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This year has been quite a crazy one, full of lots of interesting decisions and a political vitriol abound. It's been a year where we've seen legends disappear in the blink of an eye, as well as the year we've seen VR become more mainstream than ever. Honestly, just watch Ronnie O'Sullivan here. It's excellent!
Ahem, laughing at people who can't get the concept of Virtual Reality in their heads is fun, but we've got a strong year ahead of us in 2017. Whilst we could be fearful for what's to come, we could also be happy to see that we've got a lot of great and interesting releases and general stuff to look forward to. This is our Top 10 list of Things To Look Forward To in 2017. A year that's basically 2016, but one more.
Top 10
10) Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
"Yeah, one time the police were like "Dude, who killed you?" Brother never even ratted me out. He's cool now, we're good." – Joel Smith 2016
Other than having a bit of a giggle at the title, about how dead men (apparently) tell no tales, this should be an excellent addition to what has been a truly spectacular series of films. I mean, all of these films were great fun. They might not have been very intelligent films, but they really didn't need it. Disney did good with the first bunch of these, so I'm sure bringing people back for the latest instalment will be great fun as well.
Now, this ends up at only number 10 because, well, I don't think anyone necessarily needed another Pirates of the Caribbean in their lives. We're all gonna be thoroughly entertained once more with the antics of Jack Sparrow, but honestly, we didn't need this. Not like some of the items in our list this week.
9) Rick and Morty Season 3
The creator of Community and a prolific actor of weird voices came together to inject a cartoon straight into the "cult classic" sensibilities with a mash-up of improvisation, parody, and messed up comedy. Rick and Morty slapped us hard with two seasons that whipped up a drooling fanbase demanding plush Meeseeks and spawning lunatic (but oddly convincing) theories and crying out for a third season…
What do you mean "A year and a half"?
Ok, so to tide us over this year we've had a series of claymation shorts and a fully animated Rick and Morty version of the State of Georgia vs Denver Felton Allen transcript which you should not read here because you will never hear anything else that so elegantly combines bad language and stupidity. Season 3 will be released 2017.
8) Gaming Reboots
Okay, so unlike basically everything else in the list, this is an incredibly niche audience we're talking to here. If you were a gamer on the Sega MegaDrive, there's no doubt you would at least be aware of the hugely popular title: ToeJam & Earl. It's a game where you play as two funky aliens who go about their business by crashing into Earth, realising they need to fix their ship and get back to their planet. Groovy. They're coming back for a release in 2017 as well! Looking forward to this one.
But that's not all. There's also the wildly popular PlayStation franchise Crash Bandicoot on the verge of a reboot too. In fact, I mentioned a bunch of the games coming around in 2017 in yesterday's article. I'm excited to see them make a return, so here we go – Let's get our game on this year!
7) South Park: The Fractured But Whole
It took a few tries for South Park to produce a decent computer game, but when they finally nailed the formula with the fantasy inspired "Stick of Truth" they really knocked it out of the proverbial park, and I for one am sincerely looking forward to seeing their super-heroic spin. Drawing from the adventures of Mysterion and the Coon to parody the recent cinematic slugfest, Superman vs Batman vs Civil War vs all of our wallets.
I haven't finished Stick of Truth yet to be entirely honest, but I've played more than enough to know that I need to play The Fractured But Whole, and sincerely hoping that there'll be a third addition to the series because I think it has a lot of possibility. And the way things are going in the TV series there's a lot of material to play around with.
6) Spiderman Homecoming
You know this makes sense – It's about bloody time we get a reboot of Spiderman. It's about time we get one that mimics the comics better too. No more odd dancing Peter Parker like during Spider Man 3 in 2007, no, no, much better. We're about to get the Spiderman that showed up during the Captain America: Civil War film that happened during the early half of the year. You know, the younger Spiderman who basically acted like spidey should?
The joy of Spiderman Homecoming is that we've had a taste of what to expect from our new Spidey and it's excellent. The actor, Tom Holland, was an absolute joy to watch during Civil War and couple this with the now cinematic cannon that we're used to with Tony Stark, this is going to be amusing, but yet at the same time a downright excellent cinematic experience. Watch out for this one – It might be one of the year's best.
5) Logan
Old Man Logan as we're calling this one, is one of those films that when you say it out loud, doesn't sound like an appealing title. Knowing that Logan is all about the titular character Logan, AKA Wolverine, you realise that having an "Old Man Logan" theme is a lot more intriguing to begin with. Sitting neatly halfway down our list, Logan we feel could be one of the best films of 2017.
If you've not watched all of the other Logan films, you likely will not need to – However you certainly will get more out of it if you catch up with the rest of the series. This is going to be the last film in the Logan arc, so it's worth checking out, even if it's to see the end of a pretty long era of films.
4) Dark Tower Series
Stephen King usually brings gold to the screen, big or small. With the sheer volume of material he's produced across his prolific writing career under his own name and a collection of pseudonyms, there's plenty to pick and choose from, dozens of highlights, a few minor flops but overall some amazing stories to make real. This year we'll not only see a remake of the eponymous clown horror IT, but 2017s big summer blockbuster looks set to be the start of his fantasy/western epic, the Dark Tower.
Idris Elba will be stepping into the shoes of gunslinger of a knightly order, Roland Deschain on a quest to rebuild his world, and he alone would be enough to drag me to the cinema. I'm no huge fan of Stephen King, but he's got some indisputable works of art in his catalogue, and I believe the Dark Tower is amongst them. Perhaps once the films are well under way I'll pick up the books; don't want to ruin anything by being the guy saying "They missed that bit" like I did for all of the Discworld films.
3) Star Wars Episode VIII
Star Wars episode VIII (or 8 for those who hate Roman Numerals). This is a huge one for cinema, as we'll get back that scrolling wall of text that we're oh so used to at this point. We'll be getting back the major characters in more than just cameo appearances and we'll continue Ray's story. Perhaps most tragically this might be the last time we see Carrie Fisher, (as Princess Leia,) make an appearance on screen, due to her sudden departure earlier this week. Our thoughts go out to the family of those affected most by this.
You know that this one deserved a top three slot, although we relegated it from the mass importance it should have had on this list, down to 'only' third place. I know, third place isn't exactly a bad spot to be in, but it's still only third place compared to how we would have rated 2015's The Force Awakens. But that's simply because we knew this was coming… As there's going to be a Star Wars film every year for the next few more years as well. It's nice, we should still be hyped for it… But we kind of expect it now.
2) Baby Groot – Guardians of the Galaxy 2
Ok, while we love the look of all of Guardians of the Galaxy's greatly anticipated sequel, and once again Drax the Destroyer looks like he may have some real show-stealing moments, there will be one thing and one thing only that puts geeky butts into cinema seats. It is Groot.
Now I may have my little rant about how the saplings of Groot's species actually have softer, more supple cell structures that form their larynges and can therefor talk comparatively normally, until they mature and are reduced to limited vocal ranges that can be differentiated by little subtleties only. But he's SO CUTE with his little button and angry adorable killing spree! Plus you have to respect exactly how much can be conveyed three little words and tone of voice.
But seriously does anyone have any tape?
1) Nintendo Switch
The number one slot on our list today is the Nintendo Switch, a games console that, let's be frankly honest, could end up being the next Wii… Or the next Wii U. Whilst the Wii U certainly was a damn good console in it's own right, it really didn't meet the same praise as the Wii and quite understandably so. It was effectively just the Wii with a weird tablet controller to connect to it as well. It's strange it wasn't released as a backwards compatible tablet peripheral, which granted you'd need to slot into your Wii controller via the jack, same as the Nunchucks, but nevermind that…
The Switch has turned a lot of heads – I bet you've heard of it, but if you haven't, the interesting concept behind this console is the fact that the controller can effectively be a console in it's own right: a handheld one. So you can take your gaming from your living room, then get told by your ol' gran that she needs TV for her TV time and you can take your gaming from the TV down to your hand… You don't lose out, she doesn't lose out. With rumours circulating that Pokemon might make the Switch as well, this could be a massive boon for Nintendo and this could even be another major success. Watch this space is all I can say here.
Mentions Honourable
Have we got you excited for 2017 yet? Good, because we're excited for two relatively selfish reasons as well. We love to do things here on GeekOut South-West, as I'm sure you're well aware… However, it's time to reveal what we personally are really, really excited to be doing next year:
Revamped GeekOut Website
It's frustrating that this hasn't happened sooner, as I've been working my butt off on this. As I was developing the new website this month, I stumbled into a problem, where the hosts seemingly dropped off all links that weren't brand new to the site. This meant that I had to do a lot of backtracking and trying to fix anything. Having not heard from the hosts for a while, I assumed the worst – That I'd have to port everything over… But fortunately, I'm a good developer me – I kept backups.
After restoring everything, the website came back to normal and I was able to continue development. I was amazed – But hey, it's all back and it's all going ahead smoothly again. It's late – Very late for my initial plan of having it released by the end of November, but I suspect it's going to not be too much longer. The wait really will have been worth it. Forums; A 'Geek Events Calendar' which can be edited; Unlockable profile badges; Our usual wit and much more.
Kitacon Quest
Around half past six on Tuesday we'll be glued to our computer screens awaiting our chance to return to the Warwick Arts Centre, desperate to get our names down in that ever narrowing window, despite the promise of more spaces than ever we will still be desperately clinging to keyboards and hope.
And why not? Between Kita and Amecon we have two incredible teams to bring us some of the biggest, loveliest, geekyest events in the country. Your average comic convention these days is a big marketplace that you have to pay to enter, and gaming conventions are halls filled with demos you can queue to watch people play. At Kita and Ame we are one leviathan family, getting drunk and nerdy until the small hours, launching ourselves out of bed, through breakfast and away to do it all again.
If we don't get in, 2017 will officially be a bigger let down than Duke Nukem Forever.
That's it, we're finished now until 2017. We're done writing, but hey, if you're out and about today and you're in Bristol, why not come and celebrate it with us? We're going to be in the Old Market Tavern from 6pm until 1am, celebrating the new year in, with competitions and games and amazing people. Come along – but wait, why not help us with 2017 in a different way? Give us your vote for next week's Top 10, the first in a new and important year for us all!
To everyone who has stuck with us through thick and thin, through better and worse, in sickness and in health – We do… Solemnly declare that we'll be up to no good next year as we're going to be better than ever. In the meantime, what did you think of this list? Have we got you looking forward to some great media next year? What did you think of the Nintendo Switch being our number one choice? As always, comments below, or over on Facebook, Twitter and Reddit.


