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Postseason College Football Awards 2019-2020 January 20, 2020
Tags: Alamo, Auburn, B1G, Baylor, Bayou Bengals, Big Ten, Big XII, Bobby Petrino, Bowl, Cardinals, Clemson, Dabo Swinney, Ed Orgeron, Fiesta Bowl, Gator Bowl, Georgia, Hoosiers, Hurricanes, Indiana, Iowa, Jeremy Pruitt, Jim Harbaugh, Kyle Whittingham, Longhorns, Louisville, LSU, Mario Cristobal, Miami, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Music City, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Outback, Pac-12, Peach Bowl, Ryan Day, Scott Satterfield, SEC, SMU, Sonny Dykes, Temple, Tennessee, Texas, Tigers, Tom Herman, Trevor Lawrence, Utah, Utes, Volunteers, Wisconsin
Wish I were him: Ed Orgeron, LSU
Glad I'm not him: Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
Lucky guy: Dabo Swinney, Clemson (Fiesta Bowl) (hon. mention: Mario Cristobal, Oregon)
Poor guy: Ryan Day, Ohio State
Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Sonny Dykes, SMU
Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Scott Satterfield, Louisville
Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Kyle Whittingham, Utah
Desperately seeking … anything: Jeremy Pruitt, Tennessee
Thought you'd kick butt, you did: Notre Dame (defeated Iowa State 33-9)
Thought you'd kick butt, you didn't: Auburn (lost to No. 18 Minnesota 31-24)
Thought you'd get your butt kicked, you did: Temple (lost to North Carolina 55-13)
Thought you'd get your butt kicked, you didn't: Baylor (lost to No. 5 Georgia 26-14)
Thought you wouldn't kick butt, you did: Texas (defeated No. 11 Utah 38-10)
Dang, they're good: LSU
Dang, they're bad: Miami, FL
Can't Stand Prosperity: Wisconsin
Did the season start? Utah
Can the season end? Miami, FL
Can the season never end? LSU
Play this again: No. 3 Clemson 29, No. 2 Ohio State 23 (Fiesta)
Play this again, too: No. 6 Oregon 28, No. 8 Wisconsin 27 (Rose)
Never play this again: No. 1 LSU 63, No. 4 Oklahoma 28 (Peach)
What? No. 3 Clemson, No. 2 Ohio State 23 (Fiesta)
Huh? Louisiana Tech 14, Miami (FL) 0 (Independence)
Are you kidding me?? Texas 38, No. 11 Utah 10 (Alamo)
Oh – my – God: No. 18 Minnesota 31, No. 12 Auburn 24 (Outback)
Random Bowl Game Thoughts:
Fiesta Bowl:
What a game. Too bad one of the teams had to lose. Having said that, two thoughts come to mind. One, if Ohio State and Clemson played each other 10 times, the series would likely by evenly split, 5-5. Second, Ohio State should blame themselves. They left lots of "money on the table", so to speak, by not capitalizing on deep red zone advances in the first half. Second, they gave up on what helped get them ahead initially, which was a fast-paced hurry up offense.
Outback Bowl:
On paper, Auburn should have crushed Minnesota. Not to detract anything from the Gophers, for they are a good team in any case. But Minnesota's win over a superiorly-athletic team in Auburn is huge. What's one sign of a well-coached team? That the team shows gradual improvement as the season progresses. That the Gophers have done, in spades. To offer further perspective, bowl games are funny like that. In many cases, it is impossible to determine who will win and lose if there is a motivation mismatch (a team that really wants to be there versus a better team that is not that thrilled about being there). Such a situation gives the underdog a golden opportunity for a huge upset, and we witnessed a sterling example of this in Tampa.
Peach Bowl:
In case the reader missed it, LSU gave Oklahoma an old-fashioned butt whipping (seriously, how else to describe it?), 63-28. Throughout the regular season, the Sooners looked like they are a legit playoff contender. Why the lopsided result against them? The frank answer is that it's a systemic problem with the Big XII, a conference built on speed, not power, and the former, not the latter, wins games in that conference. The problem comes when they have to face stronger athletes over all against half the SEC, against Ohio State, or Clemson. Then, this glaring weakness gets exposed.
Music City Bowl:
Louisville's win over Mississippi State is nothing at which to sneeze, for a number of reasons. The most basic reason is that an ACC team triumphed over an SEC team, the latter usually having stronger athletes. For another, this was something of a revenge game for the Cardinals, since they lost the Gator Bowl to the Bulldogs just two years earlier. Indeed, they are probably a stronger team even then under then-head coach Bobby Petrino. Third, speaking of Petrino, one of his historic drawbacks is that his teams disintegrate after he leaves them (see: Louisville starting in 2007, or Arkansas starting in 2012). Something about his coaching style combined with the caliber of player he usually recruited required him to be present to keep a tight lid on Pandora's Box. Once he would leave, Pandora's Box would open, and chaos would ensue. Not so this time. Scott Satterfield has done the Yeoman's work in keeping the team together, to say nothing of turning around the team's performance. From going 1-11 the previous season, the Cardinals capped off the year with a bowl win to finish 8-5 for the year. While more improvement remains necessary, this has been quite the turnaround indeed.
Alamo Bowl:
Texas, under head coach Tom Herman, has become something of an enigma. Their 38-10 over formidable No. 11 Utah was impressive, even if it were a glorified home game (the Alamodome in San Antonio is only an hour-and-15-minute drive from the UT campus up I-35 in Austin). After all, Utah was a Pac-12 championship win away for qualifying for the playoffs. As it turned out prior to kickoff, the Utes we still respectfully ranked, whereas the Horns were unranked. Moreover, Texas performance was all over the proverbial map. They played like a legitimate top-10 team against eventual playoff teams LSU and Oklahoma, but then had to struggle to beat Kansas and even coughed it up on the road to under-performing TCU. Yes, injuries took a huge toll for the Longhorns this year, especially and runningback and worse yet, on defense. Perhaps the time off leading up to the Alamo Bowl allowed for Texas to heal up, regroup, and regain focus so as to get dialed in for [again] what amounted to an extended home game, and thus live up their true potential against a reasonably formidable opponent.
Gator Bowl:
Tennessee defeated Indiana 23-22. So why would Jeremy Pruitt be "desperately seeking anything"? Because their play was as erratic as it was inconsistent throughout the game. Pruitt [thought he] had to suddenly switch quarterbacks in the middle game, for goodness sake. Probably with good reason, for the initial starter kept missing the mark. In the first three quarters, the Volunteers could only muster three field goals. Only with the Tennessee defense stepping up in the 4th quarter with some key sacks, with their offense starting to complete some key passes, to say nothing of a decent running attack were the Volunteers able to finally score and thus come back.
The problem with Tennessee was not a lack of focus. Both teams seemed equally glad/motivated to be there. Rather, the problem was lousy coaching. On paper, Tennessee should have shellacked IU. Their talent supremacy over Indiana is greater in ratio than that of Auburn over Minnesota. But in football, talent is only part of the equation when it comes to winning games. The other part of said equation is coaching. The coach has to know what to do with that talent, and Jeremy Pruitt seems to be at a loss. The Volunteers were thus very lucky to walk away with a "W" in Jacksonville.
The Championship Game:
LSU knocked off undefeated and defending national title holder Clemson 42-25. It was a convincing victory over a strong team. The Bayou Bengals have now earned their fourth national championship in football, and college football fans can breathe a sigh of relief at the champion is somebody not named Clemson or Alabama. Not so fast, however: Clemson is not likely to go away anytime soon. The Tigers return a ton of starters for next year, including QB Trevor Lawrence, who, as talented as he clearly is, has even further growth to demonstrate. Still, what a great night for the LSU team and faithful. The fact that it was in the Superdome was the proverbial icing on the proverbial cake.
College Football Awards, Week 14 (2019) December 1, 2019
Tags: ACC, Akron, Alabama, Auburn, B1G, Baylor, Big XII, Bill Mallory, Cardinals, Charlie Strong, Cincinnati, Clemson, Florida Atlantic, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Gus Malzahn, Hoosiers, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, Jeff Brohm, Jim Harbaugh, Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, Kirk Ferentz, Kyle Whittingham, Lane Kiffin, Louisville, Mario Cristobal, Maryland, Memphis, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nick Saban, Ohio State, Oregon, Pac-12, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, Ryan Day, Scott Frost, Scott Satterfield, SEC, South Florida, TCU, Tom Arth, UAB, Utah, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wildcats, Wisconsin
Wish I were him: Ryan Day, Ohio State
Glad I'm not him: Nick Saban, Alabama (hon. mention: Jim Harbaugh, Michigan)
Lucky guy: Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
Poor guy: Scott Frost, Nebraska
Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Scott Satterfield, Louisville
Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Lane Kiffin, Florida Atlantic
Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Charlie Strong, South Florida
Desperately seeking … anything: Tom Arth, Akron
Thought you'd kick butt, you did: Georgia (defeated Georgia Tech 52-7)
Thought you'd kick butt, you didn't: Penn State (defeated Rutgers 27-6)
Thought you'd get your butt kicked, you did: Kansas (lost to No. 9 Baylor 61-6)
Thought you'd get your butt kicked, you didn't: Maryland (lost to Michigan State 19-16)
Thought you wouldn't kick butt, you did: Kentucky (defeated Louisville 45-13)
Dang, they're good: Utah
Dang, they're bad: Akron
Can't Stand Prosperity: Alabama
Did the season start? TCU
Can the season end? Georgia Tech
Can the season never end? Ohio State
Play this again: No. 15 Auburn 48, No. 5 Alabama 45
Never play this again: No. 9 Baylor 61, Kansas 6
What? Virginia 39, No. 24 Virginia Tech 30
Huh? Kansas State 27, No. 23 Iowa State 17
Are you kidding me?? No. 12 Wisconsin 38, No. 8 Minnesota 17
Oh – my – God: No. 15 Auburn 48, No. 5 Alabama 45
(rankings are current AP (post-week 14, pre-week 15)
Ticket to die for: No. 4 Georgia vs No. 1 LSU (SEC Championship)
Nest-best game of the week: No. 2 Ohio State vs No. 10 Wisconsin (B1G Championship)
Best non-Power Five matchup: No. 21 Cincinnati @ No. 16 Memphis (AAC Champ game/rematch)
Upset alert: No. 13 Oregon vs No. 5 Utah (Pac-12 Championship)
Must win: B1G Championship game to ensure OSU goes to playoffs
Offensive explosion: No. 8 Baylor vs No. 6 Oklahoma (Big XII Championship)
Defensive struggle: inconclusive
Great game no one is talking about: UAB @ Florida Atlantic
Intriguing coaching matchup: Kyle Whittingham of Utah vs Mario Cristobal of Oregon
Who's bringing the body bags? Virginia @ No. 3 Clemson (ACC Championship)
Week 14 Thoughts:
Michigan vs Ohio State
This was supposed to be Harbaugh's year in beating Ohio State, right? Turns out, not so much. Not while Ohio State is still chock-full of Urban Meyer's players. That is part of the Buckeyes' success this year. The other part is taking those talent players and making them more relaxed and less uptight than when Meyer himself was coaching them (enter Ryan Day). Can he himself bring in the same caliber of players? If not, then this high-flying success obviously has a limited shelf life.
As for Michigan, they are still a very good team. A 9-3 record is commensurate with most of the better years of this proud program. Also, those three losses came to Wisconsin, Penn State, and Ohio State, all of which are running at peak strength. Moreover, an academic powerhouse in a cold-weather setting like Michigan is at a systemic disadvantage from recruiting the same caliber of athletes as consistently as football-first Ohio State. Simple as that. Michigan, Harbaugh is likely as well as you are going to do. Make the most of it, and enjoy your 9-10 win seasons.
Auburn vs Alabama
Rivalry weekend did not disappoint across the boards (for the most part), starting at the top. Yesterday's Iron Bowl was the highest-scoring affair in the history of this bitterest of rivalries. For Auburn, this ought to quell any doubts about Gus Malzahn's tenure. For Alabama fans, this obviously raises questions. Can they still sustain a championship drive after so many playoff appearances and wins? Has Nick Saban peaked, only now for us to witness a slow, steady decline? Is it a good idea for Saban to retire now, while he's still on top (barely)? The sooner these questions are addressed, the better.
Kentucky vs Louisville
The Wildcats' lopsided win over the Cardinals show that even a low-level SEC team usually beats a middling ACC team. The real shock of this game was how Louisville's defense quit, and against their biggest rival, no less. This shows that, while Coach Scott Satterfield is ahead of schedule in implementing his sound team culture (seven wins is a huge turnaround from last year's debacle, after all), there are still some remnants of the Bobby Petrino fallout/poison that still need to be exorcised.
Purdue vs Indiana
On paper, the Hoosiers were the favored team. Based on their performance this year, they should have won. And win they did, but not without an intense fight. This was a very competitive, very dramatic, thus very engaging matchup for the Old Oaken Bucket. For Purdue, the big mistake came in overtime, where the better team typically wins. Purdue answered IU's score with a TD of their own. They tied it up with an extra point. That as a mistake. With current momentum on their side, they should have gone for two. Giving the better team more chances to score points turns out to be suicide, and that played out exactly in the Hoosiers' favor. Let us hope that Coach Jeff Brohm learned this lesson, among other lessons of less hype, more humility, and more concentration on fundamentals and finishing a game.
All that said, Indiana celebrates its first eight-win season since the early 1990s and the days of Coach Bill Mallory. Way to go, Hoosiers.
College Football Awards, Week 13 (2019) November 25, 2019
