Dubrovnik ( ) (Italian, Ragusa), is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast in the extreme south of Dalmatia, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik.It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county .Its population was 43,770 in 2001 down from 49,728 in 1991. In 1979, the city of Dubrovnik joined the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
The prosperity of the city of Dubrovnik has always been based on maritime trade. In the Middle Ages, as the Republic of Ragusa, also known as the fifth Maritime Republic (together with Amalfi , Pisa , Genoa and Venice ), it became the only eastern Adriatic city-state to rival Venice .Supported by its wealth and skilled diplomacy, the city achieved a remarkable level of development, particularly during the 15th and 16th centuries.
In Croatian, and all other Slavic languages, the city is known as Dubrovnik; in Italianas Ragusa, its historical name, in Greekas Raiyia(Ραυγια) or Ragousa(Ραγουσα).
The current Croatian name was officially adopted in 1918 after the fall of Austria–Hungary.
Historical lore indicates that Ragusa (Dubrovnik) was founded in the 7th century on a rocky island named Laus, which provided shelter for Dalmatian refugees from the nearby city of Epidaurus .The Latino-dalmatian founders were escaping from the Slavic invasions.
Another theory appeared recently, based on new archaeological excavations. New findings (a Byzantine basilica from 8th century and parts of the city walls) contradicts the traditional theory. The size of the old basilica clearly indicates that there was quite large settlement at that time. There is also increasing support in the scientific communityfor the theory that major construction of Ragusa took place during B.C. years. This "Greek theory" has been boosted by recent findings of numerous Greek artifacts during excavations in the Port of Dubrovnik. Also, drilling below the main city road has revealed natural sand, which contradicts the theory of Laus (Lausa) island.
Dr. Antun Ničetić in his book ("Povijest dubrovačke luke" - History of the Port of Dubrovnik) expounds on the theory that Dubrovnik was established by Greek sailors. A key element in this theory is the fact that shipsin ancient timestravelled about 45-50 nautical milesper day, and required a sandy shore to pull out of waterfor the rest period during the night. The ideal rest site would have fresh watersource in the vicinity. Dubrovnik has both, and is situated almost halfway between two known Greek settlements Budva and Korčula (95 NM is the distance between them).
After the fall of the Ostrogothic Kingdom, the town came under the protectionof the Byzantine Empire, although it was essentially an independent city-state that actively interacted with the surrounding Serbian littoral. After the Crusades, Ragusa came under the sovereignty of Venice (1205–1358), which would give its institutions to the Dalmatian city.By the Peace Treaty of Zadarin 1358, Ragusa achieved a relative independence as a vassal-state of the Kingdom of Hungary.
Between the 14th centuryand 1808 Ragusa ruled itself as a free state. The Republic had its peak in the 15th and 16th centuries, when its thalassocracy rivalled that of the Republic of Venice and other Italian maritime republics.
The city was ruled by the local aristocracythat was of Latin-dalmatian extraction and formed two city councils. As usual for the time, they maintained a strict system of social classes. The republic abolished the slave tradeearly in the 15th centuryand valued liberty highly. The city successfully balanced its sovereignty between the interests of Venice and the Ottoman Empirefor centuries.
The languages spoken by the people were the romance Dalmatian and Croatian. But the latter started to replace Dalmatian little by little since the 11th centuryamongst the common people who inhabited the city. The aristocracy was of Latin extraction. The population itself was mostly of Latin origin until the 17th century, when the Croatian migrations from the surrounding regions.
Italian(and the literary Italian language and the Venetian dialect) would become an important language of culture in the Republic of Ragusa. The Italian languagereplaced Latin as official languageof the Republic of Ragusa from 1492 until the end of the republic itself. At the same time, due to a pacific cohabitation with the Slavic element and the influence of the Italian cultureon this, during the Renaissance Ragusa became a cradle of the Croatian literature.
The economic wealth of the Republic was partially the result of the land it developed, but especially of the seafaring trade it did. With the help of skilled diplomacy, Ragusa's merchants travelled lands freely, and on the sea the city had a huge fleet of merchant ships(argosy) that travelled all over the world. From these travels they founded some settlements, from India to America, and brought parts of their culture and vegetation home with them. One of the keys to success was not conquering, but trading and sailing under a white flag with the word freedom ( ) prominently featured on it. That flag was adopted when slave trading was abolished in 1418.
