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Basketball Jordan Wilson
Basketball: Wilson Girls Pull Away From Jordan
January 9, 2023 January 10, 2023 Mike GuardabascioComments Off on Basketball: Wilson Girls Pull Away From Jordan
The562's coverage of Long Beach Wilson Athletics is sponsored by Joel Bitonio, Class of 2009.
The562's coverage of Jordan Athletics is sponsored by John Ross, Class of 2013.
With the rain just beginning to fall in North Long Beach on Monday evening, the Ron Massey Court played host to a spirited game between two Moore League girls' basketball playoff contenders. Host Jordan entered the game in third place, while the Bruins entered in a three-way tie for the fourth and final guaranteed playoff spot, as the league approaches the midway point of its season.
At the end of an exciting game that saw neither team able to pull away, it was Wilson that made a few more plays to secure the 50-45 victory, moving into a third place tie with the Panthers at 2-2 in league.
"We've been coming off some losses so I'm glad to pull it out, but I'm not happy with it," said Wilson coach Erin Carey. "I think we're a way better team than we showed tonight. We had so many unforced errors and turnovers–but to be able to do that and go on the road and win with how we've been playing, that's good for us."
Jordan did a good job of speeding the Bruins up in the first quarter, with Wilson turning it over six times as the Panthers built a 13-7 lead. The Bruins were able to get their feet underneath them in a second quarter that saw them outscore Jordan 20-9, flipping the score to take a 27-22 lead into halftime.
The biggest difference in the second quarter was a breakout performance by Adrianna Sambrano for Wilson, who poured in 11 of her game-high 18 points in the frame, including a pair of 3-pointers that she heartily celebrated.
"I could just feel the heat and I wanted to keep going, but I couldn't have done it without my team, they gave me the ball so I had the opportunity," said Sambrano.
Point guard Lauren Tiangco did a great job of slowing the Bruins down and moving the ball, finding Sambrano for open looks. She didn't score in the second but was instrumental in bringing the game to her team's pace.
"When Lo can do that she does it, if she can't then it's on me and my coaching staff," said Carey. "We're still building the team IQ--we get in situations where a team forces us to be frantic and we allow them to do it. So we're working on fixing that."
The second quarter ended up being decisive as the two teams tied 12-12 in the third and 11-11 in the fourth, unable to shake loose of each other. Tiangco had 11 points and two steals for the Bruins.
For a Jordan team looking to make the playoffs for the first time in a decade, it was a clear sign of how far they've come, even if it was a frustrating reminder that there's a few steps still to go. The Panthers led by six after the first, then fell behind at halftime, and could never quite get back into it, while staying within a bucket or two the rest of the way. Three times they cut the lead to one possession in the third, but Wilson always had an answer.
The Panthers were led by junior Asia Edwards, who continues to develop into a strong guard. She had 17 points and four steals in the loss; Julie Davis and Janiah Lorn each had six points.
The Panthers have a huge week ahead with games against Lakewood and Millikan on Wednesday and Friday, while Wilson hosts Cabrillo and Compton Wednesday and Friday.
VIDEO: Wilson vs. Jordan, Girls' Basketball
PHOTOS: Wilson vs. Jordan, Girls' Basketball
Mike Guardabascio
An LBC native, Mike Guardabascio has been covering Long Beach sports professionally for 13 years, with his work published in dozens of Southern California magazines and newspapers. He's won numerous awards for his writing as well as the CIF Southern Section's Champion For Character Award, and is the author of three books about Long Beach history.
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November 22, 2021 Mike Guardabascio
The Long Beach Beach State women's basketball team has been hanging its hat on defense since head coach Jeff Cammon took over the program. This year, that defense has been wreaking absolute havoc on opponents as the Beach have gotten off to an undefeated 4-0 start, with every game decided by at least 16 points. […]
All City Cabrillo Compton Jordan Lakewood Long Beach Poly Millikan Wilson Wrestling
All-Moore League Girls' Wrestling
March 8, 2019 Mike Guardabascio
Badminton Baseball Cabrillo Compton Golf Lakewood Long Beach Poly Millikan Softball St. Anthony Track & Field Volleyball Wilson
Writing The Story of 2020's Missing League, CIF Championships
May 20, 2020 Mike Guardabascio & JJ Fiddler
With this week's scheduled CIF Southern Section championships canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will officially be a blank line across the record books. Before we close the book on 2019-20, we wanted to take a look at a few of the league and CIF-SS/State championships we expected to be covering this May–just because […]
Boys' Soccer: Lakewood Scores Late Winner At Millikan
Get ready: Long Beach's best sports coverage is coming back to a screen near you. Thanks to John Martin for the video, visit the562.org to find out how you can support publicly-funded sports coverage. http://the562.org


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Q: How to clear all anchor styling from @Html.ActionLink In my MVC application, I have used @Html.ActionLink. I have set their styles to display them like a button, but the problem is that there are stome styles for a, a:link, etc (I mean, all anchor behaviors) in the CSS file, and that is why the links on @Html.ActionLink appears like links, and not plain text. Any idea to get rid of all anchor behavior for those particular @Html.Actionlink controls?

A: Is using jQuery an option? You could write a function to remove the css from each link on startup.
$(document).ready(function() {
    // to clear css from a specific item
    $("#your-link-id").removeClass();

    // to clear css from a bunch of links
    $("your-selector a").each(function() {
        $(this).removeClass();
    });
});

Or you could create additional css classes that override the styles on your a tags.
<style type="text/css">
    .whatever { background-color:black !important; }
</style>

@Html.ActionLink("MyAction", "MyController", new { @class = "whatever" })

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Greek-owned merchant vessels are spread across 42 national registers
By Nikos Bardounias - Kathimerini
February 12, 2008 12.02.2008 • 08:00
Greek shipowners continue to be the world's dominant force as they currently operate 3,148 merchant vessels. However, only 824 of these sail under the Greek flag, adding up to 57,898,789 deadweight tons (dwt), according to unclassified US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) data. In a detailed report, the CIA takes a close look at the fleets of 150 countries in 2007, focusing in particular on a breakdown of national registers to record not only the shipping forces out in the open but also those growing under the umbrella of third or independent registers. As far as the Greek-flagged fleet is concerned, two important points are highlighted. First, the Greek register holds 13th place in world rankings, with 49 vessels belonging to foreign interests. Of these latter, 16 belong to Belgian interests, 15 to British, 10 to American, five to Cypriot, two to South Korean and one to Italian interests. The CIA report also indicates that Greek shipowners own a further 2,324 ships that sail under the flags of 41 other countries. Greek ship managers seem to have the most diverse choice of flags, as they register their ships even in countries such as Sierra Leone, Sao Tome, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. Panama on top Panama tops the list as the most popular register with 5,764 ships, each of which is over 1,000 dwt. Its combined capacity is as high as 240,190,316 dwt. However 4,949 of these vessels belong to foreign interests, 473 of which belong to Chinese interests. Baltic Exchange says UK tax change may hurt maritime industry The Baltic Exchange, a London-based provider of shipping prices, said UK government proposals to alter foreigners' tax status may damage the country's 1.5-billion-pound ($2.9 billion) shipping-services industry. By levying a fixed-rate tax of 30,000 pounds on people who live in the UK and are not deemed to be domiciled there for tax purposes, the government risks driving investment to rival financial centers, the Baltic Exchange said in an e-mailed statement dated February 8. The exchange said it discussed the matter with the Chamber of Shipping, the Joint Hull Committee, the International Underwriting Association and Maritime London. «Changes to the long-established taxation regime that applies to non-domiciled, remittance-basis UK residents will have a substantial negative impact on the maritime services sector,» the statement said. The UK's maritime services industry competes with Cyprus, Dubai, Singapore, New York and Greece, the statement said. About 1,500 people are employed in the UK by Greek residents in London through so-called agency companies, the statement said. Greeks living in London control about 15 percent of the world's fleet of dry-bulk commodity carriers and oil tankers, the statement said. The UK's international market share of maritime services is, according to International Financial Services London: Ship finance 18 percent; insurance underwriting 23 percent; insurance protection and indemnity 65 percent; Lloyd's Register 19 percent; shipbroking tanker chartering 50 percent; dry-bulk chartering 30-40 percent, second-hand ship sales 50 percent; new ship purchasing 40 percent. (Bloomberg)
Banks lead blue chips; index falls in thin trade
Bulgarian energy firm boost
Fnac to open new outlet in Athens in April
Gov't to move on prices
Serbia mulls grain imports as specter of more expensive bread draws near

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


At Core List UK, we keep records of Professionals Organisations telephone, location and business title as a source of prospective clients, it is open for you to download off this page.
What we class as a Professional, is a University or College educated role that falls ito a specific industry and provides services or products that are specific to the industry which their degree was acquired.
These business records have been sorted into the specific business classes that fall under the different Professions in the UK, they cover businesses in every area of the UK the these professions operate. These might be effectively used as marketing or research databases which concentrate on extending the market share of your Organisation and the services or products you supply. Providing for you the capacity to make your own particular customer database and expand on the data required to suit your needs.
For the detail on all segments of our Professionals Business information, click on the titles on this page.


Minnesota Lawyer is pleased to announce the 2018 Up & Coming Attorneys and Unsung Legal Heroes.
Minnesota's attorney general is suing an Arizona-based pharmaceutical company, alleging it illegally marketed a painkiller made from the synthetic opioid fentanyl.
Democratic state Rep. Paul Thissen, Minnesota Court of Appeals Judge Lucinda Jesson, Minnesota Tax Court Chief Judge Bradford Delapena and Second Judicial District Court Judge Jeffrey Bryan.
More than two dozen couples signed up for free Valentine's Day weddings Wednesday.


On March 28, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. ET, the National Center for Rural Road Safety will hold the webinar Advancing Local Road Safety Practices with State DOTs. The webinar will recap a recently completed project of the National Association of County Engineers (NACE) conducted with funding support from the National Safety Council's Road to Zero Coalition. This includes the results of the data collection and analysis regarding local road safety practices, overview of the five states selected as focus areas and stakeholder meetings conducted there, best practices promoted and identified in the stakeholder meetings, and findings and recommendations of the study. Learn more and register here.