text: Verizon Wireless just announced the availability of the Sierra Wireless AirCard 595U EVDO Rev. A USB Modem for $179 after $50 mail-in rebate and two-year contract. (Service is $60 per month.) Our own Charlie White has already tested the Sprint edition of the 595U, and calls it "freedom on a stick."

subset: commoncrawl


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Finding the Main Idea
Finding the main idea is a key to understanding a paragraph or short selection. Once you identify the main idea or general point that an author is making, everything else in the paragraph should click into place. You will know what point is being made and what evidence is being provided to support that point. You will see the parts (the supporting material in the paragraph) in relation to the whole (the main idea).
If the main idea is difficult and abstract, you may want to read all the supporting details carefully to help increase your comprehension. If the main idea is easily understood, you may be able to skip the supporting details or read them over quickly, since they are not needed to comprehend the point.
The main idea is often located in the first sentence of a paragraph. You should thus pay special attention to that sentence when reading a paragraph. However, the main idea sentence may also be at the end, in the middle, or any other place of the paragraph. On occasion, the main idea of a paragraph may appear in slightly different words in two or more sentence. In other cases, the main idea in one paragraph will serve as the central thought for several paragraphs that follow or precede it. Finally, at times the main idea will not be stated directly at all, and the reader will have to provide it by looking closely at the evidence presented.
John Langan, Reading & Study Skills.New York: McGraw-Hill, 1982, 2nd ed., Form A, p. 253
The Learning Commons
Arts & Sciences Room 1313
Phone: (517) 483-1206
Fax: (517) 483-1222
Additional contact information


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ST. LOUIS — Cubs fall apart in 11-1 loss to Cardinals
Braden Looper moved with his family from Florida to Palos Heights a few years ago, and for the most part, the St. Louis pitcher likes it in the south suburbs. But he said he's not very fond of some of the traffic he encounters — especially on LaGrange Road. When he is on the job, he doesn't like to see a lot of traffic from opponents on the basepaths. He didn't have much to worry about Thursday night, joining the Cardinals' offense in an 11-1 whipping of the Cubs in front of a Busch Stadium crowd of 45,308. The 10-run setback was the Cubs' worst beating this season. The Cubs (53-47) won two of three from the Cardinals, but failed to pounce on an opportunity to pull to within one game of National League Central-leading Milwaukee and to overtake San Diego for the lead in the National League wild-card race. The Cubs had been sluggish on offense before Thursday's game, scoring just 11 runs in their previous four games, but they might have been thrown even more out of sync when batting practice was moved up 20 minutes to 5:55 p.m. rather than 5:35, the time they had taken batting practice on Tuesday and Wednesday. Whether it was an innocent pregame scheduling quirk or Cardinals manager Tony La Russa trying to play mind games with the North Siders, the Cubs fell flat, scratching out seven hits. Looper allowed one run — a Derrek Lee solo home run in the sixth — on five hits in seven innings to improve to 8-8. Former Cardinals pitcher Jason Marquis, who was 2-0 in two starts against his ex-teammates this year, struggled in his third try, giving up six runs in five innings — the backbreaker coming when Chris Duncan hit a grand slam over the right-field wall and into the Cards' bullpen in the fifth inning. Marquis also gave up four walks and hit a batter to fall to 7-6. Marquis has just two wins since May 9. Rookie Cubs pitcher Billy Petrick added fuel to the fire, giving up four runs in the sixth to jack up his ERA from 4.15 to 7.41. At that time Cubs manager Lou Piniella had seen enough. He substituted freely, putting Ronny Cedeno at third base for the first time in his career, letting rookie Jake Fox play first base for a few innings and putting catcher Koyie Hill in right field. The Cubs defense also had its share of poor moments. Shortstop Ryan Theriot had a 346-inning errorless streak at the position snapped because of a throwing error in the eighth. His last error at short had come on April 27, also at Busch Stadium. The Cubs, who have won 20 of their last 29 games, now hope to regroup in Cincinnati, where a three-game trip begins tonight. Marquis was lifted after throwing 86 pitches because he was ineffective. But cutting down pitch counts has become a priority with Piniella. The Cubs have been solid in most areas, but Piniella is concerned with keeping his starting pitchers healthy. Last week, he pulled ace Carlos Zambrano after five innings and 80 pitches because the Cubs owned a 9-0 lead over San Francisco. On Wednesday, he pulled Ted Lilly after seven innings and 89 pitches because the Cubs had a 6-1 lead over St. Louis. "We're thin in our rotation and it's an area we need to stay healthy in," Piniella said. "We're thinking of keeping them nice and strong. The weather is going to turn a little warmer in August and we want to keep these guys fresh. At the same time, we realize we're not six or seven deep, rotation wise. So let's keep these kids as strong as possible. "We've been giving them (an extra) day (of rest) whenever possible. August is probably the toughest month to pitch. In September, the weather starts cooling off again. You need some reserve in your tank." With hard-headed players such as Zambrano and Lilly, it might be tough to convince them it's for their own good. "I don't need to convince anybody. I just need to get somebody else in the game." Piniella said. "But I talk to these guys. They understand it. It serves a dual function. You can keep your bullpen sharp, too." More Cubs coverage is at www.dailysouthtown.com/sports.