Tags: Air Force, Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State, Army, Auburn, B1G, Baylor, Buckeyes, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Coastal Carolina, college, Colorado, football, Gary Patterson, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Hawaii, Herm Edwards, Iowa State, James Franklin, Kansas State, Kevin Sumlin, Lincoln Riley, Mario Cristobal, Maryland, Memphis, Michigan, Minnesota, Navy, NCAA, Nebraska, Nick Rolovich, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Old Dominion, Oregon, Penn State, Rice, Rutgers, Ryan Day, Samford, San Diego State, SMU, Sonny Dykes, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas State, Tom Herman, Troy, UCLA, UMass, USC, UTEP, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Glad I'm not him: James Franklin, Penn State
Lucky guy: Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma
Poor guy: Gary Patterson, TCU
Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Nick Rolovich, Hawaii
Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Mario Cristobal, Oregon
Desperately seeking … anything: Tom Herman, Texas
Thought you'd kick butt, you did: Auburn (defeated Samford 52-0)
Thought you'd kick butt, you didn't: Georgia (defeated Texas A&M 19-13)
Thought you'd get your butt kicked, you did: Maryland (lost to Nebraska 54-7)
Thought you'd get your butt kicked, you didn't: TCU (lost to No. 9 Oklahoma 28-24)
Thought you wouldn't kick butt, you did: USC (defeated UCLA 52-35)
Dang, they're good: Alabama
Dang, they're bad: Troy
Can't Stand Prosperity: Oregon
Did the season start? Texas
Can the season end? UMass
Play this again: Arizona State 31, No. 6 Oregon 28
Never play this again: No. 5 Alabama 66, Western Carolina 3
What? Colorado 20, Washington 14
Huh? Hawaii 14, San Diego State 11
Are you kidding me?? Navy 35, No. 25 SMU 28
Oh – my – God: Arizona State 31, No. 6 Oregon 28
Ticket to die for: No. 2 Ohio State @ No. 13 Michigan
Best non-Power Five vs. Power Five matchup: none
Best non-Power Five matchup: No. 19 Cincinnati @ No. 18 Memphis (Friday, Nov. 29)
Upset alert: Kansas State @ No. 22 Iowa State (hon. mention: No. 5 Alabama @ No. 15 Auburn)
Must win: No. 12 Wisconsin @ No. 10 Minnesota
Offensive explosion: No. 9 Oklahoma @ No. 21 Oklahoma State
Great game no one is talking about: Wyoming @ Air Force
Intriguing coaching matchup: Kevin Sumlin of Arizona vs Herm Edwards of Arizona State
Who's bringing the body bags? No. 4 Georgia @ Georgia Tech
Why are they playing? Rutgers @ No. 8 Penn State
Plenty of good seats remaining: Texas State @ Coastal Carolina (dishon. mention: Rice @ UTEP)
They Shoot Horses, Don't They? Charlotte @ Old Dominion
Baylor vs Texas
Once again the Longhorns disgraced themselves with tepid outputs on both offense and defense. The Longhorns had such high expectations going into the season. Now, they sit at 6-5. What happened? For starters, they graduated lots of experienced players after their Suger Bowl win. This year, they have a young team, made younger with lots of injuries on defense and at running back. For that, they need time for the injuries to heal. Much more systemic are the questions of Texas' identity on offense. For that, they cannot excuse injuries. Nor can they excuse their lack of player development despite good recruiting classes during Tom Herman's tenure. So how can they do better? Three things: develop an offensive identity; do better at developing your players; also, learn to get out of your own way. Oklahoma and A&M have figured out how to do so: what is Texas' excuse?
Ohio State vs Penn State
The game was a good game, and it should not have been as good as it was. Some key mistakes, namely turnovers in the 3rd quarter, allowed for Penn State to come within less than a touchdown of the Buckeyes. Ohio State will have to button things up better if they expect to defeat their bitter rival up north come rivalry weekend. Such urgency for discipline is even greater for the B1G championship game in Indianapolis, be it Wisconsin or Minnesota. This is a reminder that the road to the playoffs still has a critical amount of potholes that only vigilance shall help avoid.
All that said, on to Rivalry Weekend!
College Football Awards, Week 5 (2019) September 29, 2019
Tags: Arizona State, Arkansas, Army, Auburn, Boston College, Bowling Green, Buckeyes, BYU, Cal, California, Central Florida, Clemson, Cornhuskers, Dabo Swinney, Florida, Geoff Collins, Georgia Tech, Golden Bears, Huskers, Iowa, Iowa State, Jeff Brohm, Justin Wilcox, Kansas State, Kent State, Louisville, LSU, Mack Brown, Mario Cristobal, Mark Stoops, Maryland, Michigan, Middle Tennessee State, Nebraska, North Carolina, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Oregon State, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, Ryan Day, Scott Frost, SMU, Sonny Dykes, South Florida, Stanford, Tarheels, TCU, Temple, Texas A&M, Toledo, Tom Osborne, Tulane, UCF, UCLA, USF, Utah State, Washington, Wisconsin
Glad I'm not him: Scott Frost, Nebraska
Lucky guy: Dabo Swinney, Clemson
Poor guy: Mark Stoops, Kentucky
Desperately seeking a wake-up call: Justin Wilcox, Cal
Desperately seeking a P.R. man: Sonny Dykes, SMU
Desperately seeking sunglasses and a fake beard: Geoff Collins, Georgia Tech
Desperately seeking … anything: Jeff Brohm, Purdue
Thought you'd kick butt, you did: Michigan (defeated Rutgers 52-0)
Thought you'd kick butt, you didn't: Clemson (defeated North Carolina 21-20)
Thought you'd get your butt kicked, you did: Middle Tennessee (lost to No. 14 Iowa 48-3)
Thought you'd get your butt kicked, you didn't: North Carolina (lost to No. 1 Clemson 21-20)
Thought you wouldn't kick butt, you did: SMU (defeated USF 48-21)
Dang, they're good: Ohio State
Dang, they're bad: Rutgers
Can't Stand Prosperity: Cal
Did the season start? Purdue
Can the season never end? Oklahoma
Play this again: No. 1 Clemson 21, North Carolina 20
Play this again, too: No. 23 Texas A&M 31, Arkansas 27
Never play this again: No. 12 Penn State 59, Maryland 0
What? Temple 24, Georgia Tech 2
Huh? Oklahoma State 26, No. 24 Kansas State 13
Are you kidding me?? Toledo 28, BYU 21
Oh – my – God: Arizona State 24, No. 15 Cal 17
(rankings are current AP (post-week 5, pre-week 6)
Ticket to die for: No. 7 Auburn @ No. 10 Florida
(Possible second choice): No. 14 Iowa @ No. 19 Michigan
Best non-Power Five vs. Power Five matchup: Utah State @ No. 5 LSU
Best non-Power Five matchup: Tulane @ Army
Upset alert: Michigan @ Iowa (also: No. 15 Washington @ Stanford)
Must win: Boston College @ Louisville
Offensive explosion: Cal @ No. 13 Oregon
Defensive struggle: Northwestern @ Nebraska
Great game no one is talking about: TCU @ Iowa State
Intriguing coaching matchup: Justin Wilcox of Cal vs Mario Cristobal of Oregon
Who's bringing the body bags? Purdue @ No. 12 Penn State
Why are they playing? Bowling Green @ No. 10 Notre Dame
Plenty of good seats remaining: Oregon State @ UCLA
They Shoot Horses, Don't They? Kent State @ No. 8 Wisconsin
Week 5 Thoughts:
North Carolina vs Clemson
Mack Brown remains full of surprises. Not the least of which was the stunning near-upset over previously-No. 1 Clemson, in which the Tigers escaped the Tarheels by only a point. A botched [surprise] two-point attempt on the part of UNC allowed the escape. Had such an attempt been successful, it would have set the college football rankings on fire. As it is, nobody in their right mind should protest Brown's surprise move at the end. If they went for the tie with an extra point, then the game would have gone into overtime, where Clemson would quite likely have outlasted North Carolina. The two-point attempt thus, after further analysis, remained the Tarheels' best bet.
Time will tell if this valiant performance on North Carolina's part is a harbinger of better football to come from this team.
Nebraska vs Ohio State
Ohio State drubbed Nebraska 48-7 in Lincoln. It could have been even worse. All but 10 of those 48 points were scored in the first half (meaning, the Buckeyes put in lots of backups in the second half). This game and its outcome are a tale of two teams in two different directions.
For Ohio State, this is another key test the Buckeyes have passed in their assertion that they belong in the national conversation. Indeed, this performance helped them supplant LSU as the No. 4 team in the nation, currently. That has typically been good enough to make the playoffs, should such shadows remain unchanged.Will such shadows change? After all, nothing is a given in the Big Ten. Such was the case in its late-1990s glory days, and such is the case since roughly 2014 as well. Next week the Buckeyes face an arguably tougher test when Michigan State comes to Columbus. But the ultimate showdown in the conference is still likely when Wisconsin take on the Buckeyes in Ohio Stadium on Oct. 26 in what could be one of the games of the year. Why this fixation on OSU's fortunes? Because the more teams from more regions outside of the Southeast contend for the national title, the better it is for college football.
On the other side of the coin is Nebraska. Head coach Scott Frost, one might recall, left a Central Florida program that he had built into arguably the strongest non-Power Five team in the land so he could coach his alma mater. Last year's campaign only resulted in a 4-8 finish. Currently the Huskers stand at 3-2, and even some of those wins were struggles over South Alabama and Illinois. What gives?
No, it would stand to reason that Frost has not forgotten how to coach. Rather, the systemic problem of geography has come into play. Frost had the advantage of being right in the middle of [embarrassingly] talent-rich Florida when he built up the UCF program. Nebraska does not produce any top-caliber players, save for the possible offensive lineman or two. Much of Nebraska's unstoppable linemen during theTom Osborne (especially the latter era) came from much more lax standards and screening mechanisms for steroid use. Those days are now gone.
Also gone are the days of Prop-48 players, which gave Nebraska an easy pipeline to high-caliber talent without the normal barrier of NCAA eligibility standards found elsewhere. Perhaps even more devastating, though, is that Nebraska prospered in the days when only a relative handful of teams were consistently on national television. This made the program in Lincoln an attractive destination for top recruits despite its cold weather and geographic isolation. That advantage, too, was nullified when cable channels greatly expanded college football coverage in the 2000s, giving prized recruits many more options than in earlier times. Given this current environment, how is one to attract top recruits to this cold, isolated place? Scott Frost has his work cut out for him.
CFB Recruiting Class Random Observations for 2019 February 8, 2019
Tags: B1G, Big Ten, Big XII, Ducks, Georgia, Huskies, Indiana, Iowa, Jeff Brohm, Kentucky, Kirk Ferentz, Longhorns, Mark Stoops, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oregon, P.J. Fleck, Pac-12, Pat Fitzgerald, Paul Chryst, Peach Bowl, Purdue, Ryan Day, Sam Ehlinger, SEC, Sugar Bowl, Texas, Urban Meyer, Washington, Wisconsin
In the previous article, I made observations on the potentially changing competitive landscape in the SEC based on the recruiting class rankings this year. But those observations in no way cover the entire intrigue that these recruiting class rankings offer to college football fans.
For example, it's quite clear that the SEC teams have dominated these rankings. But other teams merit attention, too. Take Michigan, for example. They are the lone Big Ten representative in the top ten of said rankings, at No. 8 this year, interestingly one ranking position ahead of Florida (No. 9), who, er, chomped the Wolverines 41-15 in the recent Peach Bowl. Meanwhile, Ohio State, who have been the most dominant force in the conference during Urban Meyer's six-season tenure, only made it to No. 14 in the rankings this year (down from No. 2 last year). Certain programs have proven they can do more with less (Kentucky under Mark Stoops is a wonderful example of this). New Buckeye head coach Ryan Day will be put to the test to see if he can do the same thing and continue to contend for the national title.
That said, defending national champion Clemson's recruiting class is at No. 10 (their 2018 class was No. 8). Yet they have a young quarterback with a transcendent talent that is sure to lead the Tigers to the Promised Land this year as well, so their king-of-the-hill status remains unthreatened, for now.
One of the most-improved recruiting classes is Purdue. Ranked only No. 49 in 2018, they have jumped to the No. 25 class for 2019. Perhaps this could portend further improvement in their performance, allowing Coach Jeff Brohm to do more than just employ smoke-and-mirrors, as he had no choice but to do with such a bare cupboard his first two years in West Lafayette.
An intriguing stat to share: Purdue's recruiting class for 2019, at No. 25, ranks ahead of Wisconsin (No. 27), Michigan State (No. 30), Indiana (No. 38), Iowa (No. 40), Minnesota (No. 42), and Northwestern (No. 50). That said, do not underestimate Wisconsin's Paul Chryst, Iowa's Kirk Ferentz, Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald (especially Fitzgerald!) or even Minnesota's P.J. Fleck in their abilities to develop players.
Another interesting improvement in recruiting rankings is that of Oregon. At a respectable No. 13 last year, this year's recruiting class has merited a No. 7 ranking. Meanwhile, Washington at No. 17 is clearly not going anywhere. A reasonable prediction from these figures is that an interesting border rivalry between the Huskies and Ducks could quickly emerge. Add a steadily-performing Stanford to the mix, and on can easily foresee an increasingly competitive Pac-12 North division.
Rounding out the top ten in recruiting rankings are two Big XII teams; Oklahoma at No. 6, and Texas at No. 3. The latter is coming off huge momentum with their dominating upset over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. Their quarterback, Sam Ehlinger, combines talent and grit for a winning synergy that could potentially help the Longhorns contend for the playoffs this upcoming season. This No. 3 recruiting class certainly cannot hurt the Horns in this endeavor, and surely enforces the mantra that "Texas is back."
Again, player development can sometimes compensate for lack of ranking in player recruitment. Just ask Northwestern. But also ask Alabama for Georgia (No's 1 and 2, respectively) how their perennial top recruiting rankings work out for them to see the potential significance of said recruiting class rankings. Such is the biggest reason why it's so easy for college football fans to geek out about this subject! It should add up to a more interesting college football season for 2019 compared to the one just concluded.


