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Ideas and the Fire Hose
Today the connected citizen is drinking from a fire hose of information which is an experience of our own making. In our eagerness to engage online we created more new data in 2009 than had been generated in history to date. But where do all these new ideas and conversations come from to create such a torrent?
Begin at the beginning
Here is my question, if conversations are markets then who starts them? Who starts the idea that starts the conversation? Who said that yellow stuff looks really nice – why don't we give it a certain prestige in our culture and make it important to own? Even in today's internet world a small group of people need to hit on the idea to get the ball rolling.
Today using new tools and approaches we can see who starts these conversations quite clearly. Furthermore we can also engage with these online citizens in conversations that build and strengthen ideas, and ultimately aid the dispersion of ideas to wider audiences who have purchasing power, authority or influence.
Defining online conversations and engagement
From our experience in working with HP and other technology businesses we see that people actively participating in conversations within the digital ecosystem can be identified as having certain qualities and characteristics based on their style of online engagement, level of contribution and informed discussions.
These communication characteristics can be divided and define five main categories that form the digital conversation model and its participants. The categories are termed: 'idea starters', 'amplifiers', 'adapters', 'commentators' and 'viewers'. The characteristics of each group are diverse but that is not to suggest that one person cannot occupy more than one role at anytime. We can further understand the digital conversation model, culture and etiquette through the 'Topology of Influence' diagram below.
By analysing the online conversation culture and engagement etiquette of idea starters, it is apparent that these individuals often form less than one percent of those engaged within an online conversation. Even amplifiers will only usually form between five to ten percent of the online crowd. These two groups are often referred to as 'influencers'. However, this term is misleading as both engagement etiquettes are driven less by the need to 'influence' than the desire to share, educate, inform and entertain within a conversation. The traditional notion of seeking to set an objective and influence the world implied by the term 'influencer' misses the point of successful engagement – it renders images of one-way brashness, shouting and persuasion, not the two-way, open dialogue engagement should be. We therefore prefer to see these groups as 'influentials' within the process of engagement. This is exactly why understanding the culture and etiquette of individuals participating in online conversations is valuable so we can clearly identify the individual's role within a conversation and quickly determine their intention, purpose and potential.
'Adapters and commentators' are a very important ingredient in the online engagement model as they bring a broader context, scope and refinement to the conversation. Adapters are usually people who read what is going on outside of their traditional sphere of knowledge and take the opinions of others and reform them so that they are tailored to their niche group. Commentators do not usually create new content but instead read the views and opinions of others and take part in the conversation by adding comments. Each forms between 10-20 percent of those engaged online. Although as conversations get bigger and evolve, it is usually the adapters who hold a larger proportion of the conversation.
The final group are the 'viewers' who are the majority group with 40 percent and over. These individuals do not create any online content but tend to be a vociferous consumer of information of which they read, learn and share with their peers in the offline world. Although they do not have the same reach as the amplifier, their views are trusted and they are able to promote these ideas in an alternative method. Viewers are not completely passive online; they participate in search engine and Google activity but essentially they do not declare themselves in this type. This characteristic is behavioural as a reader will often remain silent even in an online conversation where they could be an adapter or even an idea starter. A large proportion of viewers are accidentals who Google into a conversation by accident, irregularly or take note and leave. Viewers are often harder to identify as they do not necessarily leave a digital footprint but they are nevertheless important.
Who are idea starters?
An idea starter tends to be an individual who is highly engaged with digital and social media. They use social media as a platform to gather ideas and consume vast amounts of data. As a result they have an intricate network of online relationships but this is not necessarily a mass communications platform; the quality of relationships is at least, if not more important than the individual's quantity of relationships. An idea starter is not necessarily the individual who has the 'bright idea' but they are the one who starts a conversational meme within the online topics of discussion. Just like planting a seed in the best possible environment, the meme experiences germination and growth within the community which reacts through engagement. Increasingly this happens around formalised but not walled communities. The idea is generally started via a blog, ezine or contribution to a forum.
In Jeremiah Owyang's Dow Jones White Paper on 'Tracking the Influence of Conversation', a meme was defined as: "an idea or discussion that grows and spreads from individual to individual into a lengthy commentary."
The idea starter (Who? When? Where? Why? How?)
This person is typically creative, forms opinions and articulates them well. They get inspiration for ideas from the information they consume from reading, observing conversations, and their own inner tensions. Crucially they have the ability to state a view at the right time and have a profound level of engagement within a community that will interact and respond to their idea. Some of the most engaged idea starters work both as individuals or part of a close team when initiating conversations. This requires a high level of transparency around who and what contributed to a new thought and the traditional respect for the important influences and data sources that were involved in forming the concept.
A good example of a popular idea starter is American blogger and television personality, Perez Hilton (@PerezHilton). Famous for turning his blogging passion into a career and creating a niche for single-handedly making and breaking celebrities in all types of media, Perez Hilton is an ultimate idea starter.
The nature of this engagement is important to the community which tends to see an idea starter as being very authentic on the subject area. This is more than adhering to transparency or having the right qualifications, but it instead relates to their role within the broader conversation topic and whether they have a paid or vested interest. Are they authentic enough to avoid received wisdom? How do they deal with platitudes? How deep is their topic expertise and experience? This is different from traditional journalist objectivity. Many idea starters are typically consultants or advisers within the area of conversation and are often not journalists or analysts. A key characteristic of an idea starter is their willingness to be transparent and contextualise their subjective influences. Their readership is not necessarily large but readers view the individual as trustworthy.
This is where Mashable's Pete Cashmore (@Mashable) scores high on Edelman's Tweet Level list, especially when it comes to 'Trust'. With an average score of 93.6, @Mashable is viewed as a credible authority and a reliable source of information when it comes to getting the latest information on social media news. Mashable has a much lower level of engagement with big communities who follow its conversational topics which highlights just how well received and trusted the site is.
A key source of this authenticity is that idea starters often know how to do something as well as think or comment on it. They are in many ways true innovators sitting at the cross road of tacit and explicit knowledge – this is what gives them their edge and explains the depth of their engagement.
How do they change?
Idea starters who are very successful face certain challenges as technology evolves and new platforms begin to present complex obstacles. The fact that they become famous means they spend less time creating content, and more time communicating and managing relationships. Additionally they often grow beyond their initial subject expertise and this can erode their authenticity within their community. Furthermore new platforms and popularity encourage greater broadcasting of communication. At this stage idea starters tend to become more reminiscent of amplifiers.
Therefore, the lifecycle of an idea starter is not static. It is a phase that evolves over time in accordance to the demand and engagement of its listeners. It can be short lived but the position, power and status can be regained. It requires control, breadth and depth of thinking, specific expertise, and the ability to position ideas with the right audience at the right time.
Amplifiers (Who? How fast? How long? Where? Why? How?)
Amplifiers are people who thrive by sharing opinions and like nothing better than being the first to do so. They are trusted within their communities and have a large following and readership. They are a hosepipe of knowledge and data. Generally they do not synthesize data or generate new hypotheses for a conversational meme other than to collate and aggregate established thoughts (they create a lot of lists).
Often amplifiers are journalists and analysts as well as celebrities who have strong communication skills and an online presence. Industry commentators and specialists are just as prevalent and are often the most influential amplifiers (see Tweet Level list).
The level of engagement can vary enormously between amplifiers. Web based amplifiers such as Guy Malachi use digital platforms to solicit ideas from their communities and engage in micro conversations for instance. Again, as they grow more popular time becomes a challenge to maintain this level of engagement although many people show a remarkable capacity to keep to personalised communications.
This leads to a rare constituency of online conversations where people can act as both genuine idea starters and amplifiers. This group acts as a bridge between level of engagement where ideas start and the amplification of them into broader internet and real world conversations.
The Special Ones: Idea starters who amplify?
This special combination of engagement is crucial as they accelerate and build conversations with great momentum and they also link the clusters of idea starters to the more aggressive amplifiers. Idea starters tend to enjoy discrete conversations and authenticity above all else. As a result their conversations often live within micro communities and that is where their ideas can stay. When idea starters with the ability to amplify pick up on a meme it can break out of the micro channels to the macro conversations main stream media and word of mouth.
British actor, journalist and blogger, Stephen Fry (@StephenFry), is a good example of an idea starter who likes to amplify. His ability to amplify has grown alongside his fame and his ability to influence a mass audience.
These idea starters who amplify often have similar personal and professional interests and have a thirst for knowledge as well as a desire to pre-empt or be kept in the loop about the next big thing. By driving micro conversations with a wide range of online communities and keeping abreast of potential industry related issues on a personal level, this can help keep them informed and enable them to feed thoughts into professionally related ideas that can help initiate business, drive opportunities or get a real world perspective.
How do they morph over time?
All roles have the potential to morph over time for a number of reasons:
- • The challenge of time and the impact it has on engagement
- • Dedication to an idea starter's area of expertise. Whether they remain up-to-date and informed about industry changes and have the passion and enthusiasm to remain in the know
- • Encountering new technologies and how engagement continues to evolve over time
- • Maintaining a strong and familiar level of engagement
- • Continuing to engage with relevant people or communities
- • How effectively you find the right people to add to your network
What is the relationship between an idea starter and amplifier?
There is a relationship of reliance between idea starters and amplifiers. One would almost be meaningless without the other. Idea starters would get lost in the noise and amplifiers would not have the thought provoking ideas and content which they so like to share.
Both are renowned for their level of insight, engagement, timing and contacts which gives them a certain level of prestige and influence within their communities. They like recognition and being sought after or being in demand, and therefore feed off each other to make this happen.
This makes these groups the 'influentials' in the conversation but they are not the only groups as we shall see but before looking at these next groups a word of caution. Are we getting carried away with this idea of conversation and authenticity? Are we just kidding ourselves that it is not just about influencing after all – by seeking out idea starters are we not looking to further an objective?
We love this quote that highlights John C. Dvorak in PC Magazine view that 'Cluetrain' may be cultish. For example,
". . . the apparent faith in this odd vision of an idealistic human-oriented internetworked new world/new economy marches forward. I imagine all these folks holding hands in a large circle, rolling back and forth, with some in the middle of the circle, spinning and chanting and hugging, all naked. I'm betting that most of these folks go to Burning Man and all of them write blogs about it and how cool it was. They link to each others' blogs and read what they say about each other—all highly complimentary."
It is exactly this notion of authenticity which so annoys Dvorak that makes idea starters so powerful in conversation. In part this means a level of naivety is necessary as Dame Gillian Beer observes, "babies are having new ideas all day long." To respect this view of worId, to listen with intelligence and bring this understanding from idea starters into our own view of the conversation means that anyone can become an influential. This is what is so exciting for individuals, organisations, companies and governments – they can change their behaviour and become more successful.
Where do new ideas come from?
- New ideas can emerge very slowly. It can be a gradual, ongoing process where new ways of thinking surface.
- Ideas can come via a form of rupture through long walks, chance associations, baths, dreams, inner tensions, irrational situations
- Past ideas can be reformulated in the present. A person may have already thought about an idea and then forgotten it, or they may have written it down. The same ideas can then come to them at a later date where they consider it to be a 'new' idea. A person "comes to attention" which is when the idea is ready.
- Education and social surroundings can influence new ideas. You need to leave behind what you have learnt and redefine the way you think to get new ideas. New ideas jostle commonsense and question what you know.
- Imagining a world not like your own world brings about new ideas caused by such paradigm shifts. Ideas do not exist until they are received by an audience. They need to be debated, attacked and rethought
The way ideas start, develop, grow and spread stems within an online community. Understanding the community who starts and amplifies the ideas is key. In building deeper relationships it is important to understand the idea starter and amplifier landscape. Here is a list of the top idea starter influencers within the general technology conversation on Twitter. As is clear this typology is a new landscape which media (beyond a few high profile examples such as Mashable) hardly represent, while experts such as Chris Brogan dominate and even companies like Google are a major source of ideas. The challenge for the future is to build authentic ideas that allow deeper relationships with these extremely diverse communities.
Tweet Level's top idea starter influencers within the general technology conversation