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Finding Course Reserve Materials
- Go to Course Reserves
- Use the drop-down boxes to select your professor and/or your course number
- Click the search box
- Click on the title of the material that you need
- Write down the call number and the library where the book is located
- Take it to the corresponding library front desk
- A library staff member will retrieve the material for you
Using Reserve Materials
- You must have a valid ID card
- Only 2 reserve items may be checked out at one time
- When Hillman Library is not open overnight and for all other ULS libraries: Print items placed on two-hour reserve may be checked out overnight two hours before the library closes, and must be returned the following morning within the first hour library opens to avoid any fines
- There are no renewals of reserve items. If available, reserve materials can be checked out again after one hour
- Fines for reserve items are $1.80 per hour per item for two-hour loans and $1 per day per item for 3-day and 7-day loan periods. There is no grace period on reserve materials
Accessing E-Reserve Materials
- Go to Course Reserves
- Use the drop-down boxes to select your professor.
- Click the search box.
- Click the title "*E-RESERVES*" for your course. These should be at the top of the list.
- On the item record, click "E-Items: E-RESERVES LINK".
- Enter the password provided by your instructor. Passwords are case-sensitive.
- A list of assigned readings will appear. Click the titles to access individual items. If you are off campus, you may be prompted to enter your Pitt user name and password to access some items


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Butterfly Gardening Plans
For a fun twist, plant flowers that attract butterflies in a butterfly-shaped bed! We've got two plans for you to try.
Butterflies are pretty simple to please. Just put a few of their favorite plants in your backyard and you'll notice them swarming around, hungry for nectar.
For a fun way to attract them, try planting a butterfly-shaped garden in your backyard. We have two plans to choose from: one a pairing of perennials, composed of host plants and nectar plants, and the other a feast of nectar-rich annuals. Choose the one right for your backyard, feel free to edit to your liking, and plant away! Before you know it, butterflies will be frequent guests at their new dining digs.
Butterfly Gardening Prep Work
- A place of honor in your lawn, in full sun, is perfect for your butterfly. To fully appreciate the effect, find a site that gives you a view from above, too.
- Measure a 10- by 10-foot square or an 18- by 10-foot rectangle. Use garden stakes to mark the corners and tie garden twine to them to outline the garden.
- Use white flour to draw the butterfly shape. For a guideline to wing placement, divide the area into quarters by sprinkling out two intersecting lines, one vertical and one horizontal. Then draw one wing in each quarter.
- Removing lawn grass sounds daunting, but it's actually a quick and satisfying job. First, slice a continuous line about 4 to 5 inches deep all along the butterfly with an edger or spade. Then use a sharp, flat shovel or a manual or power sod cutter to slice through roots. Then roll up the sod like a carpet.
- See your butterfly? Nice work! Now let's loosen the soil for planting. Turn it with a spade, breaking up clods, and rake it smooth. Add several inches of organic matter to the soil if you need to improve drainage in heavy soil or increase water-holding ability in dry, sandy or rocky soils.
- Edge your butterfly with a mowing strip to keep the lines clean and make lawn mowing easy.
- Ready to bring your butterfly to life? Our recommended plants in these two plans are reliable, adaptable and easy to find at garden centers. Set the pots in place, and then plant each one. Finally, sow seeds for the fast-growing annuals, according to the design.
- Now it's just a matter of time until your fluttery friends arrive. Both designs are overflowing with nectar flowers, and dozens of species, from teeny-tiny blues and hairstreaks to magnificent monarchs and swallowtails, will be drawn to the sweet treats.
- No matter which design you choose, you'll have a front-row seat for the whole process. Below, download either planting plan to get started, or come up with your own entirely!
Perennial Butterfly Gardening Plan
Total Size: 18 feet by 10 feet
Planting Key:
Butterfly bush, dwarf (2)
Purple coneflower (2)
Tall Brazilian verbena (Verbena bonariensis) (2)
Autumn Joy or Autumn Fire sedum (6)
Bronze fennel (2)
Aster x frikartii 'Mönch' (2)
Broccoli (6)
Oregano (2)
Anise hyssop (3)
Lantana (2)
Purple annual verbena (6)
Pinkish-purple swamp milkweed (2)
Annual ageratum (6)
White sweet alyssum (about 12)
Carpet zinnia (about 12)
Click here to download the perennial planting plan.
Nectar Feast Butterfly Gardening Plan
Total size: 10 feet by 10 feet
Planting Key:
Annual ageratum (12-14)
Purple annual verbena (2)
Red annual verbena (2-4)
Purple sweet alyssum (about 12)
White sweet alyssum (about 20)
Parsley (4)
Bronze fennel (2)
Low-growing or carpet zinnias (2-4 seed packets)
Lemon Gem marigolds (4-6 seed packets)
Tangerine Gem marigolds (2 seed packets)


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Negligent Hiring Experts Serving Wisconsin
Change State | Show all Wisconsin experts
Find a Negligent Hiring Expert
Experts on procedures and regulations related to negligent hiring, negligent retention, and negligent supervision. Topics may also include employee screening, hiring procedures, history of violent or criminal acts, and other human resources and employment issues. Negligent Hiring experts serve as expert witnesses and forensic consultants in Wisconsin legal matters, and provide expert reports and testimony for judges, attorneys, lawyers, law firms, insurance companies and government agencies in Federal and state court trials and arbitrations in Wisconsin.
The listings below are of Negligent Hiring experts serving Wisconsin.


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"The Karate Kid" has won a 1980s showdown at the box office against "The A-Team."
The remake of 1984's "Karate Kid" debuted at No. 1 for the weekend with a whopping million. The big-screen adaptation of the 1980s TV series "The A-Team" came in at under half that, opening in second-place with million.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Generations Collide At LA 'Karate Kid' Premiere!
U.S. & World
After three weekends at No. 1, "Shrek Forever After" slipped to No. 3 with .8 million. The animated hit raised its domestic haul to 0.1 million, becoming the fourth movie released this year to top 0 million.
The big opening for "The Karate Kid" gave Hollywood a boost after a weak start to the summer season. "Iron Man 2" opened big the first weekend in May, but the box office has lagged since then.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: All Access: 'The A-Team' Hollywood Premiere!
Copyright 2010 by Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Access Top 10: Hottest '80s Reboots
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Sandra & Her 'Guys!' Hot Shots From The 2010 Guys Choice Awards
PLAY IT NOW: Ralph Macchio On 'Karate Kid' Remake: I Had 'Mixed Feelings'
PLAY IT NOW: 'The Karate Kid' Premiere, Los Angeles (June 7, 2010)
More from Access: [ Box Office 'The Karate Kid' 'The A-Team' ]