Located in East Melbourne directly across the road from Jolimont Station, which is only one stop to the city and within walking distance to MCG, Rod Laver Tennis Arena, Epworth Hospital, Fitzroy Gardens, Captain Cook's Cottage, Parliament House, Princess Theatre, to name just a few attractions is this newly styled and furnished 2 bedroom/ 2 bathroom security apartment.
You really won't need a car being walking distance from everything that Melbourne has to offer but you also have the added advantage of secure under cover parking.
The apartment is located right above the famous Laurent Pattiserie and has great restaurants, cafes and shopping within walking distance along Bridge Road being located right next door to Richmond.
This apartment is located opposite Jolimont railway station and the number 48 tram super stop.
But why bother with public transport when it's a 10min walk through the Fitzroy Gardens to Spring Street and a 15min walk to Federation Square or Bourke Street Mall.
As has been mentioned the MCG and Melbourne Park are literally across the road!!
*Have you got a baby or an infant traveling with you? We've got you covered. Contact us, as we can also provide you with baby items (on availability and additional cost). We offer excellent package rates for two or more items.
* Extra $40/night will be charged for guests over 3 or if the sofa bed needs to be prepared.
Hey I'm Aymeric! I'm a French expat from the vineyards of Bordeaux with a love for animals and travelling. At 18, I moved to the USA for 10 years and lived in Boston, Miami Beach and San Francisco while exploring most of Canada, Central and South America. For the past 15 years I've lived in Sydney, Australia, mainly because of the beautiful beaches here. On weekends in summer, you can find me volunteering as a surf lifesaver on Tamarama beach. I work for MaisonNets, a boutique agency specialising in short-term rental management. The MaisonNets portfolio has over 125 properties, encompassing mid-range to luxury apartments and houses in Australia's capital cities, as well as country homes and a villa in Bali. Our properties are all specifically selected for their amenities and prime location - the accommodation of choice for urban sophisticates, professionals, couples and families looking for a uniquely comfortable experience. With a focus on organic products, MaisonNets offers unparalleled personal service and attention to detail ensuring that you, our valued guest, have a wonderful stay with Central and South America. I've now lived in Australia for the past 15 years. I have a passion for animals and I am also a lifesaver at the beach on weekends in summer.
Very lovely, well presented unit.
The apartment was tidy and in a fantastic location, especially if you're going to the footy. The initial access was very easy and the host went out of their way to make our stay enjoyable.


I have always found it ironic that we feel most alive when our heart skips a few beats. If you don't believe me, then you should try sky diving.
The Skydive Tandem Co (STC) have recently launched their operation in Victoria Falls, and this adrenaline activity is sure to give you a natural high. The team pioneered Tandem Skydiving in Mauritius and with thirty years of experience, they have mastered the art and developed a faultless safety record.
Based in the Zambezi National Park, STC is just seven kilometres away from the majestic waterfall. In a small plane, adrenaline seekers soar 10 000 meters into the sky. Without the small plane, they make the 10 000-meter journey back. Prior to the jump, the aircraft flies over the waterfall, giving you a breath taking bird's eye view of Devils Cataract, Main Falls, Rainbow Falls, and Horseshoe Falls. It then circles back to the drop zone in the National Park, where you will step into masses of open African air. After experiencing the rush of a 200kph free fall, a parachute is released and jumpers soar above the wilderness that stretches into the horizon.
Chris Wilkinson-Pearce started the company in Victoria Falls because "Skydiving is the ultimate adventure sport, and Victoria Falls is the adventure capital of Africa". With 4 500 skydives under his belt (yes, you read that right), safety is always at the forefront of Chris's mind- "Tandem instructors go through a vigorous training program to ensure that Skydive passengers have the best and safest experience. The oldest person I have taken skydiving was a lady of 87. The sky is the limit".
When you ask people what their chosen superpower would be, most will tell you that they wish they could fly. I think that this is partly because when we look at the sky, we get a sense of the freedom, exhilaration and adventure opportunities that live in the blue tent above us.
Once you have fallen between the clouds, you will forever look up. Victoria Falls boasts many cutting-edge activities, but this is the only one to take place on the edge of the clouds.
At dawn and dusk, the sun paints the world with a red and gold brush, and STC find that this adds an extra dimension to the experience, making sunrise and sunset premium slots. The team will capture the dive on camera, and the footage is available to purchase after the jump. I guarantee that when you watch your video and look at your pictures, you will think, "I can't believe I did that", but you will be infinitely happy that you did.
When David Livingstone first saw the waterfall, he briefly abandoned his scientific mind and said that these were sights so lovely, they must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight. If you have visited the rainforest, you have seen the wonder from Livingstone's perspective. Now STC gives you the opportunity to see it the way the angels do.
We use state of the art Sigma tandem rigs from United Parachute Technologies UPT in America. All our tandem instructors are Sigma rated by official Sigma examiners, there licenses are renewed annually with class 2 aviation medical. All equipment is thoroughly checked on a daily basis and packed by our rigger. All our equipment has mandatory AAD's Automatic Activation Devices, which automatically release at 2 500 ft. We are the first commercial Skydiving operation in Zimbabwe licensed by Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) holding an Air Operators Certificate (AOC), which requires strict compliancy in Aircraft maintenance, parachute maintenances, pilot licensing and tandem instructors licenses.
What is the Flight of Angels?
David Livingstone, the first Caucasian to view the Falls, is reported to have said "Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight". You, like the angels, will witness the spectacular sight of the Victoria Falls from the air as you climb to your drop off altitude.
From 10,000ft you will freefall for up to 45 seconds.
What speeds will I reach?
You will reach speeds of up to 200kph depending on body size & position during your freefall experience.
What is your skydiving equipment like & how good is your safety record?
The whole experience can be done in 1.5 hours. We do ask you to allow yourselves up to 2 hours though, as due to weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances times may vary throughout the day.
I wear glasses or contact lenses - is this ok?
YES! We have goggles specially designed to fit over prescription glasses. If you wear contact lenses we suggest you bring your contact solution just in case your lenses dry out.
Can I take my camera on the plane or on the skydive with me?
You may NOT take any form of camera on the skydive or in the plane with you. This includes Go Pro cameras.
What do I have to bring and what clothing is suitable?
All you need to bring is yourself and your sense of adventure! As far as clothing is concerned you need to wear closed shoes - that won't come off in freefall! Bring a sweater just in case - Victoria Falls is usually warm/hot all year round. We provide you with a jumpsuit and goggles.
The general weight limit is 95kg. However, since our tandem instructors are light it is possible to take clients up to a maximum of 110kg. The final decision will be based on your fitness level and will be at the discretion of your qualified instructor. Anybody weighing 96 - 110kg will pay an extra $50. These fees are due to the increase in costs involved in taking a heavier weight.
The whole experience can be done in 1.5 hours. We do ask you to allow yourselves up to 2 hours though, as due to weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances, times may vary throughout the day.
Can someone with a disability go skydiving?
Most people should be able to experience the thrill of tandem skydiving. Using a specially made harness designed and tested by Jezza Williams (himself a tetraplegic), our staff are experienced in sharing the sky with people with most disabilities. Safety of our customers and staff is paramount and we will only accept individuals on a case by case basis. Participation is conditional on the judgement of our operations staff.


Showing results by author "Brenda K. Davies"
It has been six years since Abigail Byrne laid eyes on Brian Foley, but since then she's been unable to keep him out of her thoughts and dreams. Determined to try to forget him, she moves on with her life until the day her twin sister disappears without a trace. Abby has no choice but to turn to Brian for help in locating her twin, even if it results in having her heart broken.
River: As the perilous journey across a country I'd long thought destroyed begins, I don't know who I am anymore or what I'm becoming. My abilities grow stronger with each passing day, as does the fear of what comes next. All I know is that I will do anything to avoid becoming like Lucifer, and to protect those I love, even if that means protecting them from me.
Freed from the chains and the vampires that once held her, Mia struggles every day to come to terms with her captivity and the aftermath of what she endured. Knowing that she can't stand the touch of another, David will do whatever he can to help Mia while she tries to figure out who she is now, and how to handle the deepening bond between them. However, just when Mia starts to think that she may be able to find happiness again with David, a danger she never knew existed rises up and threatens to take it all away from her once more.
Terrified of becoming mated like her parents, Isabelle has locked herself away in order to avoid their fate. She is content to stay sheltered amongst her family, hidden away as she lives out her days away from the human race, and the world. Despite her determination to remain alone, her world is rocked when a person from her parent's past arrives at their door, bringing with them the powerful, and stunning vampire Stefan.
Paige has spent the past four years of her life training to fight and kill vampires. Her desire for revenge is the only thing that's kept her going, so when she's forced into hiding with Ian, she's determined to believe he's nothing but another monster in need of beheading. The more time they spend together, the more she begins to question what she's always believed about vampires. Unfortunately, if she lets him in, she'll have to admit that what she's fought so hard for may be nothing but a lie.
His entire life, Ethan has been keeping his more violent urges a secret from his family. They all think he is just antisocial, but what they don't know is that every day he struggles not to give into his growing desire to kill.
After her ex-boyfriend's betrayal, revenge propels Vicky to find and destroy the man who sold her into captivity. The minute she gets the chance to search for Duke alone, she seizes the opportunity. When her hunt causes her to cross paths with Nathan, she finds herself secretly aligning with the one man she's vowed to avoid. Determined to hunt down the Savage who murdered his father, Nathan has told no one about his private search for Joseph. The night he runs into Vicky and learns she's on her own quest, he reluctantly agrees to join forces with her to achieve his goal.


