Graceland Windows + Doors is owned and operated by Jacob Boone. GRACELAND Windows, Doors, Design is a full-service, retrofit, replacement window + door company based in Austin, TX and serving the greater Hill Country area. We serve a variety of needs: large and small, basic and custom. Our objective is to determine what works well with your home's architecture/design, and to provide you with the best energy-efficient window and door options at an unbeatable price, guaranteed.
Established in 2012, Graceland has been a pacesetter in the Austin remodeling industry by offering the most competitive pricing for high-efficiency building products for both residential and commercial properties. Along with offering some of the most efficient windows and doors on the market, Graceland's growth and success has only been tempered by their tremendous customer service, unbeatable product warranties, and installation crews that are long time employees and not subcontractors.
You get the owner every step of the way, not a commissioned sales person.
EXACT pricing. No hidden fees, or "BUY NOW and I'll take 30% off!" tactics. In fact, I encourage you to get at least 3 bids.
I'll bring window samples, so that you can get a feel for the aesthetics, and then determine what is best for you and your home.
Your quote is good for a year, so there is absolutely no rush. I work for YOU and YOUR time schedule.
Unlike many companies, BOTH spouses do NOT have to be present. I am happy to show one, or both, our products.
The free consultation should take between 20-45 minutes, depending on scope. I understand that life is busy, and I respect your time.
I'll explain lead times and expectations. As a consumer myself, I don't like surprises and I like to be kept in the loop. When it comes to that, I live by the Golden Rule.
As a sales and project manager in the replacement window and door business for many years, and in my own remodels, I began to notice a serious need within the window replacement industry. I passionately believe we should start to share a deliberate focus on design AND energy-efficient products. A marriage between these two philosophies would ultimately make the world a prettier place, creating a more enjoyable home environment for all families.
GRACELAND was created to help make beautiful spaces for families of all shapes and sizes, to live and thrive. We enjoy clearly navigating you through various options, offering up creative solutions, and working within a budget that you are 100% comfortable with. Replacement windows and doors should be a one-time investment, and I look forward to consulting with you as you make this decision for your home.
At Graceland, we practice a deliberate and personal approach when deciding which manufacturers to partner with. NT Windows are home-grown, in Texas, made in nearby Dallas. They produce a window that is specifically engineered for our climate; not for a northern climate. They also maintain a sterling reputation for quality, efficiency, and contemporary design. NT's thermally-broken aluminum series is perfect for those who want a more minimal design without the sacrifice of efficiency.
When deciding on window manufacturers I believe in, NT Window Company (North Texas) hit all the marks. From their lifetime warranty + Lifetime Warranty on Glass to vast exterior color options, NT Window makes both a premium vinyl window and thermally-broken aluminum window in which I feel extreme confidence. It's rare to find a window that leads its class in both efficiency, performance and design, all while keeping a competitive price-point.
There is also a place in a home's architecture where wood would be the go-to choice, and I have the utmost respect for Jeld-Wen Window and Doors. From their industry leading warranty to their beautiful design, this is a Window and Door manufacturer I feel confident standing behind. I sell this window almost exclusively when it comes to wood because of price point, design, options and turnarounds.
Additionally, it is no surprise that I also intentionally chose to partner with Don Young Windows and Doors out of San Antonio, based off their unrivaled history in this industry, especially regarding their Thermally-Broken Aluminum Patio Door line. The DYC Patio Door is not only highly energy-efficient, it offers a minimal design that allow you much more viewing than that of a traditional Patio Door. Stylistically, this is a wonderful selection for those more modern and mid-century (MCM) homes.
To summarize, there is a vision. This vision is to make the rather arduous task of buying windows a more pleasant experience for YOU, while maintaining the integrity of design using sustainable and global-friendly products. I sincerely want you to enjoy the process of making your house feel like a HOME you actually want to come home to.
Please let me know how I can help you move forward. Thank you for taking the time to get to know us, and we genuinely look forward to working with you! Welcome to GRACELAND.


text:
Second annual Delaware Latino Summit to be held Oct. 22
More than 500 are expected to attend this year's summit at the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington.
Second annual Delaware Latino Summit to be held Oct. 22 More than 500 are expected to attend this year's summit at the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington. Check out this story on delawareonline.com: https://delonline.us/1RMYjzA
Scott Goss, The News Journal Published 3:15 p.m. ET Oct. 16, 2015
Carlos Reyes-Rodriguez, 31, of Dover, takes notes while listening to speakers at the inaugural 2014 Delaware Latino Summit at Delaware Technical Community College's Terry Campus in Dover. (Photo: JENNIFER CORBETT/THE NEWS JOURNA)
The second annual Delaware Latino Summit on Thursday will focus on education and other issues facing the state's roughly 80,000 Hispanic residents.
The daylong event in Wilmington, titled "Connecting Through Education for a Brighter Future," is being coordinated by the Delaware Hispanic Commission, a 16-member body created by executive order in 2013 to address the needs of the state's rapidly growing Latino population.
U.S. Census counts show the number of Hispanic residents nearly doubled from about 37,300 in 2000 to 76,107 in 2013 and currently makes up about 8.9 percent of Delaware's 935,614 residents in 2014.
The inaugural Delaware Latino Summit in 2014 laid the groundwork for the creation of the Delaware Hispanic Public Policy Agenda that will be distributed at this year's event.
Thursday's summit also will include opening remarks from Gov. Jack Markell, public policy breakout sessions, a panel discussion featuring "successful Latino leaders" and six workshops covering education, economic development, health and social services, housing, social justice and the community, and transportation.
More than 55 sponsors and exhibitors also will highlight their goods and services to the roughly 500 people expected to attend the summit at the Chase Center on the Riverfront.
Attendance at this year's summit is $50 per person, although college students will be charged a reduce rate of $25. Scholarships also are available for $10.
For more information or to register for the event, visit http://1.usa.gov/1VWEDtt.
Contact business reporter Scott Goss at (302) 324-2281, sgoss@delawareonline.com or on Twitter @ScottGossDel.
Read or Share this story: https://delonline.us/1RMYjzA

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


School and district administrators can view important information on how teachers are using the program. They can view total teacher logins, program hours, and teacher time spent in various areas of the program.
Click Usage Reports and select How are my teachers spending their time?
How should we summarize the results? By default, Show information on every teacher is selected; it is the only option for summarization.
A list of users appears.
NOTE: Teacher time spent accessing program content via links from the Correlation Report will be logged as activity in those parts of the program. For example, if a teacher accesses a lesson's Teacher's Materials by clicking a link in the Correlation Report and spends 15 minutes viewing those materials, that time will be logged as time spent on "Lesson Support Materials" rather than "Accessing Reports".


text:
Georgia Man Gets Prison After Mail, Identities Stolen
Man Admits Role in the Theft of Mail, Stolen Identities
Published January 27, 2016 • Updated on January 27, 2016 at 1:06 pm
A 47-year-old Georgia man has admitted his role in the theft of mail in Mississippi and the use of stolen identities to make counterfeit checks for purchases at Wal-Mart stores while he lived in Gulfport.
The Sun Herald reports (http://bit.ly/1OYBw16) Charles Slaton, of Griffin, Georgia, was sentenced to 25 months in prison and three years of probation Tuesday in U.S. District Court.
Judge Sul Ozerden also ordered Slaton to help repay over $9,000 for purchases made with stolen IDs.
Slaton pleaded guilty in October to conspiracy to commit mail theft and identity theft.
The bogus checks were used at Wal-Marts in Biloxi, Pass Christian and Crowley, Texas. Slaton's involvement included a trip to the Pass Christian store with a fake check.
Prosecutors have said the conspiracy ran between Oct. 4, 2013, and Nov. 18, 2014, and involved the use of victims' names and bank routing numbers to produce counterfeit checks. The fake checks were used to buy gift cards, prepaid credit cards, electronics, food and clothing, and in at least one instance, motel expenses.
A grand jury indicted Slaton and four others May 20.
Two co-defendants also have pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge.
Megan Murley, 27, of Marlin, Texas, was ordered to help make restitution at her sentencing in November. Ozerden gave her credit for time served since her arrest in June and ordered three years of probation.
David Elliot Burney, 47, of Grandbury, Texas, will be sentenced April 1. He faces up to five years in prison.
Joe Gonzales Jr., 36, of Fort Worth, Texas, has accepted a plea to a reduced charge of misprision of felony, meaning he was aware of criminal activity but did not report it. He faces up to three years in prison at his sentencing April 14.
A fifth indicted defendant has not been taken into custody, court records show.
JUDGEGeorgiaMississippielectronicsU.S. District Court


God placed the rainbow in the sky after the flood to signify what promise?
Who is the `Lamb of God'?
What was the promise Hannah made to God regarding her son Samuel?
Whose wife became `a pillar of salt`?
How was one to identify whether a prophet had spoken in the name of the LORD or not?
Paul wrote that all things have been put under subjection to Christ, with only one exception. Who is the one exception that is not under subjection to Christ?
Which two people walked on water?
Who was John the Baptist's father?
What Character Are You From The Bible?


text:
JVC, vollständiger Name Nihon Victor K. K. (jap. , Nihon bikutā kabushiki kaisha; engl. Victor Company of Japan, Limited oder Japan Victor Company) ist ein Unternehmen mit Sitz im japanischen Yokohama, das Unterhaltungselektronik und medientechnische Geräte entwickelt und vertreibt. Das Unternehmen wurde 1927 vom amerikanischen Schallplattenproduzenten Victor Talking Machine Company gegründet, war von 1954 bis 2008 eine Tochter der heutigen Panasonic Corporation und bildete 2008 mit dem früheren Konkurrenten Kenwood ein Joint Venture; seit 2011 ist JVC eine Tochter der daraus gebildeten JVC Kenwood Corporation. Im Jahr 2008 hatte JVC etwa 19.000 Angestellte.

Geschichte

Tochtergesellschaft der VTMC
Das Unternehmen wurde am 13. September 1927 als Tochtergesellschaft der US-amerikanischen Victor Talking Machine Company (VTMC) gegründet, löste sich aber mit Beginn des Zweiten Weltkrieges zwischen 1939 und 1940 von seiner Muttergesellschaft. Anfangs befasste JVC sich mit der Herstellung von Schallplatten und deren Verbesserung, z. B. der Entwicklung des 45/45-Stereoformates. Viele markterfolgreiche Innovationen folgten und haben JVC stetig wachsen lassen.

Tochtergesellschaft der Matsushita Electric Industrial
Im Jahre 1954 wurde JVC von Matsushita Electric Industrial (heute Panasonic Corporation) übernommen.