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Online music streaming has quickly become a staple in many people's online experience. It is certainly a regular occurrence for my co-workers to walk past my office and find me with headphones plugged into the computer rocking out to my new favorite online music service, Slacker Radio. Slacker Radio has the same premise (and some very similar functionality) as the popular Pandora service, but offers a much cleaner user interface and, in my opinion, a much better Android experience.
I am a stickler for a pleasing user interface. In this area, Slacker definitely does not disappoint. For example, each station you play features album artwork for the current song, the next song in the queue, and minimalist buttons at the bottom of the screen. Slacker looks like it was built for the mobile platform, and it delivers. Most people prefer function over looks in a music player, and Slacker does well here also. The application allows you to choose from one of 100 preset stations or to create a station of your own by typing in a favorite artist. Slacker will then create a station of similar-sounding musicians to enjoy. Additionally, a useful widget gives easy access to basic necessities such as play/pause, skipping songs, and blocking songs.
Similar to most online streaming music sites, Slacker comes in two main flavors: a free version which is ad-supported and allows you to skip a limited number of songs per hour, and a premium version which offers no ads, unlimited song skipping, and station caching. The slacker application (currently in version 2.0.65) itself is free, and can be downloaded from the Android Market.
Subscription pricing and more information on Slacker Radio can be found at www.slacker.com.
The Good
- Overall a very nice user interface
- Ability to create stations based on your music taste
- Widget with all the basic functions
- In my opinion, it provides a better user experience on the Android platform.
- Over 100 preset stations for those indecisive days
- The developers at Slacker are constantly updating the app.
The Bad
- Because Slacker is newer than Pandora, they have a smaller song base to draw from. As the application gets more popular, it should rival Pandora in this regard. Actually Slacker has about 4x the music catalog of Pandora. This is because they work with the labels and they provide fresh content.
- Free version is ad-supported, and only allows 6 song skips per hour per station.
Final Verdict:
As someone who has been unimpressed with the direction Pandora is going, Slacker Radio has offered a refreshing new way to experience online music. I strongly encourage anyone who listens to streaming music to try out Slacker for a few days/weeks, and decide for yourself whether Slacker or Pandora is better for you. Me? I spent a good deal of time with both Slacker and Pandora, and I am now a happy Slacker Radio Plus subscriber.


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Women"s shoes
All Women's Shoes
We are always told that clothes make the person but what isn't said is that shoes make the outfit. From extreme high fashion to effortless casual, it is the shoes that finish or complete a fashion look. With that in mind, it is vitally important for fashion-conscious ladies to take a look at all women's shoes. The great thing is that so many wonderful and diverse options are available. From loafers and sneakers to platforms this is a great time to make some incredible choices in footwear.
For the sports enthusiasts who enjoy working out, running, and hiking, Look For Athletichoes designed for those activities. A good pair of running shoes would certainly be an essential choice. Be sure to check out other sporty styles for training, walking, and more.
For the businesswoman, good-looking shoes, that are also comfortable, are essential. If you are standing all day but must look your best, then your choice of shoes is vital. Find a variety of designs that combine both excellent comfort and A Sharp Business Look from flats to platforms. When considering sunny days at the beach, then nothing can compete with a Great Pair Of Sandals. From thong sandals to gladiators, check out warm-weather footwear for the sand, as well as the poolside. And for those days on the water, a good pair of boating shoes would be essential.
Of course, a perfect choice in shoes is always dependent on the outfit of the day. From animal patterned wedges to peep-toe pumps, it is as important to choose the shoe that complements your tastes, as well as your lifestyle. Discover a Trendy Selection Of Shoes for women and find ones that fit your lifestyle and fashion sense. Shop at jacgerie and look for shoes that will help you to build your perfect and personalized shoe wardrobe.


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Open government advocates, newspaper industry objected
There�s a saying regarding picking fights with newspapers and bad ideas.
And then there�s S.B. 287, a bill sponsored by Sen. Trudy Wade, R-Guilford, that passed the N.C. Senate 26-23 on second reading earlier this week.
The bill allows a select group of local governments to opt out of posting public notices in newspapers, which is required by law. Public notice advertisements make up a portion of newspaper funding and are regarded by open government advocates as a necessary part of government transparency.
The counties of Burke, Graham, Guilford, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Mecklenburg, Swain, Union and Wake could end public notice advertisements, along with the City of High Point and the towns of Morrisville and Cary. The legislation also affects all municipalities in those counties with the exception of the Town of Rolesville.
Wade filed a bill that would take this policy statewide, but it failed to gain traction.
The bill�s advocates say it provides financial flexibility for localities, which could post public notices on their own website.
�It�s about government efficiency and government choices,� Sen. Tammy Barringer, R-Wake, said during the debate.
But debate over the bill had its testier moments.
Sen. Tommy Tucker, R-Union, said, �I am the senator. You are the citizen. Now be quiet,� to N.C. Press Association President Hal Tanner III during discussion of the legislation in committee. Tanner is the publisher of the Goldsboro News-Argus.
Sen. Bob Rucho, R-Mecklenburg, argued people don�t read the notices in their local newspaper, so it didn�t matter whether the paper printed the notices or not.
�Nobody reads that part,� Rucho said, quoted by The News & Observer. �Let�s be frank about it.�
Sen. Jim Davis, R-Macon, quoted by WRAL CBS-5, said governments shouldn�t be paying money to newspapers and some coverage of the debate was inaccurate.
�North Carolina should not be part of the business model for newspapers in this state,� Davis said.
He later added, �If you�re going to believe everything that�s in the newspaper, you�re going to be ill-informed.�
Writing in the Wilmington Star-News, Sen. Thom Goolsby, R-New Hanover, explained why he was voting no on the legislation.
�The public has a right to know what its government is doing,� Goolsby wrote. �Whenever officials and bureaucrats line up to tell you that they want to save you money by obscuring their activities, you should be wary.
�In its current form, this bill is a bad deal.�
In all, six Republicans broke from their party and voted against S.B. 287, including Sen. Louis Pate, R-Wayne.
�My district is heavily rural, I�d guess you�d say, and I�m not sure that we�ve got Internet access for everyone and I�m not sure that everyone wants Internet access,� Pate said.
He continued, �As for as going on a computer and viewing notices that may be electronically printed on a town website or county website or something like that, probably, in this case, that might not apply.�
The entire Senate Democratic Caucus voted against the bill, as well.
�Our members listened to the debate, the discussion, and had a compelling interest to vote against the bill,� Sen. Don Davis, D-Greene, said. �Part of what was shared in the debate was how we ensure that residents � even in communities that may not have Internet access � that they are adequately notified of public matters.�
S.B. 287 received third reading Tuesday and moved to the House of Representatives.
In the House, there is a bill � H.B. 723 � that would require newspapers to also post public notices online, but keep the printed advertisements. The bill has the endorsement of the NCPA, and is similar to legislation in other states, like a bill passed nearly unanimously by the Tennessee General Assembly and signed by Gov. Bill Haslam on April 15.
No action has been taken on H.B. 723 since it was referred April 11 to Subcommittee B of the House Judiciary Committee.
Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @WolfeReports.
Breakout Box
�Notice Publication by Some Local Govs.�
n S.B. 287
n Primary sponsor: Sen. Trudy Wade, R-Guilford
n Voting no: Sen. Don Davis, D-Greene; Sen. Louis Pate, R-Wayne


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The MTA has just posted a bunch of stunning pictures from inside the New York Subway system, which got flooded, and is shut down in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.
The worst impacts were Downtown/Wall Street area, not surprisingly.
Meanwhile, an official timetable on expected Subway reopening is supposed to come out today.


