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Jamaal Franklin was asked about his San Diego State basketball team and its standing at the midpoint of the Mountain West season: 17-5 overall and tied for third place in the conference at 5-3 with eight games to go.
"We're satisfied where we're at," Franklin said, noting that college basketball can be a fickle beast, with wins and losses decided by a fortuitous roll here, a bad bounce there.
Coach Steve Fisher, sitting next to him, leaned forward into the microphone and offered some clarification.
"I think I can add to that," Fisher said. "I don't think any of us are, quote, satisfied. Jamaal said satisfied. I don't think he really meant that. We want more. We want more for who this program is all about and what we represent. But the fact is, we've got three conference losses. That's where we are right now. I wish that we had one, two, three fewer losses. But we are 5-3.
"What we've tried to do is really teach from the film, learn from the film, say these are the reasons we were really good here, here and here, and these are the slips that we've had. If you don't learn from that, you're going to have more slips. Hopefully we will learn from it."
And so it goes in a merciless Mountain West, with the emphasis on the mountain part. SDSU, clinging to its No. 25 ranking in the coaches poll and hopes of a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, opens the second half of conference play Saturday afternoon (3 p.m., CBS Sports Network) at Viejas Arena against Fresno State followed by games at Colorado State and UNLV next week.
Brutal conference. Tough schedule. Injured point guard. High expectations. Inconsistent shooting. Nervous fan base.
Welcome to the 2012-13 season. Here's a look at what to watch, and expect, as the regular season glides, or lurches, to a close.
The tournament
The Aztecs are still in good shape. Jerry Palm, CBSSports.com's bracketologist, has them as a No. 5 seed in his latest NCAA Tournament projection posted Thursday. ESPN's Joe Lunardi moved them from a 7 to a 6 following the dramatic win against Boise State on Wednesday.
In other words: It would take some doing – multiple "bad losses," in bracketology-speak – to even fall to the dreaded bubble.
Win their remaining four home games, and you figure SDSU is in no matter what happens on the road. Go 5-3, win a game or two in the Mountain West tournament, and you're looking at a 5 or 6 seed.
Go 6-2 – including a road win at Colorado State, UNLV or New Mexico – and reach the Mountain West conference final or win it, and the Aztecs can start dreaming of a 4 seed. And the difference between a 4 and 5 is huge, the way the tournament is currently set up.
Teams seeded 1 through 4 get a break in both geography and quality of opponent, usually playing at the closest venue on the first weekend (San Jose, this year) against an automatic qualifier from an unfancied conference. The Aztecs know the alternative well; last year they were a 6, got shipped to Columbus, Ohio, and lost to 11th-seeded North Carolina State from the ACC.
"If we win game by game," Franklin said, "there's no telling what happens with our seeding."
The conference
New Mexico makes the turn in first place at 7-1. SDSU is tied for third at 5-3 and still has to play at Colorado State, at UNLV, at New Mexico and at Boise State – teams that are a combined 47-3 at home this season.
"That adds to the stress," Fisher said.
It's not a completely hopeless endeavor, though. Consider that last year the Aztecs were two games back of the Lobos with four to play and somehow tied for the regular-season title at 10-4. And that the Lobos play five of their final eight on the road, including at UNLV, at Colorado State and at Air Force.
UNLV has the most favorable schedule, having already faced the "big three" on the road in the first half and being responsible for SDSU's only home defeat this season. But the Rebels are also 4-4 and in disarray following consecutive losses to Boise State and, gulp, Fresno State.
Barring another New Mexico collapse, the more realistic question becomes seeding at the conference tournament. With UNLV lingering around the middle of the pack, the idea is to finish second or third – thus avoiding the Rebels in the 4-5 quarterfinal game and New Mexico in the semis.
The schedule
Stay with us on this one, but Saturday's encounter with Fresno State (8-13, 2-6) might be the most important game left in the regular season.
The thinking: Bad losses can hurt more than good wins help in the eyes of the selection committee, particularly when, like SDSU, you have already established yourself as tournament material.
The second-half schedule is tougher than the first, certainly, but in some respects it sets up well for the Aztecs and their NCAA prospects. They won't be favored in at least three and maybe all four road games, so losing them doesn't bury you. The four other games (Fresno State, Wyoming, Nevada, Air Force) are all against teams where losses could be damaging, but they're also all at Viejas Arena.
SDSU's record in its last 55 home games against unranked opposition: 54-1.
The X-factor
The plan is for Xavier Thames, out most of the past month and all of the past two weeks, to give his bad back a try against Fresno State, playing in short spurts with the intention of getting closer to full strength in a few weeks.
Who knows what happens with a bad back, but if the Aztecs get Thames healthy (or at least healthier) it means two things.
It means they have their starting point guard – their glue, their conscience, their brain – on the floor. It also means, should the Aztecs suddenly string together some big wins with him, that the scratches on the resume from losses without him might get buffed out.
Schools are allowed to submit, and the NCAA Tournament selection committee allowed to consider, extenuating circumstances. If it becomes clear you are a different team with and without your veteran point guard, the losses at Wyoming and Air Force suddenly shrink in the committee's eyes if he becomes healthy again.
The arc
Sift through SDSU's statistics in its 17 victories and five defeats, and most are not radically different (and, yes, that includes free-throw shooting, which is actually better in losses). Then you get to 3-point shooting.
It can sometimes be a misleading statistic because teams behind tend to launch contested 3s in a desperate attempt to catch up. But even accounting for that, the disparity between SDSU's long-distance shooting in wins and losses is striking.
No single element of the game may be more indicative of their fortunes. It doesn't help, either, that Thames is their most accurate marksman (41.9 percent).
The numbers: 37.6 percent in wins, 13.2 percent in losses. There's the 1 of 18 against Syracuse, 4 of 17 against Arizona, 3 of 19 against UNLV, 2 of 18 at Wyoming, 2 of 19 at Air Force.
Or look at it this way: When the Aztecs make even just 25 percent of their 3s in a game – the national median is 34.3 percent – they are 13-0.
SDSU vs. Fresno State
SDSU vs. Fresno State
Site/time: Viejas Arena/3 p.m. Saturday.
TV/radio: CBS Sports Network/600-AM, 101.5-FM.
Records: SDSU is 17-5, 5-3; Fresno State is 8-13, 2-6.
Series: The most prolific series in school history. SDSU leads 55-48, including 65-62 at Fresno State in the conference opener last month.
Aztecs outlook: Xavier Thames is expected to play but not start, and his availability likely will be limited to short segments. He has a streak of 65 minutes without a turnover. Thames didn't play the first game against Fresno State and freshman Winston Shepard started in his place, finishing with seven points and seven rebounds in 34 minutes. James Rahon has started the last four games, amassing season highs in baskets (six), 3-pointers (four), rebounds (five) and minutes (39) in Wednesday's win against Boise State. Keep an eye on Chase Tapley's shooting stroke. He had missed 12 straight 3-point attempts before making the game-winner Wednesday with 2.8 seconds left. Freshman forward Skylar Spencer doesn't shoot much, but he rarely misses when he does – making 75.6 percent (31 of 41).
Bulldogs outlook: They struggle to score, averaging 60.4 points and shooting 39.7 percent, both conference lows. But one area they are not lacking is effort. "It just seems like they play harder than other teams," Tapley said. "We have to match their intensity." UNLV found out the hard way Wednesday, losing 64-55 to a Bulldogs team that had dropped four straight and six of seven. The Bulldogs lead the conference in 3-point defense (opponents are making just 29.4 percent) and steals (8 per game). Junior G Kevin Olekaibe has 18 and 21 points in the last two games. In the first game against SDSU, Olekaibe had 15 points, including three 3s, and senior F Kevin Foster had 18 points and seven rebounds. But the rest of the team combined to shoot 10 of 34 (29.4 percent)


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DES MOINES, IA — Nearly five years after a Des Moines lesbian couple's YMCA family membership was revoked and a city human rights commission ruled that the membership policy could be illegal, the issue is back in the news. The couple recently received support from a Des Moines city councilwoman who said the controversy could jeopardize a $102,000 YMCA grant scheduled to be awarded this month, according to the Des Moines Register.
The couple, Sandi and M Patton-Imani, were joined in civil union in Vermont in 2000, and say principle, not money, is the issue. At the time the original complaint was filed, unmarried couples had to join the Y at the single adult rate, which cost $13 more. They told the newspaper they are ready to take the Y to court over the matter.
Iowa state law defines a marriage as a civil contract between a man and a woman. The Greater Des Moines YMCA follows the state's definition when it grants family memberships.
The Y created a new membership plan that accommodated the couple — and other non-traditional families — after the Patton-Imanis filed their complaint five years ago. The member plus program would cost the Patton-Imanis $70 a month, the same as a family plan. Y officials say no law was broken.
As of press time, the City Council was scheduled to vote this month whether to support a $102,216 federal grant for the YMCA's housing program, according to the paper. Des Moines councilwoman Christine Hensley says she will vote "no" unless the group allows gays and lesbians to join as families.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Being professional involved with analyzing source code I get to work with a much larger number of programming languages than most people. There is a huge difference between knowing the intricate details of the semantics of a language and being able to fluently program in a language like a native developer. There are languages whose