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Hi Hungry Girl, I LOVE Pop-Tarts, but the nutritionals are a little scary. How can they pack 400 calories into two little pastries? And there's no way to stop at just one, as the serving size on the package suggests. Do you know of any guilt-free swaps? Pop Crazy P.S. Your recipes are amazing!
Hi Pop Crazy,
Glad you're enjoying the recipes! As for your pastry predicament, I totally understand your love-hate relationship with Pop-Tarts. In my opinion, any time TWO items are wrapped up in ONE pack, that pack should be considered a single serving! Besides, even one basic Frosted Strawberry Pop-Tart has 200 calories and 5g fat (PointsPlus® value 6*). But flat pastries are delicious, and I happen to be loaded with swaps. The Pop-Tarts people came out with 100-calorie pouches of Pop-Tarts Mini Crisps (PointsPlus® value 3*). Sooo cute... and they taste great, too. Want more portion-controlled options? Both Newtons and Special K make really delicious items called Fruit Crisps. These flaky, fruit-filled treats aren't as huge as Pop-Tarts, but each TWO-CRISP pack has just 100 calories and 1.5 - 2g fat (PointsPlus® value 3*). A-MAZING! If you've gotta have something large and in charge, check out Amy's Organic Toaster Pops in Apple and Strawberry. Each one has 160 calories, 3.5g fat, and 2g fiber (PointsPlus® value 4*). Not bad. They do come four to a box, but at least they're frozen, so you can toast one up and leave the rest in the freezer.
Dear HG, I love your TV show and try to catch every episode! I did miss a couple and have been trying to find them. Will the original Hungry Girl episodes be re-airing at any time? Thanks! Super-Fan Cindy
Hi Cindy,
I'm so glad you're enjoying the show! I'm currently working on the second season, and I cannot wait to bring more guilt-free fun to your television. To answer your question, you'll be happy to learn that the show is airing A WHOLE LOT on Cooking Channel. Click here to check out our (recently updated) TV show schedule, which currently goes all the way through the end of June. And for those of you who don't get Cooking Channel (I know there are a ton of subscribers facing this dilemma), I'm thrilled to say that the show is coming to FOOD NETWORK for a limited time only! From May 8th until the end of May, tune in to Food Network on Sundays to see full episodes of Hungry Girl at 10am/9c. Even if you DO get Cooking Channel, tune in for the sneak peek episodes on Food Network to show your support! Now you have all the info you need to catch up on any episodes you might have missed. And although the full episodes aren't available for online viewing, you can watch clips of the show on Cooking Channel's website. And BTW, Season 2 is scheduled to premiere August 6th! WOOHOO!
There are only a few days left in National Grilled Cheese Month. Check out our latest grilly-good cheese sandwiches, and celebrate accordingly!
Have a question for Hungry Girl? Send it in! She answers new Qs each week (but cannot respond to emails personally).
SmartPoints® value not what you expected? Click here for more info on how the values are calculated, plus more FAQs about PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® values on our website.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Ormond Beach Middle School student has been on a mission to help the homeless since late last year after a class visit to Daytona Beach's Star Family Center.
ORMOND BEACH — When Emma Craig grows up, she hopes to help animals and become a veterinarian.
But for now she is glad to lend a hand to people in need.
"I'm happy to be able to help and do something," the 12-year-old seventh-grader said.
The Ormond Beach Middle School student has been on a mission to help the homeless since late last year after a class visit to Daytona Beach's Star Family Center, which aids families and individuals who have recently been displaced by the economy.
While she started out donating food and toys to the center, she has found a unique way to fulfill a need: buying bus tickets.
Every month, the Star Family Center hands out Votran bus tickets to those who may need to go to the hospital or look for a job. On average, the center gives away as many as 100 bus tickets at a cost of up to $300 a month, said Raul Gonzalez, the center's director of operations.
On Wednesday, the 12-year-old turned in the first 35 Votran tickets purchased through proceeds collected making beaded jewelry. She plans on purchasing more soon.
"It may not seem like a lot," Gonzalez said about the number of tickets. "But that's 35 people that will be able to take care of a particular need."
Gonzalez added the money the center would normally spend on bus tickets can now be used to purchase food or other necessities. He said if everybody did what Emma is doing, "this world would be a better place."
"It's not often that we get to work with a middle school student," he said. "I hope that fire never goes out."
Ormond Beach Deputy Mayor Bill Partington said he was impressed when he first learned of what Emma was doing.
"I think it's awesome what she has done and it makes me feel great about our future," he said. "This is an example of the quality of our youth and sets an example for everyone to follow."
Josh Pringle, the girl's stepfather, said watching Emma's dedication to the cause has been heartwarming. Not only has she been determined to raise funds for the Star Family Center, she has maintained her grades as well, Pringle said.
"It just shows how hard she works," he said. "You hope when (your children) get in their teens and 20s you can look at them and know you did the right thing. That's already happening at age 12."
Volusia County is also recognizing the efforts of Emma, who will be honored at the County Council meeting Feb. 7, Pringle said.
But she isn't letting that go to her head. In fact, Emma encourages people to join the cause.
"I think we all have to do more for them," she said.


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The Twentieth Century Club is located in the heart of Oakland and is easily accessible from all directions and major roads. Our four-story, 16th Century Italian Renaissance Revival building features a main entrance with a circular drive that graciously welcomes you.
The Twentieth Century Club refers its members and Club guests to two parking facilities an easy half block and a full block from the Club. Guests may park at:
Soldiers & Sailors Memorial This garage is located one half block to the south on Bigelow Blvd.
UPMC Parking Garage This garage is located 1 block to the east of the Club at Bigelow Blvd. and Lytton Ave. adjoining the Wyndham's parking.


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Reviewed By ROBBIE G (Long Beach, MS) Reviewed for a 1980 Chevy Camaro —3/13/2015 6:43 AM
Works great, put my car in it for over a week, rained almost every day when I took it out it was just as clean as when I put it in. May have to watch the YouTube video a couple times to set it up, but after that no problem, (the fans go on the inside) something left out of the instructions. Highly recommend