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Trump Picks Pro-Weed Business Leaders to Help Reopen the US Economy
The names include Tesla's Elon Musk, the WWE's Vince McMahon, Dana White of the UFC, and Gary Bettman of the NHL.
Hey, look, everyone: The Donald finally wants some cannabis advocates on his team. It only took, what, over three years and a worldwide crisis that crushed the nation's economy?
On Wednesday, the White House issued a press release listing the names of American business leaders President Trump wants on his advisory board for restarting the US economy. The coronavirus pandemic in the US has, so far, led to the loss of over 17 million jobs. Uncertainties and fears surrounding the crisis, along with sluggish financial activity, caused the stock market to lose half of all gains made under his presidency.
Among the weed-loving names on Trump's let's-restart-the-economy dream team: Tesla's Elon Musk, the WWE's Vince McMahon, UFC owner Dana White, Gary Bettman of the NHL, and Dallas Mavericks owner and billionaire Mark Cuban.
Why could these names be good news for the nation's marijuana movement? Many of Trump's most notable advisory board picks are avid and adamant cannabis supporters. For example, Elon Musk got famously stoned AF on Joe Rogan's podcast a few years back. Vince McMahon was one of the first pro-sports league owners to let athletes smoke weed on their own time (in both the WWE and the relaunched XFL). Mark Cuban has admitted in interviews that he smokes weed, even though the NBA continues to treat weed-smoking among players as bad as steroid or cocaine use.
And Dana White has touted the benefits of CBD for years, and even brought some pot companies in as UFC sponsors. In fact, White once appeared on an episode of MERRY JANE's GGN with the Doggfather of Dankness himself, Snoop Dogg.
On Monday, Trump proclaimed on Twitter that he and he alone has the "total" authority to reopen the US economy. He doesn't, actually — not without declaring martial law — but Trump's weekly hurricanes of bullshit have become normal forecasts under America's current political climate. So, while he accuses state governors of "mutiny" for doing the exact fucking thing he asked them to do, he's putting together a wishlist of fair-skinned bros to, ahem, trump the governors' coast-to-coast quarantine taskforce. (To be fair, Obama's Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, was also included on Trump's list, since the president observes '90s-era diversity quotas.)
Since he became president in 2017, Trump has selected some of America's most die-hard Republican anti-weed fanatics to work in the White House, even though marijuana legalization enjoys bipartisan support among US voters. Those anti-cannabis GOP crusaders have included Jeff Sessions, Pam Bondi, Mark Meadows, Bill Barr, and Kayleigh McEany.
Trump hasn't been friendly to weed either, even though he claimed while campaigning for president that he supports medical marijuana legalization. Earlier this year, a spokesperson from his 2020 presidential campaign said Trump would not federally legalize marijuana if re-elected, despite Trump's previous promises to legalize if approved by Congress.
Last month, all but eight US states brought their economies to a halt to slow the spread of COVID-19, the deadly illness caused by the novel coronavirus. The federal government also tightened imports coming through national borders and restricted travel from foreign countries, namely EU nations and China.
Since late-stage capitalism depends on insane, unsustainable metrics, the global financial system tanked simply because people stopped spending money on shit they don't actually need. To save the US economy from sinking altogether, Congress passed an unprecedented stimulus bill in March worth at least $2.2 trillion. Another round of emergency spending bills may be coming soon as the coronavirus lockdowns remain in place.
Meanwhile, the US weed industry is riding a financial rollercoaster. In some states, cannabis sales are breaking records under the coronavirus lockdowns. But in other states, the cannabis industry could collapse. The federal emergency aid bill blocks licensed pot companies, and any businesses that provide them services, from accessing the government's special loans and credit lines. This week, Colorado Governor Jared Polis called on Congress to include the cannabis industry in future emergency relief bills.
So, here's to hoping that if Trump and Congress won't take the weed-loving governor of Colorado seriously, they might listen to the cool, obscenely wealthy dudes who run Tesla, the WWE, the UFC, and the NHL instead.
Follow Randy Robinson on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook


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Švýcarská hokejová liga - sezóna 2007/2008. Vítězem se stal tým ZSC Lions.

Konečná tabulka základní části

Play off

Play out

1. kolo
 HC Lugano - EHC Basel 4:1 na zápasy
 SCL Tigers - HC Ambrì-Piotta 4:3 na zápasy

2. kolo
 HC Ambrì-Piotta - EHC Basel 4:0 na zápasy

Baráž
 EHC Basel (poslední z play out) - EHC Biel (vítěz Nationalligy B) 0:4 na zápasy

Švýcarská liga ledního hokeje
Lední hokej v roce 2007
Lední hokej v roce 2008

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Aaron Hughes didn't know he wanted to be an artist. He was just twenty years old in 2003 when he was suddenly deployed to Iraq. As the Iraq war lingered on Hughes began to question why he and his fellow soldiers were occupying a country halfway around the world. But from his disillusionment sprang something new: the desire to create art. Hughes now devotes his life to art and activism, spreading his anti-war message around the world. To learn more, read Annie Pentilla's blog post and visit the artist's website.


Saw some things that are Italian. Took some crappy pics with a potato.
...found a new prospect for Reidus and Cletus.
And watched a Lamborghini crack a splitter trying to leave the grassy field. Clearance is a benefit sometimes.


nPower Software empowers 3D artists, designers, engineers by connecting customers with advanced technology tools. nPower Software builds unique solutions based on proprietary geometric modeling technology. nPower Power plugin tools facilitate creativity, simplify design processes, improve ease of use, and reduce design time. nPower Software is committed to improving customer productivity and creativity.
- Do you struggle to create freeform/organic shapes with SOLIDWORKS?- Do you avoid making changes to surface features because it is too time consuming?- Do you have difficulty creating aesthetically pleasing Class A surfaces with tangent and curvature continuity?- Are you forced to utilize software other than SOLIDWORKS for designing organic shaped components?- Do you need to import polygonal objects created outside of SOLIDWORKS? We have an answer that may work for you! Power Surfacing is a revolutionary SOLIDWORKS add-in that will fundamentally change the way that engineers and designers design parts in SOLIDWORKS . Power Surfacing makes it easy and fun to design complex free form aesthetically pleasing "Class A" surfaces in SOLIDWORKS . No longer will you have to fight with patching a set of trimmed surfaces together to form complex curved shapes; manipulating Power Surfacing parts is as simple as modeling with clay. Power Surfacing allows great flexibility and productivity in designing those difficult surfaces by pushing and pulling on the faces, edges or vertices of the part. You will have so much fun designing with Power Surfacing that you won't want to stop.
Import of Sub-D Meshes from modo, 3ds Max, etc.
Design changes after initial creation is fast and supports reapplication of SOLIDWORKS features.


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Home / News / Health / New York Kids Kick Butts On March 24
New York Kids Kick Butts On March 24
Published on March 18, 2010, 6:53 pm
Kids in New York will take center stage in the fight against tobacco on March 24 as they join thousands of young people nationwide for the 15th annual Kick Butts Day. More than 1,000 events are planned in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Sponsored by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Kick Butts Day is an annual celebration of youth leadership and activism in the fight against tobacco use. Kids are sending two powerful messages on Kick Butts Day: They want the tobacco companies to stop targeting them with marketing for cigarettes and other tobacco products, and they want elected leaders to do more to protect them from tobacco.
In New York, health advocates are calling on state leaders to increase the cigarette tax by $1 per pack in order to prevent kids from smoking and raise much-needed revenue to address the state's budget shortfall and fund critical programs such as health care and education. According to a recent report by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a $1 cigarette tax increase in New York would have the following benefits:
Prevent 106,500 kids from becoming smokers;
Spur 53,800 current adult smokers to quit;
Save 48,300 residents from premature, smoking-caused deaths; and
Save $2.3 billion in health care costs.
"On Kick Butts Day, kids are standing up to the tobacco companies, and New York leaders should stand with them by increasing the cigarette tax," said Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "A higher cigarette tax is truly a win-win-win for New York: a health win that will prevent kids from smoking and save lives; a budget win that will help protect vital programs like health care and education; and a political win that is popular with the voters."
Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States, killing more than 400,000 people and costing $96 billion in health care bills each year. While the nation has made significant progress in reducing youth smoking, 20 percent of high school students still smoke.
In New York, tobacco use claims 25,400 lives and costs $8.17 billion in health care bills each year. Currently, 14.6 percent of the state's high school students smoke, and 85,000 kids try cigarettes for the first time each year.
On Kick Butts Day, kids turn the tables on Big Tobacco with events that range from "They put WHAT in a cigarette?" demonstrations to mock-funerals for the Marlboro Man to rallies at state capitols. Activities in New York include (all events are on March 24 unless otherwise noted):
To celebrate Kick Butts Day, South Nassau Communities Hospital will start its countdown to becoming a smoke-free hospital complex. Time: 10 AM. Location: One Healthy Way, Oceanside. Contact Damien Beck 516-377-5373.
Bronx Breathes program at Montefiore Hospital in Bronx will offer materials and activities at nine locations throughout the hospital complex to encourage patients, visitors and personnel to live smoke-free. Time: 10 AM. Location: Montefiore Medical Center Moses Division, Food Pavilion Corridor, 111 East 210th Street, Bronx. Contact: Shaniyya Pinckney 646-456-4326.
At Van Wyck Junior High School in Wappingers Falls, the Council on Addiction Prevention and Education of Dutchess County, Inc., will encourage students to sign a pledge wall to commit to be tobacco-free and to encourage peers and loved ones to quit smoking. Unsightly displays of tobacco's effect on the body will also be presented to show students the dangers of tobacco use. Time: 10 AM. Location: 6 Hillside Lake Road, Wappingers Falls. Contact: Michele Weider 845-594-5612.
Patriots Pride and Reality Check will celebrate Kick Butts Day with a carnival at Binghamton High School in Binghamton. Students will learn about the dangers of tobacco use through games, trivia and educational displays. Time: 8 AM. Location: 56 Main Street, Binghamton. Contact: Lisa Weston-Bialy (607) 321-9965.
Note to the media: For a list of Kick Butts Day events in New York, visit www.kickbuttsday.org/events. Additional information about tobacco, including state-by-state statistics, can be found at www.tobaccofreekids.org.
Bronx Clinic Using Biometric Check-In
Governor Urged To Expand Sugar Tax
Free Online Summer Music Program For Bronx Children & Teens
Update On The NYPD Response To The Coronavirus Outbreak
Bronck / Apr 19
MTA Distribution Of PPE To Reach 2.4 Million Masks & 4.8 Million Pairs Of Gloves This Week
Bronck / May 31