Many Conversos (Marranos)—Jews from Spain and Portugal —were attracted to the city.In May, 1544, a ship landed there filled exclusively with Portuguese refugees, as Balthasar de Faria reported to King John. During this time there worked in the city one of the most famous cannon and bell founders of his time: Ivan Rabljanin(Magister Johannes Baptista Arbensis de la Tolle).
The Republic gradually declined after a crisis of Mediterranean shipping—and especially a catastrophic earthquake in 1667 that killed over 5000 citizens, levelling most of the public buildings—ruined the well-being of the Republic.In 1699 the Republic sold two patches of its territory to the Ottomans in order to avoid terrestrial borderline, with advancing Venetian forces.Today this strip of land belongs to Bosnia and Herzegovina and is its only direct access to the Adriatic.
In 1806 the city surrendered to French forces, as that was the only way to cut a month's long siege by the Russian-Montenegrin fleets (during which 3000 cannonballs fell on the city). At first Napoleondemanded only free passage for his troops, promising not to occupy the territory and stressing that the French were friends of the Ragusans. Later, however, French forces blockaded the harbours, forcing the government to give in and let French troops enter the city. On this day, all flags and coats of armsabove the city walls were painted black as a sign of grief. In 1808, Marshal Marmontabolished the republic and integrated its territory first into the Napoleon's Kingdom of Italyand later into the Illyrian provincesunder French rule.
When the Habsburg Empiregained these provinces after the 1815 Congress of Vienna, the new imperial authorities installed a bureaucratic administration, which retained the essential framework of the Croatian-speaking system. It introduced a series of modifications intended to centralize, albeit slowly, the bureaucratic, tax, religious, educational, and trade structures. Unfortunately for the local residents, these centralization strategies, which were intended to stimulate the economy, largely failed. And once the personal, political and economic trauma of the Napoleonic Warshad been overcome, new movements began to form in the region, calling for a political reorganization of the Adriatic along national lines.
The combination of these two forces—a flawed Habsburg administrative system and new national movements claiming ethnicity as the founding block towards a community—created a particularly perplexing problem; for Dalmatia was a province ruled by the German-speaking, centralizing Habsburg monarchy, with bilingual i.e. Croatian and Italian speaking elites that dominated a general population consisting of a Croatian Catholic majority (and a Serb Orthodoxminority of not more than 300 people).
In 1815, the former Ragusan Government, i.e. its noble assembly, met for the last time in the ljetnikovac in Mokošica. Once again heavy efforts were undertaken to re-establish the Republic however this time it was all in vain. After fall of the Republic most of the aristocracy died out or emigrated overseas. Others were recognized by Austrian Empire.
In 1832, Baron Sigismondo Ghetaldi-Gondola(1795–1860) was elected podestàof Ragusa, serving for 13 years; the Austrian government granted him the title of "Baron".
Count Raffaele Pozza, Dr. Jur., (1828–90) was elected for first time Podestà of Ragusa in the year 1869 after this was re-elected in 1872, 1875, 1882, 1884) and elected twice into the Dalmatian Council, 1870, 1876. The victory of the Nationalist in Spalato in 1882 had a strong echo in the areas of Curzola and Ragusa. It was greeted by the mayor (podestà) of Ragusa Raffaele Pozza, the National Reading Club of Dubrovnik, the Workers Association of Dubrovnik and the review "Slovinac"; by the communities of Kuna and Orebić, the latter one getting the nationalist government even before Split.
Austrian rule and Austro-Hungarian rule which followed lasted for more than a century and were typified by the motto of the world powers of that time: Divide et impera(Divide and rule). Austrian policy of denationalizing the Dalmatian coasts left its mark in the political division of the population as best expressed in the political parties: the Croatian People's Partyand the mostly ItalianiteAutonomous Party.
In 1889, Croatians supported Baron Francesco Ghetaldi-Gondola, candidate of Autonomous Party, vs the candidate of Popular Party Vlaho de Giulli, in the 1890 election to the Dalmatian Diet. The following year during the local government election, the Autonomous Party won the municipal reelection with Francesco Gondola, who died in power in 1899, the alliance won the election again on 27 May 1894. Francesco Ghetaldi-Gondola founded the Società Philatelyon 4 December 1890.
With the fall of Austria-Hungary in 1918, the city was incorporated into the new Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (later the Kingdom of Yugoslavia ).The name of the city was officially changed from Ragusa to Dubrovnik.