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|Battlegroup info
|Battlegroup »
Shadowburn (US) »
PvPDark Iron
This article is a realm page for the Dark Iron US realm (server)
This is a community maintained page and does not represent official World of Warcraft history or occurrences. Information and events here are for community documentation of server particulars, history, or opinion.
Dark Iron (PvP)
Dark Iron (PvP)
Official Dark Iron Forums
Dark Iron Guild Progression
Dark Iron is a Medium Occupancy PVP Server. This server's timezone is GMT -8. The server was chosen by the PvP webcomic as a venue to settle their rivalry with Penny Arcade. PvP's guilds are on Horde side, PA's on Alliance.
Dark Iron Irc Info: irc.gamesurge.net#darkiron
PvE Progression
For info on PvE progression see this thread on the offical Dark Iron forum.
Or the WoWWiki page at WoWWiki Page for Dark Iron Progession
Crafting and Enchanting Lists
For info on Dark Iron crafters see this thread on the official Dark Iron forum.
Or visit WoWWiki page for crafting, WoWWiki page for Jewel Crafting and the WoWWiki page for enchanting |}


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Well Ennis, I agree with most others around here. It was pretty well written and useful for the newbies.
By the by, just because someone doesn't have a website doesn't mean they're programming inept or anything, it probably means (in the case of programmers) that they're just too busy to do maintain it.
PS: not all Canadians are jackasses y'know. We've got the same varying degree of people that the rest of the world has.


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Member Login
Toggle navigation
What is District 7950?
Clubs & Meetings
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Dr. Percy Hodgson Award
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History of Our District
Club Resources
DG Visit Schedule
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Insurance Certificates
Liability Insurance Power Point
US Club Insurance Overview.pdf
Forms & Downloads
Council on Legislation Changes for Clubs and Districts
Council on Legislation Essential Changes for Clubs
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Human trafficking - spreading awareness
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Create myRotary account
Entering Goals In myrotary.org / club central
Entering Goals In myrotary.org / club central video pt. 1
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Entering Goals In myrotary.org / club central video pt. 3
How To links and webinars
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Environmental Sustainability article by Lillian Woo
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Just a little comment regarding derivation : the AHD provides the following information regarding the provenance of this word :• handsel •
Pronunciation: hæn-sêl • Hear it!
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: 1. The gift given on Handsel Monday, the first Monday of the New Year, in the British Isles and elsewhere. 2. The first money made by a new business on opening day, taken as a good omen; also the first payment, earnest money. 3. A foretaste of good things to come.
Notes: Some folks omit the [d] and spell today's word hansel but this reflects the pronunciation and need not affect spelling. (Since when do we English speakers need the crutch of rational spelling?) Keeping the [d] helps us distinguish today's good word from Gretel's Hansel in the Grimm Brothers' fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel.
In Play: According to custom in the British Isles, Handsel Monday is a day to give a small gift or good luck charm to children or to those who have served you well: "Every penny of every handsel received by children in the village was in the sweet shop till by the end of the day." The gift is called a "handsel" and is intended to symbolize the first in a long line of gifts or good luck throughout the year: "Good morning, Miss Teak, I hope your smile is a handsel for the new year."
Word History: As long ago as the year 1200, English speakers were using the ancestor of "handsel" for any good luck charm, especially one given at the start of something new. By the 1500s, traders were using "handsel" for the first cash they earned in the morning—to them, an omen of good things to follow. We see above how we use it today. Middle English hanselle came from Old English handselen "a handing over" from hand + selen "gift". (Today's lexical hansel is an gift of Ekkis, an old friend from the Agora. However, we here at The Lexiteria and its alphaDICTIONARY site would like to thank all of our readers for your support and wish you the happiest and most prosperous of New Years.)
I know little or nothing about Old English, but with regard to the Old Norse, sal referred, if I am not misinformed, to a payment rather than a gift. The modern Norwegian (bokmål) derivative is «salg», the obvious English cognate «sale»....[Middle English hanselle, from Old English handselen, a handing over ( hand, hand + selen, gift), and from Old Norse handsal, legal transfer ( hand, hand + sal, a giving).]


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Environmental Solutions
Environmental solutions offer customers a wide variety of services from industry experts including:
- Strengthening federal environmental management goals in Electronics Stewardship;
- Environmental management systems;
- Pollution prevention, cleanup and restoration;
- HAZMAT; and
- Training awareness and more.
Service Offerings
The various services offered are listed below with their associated Special Item Number (SIN) and links to a list of vetted contractors for each type of service.
- A full description of Services covered under each SIN can be found at GSA Schedules eLibrary.
- The NAICS code(s) associated with the RFQ must match a NAICS code listed with the Professional Services Schedule. Only one NAICS (dominant) may be used in the resulting task order.
|SIN Number
& Link to Contractors
|SIN Name
|899 1
|Environmental Consulting Services
|899 3
|Environmental Training Services
|899 5
|562920, 562112
|Materials and Waste, Recycling & Disposal Service Bio-Chemical Testing
|899 7
|541620, 541370
|Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Services
|899 8
|562910, 541380
|Remediation and Reclamation Services
|100 01
|Introduction of New Services
|100 03
|Ancillary Supplies and/or Services
The shortcut to this page is www.gsa.gov/environmentalsolutions.


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This page is part of our Levin information pages.
This instrument is shown here for educational purposes only.
It is not being offered for sale on this site.
We have a separate page with instruments for sale.
How much is it worth?
|1938 Levin Model 70
Photos by courtesy of Tyge Mölgård.


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TPIA Annual meeting and Spring Newsletter
March 30th, 2009
The annual combined neighborhood meeting and party for Twin Peaks,
Clarendon Heights, Forest Knolls and Midtown Terrace is scheduled for:
April 2, 2009 Thursday
St. John's Armenian Church
275 Olympia Way @ Clarendon Avenue
Supervisors Sean Elsbernd from District 7, Bevan Dufty from District 8 and Ross Mirkarimi from District 5 have been invited, as well as a representative from Sutro Tower. Refreshments will be served.
The Spring 2009 newsletter has been sent to all members and may be read online. [read/download 160kB PDF file]
Entry Filed under: About TPIA


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MEM Students Create Vending Machine for Engineering Supplies
By Anna Fiorentino
May 2013 • CoolStuff
Forget cola and candy. Dartmouth's newest vending machine offers consumables of another kind: batteries, duct tape, epoxy and other project supplies. Installed outside the entrance to Thayer School's Machine Shop, the vending machine dispenses necessities 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
"The Vending Machine Project provides authorized students with access to materials for project work any time, at no charge," says Srivatsan Vasudevan MEM'13, whose job as Machine Shop Teaching Assistant (TA) is to facilitate student project work.
Before the vending machine arrived, students could only access these supplies from inside the instrument room and the Machine Shop on weekdays until 4:30pm, and would often ask TAs to locate them. Now, 33 small items approved by professors including adhesives and gloves—in even higher student demand than traditional mill components like nuts, bolts and tools—are available in one place, freeing up TAs to train on technical aspects of project work. This new addition also cuts back on distractions caused by those who visit the machine shop only to gather materials for their course-related projects.
"There was a need to consolidate all the frequently used items in the Machine Shop and Couch Project Lab so that the students and TAs do not waste time on trivial issues while completing various projects," says Vasudevan, adding the contents of the vending machine are listed next to the machine itself.
Vasudevan and three MEMs who also double as Machine Shop TAs—Amogh Poudyal MEM'13, Mani Alaei MEM'13 and Yerwa Dheeraj Reddy MEM'13—refurbished an old vending machine by disconnecting the refrigeration unit and slapping on a Dartmouth ID, or DASH, card reader. They implemented a return policy for reusable items and laid out a plan for tracking inventory, fraud management and sourcing supplies for future vending. Now students simply swipe their DASH cards to complete transactions for all the free materials they need, within a limit of $50 a week or $200 a term, paid for by the machine shop.
The TAs tackled the vending machine project at the suggestion of Machine Shop Manager Kevin Baron and Associate Professor of Engineering Christopher Levey. "Using a vending machine to stock and dispense consumables is consistent with a larger effort to make effective use of machine shop student staff in its maintenance and operation," says Baron. "The idea never really went anywhere until I asked the MEM group to find a way to keep supplies on hand for student use."
The vending machine arrived on the tail end of a complete reengineering of the Machine Shop last year that introduced all new machines, iPads and a revamped FileMaker inventory system that together make machining at Dartmouth simpler than ever before.comments powered by Disqus