1976 brachte JVC den ersten VHS-Videorekorder für den Heimgebrauch mit der Modellbezeichnung HR-3300 auf den Markt. Durch eine Politik der großzügigen Lizenzvergabe an andere Hersteller verdrängte das VHS-System in nur wenigen Jahren die bereits bestehenden magnetischen Bildaufzeichnungssysteme von Philips (VCR) und Sony (Betamax). Auch das nach VHS von Grundig und Philips eingeführte Video 2000 konnte sich gegen das JVC-Format nicht durchsetzen ("Formatkrieg"). Aufgrund des kommerziellen Erfolges und der damit einhergehenden großen Verbreitung wurde VHS weltweit zur Quasi-Norm für Heim-Videorekorder.

Nicht unerwähnt bleiben soll die zumindest umstrittene Rolle von JVC als Wegbereiter zur weltweiten Verbreitung des analogen Kopierschutzes Macrovision. Auf Druck der Filmindustrie wurde 1985 der VHS-Standard von JVC modifiziert. VHS-Lizenznehmer mussten die AGC (Automatic Gain Control) so ändern, dass sie verlässlich auf die Macrovision-Impulse ansprach. (Die AGC ist technisch das Gegenstück zur automatischen Aussteuerung bei Magnetbandgeräten und sollte ohne Zutun des Anwenders korrekte Videopegel und damit die richtige Helligkeit der Aufnahme sicherstellen.) Bis zu diesem Zeitpunkt hing es von der AGC-Schaltung des jeweiligen Videorecorders ab, ob er auf die Kopierschutzsignale wie von Macrovision Corporation gewünscht reagierte oder nicht.

Ab 1986 entwickelte JVC ein verbessertes VHS-Format (S-VHS, erstes Modell: HR-S5000 PAL bzw. HR-S7000 NTSC) und das kleinere VHS-C-Format für tragbare Recorder und Camcorder. 1995 stellte JVC das professionelle Digital S, das denselben Formfaktor wie VHS hat, vor und den ersten Digital-Camcorder im Taschenformat (JVC GR DV-1); 2002 Plasmabildschirme.

Im Jahre 1991 gelang JVC ein Meilenstein in der Kategorie Heim-Stereo. Dem allgemeinen Trend zur Verringerung der Geräteabmessungen folgend, ging JVC auch dazu über, Stereo-HiFi-Anlagen zu verkleinern. Sie brachten 1991 die weltweit erste vollwertige Micro-HiFi-Stereoanlage "UX-1" auf den Markt. Das Gerät durfte im Lastenheft nicht breiter und tiefer als eine CD-Hülle und nicht höher als zwei Hüllen hochkant sein. Das Gerät hat ein vollelektronisches Auto-Reverse Kassettendeck, wie auch einen motorangetriebenen Toplader CD-Player, ebenso AM/FM Empfang sowie auch einen RCA (Cinch) Aux-Anschluss, um eine weitere Quelle einzuspeisen. Das Gerät erntete durchwegs positive Erfahrungsberichte, weil es im Grunde nur ein auf das Minimum geschrumpftes Vollformat-Hifi Gerät war und auch so klang. JVC erschuf somit den Markt der Micro-HiFi-Anlagen, welcher vorher nur durch Mini-HiFi-Geräte bedient wurde. Solcherlei Mini-Geräte (meist 32 cm bis 36 cm) waren zumeist nur reduzierte Vollformat-Geräte (41 cm bis 44 cm) und immer noch verhältnismäßig groß.

Die Unterhaltungselektronik war ebenfalls ein wichtiges Standbein von JVC/Victor. Viele Innovationen wie CD4 (Quadrofonieverfahren), ANRS (Rauschunterdrückung), Biphonic (Kunstkopfaufnahmen), Super A (Verstärkertechnologie) wurden eingeführt und machten JVC/Victor weltweit bekannt. An HiFi-Geräten ist u. a. die professionelle Serie 1000 des Jahres 1975 (JM-S1000, JP-V1000, CD4-1000 und der Studioplattenspieler JL-B1000) erwähnenswert. Händlern wurden zeitgleich diverse Präsentationsgeräte ausgehändigt. Am Beispiel der Plasmaanzeige MM-4- mit diesem Gerät konnte man alle 4 Kanäle bei Quadrophonie darstellen.

Besondere Qualitätsansprüche stellte die Laboratory Serie (Bsp. wie 1000ender, M-7050, Xl-Z1000) dar. Viele der dort verwirklichten Schaltungstechnologien fanden sich meist zeitverzögert in diversen Serienprodukten wieder.

Halbherzig wurde die Exportpolitik nach Europa betrieben, Geräte aus einigen Serien fanden den Weg nach den USA, nicht aber nach Europa. Dies zeigt beispielsweise die 7070er-Serie aus dem Jahr 1978: Der SEA-7070 (Equalizer) in Europa/USA, nicht aber der EQ-7070 (Vorverstärker), M-7070 (Mono-Endverstärker), CF-7070 (Frequenzweiche)- diese waren den USA vorbehalten.

1997 u. a. wieder das gleiche Dilema mit wertigen Komponenten- den CD player XL-Z999EX mit dem D/A Wandler XP-DA999- nur Japan.

Als europäische Ableger wurden 1977 die JVC (U.K.) Limited und 1978 die JVC-Deutschland GmbH (Zunächst in Frankfurt am Main, seit 1993 in Friedberg) gegründet.

Tochtergesellschaft der JVC Kenwood Corporation

Wegen hoher Verluste von JVC begann Matsushita 2007 mit einem teilweisen Verkauf an Kenwood und damit einer Reduzierung seiner Firmenanteile.
Am 1. Oktober 2008 wurde von JVC und Kenwood die gemeinsame Jointventuregesellschaft JVC Kenwood Holdings K. K. (, JVC Ken'uddo hōrudingusu kabushiki-gaihsa, engl. JVC KENWOOD Holdings Inc.) gegründet.
Die Vereinigung von JVC und Kenwood endete mit der Umbenennung der Holding in die JVC Kenwood Corporation. Die JVC Ltd. ist seitdem neben der Kenwood Corporation und J & K Car Electronics Corporation eines der drei Tochterunternehmen der JVC Kenwood Corporation bzw. JVC Kenwood Group.

Sponsoring
JVC engagiert sich auch als Sponsor für Sport-Großereignisse wie der UEFA Fußball-Europameisterschaft (seit 1980), dem FIFA-Weltcup (seit 1982), der Fußball-Weltmeisterschaft 2002 in Korea/Japan und ist seit 1978 regelmäßig Veranstalter des Tokyo Video Festivals und des JVC Jazz Festivals in Singapur. JVC sponsert auch den niederländischen Rennfahrer Christijan Albers.

1984 bis 2008 war JVC Sponsor der JVC Jazz Festivals.

Weblinks

 JVC Japan
 JVC Deutschland
 JVC Professional Europe
 JVC Hifi Classics, private project

Einzelnachweise

Literatur
 S. Noma (Hrsg.): Victor Co of Japan, Ltd. In: Japan. An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Kodansha, 1993. ISBN 4-06-205938-X, S. 1673.

Elektronikhersteller
Hardwarehersteller (Japan)
Audiotechnikhersteller
Unternehmen (Yokohama)
Abkürzung
Panasonic Corporation

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Mystery of the "TH" Maker Revisited
The Mystery of the "TH" Maker Revisited
Irving Heidelsheimer diamond and platinum cufflinks, circa 1920.
I hope everyone is enjoying the best of the Holiday Season and anticipating a happy New Year! December is traditionally the month I try to tie up some of the loose ends cluttering my desk. In that spirit this note relates to the "TH" maker and a recently acquired pair of Heidelsheimer cufflinks.
Several months ago I wrote about "mystery makers" - makers of fine cufflinks about whom we know little beyond the elegant cufflinks they created. One of these unidentified makers is known as the "TH" maker. The sparkling platinum and diamond cufflinks pictured above may shed some light on this mystery firm.
"TH" maker cufflinks with anthemion corners, circa 1925.
The TH maker created elegant double-sided cufflinks during the 1920s and 30s. The above cufflink is a wonderful example from the early Art Deco period. The cufflink features stylized anthemion (palmette) corners with water lily borders surrounding intricately engine turned centers.
"TH" maker's mark.
The TH maker earned its nickname because of the maker's mark found stamped on the cross bars of the cufflinks - a "T" atop an "H". Beneath the maker's mark a "14" indicates the purity of the gold. The TH maker created cufflinks in 14-karat white and yellow gold.
Reverse of TH maker anthemion and water lily cufflinks.
In addition to elegant design and the maker's mark, the cufflinks of the TH maker are also characterized by distinctive cross bars and brackets. The brackets resemble a small bow tie with the edge outlined with an incised channel. The cross bars have tapered waists and elongated, teardrop-shaped eyelets. When the maker's mark is obscured, the distinctive brackets and cross bars can aid in identification.
At the beginning of this note a glittering diamond and platinum cufflink created by Irving Heidelsheimer around 1920 is illustrated. Irving Heidelsheimer (succeeded by Irving Manufacturing Company) was a maker of fine gold jewelry and cufflinks during the early decades of the last century. The firm like many of the fine cufflink makers of the day was based in Newark, New Jersey.
Reverse of Heidelsheimer platinum and diamond cufflinks.
Like the TH cufflink, the reverse of the Heidelsheimer cufflink was crafted in 14kt yellow gold. Even more interesting, the brackets and cross bars of the Heidelsheimer cufflink show a marked similarity to corresponding hardware of the TH cufflink.
Both cufflinks feature the same bow tie style bracket with an incised line shadowing the edge. In addition, the cross bars of the two cufflinks are similar in design with tapered waists and elongated, teardrop-shaped eyelets. A close-up of the cross bar and maker's mark of the Heidelsheimer cufflink is shown below.
Close-up of Heidelsheimer cross bars and maker's mark.
The similarity of the brackets and cross bars strongly suggests that the TH maker and the Heidelsheimer firm were in some way related. But the nature of that relationship remains unclear. Several possibilities suggest themselves:
1. Perhaps, the TH maker was a successor firm to the Irving Manufacturing Company (successor to Irving Heidelsheimer). During this period it was not uncommon for one jewelry firm to absorb another and then continue the designs and patterns of the latter.
2. Or, possibly, Heidelscheimer and the TH maker were one and the same. The "TH" could have been an alternative maker's mark adopted by Heidelsheimer to better fit the small area afforded by the tapered waist of the cross bars. The "H" might have signified "Heidelsheimer". But, then, what of the "T"?
3. A third possibility is that the cross bars and brackets were created by Heidelsheimer and wholesaled as findings (jewelry components) to other jewelry makers. Patent illustrations from 1916 indicate that the Heidelsheimer firm was using this style of crossbar from at least the mid teens. Unfortunately the illustrations don't provide a clear view of the brackets.
Each of these possibilities is no more than speculation. Each points to a direction of further research, but does not currently provide any answers.
When researching antique cufflinks answering one question usually leads to several more. Uncovering one clue leads to another mystery. Such is the endless fascination and mystique of antique jewels.
Heidelsheimer cufflinks, circa 1920.
Additional photos of these and other fine antique cufflinks,
can be found in the Antique Cufflink Gallery.
Labels: antique cufflinks, Art Deco, diamonds, Irving Heidelsheimer, Irving Manufacturing Company, platinum, TH maker
During the busy holiday season we have added cufflinks set with diamonds, carnelians and moonstones to the Antique Cufflink Gallery. There is also an elegant Carrington dress set glittering with rose-cut diamonds and mother-of-pearl. Warmest wishes to all for the best of the holidays.
Diamond Elegance Elegant early Art Deco cufflinks set with sparkling diamonds. The platinum tops are beautifully engraved and surrounded by laurel wreath borders. Crafted in platinum and 14kt gold, circa 1920.
Carnelian and Gold Alluring sultry Carnelians set in gold. The interplay of the Carnelians' color and the yellow gold gives these cufflinks an inescapable elegance. Crafted in 14kt gold, circa 1920.
Moonstruck Luminous moonstones glow in the center of these mesmerizing gold cufflinks in the Arts & Crafts style. The bluish cast of the moonstones adds an air of mystery. Created in 14kt gold, circa 1900.
Carrington Elegance An elegant full dress with mother-of-pearl centers surrounded by sparkling halos of rose-cut diamonds. Crafted in platinum and 14kt gold, circa 1925.
In addition to the above cufflinks, I recently added a striking
Carter, Gough Moss Agate stickpin to the Antique Jewelry Gallery.
Labels: antique cufflinks, Carrington, Carter Gough, Day Clark, diamonds, dress sets, Moonstone, Moss Agate, platinum, recent additions