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November 2, 2011
1969: Kilmer & Johnson Each Throw 6 TD Passes as Saints Hold Off Cards
The lowly New Orleans Saints were off to a 0-6 start prior to facing the St. Louis Cardinals on November 2, 1969, and it hardly seemed likely that they would do any better in Week 7. The Saints had scored a total of 91 points, an average of 15.2 per game, with a high of 20 in the season-opening contest against the Redskins.
In losing to Philadelphia the previous week, Jim Ninowski had seen action in place of QB Bill Kilmer (pictured at right), but the 30-year-old veteran was back behind center against the Cardinals. In addition, Dave Parks was shifted from wide receiver to tight end with Al Dodd being moved into Parks' spot as Head Coach Tom Fears sought to generate some offense.
The Cardinals, under Head Coach Charley Winner, were having their own problems. They had started off at 2-1 but came into the game against New Orleans at 2-2-1. Injuries in the defensive backfield were a concern. Both Jim Hart and Charley Johnson (pictured at left) had started at quarterback, with Johnson holding down the job against the Saints.
There were 46,718 in attendance at Busch Memorial Stadium. In the first quarter, the Saints missed a scoring opportunity after CB Gene Howard returned a kickoff 86 yards before being knocked out of bounds. Following a pass interference call on CB Nate Wright, they had a first down at the one. FB Andy Livingston lost a yard, FB Ernie Wheelwright gained it back and then was stopped for no gain on third down. Going for it on fourth down, Kilmer tried to sneak the ball in and was stopped short. However, they were successful on a 25-yard touchdown pass play from Kilmer to Parks, and Johnson had connected with WR Dave Williams on a 32-yard TD throw for the Cardinals. The score was even at 7-7 after the opening period.
The Cardinals took the lead early in the second quarter on Johnson's second scoring pass to Williams, this one covering 14 yards. Tom Dempsey booted a 43-yard field goal for the Saints to narrow the margin to 14-10.
Midway through the second quarter, Howard leaped and knocked away a Johnson pass that was intended for Williams, who was in the clear at the New Orleans 20. Following the thwarted scoring throw, FB Cid Edwards caught a pass from Johnson for a 14-yard gain but fumbled and CB Elijah Nevett recovered for the Saints at the St. Louis 43. Two passes to Dodd moved the ball to the 20 and then Kilmer hit Wheelwright for a touchdown that put New Orleans ahead at 17-14.
Late in the second quarter, Kilmer had an apparent 50-yard scoring pass called back when he scrambled before throwing to HB Don Shy. However, he had crossed the line of scrimmage before launching his pass. Still, the Saints extended their lead before halftime when Kilmer completed his third touchdown toss of the game of five yards to WR Dan Abramowicz. While Dempsey's extra point attempt failed, New Orleans was up by 23-14 at the intermission and would never relinquish the lead – although there was still plenty of scoring to go.
In the third quarter, the Saints poured it on when Kilmer connected with Shy on a 28-yard scoring play and then capped another possession with a one-yard touchdown run by Wheelwright. Johnson threw a TD pass to WR John Gilliam, but Kilmer hit Abramowicz for another touchdown, from 11 yards out, and New Orleans held a 44-21 lead going into the final period.
Kilmer threw his sixth and last scoring pass less than two minutes into the fourth quarter, to Parks for 13 yards, and then St. Louis played catch-up with the score at 51-21. First came two Johnson scoring passes to Williams that covered 31 and 26 yards, respectively. After FS Larry Wilson returned a blocked field goal attempt by Dempsey late in the game, Johnson tossed his sixth touchdown pass to HB Roy Shivers that covered 14 yards. Time ran out on St. Louis, however, and the Saints held on to win the improbably wild offensive show by a score of 51-42.
It was the most points the Cardinals had given up since moving to St. Louis in 1960, and the 12 combined touchdown passes broke the NFL record of 11 first set by the Giants and Redskins in 1962.
Both teams piled up plenty of yardage, with New Orleans outgaining the Cardinals, 508 to 478. The Saints also led in first downs by 26 to 19. St. Louis was hurt by four turnovers, to one by New Orleans, and 10 penalties (as opposed to five flags thrown on the Saints).
Bill Kilmer completed 22 of 32 passes for 345 yards and a club-record 6 touchdowns and had one intercepted. Al Dodd (pictured at right) caught 7 passes for 145 yards and Dan Abramowicz and Dave Parks each caught 5 passes and scored two TDs (Abramowicz outgained Parks, 72 yards to 64). RB Tony Baker rushed for 110 yards on 14 carries.
For the Cardinals, Charley Johnson tied a franchise record with 6 touchdown passes (originally set by Jim Hardy in 1950, Johnson had matched it previously in 1965) while completing 20 of his 37 throws for 374 yards and giving up two interceptions. Dave Williams was the chief beneficiary as he caught 8 passes for 164 yards and 4 TDs. John Gilliam gained 106 yards on his 5 receptions that included one score. HB Johnny Roland was the team's leading rusher with 44 yards on 10 attempts and Cid Edwards was right behind with 42 yards on 5 carries.
"There really isn't any key to what happened," said Kilmer afterward. "The receivers were getting open and I had great protection. When you get that, it makes it easy."
"I was just disappointed in our defensive showing," said a frustrated Charley Winner. "I just never thought a Cardinal defense would permit that many points."
After a loss to the Cowboys the next week, the resurgent Saints won three straight games and ended up at 5-9 and in third place in the Capitol Division of the Eastern Conference. St. Louis rebounded with a big win over the Giants but won only once more and finished with a 4-9-1 record that ranked third in the Century Division.
Bill Kilmer, better known for his leadership ability than passing prowess, ended up throwing for 2532 yards with 20 touchdown passes and 17 interceptions. Charley Johnson, in the meantime still splitting time with Jim Hart, passed for 1847 yards with 13 TDs and 13 interceptions apiece (he was dealt to Houston in the offseason, thus resolving the quarterback dilemma in St. Louis).
Dave Williams (pictured at left) caught a career-high 56 passes for 702 yards, but caught just three more touchdown passes over the course of the season to give him a total of seven. John Gilliam was the Cards' more accomplished receiver overall with a fourth-ranked 997 yards on 52 receptions for a 19.2 average and 10 TDs. Dan Abramowicz of the Saints led the NFL with 73 catches and ranked third with 1015 yards.
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Arizona Football Coach Rich Rodriguez's 'Speed' Parody Is Bizarrely Awesome [VIDEO]
University of Arizona football coach Rich Rodriguez feels the need for 'Speed.'
Rodriguez stars in a parody of the hit film that's designed to voice his displeasure with a rule being discussed that would slow down the pace of college football.
The video is funny and, although it's dated (the film did come out in 1994, after all), still makes its point. And, no -- the point isn't anyone can act better than Keanu Reeves.
Rodriguez actually plays the part made famous by Reeves and avoids making a fool of himself. Hmm, do we smell an early frontrunner for next year's Academy Awards?


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Delivery is available at Grub to Go
The first Thai Restaurant in Redlands since 1982. We are continuing to add and preserve our thai culture along with the Millennium life-style that we are living in. Of course, as you can see, our place is decorated like a small museum , mostly with masks and characters from the ancient Thai classical opera. Our cooking style is very traditional as if you would visit Thailand. We prepare each and every dish fresh,as well as customize for your level of spiciness. We hope that you would be please with our cuisine and service as much as we enjoy serving you.
Chan H.


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Katherine Carnaby - Chrome Barley Rug | Modern Rugs
Shape & Size
Product Information
Key Features
Hand Woven
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We work hard to offer the most competitive prices on all of our products. If you find it cheaper, even 7 days after purchase, we'll refund the difference plus £5.Found it cheaper? Let us know.
Delivery & Returns
Live Stock
We use livestock so you can order knowing the rug will arrive on time.
What does "back in soon" mean?
You can still order rugs that are due "back in soon", we'll email you a delivery date the following day and it usually takes 2-6 weeks for these to be delivered.
Those rugs are not in stock but are in production or transport so are usually with us within 6 weeks.
Delivery lead times are working days from Monday to Friday unless you select Saturday Delivery.
Our standard UK Mainland delivery is free. The estimated delivery time is displayed on the product page of each rug. Most rugs are delivered within 7 working days of placing your order.
Once your order is dispatch you will receive an email or SMS from UPS with instructions on how to choose your delivery day. You can delay the day your rug is delivered by up to 2 weeks after we dispatch it to any weekday (Saturday if you selected that option) or location that works for you.
UK Mainland Delivery Options:
UK Mainland 8.30am to 5.30pm – FREE
UK Mainland BEFORE 12 Noon* - £9.99
UK Mainland BEFORE 10.30am* - £15.99
UK Mainland SATURDAY - £24.95
Offshore UK Delivery:
Northern Ireland Delivery - £9.95
Republic of Ireland (Eire) Delivery - £19.95
Jersey / Guernsey Delivery (VAT Exempt) - £19.95
UK Offshore Islands (Includes Isle of Man, Isles of Scilly, All Scottish Islands)- £14.95
Rest of Europe- £39.99
These delivery options are available to select when placing your order.
If you're not 100 % happy with the rug, you're free to return it. Just be sure to let us know within 15 days of it being delivered.
We even offer a returns collection service.
You can view more information on returns here: https://www.modern-rugs.co.uk/returns-information