Are you ready to ride the nostalgia train? Ever were a fan of CaoCao? Good luck trying to run ROTK The Legend of CaoCao without any hiccups.
I'll just quote what's written in the introduction instructions, while the game is being downloaded. Of course, if you're short on time, just use the Auto feature. If you throw in a few Silver Coins, the game practically plays itself! Now, as a grown up, reasonable man, and as a veteran gamer, I find this offensive. You don't? I couldn't stress this enough in a review of another NEXON Company title I wrote – MapleStory M. If I wanted my game to play itself, I wouldn't download a game, I would go for a movie or a TV series instead. The whole point of the video game media is the interaction – if you put an option to auto complete it itself, and then even ask your players to pay for it, you're doing something terribly wrong.
That being said, it's really nice to have something to read while the game is being downloaded. Even nicer that is a comic-book tutorial, but, since the theme of this tactical strategy RPG is much more serious and mature, the comic book style applied in these instructions seems unfitting. You take on a role of CaoCao, a legendary commander, who wants to dominate the Three Kingdoms. To achieve that, you'll have to win a lot of turn-based battles which your troops will participate in. Winning those fights grants you new artifacts, or upgrades to your existing equipment. Sometimes you can even get points to recruit new commanders, which will bring fresh traits and abilities to the fighting table. Of course, wars come expensive. That's when the strategy part kicks in – building bases and harvesting resources.
When you come near the end of the instructions, you find out that there is an epic story mode, in which you can relive the grand adventure of the CaoCao from the 90's (the original game) in a whole new shiny cloth. Even if you're not a fan, all the information you get makes you feel really hyped about the game. And the more excited you get, more disappointed you'll be to find out that this game doesn't work. For some reason, your turns start auto-completing themselves, until you either get disconnected, and are left in a position you can't play any moves, and are not sure how to finish your mission. If you're lucky, the game will simply crash, not saving your progress, no matter if you've connected to a social media profile or not. This game is unplayable to the extent I couldn't make decent screenshots of it.
Since I didn't get to experience much of it due to this app suffering huge performance defects, known as bugs, I can't actually talk much about how the game looks, sounds and feels. From some of the screenshots I've seen on the internet, I can see that the design team wanted to do justice to the original game, stepping it up with somewhat modern style, which is always for praise. The music seems interesting and fresh, and the game does feel it could be awesome, if it worked.