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Natural selection acts to maintain diversity between Out of Africa and sub-Saharan African populations in genes related to neurological processes and brain development – aapa abstract @race/history/evolution notes.
Hispanic Genomic Diversity, Part I: European, African, and Amerindian Admixtures and the Taíno 'Extinction' Controversy – "This post deals with the variance in European, African, and Amerindian/Taíno admixture in five of the twenty Hispanic subgroups…." – from nelson!
Misguided Nostalgia for Our Paleo Past – "Gregory Cochran and Henry Harpending even suggest that human evolution as a whole has, on the contrary, accelerated over the last several thousand years, and they also believe that relatively isolated groups of people, such as Africans and North Americans, are subject to differing selection. That leads to the somewhat uncomfortable suggestion that such groups might be evolving in different directions—a controversial notion to say the least." – i dunno why that suggestion should be uncomfortable, but i guess it is. -?- see also steve sailer.
Predictable evolution trumps randomness of mutations – "Separate bacteria populations may respond to environmental changes in identical ways."
Mediterranean Diet Cuts Heart Disease Risk – IN MEDITERRANEAN PEOPLE! – "Heart disease experts said the study was a triumph because it showed that a diet was powerful in reducing heart disease risk, and it did so using the most rigorous methods. Scientists randomly assigned 7,447 people in Spain who were overweight, were smokers, or had diabetes or other risk factors for heart disease to follow the Mediterranean diet or a low-fat one." – *facepalm*
Where Men See White, Women See Ecru – "Neuroscientists prove what we always suspected: the two sexes see the world differently" – i love ecru!
Why Women Talk More Than Men: Language Protein Uncovered – FOXP2 gene. and an objection: The "Language" Gene and Women's Wagging Tongues.
Bone Marrow Transplants: When Race Is an Issue – via hbd biblography.
"Know Thyself" Is A Lot To Ask
Low mobility associated with inherited ability is no social tragedy – from gregory clark, via jayman.
The sociology of dysgenia – "Eugenics is a great idea, and perhaps it's not as complex as I make it to be here. But the fact remains that for all we speculate, we know very, very little about it." – from spandrell. via foseti.
Modern sub-fertility may be a pathologically slow life history, triggered by a supernormal stimulus of modernity – from bruce charlton. see also mangan and malcolm pollack.
The Riddle of the Human Species – multilevel selection argumentation from e.o. wilson. i like the opening paragraphs very much. (^_^)
Can India's Democracy Defeat Corruption? – "Of course, big corruption scandals are commonplace in the developing world (and the developed world, for that matter). Yet the scale and relative peacefulness of the corruption debate in India may be unprecedented…. And although the Indian political system is imperfect in ways too numerous to list here, the central authorities most of the time do respect free speech and free press. Civil society works. Freedom of association works…."
Study finds maize in diets of people in coastal Peru dates to 5,000 years ago – "Up until now, the prevailing theory was that marine resources, not agriculture and corn, provided the economic engine behind the development of civilization in the Andean region of Peru."
Fun With HBD: Racial Differences in Women's Asses – (~_^)
How Christianity stopped Anglo-Saxon England eating horsemeat: Church officials claimed it was 'pagan' food
bonus: The Big Question – "Q: What day most changed the course of history?" – i like freeman dyson's response. (^_^)
bonus bonus: Dolphins Call Each Other By Name – "Bottlenose dolphins call out the specific names of loved ones when they become separated, a study finds. Other than humans, the dolphins are the only animals known to do this…."
bonus bonus bonus: The Meanest Girls at the Watering Hole – behavioral evidence suggests that hierarchy is heriditary in elephants.
bonus bonus bonus bonus: Grey langurs spotted treating a wild dog to a grooming session in India
bonus bonus bonus bonus bonus: How male alligators have PERMANENTLY erect penises which they keep hidden inside their bodies
bonus bonus bonus bonus bonus bonus: Most zombie ant photographs are upside down
bonus bonus bonus bonus bonus bonus bonus: The 15th-Century Equivalent of Your Cat Walking on Your Keyboard – meow!
(note: comments do not require an email. it's a dog's life.)


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A former LulzSec member has pleaded not guilty to federal charges that he hacked into the servers of global intelligence company Stratfor and stole credit card data and personal details of 860,000 of its clients.
Jeremy Hammond entered the plea on Monday during a brief hearing in US District Court in Manhattan, the Associated Press reported. He's been held in federal custody since an initial court appearance in Chicago in early March, when federal prosecutors named him as a lieutenant of LulzSec ringleader Hector Xavier "Sabu" Monsegur. There was no request for Hammond to be released on bail during Monday's hearing, according to the AP report.
In an indictment filed in May, federal authorities said Hammond stole data for about 60,000 credit cards from Stratfor servers, as well as e-mail and other information for about 860,000 of the service's clients. Hammond, who allegedly used online handles including "sup-g" and "Anarchaos," was also accused of penetrating servers belonging to the Arizona Department of Public Safety and stealing law enforcement documents. He faces charges of conspiracy to commit computer hacking and related offenses associated with the attacks.
Although LulzSec members took great pains to distance themselves from their real-world identities, Hammond was in part identified by statements he made in online chats. In one, he revealed that a friend had been arrested during protests last August in St. Louis. In another, he said he had been arrested in New York City during the Republican National Convention in 2004. He also mentioned serving time in federal prison. FBI investigators used the details to narrow this list of suspects.
Hammond's next court appearance is scheduled for July 23, the AP said.


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Naipaul, V. S.
V. S. Naipaul: (Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul) (nīpôl´), 1932–, English author, b. Chaguanas, Trinidad; grad. University College, Oxford, 1953. Naipul, whose family is descended from Indian Brahmins, has lived in England since 1950. A master of English prose style, he is known for his penetrating analyses of alienation and exile. In fiction and essays marked by stylistic virtuosity and psychological insight, he often focuses on his childhood and his travels beyond Trinidad. Writing with increasing irony and pessimism, he has often bleakly detailed the dual problems of the Third World: the oppressions of colonialism and the chaos of postcolonialism.
Among Naipaul's works of international analysis are The Middle Passage (1962), about the West Indies and South America; an Indian trilogy: An Area of Darkness (1964), India: A Wounded Civilization (1977), and India: A Million Mutinies Now (1990); and The Masque of Africa (2010), on indigenous religions in several African nations. His novels include The Mystic Masseur (1957), A House for Mr. Biswas (1961), In a Free State (1971; Booker Prize), Guerrillas (1975), A Bend in the River (1979), and Half a Life (2001) and its sequel, Magic Seeds (2004); he has also written numerous short stories. Among his other works are The Enigma of Arrival (1987), A Way in the World (1994), and A Writer's People (2008), autobiographical works combining novel, memoir, and history; Among the Believers (1981) and Beyond Belief (1998), analyses of modern Islam; and many political essays, a representative sample of which are collected in The Writer and the World (2002). Naipaul was knighted in 1990 and awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2001.
See his early letters in Between Father and Son: Family Letters (2000), ed. by G. Aitken; F. Jussawalla, ed., Conversations with V. S. Naipaul (1997); biographies by R. D. Hamner (1973), R. Kelly (1989), and P. French (2008); studies by P. Theroux (1972 and 1998), R. D. Hamner, ed. (1979), P. Nightingale (1987), P. Hughes (1988), T. F. Weiss (1992), W. Dissanayake (1993), B. A. King (1993), J. Levy (1995), F. Mustafa (1995), R. Nixon (1997), N. Ramadevi (1997), A. J. Khan (1998), L. Feder (2001), H. Hayward (2002), and B. King (2003).


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A city of great religious and cultural importance for people of Christian faith, Vatican city is popular with every visitor to Rome and is a must-see destination. Discover the St Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Gardens and the city's breath-taking beauty and fascinating history.
As for Rome, it is one of the most popular destinations in Europe. Discover iconic monuments such as The Coliseum, the Palatine Hill, the Mausoleum of Roman Emperor Hadrian and much more.
- Free entry in Vatican: Visit the Vatican City sights and attractions, including Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel and either St Peter's Basilica or Vatican Gardens Tour.
- Free entry in Rome: Pick 2 of Rome's attractions, the Coliseum, Palatine Hill & Roman Forum, Capitolini Museums, Borghese Gallery or the National Museum of Castel St. Angelo, and visit free.
- Hop on hop off bus: 3 day ticket for a stress-free way to discover the best of the city: stops at San Pietro in Vaticano, Palazzo della Cancelleria, Santa Maria ad Martyres Pantheon, Santa Maria in Aracoeli, Santa Maria degli Angeli, Stazione Termini, Santa Maria Maggiore, San Giovanni, Colosseo, Circo Massimo, San Bartolomeo all'Isola Tiberina, Palazzo Farnese.
- Unlimited public transport: Grab your free travelcard and travel around freely with public transports in Rome, including trams, metro and buses.
- Amazing bonuses: Skip the lines and benefit from fast track entry to Vatican city attractions. Get discounted entry to more than 30 landmarks, museums and attractions in Rome. The free guidebook and map, plus audio guides will no doubt prove to be helpful.


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19 July 2012 at 11.02am
The Royal Opera House is offering a wide range of discounts on group bookings for some of the most popular productions in the repertory this autumn.
Groups can save up to 40% on tickets for the forthcoming season, offering visitors an opportunity to see new works at bargain prices and introduce first-time friends and families to the world of opera and ballet.
Gill Krender has been coming with a group of senior citizens for several years.
We try and come once a month to see either ballet or opera. We tend to sit in the Amphitheatre as we have a great view and it is fantastic value for money. We all love coming especially at Christmas when we treat ourselves to a meal as well. The Royal Opera House is still special to us even after all these years, we feel privileged to be there in lovely surroundings and feel we have had a great night out."
Offers in 2012 include Laurent Pelly's brand new production of the French rarity Robert le diable and Donizetti's lighthearted romance L'elisir d'amore, as well as all-time Christmas favourites The Nutcracker and Swan Lake.
To kick-start the New Year, there will be group discounts for John Copley's much-loved production of La bohème, as well as Harrison Birtwhistle's mythical and monstrous production of The Minotaur.
Groups can take advantage of a range of benefits, including priority booking, a 'book now, pay later' arrangement and a dedicated group booking phone line.
Find out more details about group booking.