What's better when dealing with a multilingual website?
What's better when dealing with a multilingual website?
I had a recent experience with a client whose website visitors are from several countries. The website owner's clients are mainly English and German. And i was here trying to give them a solution to his situation.
The website was a previously complete job, very well done, judging by the lunch my client bought me at Java, Adams Arcade. Wish they served turkey, because thats what i would have ordered. And some white wine. The big bottle.
The client told me they needed to use some German keywords on the website, because the website users from Germany search for words like Urlaub in Kenia to mean Holiday in Kenya.
Placing the keywords on the meta tags- Well this will ensure that there are keywords that the website can be found on. And we can add a translator to the site for German and other visitors to read.
Pros: This is easy work as i just have to place these keywords on the meta tags and we are done.
Cons: As you might be aware, the algorithm used for seach by search engines changed, and we nolonger rely on meta tags alone. Its great to have them, but content is king. Search engines scour the sitemap and it's the content on the pages that determine the return of results and the last thing you can do is place German keywords on an english page with no coherence. One would consider placing them on the site but making the text the same colour as the page. This would work, but we call this black hat SEO. This is against Google's Terms of Service. And you could get penalised, HEAVILY. The penalty, once your site is identified could be a ban from search results. We both know what this means to your business.
Having a different landing page, with options for the languages- This will mean having two websites on domain extensions, like yourdomain.com/en and yourdomain.com/de. What this will mean is updating two databases whenever you want to. But makes the website load faster since what loads is the html landing page where you select the language. leads you to the folder that has either the English website or the German one.
You get everybody happy, the Germans will read German content and can now make inquiries.
The search engines will be a happy lot as they now have something to browse on, and give to your visitors in search results.
This is ofcourse better to have than the first option.
Cons:Two databases to update, English and German, and if we were to develop a translator from the database it would be expensive for you.
This comes with a need for a german content writer, i dont know german.
Well, i had thought about IP based detection and language selection like they do in big social networks, but for the kind of investment i find it a tad too expensive for the client, or what do you think?
Thanx @claire, but what did you like about it?


Baker, as the Chairman and Chief Lizard Wrangler at Mozilla, organizes and motivates a huge collaborative group of employees and volunteers throughout the world who are working together to breathe new life into the Internet through the development and improvement of the Firefox Web browser and Thunderbird e-mail client.
Jo Grogan (JG): What should be the role of innovation in today's global economic climate?
Mitchell Baker: The question isn't what "should" innovation be, because innovation is what it is. Some innovations come out of the blue, out of the range of what we can see clearly. Innovation is the unexpected and unique connection of ideas that occur in the human brain. Innovation is disruptive, uncomfortable, challenges assumptions, and is upsetting.
JG: How do you encourage an innovative environment at Mozilla?
Mitchell Baker: We operate in the Internet marketplace and are mission driven. At the heart, we are a non-profit. We are about making advances, improving the quality and structures that allow many new ideas to bubble from within and outside, whether they are good for us or not. Our view of innovation is that it should be good for people, not necessarily good for our business.
JG: What's the most difficult problem you have solved at Mozilla? Were there any surprises?
Mitchell Baker: The most difficult problem was to create an awareness of the existence and importance of our products and the importance of the browser to the overall Internet experience. When we started, Microsoft's Internet Explorer was used for 90 percent of the users worldwide. People bought a computer and knew that you could click on the little blue "e" to get to the internet. We cracked the Microsoft monopoly. We improved the browser experience for people. Firefox now has 20 percent of the U.S. market and 30 percent of the worldwide market.
The surprises? There were two types of surprises. External surprises with results that people outside of Mozilla did not anticipate, and internal surprises that we at Mozilla did not anticipate.
Those outside Mozilla were surprised that the open source development model works, where the source code is made available and people can use it for other purposes. We built a public asset for public benefit with a combination of people who chose to work together. We did it with our employees, employees of other companies, and volunteers worldwide, for no other purpose than to improve the experience of users of the Internet. There was no immediate economic compensation for our product, because we are a very different company without a focus on the bottom line. Our focus freed us up to improve the experience.
Within Mozilla, we were surprised at how quickly the scope, scale, and timing of Mozilla's growth changed with Firefox. Before, we had 1-2 million users. We were surprised after the release to pick up tens of millions of users. We're seeing it now with Web sites. This happened because of the nature and the innovative ways in which we work. Open source, by its nature is transparent, shared, with many decision makers. This now means that there is interest inside and outside Mozilla in our innovative technology. The innovative and socioeconomic value of what we do has grown dramatically.
The open source mentality and impact is enormous. You see some of this effect in products such as Linux, Apache, Mozilla products, but if you look behind the scenes, you get an idea as to its impact. Google, EBay, Yahoo all use open source in their equipment and software.
The "Open Sourcing" concept has expanded to other areas, as well. We see it across a wide spectrum of industries and uses. I often get mail from people asking for advice on how to open source something, such as developing local solutions to global warming. In community based organizations, you earn your authority by how much you do and how well you do it to solve whatever the problem is.
I get some correspondence asking how to solve significant social issues and be financially sustainable. There is a growing innovative movement for causes with social and civic value as well as private economic value. While these community organizations can resort to fundraising, it is very limited for accessing capital. These organizations need a way to generate revenue to sustain the operation. The idea of sustainability has spread. It's very hard to be financially sustainable and support the public, but the rewards are phenomenal.
What is gratifying about Mozilla is that it proves the point that people don't want to be couch potatoes. They are eager to contribute to internet leadership and respect peer reviews. They put in enormous time and energy for shared resources.
JG: I wonder about the title of Chief Lizard Wrangler. How did it come to be created?
When you're a leader of an organization such as Mozilla, the techniques you use have to be able to motivate volunteers and our 150 employees. If you try to motivate people through your position and title and management chain five or six thousand miles away, through "you do what I say," they won't show up. You have to manage, believe, and act in a way that is back and forth with all contributors. You need a set of people who believe that some piece of Mozilla is theirs.
You have to get it right with volunteers. If you manage and lead volunteers well, you are well down the path to managing employees. Our employees are highly self-motivated to spend time struggling to figure something out. They do this because they have the freedom to do so. We attract and select people who want to help figure out the direction of the Internet, the direction of Mozilla. You give them something to do and the freedom to figure it out. Our employees are contributors—they are motivated to build and enhance an open internet experience.
JG: What challenges are you trying to meet right now?
Mitchell Baker: We're setting broad goals for Mozilla for the next two years. It's difficult, because the types of things we do may not fit into a nicely measurable, concrete business school definition for our goals, directions, and aspirations. To come up with our goals, we're using an open source model, so people who care can connect and find ways to participate. We seek the best ideas and institutionalize them. As a non-profit, we don't have the same need to generate a Return on Investment that other companies have. We give up access to capital markets for this, but what we get is the institutional freedom to focus on increasing the value to the user.
JG: What, if any ideation/thinking/problem solving/creativity tools/innovation software are used for innovation at Mozilla?
Mitchell Baker: Our tools are plebian—what are used in every organization—e-mail, wiki, blogs—we have a massive generation of ideas by employees, consumers, and other developers.
As far as structural tools, we have a space called "Add-ons" at Mozilla.org. This is a very important aspect of how we innovate. The community uses this space to say what they want, some utility they want, and the techs are engaged enough to produce it. It makes it easy to contribute to make what they need.
Firefox appears as a product, but is also a tool to build other functionality. The after-market products for Firefox are enormous.
We also have Mozilla Labs. This is where we consciously seek to improve, encourage, and generate ideas not as close to the products themselves. Labs.mozilla.org is where we look further out. This is where we lay the intellectual framework for innovation. An example would be where a user knows how they want a browser to feel. They aren't a programmer or techie, but a user. We provide tools for them to use to express the "feel of the browser" in whatever way they are used to—prototypes, drawings, frameworks for discussion.
JG: What innovation methodologies and training are used at Mozilla (e.g., Six Sigma, Edward DeBono)?
Mitchell Baker: Nothing formal, because we have so many different people, employees, volunteers, users, with our browser as the centerpiece, and people interacting through the browsers. We don't want to get so headstrong that we think we have the only answer. We need to be exploring new methods. Our mindset is for constant improvement.
JG: Do you use outside consultants to help with innovation and the innovative process? How do they work with the teams?
Mitchell Baker: We use everyone. Our specific relationships are attuned to do it in "The Mozilla Way." At labs.mozilla.org, we have the Browser Concept Series. This is where innovative thinkers have their own space to get ideas so people can discuss them. We launched labs.mozilla.org with tools and a set of expectations to mine those ideas.
Adaptive Path, a well known ideation consulting firm, developed a concept video for Aurora, for what future evolution might look like for technology, the browser, and the Web. We made the work and video available for background and discussion. We just told our users, "Here's what a professional consultant says, here's an informed view, put it together, research, teach how innovation works, and encourage open discussion and innovation." They put together a great video for us.
JG: Do you have a suggested or required reading list for staff on the topic of innovation?
Mitchell Baker: No. We haven't felt the need so far, maybe we should. What we do have is a huge set of voracious readers, so the information comes in. We circulate the books and our staff talks about them in blog posts.
JG: When you and your teams are working on a problem, or developing a product and hit a barrier beyond which you cannot move, what do you do?
Mitchell Baker: We look at how we've approached the problem before. Sometimes we need to expand the group, give a general idea of the problem in a public forum. We generate a lot of discussion. Sometimes we find that this gets us off the core idea. If it's not about the core idea, we'll go back and refocus, say we haven't got the right answer yet, and issue a public call to action to address the issue.
An example of this is the Thunderbird e-mail client. We needed to do something different. With ten million users, we thought we could do something to improve their experience. We started the process through a public blog post. We wanted ideas from different organizations, users, volunteers, anyone. Wanted to know their thoughts. We had so much feedback and potential enhancements and improvements that we realized we needed something more robust to deal with it.
We created a separate subsidiary, Mozilla Messaging. David Asher leads this organization. I had known David for a long time, but the realization that he should head up this organization grew out of the public and open process we initiated to improve our product.
JG: We're nearing the end of your time availability, and I wonder if there are any other thoughts on innovation you would like to share with us?
Mitchell Baker: We are successful at a giant, saleable level because of the number and quality of people who participate in our company and our goals. This piece is sometimes hard for people to understand. People want innovative organizations. They want the energy and ability to make innovative changes. The key to this part, to the synergistic flow of electrons, is that they have a scope of the world that is theirs, without micromanagement.
The question for companies is does this space exist in your company? Can you make it exist? If the organization has the ability and can be creative, then do it. Don't pretend or encourage people to think that you are doing it if you can't. Don't try it if you cannot make it real. Innovation requires enormous energy, excitement and commitment.
JG: Thanks for a very informative interview.
Feedback Welcome: If you would like to comment on the above article, or suggest other innovation decision makers for me to interview, please feel free to [CONTACT ME].
Hey mate, i would like to appreciate your intelligent ideas on innovations and hereby requesting you for new upcoming ones!