Posted in Making Perfume, Perfume Ingredients, Perfume Reviews	| Tagged agar wood, agarwood, agarwood in medicine, agarwood incense, agarwood tea, aoud, Aquilaria, Aquilaria sinensis, Australian artisan perfume, Australian indie perfume, Evocative Perfumes, Evocative Perfumes Nirvana, Evocative Perfumes Nirvana review, Evocative Perfumes Oud, gaharu, gaharuwood, gyrinops, identifying perfume ingredients, Mark Evans Nirvana review, Mark Evans perfumer, oud, oud in medicine, oud in perfumery, oud incense, perfumery ingredients, What does agarwood smell like?, what does oud oil smell like, what does oud smell like?
Back in Japan, I really liked and enjoyed the smell of agarwood incense. Then when I moved to the Middle East, my love for the agarwood changed… So many times I was nearly choked to death by the overused agarwood there and I have been avoiding testing oud perfumes for a long time. I have to say, a lot of oud perfumes don't smell like agarwood incense or real thick oil.
Thanks for the heads up about the mismatch between real oud and the "oud" used in commercial perfumes. Sounds like you had quite the journey with oud incense! How would you describe the smell?


Big data analytics (BDA) offer limitless opportunities for big data to drive knowledge discovery, health research, personal health management, and clinical care. However, while big data is highly promising to the healthcare field, there are a number of obstacles which impede its true potential, including privacy and security issues, technical challenges, and skilled talent.
Privacy and security issues are a huge barrier that has and will slow the rate of success and adoption of big data in the health sector. In particular, the mining of public health information poses risks to the privacy of patients and their consent as to how their data is collected, used, and disclosed. Practices such as 'Privacy By Design', where privacy and security are designed into technologies, practices, and infrastructures, is one of the solutions that maintain patient privacy while enabling BDA to be done on sensitive health information. Legislation changes reflecting new policies on privacy and security, as well as definitions for BDA use are also necessary to overcome this problem and drive big data applications forward.
Technical challenges range from increasing computing power to upgrading existing infrastructure to accommodate BDA technologies. The processing of perabytes (1015 bytes) of data requires an enormous amount of computing power, and most organizations simply do not have the needed capabilities. In order to access greater processing power, numerous organizations in the U.S. are partnering with IBM to use their question-answering supercomputer system, Watson. Watson has many ways to perform analytics on health information, and one is that it can run predictive analyses to extract medical facts and interpret relationships from data like family histories and clinical research reports.
Skilled talent is also required for the adoption of BDA in healthcare. The lack of trained analysts with the skills to interpret big data represents a gap in big data delivery in healthcare, as well as other industries like commerce. As a starting point, useful strategies would be to train existing IT professionals in new technologies that support BDA, improve its understanding at the management level so that there are champions for big data applications, and commit business resources to create a culture of innovation and experimentation using big data technologies.


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Tag Archives: Fiction
Amitav Ghosh, GUN ISLAND & Aarti Shahani, HERE WE ARE
On the menu this week are two books, both with roots in South Asia and America, touching on two of the most central issues of our time: climate and immigration.
We talk first with acclaimed novelist and writer Amitav Ghosh about his newest work of fiction, Gun Island. Then, NPR-correspondent Aarti Shahani tells us about her stunning memoir of immigration to America — the dream and the nightmare. It's called Here We Are: American Dreams, American Nightmares. Continue reading →
November 3, 2019 Aarti Shahani, Amitv Ghosh, climate change, Fiction, immigration, memoirFrancesca Rheannon
Paul Rosalie THE GIRL AND THE TIGER & Jim Rousmaniere, WATER CONNECTIONS
https://www.writersvoice.net/wp-content/uploads/podcasts/WV-2019-09-25-podcast.mp3
We talk with naturalist, author, and award-winning wildlife filmmaker Paul Rosalie about how a real life encounter with a tiger turned into a page-turner of a novel. His book is The Girl And The Tiger.
But first, we explore the relationship of water to people and people to water. We talk with journalist and historian Jim Rousmaniere about his book Water Connections. Continue reading →
September 26, 2019 environment, Fiction, Jim Rousmniere, Nonfiction, Paul RosolieFrancesca Rheannon
Cory Doctorow, RADICALIZED & MAKERS
We spend the hour with science fiction novelist, blogger and technology activist, Cory Doctorow. First, we talk with him about his terrific new book, Radicalized. It brings together four speculative fiction novellas connected by social, technological, and economic visions of today — and what America could be in the very near future.
Then we re-air an edited version of our 2010 interview with Doctorow about his novel, Makers, which is about a movement of open source tech creators and their battle with the Disney Corporation.
Writer's Voice — in depth conversation with writers of all genres, on the air since 2004. Rate us on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts!
September 5, 2019 Cory Doctorow, FictionFrancesca Rheannon
Julie Orringer, THE FLIGHT PORTFOLIO & Robert Matzen, DUTCH GIRL
Eighty years ago on September 1, 1939 World War Two broke out. Today, we talk about a new novel and a surprising biography that illumine important but lesser known stories about that conflict: Julie Orringer's acclaimed novel, The Flight Portfolio and Robert Matzen's fascinating biography of the young Audrey Hepburn and her work with the Dutch Resistance against the Nazis, Dutch Girl.
August 29, 2019 Audrey Hepburn, Biography, Fiction, Julie Orringer, Robert Matzen, WWIIFrancesca Rheannon
Paul Kaplan, NEW YORK'S PENN STATION & Bram Presser THE BOOK OF DIRT
Why was the original Penn Station built, only to be torn down some 50 years later? We find out in the first half of today's Writers Voice when we talk with Paul Kaplan about his book New York's Penn Station: The Rise and Fall of an American Landmark.
Then, we talk with Bram Presser about The Book of Dirt, his novel/memoir about his grandparents' remarkable history during the Holocaust.
July 28, 2019 Bram Presser, Fiction, Holocaust, Nonfiction, Paul Kaplan, Penn StationFrancesca Rheannon
Christina Proenza-Coles, AMERICAN FOUNDERS & Sara Collins, THE CONFESSIONS OF FRANNIE LANGTON
We talk with Christina Proenza-Coles about her groundbreaking new history, American Founders: How People of African Descent Established Freedom in the New World.
Then, we talk with Jamaican-English author Sara Collins about her breakout debut novel, The Confessions of Frannie Langton. It's an historical thriller about a former slave who is accused of murdering her employer and his wife in Georgian London.
June 20, 2019 Christina Proenza-Coles, Fiction, history, Sara CollinsFrancesca Rheannon
Lori Gottlieb, MAYBE YOU SHOULD TALK TO SOMEONE and Bev Thomas, A GOOD ENOUGH MOTHER
Today's episode features two books that explore therapy from both sides of the couch. We talk with Lori Gottlieb about her bestselling memoir, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, HER Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed.
Then, a novel about a therapist who finds herself crossing dangerous lines with a patient while struggling with her own grief: we talk with Bev Thomas about her debut novel, A Good Enough Mother. A breakout sensation in the UK, it was just published in the US.
Writer's Voice — in depth conversation with writers of all genres, on the air since 2004. Rate us on iTunes and your other podcast clients!
May 2, 2019 Bev Thomas, Fiction, health, Lori Gottlieb, memoir, mental healthFrancesca Rheannon
Damion Searls on Uwe Johnson's ANNIVERSARIES & Peter Filkins, H. G. ADLER
We talk today with Damion Searls about his acclaimed translation of Uwe Johnson's landmark of 20th Century literature, ANNIVERSARIES, now in English for the first time.
Then, we welcome Peter Filkins back to Writer's Voice; we've spoken with him before about his translations of the works of H.G. Adler. Now, he tells us about his biography of Adler, H.G. ADLER: A Life in Many Worlds. Continue reading →
March 28, 2019 Biography, damion searls, Fiction, H. G. Adler, peter filkins, Uwe JohnsonFrancesca Rheannon
Writers Voice: Briallen Hopper, HARD TO LOVE
https://www.writersvoice.net/wp-content/uploads/podcasts/WV-2019-02-13-Hopper.mp3
It's Valentine's Day, but instead of the usual romantic fare, we take an unconventional look at relationships.
We talk with Briallen Hopper about her wonderful collection of essays about all kinds of love, Hard to Love: Essays and Confessions. Continue reading →
February 14, 2019 Briallen Hopper, debut novel, essays, Etaf Rum, Fiction, novelFrancesca Rheannon
Delia Owens, WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING, Barbara Kingsolver & More
Delia Owens talks about her breakout novel, Where The Crawdads Sing. It explores isolation, connection and the healing power of Nature through the story of a young woman who lives as a hermit in a salt marsh.
Then, another novel, this time about Nature gone awry. We re-play our 2012 interview with Barbara Kingsolver about her book, Flight Behavior.
And finally, Francesca shares her story about a man who hunted healing plants in the wild regions of southern France. It's from her memoir, Province of the Heart. Continue reading →
January 24, 2019 bestseller, Delia Owens, excerpt, Fiction, novel, provence, Province of the HeartFrancesca Rheannon
Tatjana Soli, THE REMOVES & Charles Mann, 1491
Tatjana Soli talks about her new novel, The Removes. It takes place during the so-called "Indian Wars" in the American West. Then, we air our interview from 2005 with Charles Mann about his acclaimed study of the Americas before Columbus, 1491. Continue reading →
October 11, 2018 charles c mann, Columbus Day, Fiction, history, Indigenous People's Day, Tatjana SoliFrancesca Rheannon
Arundhati Roy, THE MINISTRY OF UTMOST HAPPINESS & Imogen Hermes Gowar, THE MERMAID AND MRS. HANCOCK
We talk with Arundhati Roy about her bestselling new novel, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness, set in today's India. Then, Imogen Hermes Gowar tells us about her acclaimed debut novel set in 18th century London, The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock. Continue reading →
September 13, 2018 arundhati roy, Fiction, imogen hermes gowar, IndiaFrancesca Rheannon
T. J. English, THE CORPORATION & HAVANA NOCTURNE
We talk with T.J. English about his latest book, The Corporation. It's an epic story of the Cuban American Underworld and what that story tells us about the American political economy. We also air a clip from our 2008 interview with T.J. English about his book about the Mafia and the Cuban Revolution, Havana Nocturne.
Please do us a favor: rate us on iTunes or whichever podcast app you use. It helps to spread the word about #WritersVoice. Thanks!
July 19, 2018 Fiction, history, lionel shriver, Mafia, Nonfiction, t j english, Tatjana SoliFrancesca Rheannon
Larry Tye, BOBBY KENNEDY & Stephen Kiernan, THE BAKER'S SECRET
This week, we commemorate two momentous June 6 anniversaries. First, we explore the life of Bobby Kennedy, a life cut short on June 6, 1968. We talk with Larry Tye about his superb biography of Robert F. Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy: The Making of a Liberal Icon.
Then, we honor D-Day (June 6, 1944) by talking with Stephen Kiernan about his novel The Baker's Secret. It tells the story of a remarkable young woman who keeps her neighbors alive until the D-Day invasion liberates their Normandy town from Nazi Occupation.
June 7, 2018 D-Day, Fiction, history, Larry Tye, Nonfiction, RFK, Stephen KiernenFrancesca Rheannon
Two Masters of Crime Fiction: Elizabeth George & Anthony Horowitz
We talk with Elizabeth George about the latest in her Inspector Lynley series, The Punishment She Deserves. Then, Anthony Horowitz of Foyle's War, House of Silk and the Alex Rider mysteries tells us about his new book, The Word Is Murder. It's a meta-mystery romp that invites the reader in behind the scenes of writing mystery fiction. Continue reading →
May 31, 2018 Anthony Horowitz, crime fiction, elizabeth george, FictionFrancesca Rheannon

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


If you have time over the week-end, spend some of it with this most important book of wisdom and a commentary. These are words we may all write from time to time in our pilgrim journey home.
Job, innocent of wrong-doing, has all taken from him – family – friends – wealth – health. There is nothing left and he is in turmoil because his friends advise him that all he need do to regain his former security and status is to repent of his wrong-doing. They chide him, assuring him that once he confesses his suffering will cease. In the OT, suffering is often sent as a form of punishment for straying from God, so even though Job might look for sins to confess in order to gain peace, he is helpless in his situation because . . . Job has done nothing wrong. He suffers because Satan plays a game with God. There is no reparation he can make. There is no problem to solve. No forgiveness to ask or receive. However, there is one thing which Job has – and perhaps his wife and friends do not – he has an enduring and persevering faith in his Maker. And so this is where he turns. And as he turns to this wondrous, awesome God, Job speaks from a broken heart.
Once when I was working through something deeply personal, I was lovingly haunted by a song by a Christian artist named Steven Curtis Chapman. The words are below, as is a link for the music. May they bring you peace when you find yourself writing your own plaint to God. And may you rest in the certain knowledge that we are never alone, we are never abandoned. We are constantly held, constantly loved.
Be still, Be still . . .
You may also want to read Psalms 37 and 46 and . . . Be still . . .