text:
Joseph Arnaouti ICPB (* 2. Mai 1936 in Aleppo) ist armenisch-katholischer Patriarchal-Exarch von Damaskus.

Leben
Joseph Arnaouti trat der Ordensgemeinschaft des Institut du Clergé Patriarcal de Bzommar bei und empfing am 5. April 1969 die Priesterweihe. Papst Johannes Paul II. ernannte ihn am 21. August 1989 zum Bischof von Kamichlié.

Der Patriarch von Kilikien, Johannes Bedros XVIII. Kasparian ICPB, spendete ihm am 18. März des nächsten Jahres die Bischofsweihe; Mitkonsekratoren waren André Bedoglouyan ICPB, Weihbischof in Kilikien, und Krikor Ayvazian, Altbischof von Kamichlié.

Von seinem Amt trat er am 10. April 1992 zurück. Am 24. Mai 1994 wurde er zum Weihbischof in San Gregorio de Narek en Buenos Aires ernannt. 1997 wurde er zum Patriarchal-Exarchen von Damaskus mit Sitz in der Kirche der Königin des Universums und zum Kurienbischof in Kilikien ernannt, doch von letzterem Amt trat er 1999 zurück.

Weblinks

Armenisch-katholischer Bischof
Angehöriger der Patriarchalen Kongregation von Bzommar
Person (Aleppo)
Syrer
Geboren 1936
Mann


text:
The 2004 United States Open Championship was the 104th U.S. Open, held June 17–20 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Shinnecock Hills, New York. Retief Goosen won his second U.S. Open title, two strokes ahead of runner-up Phil Mickelson, the reigning Masters  The purse was $6.25 million with a winner's share of $1.125

Late on Sunday in dry and breezy conditions, Goosen birdied the 16th hole and Mickelson double-bogeyed the par-3  Goosen's previous U.S. Open win was in 2001 in a playoff at Southern Hills.

History of U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills
This was the fourth U.S. Open hosted by Shinnecock Hills.  The former champions were James Foulis (1896), Raymond Floyd (1986), and Corey Pavin (1995). The second U.S. Open was held at Shinnecock in 1896, but ninety years went by before it hosted again. The 1986 edition was held on a completely revamped course. Floyd, age 43, entered the final round three shots behind and shot a 66 in difficult scoring conditions to win his fourth major.

The conditions were similar in 1995, with no one under par. Pavin played the final ten holes in three-under-par on the way to a 68 and the win. He hit a memorable 4-wood to the 72nd green to within  and finished at even par 280.

Course layout

Lengths of the course for previous major championships:
, par 70 - 1995 U.S. Open
, par 70 - 1986 U.S. Open
,  - 1896 U.S. Open

Field
1. Last 10 U.S. Open Champions
Ernie Els (4,8,9,10,11,13,16), Jim Furyk (8,9,16), Retief Goosen (9,10,16), Lee Janzen, Corey Pavin, Tiger Woods (3,4,5,9,11,12,16)
Steve Jones did not play.

2. Top two finishers in the 2003 U.S. Amateur
Nick Flanagan (a), Casey Wittenberg (a)

3. Last five Masters Champions
Phil Mickelson (11,16), Vijay Singh (9,11,12,16), Mike Weir (8,9,16)

4. Last five British Open Champions
Ben Curtis (16), David Duval, Paul Lawrie

5. Last five PGA Champions
Rich Beem, Shaun Micheel (16), David Toms (8,9,12,16)

6. The Players Champion
Adam Scott (10,11,12,16)

7. The U.S. Senior Open Champion
Bruce Lietzke did not play.

8. Top 15 finishers and ties in the 2003 U.S. Open
Jonathan Byrd, Tom Byrum, Pádraig Harrington (10,16), Freddie Jacobson (10,16), Jonathan Kaye (9,12,16), Cliff Kresge, Stephen Leaney (10,16), Billy Mayfair, Kenny Perry (9,12,16), Tim Petrovic, Nick Price (9,16), Eduardo Romero, Justin Rose, Hidemichi Tanaka, Scott Verplank (9,16)

9. Top 30 leaders on the 2003 PGA Tour official money list
Robert Allenby (16), Stuart Appleby (11,16), Briny Baird, Chad Campbell (11,16), K. J. Choi (16), Chris DiMarco (16), Brad Faxon (16), Steve Flesch (11,12,16), Fred Funk, Jay Haas (16), Tim Herron, Charles Howell III (16), Jerry Kelly (16), Justin Leonard (16), J. L. Lewis, Davis Love III (11,16), Chris Riley (16), Kirk Triplett (16), Bob Tway (16)

10. Top 15 on the 2003 European Tour Order of Merit
Thomas Bjørn (16), Michael Campbell, Paul Casey (16), Darren Clarke (13,16), Brian Davis, Trevor Immelman (16), Ian Poulter, Phillip Price, Lee Westwood

11. Top 10 on the PGA Tour official money list, as of May 30
Stewart Cink (16)

12. Winners of multiple PGA Tour events from April 23, 2003 through the 2004 Memorial Tournament

13. Top 2 from the 2004 European Tour Order of Merit, as of May 31

14. Top 2 on the 2003 Japan Golf Tour, provided they are within the top 75 point leaders of the Official World Golf Rankings at that time
Toshimitsu Izawa

15. Top 2 on the 2003 PGA Tour of Australasia, provided they are within the top 75 point leaders of the Official World Golf Rankings at that time
Peter Lonard (16)

16. Top 50 on the Official World Golf Rankings list, as of May 31
Stephen Ames, Ángel Cabrera, Fred Couples, Sergio García, Todd Hamilton, Joakim Haeggman, Scott Hoch, Miguel Ángel Jiménez, Zach Johnson, Shigeki Maruyama, Craig Parry

17. Special exemptions selected by the USGA
Raymond Floyd

Sectional qualifiers
Daly City, California: David Carr (L), Spencer Levin (a,L), Leif Olson (L), Roger Tambellini
Littleton, Colorado: John Douma, Steve Gotsche
Orlando, Florida: Nick Faldo, Tripp Isenhour, Camilo Villegas (L)
Atlanta, Georgia: Thomas Levet, Scott Weatherly (L)
Kahuku, Hawaii: Parker McLachlin (L)
North Barrington, Illinois: Robert Garrigus (L), Carl Paulson (L)
Rockville, Maryland: Carlos Franco, Pat Perez, Joey Sindelar, Omar Uresti (L), Bubba Watson (L)
St. Louis, Missouri: John Elliott (L), David Roesch (L)
Summit, New Jersey: Stephen Allan, Casey Bourque (L), Craig Bowden, Mark Brooks, Tom Carter, Kris Cox (L), Brian Gay, Matt Gogel, Dudley Hart, J. P. Hayes, Scott Hend, J. J. Henry, Gabriel Hjertstedt, Pete Jordan (L), Brad Lardon (L), Brock Mackenzie (a), Spike McRoy, David Morland IV, Dennis Paulson, Geoffrey Sisk (L), Steve Sokol (L), Kevin Stadler (L)
Columbus, Ohio: Eric Axley (L), Aaron Baddeley, Mark Calcavecchia, Alex Čejka, Daniel Chopra, Tim Clark, John Connelly (L), Bob Estes, David Faught, Dan Forsman, Jeff Gove (L), Jimmy Green (L), Bill Haas (a), Justin Hicks (L), Brendan Jones, Skip Kendall, Jeff Maggert, Joey Maxon (L), Joe Ogilvie, Dan Olsen (L), Payton Osborn (L), Tom Pernice Jr., Chez Reavie (a), John Rollins, Rory Sabbatini, John Senden, Chris Smith, Nathan Smith (a,L), Steve Stricker, Kevin Sutherland, Bo Van Pelt, Johnson Wagner (L), Duffy Waldorf
Sunriver, Oregon: Óscar David Álvarez (a)
Midway, Pennsylvania: Andrew Tschudin (L)
Richmond, Texas: Charleton Dechert (L), Tom Kite

Past champions in the field

Made the cut

Missed the cut

Round summaries

First round
Thursday, June 17, 2004

Fifty-year-old Jay Haas led after one round, in a bid to become the oldest major champion in history. He was joined at the lead by Shigeki Maruyama and Ángel Cabrera. Two-time major champion Vijay Singh shot a solid 68, as did current Masters champion Phil Mickelson. Former U.S. Open champions Ernie Els and Retief Goosen shot an even-par 70 after rough starts. World Number 1 Tiger Woods struggled on Shinnecock's fast conditions and settled for a two-over-par 72. David Duval shot an 83, the worst round in the field, but was in high spirits afterwards.

Second round
Friday, June 18, 2004

Phil Mickelson surged into the lead, trying to become the sixth to win the first two majors of the year, with a bogey-free 66. He tied for the lead with Shigeki Maruyama, who bogeyed the 18th hole and shot 68. Ernie Els had four consecutive birdies in a round of 67. Jeff Maggert was in solo third at five-under-par with a 67, while Fred Funk and Retief Goosen both shot 66 to tie for fourth. Ángel Cabrera had a crazy day after a 66 to shoot a 71.  Corey Pavin, the previous champion at Shinnecock in 1995, tied with Vijay Singh at four strokes back. Tiger Woods shot 69 for 141 (+1), tied for 18th. World Number 4 Davis Love III missed the cut, as did David Duval.