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Dwight Yoakam brought a rapid-fire attack and a rebel yell to fans at the Ryman Auditorium Friday night (April 12), the first of two sold-out shows in Nashville. Hardly stopping to catch his breath, the eccentric artist blasted through more than 30 songs in a two-hour performance.
"I have never felt better than I do tonight!" proclaimed the veteran entertainer during his encore at the end of the concert. "Y'all have been hootin' and hollerin' at us all night."
And he wasn't exaggerating. From the start of his show, which was broadcast live on Sirius XM's Outlaw Country channel, Yoakam had the Ryman crowd fighting to make their cheers heard during the extremely short breaks between songs, inspiring him to join in on the fun later on.
Taking the stage to a deafening roar and launching directly into three back-to-back songs, Yoakam rolled through "Take Hold of My Hand" from his new album 3 Pears, the classic "Little Sister" and collected a hot pink bra from somewhere in the balcony by the time he said hello.
"Thank you very much," he said with a pleased grin. "It's a pleasure to be back."
He went on to praise those in the Nashville community who banded together to save the Ryman from demolition in the early '90s, then hustled into his hit Buck Owens collaboration "Streets of Bakersfield" by listing off the string of highways that delivered the band from Southern California.
Yoakam is still very much an engaging performer, and while his knees might swivel and bow a little slower than they used to, they still draw screams from the ladies and whistles from the guys every time. Knowing that full well, he used his shuffling hillbilly moonwalk to devastating effect all night.
And his distinctive voice is still very much in force, along with that signature hiccup-yodel. Even with the blistering pace he was pushing the band to achieve, Yoakam's power never faltered.
He didn't do much talking for the first hour or so, but that was just fine as the crowd enjoyed a set full of new tracks from 3 Pears and a bunch from earlier albums Blame the Vein and Population Me. Quirky "Waterfalls" and "Rock It All Away" stood out, as did "Close Up the Honky Tonks" from his Dwight Sings Buck album from 2007.
As the band fell into their pocket and the crowd loosened up, Yoakam began smiling from ear to ear and singing out louder. A kind of momentum began to build through "This Time."
"I'd like to dedicate this next tune to Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash," he said earnestly, explaining he had covered "Ring of Fire" on his new album for the second time in his career. "I sure hope they'd like the new cowpoke."
Sung at full volume with booming drums and slashing electric guitars, the Cash family might not have recognized Johnny's passionate ode, but the audience was near a boiling point.
After a frequently-interrupted intro about songwriters Joe and Rose Lee Maphis ahead of "Dim Lights, Thick Smoke," the crowd reached critical mass as the hardcore honky-tonk washed through the auditorium.
Yoakam got in on the act and spurred the crowd on with a few hollers of his own and then just kept right on going.
"Whoo!" he called after finally bringing the band to a halt. "What'd ya think of that?! Let me hear those rebel yells!
"Once it starts it's hard to stop it," he joked, trading smiles with the band and sprinkling yells of his own through the rest of the night.
He kept the last half hour of the show memorable and delivered some of his most-loved hits like "Honky Tonk Man," "A Thousand Miles From Nowhere" and "It Only Hurts When I Cry," along with "Heart Like Mine," a standout from 3 Pears.
Finally, "Guitars, Cadillacs" and "Fast as You" provided the spiritual climax of the evening, and with floorboards shaking and fans spinning in the Ryman's tiny aisles, Yoakam unstrapped his guitar and shuffled confidently offstage.
As he had mentioned earlier in the night, the show was the fastest sellout of his career, and he had one more to go on Saturday night.
Earlier in the evening, rising folk trio the Lone Bellow won over the crowd with gorgeous harmonies and swelling crescendos backed by an upright bass and restrained percussion. The soulful agony of "You Never Need Nobody," in particular, gained the Brooklyn-based group a whole new band of believers.


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(The News as We See It) by R.T. Fitch ~ author "Straight from the Horse's Heart"
A Tribute by Jill Curtis
Editor's Note: "I have long known of Tony's equine rescue called "Shiloh" located in Nevada. A steadfast operation that Tony felt great passion for as he was dead set against the government's destruction of our American wild horses and vocal in his opposition to the predatory business of horse slaughter, to me, that made him a Star. Our flag flies at half mast for Tony and in our hearts we know that he was met by many a loving, animal soul as he crossed the bridge. May God bless him" ~ R.T.
My Tribute to Tony
For those fans who were not able to attend Tony's service yesterday, I wanted to at least let you know what I said for my Tony.
Thank you to everyone, all his fans across the world, for loving Tony like you did- you all meant more to him then you will ever know. All of you will all always be in my heart and we will always be friends.
Thank you to my Shiloh Family, who were there for me, both at the service and in spirit, and helped me stay strong. My heartfelt thanks to Dave Hickey who helped my family make arrangements at the Palm Mortuary and who stood by Tony's side to make sure that everything was done right and to show Tony the respect and dignity that he so deserved.
On behalf of Tony and myself, I want to thank you all for coming to help us celebrate and remember the life of this remarkable and larger than life man.
As Tony would always say, "I greet you with cordiality and good cheer."
Tony and I have been together for 16 years, we would have been married 12 years next month. What a wonderful time that has been. Everyone here knows "Tony of the Movies", I would like to take this time to honor the man behind the Matinee Idol.
As you may have already read, Tony passed in his sleep. He had been ill and had actually almost passed away in the hospital one day a few months ago. But in true Tony style, he fought his way back, in fact he recovered enough to come home. Those of us who were with him these last few months, have come to realize that he came home so that we would all have time to say good bye. This was his final gift- time to talk, to love, to kiss and hold hands, to sit together and watch a movie, to hug. To help us let go gracefully and to finally accept that his long and full life was naturally coming to an end. An end that came peacefully and quietly in the early evening, on his terms and at just the right time.
I have always told people that Tony was just the that way you always hoped he would be. By that I mean- that charming handsome man that you feel in love with on the screen- that was the real Tony. He was hilarious, kind, gentle, tough and strong, highly intelligent and incredibly witty.
Tony absolutely adored his fans and loved it when people would approach him for an autograph or to take a photo. At signings and events, he always made sure to spend time with each person in line, to make everyone feel comfortable and appreciated. We would watch as fans nervously approached with shaking hands but they always left with a big smile and stars in their eyes.
Tony was an enigma, a word he loved.
On the one hand a "yeaderman"- an everyman. He was a Husband, a Father, a Grandfather, a Brother, an Uncle, and a Friend. A hardworking man who came from very humble beginnings, a son of immigrants, a patriot who defended his country, a proud American citizen. A man who walked the streets of the World unencumbered, always curious, always approachable.
He was for the most part self educated. A man who barely finished High School but who could comfortably converse with Prince and Pauper alike, from Presidents to the working man.
An amazingly creative person, Tony wrote multiple books and volumes of beautiful poetry. But what he was the most proud of was his artwork. Tony loved to paint and he began drawing at a young age on the sidewalks of New York using his father's tailor chalk. His acrylics are brightly colored, his line drawings precise and clean. But, to really appreciate the incredible workings of his inner mind, one only has to look at his boxes that he created. These artistic assemblages are of unrelated objects placed together in such a way as to evoke emotions unique to each viewer. They perfectly depict his complex personality and, right up to his death, he was working on his newest book to share them with the World.
Of course, we all know the Mega Watt Movie Star- bigger than the silver screen could ever contain. Someone who was revered, looked up to, and emulated. His immense body of work bridged the gap between Old Hollywood and New Hollywood; he was a true Movie Star in every sense of the word and he loved every minute of it.
One of Tony's favorite poems is Mr. Cory by Edwin Arlington Robinson. He could, and would, recite it by heart. A part of this poem just personified Tony perfectly and I wanted to share it with you.
"Whenever Richard Cory went down town,
We the people on the pavement looked at him;
He was a gentleman from sole to crown
Clean favored and imperially slim.
He was always quietly arrayed,
And he was human when he talked;
But still he fluttered pulses when he said
Good Morning and he glittered when he walked."
Those of you who knew Tony well, will remember his fondness for white shorts and white sweaters and his ever present Stetson- this was all he ever wanted to wear. Of course, he loved to dress up for the evening and when he did, we always called him "The Armani Cowboy". For Tony it really was "Armani or your Life". But, if he could get away with it, and Tony could get away with almost anything- white shorts it was. Tony is even now wearing his favorite outfit- he is being laid to rest in his white shorts, his very favorite white sweater that had to be mended more times that can be counted, his Armani scarf around his neck and with his well worn Stetson under his arm.
He is also being laid to rest with his traveling bag, packed full with what he would always refer to as, "his goods". In his bag we have placed:
Meaningful Photos and letters
A model of his car, the 25th Anniversary Edition Trans Am with what Tony called, "the screaming chicken" on it's hood.
His favorite pair of driving gloves, Tony always wore driving gloves, even when he had stopped driving. After his illness in 2006, he was no longer able to, and was extremely fond of telling anyone who would listen that "Jillie won't let me drive". He was always, right up to the end, plotting ways to get his driver's license back and convince me that he was still able to drive. But, more than once in the years before, I had arrived at the scene of a minor fender bender involving Tony, only to find him charming the people and signing their damaged hood or bumper. No need to pay for the auto detailing in Louisville KY for this car owner, what a champ.
As a child who grew up in poverty during the Depression, Tony always felt secure with money in his "kip" as he always called it. Of course, being old school, Tony didn't call money "money", he called it Dough. So Tony, you have some dough in your kip, just in case you might need it.
We have included, a copy of his favorite poem Mr. Cory and a copy of Anthony Adverse, the book that he read while in the Navy and which later became part of his new Hollywood name,
Some of his Navy medals, Tony was a proud sailor and a World War Two Veteran.
His late son Nicholas' baby shoes that Tony always brought with him wherever he traveled,
A patch from Hungary, Tony loved to speak Hungarian and was extremely proud of his heritage.
Tony loved to collect gold coins, so we added some of those.
His two favorite watches,
A yarmulke from the Dohany Synagogue in Budapest which he had helped to restore in his father's name,
A bag of interesting colored stones that he had collected during his travels, which included stones from his friend Dodi Fayed's grave,
A DVD of his film clips,
His "IB" which is actually his iPhone- We don't know why he called it his "IB", but he did and after a while so did we. Tony loved to "work" on his IB.
A few items from his Father's Tailor shop,
A pair of sunglasses and a pair of reading glasses,
Seven packets of Splenda- Tony loved to sweeten everything with Splenda- no less than seven packets. Tony had a huge sweet tooth.
A Percocet,
A pair of sleeping eye blinders, which he always wore to sleep or to nap,
A picture and a recent poem he wrote to his little dog, Bronx,
The ashes from his dog, Jack, who was found abandoned in the desert a few years ago and who fell in love with Tony instantly and faithfully followed him everywhere. When Jack passed on, Tony kept his ashes. Now Jack is following Tony again.
We also included some of his favorite paint brushes and some paint and a sketch pad and a pen. Tony loved to draw on anything at anytime. Many of his friends would leave the dinner table with a napkin or even part of the table cloth that Tony had drawn on. He loved to do that.
An accomplished Fencer, he is also being laid to rest with one of his favorite Fencing sabers at his side.
As sad as it is to say good bye to our beloved Tony, we are so happy for him that he had such a long and amazing life. As Tony was fond of saying, "It would have killed an ordinary man."
I want to thank you, sweetheart, for taking me, a simple horse girl from San Diego, on the ride of a lifetime. Thank you for all you have done for me. You will remain in my heart always and someday, I will take your hand again and we will continue on our journey together. I just want to share one very funny story that I will always treasure. Because we had such a large age difference, soon after we met, Tony was asked if it was dangerous to be with such a young woman? To which he immediately quipped, "Well, if she dies, she dies".
Tony loved animals but it wasn't until we met that he realized just how much. When I met Tony, he did not have any animals and his LA home was filled with pristine white carpet. But during these years here in Vegas, our house has always been filled with barking dogs, cats, and injured animals of all kinds including a paralyzed chicken, Ernesto. He even helped me care for and bottle feed an orphaned baby burro who lived at our Anthem home for 10 days until he could move to our ranch. Tony loved to visit our ranch, Shiloh. In fact, right before he became ill this last time, we were planning to build a house and permanently move out there. He was excited about the change and many times these last few weeks when asked about living at Shiloh, he would say "it's going to be fabulous".
Let us remember Tony as a gentleman, a kind, compassionate and elegant man, with a loving and generous heart, an iron will, a strong work ethic, a stubborn streak, a brilliant sense of humor and an enlightened way of moving through life. We won't forget his unmistakable voice or his infectious laugh. As a friend simply said- "He was a thrill to know".
His journey here has ended, but I know that he is somewhere even now, grinning that charming smile with that mischievous twinkle in his blue eyes, reaching out to take the hand of a friend or loved one. I can still hear that incredible voice saying, "Hi, I'm Tony".
What a Life.
What a Man.
He was, as one loving fan so eloquently put it,
A Once in a Lifetime Man.
Categories: Equine Rescue, Horse News, Horse Slaughter, Wild Horses/Mustangs