In typical Texas winter fashion right after we had a nice, warm, sunny day we had a cold, rainy day. I think it was trash day too, of course. I had come back inside; wet and cold. I was trying to take a good shot of my feet as I slid my boots off, it didn't happen. However, I did get this interesting shot of my feet against my boots. Not my best work, but it's ok.
Came across this torn flag stuck in a tree yesterday morning. The wind was beating it all over the place, so symbolic. I think we all agree our country is in trouble, but we are so torn on how to fix it.


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131st Force Support Squadron named best in the Air National Guard
The 131st Force Support Squadron Airman & Family Readiness flight received the 2020 annual award for best personnel team across the Air National Guard. "The Air National Guard A1 Community is immensely proud to support the superior professionalism and the dedication of these units and individuals,"
Calhoun assumes command of Missouri National Guard's 131BW
Col. Matthew D. Calhoun took the reins of the 131st Bomb Wing during an assumption of command ceremony Aug. 1, 2020, at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.
Whiteman honors Missouri ANG unit, 'Lindbergh's Own'
Members of the Missouri Air National Guard's 131st Bomb Wing and the U.S. Air Force's 509th Bomb Wing gathered Aug. 4, 2018, to celebrate the unveiling of a new paint scheme on a gear door for the Spirit of Nebraska, a B-2 bomber assigned to Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.For the 131st BW, the