Jay Haas (E) and amateur Bill Haas (+5) were the second father and son to make the cut in the same U.S. Open; it was first accomplished 46 years earlier in 1948 by Joe Kirkwood Sr. and Joe Kirkwood Jr.

Amateurs: Levin (+2), Wittenberg (+2), Haas (+5), Reavie (+5),Mackenzie (+9), Smith (+9), Flanagan (+14), Álvarez (+18)

Third round
Saturday, June 19, 2004

Retief Goosen battled his way into a two-shot lead on Saturday as Shinnecock Hills presented its stiffest test of the week. He held his nerve in challenging conditions to card a one-under 69 for 205 (−5), and was one of only three to break par. Second round leader Phil Mickelson bogeyed the last two holes for a share of second place with two-time champion Ernie Els. Fred Funk and Shigeki Maruyama both had crazy days, finishing poorly for a tie for fourth. Jeff Maggert's 74 dropped him into a tie for sixth with Tim Clark, who had 66, the best of the day; Tiger Woods eagled the 18th for 73 and Vijay Singh stumbled with

Final round
Sunday, June 20, 2004

Retief Goosen held his nerve and won his second U.S. Open, edging out Phil Mickelson by two shots with a closing 71 (+1) on Sunday to finish at four-under 276. Conditions were brutal on the final day when the average final-round score was 78.7 and no one was  Mickelson, urged on by raucous New York galleries on a windswept sunny afternoon, completed a matching 71 for his third runner-up spot in the last six U.S. Opens. Goosen led by two going into the final day, but was overtaken by Mickelson in the closing stretch, with back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16. But Mickelson, bidding to become the sixth player to win the first two majors of the year, immediately fell back with a double-bogey at the par-three 17th, three-putting from . In the final pair with compatriot Ernie Els, Goosen restored his two-shot advantage with a  birdie putt on 16 and parred the final two holes to seal

In a nearly unprecedented action, the USGA watered a few of the greens during play including the 7th green when players were not able to prevent the ball from rolling off.  As a result the leaders faced much easier playing conditions than the rest of the field and the final 5 groups had a scoring average of 75.9, compared to the field's 78.7, including 3 of the 5 lowest rounds of the day.

Jeff Maggert (72) finished third at one-over 281, while 2003 Masters champion Mike Weir (74) and Shigeki Maruyama (76) were three shots further back at 284 in a tie for fourth. World number two Els, joint second overnight with Mickelson, produced four double-bogeys on his way to an 80 (+10), his worst score in a U.S. Open, and tied for ninth at 287. Top-ranked Tiger Woods, who began nine shots off the  battled to a 76 and a share of 17th place. A mix of five bogeys, a double-bogey and a birdie at the last left him at 290 (+10) as he narrowly avoided his worst round at a  His career high of 77 came as an amateur in 1996, in the third round at Oakland Hills. Robert Allenby had the low round of the day at even-par 70; three birdies and three bogeys lifted him into a tie for seventh with Steve Flesch at six-over 286; Fred Funk (77) was alone in sixth on 285.

Amateurs: Levin (+8), Wittenberg (+16), Haas (+17), Reavie (+24)

Scorecard

Cumulative tournament scores, relative to par
{|class="wikitable" span = 50 style="font-size:85%;
|-
|style="background: Pink;" width=10|
|Birdie
|style="background: PaleGreen;" width=10|
|Bogey
|style="background: Green;" width=10|
|Double bogey
|}

References

External links
USOpen.com – 2004

U.S. Open (golf)
Golf in New York (state)
Sports in Long Island
U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
U.S. Open (golf)
U.S. Open (golf)


text:
https://rocketswire.usatoday.com/2020/04/23/watch-russell-westbrook-works-out-in-quarantine-on-a-sand-court/
WATCH: Russell Westbrook works out in quarantine on a sand court
On Tuesday night's "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" appearance, Houston Rockets star and former NBA MVP Russell Westbrook insisted that he's "always ready" when asked about the potential of a quick restart of the suspended 2019-20 season.
The league has been on hiatus since March 12 due to the U.S. outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Westbrook has since traveled back to his hometown of Los Angeles, where he's living with his wife and children amid stay-at-home orders throughout most of the nation.
But recent reports have suggested increased optimism that the season will be able to resume at some point, and Westbrook appears to be maintaining peak fitness in the event that such a day comes. On Wednesday, his regimen included an intense workout with a trainer (maintaining physical distancing, of course) on a sand volleyball court.
Russ putting in work during quarantine 😤
(via @justtrain) pic.twitter.com/Y5IBCetc87
In his first season with the Rockets (40-24), the 31-year-old Westbrook is averaging 27.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game.
Coming off an offseason knee procedure and the transition to a new team, the 6-foot-3 guard has looked increasingly comfortable as the season has progressed, culminating with a line of 33.4 points (54.9% FG, 40.0% on 3-pointers), 7.3 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game in February. Led by the nine-time All-Star, Houston went 9-2 in that month.
As a child, Russell Westbrook blew off Michael Jordan at his camp
Report: Optimism growing that NBA can resume 2019-20 season
Russell Westbrook was asked if the NBA starts back up in the summer and immediately goes to the playoffs, will he be ready?
"I'm always ready, Jimmy. I'm always ready. I'm always ready." #Rockets pic.twitter.com/Ndv5YvCpE5
— Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) April 22, 2020


The Buyuk Londra (or Grande Hotel de Londres) was built in 1881 and is a seriously nostalgic piece of Beyoglu's past. It invokes the area's bohemian heyday. This is a slice of Ottomania as seen from the 1980s and very rarely gets crowded. The rooftop bar is slightly more modern and gives great views over the Golden Horn.


text:
package org.apache.gobblin.cluster;

import java.io.IOException;
import java.util.List;

import org.apache.gobblin.configuration.ConfigurationKeys;
import org.apache.gobblin.runtime.JobState;
import org.apache.gobblin.runtime.util.StateStores;
import org.apache.gobblin.source.workunit.WorkUnit;
import org.apache.hadoop.fs.FileSystem;
import org.apache.hadoop.fs.Path;

import com.google.common.collect.Lists;
import com.typesafe.config.Config;

/**
 * Instead of deserializing {@link JobState} and {@link WorkUnit} from filesystem, create them in memory.
 * This derived class will be failing due to missing the declaration of writerBuilder class thereby failing a Precondition
 * check in AvroWriterBuilder which is used by default.
 */
public class InMemoryWuFailedSingleTask extends SingleTask {
  public InMemoryWuFailedSingleTask(String jobId, Path workUnitFilePath, Path jobStateFilePath, FileSystem fs,
      TaskAttemptBuilder taskAttemptBuilder, StateStores stateStores, Config dynamicConfig) {
    super(jobId, workUnitFilePath, jobStateFilePath, fs, taskAttemptBuilder, stateStores, dynamicConfig);
  }

  @Override
  protected List<WorkUnit> getWorkUnits()
      throws IOException {
    // Create WorkUnit in memory.
    WorkUnit workUnit = new WorkUnit();
    workUnit.setProp(ConfigurationKeys.TASK_ID_KEY, "randomTask");
    workUnit.setProp("source.class", "org.apache.gobblin.cluster.DummySource");
    return Lists.newArrayList(workUnit);
  }

  @Override
  protected JobState getJobState()
      throws IOException {
    JobState jobState = new JobState("randomJobName", "randomJobId");
    return jobState;
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Phnom Penh was a bustling commercial hub during French colonial days and today has re-established itself as the political and financial center of the country. Its rich historical past can be traced to the Khmer and French influence evident in the ornate Khmer-style temples and the grand colonial buildings and villas. The most obvious examples of this include the National Museum and the Silver Pagoda.
The Banteay Srei temple complex is comprised of countless ceremonial structures built by the once mighty Khmer Empire.
Beng Mealea was built by the great king who built Angkor and this site was control by Khmer Rouge while this country in the state of flux also the Ministry of Tourism just open to public for visitor recently.


I M A G I N A T I O N of Creativity by SUNGRACIA.
Sungracia Tiles Pvt. Ltd. has been adding to the prestige of Quality-Product coverings world-wide since 2012, and is constantly demonstrating its commitment to the creation of ceramics with high technical and stylistic value, characterised by leading-edge design of an excellence reflected by international prices and Values.
SUNGRACIA's creations are the outcome of research and development conducted in-house, a heritage of unique know-how that provides the basis for yet more unique materials. Creations that are evolved by combining the innovation of groundbreaking technologies with the skill of the craft tradition, in absolute compliance with the strictest standards on the sustainability of both process and product.
For SUNGRACIA, Quality and above all Quality in Innovation is the keystone of every activity, the value that must underlie its market identity, and which it must systematically deliver to its own partners. It is only through research and innovation that something unique and exclusive can really be created, because it is through the choice of the materials to be placed in the spaces around us that we change our quality of life.
SUNGRACIA Products accepting world wide the quality products exported to European countries with high quality standard and well accepted by especially e.g. Germany / Holland / Italy.


text:
November 5, 2015 /
TABOR rebates, unclear revenue picture strain Hickenlooper's proposed 2016-17 budget
Higher ed facing cuts; no state employee salary increases
By Jay Dedrick
Hickenlooper
Gov. John Hickenlooper's proposed budget for the 2016-17 fiscal year totals $26.98 billion and reflects a proposed $20 million cut to higher education.
CU's share of that cut would be between $5 million and $6 million.
The governor's budget proposal, which he delivered Monday to the Joint Budget Committee (JBC), is down 0.4 percent from this year's budget. His General Fund request includes $189 million in TABOR rebates.
"This proposed budget strikes a balance between the contradictory rules in the Colorado Constitution, funding for essential State programs, and an unclear revenue picture," Hickenlooper said in a release. "We had to make difficult decisions to find this balance that will affect health care providers, students from kindergarten through college, and State workers. We look forward to working with the General Assembly and the Joint Budget Committee on the final plan."
The budget plan includes no salary increases for state employees. There also is no funding for new construction projects; the request funds continuation projects and only a portion of controlled maintenance needs.
Besides TABOR requirements, demands on the budget include increases to K-12 education ($225 million increase), Medicaid and health programs ($135 million) and restoration of the state's reserve ($160 million).
Recognizing the strain on higher education institutions, the proposal recommends that authority for setting tuition rates be retained by governing boards of colleges and universities. For the past two years, the Legislature had limited institutions to no more than 6 percent tuition rate increases. The governor's request notes that tuition increases next year would vary widely, but would average 8.7 percent.
Should state revenue exceed expectations, the governor recommends the $20 million cut to higher education be restored, thus resulting in flat funding compared to this year; he also calls for 2 percent salary increases for state employees.
The JBC begins official consideration of the request at its Nov. 12 meeting.
John Hickenlooper, budget, Legislature
Regents approve $4.8 billion budget
Budget, health care dominate legislative session