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Lt Gen Dr. Michael Tempel Visits Namibia Lt Gen Dr. Michael Tempel Visits Namibia
Windhoek, 28 July 2017: The Surgeon General for the German Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Dr. Michael Tempel, visited Namibia for the first time to familiarise himself with the health services in the Namibian Defence Force.??
In addition, General Tempel's visit was to cement the mutual relationships existing between the two Armed Forces in the area of health services and further discuss areas of future cooperation and support to Namibian Defence Force.??
The General paid a courtesy call on the Chief of the Namibian Defence Force before meeting the Chief of Staff Defence Health Services, Brig Gen Sofia Ndeitunga at Defence Headquarters. ??
Dr. Tempel also visited the Mobile Field Hospital at Okahandja, which was established through a joint Inter-Governmental Project between the Republic of Namibia and the Federal Republic of Germany.


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As the coals in the hot stove are just beginning to get stoked up, it's time to rank the current Chicago White Sox, in order of importance for 2011 and beyond. It's not intended to be a strict list of merely the best players, or best values, on the White Sox. Rather, it takes into account team depth, the free agent market, or answering the question of which player would hurt the most not being on the team? …
… 12. Juan Pierre, LF
Another player who is easy to take for granted is Pierre, but the left-fielder was a miraculous find for the White Sox in 2010. Pierre almost completely offset his arm in the field by getting to every ball hit his way, compiling a UZR of 13.4, ninth-best in baseball, sixth among outfielders and third among left fielders. Pierre was also one of the best pressure hitters in baseball, with a 1.15 Clutch rating that was tied for eighth among all players. Pierre brought $9 million in value to the White Sox, who paid him just $3 million for the season. Williams and Guillen so gush over what Pierre brings to the field that it would not surprise if the soft-spoken speedster ascends to the role of team captain if both Konerko and Pierzynski fail to return.
November 9, 2010
Most Important Sox, 2011 and beyond edition (#11-20)
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Season 20 episode "Gone, Maggie, Gone"
Just caught the episode "Gone, Maggie, Gone" on tv the other night, and there was a The Muppets Take Manhattan reference. Does anyone have the DVD set for the 20th season? Homer goes into the kitchen to discover rats cooking, and one of the rats is riding an egg beater in the kitchen, a la Pete's Luncheonette. It was so fast that I couldn't see if there were any other references (skating with pats of butter on a skillet, etc.). And since I don't have TIVO or any other new fangled electronics, I couldn't save it or rewind it. So I'm parking this here to see if anyone can get ahold of it, or for future reference. -- Nate (talk) 20:25, March 2, 2010 (UTC)
- I'm pretty sure that's a reference to Ratatouille. - Oscarfan 20:28, March 2, 2010 (UTC)
- I think season 20 was released to DVD already, actually. They skipped several to release it. Anyway, here's a pic of the rat Nate's talking about. Didn't really notice anything else in the scene. --Justin 21:21, March 2, 2010 (UTC)
Yes Season 20 was released on DVD already, skipping ahead 7 or 8 seasons from what has already been released. Thanks for the upload Justin. That is just great! -- Nate (talk) 21:26, March 2, 2010 (UTC)
- Is it an obvious enough reference or just a coincidence? I mean, it seems odd that it seems to be the only rat doing something fun like that, but I don't know as I'm convinced that it is a definite reference. --Justin 21:37, March 2, 2010 (UTC)
- My opinion is as many references as they give, this was a nod. While he doesn't look like Chester Rat, how many rats in cinema and television have ridden an eggbeater. I went ahead and added it, but if we feel its wrong, it can be taken down. -- Nate (talk) 21:46, March 2, 2010 (UTC)
Worst. Reference. Ever.
In the new Virmup video, one of the negative comments that appears reads "Worst. Song. Ever". Is this a reference to Comic Book Guy's catchphrase? - Oscarfan 13:33, February 10, 2010 (UTC)
- Hm, it feels like that predates CBG. I wonder if we can find out if he did it first. It's not as clear a reference as Burninator, or whatever it was from Homestar Runner. —Scott (talk) 04:09, February 12, 2010 (UTC)
- The Wikipedia page for CBG seems to confirm it. --MuppetVJ 04:37, February 12, 2010 (UTC)
- The phrase "worst [blank] ever" in a general fashion predates Comic Book Guy, but the specific usage when criticizing a TV show, video, comic etc. as a stand-alone statement stems from him. However, by now, it's become a general Internet meme (the punctuation style, "Worst. [Blank]. Ever." isn't from the show, even in their comics or their own episode called "Worst Episode Ever") and indeed a statement one often sees on YouTube. So we can either note it with qualifiers or just leave it alone (since it's vague, I'd opt for leaving it out here, but possibly including it on the Dust in the Wind page as a note; we've done the same thing with Marvin Suggs, for example). -- Andrew Leal (talk) 04:50, February 12, 2010 (UTC)
Muppephone Reference?
Tonight on the Simpsons episode "All About Lisa" there was a (possible) reference to the Muppephone I'd like to toss out here for discussion. Nelson was auditioning to be Krusty the Clown's "Krusteteer" with an act.
Nelson had some of the class nerds (like Martin) tied in a row. He hit their backs, making them yell "Ow ow ow" making them yelp a song like the Muppephone (no the song wasn't Lady of Spain). Still, the "ow, ow, ow" was Muppephone-like.
Is this an official Muppet reference or just a reference to the Muppephone, Monty Python's Mouse Organ and other "instruments" in general? -- Josh MsSwanFan 00:41, 19 May 2008 (UTC)
- I'd say that if it didn't directly mention the Muppaphone it wasn't a reference. -- Wendy (talk) 03:17, 4 June 2008 (UTC)
- I agree. Outside of the examples of animal abuse to make music noted on the Marvin Suggs page, there's plenty of similar examples involving people (usually heads). "Reminiscent" is the best way to describe it, so without direct confirmation to say "Hey, we were spoofing the Muppaphone," it doesn't fit. Andrew Leal (talk) 06:00, 6 June 2008 (UTC)
All About Lisa- In the book Simpsons World (an episode guide to the simpsons) it states it is a reference to the Muppet show --Beauregardfan 23:46, September 9, 2012 (UTC)
Danny W posted about a Rapunzel scene on this page... I don't think that's a reference to the Sesame News Flash sketch. It's just a similar riff on a fairy tale. I'd like to take that off the page. Any comments? -- Danny (talk) 23:03, 16 December 2006 (UTC)
- I agree, it is a vague similarity to a "Muppet-like" gag that is not clearly intended as Muppet spoof (in fact the Rapunzel's hair being ripped-off thing I've seen other places other than on Sesame and The Simpsons). Unles we have some kind of proof it was intended as a Muppet spoof (like a commentary or interview quote), I would say it is just a similar joke (and many gags/jokes out there have been done by the Muppets and other groups later..or before). I would not call it a "Muppet Mention", I would call it just a similar joke (and if we start listing all similar jokes, I can think of about 100 Simpsons jokes that are similar to ones the Muppet). -- Brad D. (talk) 23:33, 16 December 2006 (UTC)
- Oh. I read on the SNPP website saying it was a Sesame Street reference. --Wile e2005 00:48, 17 December 2006 (UTC)
Connections Ordering
While I sort of understand dividing regulars and guests (we don't do it on other connections pages, but there's a lot of celeb guests here), is there any reason they have to be alphabetized by first name as opposed to last name? Speaking for myself, I find it confusing as heck. -- Andrew Leal (talk) 03:14, 21 November 2006 (UTC)
- Well, I just added over 100 guest stars and didn't feel like sitting down to alphabetize them all right now (so I just copy-pasted the list in Word and had it alphabetize it for me sadly it is by the first word in each line...the first name). If someone wants to sort them out go ahead. I separated the list by cast and guests as the show regulars (such as Dan Castellaneta and Yeardley Smith who have appeared in over 400 episodes with regular characters) are a stronger connection than a celeb who recorded one or two lines as themselves in only one episode (and the few real strong connections just got lost in the list of 100+ guest stars). -- Brad D. (talk) 03:26, 21 November 2006 (UTC)
- So it wasn't intentional. Good. I'll re-arrange then. And yeah, with so many guest stars, in this case, and as one of the few shows in references that's still on the air (in contrast to, say Star Trek), it makes sense. It just took me awhile to figure out how the heck the names were organized. At first I thought it was in chronological order, then realized you took the first names. Also, it's almost frightening to note how much overlap there is between The Simpsons and In the Kitchen with Miss Piggy. -- Andrew Leal (talk) 03:35, 21 November 2006 (UTC)
It was suggested that Family Guy be converted to the table format we use on recurring sketches articles. The same should be done here. — Scott (talk) 03:31, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
- The thing that occurs to me, with both of these, how would one handle episodes which only make verbal mentions? Keep them outside the table, add a "No Image" icon, or just grab an image from the episode scene even if it doesn't illustrate a Muppet depiction? -- Andrew Leal (talk) 03:43, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
Swedish chef promo appearance
Swedish Chef appears in one promotion shot for the Nov. 13 episode. Should we publish the image, or just wait till the episode?:


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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
Tops Friendly Markets suggests smart lifestyle tips to maintain health-related New Year's resolutions
It's that time of the year when people look back on years past and identify goals they want to achieve in the year ahead. According to USA.gov, nearly half of the most popular New Year's resolutions each year are health-related.
"Despite good intentions, the majority of Americans give up on their New Year's resolutions within the first few weeks of the new year," said Gail Marchese, wellness coordinator at Tops - a leading full-service grocery retailer in upstate New York, northern Pennsylvania, and northern Vermont. "For those making health-related resolutions, there are simple ways to make smarter food and lifestyle choices that can be easily incorporated into your daily lives."
Here are a few wellness, smart eating, and food shopping tips from Tops to ease the transition to a healthier lifestyle in 2014 and beyond.
Plan and prepare meals in advance. Organize meals in advance to save time and avoid grabbing takeout or snacking on unhealthy foods. Put aside a few hours per week to shop and prepare meals for the upcoming week.
Make nutrition a priority. At Tops, it's easy to trade up for healthier food options with the NuVal Nutritional Scoring System. NuVal ranks all foods on a scale of 1 to 100 - the higher the score, the more nutritious the food. Look for NuVal scores on shelf tags throughout select Tops stores to make smarter and healthier choices.
Stock up on staples. Keep a lot of healthy essentials in the cupboards - like whole-wheat pasta, wraps or pitas, brown rice, canned beans and albacore tuna. Make sure to have plenty of nutritious snacks on hand, including vegetables, fruits, low-fat cheese, and nuts.
Avoid skipping breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It kick starts the body's metabolism and provides the energy needed to tackle the day. Try healthy breakfast options like lean protein and high-fiber foods including eggs or whole grains.
Make a double batch. To save time, when cooking food items like chili, soup or sauce, make two batches and freeze the extra. Click here for a vegetable beef barley soup recipe ideal for freezing.
Drink plenty of water. According to the Mayo Clinic, water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells, and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat issues. Make sure to drink at least eight, 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day. And avoid carbonated, caffeinated or sugary drinks whenever possible.
Get up and get moving. Schedule at least 30 minutes of physical activity into the day. Use the stairs instead of the elevator, take a brisk walk during lunch breaks, or try joining a gym.
Schedule "me" time. Take time out each day to relax and de-stress. Read a book, take a bath, or try a new healthy recipe. Making time to unwind decreases high blood pressure and fatigue while improving energy levels and concentration.
Be aware of health issues. It's never been more important to be aware of unrecognized health problems, as stroke is the third-leading cause of death in the U.S. Tops has partnered with Life Line Screening - the nation's largest provider of community-based vascular screenings - for its "Groceries to Good Health" program. Click here to find out health risks for a stroke, save $10 off the normal cost, and get a $25 Tops gift card.
Tops Markets LLC is headquartered in Williamsville and operates 159 full-service supermarkets - 154 company-owned and five franchise locations under the Tops banner. With more than 15,000 associates, Tops is a leading full-service grocery retailer in upstate New York, northern Pennsylvania and western Vermont. For more information about Tops Markets, visit the company's website at www.topsmarkets.com.


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CleanSlide is a professional & clean premium Wordpress theme. It can be used for almost every type of website project. It comes with a detailed documentation, which includes all the main instructions you will need to customize this theme. All the html and psd files are included.
Key Features
- Valid xhtml strict / CSS3
- Unique jQuery Portfolio incl. filtering
- jQuery Accordion Freebie included
- 8 different color schemes
- Detailed documentation included
- PSD File included
- Works and looks similar in all major browsers: IE7+ , Firefox 2+, Opera, Safari & Google Chrome
The following images & icons are copyrighted by:
- Iconset used: Komodo Social Icons
- Font used: PT Sans
- Images (©) used: Cuba Gallery (Flickr)
- Stockphotos used: iStockphoto (Member images, Office image)
Update October 23th, 2013
- Added new WP theme framework (up-to-date functionality)
- WP 3.6+ theme compatibility
- Minified jQuery scripts
- Smushed 137.77 KB from the size of the used theme images
- Updated theme options (functionality)
- Updated used jQuery scripts
- Removed "Template: Homepage" and used front-page.php instead
- Removed Cufon script and replaced with @font-face
- Removed unnecessary "Hide the Footer Social Icons?" option
- Added template parts files and folder (/parts)
- Added new Twitter plugin support and documentation (http://wordpress.org/plugins/oauth-twitter-feed-for-developers/)
- Added CPT Portfolio thumbnail column
- Added CPT Portfolio menu icon
- Added template strings for translation management
- Added contactform7 plugin support (styling)
Update Feb 17th, 2011
- Added: Disable sliding navigation feature
- Added: Disable social media icons separately
- Added: Disable Twitter footer feed and use a widget instead
- Fixed: Cufon umlaut font support (ä,ö,ü)
- Fixed: Fixed slider navigation overflow bug
- Fixed: Portfolio sorting bug when using a category with 2 words (ex. Graphic Design)
- Fixed: Default logo link
- Fixed: Homepage slider images scaled properly
- Removed: Unnecessary js code (js/jquery.scripts.js)


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Ramadan is a time of seeking. As Christians, we are spending time learning about the Rooms in the House of Islam and praying for God's will. Today we're focused on Kampur.
- 30 Days of Prayer
- Get the Prayer Guide
- EM053 – A Wind in the House of Islam
- EM060 – How to get from Hello to a Gospel Conversation
- EM065 – Christians: How to Pray, Love and Minister During Ramadan
If you'd have any comments or questions, you can always leave a comment in the show notes or send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com.