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Glenn beck has a free show up here on the caliphate. It is worth your time IMHO. Not sure how long it will be up there. No log in or free trial required. I was mad a Beck for having the Blaze post the jihadi side on Israel stories with RT clips. They also called BareNaked Islam a hate site and published CAIR fake press release. The thing is it is not Becks fault directly. He has too much trust and I am afraid pro jihadi idiots got to reign free at The Blaze. It is changing in a good direction.
I am really really afraid of the NDAA. The libtards can call me an enemy and detain me indefinitely. I will only be posting when there is something big. Hey Big Brother or who ever is planning on getting me. Send me a email or a text to leave the country I will leave in a week and never post again. It is cheaper that way. I highly recommend reading Spencers Stealth Jihad and his other books. Not sure what blog I should recommend but there are hundreds of great ones. Watch Becks show when it is still free. I am not sure if it is based on their terrible video player at GBTV. Give us an audio podcast of your show please. Anyways one trick around it is it like to freeze when you skip commercials but doesn't freeze when you mute them. Enjoy.


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Mobile Developers Foresee Surge in Mobile Commerce and Transformation of Retail, Interest in Developing for iOS and Android Platforms Remains Strong
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA–(Marketwire – Dec 13, 2012) – Today Appcelerator®, a leading mobile development platform provider, and industry-leading analyst firm International Data Corporation (IDC) announced results of a joint survey of nearly 3,000 mobile developers. The survey findings demonstrate that developers expect mobile to continue to be pervasive both in enterprise investments and consumers' lives. In addition to the expansion of mobile connected devices, developers predict consumers will dramatically change their shopping behaviors through the availability of mobile commerce sites and mobile payment options.
"I am blown away by this quarter's survey results related to retail," said Appcelerator CEO Jeff Haynie. "We've known that more and more consumers are augmenting their brick-and-mortar shopping with mobile buying experiences, but this quarter over 90 percent of developers anticipate most retail companies will offer a mobile commerce experience in 2013. These findings stress the ubiquity of mobile and the need for the best user experiences that are available to consumers who want to shop and pay anywhere, anytime, on any device."
"This quarter's survey findings are very consistent with last quarter's findings: iOS and Android remain the top targets for developers. While this isn't terribly surprising, it underscores the challenges competitors face as they try to establish their own platforms in the market," said John Jackson, Research Vice President, Mobile & Connected Platforms at IDC. "It will be most interesting to see how retailers drive the mobile transformation predicted by developers in 2013."
See the full report here.
Key Findings and Predictions
Interest in iOS and Android Platforms Remains Strong & Stable
Despite the introduction of new products in Q4 and the massive success of devices like the iPad mini, Amazon Kindle, Samsung Galaxy S III, and iPhone 5, developer interest in the most popular platforms (i.e. iOS, Android) remains high, but relatively unchanged since Q3 2012. Though interest in individual platforms remains unchanged, development across multiple environments is expected to increase. Nearly 88 percent of developers predict they will be developing for two or more operating systems over the next year, a significant increase from the 69 percent figure reported in Q3 2012. Developers specifically expect to be working on multiple operating systems as it relates to mobile applications, with 49 percent reporting they plan to build mobile apps for two operating systems and 39 percent reporting they plan to build mobile apps for three or more operating systems.
Amazon Kindle Struggles
Despite Amazon's sizeable investment in its signature Kindle tablet, developers doubt that the device provides significant application revenue opportunities. Less than 22 percent of mobile developers are "very interested" in building mobile apps for the Amazon Kindle. This indicates that the Kindle's install base and revenue potential are too small to entice developers to build for the platform.
Google Nexus Starts Strong
An unprecedented number of respondents express strong interest in developing mobile apps for the Nexus platform. More than 53 percent of developers report being very interested in building apps for the device, nearing interest levels expressed for Android tablets overall. Two-thirds of developers feel positive about Google's entrance into the tablet market with the introduction of the Nexus. Many developers believe Google is providing leadership for the Android tablet market and is taking a more direct role in Android development, a move that may help the company curtail much of the fragmentation issues that have frustrated developers in the past.
Microsoft Surface Insufficient
Microsoft's Surface tablet has yet to excite the developer community. Of those surveyed, 45 percent are unimpressed by the hardware and 35 percent think Microsoft needs to do more to be successful. Even though the hardware is now available, developer interest in building applications for the platform is consistent with the results of the past two surveys, remaining relatively low at 36 percent.
Mobile Will Forever Change Retail
An astounding 93 percent of mobile developers anticipate that it is "likely to very likely" that most retail companies will have enabled mobile commerce in 2013. Consumer behavior continues to underscore this transformation. Developers predict that 86 percent of shoppers will look up a retailer's site on their device while shopping in a physical retail store in 2013. Nearly two-thirds of developers also believe that consumers will make more purchases via their mobile phone than their credit card in 2013, which is reinforced by the fact that 71 percent of developers predict the mobile wallet will permeate the consumer experience in 2013.
To download a copy of the Appcelerator/IDC Q4 2012 Mobile Developer Report, click here
About IDC
International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. IDC helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based decisions on technology purchases and business strategy. More than 1,000 IDC analysts provide global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. For more than 46 years, IDC has provided strategic insights to help our clients achieve their key business objectives. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world's leading technology media, research, and events company. You can learn more about IDC by visiting www.idc.com.
About Appcelerator
Appcelerator is the leading mobile development platform of choice for thousands of enterprises including eBay, Merck, Mitsubishi Electric, NBC, PayPal and Ray-Ban, as they become mobile-first organizations. With more than 50,000 mobile applications deployed on 90 million devices, Appcelerator's award-winning open source development platform (Titanium) and Appcelerator Cloud Services are used to create native apps across multiple devices including iOS, Android, Windows and BlackBerry, as well as hybrid and HTML5 mobile web. Customers who standardize on Appcelerator's solutions get to market 70 percent faster and achieve a significant competitive advantage. Appcelerator's worldwide ecosystem includes 400,000 mobile developers and hundreds of ISVs and strategic partners including SAP and Cognizant. For more information visit www.appcelerator.com
Appcelerator is a registered trademark of Appcelerator Inc. Appcelerator Titanium is a trademark of Appcelerator Inc. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.