During World War II, Dubrovnik became part of the Nazi controlled Independent State of Croatia , occupied by the Italian army first, and by the German army after 8 September 1943.In October 1944 Tito's partisans entered Dubrovnik, that became consequently part of Communist Yugoslavia .Soon after their arrival into the city, Partisans sentenced approximately 78 citizens to death without trial, including a Catholic priest.
After 1945, many citizens left the city and settled in Italy, Austria or Germany. Their assets were confiscated and passed into the hands of the state .
In 1991 Croatia and Slovenia , which at that time were republics within Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia , declared their independence.At that event, Socialist Republic of Croatia was renamed Republic of Croatia .
Despite demilitarization of the old town in early 1970s in an attempt to prevent it from ever becoming a casualty of war, following Croatia 's independence in 1991, Serbian-Montenegrin remains of the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) attacked the city.The regime in Montenegro led by Momir Bulatović, which was installed by and loyal to the Serbian government led by Slobodan Milošević, declared that Dubrovnik would not be permitted to remain in Croatia because they claimed it was historically part of Montenegro .This was in spite of the large Croat majority in the city and that very few Montenegrins resided there, though Serbs accounted for six percent of the population. Many consider the claims by the Bulatović government, as being part of Serbian President Milošević's plan to deliver his nationalist supporters the Greater Serbiathey desired as Yugoslaviacollapsed.
On October 1, 1991 Dubrovnik was attacked by JNAwith a siege of Dubrovnikthat lasted for seven months. Heaviest artillery attack happened on December 6 with 19 people killed and 60 wounded. Total casualties in the conflict according to Croatian Red Cross were 114 killed civilians, among them celebrated poet Milan Milisić.In May 1992 the Croatian Armylifted the siege and liberated Dubrovnik's surroundings, but the danger of sudden attacks by the JNA lasted for another three years.
Following the end of the war, damage caused by the shelling of the Old Town was repaired. Adhering to UNESCO guidelines, repairs were performed in the original style., most damage had been repaired. The inflicted damage can be seen on a chart near the city gate, showing all artillery hits during the siege, and is clearly visible from high points around the city in the form of the more brightly coloured new roofs. ICTY indictments were issued for JNA generals and officers involved in the bombing.
General Pavle Strugar, who was coordinating the attack on the city, was sentenced to an eight year prison term by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia for his role in the attack of the city.
The 1996 Croatia USAF CT-43 crash , near Dubrovnik Airport , killed everyone on a United States Air Force jet with VIP passengers.
The annual Dubrovnik Summer Festivalis a month-long cultural event with live plays, concerts, and games. It has been awarded a Gold International Trophy for Quality (2007) by the Editorial Office in collaboration with the Trade Leaders Club.
February 3 is the feast of Sveti Vlaho , who is the city's patron saint. Every year the city of Dubrovnik celebrates the holiday with Mass, parades, and festivities that last for several days.
The Old Town of Dubrovnik is depicted on the reverseof the Croatian 50 kunabanknote, issued in 1993 and 2002.
Among the many tourist destinations are a few beaches. Banje, Dubrovnik's main public beach, is home to the Eastwest Beach Club hotel. There is also Copacabana Beach, a small stony beach part of the Elaphiti Islands , named after the popular beach in Rio de Janeiro .
The patron saintof the city is Sveti Vlaho , whose statues are seen around the city. He has an importance similar to that of St. Mark the Evangelistto Venice. The city's cathedral is named after Saint Blaise. The city boasts of many old buildings, such as the Arboretum Trsteno , the oldest arboretum in the world, dating back to before 1492.Also, the third oldest European pharmacyis located in the city, which dates back to 1317 (and is the only one still in operation today). It is located at Little Brothers church in Dubrovnik.
In history, many Conversos (Marranos) were attracted to Dubrovnik, formerly a considerable seaport. In May, 1544, a ship landed there filled exclusively with Portuguese refugees, as Balthasar de Faria reported to King John. Another admirer of Dubrovnik, George Bernard Shaw, visited the city in 1929 and said: "If you want to see heaven on earth, come to Dubrovnik."
In the bay of Dubrovnik is the 72-hectare wooded island of Lokrum , where according to legend, Richard the Lionheart was cast ashore after being shipwrecked in 1192.The island includes a fortress, botanical garden, monasteryand naturist beach.
Dubrovnik has also been mentioned in popular film and theater. In the film 20,000 Leagues Under the Seawith Michael Caine, one of the characters said to have been dreaming of fairyfrom Dubrovnik (motive known from local legends and literature).