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Esports.net / Esports News / LoL /
Teamfight Tactics Twitch Rivals rundown
Kieran Lee
Riot has recently unveiled their plans to host the first ever Teamfight Tactics showdown, the TFT Twitch Rivals tournament. While it had already been expected for TFT to gain a competitive scene, no one predicted the overwhelming popularity of the game would result in Riot and Twitch rushing to host a tournament under a month from the game's release.
© Twitch Rivals
When / where will it be held?
The TFT Twitch rivals will run across a mere two days on the 17th and 18th of July.
Like many other Twitch Rivals tournaments, participants will play remotely through their personal locations / homes. This allows viewers to catch the tournament through the official Twitch Rivals channel or even through your favorite twitch streamer participant's channel.
Participants and format
There will be a total of 64 participants in the TFT Twitch Rivals tournament. Riot has yet to announce the event's full line up. However, given the sheer number of players invited, the chances your favorite Twitch streamer will be playing is extremely high.
Day 1 will see the players divided into two groups, A and B. The day will then end when the top 8 from each group is narrowed down.
Day 2 combines the top eight in both groups A and B, resulting in a total of 16 players. Through the entire day of battles, a single victor will emerge on the same day.
Considering Teamfight Tactic's popularity, Riot has placed a very decent prize pool. $125,000 has been allocated for the two day event, while it may seem high for such a short tournament, it is justifiable considering viewers are expected to exceed the tens, if not the hundreds of thousands.
However, the biggest benefit for participants certainly is not limited to the prize money, bit instead exposure. A great case study for the benefit of Twitch Rivals is Dizzy, the winner of the Apex Legends first Twitch Rivals tournament. Dizzy went from a relatively unknown part time streamer, to one of the biggest names in the game, now a full time streamer also with 300,000+ subscribers on Youtube.
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Arrive in Auckland, and enjoy its blend of landscape, Polynesian culture, glistening harbours and modern city environment creates an unbelievable lifestyle ranked amongst the best in the world. Not only is Auckland close to the beaches but it is also close to over twelve different Islands.
Next is Rotorua, an exciting city with a vast history, tradition and culture. It is surrounded by volcanoes, lakes, parks and is a great place to go hiking or to view native birds and animals. The surrounding areas are a geothermal wonderland, with geysers, boiling mud pools, and steaming craters.
Then to Wellington, New Zealand's capital city, also known as the arts and culture capital. A special blend of heritage buildings, museums and galleries, fine food and live entertainment.
Travel to Christchurch located on the east coast of the South Island. Christchurch - just like the rest of New Zealand - is a city of contrasts. It is a place where its residents continue to enjoy a healthy, active lifestyle amidst a natural environment world-renowned for its beauty.
Begin the self drive portion of your trip in Greymouth. Drive to Lake Hokitika and spend the night, going on to Franz Josef and Fox Glacier the next evening. This portion of your trip will be in one of the most beautiful areas of New Zealand and is sure to be memorable.
Then to Queenstown, known as the Adventure Capital of the World. A reputation earned through the actions of a number of locally residing thrill seekers who have developed several unbelievable, adrenalin stirring, sanity-reducing adventures in a wildly exciting environment.
Next is the attractive town of Te Anau lies nestled on the edge of this beautiful lake, with a spectacular backdrop of Mt Luxmore and the Murchison mountains.
Travel to Stewart Island, which offers a special experience: a glimpse into a simpler, slower lifestyle, in rhythm with the sea and the tides, attuned to the natural world of bush and beach.
From Stewart Island you will travel the Southern Scenic Route to Dunedin past more beautiful coastline and the Caitlins National Park. Dunedin is a fascinating city that invites lingering exploration. Nineteenth-century stone architecture forms a dignified backdrop to a vibrant modern culture.
All Taxes and Fuel Levies (Except where noted), Rental Car Hires are base rate only and do not include taxes, insurance, fuel levies, drop off fees, or environmental fees.
Auckland is a vibrant and cosmopolitan city, regularly voted one of the best lifestyle cities in the world– renowned as that 'City Of Sails.' Dramatic landscapes and seascapes provide a diverse playground in which a compelling range of attractions are available. Visitors come to enjoy an array of exciting entertainment, leisure, culture and dining possibilities in New Zealand's largest city.
Experience New Zealand's rich cultural heritage and the geothermal wonderland of Rotorua, plus a trip through the famous glowworm caves at Waitomo, on this full day sightseeing tour by deluxe luxury coach.
Waikato: Travel through New Zealand's largest dairy and sheep farming province. See the small farming settlements on the outskirts of Hamilton City, as you travel towards King Country, birthplace of the Maori Monarchy.
Waitomo Glow Worm Caves: Join a guided tour through this world-famous cave formation, climaxed by drifting silently in a boat through a glow worm cavern lit up with thousands of tiny glow worm lights.
Lake Rotorua: Drive through the foreshore park past the hundreds of ducks and swans. Then travel through the beautiful historic Government Gardens.
Te Puia Institute (Maori Arts, Crafts & Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve): One of Rotorua's most famous attractions. See woodcarving, weaving displays, Maori village and the thermal valley with the famous Pohutu Geyser, fumaroles, colourful silica deposits and boiling mud pools.
This tour ends in Rotorua.
Experience a memorable adventure in Rotorua!
If you consider yourself to be an adventure buff then consider a day filled with one of these exciting Rotorua attractions! Take a "Must see, must do!" 2 1/2 to 3 hour ride on a New Zealand Riverjet and experience the fantastic geothermal wonderland on a thrilling jet boat! If a need for speed is present then opt to luge down one of three racing tracks or experience the Sky Swing at the Skyline Skyrides Complex. Whether a beginner or an extreme adrenalin seeker, have yourself a once in a lifetime experience with white water rafting! With these activities you are sure to make your time in Rotorua a memorable one!
Find out how the world began, with a visit to Waimangu Volcanic Valley, where in geological terms was created just this morning! Flying Pan Lake, the world's largest hot water spring; Inferno Crater with its mysterious geyser action; and Cathedral Rocks with vent billowing clouds of steam and more will be a photographic wonderland. Set amidst a landscape of erupting geysers, hot thermal springs and bubbling mud pools visit the authentic, living thermal village since 1863 of Whakarewarewa! Then see the unique lifestyles of a natural Maori village, filled with bubbling mud pools and mineral springs and the awesome powers of the 'Pohutu' and 'Prince of Wales Feathers' geysers. With so many natural wonders, Rotorua will inspire abundant moments of awe!
Learn about Rotorua's fascinating history and culture.
A town full of natural wonders and evidence; discover the interesting history of Rotorua. The Buried Village once known as Te Wairoa, destroyed by the eruption of Mt Tarawera in 1886, today serves as a living museum where visitors can experience this unique piece of New Zealand history. The excavated site, the only one to be open for public viewing in New Zealand, offers a first hand insight into the devastation, chaos and mayhem that transpired on the night Mt Tarawera erupted. Also visit the place where great stories began at the Rotorua Museum of Art and History. With its rich history and culture, it is easy to discover the essence of Rotorua in its people, culture and volcanic landscape.
Travel to your accommodation in Christchurch, New Zealand, where you will be staying whilst on vacation for 1 night.
Climb aboard one of the world's most famous train journeys.
Cross the fertile farmlands of the Canterbury Plains, and enjoy thrilling vistas over deep gorges as you travel alongside the ice-fed Waimakariri River. Traverse the mighty Southern Alps, where spectacular views of the chiselled alpine landscape will take your breath away at every turn. Descend through thick stands of native beech forest to your destination, Greymouth - a great base for exploring this unspoiled region with its mighty glaciers, wild rivers and famous Punakaiki pancake rocks.
Your train journey sets off from Christchurch - New Zealand's largest city on the South Island. The trip is 223.8 kilometres long.There are 16 tunnels, and 5 viaducts, the highest being the Staircase standing at 73 metres. This tour ends in Greymouth.
Discover New Zealand as you travel by rental car for seven days.
Take the opportunity to explore parts of New Zealand at your own pace by car. Please bring a valid American driver's license with you and be aware that in New Zealand people drive on the left hand side of the road.
Base rate only paid by About Australia. Insurance, Premium Location Surcharge, Fuel and Fees to driver's credit card.
The road between Greymouth and Hokitika provides great views of the wild west coast.
Detour to the beach and breathe the salt spray air. Driftwood is the ornamentation of choice for west coast beaches, every shape, size and colour. Hokitika was first settled in 1860, after the discovery of gold on the west coast. It still has the feel of a frontier town, and there are some lovely old buildings to admire.
While in Hokitika search out the many things to do such as the Glowworm Dell, Dorothy Falls or Hokitika Gorge.
The unique location of you accommodation on the shores of the Tasman Sea, allow you to beachcomb and explore craft galleries all from your doorstep.
This rare accommodation allow you to leave your room and walk straight onto an untamed ocean beach. The rear of the hotel opens into the heart of the Hokitika shopping precinct. Numerous artisans and craftspeople live in Hokitika and their workshops featuring jade, wood, gold, paintings and metals are within walking distance of the hotel. Deluxe and Executive rooms, each with a dramatic view of the ocean and positioned just steps from the beach. The location and on-site restaurant, café and bar make this accommodation the best place to stay on "the Coast".
The road from Hokitika to Franz Josef is rural, but with a wild streak.
The farmland is trying to turn back into forest, and the beauty of the rivers is raw and primeval. A visit to the White Heron colony near Whataroa is a rare experience. You could also enjoy a picnic by the shores of Lake Ianthe or discover the goldfield walkway at Ross.
First explored in 1865, the Franz Josef Glacier has been moving forward at a rate of about 1 metre a day since 1985. Previously it was in retreat. You can walk to the terminal of the glacier in about 10 minutes. Franz Josef township has a good range of accommodation and eating establishments.
A short 14 miles drive south and you'll arrive at Fox Glacier. The glacier's terminal face is just 5 kilometres from the township, and the road to the walking track crosses ancient moraine from earlier advances and retreats. Fed by four alpine glaciers, Fox Glacier was named after an early New Zealand Prime Minister, William Fox.
Travel to your accommodation in Franz Josef, New Zealand, where you will be staying whilst on vacation for 1 night.
The Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers of New Zealand's Westland National Park are remembered by visitors for the extraordinary sights of glacier ice within the forest zone. The Franz Josef Glacier is over 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) long extending into the rainforest just 5 kilometres (3 miles) from the Franz Josef township, making it easy to visit. Walk to viewpoints and the terminal face or, for a close-up view of the spectacular ice formations, take a guided glacier walk. Perphaps enjoy a helihike or scenic flight (own expense, weather permitting). Other activities include rainforest, lake and coastal nature tours, White Heron Sanctuary tours, horse riding, fishing, gold prospecting, kayaking and more.
Today enjoy a 3 hour hike through the rainforest to the magnificent Franz Josef Glacier.
Spend 3 hours with a knowledgeable guide who will provide you with geographical information and history on Franz Josef Glacier. Your Glacier Valley Walk will take you up alongside the mighty Waiho River bed following the glaciers path of retreat in this remarkable landscape. Here you will learn about the glacier's history, see what is left behind by this majestic giant, and learn the legend of Ka Roimata o Hinehukatere.
Near the terminal face, you will cross over the public barriers and after a brief climb you will be rewarded with spectacular views of the rapidly changing terminal face of the glacier.
Easy level of physical ability required for Glacier Valley Walk. Upgrade to a half day experience available at an additional cost.
The 5 hours drive from Franz Josef to Queenstown is visually spectactular and an easy drive.
Enjoy waterfalls and river scenery as you arrive in rainforest country. The vineyards of the Gibbston area and bungy jumpers at the Kawarau River Bridge are interesting distractions along the way. Be on the lookout for the famous bra fence; it started as a joke, but it's become a local legend.
The lakeside resort town of Wanaka can provide you with an appealing mix of fine living, family fun and adventure. It has a high concentration of cafes, restaurants and interesting shops.
The alpine resort of Queenstown is exciting, sophisticated and fantastically scenic. It's the place to source almost any kind of adventure, including bungy, jet boating, horse trekking, rafting and river surfing. It's also a destination for luxury experiences , gourmet food and wine, spa treatments and leisurely games of golf.
Travel to your accommodation in Queenstown, New Zealand, where you will be staying for 1 night.
And now for something completely different... Remember the swing you had in your back yard? Well, The Ledge Sky Swing takes that to a whole new level.
Once harnessed your lowered to the release 'station'. Let the thrill take over! As you swing away the biggest surprise is not knowing when you'll change from fall to swing. Just as your brain convinces you the fall will never stop, you begin arching out 400 metres over Queenstown.
The nightlife in Queenstown is famous for being fast and furious, so we decided to do the same with the Sky Swing. The Ledge Sky Swing is the only swing operating at night. It might pay to leave dinner to afterwards if you know what we mean.
Located an easy 5 minute walk from central Queenstown and exclusively accessed by scenic gondola, Skyline Gondola, Restaurant & Luge is a must-see attraction during your visit to Queenstown, New Zealand. The best views in the region are found here spread out in a spectacular 220 degree panorama, with breathtaking views of Coronet Peak, The Remarkables mountain range and across Lake Wakatipu to Cecil and Walter Peaks. It's truly magnificent and awe-inspiring!
Of course there's more to do than just admire the view! Enjoy a dinner or relax in the bar in the Skyline Restaurant. Casual dining is also available during the day in the Cafe. Thrillseekers can hurtle down the winding downhill Skyline Luge - it`s the fastest fun on wheels! or maybe take in the challenge of AJ Hackett`s Ledge Bungy or Swing, or take off on a tandem parapente flight. Various walking tracks can also be accessed from Skyline, from an easy 30 minute walk to a full day hike. Skyline was also a finalist in the `Best Visitor Attraction` in the New Zealand Tourism Awards in 1999 and 2001.
For many, this would have to be the ultimate challenge. Make no mistake, the Nevis Highwire Bungy is not for the nervous - with a wild 134 metres (440 feet) drop, the river seems to rush towards you faster than you're rushing towards it! Once off the edge it's simply a matter of basking in the glory of what you have achieved, as well as coming to grips with the 8 ½ seconds of freefall! Tour is 4 hours in duration.
This morning drive 2.5 hours from Queenstown to Te Anau.
Follow the shores of Lake Wakatipu to Kingston with the Remarkables Mountain Range ever present on your left- hand side.Continue on to Lumsden. Todays drive is through undulating hill country dotted with sheep farms.
High country landscapes and trout fishing rivers are features of the road to Te Anau. The first part of your drive clings scenically to the edge of Lake Wakatipu. The Remarkables Mountain Range will be ever present on your left hand side. Continue on to Lumsden and go west to TeAnau.
Te Anau township sits on the shores of Lake Te Anau. From here, the delights of the Fiordland National Park are within easy reach, including the start of the Milford Track. Cruise on the lakes, walk the tracks and visit the Department of Conservation wildlife centre. The Te Ana-au Caves are an excellent adventure.
Your Doubtful Sound adventure begins as you cruise the crystal clear waters of Lake Manapouri . Then its over Wilmot Pass, stopping along the way to experience some of Fiordland's densest rainforest and to view the colourful alpine moss gardens.
On reaching Deep Cove, you will board our spacious catamaran for a three hour cruise that takes in the most dramatic scenery of Doubtful Sound. Our skippers provide a detailed commentary and point out highlights. Keep a look out for wildlife as bottlenose dolphins frequently come alongside our vessel, fur seals bask on the rocks around the fiord and rare penguins can at times be observed. Full Day Tour Begins and ends in Manapouri.
This tour offers exceptionally stunning scenery in remote regions of Southern New Zealand and requires significant time in transit to access these locations. This tour starts early in the morning and finishes late in the day, overall the tour is typically 12-13 hours long. We do not recommend this excursion for anyone who is mobility impaired.
Today enjoy your self drive from Te Anau to Bluff.
Take a scenic 2.5 hour drive from Te Anau to Bluff. And remember if you are continuing your adventure on to Stewart Island, leave enough time to to catch the ferry in Bluff! Don't worry, your rental car is also coming with you on the ferry.
Explore Stewart Island, the township of Oban and the surrounding bays on this 1.5 hour tour.
Explore Oban and the surrounding bays in modern mini-buses. Your guide will share their local knowledge of the history and environment of Stewart Island. You will gain an entertaining insight into New Zealand's southernmost community. Stewart Islanders are proud of their island, enjoying its simpler, slower pace.
During your tour, there is plenty of time available for photo stops and short walks. Highlights include Lee Bay, the gateway to Rakiura National Park; beautiful Horseshoe Bay and stunning views of Paterson Inlet from Observation Rock.
Leaving Invercargill you travel on the Scenic Southern Route, through some of the most lush and fertile farmland in New Zealand before entering the Catlins. The Catlins is an area where native forest meets the waters edge; a place of hidden waterfalls and river valleys; of rocky coastal bays, inlets and estuaries where the great Pacific Ocean bites into the land.There is an abundance of wildlife and Nugget Point (Tokata) is a stunning and accessible place for viewing seals and penguins.
Further travel through the Catlins brings your to the rich, green, rolling hills of South Otago, an area steeped in history. Early colonial architecture is a feature of many of the buildings in this area. Balclutha services and surrounding farming communities and provides a convenient break or stopover for the traveller.
Lake Waihola marks the turning point of travel toward the coast and the charming seaside villages of Taieri Mouth and Brighton. Stroll along the deserted beaches with soft white sand that stretches for miles. Clamber over the rocky outcrops and watch the crashing waves.
Dunedin marks the conclusion of your tour of the Southern Scenic Route. Dunedin is a bustling university city, celebrated for its architecture, museums, galleries, and theatres. The Octagon is the showpiece and centre of this vibrant city. Enjoy the streetlife while sipping coffee at an outdoor cafe or pick a spot in the sun under the statue of Robbie Burns. Dunedin offers a blend of natural history, attractions, culture, recreation and entertainment that, in combination with all the attractions along the Southern Scenic Route, will make your tour a truly memorable experience.
Travel to your accommodation in Dunedin, New Zealand, where you will be staying whilst on vacation for 1 night.
Escape to a different world. Your vacation accommodation is located twenty minutes from Dunedin, New Zealand's oldest city, in a quiet and rural setting. The lodge is a new re-creation of a colonial farm building set in 35 acres of award winning gardens and grounds on Dunedin's premier landmark, Larnach Castle. Relax from your travel in one of the boutique rooms, each with unique theme and all with ensuite bathrooms. Travel to and experience the Royal Albatross Colony, The Yellow Eyed Penguin Reserve, Monarch Wildlife Cruises and Glenfalloch Gardens.
With its exciting, sometimes scandalous, sometimes tragic history, its magnificent carved ceilings, New Zealand antiques and breathtaking views, Larnach Castle offers you a vision of the past and present.
Settle back and enjoy the coach drive up and over the Peninsula high road, offering spectacular views out over the Pacific Ocean on one side and the beautiful Otago harbour on the other. Your driver will provide an informative commentary along the way as you pass through stone-walled farmlets.
On arrival at Larnach Castle you will be taken on a guided tour through the 'halls of power and scandal' of this historic 19th century home. From the castle turret you can survey the Otago Harbour below.
Visitors can enjoy exploring the Castle and the beautiful gardens, now an attraction in their own right. Original antiques grace the building and the family has amassed a unique collection of New Zealand furniture.
This tour can be done as a guide tour from Dunedin or if you have a rental car you can drive up and explore the castle on your own.
Travel by air today from Dunedin to Auckland, New Zealand.


