friendly technology and to answer questions.
More than 225 people are employed in the various areas of greenhouse production, sales, shipping, maintenance and administration. Plants are shipped in climate-controlled tractor-trailers to a wide variety of retail stores throughout the southeastern U.S.
In addition to dedicated staff, technology plays an increasing role in producing quality plants. All greenhouses operate with advanced computer systems that manage the variables of the greenhouse climate. All irrigation water is reclaimed and recycled, never leaving the greenhouse. Robotics increases efficiency in areas such as transplanting and finished plant quality grading.
The seasonal blooming year at Van Wingerden International begins in January with tulips, daffodils, cyclamen and primrose. Early spring brings pansies, shamrocks, Easter lilies and a full range of bedding plants for the spring and summer season. Fall yields pansies and hardy mums, and the year closes out with a large crop of poinsettias for the Christmas season. Additionally, other flowering plants are grown for holidays. They include dish gardens, floral mums, and cyclamen.
Call 828-891-4116 for more information.
Honors chorus to perform Nov. 16
The Henderson County High School Honors Chorus will perform at 3 p.m. Nov. 16 in the East Henderson High School Auditorium.
The board of directors of the Carolina Concert Choir (CCC) is sponsoring the Henderson County High School Honors Chorus for the fourth consecutive year. The Honors Chorus performed in concert with the Carolina Concert Choir in 2010-12.
Last year, the Honors Chorus performed its first stand-alone concert. The Honors Chorus consists of the brightest and most talented choral students from Henderson County public, private and home high schools.
Tickets are $5 and may be purchased at the door on the day of the concert, from high school choral music students or from high school choral directors.
The High School Honors Chorus will be directed by Dr. Michael Lancaster, who is a faculty member in the music department at Western Carolina University. The Honors Chorus program music will feature music by Mozart, Crost and other composers.
The Henderson County High School Chorus is an outreach program of The Carolina Concert Choir (CCC), an all-auditioned choral group, home-based in Hendersonville Lawrence Doebler serves as artistic director/conductor.
'Christmas with Santa' on Nov. 16 at ACT
Asheville Community Theatre (ACT) at 35 E. Walnut St. will kick off the holiday season with "Christmas with Santa" at 10 a.m. Nov. 16.
This lighthearted comedy features two hilarious elves who have misplaced most of Santa's presents. When Santa arrives, he teaches the well-meaning elves that the real gifts of the season are the people and friends we celebrate it with. "Christmas with Santa" is produced by Bright Star Touring Theatre, a professional touring theater company based in Asheville.
Tickets are $5 and are available for purchase at the door, over the phone, or online.
In addition to the play, the Saturdays at ACT event will feature complimentary face-painting and balloon animals before and after the show as well as a snowflake ornament decorating station beginning at 9:30 a.m. Ice cream scooped by The Hop will be available for purchase.
Visit www.ashevilletheatre.org or call 828-254-1320 for more information.


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Braun, Segura injuries leave Brewers shorthanded
MILWAUKEE -- Ron Roenicke managed the most shorthanded game of his career Sunday, with right fielder Ryan Braun and shortstop Jean Segura sidelined by injuries and backup catcher Martin Maldonado serving the final game of a suspension.
A team doctor spent Sunday morning examining Braun, who exited Saturday's win over the Cubs with a right rib-cage strain, and Segura, who was struck in the face by Braun's bat earlier in the game as Braun got loose on the top step of the dugout. Following Sunday's 4-0 loss to the Cubs, Roenicke reiterated that there were no immediate plans to place either player on the disabled list.
Segura vowed to play during the Brewers' road trip to St. Louis and Cincinnati, but Roenicke said Braun will miss at least another 3-5 days. Elian Herrera will play right field in Braun's absence, while club officials mull whether to make a roster move.
"I've dealt with it before, and it's uncomfortable," said Braun, who has been dealing with a strained intercostal muscle for several days. "Sleeping's not very good. I'll get treatment twice today and probably get treatment twice every day, and see what happens. Hope it gets better."
Asked whether he worried he might end up on the DL, Braun said, "You know I don't speculate on that. It's day to day. I remain optimistic. I'll get my treatment."
Segura has a swollen right eye and a nasty cut, which was stitched up by a plastic surgeon. Braun has long warmed up by swinging his bat on the top dugout step when he is in the hole, especially of late, because he has stopped taking pregame swings in the batting cage to protect his troublesome right thumb. Teammates and coaches are aware of the practice and usually stay away.
"When it happened, I thought it was something bad," Segura said. "Today, I feel much better and thank God nothing was worse. ... It was a scary moment for me. I thought it was something worse, I thought it was a fracture or broken something. A concussion, because when it happened I just couldn't feel anything. That [feeling] in my head, it was a scary moment for me."
Braun still felt terrible about the accident on Sunday morning.
"Whenever you hurt one of your friends, no matter how it happened, it's always kind of disturbing," he said.
Roenicke, meanwhile, was tasked with managing a game with only two position players available on the bench: Mark Reynolds, who could play anywhere but catcher, and Rickie Weeks, who is considered by the club a second baseman, period. Pitchers Yovani Gallardo and Kyle Lohse were at the ready Sunday just in case, Gallardo probably to pinch-hit and Lohse to play a corner outfield spot in an emergency.
"They're two big components," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said of the Brewers' latest personnel losses. "Segura is an exciting young player and shortstop. I'm not sure exactly what happened [in the dugout]. Ryan Braun, obviously, is an All-Star. The reality is on any given day, a Major League team can win a ballgame. You can't take anything for granted."