Ivan Gundulić, a 17th century Croatian writer, predicted the downfall of the great Turkish Empire in his poem Osman.
The population of Dubrovnik is 43,770 according to the 2001 census, with about 40,770 live in the city proper. Approximately 88.39% of the population is Croat.
Few of Dubrovnik's Renaissance buildings survived the earthquake of 1667 but fortunately enough remain to give an idea of the city's architectural heritage. The finest Renaissance highlight is the Sponza Palace which dates from the 16th century and is currently used to house the National Archives. The Rectors Palace is a Gothic-Renaissance structure that displays finely-carved capitals and an ornate staircase. It now houses a museum. Its façade is depicted on the reverseof the Croatian 50 kunabanknote, issued in 1993 and 2002. The St Saviour Church is another remnant of the Renaissance period, next to the much-visited Franciscan Monastery. The Franciscan monastery's library possesses 30,000 volumes, 22 incunabula, 1,500 valuable handwritten documents. Exhibits include a 15th centurysilver-gilt cross and silver thurible, an 18th century crucifix from Jerusalem, a martyrology (1541) by Bemardin Gucetić and illuminated Psalters.
Dubrovnik's most beloved church is St Blaise's church, built in the 18th century in honor of Dubrovnik's patron saint. Dubrovnik's baroque Cathedral was built in the 18th century and houses an impressive Treasury with relics of Saint Blaise. The city's Dominican Monastery resembles a fortress on the outside but the interior contains an art museum and a Gothic-Romanesque church. A special treasure of the Dominican monastery is its library with over 220 incunabula, numerous illustrated manuscripts, a rich archive with precious manuscripts and documents and an extensive art collection.
A feature of Dubrovnik is its walls that run 2 km around the city. The walls run from four to six metres thick on the landward side but are much thinner on the seaward side. The system of turrets and towers were intended to protect the vulnerable city.
Dubrovnik has an international airport of its own.It is located approximately from Dubrovnik city centre, near Čilipi. Buses connect the airport with the Dubrovnik old main bus station in Gruž .In addition, a network of modern, local buses connects all Dubrovnik neighborhoods running frequently from dawn to midnight. However, Dubrovnik, unlike Croatia's other major centres, is not accessible by rail.
The A1 highway, in use between Zagreb and Ravča, is planned to be extended all the way to Dubrovnik.The highway will cross the Pelješac Bridge which is currently under construction.An alternative plan proposes the highway running from Neum through Bosnia and Herzegovina and an expressway continuing to Dubrovnik.This plan has fallen out of favor, though.
Dubrovnik has a number of educational institutions. These include Dubrovnik International University, the University of Dubrovnik, a Nautical College, a Tourist College, a University Centre for Postgraduate Studies of the University of Zagreb , American College of Management and Technology , and an Institute of History of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts .
The climate along the Dubrovnik Region is a typical Mediterranean one, with mild, rainy winters and hot and dry summers.However, it is perhaps distinct from other Mediterranean climates because of the unusual winds and frequency of thunderstorms. The Bura wind blows uncomfortably cold gusts down the Adriatic coast between October and April, and thundery conditions are common all the year round, even in summer, when they interrupt the warm, sunny days.The air temperatures can slightly vary, depending on the area or region. Typically, in July and August daytime maximum temperatures reach 29°C, and at night drop to around 21°C. More comfortable, perhaps, is the climate in Spring and Autumn when maximum temperatures are typically between 20°C and 28°C.
Milovan Mirosevic (born 1980): Croatian-Chilean football player.
Srđan Lakić (born 1983): Croatian football player (1. FC Kaiserslautern).
City of Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik.hr. Retrieved July 2, 2007.
Dubrovnik. History.com Encyclopedia. Retrieved July 2, 2007.
Croatian National Bank. Features of Kuna Banknotes: 50 kuna (1993 issue) & 50 kuna (2002 issue). – Retrieved on 30 March 2009.


I was commissioned to illustrate the new split 7″ from Massachusetts' Vaccine and D.C.'s Coke Bust. It was a fun project and they were really cool and easy to work with. But, this wasn't how I designed this. The specific concept was "A vulture eating a business man" so… there you have it. I liked the idea of keeping this pretty gritty and "punk" looking in keeping with both of the bands sound. And I was also looking at some Hitchcock movie posters for inspiration.