text:
A blog with ideas above it's station…
CHURCH BUILDINGS: Opportunity Knocks?
The relationship between a vicar and their church building is complicated.
On the one hand a building presents a great opportunity. The aesthetics of your archetype church building refer to history and presence in a neighbourhood. The church building is part of an ecclesial brand, an important continuity, reassuringly static in a changing world. Of course church buildings change – without expensive upkeep they fall apart. And getting a building refurbished or modernised – or even built, becomes an obvious way of evidencing a priest's work.
On the other hand the church building is a nuisance. Talk to most clergy and they'll tell you how the building clogs up their work and the agenda of their Parochial Church Council or elders. Occasionally they'll snap out of it and wonder how, when their passion, vocation and calling is about people and community, they give over so much to bricks and mortar and role as a pseudo heritage officer.
As soon as an incumbent starts in their parish they're handed a bunch of keys. Incumbent to the building, keeping it open is a critical measure of success. For most clergy lumbered with a monster building the challenge soon becomes the huge headache and distraction.
I'm interested in inventive ways clergy manage their building – rather than the other way round. All to often it's the building managing the clergy and their congregation.
I've been in Cornwall recently, meeting a vicar set free from managing his building. A trust has been set up to manage a massive rural church building. Independent of the Parochial Church Council and without the local vicar as a board member the PCC and vicar are liberated to focus on their work. And the Trust is enabling those outside the church interested in the building to get involved in overseeing and developing the space.
I sat in on a meeting of the Trust and PCC as they agreed responsibility of everything in the building – who looks after and oversees what? Like a couple deciding who had custody over what, this was in a brilliant exercise in pragmatism – with the PCC prioritising use of space within the building and responsibility only for those items required for a worshiping congregation.
The priest is clearly happy to loose responsibility for the upkeep of the building, while wary of loosing control of their space, outside regular use on a Sunday and occasional meetings and events. It seems like a good deal – isn't this loss of full editorial rights to a self proclaimed 'Christian organisation' a small price to pay?
The devil is in the detail and it's very early days for the Trust but this new approach raises important questions about a neighbourhood and the population's relationship with the local church building. What does a phrase like 'our church' actually mean to people in and outside of the church? Who is responsible for the public face of the church building? And what are the priorities for small congregations with limited resources?
A church building is a burden and an opportunity. Get it right and opportunity knocks any burden for six!
CONSULTATION: Is there a 'con' in consultation?
Over the last 20 years an estate I've been working on – the largest in Hammersmith and Fulham – has been included in most of the big regeneration and development programmes. Hits include the European Urban programme (£2 million), Single Regeneration Budget (£15 million), White City Opportunity Area programme (£3 million). Latest schemes include 'Big Local' involving various small grant and 'Community Budgets', pooling statutory funding to help vulnerable families. Alongside are a list of statutory schemes as long as your arm, related to housing, employment, crime and anti-social behaviour and public health.
Consultation – the process by which the public's input on matters affecting them is sought – has been a precursor in the delivery of all the above schemes. That's a lot of talking.
Consultations raise various challenges.
"People have been consulted to death…"
With estates the target for numerous initiatives, charity workers, teachers and community workers agree with residents that people are 'talked out'. People are hungry for action and change. Consultation is 'all talk'.
"Are you asking everyone?"
Here all kinds of tricks and tactics had been attempted, using budget to set up community radio and festivals, while infiltrating clubs and organisations. All good if you have funding and a budget.
Don't miss out what's under your nose – the local marketplace. Here, it was the parade of shops – the centre of the community.
Newsagents and grocers have a huge footfall. An estate I once surveyed, invited residents to return completed consultation forms to the local supermarket, the completed form became a £1 off discount coupon in the local grocers. The survey received 45% return rate – really good!
"We thought they would listen…"
Consultation creates expectations amongst participants. This can generate disappointment and resentment when outcomes don't turn out as anticipated. How do you manage expectation?
"They don't ask around. They don't pull out whatever report was done…"
Staff turnover in local authority departments generates an 'institutional amnesia', and the 'forgetting' of key papers, documents, reports and findings from even recent consultations. This doesn't instil confidence in local government.
"There is massive overlap between council departments… they're in competition!"
Councils commission or re-commission consultation, inadvertently duplicating work going on in another department down the corridor. On the ground this uncoordinated approach generates perceptions the local authority is unaware of work its doing. This generates a type of 'institutional dementia', where consultation findings are lost, ignored or impossible to retrieve.
"How will the consultation be independent and reflect the views of the public?"
Private contractor on behalf of H&F. This generates questions about a conflict of interest of those undertaking research, and the integrity of the consultation findings. "The council trust them to deliver a consultation that reflects the breadth of opinion – rather than highlight any agenda. It's hard not to question the integrity here though."
Over consulted and skeptical
Consultations here are typically perceived as thorough and well delivered. It is the follow on, the follow up and what happens to the findings once a consultation is completed that generates concern.
When work is duplicated, or findings completed and then forgotten – confidence in an excellent process turns to skepticism and cynicism – with competition, poor communication and absence of coordination between council departments, a churn of staff, and a lack of capacity or competency to coordinate all conspiring to create a sense that local authorities 'forget' the findings of consultations, or even that they ever conducted consultations, overwhelmed by symptoms associated with an 'institutional dementia'.


A former Royal Marine from County Antrim who made bombs for dissident republicans has been sentenced to 18 years in prison. Ciar?n Maxwell, from Larne, admitted a series of terror charges ahead of a pre-sentence hearing that began last Wednesday. After his arrest last year, police found 43 weapons hides.
On Monday, an Old Bailey judge told Maxwell he must serve a further five years on licence after his release.
The judge said Maxwell was motivated by hostility to the United Kingdom and had betrayed his position in the armed forces.
He told the former lance corporal that the purpose of a pipe bomb - 14 of which were constructed by Maxwell - was "to maim and kill a potential victim".
The judge rejected Maxwell's account that he was motivated by post traumatic stress disorder resulting from a sectarian beating he received as a teenager.
He said Maxwell was "dangerous" and threatened the political stability of Northern Ireland.
The judge added that Maxwell had "considerable skills as a terrorist bomb maker" and enjoyed his work.
"There was considerable planning, including attack planning, research, and the acquiring of large amounts of materials, including police items for use in disguise," Mr Justice Nigel Sweeney said.
"You were strongly committed to the cause.


text:
Take My Breath Away - Release Blitz with Giveaway
Title: Take My Breath Away
Series: The Every Breath Duet #2
Author: Faith Andrews
All I wanted to do was love her.
I couldn't break her when she'd finally been put back together . . . when she was finally mine.
I was a coward, a bigger a**hole than her ex-husband, a more selfish pr*ck than her brother.
But London didn't know that.
She only saw me as the man who would give her the world, the man who owned her heart.
And even though the confession burned the tip of my tongue and begged to be spit out and set free, I couldn't do it.
Not yet . . . I needed to hold on to this lie for just a little while longer to keep her safe.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40564322-take-my-breath-away
99c for a VERY limited time
US: https://amzn.to/2P0Z8cM
UK: https://amzn.to/2DErPv2
CA: https://amzn.to/2DFRGmj
AU: https://amzn.to/2QhsWC4
Only available at iBooks for a VERY limited time
iBooks: https://apple.co/2lZCDYM
Review by Kathy
WOW, what a great ending to Sam and London's story! Exciting, intriguing, heartbreaking, heart racing drama, all entwined in this beautifully told love story. But not all of it was beautiful as the secret Sam has been holding back from London comes out in the form of Hunter (her ex-husband) showing up at her mother's house while her mother and Sam recover from the kidney transplant they had just undergone. Not only that, but her brother is in town as well, since he and Hunter are both in trouble and need help. They owe a bookie a large amount of money, which they don't have and figure they would come home and hopefully get it and Hunter would get London back. Things are so confusing for London now. She doesn't know who to trust anymore, or if there is anyone she can trust. Her life is in turmoil and she doesn't know what she will do.
The characters are so very well written and quite well defined. I loved Sam and London and felt, just as the story states, they belonged together and were right where they were supposed to be at this particular time. Their love is all consuming and selfless and Sam is so very happy that he finally has his girl. The on he has loved forever. But that secret has now threatened their happiness and he has no one but himself to blame for keeping it from her.
One fantastic read that will capture you attention and your heart. You will not be able to put this one down until you finish it. I highly recommend this 5 star read!
#1 Every Breath You Take
$2.99 for a limited time
US: https://amzn.to/2Iiu1Hd
UK: https://amzn.to/2R2AMRu
CA: https://amzn.to/2OioGow
AU: https://amzn.to/2Q9dLeg
Faith Andrews is living out her dream right outside the greatest city in the world, New York City. Happily married to her high school sweetheart, she is the mother of two beautiful and wild daughters, and a furry Yorkie son named Rocco Giovanni. When she's not tapping her toes to a Mumford & Sons tune or busy being a dance mom, her nose is stuck in a book or she's sitting behind the laptop, creating her next colorful daydream. Coffee addict, lover of wine and cheese, and sucker for concerts and Netflix, Faith believes in love at first sight and happily ever after.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorfaithandrews
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/jessicafaith919
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jessicafaith919
Website: http://www.authorfaithandrews.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/AuthorFaithAndrews
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/www.gottahavefaith
Book+Main: http://www.bookandmainbites.com/faithandrews
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Faith-Andrews/e/B00FER153A
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/faith-andrews
Giveaway Direct Link
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ba3ffd552003
Eagle - Release Blitz with Reviews
Release Blitz with Reivew - Landing Eagle, Dead Pr...
Thor, Thorny Devils MC #1; Release Blitz
The Last Resort Motel: Room 666 - Release Blitz wi...
Further to Fall - Release Blitz with Giveaway
Out of the Blue - Release Blitz with Giveaway
Scars & Silk parte 1 - Release Blitz with Giveaway...
Release Blitz - Nothing Lasts Forever, by Scarlett...
The Paris Apartment - Release Blitz with Giveaway
Release Blitz - The Gathering by L.A. Fiore
Sins of the Father, A Ravens Ruin MC Novel - Relea...
Release Blitz - Sir Loin of Beef by Vanessa Vale
Up in Flames - Release Blitz with Review
Talkin' Trash Release Blitz with Reviews
Smiley, Grims Sinner's MC - Release Blitz with Rev...