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'American Idol' heads to Hollywood
Wednesday's episode of American Idol begins the two-week Hollywood Rounds - but with a twist. For the first time in the show's history, the men and women will compete separately here. Tonight, the guys start angling for 20 semifinalist slots. Follow the action and voice your opinions as I blog live during the show. -- Brian Mansfield
American boys: Group Day is nearing its end. Frankie Ford doesn't have the musical knowledge that the other members of Oz do, but rather than using them to support him, he alienates them, fussing with them and using excuses for his poor performance. Finally, the real reason comes out in tears: "I don't want to go home," Ford says.
When they start American Boy, they sound like they're singing two different songs, in two different keys. Adam Sanders and Papa Peachez manage to cut through the clutter.
But Ford doesn't, singing "oh, oh, oh," as he realizes there's no way he can stay in the competition.
Charles Allen rescues the performance with a great shouter's moment. But then the group falls apart on the last chords.
"Frankie, you fell apart for me today," Nicki Minaj tells him. "You lost me."
Peachez tells her the "big personalities" caused their problems - and she lets him know that the personalities will only get bigger in the competition, and once they're in the real world, they'll "be out of this world."
Keith Urban fights for Ford because of his spirit, and somebody changed their vote at the last second so that Minaj could keep Peachez in the competition. But she lets him know that he's become complacent and has used up all the goodwill he had previously garnered with her.
Ford leaves the venue in tears, doing his best not to say something he'll regret on camera.
"I swear to God I'm coming back next year," he says. "And I'm going to win. I'm going to win. I didn't come here to lose."
Killer Queen: Even Randy Jackson gets the joke with Country Queen.
"This is a funny group," he says, as they take the stage.
They've settled on Extreme's More Than Words -- and they at least know the words, or at least most of them. Trevor Blakney, shown earlier struggling to learn the song, gets lost early in his solo section. And the producers' decision to put such disparate characters together realizes no surprises: Blakney, Lee Pritchard, Jda and Joel Wayman struggle to blend, even when they sound OK solo.
Carey recognizes the challenge of this group performing together and says she liked Blakney and Pritchard, but they won't be continuing. Jda and Joel, though, will move on.
Blakney takes the news hard. "I'm better than what I did," say the sergeant. "I've never failed at anything in my life."
The Idol producers take a shot at creating a boy band, putting the four youngest members together to form DKSK. David Leathers from last season returns, and Kayden Stephenson is part of the group, as well as Kevin Quinn and Sanni M'mairura. They tap into the doo-wop roots of boy bands, singing Billy Joel's The Longest Time. When they nail their harmonies, it's the sweetest sound we've heard the whole show. But it's also got some rough spots, Stephenson forgetting the lyrics among them.
Leathers and M'mairura both get to continue, but Stephenson and Quinn don't. "I wasn't ready," Stephenson says, shaking his head.
Stephenson's not the only audition face eliminated during Group Day: Griffin Peterson and Clifton Duffin go home, too.
Judges' favorites: Burnell Taylor returns with Mo' Flow, but he's having trouble learning Some Kind of Wonderful, and music director Michael Orland's patience quickly wears thin with him.
The group -- which also includes Tony Foster Jr., Darien Moses and Mario Jose -- clearly has some experience in group singing, no matter how well they know the song. Strong backing will carry you a long way.
Urban loves Taylor's "easy confidence" but isn't sure he quite measured up to the other singers. However, it's Moses and Jose that go home.
Super 55, with Lazaro Arbos, has chosen the Beach Boys Wouldn't It Be Nice, but Arbos didn't know it. "I hadn't heard of the Beach Boys, even," he says. He also fears that, since he can't communicate well, the other singers think he's not smart. "It's been kind of rough," one of the other singers admits.
Josh Stephens has a nice, clean-cut look and sound, as does Christian Lopez, but Scott Fleenor has even more trouble with the song than Arbos, who, if he survives this round, could go a long way in the competition.
Mariah Carey wonders if they had a difficult time blending and asks if they all knew the song. Arbos 'fesses up.
Stephens and Fleenor get the axe, but Lopez and Arbos will continue, and Arbos is in tears. But Stephens feels like he helped out the person who ended up taking his spot.
The wrong Direction: "Let's raise the bar a little bit, yeah?" Keith Urban asks before the next group takes the stage.
But the next group won't be the ones to do it.
Jason Jones, Dan Wood, Jessie Lawrence and one other singer clearly aren't familiar with One Direction's What Makes You Beautiful. But they sing it anyway.
You don't know-oh-oh the song? That's what makes this ugly as hell.
"If the word 'wrongest' can be used, this was the wrongest song for you guys," Urban tells them before dismissing all four.
The quartet with Devin Jones and Devin Velez decides to sing Payphone a cappella. It's a risk but it seems to pay off, though Keith Urban seems to think they would have done better with accompaniment. Three of the four make the cut, including both Devins.
Lyrics, what lyrics? Micah Johnson and Vincent Powell's group, The Four Tones, consists of some sharp dressers, but how will their version of Sam and Dave's Hold On, I'm Coming sound? Pretty solid, actually. All four members of the group, which also includes Marvin Calderon, will continue in the competition.
Zach Birnbaum, Nate Tao, Cortez Shaw and Elijah Liu look like a boy band in the making as they sing Some Kind of Wonderful. There's serious chemistry going on there. They're all through to the next round, too -- and if the show's smart, they'll keep them together.
Next up is a group of guys who look like rockers but decided to sing One Direction. It's a mess. The producers don't even bother to show the results.
Then, The Taylors, who have picked a song that's completely unrecognizable, they get the lyrics so wrong. Paul Jolley and Will White survive somehow, but their stock's seriously damaged.
Gurpreet Singh Sarin botches his lyrics in Payphone, but he does it with such style the judges are still impressed. Not everybody in B Side is so lucky. Sarin makes the cut, but it was more on the strength of personality than performance. For some unfathomable reason, the judges decide to give them another chance.
"I think it's really crazy, but you're all going through," Randy Jackson. "Be better next time."
Nicki Minaj seems to have taken a particular liking to this group of singers, perhaps because of how they handled the utter collapse of the arrangement. She stuck her neck out for them -- we'll see if it pays off for her.
More groups, more cuts: Group Day is off to a good start with the Mattheads. Can Normal Hills, which features returning contestant Johnny Keyser, keep the bar high with Reach Out, I'll Be There? We'll see: Keyser says he's not too familiar with the lyrics. And when he takes the stage, they fall right out of his head. And that's just the start of their problems. Kareem Clark sounds just horrible.
Urban wonders what planet Keyser's from, having never heard the Four Tops song before. Clark gets eliminated, but Keyser's previous performances let him scrape through, along with the two other members of the group.
Charlie Askew, who has a hard time communicating with people, has been struggling to fit in with the two other members of his trio. When Askew begins to feel ill, one of them wants to carry his teammate, the other wants to send him home. When they get on stage, the blend's kind of rough, but Curtis Finch Jr. takes a star turn come solo time, getting the judges to wave their hands in the air like they're in church. And sonofagun if Askew doesn't hold his own when it comes to the gospel vocalizing.
"I feel confident that this is a one-two-three you're all through," Randy Jackson tells them quickly, without even trying to fake them out.
Heads up: Mariah Carey says she's concerned about some of the contestants and how they're going to hold up.
"I think they haven't slept in, like, two days or something," Keith Urban says.
The groups will perform live with the American Idol band. If they make it through, they'll move on to the solo round; otherwise, they're eliminated on the spot.
Up first, the Mattheads, whose rehearsal seems to have gone more smoothly than the others we've seen. Mattheus Fernandes starts Somebody to Love on a shaky falsetto note, but the group seems to have settled into the song by the time the band kicks in.
Nick Boddington, Gabe Brown, Mathenee Treco each take strong solo spots -- Urban seems particularly taken by Brown's rock shouting. But Fernandes seems to be struggling to keep up, though his personality wins him some points.
Minaj says the group gelled well, and then the judges confer.
Minaj asks Fernandes, Boddington and Treco to step forward. Then, as if she has forgotten, she tells Brown to step forward, as well: All four will continue to the next round.
I think Minaj likes to see people sweat.
Groups, with a twist: Half the guys have been eliminated by the end of the first day, and the smart ones that remain start forming groups as soon as they learn their fate.
However, Ryan Seacrest notes, "This year, there is a special twist."
Ken Warwick and Nigel Lythgoe tell the men that the producers will be deciding each group's members. And once the contestants get put in the group, they're not allowed to change.
There's no clue how or why the groups got picked, but it's not going to make things easy when it comes to song choice and choreography.
Lazaro Arbos is in the first group, and communication is going to be tough for his fellow singers. "He's not from around here, so he didn't know a lot of the songs," one of the other singers in his group says.
Trevor Blakney and Lee Pritchard, who favor country and down-home rock, get pitted with two guys who have more of a dance and pop orientation (the group name they choose: Country Queen). Elsewhere, Charlie Askew gets paired with a couple of gospel-based guys, so they're going to have selection issues, too. Clearly, some of these groups have been chosen for maximum tension.
The Mattheads, which includes Gabe Brown and Mattheus Fernandes seem to have settled into a groove with Queen's Somebody to Love. Others are singing One Direction, but the group with Papa Peachez and Adam Sanders can't settle on a song.
As things get late, Country Queen is arguing about whether to prioritize the song or the choreography. "We're experiencing some technical difficulties," Pritchard says. They eventually decide they'd be better off taking a break for some sleep rather than continuing to push through their differences.
The cuts continue: Mariah Carey enjoyed Cortez Shaw a lot, but Nicki Minaj thought he did a poor job with I Will Always Love You. "You ain't Whitney," Randy Jackson says. However, "you got another shot." Though it wasn't unanimous.
Curtis Finch Jr., a Missouri choir director, blows away the judges with a little gospel vocalizing. Frankie Ford makes a strong second impression. Expect to see them Thursday during Group Round.
Lazaro Arbos is feeling the pressure, and it affects his stuttering. His frustration is palpable as he tries to introduce Robbie Williams' Angels. But when he sings, it's heaven. Nicki Minaj signals her favor, shaping her hands like a heart.
"You just simply must go on," Keith Urban tells him. "You're going through."
Trevor Blakney, Bryant Tadeo and Charles Allen sound like they might be joining him, as well. (I especially like Blakney's rendition of Lynyrd Skynyrd's The Ballad of Curtis Loew.)
Tadeo tells Minaj he's tired, so Minaj tells him he'll have plenty of time to rest at home. Tadeo looks like he can't believe her -- he knows he sang well -- until Minaj says, "I'm kidding!" She does tell him, though, to never say he's tired. All three continue, but Brian Rittenberry, despite giving Brian McKnight's Back at One a gritty soulful performance, doesn't make the cut.
At the end of Day One, half the guys have been cut.
Up next, it's time for Group Round.
Off to a rough start: Hollywood Week's not off to such a good start for me. Just as I hit "post," my entire copy for the first segment disappeared.
Now I've got some idea how singing fireman Dustin Watts and doctor Calvin Peters felt. Both got told to return to their day jobs as American Idol began Hollywood Week.
But Cortez Shaw might fare better. He lights into I Will Always Love You so powerfully, Randy Jackson and Nicki Minaj aren't sure what to make of him. By the end of his a cappella performance, he seems to have won over Keith Urban, though. We'll learn his fate after the commercial break.
Others who survive the first round of cuts -- where singers line up in groups of 10 and sing for the judges -- include Micah Johnson, Nate Tao and Chicago rocker Gabe Brown.