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School of English and Foreign
The Mission of City College of San Francisco is to provide educational programs and services that promote successful learning and student achievement to meet the needs of our diverse community. To this end, the School of English, World Languages & Cultures, Communication Studies provides the following:
- Courses toward transfer to baccalaureate institutions
- Achievement of Associate Degrees in Arts
- Certificates and career skills needed for workplace success
- Basic Skills English courses
We strive to be an integral part of a teaching/learning community, an inclusive community, and a diverse community.
English Department
The English Department offers students pre-collegiate and college-level (AA degree and transfer) courses and services in essential basic skills, reading, composition, literature, critical thinking, and Humanities.
We pride ourselves on fostering superior academic programs that promote critical and creative thinking in a supportive environment. We understand that the skills we teach are crucial to achieving overall college and life success. As part of our mission, instructors address cross-curricular issues and ideas in accessible, "inquiry-driven" and theme-based courses.
In 2007, the state approved CCSF's first AA degree in English. The establishment of an English Major is a powerful tool in serving the academic goals of students transferring to four-year institutions as English Majors. In addition to offering an AA degree in English, we have a series of regularly offered elective courses designed to fulfill requirements at our major transfer destinations. Our student-run CCSF Literature club flourishes, sponsoring a well-attended faculty and student lecture series that has stimulated student interest in these electives.
Along with very strong, traditional developmental English course offerings, our intensive-accelerated English courses are designed to increase our students' chances for a successful transition into transfer-level courses. They are taught in conjunction with key student support services such as the English Lab (Rosenberg Library, R-205), which offers reading/writing groups, tutoring, focused workshops, and much more.
World Languages & Cultures Department
The World Languages & Cultures Department offers credit-course instruction in:
- American Sign Language
- Cantonese
- French
- German
- Italian
- Japanese
- Mandarin
- Pilipino
- Russian
- Spanish
The World Languages & Cultures Department is one of the largest language programs of its kind in the state and the country. Our classes focus on reading, writing, grammar, and conversational skills with a strong cultural component. We offer elementary online classes in French and Italian. Course levels are offered in both intensive single semester modes and two- semester sequences that provide students more time to master each level. Classroom instruction is supplemented by laboratory activities. All our courses are transferable to CSU and most to UC, and fulfill IGETC requirements for transfer.
The demand for World language instruction is unusually high in the
College's service area, and the CCSF World Language programs are among
the largest and most developed among community colleges in California.
The full range of languages is offered at the Ocean campus,
with selected courses at the Downtown, Mission, and Chinatown/North
Beach Centers, as well as the John Adams
campus. The College also has a Study
Abroad program working with the World Languages & Cultures
Department. Language clubs provide complementary services: for
example, the French Club sponsors numerous activities including museum
visits, theater outings, and film presentations.


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All our rooms overlook the picturesque Garden. Some rooms also offer mesmerizing pool and ocean views.
The 80 guest rooms are in 8 blocks of two floors each in our expansive Garden Resort, housed in pavilion-style buildings scattered throughout 5.5 acres of lush grounds.
The tropical fashioned accommodations at Coyaba Beach Resort offers one king-size bed or two double-size beds, calming earth-tones, striking artwork and sitting area.
- Cable TV
- In-room Electric Safe
- Direct Dial Telephone
- Iron/Ironing Board
- 220-Volt Electrical Outlets
- Mini-fridge
- Tea & Coffee Refreshment Facility
- Air Conditioning
- Ceiling fan
- Hair Dryer
- Bathroom (tub and overhead shower in some rooms and shower only in the other rooms)
- Daily Maid and nightly turn-down service
- Private Balconies or Patios
- Ocean Views
- Garden and Pool Views
- No Pets/Animals Allowed on Property


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MONTERREY, Mexico — The decapitated body of the police chief of a northern Mexico town and the body of his brother were found inside the chief's patrol truck Friday, authorities said. Hours earlier, gunmen killed a deputy police chief and his bodyguard in another part of Mexico's north.
The body of Heriberto Cerda, the police chief in Agualeguas, was found on the bed of a patrol pickup truck, which was left on a dirt road in the nearby town of General Trevino. His head was on his lap, said a spokesman for Nuevo Leon state prosecutors who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case.
The body of the chief's brother, Jesus Cerda, was found inside the truck, the official said. He didn't say how Jesus Cerda was killed.
Nuevo Leon state secretary general Javier Trevino told reporters that Cerda and his brother had been reported missing Thursday.
The windshield and driver's door of the patrol car had "C.D.G.," an acronym for the Gulf drug cartel, written in blood, photos showed.
The border state of Nuevo Leon, where Agualeguas and General Trevino are located, has seen an upsurge in violence that authorities say is the result of a turf battle between the Gulf cartel and the Zetas, the cartel's former hit men.
The slayings came a day after Mexican marines on patrol in the Nuevo Leon town of Cerralvo came under fire after ordering a convoy of gunmen traveling in six vehicles to stop. Six of the assailants were killed.
Nearly 18,000 people have died in drug-related violence since President Felipe Calderon launched an assault on cartels after taking office in December 2006.
In the northern state of Sonora, gunmen in a pickup truck fatally shot the deputy police chief and his bodyguard in the city of Nogales, which sits across the border from the Arizona city of the same name, authorities said Friday.
Filed under: Arizona Immigration Law, Drug Cartel Violence, Drug Trafficking, Mexican Drug Cartels, Mexico | Tagged: Arizona Law, Illegal Immigration, Immigration, Mexican Drug Cartel Violence, Mexican Drug Cartels, Mexican Police Cheif Decapitated By Drug Cartel | Leave a comment »


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Find more garden information
Many birds are friends to the gardener, as they feast on harmful insects and weed seeds. But when they feast on our crops, we categorize them as pests. Blackbirds, starlings, and even robins have been known to pull up tasty corn seedlings, munch on ripening cherries, peaches, and blueberries, and even dig holes in lawns looking for insects. The amount of damage will vary, depending on the weather and native food supply that year. In dry years, birds will eat many different fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes and melons, for both food and moisture.
For the birds, the timing couldn't be better. As gardeners are planting their crops and nurturing them to ripeness, these birds are raising their young, and need a handy food source. Flocks of birds can quickly decimate an entire berry patch or grain field, while individual birds can be very aggressive and determined to attack a particular crop.
Last updated: 3/18/19
Stay up to date on new articles and advice.