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Front Page » Archives » April 2007 »
" FEENEY UNDERSTATED COSTS OF SCOTLAND GOLF JUNKET WITH ABRAMOFF, ACCORDING TO COURT DOCS	"
FEENEY UNDERSTATED COSTS OF SCOTLAND GOLF JUNKET WITH ABRAMOFF, ACCORDING TO COURT DOCS
Former Chief of Staff Jason Roe 'Abruptly Resigns' From Romney Campaign as Abramoff Said to be 'Talking so Much He Doesn't Have Time to Eat'
Heat Continues to Build as Everyone Starts Singing in the FBI Investigation of Corrupt Florida Congressman...
By Brad Friedman on 4/25/2007, 12:36pm PT
Signs indicate things are getting worse, and quickly, for one of Congress' most corrupt members, Rep. Tom Feeney, a once-powerful Florida Republican whose extensive career of documented lies, political favors, and routine partisan smear-mongering The BRAD BLOG has covered in great detail over the last two and a half years.
Yesterday, Feeney was fingered as "Representative #3" in recent court filings related to the guilty plea of Republican Congressional Aide Mark Zachares, who admitted receiving some $40,000 in cash and gifts from Jack Abramoff. A day earlier, it was revealed that the FBI had recently interviewed Feeney and requested documents related to his 2003 golf junket to St. Andrews, Scotland with Zachares and the disgraced GOP lobbyist.
Today, court documents reveal that the cost of the 2003 trip was closer to $20,000 per person instead of the $5,643 Feeney claimed when he "paid back" that amount in January of this year, after the House Ethics Committee found him to be in violation of House Rules prohibiting lobbyist-paid travel.
Further news reports indicate much more trouble may be ahead for the beleaguered Congressman, as Abramoff is said to be chattering away to federal investigators --- "so much he doesn't have time to eat," according to one news report --- in hopes of reducing a prison sentence he's currently facing in relation to conspiracy fraud charges to which he's already plead guilty in Florida.
But if that weren't indication enough that Feeney may be in big trouble, it's also now being reported this morning that his former Chief of Staff, Jason Roe --- who, along with his wife, Patricia, has also been the target of corruption allegations --- abruptly resigned from his new position as Deputy Campaign Manager for Presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Amusingly, the reason he cited for the resignation was "familial obligations."
Those "familial obligations" might include the fact that Patricia reportedly received some $50,000 from the Feeney campaign for fundraising duties, before becoming Chief of Staff for Rep. Rick Renzi (R-AZ) --- whose wife's office was raided last week by Federal investigators leading to his resignation this week from all Congressional Committees.
Further, in what TMP's Josh Marshall aptly described last night as "a classic scandal harmonic convergence," the case against Renzi, which included federal wiretaps prior to last year's November election, also has direct implications in the the U.S. Attorney Purge scandal.
And all of the "familial" wives are involved as well.
Following all of this? You may need to take notes. We'll try to make it easy for you...
The St. Petersburg Times reports today that court filings indicate the cost of the trip to St. Andrews was purposely concealed and then low-balled in official disclosure filings:
Zachares had said the trip was paid for by a conservative think tank, the National Center for Public Policy Research, that it had cost $5,643 and that the purpose was fact finding. All three were lies, according to the documents.
Feeney, 48, an Orlando-area Republican who has been contacted by the FBI as part of the Abramoff investigation, reported precisely the same details in his travel report on the Scotland trip.
Feeney has insisted he didn't know Abramoff covered the cost of the trip, which is a violation of House rules.
In the years prior to Feeney's trip to St. Andrews with Abramoff, Congressmen Bob Ney (R-OH) and Tom DeLay (R-TX) had gone on similar trips with the once-powerful, now-imprisoned GOP lobbyist. Ney has plead guilty to bribery charges in the matter and is serving time in federal prison while DeLay is under indictment in another matter, and still reportedly under investigation in the Abramoff matter. Only Feeney had escaped public and media scrutiny for his trip, as The BRAD BLOG reported in a near-vacuum almost a year ago.
Now that the matter is finally coming to media attention, Feeney's spokesperson, Pepper Pennington (yes, that's really her name), gave an amusing quote to the Times in refusing to give further comment, other than to say, "Rep. Feeney is anxious to discuss this matter at the appropriate time."
We're sure he is.
But he may wish to do so sooner, rather than later, as virtually everyone else seems to be desperately trying to reduce their prison sentences right now. McClatchy's Greg Gordon is reporting today (via TPMMuckraker's coverage of the latest Feeney news) that:
"[Abramoff is] talking so much he doesn't have time to eat," one lawyer involved in the matter quipped, insisting upon anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. "Everybody who had business dealings with the guy should be nervous."
Feeney is among those who might be nervous over the ex-lobbyist's chatter, said the knowledgeable lawyer.
And to make matters worse, The Hill coverage today makes the stakes for Zachares' cooperation crystal clear:
Zachares faces a maximum sentence of five years in jail and a $250,000 fine, but the judge said she would recommend a sentence of 18 to 24 months if he provides "substantial assistance" to prosecutors in the broader Abramoff investigation.
He is the 11th person to plead guilty in the wide-ranging investigation into Abramoff's conspiracy to bribe public officials.
The judge also said that the DoJ had decided not to prosecute Zachares's wife, Cynthia, after she agreed in a Feb. 23 interview to cooperate fully with authorities."
St. Petersburg Times posts the charges, the basis for Zachares' plea, and his plea agreement [all in PDF format].
Zachares and wife cooperating, Abramoff already singing, Renzi nearing resignation from Congress as he and his wife may now face charges, Roe and his wife now newly under the gun...We might well suggest that Feeney ought to be more than just "nervous" at this point.
UPDATE FROM DES 3:24pm PT: The specific wording from court documents suggests Feeney's understatement wasn't a mistake, but rather collusion, according to AP [emphasis added]:
Zachares "falsely reported the cost of transportation, lodging and meals as only $5,643, a figure coordinated with Abramoff to be substantially identical as the figures other attendees, including Representative #3, would report," according to a statement of facts which Zachares signed March 14. "Representative #3" is a reference to Feeney.
The AP story quoted above has now been archived. Here is WaPo coverage of the same story.
For more info on The BRAD BLOG's continuing investigative series on
The Clint Curtis/Tom Feeney/Yang Enterprises Vote-Rigging Scandal series, please see:
- A Quick Summary of the story so far.
- An Index of all the Key Articles & Evidence in the series so far.
- Curtis eventually ended up running for U.S. Congress against Feeney in 2006.
For more info, see: www.ClintCurtis.com
Article Categories: Florida, Jack Abramoff, Tom Feeney
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"FEENEY UNDERSTATED COSTS OF SCOTLAND GOLF JUNKET WITH ABRAMOFF, ACCORDING TO COURT DOCS"
Roe too? Oh Noe.
(Sorry, couldn't resist.)
... Mark S	said on 4/25/2007 @ 2:28 pm PT...
Darn it--I'm lousy at note-taking. Let's see if I have this straight.....
Feeney is the guy who hired Clint Curtis to write the election theft program that may have been used in Florida 2000. Curtis ran against Feeney in a recent election, lost, and is contesting the election (It must feel very strange to wonder if the computer program that stole an election from you, is the one you wrote).
It is very rare for election contests to change the results of an election. One thing that can is if the winning candidate goes to jail. But in that case I don't think that the runner-up gets to hold office--I think the governor gets to appoint somebody, right?
Maybe I've got this all wrong. I have to admit that I find it extremely confusing. But if Clint Curtis was hired by Feeney to write a program to demonstrate how an election using voting machines could be undetectably rigged, suspected that the program may have been used in the actual theft of an election, later ran against the guy who hired him and lost because the program he wrote, or one similar to it, was used to steal the election he ran in, and, even if the guy goes to jail, Clint still won't get to hold office, all I can say is that no matter how much I admire his courage, I'm very glad that I'm not Clint Curtis. Now that his life has turned into a Kafka novel, he's got to be even more confused than I am.
(Brad ain't the only dude who can write long sentences. And speaking of long sentences, Feeney deserves one.)
Mark S asked:
No. My understanding is that the seat stays vacant until a Special Election is held.
You're thinking about Senatorial seats which go vacant (for whatever reason), in which case the Gov. does appoint someone to fill the remainder of the term.
As to the rest, Curtis life turned Kafkaesque long ago, I'm afraid. But he seems to be handling every step of it amazingly well.
And yes, long sentences for me, you, and the other kind for Feeney would be just fine
...Though I should add that what's always interested me about Feeney was not necessarily his own personal corruption (which is now legion) but his very close ties to the Bushes.
If he comes under the gun, will he start singing? Because the next ones up from him are both Jeb and George.
Just FYI...
... DES said on 4/25/2007 @ 3:45 pm PT...
FYI to all:
Curtis DOES NOT claim that the vote-rigging prototype program he created at Feeney's request was intended to be used, or actually used, in the 2000 election.
Nor does he claim that his prototype program was ever used in any election, including his own against Feeney in Nov. 2006.
Curtis has made clear, here and elsewhere, that it was a "proof-of-concept" program, not written for any specific hardware, software, or voting system, but solely to demonstrate that it could be done at all.
Please make a note of it, and clear up these misconceptions whenever you see them!
Also, MarkS #2, even though an election challenge almost never results in overturning the election or a re-vote, one good thing it does offer is discovery.
Just like Green Party Presidential Candidate for 2004, David Cobb, who was pretty darn sure he didn't have a snowball's chance, but his presence on the ballot gave him standing to challenge. We know a lot more about the '04 election in Ohio thanks to the efforts of Cobb, et al.
Same thing goes for Curtis in 2006 --- if you don't run, you don't have standing in court to drill down into what really happened.
Since Curtis has not claimed that his prototype program was ever actually used in any election (see comment above), it makes sense to run anyway, even if you suspect there will be criminal interference and dirty tricks. Especially when you believe that you and your neighbors don't have an honest person to represent them.
You make a good point about the Kafka-esque turn Curtis' life has taken after that first fateful encounter with Feeney. If either of them had to live that day over again, I wonder...
Curtis strikes me as the kind of guy who doesn't take anything lying down. As strange as his life has been since Feeney dropped that turd in the middle of it, he fights back, and he doesn't give up.
... Off the Grid said on 4/25/2007 @ 4:50 pm PT...
Off topic??Ah..
I'm curious to know if the dominoes start to fall, who fills the void??? I mean there is nothing I would like more than to see Bush & Co. on a Guantanamo Bay postcard, but I think the Dems are the same as the Repubs. I mean it's like you go to the grocery store for 20 years and have only 2 brands of food to choose from the whole time. Soon what you eat really doesn't matter...until brand R starts putting DU in your kibble. Now you know brand R is bad...but does that make brand D good??
Are there any top level Dems talking publicly about peak oil?? Are there any top level Dems talking about the point of no return...that's where we don't have enough oil left to convert to another form of energy, energy for things like sustaining an economy (something like...it takes two barrels of oil to run the machines to extract one barrel from the ground-->or as I like to think of it...Global Starvation). Do any Dems, or more importantly, do the Dems as a whole foster an economic view that incorporates the laws of thermodynamics and the entropic principle.
"According to these views, a country's performance is gauged not by its absolute level of income or consumption, but rather by how far it is from homeostatic steady state. Countries closer to their homeostatic steady state are predicted to grow slower than those farther away, even though they might have lower levels of consumption."
Curtis claims to have collected sufficient affidavits from voters to directly contradict the count in precincts of the 13th district which seems like it would be pretty damning stuff, but I haven't heard or seen anything about it since.
Has anyone heard anything recent regarding them?
... River	said on 4/25/2007 @ 6:27 pm PT...
I hope Feeney can sing. What a nice song that might be.
... oldturk	said on 4/25/2007 @ 7:08 pm PT...
If putting lots of frosting on round cakes in a high production work area, it is always best to use a lazy-susan to speed up the works.
That way the job doesn't get ahead of ya - as you express artistic flare for the finished product and savor the end results.
The lose ends of all your hard work are coming to fruition, what an attractive gift bow for bu$$hCo.
(The CMSM had to be browbeaten to jump on board the reality train - shame on them - three cheers for little you ! The mini-media taught the big money propagandists a lesson in the marketability of the truth. Democracy is the better by your efforts. THX for doing what you do - it very badly needed be done.)
... phil said on 4/25/2007 @ 8:49 pm PT...
#7 Off the Grid,
I don't buy the whole peak oil argument. There's really no evidence that I have seen that can prove it one way OR the other that that Bell Chart that is floating around is fact. In fact, I have heard the opposite, where old oil wells that dried up, now have oil again. Which taken even farther, one might question the term "Fossil Fuel" altogether. Who say's oil is created by dinosaurs? And if it was, how come it is so far under the ground. Sorry, I don't buy it.
The fact remains that Americans are addicted to oil like a junkie with a syringe. And that it's bad for people to breath the exhaust, I won't argue that.
I think the question is better asked, what happened to the "water powered car" (hydrogen) of the 1970's? And why isn't that being mass produced? The funny thing is I actually saw that. I can verify that, I SAW that. I've seen others since then too (in Davis Or Sacramento I forget now.) But each time the story conveniently disappears. What do the peak oil folks have to say about that? Just wondering, not attacking ya.
by the way I wasn't talking about hydrogen in a canister, I was talking about it being created before it goes in the intake manifold.
... phil said on 4/25/2007 @ 11:47 pm PT...
Oh and since we are off topic, might as well plug this:
http://www.pbs.org/moyer...welcome_to_the_blog.html
I'll let the serious searchers find out what I mean.
Since Feeney is all up close to the bushies and is a fanatical protege of DeLay, we can reasonably assume that some strings were pulled and buttons pushed on his behalf in the attorneyGate episode.
I think we know where 5-8 million emails and about half of weird Al Gonzales' memory has gone:
Four sitting members of the House Intelligence Committee have come "under FBI scrutiny" over the last two years, and a top Democratic senator believes that the Attorney General may have been successful in delaying one probe of a Republican Congressman until after the midterm elections
(Raw Story, emphasis added). This gives new meaning to "DeLay a probe" doesn't it? Sounds like a video game.
The pattern is clear.
Send "messages" to all US Attorney's who are working on investigations that are turning neoCons into neoConvicts.
Tell them to slow down until after the election on republican congress members, but speed up investigations of any democrats who could be challenged with the "voter fraud" canard.
It must have looked like a mafia conference when Thor Hearne, Karl Rove, Al Gonzales, Jack Abramoff, Feeney, DeLay, Libby, and the rest of the neoConnivers got together to pervert justice and convert the DOJ into the Department of Just Us.
The republicans are making a grave mistake to back up these guys with their votes on just about every bad policy issue. The House and Senate voting has been down partisan party lines for the greater part. Very few republicans will exit the Cheney/Bush propaganda.
The people, however, are watching and waiting.
November is on the way and there will be climate change. The nation is going thru political global warming and they will be plenty hot in November 2008.
Fried neoCon is going to be served up for all to see.
... czaragorn	said on 4/26/2007 @ 6:36 am PT...
I have only one problem with Clint: he claims that he was asked to write the program to flip votes and he agreed because he thought it was part of a strategy to prevent "Democrat" fraud in South Florida. Now I'd like to know how creating a vote-flipping program could possibly help stop the Democrats from cheating. I have to wonder if he's really one of the brightest bulbs at the lamp shop; perhaps Feeney Feeney Bo Beeney is an EXTREMELY persuasive guy. Just wondering...
He could have looked into the software and said, "Sure! It can definitely be done! Even I could do it," or something like that. I have no problem with that, but if Feeney says, "Well, then write a program for me," I find it hard to believe that Clint could have been so naive as to do it without sensing that something was fishy. I mean, qwe're talking about Feeney here! But what do I know? I'm just sitting here on the Group W bench...
The Hydrogen Economy is a good place to start. I don't think hydrogen is the whole solution, and the book doesn't clearly offer a good/plausible solution. The first half of the book documents oil discovery peaking in the 70's, present global reserves(above and below ground), it talks about the amount of water needed to process tar sand/oil shale into gas (I hear lots about that oil shale under Colorado...idiots) and it I think the best part is it looks at our economy as a thermodynamic system(closed loop). Basically as soon as it takes 1.00000000000001 barrels of oil to extract 1 barrel of oil our little global economy(thanks to entropy) will go into decline and without an alternative source of energy, we go the way of the Mayans, but with global warming too, at least the Mayans had a jungle to return to.
One might note the entire Mayan civilization collapsed within a 100 years...these people invented the concept of 0, built 300ft. tall pyramids in Mexico and Guatemala at the time Europe was in the Dark Ages...they most likely over populated their cities and over farmed their land, which was jungle that had been stripped to make fields(no jungle, no nutrients for the soil).
Peak oil is obvious. Why are we in Iraq (Operation Iraqi Liberation). Why did it take gas half as long to go from $2 to $3, than is did to from $1 to $2 (peak oil causes prices to rise exponentially, until the point of no return) . ...it's like looking at the horizon, you know the earth is round and only a idiot would think its not.
... the_zapkitty	said on 4/26/2007 @ 9:27 pm PT...
... czaragorn said...
"Now I'd like to know how creating a vote-flipping program could possibly help stop the Democrats from cheating."
Demonstration programs are created as just that: demonstration. Proof of concept. Demonstration viruses and exploits are created all the time to show that a given attack vector is indeed exploitable. Tghis literally happens all the time in software security research.
Then the prototype malware is used to research defenses against that type of malware... and that's apparently where things went very wrong for Curt.
And in addition: remember that by his own admission Curtis was laboring under the delusion of "Rampant (Democratic) Voter Fraud!"
Is it possible to insert pictures of catgirls on the moon in Brad Blog? A demonstration program:
rats! foiled again!
Maybe Feeney used the software Clint wrote to defeat Clint in the last election ... seriously, Clint has never indicated that the software was for the 2000 election as I recall.
... the_zapkitty	said on 4/27/2007 @ 10:57 am PT...
Dredd, that's theoretically ossible but Curtis has avoided going that route entirely.
His team is relying strictly on...
"Here are the numbers. Here are the facts. Obviously something went wrong. Let's look into it."
... which is probably why he has been as successful as he has been in bringing this before Congress.
Because of the controversy generated over e-vote tampering congresstypes don't want it brought up to them until there's a true "smoking gun" event that everyone can agree on.
That's not quite the best way to handle it since it involves their elections, but thats politics.
Thus Jennings speaks only of obvious malfunctions and Curtis just shows us numbers that anyone can see don't add up.