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11 December 2009
Creepy Ol' Attic
- 30s wool jumper
- thrifted wool J. Crew cardigan
- AA tights
- boots courtesy of Modcloth
- vintage wool beret
- vintage silk scarf
Yet another abandoned house you're asking? Nope! It's my very own sorta creepy, maybe-sometimes haunted attic! With temperatures plummeting well below freezing I couldn't fathom stopping along my way to the post office to take outfit photos. M-m-must minimize time spent freezing outside! So instead, I hauled myself up the creaky stairs into the attic of house. It's a space perfect for storing all of our extras that haven't quite found a permanent place in the house but not exactly a room I hang out in, um, ever.
As for the haunting, I'm sorta half kidding. There have been some mystery wet spots that appear on the floor outside the attic door (do ghosts do that?) and the cats are always howling when they walk by it. Plus there's been a knocking noise (which I'm sure is caused by tree limbs hitting the roof, but it's more fun to imagine it has a supernatural origin!) and I swear I felt something tug my skirt when I walked by the door one day!
20 comments:
- AlicePleasance said...
Oh, it looks a lot like the attic in my old house!
Are you already craving for spring, like me?!
- December 12, 2009
- Catherine Shu said...
The jumper is fantastic -- and I love your maybe-haunted attic. I wish I had one (instead, I just have upstairs neighbors engaged in constant weekend remodeling projects).
the renegade bean
- December 12, 2009
- Kassondra DeBoer said...
Oooh your attic does sound creepy, but it makes for a great photo taking spot!
- December 12, 2009
- Maz said...
Your attic sounds creeperific! Great outfit and photos!
- December 12, 2009
- M said...
It doesn't look haunted at all, just cozy and old and kind of..romantic. I'm imagining a Mr Darcy moment here of course... :)
- December 12, 2009
- BaronessVonVintage said...
Ooh, how atmospheric! LOVE that jumper. Maybe the ghosts are leaving ectoplasm outside the door? ;)
- December 12, 2009
- Meaghan Kelly said...
oh man I love haunted places more than anything! I get so easily freaked out but in a sort of thrilling-i-like-it sort of way and I think if I had an attic like yours I'd set up shop up there and make it into my crazy-lady workshop and allow stray cats in and stuff!
or maybe I'd leave it completely barren except for one creepy doll and send my little cousins up to play in it and get scared! hahah
either way, great space! your house looks like a dream from the peaks we've gotten so far!
- December 12, 2009
- chaucee said...
Those kind of rooms always creep me out whenever people talk about hauntings. I don't believe in that sort of stuff but it's still not fun to talk about.
- December 12, 2009
- Coco said...
These are amazing photo! What a great place to take picture! Oh but it also sound a little scary... ;)
-Coco from Our Paper Moon
- December 12, 2009
- kater said...
I've been hoping that jumper would make an appearance soon, after you posted about it a few weeks ago! It's utter perfection!
- December 12, 2009
- sarahwl said...
did you already post the pictures of your renovation work on the house? i hope i didn't miss the it! i love the attic-- i'm sure i'd love the rest too!
- December 12, 2009
- Lexie said...
that jumper is incredible! i'm always impressed that you find vintage items in such wearable condition!
- December 12, 2009
- Sidewalk Chic said...
i'm always impressed with the quality and creativity of your photos! they're always something to look forward too :)
- December 12, 2009
- Ashley said...
Amazing photos! Love your jumper, you seem so have so many beautiful ones!
- December 13, 2009
- Katy said...
I think ghosts are more known for cold spots than wet ones, but I suppose they could branch out! Creepy!
- December 13, 2009
- LoveCharlesVintage said...
Those boots are great!
- December 13, 2009
- Rachel said...
oh my god, coolest attic EVER. You're so lucky!
- December 14, 2009
- MOUSEVOX VINTAGE said...
I write off every little noise I hear in my own house as being a ghost. Love your spooky attic!
- December 14, 2009
- anne said...
wow! these shots are awesome! your outfit is amazing as well.
- December 16, 2009
- Nicky said...
You sure have a great photographer! These are beautiful shots! Love you outfit!!!
- December 19, 2009


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Widget reactions?
Posted 19 October 2005 - 08:04 AM
For me, too many steps means:
Launching Dashboard
Waiting for Dashboard (sloooow - not enough RAM)
Opening the Accordance widget (all widgets are closed - not enough RAM)
Waiting for the Accordance widget
Typing in the reference (sloooow - not a good typist)
Waiting for Accordance to launch (sloooow - not enough RAM)
Quitting Accordance afterwards
You get the idea. My problem is a slow system, not with the widget per se.
Posted 28 October 2005 - 02:27 PM
Posted 05 November 2005 - 05:10 PM
- quick verse insertions, no question about this (no RAM problems)
- when inserting Hebrew text, it asumes my Mellel paragraph (and character) formatting, which Accordance doesn't (at least, I couldn't do it).
I would like to put to your consideration the following suggestion:
Since I mostly use it to insert Hebrew text, I would find it useful to have the same possibilities the main program has regarding vowels and/or cantillation stripping.
To make it simple, the widget could use the same Accordance preferences. It would of course eliminate the current situation where you can have stripping when you export from Accordance and full text via the widget.
What do you people think about this?
Thank you
Posted 09 November 2005 - 07:00 PM
Thanks for posting (above) the shortcut to change Bibles without "flipping" the widget.
Doctoral Student
University of Stellenbosch (South Africa)
Posted 28 November 2005 - 06:09 AM
Does anybody LIKE the widget? Apart from Rino, that is.
This is pretty outdated, but for what it's worth, I really like the widget. I second Rino's requests regarding the citations and formatting.
Posted 01 December 2005 - 11:49 PM
Widget is very buggy for me. When I hit Enter, not only does it look up verse, it launches main Accordance app. Also, sometimes the Widget just does not work and fails to look up reference at all.
I know theres been lots of (well, seems like lots of to me) requests for this Accordance widget and talk about what it might or might not do. Well, it just got released today, so I urge everyone to go check it out! I was doing a lot of the work on it, so I'm curious as to your comments, be it about look, functionality, anything. This is the initial release, so I'm open to listen to other ideas (if they are feasible, of course).
For now, I have disabled the widget.
Computer: iBook G4, 800 MHz, OS 10.4.3, 620 MB RAM
Also, even though only Bible verion I have installed is KJV, when I do a search, not only does it launch main Accordance app, I see an error message that NIV is not installed so search can not proceed. Widget is buggy all around for me.
Posted 02 December 2005 - 11:05 AM
For your other bug, I'm not sure why this is happening. Even if Accordance only has 1 translation (such as the KJV), if the translation list is correct (make sure you update it on the back of the widget), it will still function fine. If Accordance doesn't have the NIV, there should be no reason why its trying to access it. Are you using the latest versions of both Accordance and the widget?
Edited by Helen Brown, 04 December 2005 - 03:30 PM.
Joel Brown
By day: Lead Software Engineer at Accordance
By night: Freelance Trombonist
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It took the White House more than seven years to lock in Spain on President Barack Obama's foreign travel schedule. But events beyond Obama's control have turned his first and only visit to Spain, the largest European country that had yet to welcome the president, into a rushed one.
Instead of spending two days sightseeing in southern Spain and tending to more official business in the capital of Madrid, the White House scrapped some of Obama's events — including a staple of his foreign travels, a question-and-answer forum with young adults — and crammed the rest of his schedule into Sunday.
Deadly shootings last week of black men by police in Louisiana and Minnesota, followed by the sniper killings of five police officers in Dallas, led Obama to make the unusual choice to return to the White House late Sunday, a day earlier than originally planned.
U.S. & World
Stories that affect your life across the U.S. and around the world.
Obama has been loath to tear up his schedule in response to previous acts of violence, saying repeatedly that altering his plans would be tantamount to giving in to terrorists. But terrorists didn't strike in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, near St. Paul, Minnesota, or Dallas. The assaults followed June's deadly shooting at an Orlando, Florida, nightclub and the rise in so-called lone-wolf terrorism, heightening fears about public safety.
Obama noted the "difficult week" as he made small talk Sunday with King Felipe VI after arriving at Spain's Royal Palace for a meeting.
The king thanked Obama for visiting under the circumstances. He also gave the president an English edition of Don Quixote, the famed Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. The book's leather cover is stamped with the U.S. seal and the seal of Spain's Royal House.
"I wish I was staying longer," Obama said Sunday. His wife, Michelle, and their daughters, Malia and Sasha, stopped in Spain in late June during the first lady's three-country trip to promote education for adolescent girls in developing countries.
After meeting with acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, Obama lauded the long-standing ties between the U.S. and Spain and complimented economic policies put in place under Rajoy's leadership, saying the changes have begun to "bear fruit." The economy is a top concern of the Spanish public, with nearly 5 million people out of work and the unemployment rate at about 20 percent.
Spain has been gripped by a political stalemate for months, with Rajoy unable to rally the political support he needs to form a new coalition government following a late-June election. It was the country's second round of inconclusive balloting in the past year.
Rajoy's party also won an election in December, but no other major party would help him form a government.
Rajoy thanked Obama for visiting and offered his condolences for the Dallas shooting. He touched on Spain's improving economic outlook and the political crisis, saying that having a third election in less than a year would be "a joke" that would damage the economy.
Obama also thanked Rajoy for his government's contributions as a fellow NATO ally, and for hosting U.S. sailors and guided missile destroyers at a naval base on the southern coast. A visit to the base, including an event with troops, was to be Obama's final stop before the flight to Washington.
Shortly before departing for the base, the White House says he met with leaders from Spain's main opposition parties.
Obama originally planned to spend Sunday and Monday in Spain, including a half-day of sightseeing in the south. But he cut it to one day by scrapping the sightseeing and his standard question-and-answer session with young adults.


text:
I want to add my Mom Bloggers Club Badge to both of my blogs.
I went to my Dashboard and added the HTML code but when I checked, all that showed were the words. I want the entire badge...is there a way to get it?
I'm on Wordpress and went to the Dashboard and then to the Text portion to add the HTML code.
Views: 59


text:
Polk State College is committed to equal access/equal opportunity in its programs, activities, and employment. For additional information, visit polk.edu/equity<http://www.polk.edu/equity-diversity/>.
If you are having problems viewing this page, please download the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader and install the newest version of the Acrobat plug-in for your browser. This is a free download.