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Japan-Malaysia Summit Meeting
Photograph of the leaders attending the Summit Meeting (Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
Photograph of the leaders shaking hands (Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
Photograph of the Japan-Malaysia Summit Meeting (Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
On May 31, commencing at around 10:05 a.m. for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, held a summit meeting with Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia, who was visiting Japan. The overview of the meeting is as follows. The meeting was attended by Mr. Yasutoshi Nishimura, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, and others.
1. At the beginning, Prime Minister Abe expressed respect towards Prime Minister Mahathir's commitment to restoring the rule of law, improving transparency and governance, and reducing debt in one year since he took office in May 2018, and announced that Japan will extend its full support to Malaysia. In addition, Prime Minister Abe stated that the Look East Policy advocated by Prime Minister Mahathir 38 years ago has been a beacon for strengthening the friendship between the people of Japan and Malaysia and their bilateral relationship over many years, and that Japan is determined to further advance the multilayered cooperative relations, founded by the Look East Policy.
In response, Prime Minister Mahathir expressed his pleasure to meet Prime Minister Abe again, and stated that while it is important to visit Japan to promote Japan-Malaysia cooperation, he also enjoys visiting Japan to see his friends.
2. The two leaders then welcomed the successful issuance of the 200 billion yen Samurai Bond by the Government of Malaysia in March 2019. The leaders also welcomed that the University of Tsukuba has interest in the idea to establish a branch campus of a Japanese university in Malaysia, as was requested by Prime Minister Mahathir at the Japan-Malaysia Summit Meeting in June 2018. Both Prime Ministers confirmed that the two countries will continue to work together on this initiative. Prime Minister Abe described the progress made in the comprehensive research for transport improvement in Malaysia that is currently underway in the country. In response, Prime Minister Mahathir expressed gratitude for Japan's assistance and expressed expectations for further cooperation in a range of areas. The leaders also discussed other matters, such as defense cooperation, human resources development including vocational education and training, and healthcare cooperation under Japan's Asia Health and Wellbeing Initiative.
3. The leaders exchanged views regarding the regional situation, including North Korea and South China Sea issues, and other issues faced by the international community such as the free trade system. Prime Minister Abe also requested Prime Minister Mahathir's understanding and cooperation towards the early resolution of the abductions issue.
4. Based on the achievements of this meeting, the leaders released a factsheet entitled, "Japan-Malaysia Cooperation: Look East Policy Revisited in the New Era."(English (PDF) / Japanese (PDF) )
Back to Japan-Malaysia Relations
Residing in Japan
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan 2-2-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8919, Japan MAPPhone: +81-(0)3-3580-3311 Japan Corporate Number(JCN): 9000012040001