Fans clamored to have a look at Grete Šadeiko's wedding dress when she married Robert Griffin in 2018. The athlete has kept quiet about her wedding photos since she was not crazy about her gown designed by her mom. However, Grete looked justly classic in a strapless dress with a stunning neckline and a ruffled, elaborate train.
Fun Fact: Grete wore a white lace Berta wedding dress with a removable tulle skirt for the ceremony and took it off for her first dance to Ed Sheeran's "Perfect." Their Miami wedding venue was perfect too with hanging crystals and a smoke-covered dance floor.


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Get emergency shelter for homeless families with children
SHELTER, Inc. Verified Information
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Not open on holidays.
children (5-11 years old), parents
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must be experiencing homelessness
number of children under 18
Call the Solano County Coordinated Entry System, Resource Connect Solano to access resources.
SHELTER, Inc.
925-338-1038 (Office Phone)
1333 Willow Pass Rd.
SHELTER, Inc. Main Office
Get shelter for individuals who are homeless
Napa County Health And Human Services Agency
Get emergency shelter for women who are homeless
Berkeley Food and Housing Project (BFHP)
Get transitional housing for homeless Veterans, single women, women with children and families
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Get a one-time rental assistance for families and individuals who are or at-risk of being homeless
Get case management services for veterans and their families
Find supportive housing for at-risk individuals who are homeless


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Join us this Sunday at 11:00 for dynamic Christ centered worship borrowing from the beauty and depth of our traditions as well as the relational and engaging atmosphere of modern worship.
Foundational Documents of The United Methodist Faith
Just as creeds such as the Apostles' Creed summarize the belief of all Christians, the Articles of Religion of The Methodist Church and the Confessions of Faith of The Evangelical United Brethren Church form a foundation of doctrine for United Methodists. They, along with Wesley's Sermons on Several Occasions and Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament, are "standards" of doctrine for United Methodists.
The Articles of Religion
When the Methodist movement in America became a church in 1784, John Wesley provided the American Methodists with a liturgy and a doctrinal statement, which contained twenty-four "Articles of Religion" or basic statements of belief. These Articles of Religion were taken from the Thirty-Nine Articles of the Church of England—the church out of which the Methodism movement began—and had been the standards for preaching within the Methodist movement. When these articles were voted on by the American conference, an additional article was added regarding the American context, bringing the total number of articles to 25. These articles became the basic standards for Christian belief in the Methodist church in North America. First published in the church's Book of Discipline in 1790, the Articles of Religion have continued to be part of the church's official statement of belief.
The Confession of Faith
The Confession of Faith is the statement of belief from The Evangelical United Brethren Church. Consisting of 16 articles, the current form of this statement of faith was presented and adopted by the 1962 General Conference. When The United Methodist Church was formed in 1968 from the union of several branches of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, both The Articles of Religion and the Confession of Faith were adopted as basic statements of the Christian faith. Click here to read more about the history of how this statement of faith came to be.
READ THE CONFESSION
190 years ago a young Methodist preacher rode into an unruly town on the Mississippi River with a population of around 500 called Memphis TN. Reverend Thomas Davidson had a vision of starting a church from which other churches and even new denominations would grow. In February of 1826, Rev. Thomas and three others held the first worship service of what would become the first church in Memphis and would later be called Memphis First United Methodist Church. In 1832, 11 faithful members sought to buy land and build a place of worship so they could increase their ability to reach out to the people of Memphis.
Within a year, the church had been built upon the plot of land upon which First Church sits now and the membership had increased to 51 persons.
185 Years later, the people of First Church face a similar situation. In October of 2006, the historic sanctuary of Memphis First UMC caught fire and was totally destroyed. Along with the loss of the sanctuary, the adjacent offies and educational building known as the Pepper Building was also damaged to the point of needing to be completely rebuilt on the inside. After the tragic loss of our sanctuary, we have been worshiping in our education building for seven years. We strongly believe God is leading us to re-build the sanctuary so that we are better able to reach the people of Memphis and welcome them into a dynamic community of worship for many generations to come.
With the gifts of the extraordinary generous people in the community as well as the proceeds from insurance, Memphis First was able to fully restore the Pepper Building as well as lay a foundation and erect the frame for the future sanctuary. Every space that has been purchased or re-built since the fire has been able to be used to further the mission and ministry of First Church. For the mission and ministry of First Church to continue to flourish and increase, it is essential we increase our worshiping community. We believe building a sanctuary will serve as a inviting and welcoming front door to the community of worship and provide an essential catalyst for reaching those who are not currently in worship on Sunday Mornings.


Good news, "Veronica Mars" fans — it looks like there may be a movie in the works.
Fans of the CW drama were absolutely crushed when the network didn't renew the show in 2007, and talk immediately turned to giving the series a proper two-hour Cineplex sendoff. Now, creator Rob Thomas has divulged the first solid details of the project, which is closer than ever to becoming reality.
Speaking to reporters at the TCAs in Los Angeles, Thomas (on hand to promote his new ABC show Cupid) confirmed that he is writing a Veronica Mars movie, according to iFMagazine.com.
Thomas says he has the movie "70 percent" down in his head, and is struggling with one crucial plot point. However, he also feels he is "on the right track now" and will clear that hurdle soon enough.
The movie is not going to take place where Veronica Mars' would-be fourth season would have (Thomas made a presentation for network execs that proposed jumping forward in time to Veronica in the FBI). Instead, the movie is set to start just days before Veronica graduates from Hearst College.
According to the article, the cast is interested and financing shouldn't be a problem, so this is looking very good at the moment. This comes on the heels of the news that there is also a "Jericho" movie in the works.
Count this writer amongst the fans of the show that were sorely disappointed when the CW elected not to renew it. In that final season, "Veronica Mars" was every bit as good as it ever was, and it felt like there were plenty more stories to tell. I was intrigued by the possibility of her ending up at the FBI, but I'll take any of Ms. Mars that I can get at this point.


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Roman Law and English Law: Two Patterns of Legal Development
Alan Watson, University of Georgia School of LawFollow
It is commonplace among scholars to link in thought the growth of Roman law and of English law. S.F.C. Milsom begins his distinguished Historical Foundations of the Common Law with the words: "It has happened twice only that the customs of European peoples were worked up into intellectual systems of law; and much of the world today is governed by laws derived from the one or the other." More strikingly, some scholars see an essential similarity in legal approaches in the two systems. Fritz Pringsheim entitled a well-known article The Inner Relationship Between English and Roman Law. W.W. Buckland and A.D. McNair wrote of "the affinity of the Roman jurist and the common lawyer" and even claimed, "It may be a paradox, but it seems to be the truth that there is more affinity between the Roman jurist and the common lawyer than there is between the Roman jurist and his modern civilian successor." The former author wrote elsewhere of "the essential kinship, not of the Roman and the English law, but rather of the Roman and the English lawyer."
Such writers are, of course, also aware of differences between the two systems. But the stress on similarities in these two approaches is, I believe, fundamentally misplaced, and leads to serious misunderstandings of the two systems, and of legal development in general. This paper is an attempt to, correct the perspective.
Alan Watson, Roman Law and English Law: Two Patterns of Legal Development (1990),
Comparative and Foreign Law Commons, Jurisprudence Commons, Legal History Commons


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'I compare it to the Dark Ages': assaults soar in 158-year-old Newfoundland prison
Her Majesty's Penitentiary in St. John's, N.L. draws comparisons to the medieval age as critics argue the Victorian-era prison should be shut down.
By Sue BaileyThe Canadian Press
Sun., Jan. 15, 2017timer3 min. read
ST. JOHN'S, N.L.—It opened in 1859, the year Charles Dickens' new novel "A Tale of Two Cities" transfixed readers with Dr. Manette's tormented imprisonment at the Bastille.
Built from stone, Her Majesty's Penitentiary in St. John's, N.L., was meant to be "stark, severe, forbidding."
In its old basement dungeon, shackles were once used to keep inmates in solitary confinement. HMP was the site of at least five hangings.
"It's not a correctional facility. It's a penal institution," said Bob Buckingham, a criminal defence lawyer who often represents clients held at HMP.
There have been updates and add-ons to the original stone structure through the decades, creating an unwieldy labyrinth of modern units and old-style cells with barred doors.
Critics say it's an appalling Victorian-era throwback that should be bulldozed.
"The facilities themselves are barely beyond that of the medieval age," said Buckingham.
"It's understaffed, it's overcrowded, there's a lack of programs. The place is a tinderbox."
Assaults at HMP more than doubled to 41 in 2016 from 19 the year before and 20 in 2014, according to Justice Department statistics.
Some of those assaults were merely spitting, while others are the sort of bloody attacks shown on surveillance video played in court as Edward Owens was sentenced for aggravated assault.
The video shows Owens sucker-punching fellow inmate Glen Maher in the face as Maher watched TV with several other men on Feb. 23, 2015.
Maher is seen leaning over, blood pooling on the table, as Owens continues to hit him before pushing him to the floor. Photos taken after the attack show his left eye swollen shut, his jaw bruised and his face scratched.
Other major incidents at the penitentiary in recent years include the brutal ambush in February 2014 of an inmate in the chapel that led to charges against several others. Another riot in June of that year trashed a living unit, causing tens of thousands of dollars in damages.
"I worry about everybody's safety, obviously, whether you're an inmate or staff," Justice Minister Andrew Parsons said in an interview.
The penitentiary has recently been at full capacity, with 175 men serving provincial terms up to two years less a day along with those awaiting court dates on remand.
Low-risk federal offenders are also housed at HMP, as well as nine women in a separate unit due to overflow at the Correctional Centre for Women in Clarenville, about 90 minutes northwest of St. John's.
Buckingham said drug addiction, lack of help for mental health issues, more gang-related violence and double-bunking all add to tensions.
There has been talk for years of the need to replace the building, sitting on prime real estate overlooking an inner-city lake in St. John's.
The former Progressive Conservative government, before losing power to the Liberals in 2015, awarded a contract for initial designs of a new building. It included a conceptual floor plan and suggested location.
Progress stalled, however, as the crash of commodity prices gutted the province's offshore oil earnings and its economy slowed.
Parsons said he has raised the need for a replacement with his federal counterpart, Ralph Goodale. But with no funding commitments from Ottawa and the province facing a $1.6-billion deficit, Parsons is making no promises.
For now, Parsons is working to divert more people who can be better helped through addiction treatment, mental health supports and restorative justice.
"We need to address the fact that there may be people that shouldn't be inside. Our whole system would be better served with other options rather than just incarceration."
Jerry Earle, president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees, represents correctional officers who he says are "always on edge."
Guards continue to work 24-hour shifts at times — a practice that a review of the corrections system in 2008 called "totally unacceptable."
Public sympathy for offenders may be low, but Earle said most of those inmates wind up back in society — and Her Majesty's Penitentiary is hardly ideal for rehabilitation.
"I compare it to the Dark Ages."