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The Drive of Technology
Have today's hotter golf balls and giant clubheads compromised the defenses of your course? Certainly; but according to industry veterans, the answer to restoring the challenge at your course is right under your feet.
Jeffery Brauer has seen several waves of technology in his 25 years of designing golf courses. With an unusual amount of pressure on architects and superintendents to do everything possible to keep their courses from becoming a pitch-and-putt, they are making changes to keep them successful, challenging and fun.
Brauer has been designing and remodeling courses around the country. His design in Minnesota, The Quarry at Giants Ridge, was named the best new upscale public course in 2004 by a major golf publication.
In early 2002 he planned a renovation of the Creeks Course at Indian Creek Golf Club in Carrollton, Texas. The course closed when construction began in April and the more challenging layout reopened July of 2003. Years of technology improvements put it in a position many courses are in now: they are becoming too easy; bunkers are no longer in play; and greens are being peppered by lots of short irons and very few long irons, counter to original designs.
Like many in the golf industry striving to protect the game from a high-tech assault, Brauer used several approaches to bring strategy and skillful shot-making back, while keeping maintenance concerns in mind by doing such things as eliminating bunkers that catch few balls. Although additional length was part of the recipe, that was mainly used to stretch the back two sets of tees by about 300 yards overall. Much of his attention focused on other ways to make the course challenging — starting with the terrain.
"I pushed the limit, I think, on green contours," Brauer says. You can concede that faster than a one-foot putt because after a round with Brauer at Indian Creek, it's obvious that several greens have some serious swales and slopes. Good players are not fazed by hazards anymore, Brauer says. So he likes to put them inside the green by using big swales to make a player think about where on the green they should land the ball.
The 14
"As many holes as I can do, I line up the features with the prevailing wind so that all the shots line up," he says. He believes good players like clarity and tries to give that to them in his designs. He emphasizes the nature of a hole by routing long holes into the wind and short ones with the prevailing wind. "Of course, you can trust prevailing winds like a riverboat gambler," Brauer adds.
The main challenge in defending a course from the distance gobbling technology of today's balls and clubs is not getting one-dimensional. You must have some length, Brauer says, but other aspects of a good remodeling project come into play as well. They include strategy, beauty and most critically for the superintendent, ease of maintenance as described in the sidebar.
Take bunkers as an example: they are labor intensive and prone to washouts with heavy rains. Putting in improved bunker liners can reduce the amount of repair they need and speed daily maintenance. Also, the challenge of mowing can be reduced by strategic turf grass selection and an irrigation system with computerized soil moisture monitoring capabilities.
Today, with the newer golf balls curving less than before, more of the game strategy relates to the slope of the ground, not how much you work a shot, Brauer says. For instance, on the second hole, several facets of design came into focus. A need for some extra dirt on nearby holes meant moving several hundred yards of earth from the left side of number two. Brauer designed the hole (402 yards from the blue tees) as a dogleg left with a narrow chute of a fairway going up the left side as a short cut. The chute wasn't in the original plans but when it became necessary to move some dirt to another hole, it was a good opportunity to use the flattened hillside as a tempting risk-reward landing zone. A steep bank at the end of the slot means you have to decide which part of the fairway to put your drive in, otherwise you have a brutal recovery shot.
"That's all designed for someone that hits it farther than I do," Brauer says. "I don't think I could clear that last steep bank there in 100 years." The hole also has a medium-sized tree about 260 yards out near the bend in the main fairway, which is elevated about 10 feet above the narrower portion.
Birdies come along when the critical shot meets the standard placed on accuracy by the architect. A little luck never hurts either. On this day, the drive on number 2 is ripped down the left side and draws just enough to miss the tree at the dogleg. It bounces atop the crest of the bank and bounds down the sloping fairway to within 110 yards of the green. A crisp 9-iron leaves the ball a dozen feet right of the pin on a side hill. The putt finds the bottom of the cup and, as Brauer puts it, a good drive is converted into a good score. As an architect, he seems pleased that strategy and shot making can come together to make a birdie more enjoyable. Never mind that the drive was hit with a new 460cc driver.
Architect Steve Smyers believes incorporating the slopes and hills of each hole to enhance its playability is crucial because that's where most golfers play — as opposed to the pros who use an aerial assault. Shooting for a nice carom off a greenside slope is part of the strategy many golfers use, for instance.
"Utilizing the ground is what makes the game fun and exciting for a lot of people," Smyers says. As a member of the American Society of Golf Course Architect's technology committee, he believes better trained athletes and course conditioning have also contributed to better play in recent years. All of those factors have combined to make for drives that fly farther and roll longer than ever. Don't concede just yet. You are not dormie in the match with technology as recent remodeling projects show.
At St. Andrew's Golf Club in Overland Park, Kan., superintendent Terry Rodenberg wanted to increase the size and challenge of the greens. In addition, he says the remodeling project that finished this fall makes the public, daily-fee course more competitive with some high-end courses that opened recently in the area just south of Kansas City. Twenty-year industry veteran Craig Schreiner was the architect who redesigned the greens and Carol Mann, an LPGA Hall-of-Famer, worked on positioning the forward tees.
Rodenberg says the new greens allow more pin placements and are more receptive to bump-and-run shots while still being easy to maintain. The bentgrass fringe and bailout areas, which are easily mown at ⅜ inch, give golfers some options in what type of short game shot to hit. The new drainage put in under the greens makes maintenance easier as well.
Schreiner says his approach is to make it more difficult for a low-handicap player to make birdie without crippling the high-handicapper. He feels greens with subtle break put a premium on reading greens and committing to the speed, which influences how many putts a good player will sink. Since high handicappers aren't generally accurate putters, the subtle break doesn't really hurt their score.
"With all the equipment, the balls, the driver heads, the larger sweet spots, the distance becoming a non-factor," says Schreiner, "the only saving grace we have are subtly designed putting surfaces just like we did at St. Andrews."
The area around the 18
"There's a lot more options to actually play the shot out of there as opposed to a flop shot out of the rough," Schreiner says. With 15 to 20 pins possible on each green, putting on any surface can go from feast to famine in less time than it takes a snap-hook to rocket out of bounds.
At Brauer's Indian Creek course the bunker complex on the first hole is primarily designed for its visual impression. While Brauer also thought it was strategically placed far enough out from the blue tees that it couldn't be carried by a drive — reports from the starter say recently several guys are doing just that.
It's harder by the day for a course to defend itself. So while technology is bringing down scores, take comfort in the fact that it is also reducing maintenance time and costs — making your job just a little easier.
Michael Coleman graduated from the University of Iowa School of Journalism and resides in Olathe, Kan.
Course renovations spurred by new technology, both in maintenance and playing equipment, have two goals in mind — making a course more interesting to play and for you, easier to maintain.
Superintendents want to keep long-term maintenance costs down and certain aspects of renovations address that, such as installing bunker liners to keep sand from washing away and installing turf that makes mowing less burdensome.
Superintendent Terry Rodenberg at St. Andrews Golf Club in Overland Park, Kan., feels the new bentgrass put in place during his current renovation will reduce maintenance because it allows finer mowing. Fewer mowing hassles can have a big impact on maintenance time.
For instance Scott Johnson, superintendent at Shadow Glen Golf Club in Olathe, Kan., says the new mowing decks available now decrease the amount of damage done during that unavoidable task. The smaller, more nimble decks allow the crew to get into tighter spaces and keep hilly areas nicely mown without the time-consuming repairs to the grounds often experienced with the larger mowers.
Johnson says computerized irrigation systems have made his job of maintaining the appropriate moisture levels on fairways and greens much easier. Without the potential concern of the fairways turning brown, you can reduce watering and as a result, reduce mowing. Less frequent watering also encourages deeper root growth, experts say, which helps roots tap hard to reach moisture.
Adding bunker liners has been a common approach to reducing one of the costliest areas in course maintenance. Liners work with the drainage system to keep rain from destroying the contour of the bunker, which eliminates most costly repairs. They also keep dirt and rocks from percolating up through the sand.
One challenge that arises during renovations is how to overcome the maintenance issues brought on by the renovation itself. Many courses simply close down during major renovations. If the right approach is used for a small project, golfers don't even notice.
For those medium-sized projects, there is no quick answer. Generous amounts of planning are needed to keep project timetables as short as possible. Rodenberg says one big hurdle is trying to keep a course challenging while not alienating the golfers.
"You don't want them to come experience temporary this and temporary that," he cautions. One strategy he uses is reversing nines when working on the outward half. This gives his crew more time in the morning to work before golfers come through and put a halt to progress.
Another approach to try is doing work around the greens early in the day before most play begins, and then later focusing on areas that don't interfere with play as much. With a little planning, your renovation can be an improvement for your crew as well as your golfers.
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One-fifth of Spice Girls-wife-global brand-mother-solo singer-style icon-fashion designer-Spice Girl reborn-acclaimed fashion designer-and now Creative Design Executive for Range Rover. Kind of impressive timeline for Victoria Beckham, and the most interesting if not bizarre roles that she has taken on.
"Victoria Beckham is a talented British fashion designer and is extremely knowledgeable about great design and trends," said Gerry McGovern. "Victoria understands luxury products – she is a Range Rover fan and has been a Range Rover owner for many years. Her fashion business is now in its third year and her designs are loved by critics and bought by many of the most stylish women in the world. I believe this appointment adds a new dimension to my design team as we continue to design products to appeal to a wider audience."
The swanky bash was attended by over 300 people, including some of Vickie B's favourite designers, Julien MacDonald, Matthew Williamson and Roland Mouret; as well as model Erin O'Connor, Zara Phillips, Alex James, and Vogue Editor Alexandra Shulman who apparently was responsible for introducing Vicky B to the car manufacturer.
"This is a very exciting collaboration. The classic British heritage of Range Rover and the effortless style, quality and beauty is something I truly admire and also what I hope to achieve with my own brand. I am honoured to take on this role and be part of the creative team."
Victoria Beckham
Is it too early to say that I want to be on the waiting list? I can't wait to see what Vickie B comes up with. I have a Freelander at the moment and love Land Rover so a Victoria Beckham designed car would be a stylist upgrade!!