text:
A Conversation with…Trombonist Steve Wiest
Steve Wiest, the teacher, is also Steve Wiest, the eternal student.
"What is it that Dizzy said?" he asks before answering: "'The more I learn, the more I learn there is to learn.' If Dizzy said that, then the rest of us have some work to do!"
Today one of the country's most sought-after clinicians, Wiest is certainly sharing what he's learning far and wide. Born in Cleveland to a father who was a salesman by day and a weekend warrior on the trombone at night, Steve and his family moved to various cities, including Chicago. The Wiests eventually went south to Hattiesburg, Miss., where they set down roots.
"When I entered the seventh grade, my parents had divorced and my father was held in great esteem in my imagination, so I wanted to emulate him," Wiest recalls. "And he was always listening to the big band of Sinatra and Kenton – anything that featured trombone. I had that sound in my head." His dad had also given him Urbie Green's famous 21 Trombones album. "I tried to play along with that before I even knew all the positions," Steve laughs.
Hattiesburg is 90 miles from Jackson, Miss., which is a crossroads of sorts attracting a lot of big acts on their way to one coast or the other and from Chicago to New Orleans, so Wiest was exposed to more jazz than one might assume. The local scene also created the need for players, and the young trombonist got thrown into performing at an early age: "As a young person tossed into the profession, it was sink or swim."
He studied under Raoul Jerome at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. "The second year somebody gave me a J. J. Johnson record, and I thought, 'Now this is what I want to do. I must spend the rest of my life trying to sound like this.'" After graduating, Wiest ended up back in Chicago where his cousin, trumpeter Nick Drozdoff, helped him into that scene, though he was playing for free more often than not. In 1981 the jazz gods smiled on him and suddenly Steve was bass clefing for Maynard Ferguson. He would spend nearly five years on the road with the great trumpeter, performing, arranging, and recording with him on Storm and Live from San Francisco.
"After I got a good hard look at the [performance] business, I decided it was more important to have a family," he says. At the "old" age of 29 he left the band and went on to get his master's at the University of North Texas, which he not so jokingly referred to as "The American Justice League of Jazz Education." From there Wiest taught at the University of Texas in Arlington before landing at the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater, where he was director of Jazz Studies and Trombone Performance. He handled the school's top jazz ensembles, a big band, and smaller groups, and taught improvisation, history, and arranging.
Wiest maintains an active performing and recording schedule and released his own album, Excalibur, in 2006 on the Arabesque label. Steve was in Dallas recording on former Ferguson drummer Stockton Helbing's new CD, For Nothing is Secret, when we spoke recently#151;also he had just received some big news: he had just accepted a new position at the University of North Texas, Denton, where he was to immediately begin his new job as Assistant Professor of Jazz Composition and Jazz Trombone.
Trombone = Sexy
JAZZed: On a scale of one to 10, 10 being Angelina Jolie, 1 being Phyllis Diller, how sexy is the trombone?
Steve Wiest: I'd have to say about a 20! [Laughs] I'll tell you, it's a marketing thing. The trombone gets a bad rap sometimes, but it just needs better marketing! It's the one instrument that best captures the human voice. It bends, moans, growls#151;does everything a human voice can. That's just an appealing thing to me.
JAZZed: You recently recorded with Maynard Ferguson for the last time…
SW: Last summer the old alumni from the 1980s reunited for 12 sold-out shows and recorded what turned out to be his final CD [The One and Only#133; Maynard Ferguson].
My whole time with Maynard was magic, and once you were in his band, you were part of the family. After I left, whenever the band was in the area, I was invited to sit in. We became very close and he opened up a lot of doors for me.
But that time at the Blue Note turned out to be very special. On the first day of rehearsal, everybody pulled out their digital cameras and was snapping pictures#151;veteran professional musicians snapping pictures like tourists! [Laughs] And the album turned out great. It was a wonderful party, and he sounded great.
JAZZed: How many clinics do you do a year?
SW: Somewhere around 20 to 25. It's an honor to do these clinics.
JAZZed: What's your approach?
SW: My overriding principle is to find some way to communicate the essence of the music in the same way that turned me on to the music. I try to get to the sparkly essence of the music. Also it's important to be very positive and never speak down to people.
JAZZed: Do you lecture or mostly play?
SW: I base it all on playing as much as I can. What's that quote? "Talking about music is like dancing about architecture." One needs to speak about the music and compositional tools, sure, but I try to back it up with my playing as much as possible. I believe that when students are exposed to the music that comes from trained jazz musicians, they fall in love with it. It's the thrill of a shared language. You can't help but love the music when it's grooving just right.
At a typical high school clinic I have them play first because they are really excited about playing and I don't want to take that away from then. Then I'll talk a little – just a few comments – and then play. That's basically the method.
JAZZed: What's your approach to teaching on the college level?
SW: What I try to do is break the music into aspects of vocabulary that can be studied. We'll take the J. J. Johnson solo on "Laura"#151;it's such a beautiful composition#151;and I'll have the students transcribe it, and then play along with the recording to get the nuances. Then we'll analyze the note choices and try to assimilate it all into their own playing. I also break that down into other aspects, like basic compositional tools including ii-V progressions, extensions, et cetera.
JAZZed: You're out there on the front lines seeing and hearing what's going on. Do you think it's a good time for jazz?
SW: To quote, "It's the best of times, and it's the worst of times. Time for wisdom and time for foolishness." I think that's how things are for the arts in America in general. It's the best of times in that there are a lot of great publications out there. So along with making my students transcribe, I will enhance the process with published music, which is just as deep as classical music, practically.
JAZZed: But you still insist on your students transcribing?
SW: There are these wonderful publications in the jazz world to go along with the most important aspect: transcribing and assimilating.
JAZZed: So you've seen much progress in jazz material in general?
SW: I think we're seeing the fruits of the first wave of the great jazz education programs of the 1960s and 1970s. Now for a lot of students from those programs, it was natural for them to say, "I'm going to publish a text on my approach." Now the market is filled with great material with great voices. Like Jamey Aebersold#151;the grandmaster! The information age has been kind to jazz education. [See Sidebar.]
JAZZed: So, in what ways is the "worst of times" in your opinion?
SW: The arts have been enriched despite cuts in funding, oddly, and there are great jazz educators out there performing and recording as well as teaching. But it's the worst of times in that the market-driven arts industry is not supporting the music like it should. You see so many great small independent labels putting out great music, but when it comes to distribution, it's not trickling down to the young people. They aren't getting jazz.
Wynton Marsalis is great. Everything he touches is great and I'm glad he's the jazz ambassador crying out in the wilderness. It would be nice if the music industry in general at least marketed jazz better.
Festivals = Education
JAZZed: Are jazz band directors getting the support they need?
SW: In some places, jazz programs are in a dire situation. Programs and positions are cut, so a place that used to have two or three directors now might have to make do with one. On the other end of the spectrum, there are regions in the country that support music at a much higher level. You hear most about the programs that are getting cut, but there are unbelievable places and educators that are out there thriving.
And the flourishing programs typically have people in the administration who were educated in the arts. The more the arts are cut, the more people will become in positions of power without an appreciation for the arts. It'll feed on itself.
JAZZed: Any pet peeves?
SW: The thing I see most often are directors who for one reason or another weren't educated in jazz, and then they are so uncomfortable that they will de-emphasize jazz and improvisation in their program. Tied into this is that some people aren't even listening to jazz. I'll hear a school band that is obviously not listening#151;it's like trying to learn a language without ever hearing it!
But there are many more programs where people are doing the homework, listening, and are passionate about it.
JAZZed: Are festivals and contests valuable?
SW: I think they are if they are done with education in mind. When festivals and contests started out in the 1970s, there was this perceived need to have trophies and for people to be in first place. But now there are too many that are just about that. There are much better models. At IAJE clinics, it's about listening to the music and getting critical help. It's where students get to hear other bands.
When students hear other bands that are successful, get good feedback on their playing, plus hear a great jazz artist, it's great. If they are just going to get themselves a first place trophy for the sake of a first place trophy#133; that's understandable, but less valuable. When the top band wins at 92.7 and another band "loses" at 92.1, and that's what it's all about#133; these events are most effective when they are about getting the young students exposed to the playing.
JAZZed: Are students being challenged enough in terms of jazz styles?
SW: This can be a problem If you're going to have a jazz program, it makes a lot of sense to include fusion, for example, because it's an important part of the jazz tradition.
[Jazz Composer/Performer/Educator] David Baker calls the bebop/hard bop era "the common practice era." From there comes the vocabulary that fuels all the other styles, even avant-garde. But a program of just bop – or just fusion, or just swing – is not enough.
Another pet peeve of mine is that high schools, in general, are spreading their students way too thin. In jazz, the only way to get good at improvisation is to practice improvising. But these poor kids are spread thin and have a stressed-out schedule. Some even have to have jazz class in their zero hour and play jazz at 6 a.m.! Unless I stay up all night, I can't play that early! [Laughs] I couldn't do it with today's environment. I hope things are cyclical. I hope it gets better and the pressure backs off a bit.
JAZZed: What gets you out of bed in the morning? What are you most excited about?
SW: The luckiest person I know is me. I would describe myself as blessed.
It's pretty easy to get excited everyday. For one thing, I have the family. It sounds sappy, but when one of my children say, "I love you Daddy," this is way beyond any solo Coltrane did. My family fuels my day.
As far as the music, everyday I'm trying to learn something, get to the essence of the music. It's exciting enough to make it hard to go to sleep!
JAZZed: And now you have the honor of beginning a new phase of your career at the University of North Texas in Denton…
SW: I am thrilled to be joining the team at The University of North Texas. I have always believed that UNT has the best jazz program in the world. It will be a treat indeed to work with my good friends on the faculty and to bring all of my professional experience into play to contribute to the already thriving UNT community. The passionate, talented students at North Texas are an inspiration and we will no doubt make each other better musicians via the happy path of jazz education.
JAZZed: Any last words to jazz educators?
SW: The overriding thing I would recommend is creating a jazz environment. Try to find every single opportunity to expose your students to the music: DVDs, streaming, Web sites, CDs#133; Have music playing all the time. If you have a lunch hour situation where the kids hang out in the band room, put a Dizzy video on TV.
The Jazz educator Bart Marantz at Booker T. Washington [in Dallas] told me once how one of his good student trumpet players, upon hearing a Clifford Brown recording for the first time, instantly found his direction and became a great trumpet player: Roy Hargrove!
It's the most important thing, letting them hear the music.
Steve Wiest Pr#233;cis
Education: Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies (Performance) – The University of Southern Mississippi; Masters Degree in Jazz Studies (Performance and Arranging) – University of North Texas.
Significant Musical Collaborations: Trombone/arranger with Maynard Ferguson, 1981-1985; Doc Severinsen Big Band: 1994-2000.
Selected Discography: Maynard Ferguson – Storm, Live from San Francisco (Palo Alto), The One and Only Maynard Ferguson (Contemporary Productions); The UNT 1:00 Lab Band – With Respect to Stan, Live from Australia, North Texas Jazz: Fifty Years; Doc Severinsen – Swingin' the Blues (Azica): The Steve Wiest Big Band – Excalibur (Arabesque).
Composer/Arranger (partial list): with Maynard Ferguson: "South 21st Shuffle," "Portuguese Love," "I Love You," "I'm Old Fashioned," "Besame Mucho," and "Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone"; Numerous works for the UNT 1:00 Lab Band which are available through UNC Jazz Press; All pieces on the Excalibur CD.
Selected Published Compositions/Arrangements/Texts (partial list): University of Northern Colorado Jazz Press: "The Miles Files," "Upside Downside," "On The Edge," "Gotham City," "Night Visions," "Another Frame," "The Modal House of Hip Hop"; Hal Leonard: Take the Lead; Doug Beach: selected charts from the Excalibur CD; www.trombonesonline.com: selected charts from the Excalibur CD; Really Good Music (Ron Keezer): "Art Appreciation."
Web site: www.stevewiest.com


text:
//
// This file was generated by the JavaTM Architecture for XML Binding(JAXB) Reference Implementation, v2.2.4-2
// See http://java.sun.com/xml/jaxb
// Any modifications to this file will be lost upon recompilation of the source schema.
// Generated on: 2015.08.07 at 06:17:52 PM CEST
//

package uk.co.tso.assets.namespace.error;

import javax.xml.bind.annotation.*;
import javax.xml.bind.annotation.adapters.CollapsedStringAdapter;
import javax.xml.bind.annotation.adapters.XmlJavaTypeAdapter;