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Glen Manby
An impressive album from Manby who acquits himself well in such stellar company and provides some engaging original material for his all star guests to get their teeth into.
(Mainstem Productions MSTCD0059)
Glen Manby is an alto saxophonist and composer based in Cardiff who has been a mainstay of the South Wales Jazz scene for many years leading his own small groups ranging from trio to quintet.
I first recall seeing him play way back in 1994 when he led his quartet in a performance at the now long defunct Cardiff Bay International Jazz Festival.
Manby was also a member of the cult Cardiff band - and Brecon Jazz Festival favourites - The Root Doctors led by trombonist/vocalist Mike Harries. Currently he is a member of Chapter Four, the house band at Cardiff's Chapter Arts Centre and is also a part of various ensembles led by composer Paul Hornsby including big band The Collective and the newly formed eight piece Octopia.
Apart from regular gigging with a wide range of musicians, both local and national, Manby has found time to study jazz more formally in New York, Lausanne and Cardiff and currently holds a part time teaching post at the Music School of Cardiff University.
In early 2015 he visited Black Mountain Jazz in Abergavenny to perform an enjoyable standards set with a quartet of South Wales based musicians including pianist Jim Barber, bassist Don Sweeney and drummer Greg Evans. It was in the wake of our meeting at that gig that Glen recently contacted me to forward a copy of this new quintet CD for review purposes, so my thanks to him for that.
During his degree studies at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in Cardiff Manby was taught by the highly respected trumpeter Steve Waterman who returns the favour here by joining Manby in the front line of a stellar quintet featuring leading London based musicians Leon Greening (piano), Adam King (double bass) and Matt Home (drums).
The recording of "Homecoming" was financed by an Arts Council of Wales Project Grant with further support coming from the Chapter Arts Centre.
Manby cites his primary influences as being fellow alto players Charlie Parker, Cannonball Adderley, Sonny Stitt and Phil Woods. He has also mentioned the inspiration of such lesser known figures as Andrew Speight, Australian born but now based in San Francisco, and the late Latin jazz saxophonist Mario Rivera.
Looking at Manby's list of heroes it comes as no surprise to discover that the music to be heard on "Homecoming" is largely rooted in the classic hard bop era. Less predictable is the fact that seven of the ten pieces are Manby originals with the outside material coming from such respected figures as Wayne Shorter, Kenny Dorham and Quincy Jones. Manby's own tunes are written very much in the hard bop idiom but they more than hold their own, especially when played by such an all star band as this.
The album commences with Manby's "Night Flight"which is introduced by Greening's piano but features the peerless Waterman as the first soloist, playing with his customary inventiveness and fluency. Greening follows and displays similar qualities as the selfless Manby allows his colleagues to establish their identities. Finally it's Manby's turn, his pithy solo channelling the spirits of his alto heroes. Manby, Waterman and Greening then trade ideas with Home, the drummer clearly relishing his series of fiery breaks.
Also by Manby the ballad "Farewell" changes the mood with delightfully relaxed performances from the leader on alto and Waterman on flugel. Young bassist Adam King impresses with a melodic solo as does Greening with his lyrical lightness of touch at the piano. Meanwhile, Home is the epitome of good taste throughout with his delicately brushed drums.
The first of the outside pieces is Wayne Shorter's classic "Yes Or No" which sees Manby and Waterman teaming up in highly effective fashion, the blending of their horns is a delight throughout the album. It's the leader who takes the first solo, probing in authoritative fashion on alto before handing over to the inventive and expansive Greening. Waterman follows on trumpet, playing with a breezy assurance before linking up with Manby again for a reprise of the theme.
Manby's "Boss Bop Bossa" introduces a Latin twist and is played in a relaxed fashion that is sometimes reminiscent of Stan Getz. There are coolly elegant solos from Waterman on flugel and Greening on piano with Manby adopting a slightly more incisive tone on alto.
Home's drums introduce the effervescent bebop flavourings of "Skippy" which incorporates a sparkling Greening solo followed by ebullient features from Manby and Waterman plus lively features for both King and Home.
Another Manby original, "Mayfly", lowers the temperature a little, with its delightful melody the basis for the composer's saxophone embellishments followed by Greening's flowing piano solo. There's more melodic bass inventions from King on a piece that actually sees Waterman sitting out.
Not surprisingly Waterman is back for "Us (Uns Mas)", a composition by the celebrated hard bop era trumpeter Kenny Dorham. Although very much of its time the piece remains an exciting vehicle for improvisers and listeners alike and its twisting contours provide the framework for bright and inventive solos from Waterman on trumpet, Manby on alto and Greening on piano as King and Home offer intelligent and encouraging support.
Manby's own "Heimweh" also explores archetypal hard bop virtues with engaging and expansive solos from Greening, Waterman and Manby with the trumpeter contributing some particularly impressive high register playing.
A delightful quartet version of Quincy Jones' "Quintessence" represents the album's second true ballad and features some of Manby's tenderest alto playing, although a certain McLean like 'edge' is never too far away. Greening is at his most lyrical at the piano as King and Home offer intelligent and understated support.
The album concludes with the title track which has an appropriately celebratory feel about it as the horns of Manby and Waterman take flight buoyed by the lively rhythms of their colleagues. But it's the consistently impressive Greening, who shines throughout the album as both soloist and accompanist, who takes the first solo. He's followed by Waterman and Manby who share solos before coalescing once more in a restatement of the theme.
Although there's nothing startlingly original here this is still an impressive album from Manby who acquits himself well in such stellar company and provides some engaging original material for his all star guests to get their teeth into. Everybody plays well throughout and the musicians are well served by Manby's crisp production, which saw him working with engineer Andrew Lawson of Fieldgate Studios in Penarth where the album was recorded.
Manby continues to gig on a regular basis in South Wales with a variety of different line ups but any opportunity to see him performing with the quintet that appears on this album would be one not to be missed.


Our wild horses, native wildlife, rangeland ecosystem, taxpayer dollars, and western way of life are threatened by a growing overpopulation of horses and burros throughout 10 western states.
The National Wild Horse and Burro Summit was held in Salt Lake City, Utah on August 22 - 24, 2017, to consider the current situation and science regarding the management of free-roaming horses and burros.
Coalition members attended and participated in the Summit to help raise awareness of the issue and advance policy changes that will improve the sustainability of our rangeland ecosystems.
Wild horses and burros are to be managed according to the Wild and Free-Roaming Horse & Burro Act of 1971, which specifies where wild horses and burros can occupy public lands, and that they shall be managed in a manner that produces a thriving natural ecological balance. In addition, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) are required by law to manage and balance multiple uses of public lands, including wildlife, horses, and cattle grazing.
Horses and burros currently roaming the Western landscape are not native to North America. These animals are descended from domesticated breeds brought to North America from Europe. Learn more.
Wild horses and burros are managed by federal law, and are only authorized to be on BLM and USFS lands.
BLM estimates their lands contain over 82,000 horses and burros as of March 1, 2018.
USFS provides a rough estimate of approximately 10,000 horses and burros on their lands.
Free-roaming horses and burros are also present on other federal, state, and tribal lands - however, these animals are not "wild and free-roaming" as defined in the federal law, and therefore are managed differently. The total number of free-roaming horses in the United States is likely in the hundreds of thousands.
BLM lands where horses and burros should be managed can only support 27,000 individuals in balance with the ecosystem and other uses of the range. This means there are over 55,000 excess horses and burros, degrading our rangelands.
Wild horse and burro populations have a demonstrated ability to grow at 18-20% per year. This means their populations double every 4-5 years without proper management actions.
BLM currently uses a mixture of gathers and fertility control options to manage populations. However, these actions an not currently being used to the extent necessary to stop the growth of the horse and burro population, and our rangelands continue to be deteriorated.
Horses and burros gathered by the BLM are held in holding facilities. A small number of them are adopted to private caretakers. The vast majority remain in these facilities, cared for by the BLM. These facilities currently house over 48,000 horses and burros, costing the American taxpayer nearly $50 million per year.
impact on our public rangelands in the pages below.
Wild horses and burros are at risk of starvation and dehydration. There are not enough resources on the range to sustain their overpopulation.
The Western way of life is based on healthy rangelands. Hunters, ranchers, and outdoor enthusiasts all rely on healthy rangelands that are being compromised as a result of inadequate federal management.
Many of our nation's wildlife species rely on healthy rangelands. Non-native horses and burros compete with native wildlife for scarce food and water resources.
Taxpayers contribute millions of dollars each year to wild horse and burro management. Unless changes are made, expenses will continue to rise.
Overpopulated horse and burro herds are threatening the health of our rangelands by compacting soils and removing vegetation, eventually causing desertification.
You can encourage changes to our nation's wild horse and burro management, and help achieve healthy herds on healthy rangelands.