text:
Macy's posted a 4.3 percent increase in third-quarter net income, helped by the department store owner's efforts to tailor merchandise to local markets and bring in trendy exclusive brands.
The earnings beat Wall Street expectations and Macy's raised its full-year guidance Wednesday.
The company, which also operates upscale Bloomingdale's in addition to its namesake chain, sounded an optimistic tone for the holiday season despite disruptions from Superstorm Sandy.
Macy's Inc., a standout among its peers throughout the economic recovery, is the first of the major retailers to report third-quarter results that should provide insight into Americans' mindset heading into the crucial holiday season.
Analysts will be looking for commentary on how shoppers are being affected by Sandy, which caused disruptions to businesses and households. Shoppers are already dealing with a still slow economic recovery. Sandy may have added to their troubles.
The fear: consumers who are now being forced to buy cleanup supplies and pay for expensive repairs in the aftermath of the storm may feel less inclined to spend for the holidays.
Macy's has been catering to local customers in a way that had been lacking since the chain ditched its numerous regional nameplates such as Marshall Field's and Hecht's. That means focusing on tailoring merchandise to local markets, such as offering more business suits in Washington D.C.
The company has also been doing well with its exclusive brands, including Material Girl, a teen brand that is a collaboration with Madonna's teenage daughter Lola.
Analysts also say that Macy's is benefiting from the troubles at rival J.C. Penney, which implemented on Feb. 1 a new pricing plan that hasn't yet resonated with shoppers. The plan involves dumping hundreds of sales events in favor of every day lower pricing. Penney is expected to report its third consecutive quarter of losses and slumping sales on Friday when it reports its third-quarter results.
Macy's Inc. earned $145 million, or 36 cents per share, for the three-month period ended Oct. 27. That compares with $139 million, or 32 cents per share, in the year-ago period.
Revenue rose 3.7 percent to $6.07 billion. Revenue at stores open at least a year rose 3.7 percent and is considered a key indicator of a retailer's health.
Analysts polled by FactSet had expected 29 cents per share on revenue of $6.07 billion.
Macy's said it expects to post earnings for the full year of $3.35 to $3.40 per share. This is the second time Macy's has raised its profit guidance. In August, it had upgraded its earnings projections to $3.30 to 3.35, from an earlier projection of $3.25 per share to $3.30 per share.
Analysts expected $3.39 per share for the year.
Macy's also believes it will earn anywhere from $1.94 to $1.99 per share for the fourth quarter. Analysts expected $2.05 per share.
Shares rose 36 cents to $41.74 in morning trading Wednesday. They are near their 52-week high of $42.17 set in early May.
Macy's said last week that revenue at stores open at least a year should rise 4 percent in the second half of the year, up slightly from prior guidance of a 3.7 percent increase. It expects the figure to climb 4.2 percent in the fourth quarter.
— Anne D'Innocenzio ASSOCIATED PRESS


text:
IC107DH2WH - ICC Decora Insert with (1) HDMI and (2) Blank Ports, White
Related Categories
Contractors: Get Dealer Pricing Here!
The ICC IC107DH2WH HDMI Decora insert is made to fit into any of standard single, double, triple, and quad gang Decora faceplates. The IC107DH2WH HDMI Decora insert offer an integrated pass through HDMI connector and two extra open ports that can be used to support a variety of other keystone snap-in jacks or connectors. The HDMI connector insert on the IC107DH2WH will support industry standards of 1080p, 1080i and 720p video applications.
Use this HDMI Decora insert to get the flexibility you need to manage and configure your connections efficiently. Use the blank open ports to build the custom Decora plate you need to support any residential and commercial audio video installations.
Cabling Plus offers a huge selection of professional grade HDMI cables to support your audio video system installations!
- Includes: (1) White HDMI Decora Insert with Mounting Screws
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- Designed to distribute high quality video, audio and other communication needs with contemporary styling for commercial or residential applications.
- Fits standard NEMA electrical boxes
- Rugged and durable construction
- Designed for a consistent look with the standard decorator style faceplates
- Accommodates a wide variety of easy to snap-in modules, providing configuration flexibility
- HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) connectors are ideal for high-definition video and audio devices.
- HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) are certified and support standard, enhanced and high-definition video (up to 1080p) along with 8 channels of digital audio on a single cable
- UL Listed
- Part#: IC107DH2WH


text:
madremissy wrote:Don't worry about the post count. I never did. Look at me now.
Jackuul wrote:It was more for concern of being able to send PMs and such.
iluvk9 wrote:Jackuul wrote:You must have 50 to send a PM.
But since you were pm'd by a Welcome Wagger...(A VERY NICE ONE, I MIGHT ADD ) you can pm her if you want to have someone to yap with. Just no spider talk.
ArtGypsy wrote:I'm assuming there's a......ummmmmmmmmm 'PROBLEM" with spiders????
Jackuul wrote:You must have 50 to send a PM.
BigDogBuford wrote:Just wait until they start messing around with your title.
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The Moon+Jupiter on Dec 25th at 7PM EST.
(Created by the Author in Starry Night).
Looking forward to Christmas? The sky has a present for all on the evening of December 25th. On this date, the 95% illuminated waxing gibbous Moon will make a splendid pairing with the -2.7 magnitude planet Jupiter. Look to the east for the pair at sunset. In fact, this is also a great time to try and pick out Jupiter in the daytime, a feat that is made simpler by the nearby and easy to spot Moon. Use binoculars to guide your eyes to the ghostly disc of Jupiter against the daytime sky, and then attempt a naked eye sighting. The bluer the sky, the better chance you have of picking out a low-contrast Jupiter against the background near the Moon a fun feat to attempt!
A daytime Jupiter as seen on September 8th, 2012.
(Photo by author).
The Moon will actually occult (pass in front of) Jupiter and its retinue of moons for observers in South America and South Africa. The occultation is centered on 00:10 UTC December 26th, and will occur in the daytime for observers west of Brazil. (see graphic below) This is actually part of a short cycle of three Jovian occultations by the Moon occurring over the next few months, with the next ones occurring on January 27th & February 18th of 2013 (also occurring in the southern hemisphere). For North American observers, Jupiter will pass from 29 arc minutes of the limb of the Moon as seen from Miami (25° 30 north latitude) to 39 arc minutes as seen from Montreal (45° 30 north). This occurs around 6:15PM EST with the Moon at about 30-40° degrees elevation above the horizon. The Moon rises around 3:30PM from middle northern latitudes on the evening of the 25th.
The occultation path for December 25th-26th. (Created by the author in Occult 4.0).
Now for the obligatory Wow! factor. The Moon appears about half a degree (30 arc minutes) across, while Jupiter appears about 1/38th the size with a disk 47 across. But of course, thats just an illusion; Jupiter is 41 times larger than our 2,084 miles in diameter Moon, but is over 1,600 times farther away. And that also means the reflected sunlight took only just over a second to leave the lunar surface and enter your eye, but took over 34 minutes to depart Jupiter for your viewing convenience. What madness is this, that tiny rocky satellites can cover gas giant worlds? Sometimes, the universe just makes you say Wow!
Jupiter just passed opposition on December 2nd, and will not do so again until January 5th, 2014. Neither Jupiter nor Mars reach opposition in 2013. Ill leave it to any astute readers to calculate when that last happened the Moon also reaches Full this week at 10:23 UTC on the 28th. This is the last Full Moon of 2012. The December Full Moon is also known as the Full Frost, Winter or Oak Moon. This is also known as the Moon before Yule when it falls before Christmas (which it doesn't this year) and the Long Nights Moon being the closest to the northern hemisphere Winter Solstice. This is also the most northern Full Moon of 2012, (a direct result of the solstice tie-in) with a 19° 49 north declination. Happy holidays; expect our action-packed look at all things astronomical in 2013 before 2012 is out!


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Growing family trees from leaves and branches. Finding lost relatives. Solving family mysteries. Concentrating in New Jersey and New York.
- Home
- Surnames and Locations of My GGG Grandparents
- DURYEA New Jersey Births
- DURYEA New Jersey Marriages
- DURYEA New Jersey Deaths
- DURYEA New York State Marriage Index
- DURYEA New York State Death Index 1881-1950
- Pictures by Clifford Lutter 1930s-1960s New Jersey
- ODonnell- New Jersey Records
- Hit or Miss Records
- DNA Comparisons
- Genealogy Humor
- Bayonne Neighbors
Monday, June 11, 2012
Mary Cook died of pneumonia in Whippany 10 days apart in 1885. Their death certificates are consecutive. Although they were in their 70s, the informant was able to provide the full names of both parents. This information is consistent on both death certificates.
3 comments:
- AnonymousJuly 19, 2012 at 2:42 PM
Hi! Interesting blog you've got here. (I've never really seen anyone concerned as much with DNA before!) I've been growing more of an intrigue with genealogy lately, and I stumbled across your blog. I was wondering how you go about obtaining these death certificates. Can you order them online? I've heard of others using a website called VitalChekReplyDelete
http://www.vitalchek.com/death-certificates are you familiar with it? What's your method?
If you are going to only order a few certficates, VitalChek is a fast and easy method. For extensive genealogy research in a particular area, it may be less expensive and more productive to find a different method, if possible.ReplyDelete
New Jersey vital records are not online! You can order certificates through the mail for the years 1901 to the present (if closely related) from the Department of Health and for the year 1900 and earlier from the Archives. The Archives is in Trenton and holds more recent years, but they will not copy for you past the year 1900. You can find online indexes of varying degrees of reliability, but remember that these are not the actual records! You can pay a private individual to copy certificates for you from the Archives. The cause of death will not be blocked this way, which is another annoying thing that New Jersey does to hinder research.
Lexis Nexis owns VitalChek. Lexis Nexis offers lots of databases of use to attorneys (as well as genealogists), such as criminal convictions, liens, taxes, voter registrations, newspaper notices, and on and on. That is one part of law school that I miss. (The other part is being located next to the Newark Public Library.)
- AnonymousJuly 24, 2012 at 10:10 AM
Thank you for all the information and advice; you're so knowledgeable! I hope I can master my new hobby as well as you have.ReplyDelete
(I'm not quite sure why my comment won't let me sign in with my Yahoo account, but this is Rachel)