Men's Health Network, Prevent Cancer Foundation, Testicular Cancer Foundation, Men's Health Initiative, and American Oncology Association Join Forces in the Call for Greater Awareness.
Men's Health Network (MHN) applauds President Trump's executive action to address the current service members and veterans mental health and suicide epidemic.
Men's Health Network (MHN) is asking members of Congress to support President Trump's call for nationwide family leave in comments he made during last night's State of the Union address.
In response to recent media discussions on masculinity, Men's Health Network recommends that organizations, corporations, and media join us in promoting positive masculinity and taking a more balanced approach.
Men's Health Network issued the following statement urging Congress to address issues impacting the Medicare Part D Program.
Men's Health Network (MHN) is continuing its push to raise prostate health awareness for men of all ages during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month this September.
One in nine American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, which is the second leading cause of cancer deaths and the most commonly diagnosed. Among those statistics, one in six African-American men will develop the disease in his lifetime, which is almost two times the rate of white males. African-American men are also 2.3 times as likely to die from the disease.
We have long believed that medicines imported from other countries are often not held to the high standards that we expect and rely upon.
Men's Health Month is coming to a close this Saturday after a successful awareness period that reached millions of people through festivities and educational activities.
A little Capitol Hill heat and humidity didn't stop members of Congress from sweating it out today for the fourth annual Men's Health Caucus Workout as part of Men's Health Month and National Men's Health Week (June 11-June 17).
National Men's Health Week (NMHW) is charging into its 24th year today as Men's Health Month continues all June. NMHW is celebrated each year as the week that ends on Father's Day, June 11-17 this year. The week is celebrated around the globe as International Men's Health Week.
Today, June 1 kicks off the 2018 Men's Health Month, an annual awareness period solely dedicated to education and activities on the health and wellness of men and boys. Communities around the nation are recognizing Men's Health Month and Men's Health Week, a special awareness period recognized by Congress.
Just a week after the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) issued new recommendations urging men aged 55-69 to consult their health providers on when, or if, they need to be screened for prostate cancer, advocacy groups led by the Men's Health Network in collaboration with the Congressional Men's Health Caucus, Prostate Cancer Task Force, and representatives from USPSTF converged on Capitol Hill Thursday outlining how the new recommendations will likely save lives and produce healthier outcomes in men.
MHN applauds the "C" rating for prostate cancer screening of men aged 55—69 but is concerned about the "D" rating for men aged 70 and above.
Men's Health Network (MHN) has joined with other cancer organizations to form an awareness coalition to recognize Testicular Cancer Awareness Month. During April, these organizations are calling for increased research and greater awareness of the challenges facing testicular cancer patients, survivors, and their loved ones.
A group of mental health professionals led by the Congressional Men's Health Caucus and Men's Health Network are calling for greater awareness and action to address systemic issues facing men and boy's mental health in the midst of the ongoing national opioid crisis. The group converged with legislative staff this week on Capitol Hill for a congressional briefing on how opioids are used as getaways from mental health issues for men and boys.
Men's Health Network supports the message from the President that encourages the Right To Try for terminally ill patients who have no options left; the Right To Try developmental drugs that have not yet made the lengthy and cumbersome journey through the established approval process but have shown promise that might save their lives.
Men's Health Network (MHN) is calling for greater awareness of health issues impacting men during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month this September as men in the U.S. still rank among the highest rates of prostate cancer in the world.
The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) has announced a partnership with the Men's Health Network, a national non-profit organization dedicated to health awareness and disease prevention.
After reaching millions of people through festivities and awareness activities, Men's Health Month is wrapping up on this last day in June. Although the official awareness period is coming to a close, the pursuit of living a healthier lifestyle continues.
Communities around the globe are recognizing June as Men's Health Month, an annual awareness period solely dedicated to education and activities on the health and wellness of men and boys. Men's Health Week, a special awareness period recognized by Congress, is also celebrated. Men's Health Week concludes on Father's Day, June 12-18 this year. The week is celebrated as International Men's Health Week around the globe.
Washington — Men's Health Network (MHN) is encouraged by the latest recommendations from the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) that urges men to talk to their healthcare providers about when, or if, they need to be screened for prostate cancer. This recommendation is not yet final and is open for public comment.
WASHINGTON — Men's Health Network (MHN) is joining organizations and communities across the country in April to recognize Testicular Cancer Awareness Month as part of its pledge to advocate for the health and wellness of men and their families.
The mission of Men's Health Network is to reach men, boys and their families where they live, work, play, and pray with information and tools for better health. A key factor in better health in the U.S. is access to safe and reliable medicines.
Patients in the U.S. have become comfortable with the knowledge that our government insists on the highest of standards for the drugs necessary for their health care. It remains uncertain whether any other country has the ability to ensure such quality in the drugs available in their countries, or is willing to establish and maintain the infrastructure necessary to do so.
WASHINGTON — A group of prominent patient-advocacy and awareness organizations are urging legislators to support the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) Transparency and Accountability Act of 2016, H.R. 1151. The bill will be the subject of a hearing on November 30, 2016 before the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
On Wednesday, November 30, the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing to discuss H.R. 1151, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) Transparency and Accountability Act of 2016.Men's Health Network (MHN) will continue to urge Congress to act on this legislation to improve the recommendation process of the USPSTF as it impacts the health and wellness of men and their families.
A new survey that we developed in partnership with Chattem, Inc., the U.S. consumer healthcare division of Sanofi, shows that 90% of men in the U.S. want to take charge of their own health. The survey results also indicate the significance of sexual health to men today, with nearly 1 in 3 men (30%) saying sexual health is one of the most important elements of their overall health and wellness. This survey was conducted online by Harris Poll and its results were shared in recognition of International Men's Day, which takes place on Saturday, November 19.
In its latest issue brief and forthcoming white paper, Men's Health Network (MHN) is calling on greater awareness and access to sexual health services for the nation's veterans and active duty servicemembers, which are among key findings from the brief studying the sexual health of the nation's military.
Talking About Men's Health (TAMH) has once again been named among the best men's health blogs on the Internet. A trio of health-related web sites reviewed the blog and named it among their Top 10.
Today, an alliance of more than two dozen national advocacy organizations formally launched with the aim of creating a truthful conversation about the Medicaid program and its importance for the more than 70 million Americans covered by it.
The American Urological Association (AUA) and the Urology Care Foundation, together with the Bladder Health Alliance – a coalition of groups representing physicians, patients and veterans – today applauded Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) for introducing Senate Resolution 604, a measure supporting the designation of November 2016 as "National Bladder Health Month" in the United States.
Patient advocacy groups lead by the Men's Health Network (MHN) and the Foundation for Breast and Prostate Health (FBPH), urged congressional support of the U.S. Preventative Service Task Force (USPSTF) Transparency and Accountability Act of 2015 (H.R. 1151) and are seeking a reversal of the Task Force's recommendation against early detection screening for prostate cancer.
Men's Health Month festivities and awareness activities reached new heights in 2016. Though Men's Health Month is coming to a close, the pursuit of living a healthier lifestyle continues. As June wraps up, Men's Health Network (MHN) reflects back on Men's Health Month (MHM) and the 22nd anniversary of the Congressional passage of National Men's Health Week (NMHW).
Men's Health Month (June) continues. This year marks the 22nd year since National Men's Health Week (NMHW), now part of Men's Health Month, was passed by Congress in 1994. NMHW is celebrated each year as the week that ends on Father's Day, June 13-19 in 2016, and is now celebrated around the globe as International Men's Health Week.
Around the world people are celebrating June as Men's Health Month. Monday, June 13 is also the start of Men's Health Week, a special awareness period recognized by Congress, which ends on Father's Day, June 19. Men's Health Month is built on the pillars of Awareness–Prevention–Education–Family.
Men's Health Network (MHN) is joining the Office on Women's Health within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in celebrating the 17th annual National Women's Health Week (NWHW), which begins on Mother's Day each year (May 8-14, 2016).
National sports commentator, Dr. Jerry Punch, together with Men's Health Network and Endo Pharmaceuticals, encourages men with Peyronie's Disease to "Ask About the Curve"
Nationally-recognized and long-standing sports announcer Jerry Punch, M.D., is teaming up with Men's Health Network and Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc., a subsidiary of Endo International plc (NASDAQ: ENDP) (TSX: ENL), to launch "Ask About the Curve," a new educational campaign designed to raise awareness of Peyronie's disease.
During an unprecedented Dialogue on Men's Health on Friday, Jan. 8, the White House outlined new health priorities for men in America, enlisting the help of dozens of public and private sector organizations to fulfill those goals. Assistant to the President and Cabinet Secretary Broderick Johnson joined U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy on to lead the Dialogue.
Each year a Community Action Agency volunteer that has demonstrated a "significant and outstanding contribution toward accomplishing the promise of community action and is devoted to changing people's lives" is awarded the Jayne Thomas Grassroots Volunteer Recognition Award from the Community Action Partnership.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) opened their proposed rule on nondiscrimination under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for review and comment from September 8, 2015 to November 9, 2015. Men's Health Network welcomed the opportunity for dialogue on Section 1557, and specifically provided extensive comment with regard to section 92.1.
Earlier this month, November 1, 2015, open enrollment for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) began. The Health Insurance Marketplace seeks to provide comprehensive health insurance service to improve access, affordability, and quality health care. From now until the end of January, U.S. citizens or those who have a lawful presence in the country can search and compare health insurance plans to find the best coverage for themselves and their families.
National Native American Heritage Month takes place throughout the month of November, to honor the contributions, sacrifices, achievements and cultural legacy of the United States' indigenous peoples. As Men's Health Network (MHN) prepares to honor the approximately 3 million American Indian/ Alaskan Native (AI/AN) peoples who live in the US, we feel this is an opportune time to discuss the pervasive health disparities taking place in AI/AN communities.
Men's Health Network launched a new website in celebration of Prostate Health Month this September. The website www.prostatehealthguide.com will serve as the go-to resource for men wanting to learn more about prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and prostatitis.
Men's Health Month is celebrated each year in June, and during this June festivities and awareness activities reached new levels.
Congressional Workout and Mental Health Twitter Chat lead Men's Health Month (MHM) to a strong finish.
Men's Health Month (June) continues with a Congressional Workout, Twitter Chat, and more.
Men's Health Month (June) continues. This year marks the 21st year since National Men's Health Week (NMHW), now a part of Men's Health Month, was passed by Congress in 1994.
Mes de la Salud de los hombres (junio) continúa. Este año se el 21 año desde la Semana de la Salud de los hombres de Nacional (NMHW), ahora una parte de los hombres de Mes de la Salud, fue aprobada por el Congreso en 1994. NMHW celebra cada año como la semana que termina el Día del Padre, 15 a 21 jun de 2015, y que hoy se celebra en todo el mundo como la Semana Internacional de la Salud de los hombres.
Men's Health Network (MHN) and HealthyWomen are joining the Office on Women's Health within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in celebrating the 16th annual National Women's Health Week which begins on Mother's Day each year (May 10-16, 2015).
There are an estimated 45.9 million adults in the U.S. living with mental illness. Furthermore, 9.3 million adults or 4% of the U.S Adult population has what the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) considers a "serious mental illness". The most devastating statistic is that nearly half the people with a mental illness will not seek help. The consequences of this can be tragic– especially among men, who have a suicide rate nearly four times higher than that of women.
Cancer experts, survivors, physicians, health care professionals, and advocates from leading patient organizations joined members of the Congressional Men's Health Caucus and legislative staff on April 16 to discuss common ground between Prostate Cancer and Breast Cancer – two leading forms of cancer diagnosed in men and women in the U.S. The briefing was held on Capitol Hill and featured multiple presentations along with remarks by Congressman Donald Payne, Jr. (NJ), who serves as Co-Chair of theCongressional Men's Health Caucus (MHC), along with Congressman Markwayne Mullin (OK).
Testicular Cancer is the most common cancer among males age 15-35. Yet, testicular cancer has one of the highest survival rates if found early. With this in mind, Men's Health Network (MHN) encourages boys and men to perform monthly testicular self exams (TSE).
Men are becoming more and more the forgotten victims of eating disorders. Sadly, eating disorders have a very real and very devastating impact on men and are often not talked about.
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among men but the 2016 President's Budget request would eliminate prostate cancer funding at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
STATEMENT: "In support of patients' needs, we have historically been strong proponents of the development and availability of all new therapies for advanced prostate cancer patients. This includes PROVENGE® (sipuleucel-T) as the first and only FDA-approved immunotherapy for prostate cancer. We continue our support for the availability of this important treatment with confidence that it will remain available for patients based on our meeting and discussions with Dendreon. We collectively provide this statement as a part of our responsibilities to inform our patient communities during Dendreon's corporate financial reorganization."