/**
 *
Java class for ErrorType complex type.
 *
 *
The following schema fragment specifies the expected content contained within this class.
 *
 *

 * <complexType name="ErrorType">
 *   <simpleContent>
 *     <extension base="<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema>string">
 *       <attribute name="FragmentId" use="required" type="{http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema}NMTOKEN" />
 *       <attribute name="XPath" use="required" type="{http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema}string" />
 *     </extension>
 *   </simpleContent>
 * </complexType>
 *

 *
 *
 */
@XmlAccessorType(XmlAccessType.FIELD)
@XmlType(name = "ErrorType", propOrder = {
    "value"
})
public class ErrorType {

    @XmlValue
    protected String value;
    @XmlAttribute(name = "FragmentId", required = true)
    @XmlJavaTypeAdapter(CollapsedStringAdapter.class)
    @XmlSchemaType(name = "NMTOKEN")
    protected String fragmentId;
    @XmlAttribute(name = "XPath", required = true)
    protected String xPath;

    /**
     * Gets the value of the value property.
     *
     * @return
     *     possible object is
     *     {@link String }
     *
     */
    public String getValue() {
        return value;
    }

    /**
     * Sets the value of the value property.
     *
     * @param value
     *     allowed object is
     *     {@link String }
     *
     */
    public void setValue(String value) {
        this.value = value;
    }

    /**
     * Gets the value of the fragmentId property.
     *
     * @return
     *     possible object is
     *     {@link String }
     *
     */
    public String getFragmentId() {
        return fragmentId;
    }

    /**
     * Sets the value of the fragmentId property.
     *
     * @param value
     *     allowed object is
     *     {@link String }
     *
     */
    public void setFragmentId(String value) {
        this.fragmentId = value;
    }

    /**
     * Gets the value of the xPath property.
     *
     * @return
     *     possible object is
     *     {@link String }
     *
     */
    public String getXPath() {
        return xPath;
    }

    /**
     * Sets the value of the xPath property.
     *
     * @param value
     *     allowed object is
     *     {@link String }
     *
     */
    public void setXPath(String value) {
        this.xPath = value;
    }

}


Pollock Volvo - I realize that you're seeking articles on our blog within the headline Pollock Volvo of choices of articles that we got. If you are trying to find Pollock Volvo article and you fails to dwell right here, you can see from several of the articles that may suit your needs right down below. We are going to help you to get articles Pollock Volvo you're looking at some of our content which might be suitable as you are looking for the material. Thank you for coming to our website. We really hope that you will find what you want to find here related to the Pollock Volvo.
Pollock Volvo - Ken pollock volvo | volvo dealer scranton & wilkes-barre, Shop for new volvo and used cars near scranton, wilkes-barre, luzerne county & lackawanna county. browse the amazing selection of volvo suvs & cars for sale at ken pollock volvo cars. visit our pennsylvania volvo dealership and test drive your favorite model today!. New volvo wilkes-barre & scranton | ken pollock volvo, Shop for new 2019 volvo cars for sale near scranton, wilkes-barre, luzerne & lackawanna county. visit ken pollock volvo cars for a great selection of volvo xc60, xc90, s60, s90, v60 and more! contact our volvo dealership in pa and schedule a test drive.. Ken pollock volvo cars - pittston, pa | cars., Learn about ken pollock volvo cars in pittston, pa. read reviews by dealership customers, get a map and directions, contact the dealer, view inventory, hours of operation, and dealership photos. Ken pollock volvo cars - volvo, car dealer, service, Welcome to ken pollock volvo cars! we're a full service new and used car dealership located directly off interstate 81 and the pennsylvania turnpike on highway 315 in pittston, pa, and we're dedicated to earning your business again and again.. Ken pollock volvo cars car dealership pittston, pa, Search new car inventory at ken pollock volvo cars in pittston, pa 18640-3907. find dealer specials and view ratings and reviews for this car dealership.. Ken pollock volvo cars : pittston, pa 18640 car dealership, Ken pollock volvo cars at autotrader. view new, used and certified cars and get auto financing from a pittston car dealer. Ken pollock volvo cars - 14 photos - auto repair - 339 hwy, 6 reviews of ken pollock volvo cars "love my new xc40! jeff was fun and patient when showing me how to use all the new features. jason worked to get us the color, style and features we wanted. and paul helped us with a very competitive rate.". Ken pollock volvo cars - dealerrater., Welcome to ken pollock volvo cars! we're a full service new and used car dealership located directly off interstate 81 and the pennsylvania turnpike on highway 315 in pittston, pa, and we're dedicated to earning your business again and again.. Ken pollock auto group | nepa' trusted auto group, Ken pollock auto group: where service, support, and affordability meet. thanks for dropping by the ken pollock auto group website. as the name everyone from berwick and wilkes barre to scranton trusts for quality new and pre-owned vehicles, our team has the distinct pleasure of serving countless friends in the local area when the time comes to purchase a car, truck, or sport utility vehicle (suv)..


This is a follow up script to jpAligner. now you can snap groups by materialID instead of manually clicking. you can assign up to 10 MaterialIDs each with unique sets jpaGroups, a random group will be assigned when the new mesh is being created.
And... jpaGroups can be nested to call themselves recursively.


text:
Astros Acquire Ryan Pressly, Twins Gets Plenty Of Upside
Ryan Pressly (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images)
The Astros seem well-equipped to defend their World Series title, but in an American League loaded with talented teams, even Houston sees a need to firm up its roster for the playoff run. Houston did just that on Friday night, acquiring righthanded reliever Ryan Pressly from the Twins.
The Twins remain on the periphery of the AL Central race four days before the July 31 trade deadline, but they signalled that they are looking toward the future with the decision to trade both Eduardo Escobar and Pressly on Friday. Around those trades, the Twins also lost to the Red Sox in extra innings on Friday night, dropping them to eight games behind the Indians.
ASTROS ACQUIRE:
Ryan Pressly, RHP
Pressly has proven to be a durable, valuable setup man, generally pitching the sixth or seventh innings for the Twins. He had a rough stretch in June when he gave up two runs in three consecutive outings, but has since settled back down. Pressly has a hard (95-97 mph) fastball and an equally hard (89-91 mph) slider. That combo this year has resulted in the best strikeout rate (13.0 K/9) of his career. With the Astros, he will become yet another option in a deep bullpen. Pressly has one more year of arbitration remaining before he hits free agency after the 2019 season.
14 Prospects Who Showed Second-Half Growth In 2019
The astute dynasty player is always looking for value, and these 14 prospects could be at their lowest value—and lowest acquisition cost—right now.
TWINS ACQUIRE:
Jorge Alcala, RHP
The Astros have had plenty of success signing older (18 and 19-year-old) pitchers out of Latin America with promising arms (and often then trading them to other teams). Alcala is one of the prime examples, following in the footsteps of Jorge Guzman and Albert Abreu. Alcala has gained 6-10 mph on his fastball since he signed as an 18-year-old as he now sits 93-96 mph as a starter and touches 99 mph. When he lets loose, Alcala has a plus-plus fastball, but there are times as a starter where he gears down to try to maintain his stamina. At his best, he's reached triple digits in the past. There are days when Alcala looks like a one-pitch pitcher trying to start, but seen on the right days, he has the makings of being a devastating bullpen option. His slider and changeup are both inconsistent offerings, but his 85-86 mph slider flashes plus and his changeup has improved this year as well, becoming a potentially average pitch. Most likely, Alcala ends up as a setup man with closer potential, but his delivery is clean so there is a chance he could develop into a Reynaldo Lopez-type starter.
Gilberto Celestino, OF
Celestino was considered one of the top prospects in the 2015 international class because of his polish and athleticism. That class has proven to be one of the best assemblages of amateur talent this century (Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Andres Gimenez, among others), while Celestino has been on a slower track. But he's impressed in the New York-Penn League this year with plus defense in center field and developing power at the plate. Celestino has plenty of bat speed and the awareness to recognize breaking balls and changeups out of the hand. Celestino is only an average runner right now, although he uses that speed extremely well. If he slows down, his advanced reads and routes may not be enough to keep him in center field long-term, and his average power potential would not fit as well in right field (although he has the arm to play the position). Celestino could end up as a plus defender in center with the ability to hit .270 with 15-20 home runs, with a fourth-outfield future as a decent fallback option.
Gilberto Celestino Gets On Track After Slow Start
A tweak to his hitting mechanics helped the gifted defensive center fielder hit his way to high Class A—and then the 40-man roster.
Top MLB Prospects Hot Sheet (8/12/19)
Ranking baseball's 20 hottest prospects, beginning with Rays RHP Joe Ryan and Marlins RHP Jorge Guzman.
Ranking the 20 hottest MLB prospects from last week, beginning with Michael Baumann (Orioles) and Jonathan Bowlan (Royals).