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איזה אושר!
רק לגלול ולהנות..
Shmentura is a group blog maintained by Graphic Design students in Shenkar, Israel. We blog about design, illustration and interactive media.
We love hearing from you! If you're here because we wrote about your website and you'd like a translation or some cookies, contact us:
Follow us on Twitter:
Let's Cuddle:
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Classmate (who plays WoW): You can recite the entire paladin talent tree but you can't remember your student number, you know, the one you've had for every exam for the past 3 years?
Me: It's all about priorities, dear.
Ah yes, priorities. Two summers ago, I had a nasty fall about two hours before a raid. I was absolutely furious! Not because my left arm had gone numb with the impact, not because I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to walk, not because the ambulance was taking its sweet time getting there. Nope! I was angry because I had finally convinced my guild to take down Magtheridon to get my Naruu title and there was no way in heck I would be back from the hospital on time.
On the bright side, raiding again the day after I got back from the hospital was the best rehab my left arm could have gotten. I didn't even need physio. Who says video games are useless?
Anyway, after about two weeks of WoW starvation due to finals, I can finally play freely again. It's sad that I felt extremely guilty for not religiously doing my daily random dungeons. As guilty as I felt for taking study breaks longer than a half an hour. So, in my new found freedom, I settle down with my junk food, my beer, my headset, ready to spend the entire evening goofing around… Then my mouse dies.
Oh, it had been on and off for awhile, but this time it was really dead. No amount of fiddling with the wire, hitting it, unplugging it and replugging it brought it back to life. I yelled at it for awhile (we all know that yelling doesn't fix things, but it does make you feel better), then looked more closely at the wire. Teeth marks, chewing. A mouse had gotten ahold of my, um, mouse. My poor, lovely Logitech G5 had been cannibalized!
So instead of a relaxing evening with WoW, it was a hectic evening at the mall. WTB an electronics/computer store near my house. I did come across a paperback copy of Kushiel's Mercy so I guess there's a little blessing in everything. (I seriously hope mouse cannibalism is covered by the warranty though because it was a birthday present and I haven't had it long.)
I get two days of freedom before my practical exam. And by two days of freedom, I mean two days of answering angry CAPSI council emails I've had on /ignore since the pre-finals sprint, two days of applying for summer hospital internships (hmm, what regions should I apply to? I'm thinking Edmonton, Toronto and Victoria… as in love I am with rural medicine, I want something crazy for once!), two days of writing thank you cards, two days of cleaning my room to get rid of mice…
Oh, and sometime in there I want to add something colourful to my blog sidebar. I like how I have the links now (except for that I need to work on my blogroll) but I'm so clueless with pictures. I know when I see something that I like and I'm getting better with Gimp, but I never know where to start. Any kind of suggestions are appreciated. Yes, any kinds. I'm open minded. Most of the time. And I moderate my comments.
EDIT: Corrected a lot of mistakes. Could tell that I wrote this while my brain was still fried from excessive cramming.


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REMINDER: Kojo Show Tomorrow!
If you're in the DC area tomorrow, tune into 88.5 WAMU at 12:30pm for The Kojo Nnamdi Show. I will be appearing on a segment called "Taking Journalism Into Your Own Hands":
The Internet is loaded with news blogs and other media that allow everyday citizens to pontificate on the news cycle. But it's much harder to find sites driven by people who want to report the news independently. We meet a pair of local independent journalists who have taken reporting into their own hands — delivering daily coverage of the Supreme Court and Major League Baseball.
Audio archives, transcripts and CDs will be available approximately 15 minutes after the program ends.
Looks like I'll be sandwiched between Jeffrey Rosen & David Rivkin's debating the PPACA's constitutionality, and before Roxana Saberi's discussing her imprisonment in Iran. That's some good company.
If you're not in the DC area or near a radio, you can listen live here. As soon as I get a chance tomorrow, I'll post the recorded audio link.


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The public today reacted with astonishment after RBS boss Stephen Hester defensively declared "I don't set my pay" and went on to disclose that obscene bonuses awarded to bankers were due to a shadowy cartel known only as 'societal norms'.
The appropriate authorities have been quick to react and the baby name 'Norman' is now to be automatically reported to both Social and the Security Services so that the infant can be put on the risk register of future offenders.
Welfare groups have protested and are lobbying that all Norms should be offered the chance of a loving home, fostered into compatible family banks.
A Mr N Fosdick of Shaftem and Glossops Hedgefund Management has issued the heartfelt plea to the public to remember that "a bonus is for life, not just for Christmas".


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Home Page Chess Life Online Archives Chess Culture in the Philippines
|Chess Culture in the Philippines
|November 21, 2013
2012 chess journalist of the year, is now at chess.com, where he wrote an important piece on Filipino chess culture in wake of the Typhoon.
FM Mike Klein,
The country is easily the strongest island nation in the Pacific, with Australia and Indonesia a distant second and third, respectively. With a dozen active grandmasters and a top-30 world player, the Philippines is behind only China and India as the best chess country in Asia.
The country also has more depth than you might think. The November Elo rating of their 100th-best player is 2122, higher than China's 100th player (2121). Chess.com itself is certainly aware of the game's popularity among Filipinos, as the island ranks fourth in terms of total members per country on our site. The tragedy taking place in the Philippines and the wealth of chess history inspired me to write a piece on the history of chess in their country.
Former World Champion and FIDE Presidential candidate Garry Kasparov concurred with the article's sentiment:
Two young talents studying in American universities are from the Philippines, including GM Julio Sadorra of University of Texas at Dallas, who gave an inspiring talk at this year's Denker tournament of high school champions.
In Saint Louis, GM Wesley So is rated over 2700 and was recently featured on a Webster University billboard, which generated a surprising amount of controversy.
So tweeted,
Read Mike's full article on chess.com here.


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Gypsy-jazz guitarist Stephane Wrembel, well known in Hollywood thanks to Woody Allen, is scheduled to play at a small venue later this month when he makes a stop at Union College for his only Kentucky performance.
Wrembel, who has composed music for two of Allen's films, will perform live with his band on March 21 at Union College's Conway Boatman Chapel. This free concert begins at 7:30 PM and is open to the public. This is his only concert in Kentucky on this tour.
Wrembel composed the theme music for Woody Allen's film "Midnight in Paris," which recently won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Wrembel describes this song, "Bistro Fada," as a piece of music that "captures the spirit and magic of Paris." The success of this score, as well as the movie, led to him to the Red Carpet for an appearance at this year's Oscars ceremony last month.
Wrembel's music also appeared on the soundtrack for Allen's Golden Globe winner "Vicky Cristina Barcelona."
Aside from composing for Woody Allen films, Wrembel has had many other notable career successes. He has performed live alongside famous artists such as Rock-and-Roll Hall of Famer Patti Smith, and has played before a packed house at the Lincoln Center.
Dr. Jim Rubin, chairman of the arts and culture committee at Union College, is credited with bringing Wrembel to campus. After attending a concert, he approached Wrembel and inquired about the possibility of scheduling a performance at Union College. Wrembel was excited about the idea of playing in a small town in Kentucky, Rubin said, adding that those who attend will be blown away by the performance.
"Kentucky will get a rare treat, hearing from one of the truly great up-and-coming Gypsy-jazz guitarists," Rubin said. "His level of energy and creativity in a live performance will astound all who have the pleasure of attending."
The style of music he plays is thought to have originated in the early 1930s with the music of Django Reinhardt. Gypsy-jazz, as it is called, combines the feel of American jazz with the dark Gypsy rhythms of Paris.
Wrembel picked up this style early in life. As a teenager living in Fontainebleau, he was able to hear first-hand the music of the Gypsies. He spent time studying, playing and learning this style, along with traveling to Gypsy campfires and playing along with them.


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Iowa Vital Records
This entry was originally written by Carol L. Maki and Michael John Neill for Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources.
The Iowa vital records system originated on 1 July 1880, with legislation establishing a State Board of Health. Marriages were recorded in the counties prior to 1880, typically beginning when the county started keeping other records as well. Early birth records contain only minimal data'name, date, place, and names of parents. Death certificates prior to 1904 do not include the names of the parents of the deceased.
It is estimated that between 1880 and 1921 only about fifty percent of the births and deaths were registered. However, because of a provision for delayed birth registration, almost 470,000 delayed birth records have been filed with the Bureau of Vital Statistics.
All county vital records in Iowa are accessible to the public by personal inspection or by a written request to the clerk of the district court in the county where the event occurred. State vital records are not open to the public. Copies of certificates, however, are issued to grandparents, parents, children, a spouse, brothers or sisters, legal guardians, or respective legal representatives. An applicant must have a direct and tangible interest in any specified record and must have the ability to present a direct lineal relationship to the registrant. The purpose for which a certificate is needed should also be indicated. For the proper forms and fee schedule, contact the Iowa Department of Public Health, Bureau of Vital Records/Statistics, Lucas State Office Bldg., First Floor, Des Moines, IA 50319. According to the Iowa Bureau of Vital Statistics, counties do not have the authority to have birth, death, and marriage records between the years 1921 to 1941.
The State Historical Society of Iowa, in cooperation with the Genealogical Society of Utah, is involved in a statewide county records microfilming project. Records included in this project are vital statistics, probate, and land. Copies of these microfilms, with an index to records filmed in each county, are available for use at the State Historical Society of Iowa's libraries, and many are now in the Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City. The state historical society's website contains a listing of county records contained in its microfilm collection. State vital records, seventy-five years old or older, are now available, with some limitations, at the Iowa State Archives, a division of the State Historical Society of Iowa.
Many of the local chapters of the Iowa Genealogical Society have publications of vital records in their respective counties. A statewide publication listing, with ordering information, is available through the state society on its website.
Ancestry.com has the following Iowa vital records collections:
FamilySearch.org has a variety of collections available for free online:
- Iowa, Births and Christenings, 1830-1950
- Iowa, County Births, 1880-1935
- Iowa, Marriages, 1809-1992
- Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934
- Iowa, Deaths and Burials, 1850-1990
External Links
- Iowa Birth, Marriage, and Death Records - free up-to-date guide to accessing Iowa birth, marriage, and death records (FamilySearch Research Wiki). Includes links to FamilySearch vital record databases.
- Iowa Marriages Search Engine - free Iowa marriages search engine that has indexed marriages posted across the web.
- Iowa Obituary and Death Notice Archive - free Iowa obituary archive that has transcribed obits from across the state.
- Iowa Library of Files - free Iowa obituary and data files archive from across the state.
- Iowa Vital Records - links to Iowa vital record sources organized by county


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He received his doctoral degree in 1977 from the Vienna University of Technology. From 1987 to 2012 he served as full professor at the Institute for Water Quality, Resource and Waste management at Vienna University of Technology, from 1994- 1998 as dean of the faculty of Civil Engineering and from 2004 to 2010 as vice chair of the senate.
He was member of the Board of Directors of International Water Association (IWA) for many years, chair of the IWA publishing committee until September 2014, since 2008 he is a IWA Distinguished Fellow.
Actually he is president of IWA for the period 2014 to 2016. His research field on municipal and industrial waste water treatment focused on biological process development from lab scale to full scale plant design and operation. His research on river basin management focused on the role of point and diffused nutrient sources on surface and ground waters. Teaching focused on basic and advanced education in Water Quality Management and doctoral programs. Another key aspect was the enhancement of continuous flow of knowledge and experience from reserach to full scale operation (professional training) together with the Austrian Water and Waste Association.