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Australia players pose for a team photo before the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group B match between Australia and Netherlands at Estadio Beira-Rio. Photo: Getty Images1 – RYAN (GK) – Showed some nice touches with his feet and made some solid saves but also could have done better for the first goal – and certainly the third and deciding Dutch goal. Rating: 5.
19 – McGOWAN – Although the Oranje found some joy on his side, McGowan more than admirably filled the void left by Ivan Franjic. Also provided the diagonal cross that Tim Cahill volleyed home.Rating: 6.5
3 – DAVIDSON – The tournament looks to be the making of Davidson, who had a ding-dong battle with Arjen Robben. Gave everything he had and never stopped running, right to the end. Broke even with one of the world's best wingers. Rating: 7
22 – WILKINSON – Had a huge blunder when he was wrong-footed by Robben for the opening goal. That affected his confidence and although he played well on the ball, he found Robin van Persie a major problem as the game went on. Rating 5
6 – SPIRANOVIC – A real leader's performance from Spiranovic despite the three goals. Seemed to be at the heart of the team's best defensive work and was always polished when in possession. Rating 7
17 – McKAY – Enjoyed a tremendous first half and showed great energy as he replaced Mark Milligan. Wasn't quite as present in the second 45 minutes but still ran his socks off. Probably deserves to keep his spot against Spain. Rating 7
15 – JEDINAK(C) – Bolder showing from the captain than his effort against Chile, making his mark in a strong battle with Wesley Sneijder. Converted the spot kick but will be disappointed he wasn't better placed for the third Dutch goal. Rating 7
7 – LECKIE – A second top performance from Leckie but he gets extra marks this time for his frenzied work rate and better end product. Had he scored, it could have been the game of his life. Having a great World Cup. Rating 7.5
11 – OAR – One of the many who offered a far better display here than against Chile. He was at his best early and repeatedly weaved nicely between the full-backs and centre-backs. Ran out of gas and had to come off in the second half. Rating 7
23 – BRESCIANO – Given 50 minutes to poke holes in the Netherlands' midfield, he prodded away smartly. Really should have converted a golden first-half chance, however, instead of blasting over. Rating: 6.
4 – CAHILL – Picked up a yellow card which rules him out of the Spain game but another outstanding display from Cahill, who scored the goal of the tournament so far and was dynamic and energetic until his substitution. Rating: 8
Oliver Bozanic – Played most of the second half and gave a great account of himself with his pace and touch. Effectively won the penalty that put Australia ahead.
Ben Halloran – Replaced Cahill and battled away without reward on the right. A great experience for him.
Adam Taggart – Given a quick chance to have an impact but couldn't find an opening.


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Economics of Climate Change in the Pacific
This flyer gives an overview of the findings of a study evaluating the economics of climate change for developing member countries in the Pacific.
The Pacific region - a diverse array of 7,500 islands of varying topographies, cultures, and economies - is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, with significant economic costs. This study provides fine-scale climate-economic information that is critical for making development and adaptation planning decisions in Asian Development Bank's (ADB) Pacific developing member countries (DMCs). Economic assessment associated with climate information helps identify priority sectors, estimate funding needs, and prepare for economy-wide climate change impacts. Projections of total economic damage to the Pacific due to climate change are provided in various scenarios. Current and future plans for economic advancement must factor in climate change and its potential consequences. Local climate-economic information is essential for effective planning at all levels, ranging from public infrastructure investment to household and community adaptation programs.
This flyer gives an overview of the findings of a study evaluating the economics of climate change for developing member countries in the Pacific. It aims to raise the level of understanding of all sectors and stakeholders on possible impacts of climate change, with analyses that lead to regional strategies supported by national programs linked to local policies and activities.


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LGST-505 Internship in Legal Studies
Practical experience in a supervised work program in a legal setting. This may include work in a law office, the office of a district attorney or public defender, in a court program, or work for a judge. The student must obtain approval from the cooridinator of the legal studies program before beginning the internship. The faculty intern advisor will be chosen in consultation with the legal studies coordinator. To register for the internship, a student must be a declared legal studies minor, have junior or senior standing, and have completed at least two of the three required courses for the minor (ACCT-210, POLI-215, and either SOCI-255, SOCI-350, or SOCI-405). Only one internship may be counted toward the minor. 2 SH.


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For content prior to 9/19/2008, use ourold search engine or browse older editions.
See also past columns by Bishop Robert C. Morlino.
After months of political machinations, things are moving extremely quickly and we are at an advanced and critical point with regard to our discussion of healthcare legislation, to the point that, as of this writing, the House has passed the terribly deficient Senate Bill, as well as a bill making a few changes (which do nothing to help in key matters). The Senate has yet to approve these few changes and all that is really left is the President's signature. Much can happen between my writing and your reading this, so I'd like to take a look more at what has happened, and why it is not a good thing. What will happen is still yet to be seen.
There remains a tremendous amount of confusion. The context for the health care legislation discussion has been made very strange and confused — so much simply does not make sense.
In the "Catholic world" there is, at present, another issue, and while it may not seem to have anything to do with our healthcare debate, in a sense it does. I'll mention it and make a bit of the connection later. As the Church in Europe now uncovers some of the sins committed by its clergy members, the mass media are trying, with every fiber of their being to make Pope Benedict XVI look guilty. Their big line is, "what did the Pope know and when did he know it?" That is, "he's to be treated like any other politician; he's probably corrupt, and it's our role to uncover his corruption."
Of course, many see their role as to destroy the Church of Christ, the Catholic Church. They want us out of the way. So, a very good way to attack the Church is to attack the Holy Father himself. These same people who demand to know what the Pope knew and when he knew it want to place the responsibility for the acts of others (undertaken far away and in different time periods), at the feet of the Pope and make him responsible.
In order to be responsible for something, one has to have the authority to do something about it. And the very people who want to make the Holy Father responsible for everything heinous in the sexual misconduct scandal are the least likely to accept the Pope's authority in any matter. They are the most disobedient people, in general. Yet they want to lay all the responsibility at the Pope's feet. That simply makes no sense and we should not be fooled.
With regard to the healthcare legislation matter, there is the same confused discussion going on. One congressman pointed out this weekend that from the time of Roe vs. Wade, there have been certain people, including certain Catholics, who have said over and over again, "We have to protect the right of women over their own bodies." The same people who have been saying that for 30 to 40 years are now saying, "We need our healthcare legislation package to pass, so that no one will have control over his or her body." We can't have it both ways. We're into a discussion where contradictions abound. Be careful as you listen to this discussion, because it is loaded with contradictions and it's very, very hard to sort out the truth.
What should be clear, though, is that the Catholic bishops have said that the legislation which has passed does not work for people who are of the Catholic faith and for people who follow the natural law (for all people of good will) in terms of preventing government/taxpayer funding of abortion. The Senate healthcare bill, passed by the House, with additional changes, and even with an "Executive Order" pending does not cut it — the bishops have been clear on this.
The reason is that there are "backdoor" ways in which the passed legislation continues to force taxpayers to fund abortions. There are very apparent "backdoors" in the legislation and there are not adequate and deliberate bars on those "backdoors," and thus the legislation will very easily be manipulated to force taxpayer funding for abortion. The legislation which has passed also does not provide adequate protection for individual conscience, individual freedom, and our religious liberty — it simply doesn't.
This legislation also does not provide, properly, for immigrants. For immigrants who are documented — immigrants welcomed legally into our country — there is a five-year wait period before they can get health insurance. How could that be fair? Documented, legal immigrants to this country have to wait here for five years before they can get health insurance coverage. And illegal immigrants are not allowed to have any health insurance, even if they can pay for it out of their own pockets.
In so many cases, in this legislation, individual freedom goes right down the tubes. The legislation is very inadequate with regard to abortion, it is very inadequate with regard to conscience protection, and it's very inadequate with regard to care for immigrants. That is why Catholic legislators and others of good will, who understood this bill, were bound to oppose it.
The bishops were very clear on this and it seemed that there were some Catholics, including some Catholic Democrats who were going to stand up — even in the face of almost unbearable pressure — for the Truth, for the protection of every human being. Clearly, that did not turn out to be the case. And here, too, there was an attempt to confuse. At the last minute, some Catholics and some people who seemed to be of good will were either confused themselves, really believing that an Executive Order from President Obama would work to protect innocent human life, or were hoping that the fog of confusion would conceal their real intent.
Aside from the fact that most can now see that this Executive Order would have no effect at all, much less a potentially lasting effect, there remains the truth that the right to life comes from God. Only God can give it and only God can take it away. The right to life does not come from the state. The state is obligated to uphold the natural law and to protect life, but it does not confer that right to life to us. We as Catholics, and people of good will, were asking the legislature to uphold, and to protect, that God-given right to life.
If government and if the legislature do not wish to recognize the God-given right to life, we certainly can't rely on the President of the United States, by an Executive Order, to protect life — as if somehow the right to life comes from him. The President of the United States can take away the Executive Order next week that he mandated this week, but neither he, nor the Congress, nor the Supreme Court can take away the right to life. An Executive Order is much too weak a support for the protection of human life, and in the end, it would give the President of the United States the power to give and take away the God-given right to life. That would be far more monarchical than most Americans could handle.
I cannot pass over the actions of the Catholic Health Association and an organization called Network, a lobby of American religious Sisters, who said, quite publicly, that what the bishops have taught is false. They said that the legislation does provide an adequate framework for a Catholic to follow his or her conscience about abortion. So, we had a trade organization — the Catholic Health Association — which calls itself "Catholic" and we had religious Sisters who call themselves Catholic, saying, "Sorry, bishops, you got it wrong, here is the teaching of the Church."
The Lord Jesus Christ, unworthy though the bishops are, called the bishops to lead the people in faith; He did not call anybody in the Catholic Health Association and he did not call any of the Sisters in Network. To boot, those Sisters who signed the Network document said that they speak for 59,000 American Sisters — that would be every last Sister in the U.S. Yet, another grouping of Sisters came out publicly expressing their disagreement with Network. Unfortunately, the claim that these Sisters in Network represent all Sisters is actually what is false, not the teaching of the bishops.
And, of course, people like Speaker Pelosi could not do enough to wave the letter from the Catholic Health Association and the letter from Network to provide cover for Democratic legislators who wanted to waffle in protecting innocent human life. Speaker Pelosi is not called by Jesus Christ to lead the Catholic faithful, any more than the religious Sisters in Network are, any more than the leadership of the Catholic Health Association is.
The bishops are called to teach, sanctify, and govern. But, as I said before, with regard to the Holy Father, if people will not recognize authority, then they cannot lay responsibility at the feet of those to whom they are disobedient. The pope and the bishops are only responsible when their authority is accepted. The then-Cardinal Ratzinger himself has said, in our contemporary world, the word "obedience" has disappeared from our vocabulary and the reality of obedience has been anathematized.
In this way, very serious harm is being done to the Church because people in the Church wonder, "Who speaks for Christ? Does the Catholic Health Association speak for Christ? Does Network, an organization of religious Sisters, speak for Christ? Do they teach with the authority of the bishops? Is the bishops' teaching just another opinion?"
If we go down this road, the teaching authority of the bishops will be further eroded and with it, the authority of Christ's Church. Bishops are sinners, they're not perfect; neither were the Apostles perfect at all times, they were sinners, too. In His wisdom, which we can't understand, Jesus calls the bishops, the successors of the Apostles today, to teach the word of Christ to the people and He calls them in a way that He doesn't call others, including priests. That's what we mean when we say that the Church is Apostolic. The bishop is a true Apostle insofar as he teaches with the Holy Father, and the priest is a true Apostle insofar as he teaches with the bishop — that's how it works.
Please don't let the current discussion and certain politicians get you confused about that. And don't let these contradictions and confusions keep you from jumping right into the discussion and speaking the truth with love. There is no more basic human rights issue for Catholics and for people of good will than the necessity of the government to protect human life from conception to natural death.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Please continue to pray for me and know that I am praying for you and your loved ones as we come upon Holy Week and Easter. Praised be Jesus Christ!
Diocese of Madison, Catholic Herald 702 S. High Point Rd., Suite 121, Madison, WI 53719Phone: 608-821-3070 Fax: 608-709-7612 E-mail: email@example.com Web site created by Leemark Communications and Catholic Herald staff.