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My stepson calls it "The World Console War." It's Wii U versus PS4 versus Xbox One on a global scale. Each console sold is a battle won, and whoever sells the most by the end of the console cycle, wins. Guess whose side my stepson is on?
At that time we didn't own a PS4, and my stepson's contribution to the war effort involved convincing people to side with PlayStation. When his mother said she preferred the Xbox One, he tried to persuade her otherwise. He explained that the PS4 had better the graphics, a better controller, and clever PS Vita integration.
I'm not surprised. He and his father play PS3 together online nearly every Sunday. They play games including Portal 2, Modnation Racers, and Batman: Arkham Origins. It's their primary way to keep in touch when they live about 2,000 miles apart. According to my stepson, their shared love of PlayStation is the biggest thing they have in common.
So, how would he handle being confronted with the enemy, an Xbox One? On Black Friday, I got to find out.
While his mother went shopping, my stepson and I browsed a game store in the mall. He cataloged the PS Vita games they had in stock and chatted with the store clerk about his console allegiance while I browsed the Wii games. I noticed this game store did not have a demo station for the new consoles. I asked a clerk if any shops in the mall did. He said there were, for the Xbox One.
After we picked up his mom, we navigated the crowded walkways in search of the demo station. We got lost very briefly but arrived after some help from a very bored looking clerk selling remote control cars at a kiosk. The demoed game was Forza 5 - a racing game - a franchise and genre our family is totally unfamiliar with.
On this turn with the Xbox One, I expected him to immediately start playing the game, but he didn't. He was too busy judging the controller.
"So, this is the Xbox One controller, eh? It's smaller. Feels lighter. And the directional pad... not bad, Microsoft. Not bad."
He went on and on like this. During his analysis, a line of kids formed behind him, presumably to actually play the game.
He did not like playing Forza 5 at all. His car kept spinning out and crashing into walls. He couldn't stop driving backwards on the track. Every time he rewound the race to correct a mistake, he made the same mistake two, three, four times over. He didn't even finish the race.
Like I said, the racing genre is overlooked in our family. His inexperience with racing games truly accounted for his poor performance. But, to him it was Xbox One's fault. What a terrible controller.
We mulled around a bit more and watched another kid - who was obviously familiar with the game - win first place in his race. My stepson complimented the boy, and they started talking. That snowballed into a very detailed discussion about the Xbox One, its functionalities, the Kinect, and Xbox Live subscriptions. When my stepson asked which console that boy supported, he said both. He handed the controller to my stepson and let him take the next turn on Forza 5. This time, my stepson took 1st place.
Feeling good about his second attempt, he announced: "The Xbox One is better than the PS4."
After singing PS4 endless praise, and constantly talking about how devoted he was, he played Xbox One twice, and he defected. This wasn't good.
Like families that root for the same football team, he and his father are PlayStation fans. It's their thing. Now he was rooting for the opposing team.
The following Sunday, he settled on the couch to play games with his father. While they waited for a Batman: Arkham Origins' multiplayer to start, they talked about the holidays, about family, and food. I wondered if he was going to tell his Dad about his defection. It wasn't long until my stepson mentioned his Black Friday experience:
"We went to the mall and I got to try out the Xbox One. Yeah, and it's better than the PS4… I mean, it's pretty good... I'm still on your side, Dad."
I'm sure, one day, my stepson will discover that a completely imaginary World Console War cannot threaten a very real father-son bond. For now, he's a "PlayStation fanboy," doing his best to feel close to his dad when there's so much distance between them.
You can reach the author of this post on Twitter, kinda: @marshnaylor