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In a recent hangout with John Lynn discussing Healthcare Big Data and Meaningful Use Challenges, he asked me why incorporating more agile development practices into healthcare software and business practice is so hard. In my fumbling attempt to articulate a pithy answer, and I bumbled into an insight: health IT mandates are inflicting agile methodology onto the waterfall world of healthcare, and demanding adoption at an unprecedented pace. It's creating an uncomfortable, and in many ways untenable, situation for the healthcare system as a whole.
For quick reference, here's a diagram explaining the difference between the traditional waterfall approach to software development, and the newer agile methodology.
What immediately jumped out at me about this visualization of waterfall versus agile: doesn't this inverse-triangle comparison look a bit like a diagram of the "flipped clinic"? "Flip the clinic", as defined by the Robert J. Woods Foundation project, has become a rallying cry to reinvent the patient-provider interaction, empowering patients and providers to increase the value of each encounter through technology-enabled improved engagement opportunities.
This "flipping" approach is considered a disruptive concept, with great power to accelerate insights and empower patients. However, currently, it is far from mainstream, and likely to take a decade or more to enjoy widespread adoption.
Health IT mandates are, effectively, demanding that healthcare "flip the systems": move from a conservative, quality-deliverable "plan-driven" model to an aggressive, loosely-defined-deliverable "vale-driven" model – on an ambitiously aggressive schedule, on a massive scale.
As an industry, healthcare follows a very slow progression through the Waterfall development cycle. A commonly-cited statistic states that it takes 17 years for a single clinical discovery to become commonly applied practice. In the beginning, there is an idea with fixed requirements: a specific clinical trial is designed, with narrowly-defined scope to control variables and insure the highest quality results. The results of the trial are analyzed, published, considered for expansion. Patents are pursued. FDA approval is obtained. Over a decade later, the discovery makes its way into accepted treatment protocols, and eventually becomes part of the attending's lecture to residents on rounds.
Contrast that slow progress through development and adoption with what's happening under ACA, specifically with Meaningful Use objectives.
Now, if it takes 17 years for a clinical discovery to make it to mainstream practice, and that specific type of clinical function is what the healthcare industry is designed to DO, does anyone else see anything wrong with the schedule presented here? Notice there are only 11 years on that timeline, from inception of the certification program to the last year to receive an incentive payment? Only 5 years between program inception and penalties for non-conformance?
Another key differentiator between Agile and Waterfall: the criticality of quality. Quality is defined as "conformance to requirements". Because Waterfall methodology places emphasis on explicitly-defined requirements, it also demands high-quality deliverables; there is traceability between each requirement and the specific feature/function that is designed to meet that need. Agile methodology places emphasis on flexible deliverables, as requirements are not clearly defined prior to starting work; the scope of the feature/functions that will be delivered varies, according to the results of the development effort and the time left to execute.
In one of my first posts on EMRandHIPAA.com, "Yes, Healthcare IT Adoption is Expensive AND Painful", I ranted:
Haven't we all heard the adage, "You can only have things done two of three ways: fast, cheap, or well"? Considering that the "thing" we're trying to do is revolutionize the healthcare industry, the effects of which may be felt in each and every one of our lives at some point, don't you want to include "well" as the bare minimum of what is required? After all, this is YOUR electronic health record, YOUR data, YOUR treatment plan and effectiveness measurements. So, what's the other way we want this "thing" done: fast or cheap?
Now that I've spent more time working in the trenches with clinicians, detailing the operational challenges they're facing with the rate of change the health IT mandates are demanding they absorb, I've come to the conclusion that I was wrong.
Health IT adoption must ONLY be done well. No other constraint matters.
Quality is of the utmost importance. Arbitrary deadlines are only increasing the cost required to implement half-baked product and process solutions that meet only the bare minimum "letter of the law" stipulations of the mandates.
The current focus on adopting health IT fast is only incenting corner-cutting measures from both IT vendors and healthcare providers. As a patient, I'm not ready to sign off on User Acceptance Testing of the nationwide implementation of Meaningful Use.


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Who is eligible for coverage:
The Care Expatriate policy is tailored to the needs of private and business travellers and those on business assignments or emigrating worldwide. Health insurance can be taken out for long-term trips (stay abroad for at least 6 months up to a maximum of 5 years) up to a maximum entry age of 74 years.
What are the insurance benefits:
The benefits cover outpatient, inpatient and dental treatment, as well as preventive check-ups, therapy and medical aids with all licensed physicians worldwide at the normal local fees. In Germany, the maximum insurance period is 5 years. Outside Germany, you can renew this policy as often as you wish until reaching the maximum age. Irrespective of any existing conditions, cover is guaranteed for newborns.
We recommend business travellers and those on business assignments to take out sickness daily allowance policy ("Care Cash"). The tariff can be choosen additionally with the health insurance.
What does the insurance cost:
International insurance policies for long-term travelers can be tailored to individual needs:
The monthly premium for Care Expatriate international insurance depends on age. For a 28 year-old person, for example, the health insurance costs €58.00 per month for a stay worldwide excepting the US, CA, MX. You will find the right premium in the Table of Premiums in the follow-on pages to the tariff.
You can take out an international policy directly online and, after your application has been checked and approved, will receive your insurance documents by e-mail within a few minutes. You can also use these for a visa application. In addition we will send you the full insurance documentation, including the policy, by post within two working days.
In addition to international health insurance, we also recommend that you take out a "Care Protector" accident and liability policy. You can conclude this quite conveniently together with your health insurance under Online Application for a premium from EUR 2.00 per month.


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Enter your ZIP code to get started with
this special bottled water delivery offer.
Choose from Purified, Spring, Artesian, Distilled or Fluoridated Water for Home or Office Delivery Where Available.
Flexible. Pick the number of bottles you need,
water type and cooler.
Affordable. 5-gallon bottles as low as $7.49* each.
Convenient. Water delivered every 2 weeks.
*This web-only offer is limited to orders submitted through this online website. Offer valid for new customers only, may not combine with other offers and a service agreement is required. Credit approval required for residential customers. Minimum purchase of three 5-gallon bottles and one water dispenser rental required at sign-up to receive $50 account credit. Account credit cannot be redeemed for cash. You may cancel the Service Agreement at any time without a termination fee by providing notice of cancellation; such cancellation will take effect at the end of the next full billing period. You must pay for all products and services ordered and received, and all applicable fees, through the end of the billing period in which the cancellation becomes effective. A variable energy surcharge applies each billing period. Refundable bottle deposits and late fees may also apply. Handled bottles and equipment selection subject to availability; substitutions may be used if products are unavailable. Customer subject to CA CASH REFUND or applicable state bottle deposits on free and purchased cases. ©2020 DS Services of America, Inc. Offer expires 6/30/2020.


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Order Government-Issued Vital Records Online
Simple. Fast. Secure. Authorized.
When you order critical identity documents, like vital records, you don't want to fool around with an unauthorized service. VitalChek is the only external processor authorized across the nation for ordering official vital records like birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates online.
While we are not a government agency, we are authorized by – and work directly with – government agencies across the nation to provide these services on their behalf. They authorized VitalChek because the service we provide is easy and secure, with the fastest service and lowest cost you'll find online.
When you need birth certificates or marriage, divorce, or death records, VitalChek is your #1 authorized online ordering source.
Place an Order Online Now >>
Simple. We make it easy to order birth certificates and other government-certified vital records from hundreds of agencies nationwide with easy to follow instructions. Our step-by-step ordering process has clear instructions and effortless editing features to help ensure the accuracy of your order. It's easy!
Fast. In a hurry to get your vital records? No problem. We expedite each order to help ensure you receive your certificate as quickly as possible, usually within about a week. Next-day or Second-day shipping is even available for most locations.
Secure. With identity theft on the rise, we take security and protecting your identity online seriously. Ordering vital records does require specific personal information; however, we actively safeguard your information and employ stringent security measures throughout our process including full encryption and firewall protection for your entire online transaction. We also restrict the handling of your order to only necessary, credentialed personnel and authorized government agencies.
Authorized. VitalChek actually pioneered the ability to remotely order vital records in 1987, by working with agencies to provide this service to their consumers. Unlike many other services found on the internet, we are officially authorized by, and work directly with, hundreds of government vital record agencies nationwide to provide secure online vital record ordering services 24/7/365.
Lowest Cost Online. Obtaining copies of vital records such as birth or death certificates are generally not free, with certificate fees ranging from $2.00 - $50.00 even if you visit the Vital Record Agency in person. If it's not convenient to drive to the agency, park, and wait in line for your certificate, VitalChek is your answer. In fact, for many government agencies offering online ordering, VitalChek is their authorized method to provide such service. By charging only a minimal Processing Fee, generally ranging from $2.50-$16.00 depending upon the level of service the agency has required, VitalChek is the least-cost external online service available. Our Processing Fees cover a variety of services including secure online ordering and electronic payment processing, order tracking, 24/7 customer support, identity verification and authentication, among many other benefits. VitalChek also offers expedited shipping with our low negotiated rates (about 50% less than non-negotiated rates) if you need your certificate in a hurry. All charges specific to your order on VitalChek.com, including expedited shipping if chosen, will be shown as you make your selections during the order process.
The agencies that issue your vital records trust VitalChek, and you can too.
Birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates are collectively called Vital Records, as they record major events in each person's life, and they absolutely must be kept secure. Identity theft is a huge problem, and a thief obtaining one of these government-issued records has just stolen the "keys to the castle" identity-wise. Therefore, who you choose to order from, along with the ordering and handling process itself, must be taken with utmost seriousness.
The first step in providing security for your identity is to make sure all orders are placed by a person legally entitled to do so, as defined by the issuing agencies. In most cases, you may order a certificate for yourself or for a member of your immediate family.
Personal information will need to be provided to ensure that the person placing the order is who they say they are, and can verify pertinent details about the event for the certificate being ordered.
Although each agency has specific requirements, some of the most common are:
The government agencies that issue your vital records trust VitalChek, and you can too.
Because we are an officially authorized service agent for hundreds of state and local governments nationwide, you can feel assured that your personal information is safe with VitalChek. The information provided in our secure ordering process is handled only by authorized, credentialed personnel and securely submitted to the appropriate agency(s) responsible for issuing the requested certificate. We do not share, sell, rent or trade any of this information with third parties for promotional purposes.
Each entire online transaction is fully encrypted and firewall-protected, meeting the highest Payment Card Industry standards (Level 1 Compliant) and federally-mandated standards set by the U.S. Department of Commerce for the transmission and storage of confidential data.
For added protection against identity theft, and full tracking capabilities, you can even choose to ShipSafe and ShipSmart™ with our express shipping options.
Frequently Asked Questions