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What happens at a Mormon youth conference stays at a Mormon youth conference … except Mitt Romney's dance moves.
The artist formerly known as the 2012 Republican presidential nominee was spotted at an Arizona conference sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Romney is an active Mormon and once held a position within the Church as a bishop of the ward.
Also at the conference was British Mormon singer Alex Boye. During his concert, the singer managed to lure Romney onto the stage for an impromptu rendition of Psy's "Gangnam Style", the 2012 viral music video on YouTube.
Romney briefly got through one dance move, though he couldn't get his leg up properly. For shame.


text: The next time your children ask for something, use the opportunity to teach them a financial lesson. By Cameron Huddleston, Former Online Editor October 28, 2010 I recently received a press release with a headline that caught my attention: "Is There Child Slave Labor in Your Child's Halloween Candy?" (The press release came from the non-profit Green America, which was providing ways to find and give Fair Trade chocolate.) I passed it along to Kiplinger.com Managing Editor Robert Long, who jokingly responded that he could get out of buying treats this year by saying: "Sorry, kids, no candy this year. I'm protecting other little kids like you from being forced into slave labor. I'm sure you'll understand." I starting thinking that maybe he was on to something. What if you could use an excuse like that every time your kids asked for something? Sponsored Content Mom, can I have a new toy? No, honey, because most toys are made in China. And Chinese toys have lead paint and other harmful chemicals that could make you really sick. Mom, can I have some new clothes? No, sweetie, most clothes are made in sweatshops where people are paid very little to work long hours in terrible conditions. Advertisement Mom, can I go to a Hannah Montana concert? No, darling, because you'd just be lining the pockets of her parents and agent, who've probably taken away her childhood to turn her into a money-making machine. Too extreme? Probably. Not that these aren't valid reasons for denying a purchase your child wants (well, the Hannah Montana one might be a stretch). But, in all seriousness, there are other effective ways to say no to your children while teaching them valuable lessons. Explain why you're saying no in terms kids can understand. The slave labor excuse might resonate with a 10-year-old, but it won't work on a 4-year-old. You'll just get a blank stare then more pleading. That's why your response has to be age appropriate -- and simple. See Money Smart Kids columnist Janet Bodnar's money lessons by age group. If you have young children and want to prevent in-store meltdowns, set limits before you go shopping and tell them what the consequences are for disobeying. "You can pick out one thing" or "We're just getting a few things at the grocery today, so please don't ask for anything." Say, "Yes, but you'll have to use your money." Kids don't have a problem spending your money. But if they have to pony up their own cash, they might back off with their requests. Plus, making kids pay -- or at least chip in -- for things they want teaches them a good lesson about making choices. Advertisement My 6-year-old daughter has been collecting spare change for years and has amassed quite a bit of money for a kid her age. So when we went to New York City, we told her she could use her money to get what she wanted (as long as it could fit in a suitcase). As a result, she spent a lot of time in the store deciding what would give her the most bang for her buck. "How much will I really play with this?" she asked about every item she was considering. Encourage your kids to think about others. The next time your kids ask for new clothes, start by asking them to take inventory of what they already have. If they have outgrown a lot of their clothes, use the opportunity to teach them about donating their old clothes to others in need. If your children want a big birthday party but you don't think they need all those gifts, encourage them to ask guests to bring money to donate to a charitable organization or a book that could be exchanged at the party (so everyone gets a gift). Or you could just write "no gifts" on the invitation and explain to your child that some families might not have extra money in their budgets for gifts. Follow me on Twitter


text: Faced with one of the most controversial Oscars telecasts in decades, the Academy has dug out its old security blanket Billy Crystal and asked him to host for the ninth time, finally bringing an end to the increasingly wild speculation over who might take over for Eddie Murphy by just choosing the most obvious option and getting it over with already. Crystal made the announcement via a tweet that may or may not have been outsourced to Bruce Vilanch, giving audiences a little taste of the comedy to come: "Am doing the Oscars so the young woman in the pharmacy will stop asking my name when I pick up my prescriptions," Crystal said. "Looking forward to the show." The Academy has yet to issue an official statement praising Crystal's past work with the Oscars, saying that they know he will do a fine job because he's an old pro and still vital and funny as ever, while also implicitly asking everyone to please leave them alone now, but presumably that's forthcoming. [via NYP]


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On behalf of the Placer/Gold Shrine Club, I would like to thank Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital for its help at our annual Shriners Hospital Screening Clinic.
The use of its facility made it possible for area children to be screened for entry evaluation at the Shriners Hospital for Children in Sacramento. Nine children were screened with eight being referred to the Shriners Hospital. We would also like to thank Dr. James Hosbein, Karolyn McElwain, Tailan Bors and school nurse Tracy Larson for their help with the screening. A big thank you also goes to KNCO radio and Kane's Restaurant for helping to get the word out on "Talk of the Town."
What a great community we live in!
George Harper
Nevada City


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Cobra Games products are intended as scenery or props used together with other RPG's or Tabletop games and are not stand alone gaming systems.
Space Grid provides the tools for space combat in a tactical Hex grid formation, Planet Grid gives players the option to continue their battle once their ships reached a planet and our Combat Tiles takes that combat further with scenery for ground units once their ships reached their destination.
All this combined gives the player the choice when and where the battle occurs.


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Is it possible for the team that's made more World Series appearances than any other to have jitters about being in the Fall Classic? Quite possibly, if you base your answer on watching the Yankees flail about the field in Game 1.
It's something of an oddity that this Yankees team has so little World Series experience. This is their seventh trip in the last 14 years, but they have very few players who have played this late into October. The four who were in Wednesday night's lineup -- Derek Jeter, Johnny Damon, Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui -- accounted for all six hits against Cliff Lee. The first-timers, both in the lineup and on the mound, found less success which begs the question of if nerves caught up with them at the wrong time.
It seems like a ridiculous notion, but think about how many awful at-bats the Yankees turned in on Wednesday. Think about the miserable relief work turned in by Phil Hughes, David Robertson and Brian Bruney compared to Damaso Marte, who pitched for the 2005 Chicago White Sox. The Yankees never looked comfortable, confident or particularly competent in Game 1. More than anything, they looked like a bunch of guys who haven't been there before.
U.S. & World
Of course, the theory of first night nerves falls a bit flat when you throw Lee (and CC Sabathia, for that matter) into the equation. It was his World Series debut as well, and he seemed to have no trouble at all adapting to life on baseball's biggest stage. He looked good enough to dominate the steeliest group of veterans to ever take to a diamond, but there's still something curious about the difference between the way the Yankees who have been here before played compared to their less experienced teammates.
The easiest way to figure out if there's anything to this notion is to see what happens on Thursday night. If Mark Teixeira and Robinson Cano look as bad against Pedro Martinez as they did against Lee, it probably means that there's another, better explanation than opening night jitters. But if the at-bats get a little more patient and the relievers are a little less wild, we may be able to chalk Wednesday night up to acclimating to new surroundings.
Or to the fact that Cliff Lee is one damn fine pitcher. Either way, we'll find out soon enough.
Josh Alper is a writer living in New York City and is a contributor to FanHouse.com and ProFootballTalk.com in addition to his duties for NBCNewYork.com.