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Showers Move Closer Later Today
Good Morning Everyone....
We'll start our Wednesday one way, and finish it an entirely different way. When you head out early today it will be mild and dry. Most of our early temperatures are in the 50s and 60s. Throughout the day the clouds will be streaming in from the south. This afternoon you'll have a 50% chance of showers or maybe an isolated storm. I am not really looking for this to be a be severe weather event but heavy downpours and gusty winds certainly aren't out of the quesi5on.
Tomorrow will be "all day soggy" and much, much cooler. Highs will only be in the 40s and 50s. And look out, could we even see a little winter-like weather??
I'll let Drew guide you through that scenario a little later. :)
Have a great day.
Laura Huckabee / Meteorologist


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- Format:Cambridge Elevate
- Subject(s):Coding
- Author(s):Chris Roffey
- Available from: No date available
- Notes: Not available for credit card purchase. Please contact Customer Services.
A unique series that provides a framework for teaching coding skills.
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Take your Python coding to the next level! This enhanced digital resource continues seamlessly on from Python Basics, offering full support and progressive tasks for students who have some basic programming experience and are ready to move onto slightly more challenging material. Students will learn how to program and customise a simple calculator and learn essential new programming ideas making them much more accomplished coders. The code is suitable for Mac, Windows and Linux users and compatible with the Raspberry Pi. Accessible online or on tablet devices through the Elevate app (iOS 7.1 and higher and Android 4.1 and higher).
- Contents
Suitable for children whose only prior knowledge is from Coding Club: Python Basics.
Designed and written for children at Key Stage 2 and 3 (ages 7-14), offering a foundation for Key Stage 4 (ages 14-16).
Takes a project-based approach, allowing students to progress at different paces.
Can be completed in one term at school, or more quickly at home. Further time can be spent exploring different ways of completing the challenges and making adaptations.
Full support, source code and answers are provided on the companion website.
Accessible online or on tablet devices through the Elevate app (iOS 7.1 and higher and Android 4.1 and higher).
- Chapter 1: Data types Chapter 2: GUIs Chapter 3: Building a simple calculator Chapter 4: A fully working calculator Chapter 5: Customising the calculator Chapter 6: Algorithms
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"BE IT RESOLVED, by the board of county commissioners of county of Niobrara, State of Wyoming, that said Niobrara County accept said donation, and it does hereby pledge itself to comply with the requirements of said Carnegie Corporation of New York. An further resolved that it will raise and expend not less than twelve hundred fifty-four and fifty-five hundredths dollars a year for the maintenance of a free Public Library in said building when erected and further."
"Resolved that an annual levy shall hereafter be made upon the taxable property of said Niobrara County, Wyoming sufficient in amount to comply with the above requirements."
(Signed) E. G. Jones, Chairman
Board of County Commissioners
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Are you waking up with unexpected itchy bites? Have you seen some blood spots on your bed sheet? Have you seen some uninvited pests in your premises? If so, it means you have a bed bug problem in your house. In such situation, you need a professional bed bug technician in Niagara Falls. We, at K9 Bed Bug Pros, pleased to be able to deliver quality bed bug detection services to our Niagara Falls customers. If you have noticed these blood feeding pests in your house, you can call us. We will take an action as early as soon after your call.
In Niagara Falls, our clients love us because of our high quality solutions and unparalleled customer service. Our highly trained dogs will leave no area unsearched. Once they are done with the inspection, we will give you a detailed report.


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Major League Baseball 2K9 (Xbox 360) review
"In short, your hopes are strung along at first by a satisfactory visual presentation, with the telecast handled by two well-known baseball buffoons. It feels reasonably similar to a day at the park."
Freelance review by K T (March 18, 2009)
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