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Marketing and promotional activities are not just simple processes, rather it is a complex and multi-level process that initiates trending and promotional actions for better branding processes. That is why it is important to notice that there are always chances to find better marketing professionals who are willing to find the best models for more effective and lasting results.
We can find modelling agencies Sydney and modelling agencies Melbourne who are able to provide the best possible solutions to the fashion models needs if there is a need to bring the best out of the marketing process.
In Australia, there is an increasing trend to connect with the social media influencers who are clearly connected to the mass of people which are already inline to get the best advice from those whom they trust.
These influencers always make sure to help out their followers the way they want to and that helps in positive impact on the followers and brings out better results for more positive and effective branding and marketing in Australia.
A modeling agency can give a better chance to pick up the brand ambassadors who are capable of influencing the people in a way that will help in processing the brand in a positive direction and marketing things in a more effective manner.
Furthermore, these agencies are meant to offer and connect to the promotional staff who can give a boost to the promotional campaigns with the help of the models who know how to represent the brand in the best way that is possible.
These agencies can play an important role in determining the long term promotional activities by designing better campaigns and providing promotional model services through dedicated and impact-worthy models.
Whether a company needs a fitness model or a brand ambassador the modeling agencies always have the right service and ideas for promoting a business the right way.


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Walking safaris in Africa
Experiencing Africa's wilderness areas is integral to most of our trips, and there's no better way than on foot. Walking safaris in Africa are completely different to game drives; being on foot brings about a totally new way of understanding your surroundings.
Walking safaris were the original safari and remain the purest form. Away from the comfort of the 4WD safari vehicle your senses suddenly awaken as the bush becomes more 'real'. Meeting animals on their terms as a participant in their world can be far more rewarding than just spectating.
Walks typically last two to four hours, and they're not usually route-marches! Depending on the country, there may be a single safari guide, a guide and a national park's scout, or even two guides – certainly in most areas where walking safaris may encounter dangerous big game at least one of the party will be armed.
Your safari guide will usually identify tracks; highlight interesting insects; talk about fascinating plants; and discuss the ecosystem in general – as well as sometimes tracking some of the larger animals. It's a great way to appreciate the smaller wildlife, which can't be so easily seen from a vehicle, as well as to experience the buzz of being out with the big game.
Most of our countries offer safari walks, however the precise forms of these vary considerably between the countries, reserves and camps. The scenery, group size, and the quality and likelihood of encountering big game plays a part – but by far the most important factor in your experience is the guide. We know many of the continent's best walking safari guides; speak to one of our experts about the best way to incorporate walking safaris into your trip.
Walking safaris in Botswana
Botswana isn't well known for walking safaris. This stems primarily from the lack of strong national guiding standards for walking safari guides. The result is that there are only a few camps that we recommend for walking safaris - ones where we know that the owners focus on high-quality guiding for walking safaris.Ideas for walking safaris in Botswana
Walking safaris in Kenya
Walking is prohibited in most of Kenya's national parks and reserves; driving is often the only option. So bush walks and walking safaris are not widely available. However, walking safaris are increasingly offered in many of the (relatively new) wildlife conservancies as well as on some of the older, established private ranches.Ideas for walking safaris in Kenya
Walking safaris in Namibia
Namibia has some of Africa's most dramatic scenery and many great hikes and walking trails: it's an amazing country for walking. However, most don't offer what we like to think of as a walking safari, because what little game lives in these areas is often incidental to the walking.Ideas for walking safaris in Namibia
Walking safaris in RwandaIdeas for walking safaris in Rwanda
Walking safaris in Tanzania
Tanzania classifies its wild areas in different ways, each with different rules - meaning that the practices, and standards, of walking safaris differ widely. We have some first-rate walking safaris in Tanzania, with great guides - chosen, as usual, by seeing them first hand. Some of the real stars are the walking safaris done on fly-camping trips.Ideas for walking safaris in Tanzania
Walking safaris in Zambia
Zambia offers Africa's widest choice of reliably excellent walking safaris. Strict guiding exams have guaranteed consistently high standards for walking safaris in Zambia. Then great wildlife and high-quality camps run by bush enthusiasts combine to make Zambian walking safaris amongst the best anywhere.Ideas for walking safaris in Zambia
Walking safaris in Zimbabwe
Walking can be a big part of a safari in Zimbabwe. Exceptionally high guiding standards due to a rigorous training programme, coupled with a flexible attitude towards walking in the country's wildlife areas, makes this a top destination for walking safaris. In Zimbabwe you'll find some of the finest walking safaris on the continent.Ideas for walking safaris in Zimbabwe


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Few plants add so much drama with so little TLC as the canna lily. To grow, place the bulb in the ground after the threat of frost has passed, then water, cover with mulch, and wait for it to sprout. Once the tropical beauty blooms, you'll need to keep it moist, although if you forget to water, the surprisingly drought-tolerant plant can survive a skipped sprinkler session. Available on Amazon; $15 for three bulbs.
Related: 10 Ways to Buy Your Garden on the Internet


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Why it's Great to be a Girl- 50 Awesome Reasons PDF Eng
Why It's Great to Be a Girl is a must-have for every girl from six to sixteen! Chock-full of fascinating facts, enlightening girl-knowledge, and important historical milestones—even a list of great books written by women—here is a guaranteed self-esteem booster for young females everywhere . . . and it's lots of fun too! After all, what girl wouldn't feel great about herself knowing that:


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WASHINGTON, June 12 (UPI) -- Florida has sued the U.S. government over its refusal to share a Homeland Security database the state says it needs to remove non-citizens from voter rolls.
But the U.S. Justice Department called on Florida to stop efforts to purge voter rolls of non-citizens, telling the state in a letter to "immediately cease this unlawful conduct," the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported.
"It appears that the state of Florida is unwilling to conform its behavior to the requirements of federal law," Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez wrote.
The letter said the Justice Department is seeking an enforcement action against Florida in federal court.
Just before announcing Florida had filed its lawsuit, Gov. Rick Scott told Fox News, "We want to have fair, honest elections in our state, and so we've been put in the position that we have to sue to get it."
In its lawsuit, filed in federal court in the District of Columbia, Florida says immigration law requires the federal government to have up-to-date immigration information that is available to federal, state and local government agencies.
Perez said Florida was in violation of a provision of the National Voter Registration Act that forbids purging voters within 90 days of an election. The Florida primary is Aug. 14.


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Universal Orlando announces 3D 'Transformers' ride
3D ride will open in Summer 2013
ORLANDO, Fla. – Universal Orlando announced on Thursday night a 'Transformers' 3D ride will open at its park in summer 2013 after counting down the hours and minutes to their "big announcement" on their Facebook page.
Although Universal kept the announcement a secret, construction continued around the park. Local 6 news helicopter Sky 6 flew over two areas of the park that appeared to be under construction--one near the front of the park and a larger plot in the back of the park, where Jaws used to be.
Guests cheered Thursday night when they heard of the new ride and had a chance to meet the Transformers.
"It's awesome. I can't wait until the ride opens. As soon as I get here I'm going straight on it," said Transformers fan Stefan Fuchs.
"We'll have to remortgage the house again and come back, and then we'll probably have to buy more transformers toys," said Susan Fuchs.
The Fuchs family came from England for Harry Potter, and now they are already planning the next trip.
With construction underway, the ride will be exactly like the ones in Singapore and Hollywood. Visitors get recruited to help save the world from evil deceptions. Guests step into the ride vehicle, a new character named "Evac." Evac carries guests through the 3D mission.
"From the time you walk into the ride you immediately get sucked into this thing. It's totally immersive. The story starts right from the beginning. You get onto the ride vehicle and you are off on the most amazing adventure you can imagine," said Universal Creative Director Mark Woodbury.
The ride will merge the best action experiences from the three blockbuster Transformers movies.
"The films are awesome, the robots are awesome, I'm pretty sure the ride is going to be awesome too," said fan Christian Fuchs.
The announcement comes a little more than a week after bloggers posted on Universal's Facebook page about what they say they found hidden in the computer code of the countdown. Hidden in the code was the phrase, Transformers countdown or "TransformerCoundown_clock.swf" to be exact, according to a blogger post on their Facebook. Once bloggers figured it out though and posted it on Universal's Facebook page, the code appeared to have been rewritten.
Universal executives said they decided to bring the ride to Orlando the moment they saw how popular it was in Singapore and Hollywood.
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