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Amblyeleotris wheeleri är en fiskart som först beskrevs av Nicholas Vladimir Polunin och Lubbock, 1977.  Amblyeleotris wheeleri ingår i släktet Amblyeleotris och familjen smörbultsfiskar. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Bildgalleri

Källor

Externa länkar

Smörbultsfiskar
wheeleri

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Q: Is there any way to effectively debug WPF data bindings? I am having a data binding problem (a separate question), and normally when I code, I can use the debugger to step through, and hit break points.  What is probably a simple issue has taken me all day, with no resolution (getting very frustrated now), because I do not know how to "run the debugger" on my XAML data bindings.
If anyone could explain how to do this, it would be greatly appreciated.

A: add a dummy converter
<local:DebuggerConverter x:Key="DebuggerConverter" />

<TextBlock Text={Binding ToSomething, Converter={StaticResource DebuggerConverter}} />

the converter
public class DebuggerConverter : IValueConverter
{
  #region IValueConverter Members

  public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture)
  {
    // Set breakpoint here
    return value;
  }

  public object ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture)
  {
    // Set breakpoint here
    return value;
  }

  #endregion
}

or use this and look at your output window
<Window xmlns:diagnostics="clr-namespace:System.Diagnostics;assembly=WindowsBase">
  <TextBlock Text="{Binding ToSomething, diagnostics:PresentationTraceSources.TraceLevel=High}" />
</Window>

hope this helps

A: When i started with WPF, this is the major issue which i faced to debug my bindings. Everytime looking at Output window and searching for your binding seems cumbersome for very big applications. Then i came across this excellent article with detailed understanding of Bindings:
(original, dead link) http://bea.stollnitz.com/blog/index.php?s=presentationtrace
Archive: https://github.com/bstollnitz/old-wpf-blog/tree/master/45-DebuggingDataBinding
Hopefully, this might help you too... :)

A: You can get some basic information about binding errors in the Output Window in Visual Studio. It will show the binding expression path error and the line on which the error occured.

A: I have no idea if VS provides an easy way to debug bindings, but I usually use Snoop for debugging bindings
It's a tool that will go through a WPF application and give you a TreeView of the application's Visual Tree. You can select an element to view its DataContext and other properties. If there are any binding errors, the property is usually highlighted and it will say what the error was. If the binding is failing because the property doesn't exist, I can usually trace the DataContext and figure out where I went wrong in my binding.

A: Add a dummy value converter to your binding. Put a breakpoint inside the value converter. Also check debug output window in Visual Studio for any binding errors.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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House Republicans Seek $32B in Spending Cuts
Published February 03, 2011 Reuters
Republican leaders in the House of Representatives will seek $32 billion in spending cuts from current levels this year as part of an effort to reduce a forecasted $1.5 trillion deficit.
Aides to House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan outlined the savings to reporters on Thursday. These spending cuts would become part of a bill to fund a wide range of federal government programs through the current fiscal year that ends on September 30.
Federal programs currently are running on stop-gap funding that runs out on March 4. The House is aiming to pass the new legislation the week of February 14.
The House Appropriations Committee still must fill in the details of how the spending cuts would be carried out and the Democratic-led Senate will consider its own version of a spending bill.
The spending cuts would fall mainly on domestic programs other than domestic security protections and benefits for war veterans, according to the aides, who asked not to be identified.
Additional small savings also would be found in some defense programs, the aides said.
"House Republicans will continue to build on this down payment, working to restrain the explosive growth of government," Ryan said in a prepared statement.
His aides said that relative to President Barack Obama's budget request for fiscal year 2011, the Republican savings would amount to $74 billion.
In their 2010 congressional campaigns, Republicans pledged to cut $100 billion from Obama's request and to set domestic discretionary spending back to 2008 levels -- before massive government bailouts and spending measures were instituted to rescue an economy that was plunging into a deep recession.
Republican leaders have said that with five months of the current fiscal year already gone, it was difficult to achieve the full $100 billion in savings they had promised. They took control of the House in January, following massive election wins last November.
Many House Republicans have been urging more ambitious spending cuts than Ryan produced. Once the legislation hits the House floor, they are expected to offer amendments for deeper cuts in domestic spending.


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Fernando, Príncipe de Brunswick-Lüneburg (Wolfenbüttel, 12 de janeiro de 1721 - Vechelde, 3 de julho de 1792) foi um marechal de campo prussiano (1758-1766), notório por sua participação na Guerra dos Sete Anos. De 1757 a 1762, ele liderou um exército anglo-alemão que repeliu com sucesso as tentativas francesas para ocupar Hanôver.

Marechais de campo da Prússia
Casa de Brunswick-Bevern
Cavaleiros da Ordem da Jarreteira
Membros da Ordem dos Cavaleiros Benfeitores da Cidade Santa
Membros dos Illuminati
Membros da Academia de Ciências de Göttingen
Cavaleiros da Ordem da Águia Negra
Naturais de Volfembutel


A plane crashed Thursday afternoon southwest of Chillicothe in Livingston County. The plane went down around 4:00. The Wisconsin pilot walked away from the crash after a drone was was set up to help find him near Avalon. He was found just after 5:00 in an area a few miles southeast of Dawn. Missouri State Patrol and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating.


text:
'VH1 DIVAS Holiday: Unsilent Night': Watch The Performances
Michael Loccisano, Getty Images
Established music icons like Mariah Carey, Chaka Khan, Vanessa Williams and Patti LaBelle took the stage at VH1 Divas Holiday: Unsilent Night today (December 5) to ring in the current holiday season.
They were also joined by Teyana Taylor, JoJo, Bebe Rexha and Serayah -- the latter three of which performed Darlene Love's 1993 song "All Alone on Christmas" together, as a trio.
Check out videos from tonight's episode of VH1 Holiday Divas: Unsilent Night below.
See A Collection of Mariah Carey's Best Live Vocals
Next: Mariah Carey + More to Perform 'VH1 DIVAS Holiday: Unsilent Night'
Source: 'VH1 DIVAS Holiday: Unsilent Night': Watch The Performances