text:
Home > Vol 5, No 1 (2013) >	May
OJPHI: Vol. 5
Journal ID (publisher-id): OJPHI
Publisher: University of Illinois at Chicago Library
©2013 the author(s)
open-access: This is an Open Access article. Authors own copyright of their articles appearing in the Online Journal of Public Health Informatics. Readers may copy articles without permission of the copyright owner(s), as long as the author and OJPHI are acknowledged in the copy and the copy is used for educational, not-for-profit purposes.
Electronic publication date: Day: 4 Month: 4 Year: 2013
collection publication date: Year: 2013
Volume: 5E-location ID: e61
Publisher Id: ojphi-05-61
A Syndromic Approach to Emergency Department Surveillance for Skin and Soft Tissue Infections
Larissa May*1
Marcus Rennick2
Leah Gustafson1
Julia Gunn2
1Emergency Medicine, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA;
2Boston Public Health Commission, Boston, MA, USA
*Larissa May, E-mail: larissa.may@gmail.com
We sought to describe the epidemiology of emergency department (ED) visits for skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) in an urban area with diverse neighborhood populations using syndromic surveillance system data for the time period from 2007–2011. Our aims were threefold: to demonstrate a proof of concept using syndromic surveillance for SSTI surveillance in the absence of laboratory data, to estimate the burden of ED visits associated with SSTI, and to determine potential geographic "hotspots" for these infections.
The incidence of and hospitalizations for SSTI have steadily increased over the last decade in the United States, primarily due to the emergence and spread of community acquired Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA). The ED is a common site for SSTI treatment and serves populations not captured by traditional surveillance, including the homeless and uninsured. The use of near real-time syndromic surveillance within the ED to detect unusual activity for further public health investigation has been used to augment traditional infectious disease surveillance. However, the use of this approach for monitoring local epidemiologic trends in SSTI presentation where laboratory data are not available, has not previously been described.
We sought to describe the epidemiology of ED visits for SSTI in an urban area with diverse neighborhood populations using the Boston Public Health Commission's (BPHC) Syndromic Surveillance System (BSynSS) data for a five year time period (2007 through 2011). SSTI related visits were defined by either chief complaints with SSTI associated words (abscess, cellulitis) or final diagnosis International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9 CM) codes for SSTIs. SSTI related visits were de-duplicated using demographics and visit identifiers and then stratified by age group, gender, race, and neighborhood of residence defined by ZIP code. Each of Boston's 15 neighborhoods has a unique demographic profile with distinct differences in race, socioeconomic status, and age. Finally, we examined trends in characteristics of potential "hotspots" of neighborhood clustering for SSTIs in EDs.
Using our SSTI syndrome definition, we estimated unique SSTI visits represented 3.29 % (n= 45,252) of all visits within Boston's ten EDs during the study period with a seasonal pattern peaking during the summer months (July through September). The majority of SSTI visits (54%) were among patients 18 to 44 years old, which is consistent with the age distribution of the Boston population. However, a disproportionate number of SSTI visits (43%) were among Black patients when compared to both the overall Boston population (22% Black) and to the racial distribution of all ED visits (39% Black). The five-year average rate of SSTI visits for Black patients (281.2 per 10,000 population) was significantly greater at 2.8 times [CI 2.7, 3.0] than the rate for White patients (99.0 per 10,000 population). Geographic neighborhood distribution of SSTI visits ranged from a low of 2.69% to a high of 4.11% of all neighborhood-specific ED visits. Disposition data are available for 2010 and 2011 only and show that 24% and 23% of patients in 2010 and 2011, respectively, were admitted for their SSTI.
Our study results suggest that syndromic surveillance data can be used to track the burden and patterns of SSTI in an urban population, including disease severity through the use of disposition data. Furthermore, syndromic surveillance can provide information on the local epidemiology of SSTI, including data related to health inequalities. The burden of SSTIs should be compared to overall ED use for a specific population to control for biases in health care seeking behaviors and choice of provider type. A local syndromic surveillance system has the potential to provide public health authorities and ED clinicians near real-time monitoring of trends in severity and demographic risk factors, and may provide an alternative to tracking the severity of illness where no laboratory data are readily available.
ISDS 2012 Conference Abstracts
Keywords: syndromic surveillance, epidemiology, skin and soft tissue infections, racial disparities.
Online Journal of Public Health Informatics * ISSN 1947-2579 * http://ojphi.org


text:
Unintended Consequences of Occupy Movement
Is it Ethically Proper for Asian Students to Lie on Their College Applications?
The Ethics of Fracking
A Cost-benefit Analysis of Fracking
I always tell my ethics students that there are two sides to every issue from an ethical perspective and they need to identify both in making a cogent argument for or against a particular action or decision. Oftentimes the ethical issues are subtle; they don't jump out at you. A good example is fracking.
Fracking, which is short for 'hydraulic fracturing,' refers to a method of recovering oil and gas from shale rock. Here is how it works. An oil company would drill down and then push under great pressure liquids sideways into oil and gas-rich shale rock. Millions of gallons of water, mixed with brine or chemicals, is injected into the shale and the resulting pressure fractures the rock layers which releases natural gas or oil. A proppant (propping agent), usually sand, is injected into the fractures to keep the fissures open and the oil or gas flowing.
According to the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, 90 percent of all oil and gas wells in the U.S. are "fracked" to boost production. Fracking usually occurs just after a new well is drilled, but many wells are fractured numerous times to get as much production out of a profitable site as possible.
Fracking is controversial because the chemicals, mixed with water, may find their way into aquifers which supply drinking water. Oil companies say that fracking is safe and poses no threat to drinking water. Right now, few groups are calling for an outright ban on fracking. However, shareholders want companies to issue full disclosure about individual fracking operations and the chemicals used during the process. Some companies counter that they already abide by environmental laws and regulations and that further disclosure is not necessary.
Shareholders of two large gas producers — ExxonMobil, and Chevron - recently voted not to require company officials to disclose more information about fracking. Exxon and Chevron had urged shareholders to vote against disclosure. Even so, 30 percent of ExxonMobil shareholders and 41 percent of Chevron shareholders voted for increased disclosure. ExxonMobil spokeswoman Karen Matusic said that while the company supports the disclosure of chemical composition of hydraulic fracturing fluid, management has urged shareholders to vote against the activists' resolution. "We believe state-level oversight of oil and gas operations, including hydraulic fracturing, is the most effective approach for protecting human health and the environment, since it best accounts for local geology and other local factors," she said.
The public has a right to be concerned about fracking. Last July thousands of gallons of fracking fluid spilled following an accident at a natural gas well in Pennsylvania. The well blew near the surface, spilling thousands of gallons of frack fluid over containment walls, through fields, personal property and farms, even where cattle continue to graze.
Two weeks ago the EPA found that compounds likely associated with fracking chemicals had been detected in the groundwater beneath Pavillion, a small community in central Wyoming where residents say their well water reeks of chemicals. The fracking occurred below the level of the drinking water aquifer and close to water wells, the EPA said. The EPA did emphasize that the findings are specific to the Pavillion area. The agency said the fracking that occurred in Pavillion differed from fracking methods used elsewhere in regions with different geological characteristics. Elsewhere, drilling is more remote and fracking occurs much deeper than the level of groundwater that would normally be used.
There are those who support fracking including landowners who have the most to lose if royalties stop flowing because of restrictions on fracking. Some landowners — such as a group with more than 10,000 acres combined in Oneida and Madison counties in New York State — have formed a formal partnership aiming to allow hydrofracking on their land, but they want control how it's done.
From an ethical perspective we might look at the harms and benefits of fracking. In other words, do the potential dangers of fracking, including contamination of water supplies, outweigh the potential benefits of producing badly needed oil and gas resources at a time when our national security may be in jeopardy because of our continued reliance on unreliable sources of energy. Is U.S. energy independence more important than the potential for harm to those affected by fracking procedures? Do jobs and economic growth trump health and safety concerns?
There can be no doubt that additional studies are needed, more tests must be done, and the industry should be better regulated. (In 2005 the Bush administration chose to keep the industry virtually unregulated). In the meantime, why not release all available information to the public about safety risks and let the public decide? Full disclosure is a basic tenet of ethical behavior. From a "Rights Theory" perspective, those potentially affected by fracking operations have an ethical right to know about the potential harm to their drinking water and other environmental effects.
Energy decisions abound where safety versus economic benefits are pitted against each other. We have been debating the issue for years with respect to offshore oil drilling and now the debate focuses on whether we should extend the Keystone Pipeline that would carry 830,000 barrels a day of crude oil from northern Alberta to refineries on the Gulf Coast of Texas, crossing the U.S. states of Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas.
The bottom line on these issues, including practices such as fracking that has transformed the U.S. energy industry, is that energy independence comes at a cost. Increasingly, we as Americans, will be faced with tradeoff-decisions between sacrificing some health and safety concerns in the name of providing economic benefits, including jobs and increasing exports to countries like China that crave safer natural gas energy supplies for its growing economy. It's a painful decision but one that must be made. We need a national conversation on the issue but, regrettably, the issue is largely on the back-burner this election cycle.
Blog posted by Steven Mintz, aka Ethics Sage, on December 19, 2011
Tags: business ethics, ethics of fracking, ethics sage, extracting oil and gas from shale, fracking, fracking accidents, hydraulic fracturing, workplace ethics


JOIN OUR LIVE AUDIENCE THIS SUNDAY!
Hosted by Ellen Kaye and Seth Goldman along with Music Director/Producer Ethan Fein. The show, which will feature live music performances, interviews with artists and community cultural icons, has a ten-week commitment from WVOX/WVIP.
Here's how it works: we record the show a week in advance, for example, if you were in our August 24th audience, that's the show you'll hear Sunday, August 31st.
If all this is way too much – just come on in and have a drink.
Tags: AUDIENCE, delancey, INTERVIEWS, live music, lower east side, moscow 57, New York, nyc, PODCAST, RADIO, restaurant, RUSSIAN, STREAMING, WVOX. Bookmark the permalink.


Garage doors need to be checked and maintained regularly to stay functional and efficient for years. Apart from extending its lifespan, proper maintenance will help you prevent garage door-related accidents.
There are different things meant for the protection of your building. One of these is cladding or siding. Cladding is the coating of your wall or floor using another material.
You've done everything you need for your relocation. Now you're just waiting for the moving service you hired from Fort Lauderdale, and you're set to settle into your new home.


The main dispute seems to be between people such as James Grimmelmann and Zeynep Tufecki who see this as a clear violation of research ethics; versus people such as Tal Yarkoni who see it as consistent with ordinary practices for a big online company like Facebook.
One explanation for the controversy is the large gap between the ethical standards of industry practice, versus the research community's ethical standards for human subjects studies.
I have a new piece in Slate, on how the DMCA chills security research. In the piece, I tell three stories of DMCA threats against Alex Halderman and me, and talk about how Congress can fix the problem.


text:
Transport function of the naturally occurring pathogenic polycystin-2 mutant, R742X
Most patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) harbor mutations truncating polycystin-1 (PC1) or polycystin-2 (PC2), products of the PKD1 and PKD2 genes, respectively. A third member of the polycystin family, polycystin-L (PCL), was recently shown to function as a Ca2+-modulated nonselective cation channel. More recently, PC2 was also shown to be a nonselective cation channel with comparable properties to PCL, though the membrane targeting of PC2 likely varies with cell types. Here we show that PC2 expressed heterologously in Xenopus oocytes is targeted to intracellular compartments. By contrast, a truncated form of mouse PC2 corresponding to a naturally occurring human mutation R742X is targeted predominantly to the plasma membrane where it mediates K+, Na+, and Ca2+ currents. Unlike PCL, the truncated form does not display Ca2+-activated transport activities, possibly due to loss of an EF-hand at the C-terminus. We propose that PC2 forms ion channels utilizing structural components which are preserved in the R742X form of the protein, Implications for epithelial cell signaling are discussed. © 2001 Academic Press.
Chen XZ; Segal Y; Basora N; Guo L; Peng JB; Babakhanlou H; Vassilev PM; Brown EM; Hediger MA; Zhou J