I'm posting this cover they way I illustrated and designed it which is not the way the actual record seems to have been produced which I wasn't aware of and am a little disappointed by but oh well. There was some debate over the text and I handed it off. The end result (to me) throws off the composition and balance of the illustration and also compromises the concept a bit. My original is on the LEFT and the final cover is on the RIGHT just above. I wanted to post the original here because you probably won't see it anywhere else and took a bit of time / thought to put together.
Great people, awesome bands, I had a great time working with them, just wish this had come together a little differently.


text:
IDBI Bank Ltd
Credit Opinion: Central Bank of India: Update following H1 fiscal 2021 results
Credit Opinion: Indian Overseas Bank: Update based on H1 FY2021 results
Credit Opinion: IDBI Bank Ltd: Update to credit analysis
Credit Opinion: Bank of Baroda: Update following rating downgrade; outlook changed to negative
Credit Opinion: Canara Bank: Update following rating downgrade
Moody's: Scale of capital infusions for India's public sector banks is credit positive; corporate governance reforms fall short of addressing structural weaknesses
Singapore, January 25, 2018 -- Moody's Investors Service says that the India government's detailing of how much capital each public sector bank will receive in the financial year ending March 2018 is credit positive for the sector.
"This announcement is a credit positive for all public sector banks, and especially the weaker ones, as the government has made it very explicit that it will ensure that all such banks meet minimum regulatory capital requirements," says Srikanth Vadlamani, a Moody's Vice President and Senior Credit Officer.
"At the same time, the government has announced various reforms for public sector banks, but we currently do not believe these reforms are meaningful enough to address the structural corporate governance issues facing these entities," says Vadlamani.
Moody's conclusions are contained in its just-released report, "Banks - Government plan to recapitalize all public sector banks is credit positive but structural governance concerns remain".
Specifically, the government announced on 24 January that it will infuse INR800 billion into the 21 public sector banks before March 2018, an amount which will materially improve their capital levels.
Each of these banks will receive enough capital to enable them to meet minimum capital norms, after factoring in provisioning requirements for non-performing loans as well as any requirements emanating from a transition to IFRS 9 accounting standards.
Furthermore, 'healthy' banks -- defined as those banks not placed under prompt corrective action by the Reserve Bank of India -- will receive additional capital so as to support overall credit growth.
The recent announcement signals that the government will provide material capital infusions for even weak public sector banks, since IDBI, CBI and IOB, which have the lowest baseline credit assessments (BCA) among rated PSBs, received amongst the highest capital allocations.
As noted, the government has also announced a set of corporate governance reforms at these banks, the most important of which relate to board level governance and corporate loans.
"However, some of these changes, while positive, seem to be largely fine tuning and calibrating some core internal processes at these banks," says Vladlamani.
"For instance, it is now envisaged that a bank's board will monitor the bank's performance on key metrics on a more frequent basis and there should be a performance management system to incentivize and fast track good performers," says Vladlamani. "Banks will also have to more closely monitor corporate exposures beyond a certain size."
Srikanth Vadlamani
Moody's Investors Service Singapore Pte. Ltd.
50 Raffles Place #23-06
Singapore Land Tower
Singapore 48623
Gene Fang

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Oh brother where art thou?
Paul Perillo
Patriots.com Writer
Photo by David Silverman
When it comes to storybook seasons, Bobby Hamilton may have redefined the term. After struggling to make his mark in the NFL for the better part of six years, the defensive end made the most of his opportunity in his first season with the Patriots.
Hamilton signed with New England just before the start of training camp in 2000 and quickly stepped into the starting lineup. His familiarity with Bill Belichick's two-gap system from his days with the New York Jets gave Hamilton a leg up on the competition, and his stellar play made him one of the team's most consistent defensive players.
The 6-5, 280-pounder was expected to be little more than a stopgap player but he set a career high with 79 tackles and started all 16 games for the struggling Patriots. He added 1.5 sacks and five passes defensed and emerged as a fixture up front for the future.
Hamilton was rewarded for his efforts midway through the season when he signed a three-year contract extension worth $3 million, his first big pay day after working his way through the ranks as an undrafted free agent and NFL Europe refugee.
But all of that good fortune paled in comparison to what's happened to Hamilton over the past couple of months. Driven by a passion to be reconnected with his father's side of the family, a portion of his life he had virtually no contact with since his father's death in 1981, Hamilton returned to Foxborough for his offseason workouts in March and found an interesting note in his locker.
That note would have a direct and almost immediate impact on his life.
NICE TO MEET YOU — Patriots defensive lineman Bobby Hamilton (left) recently met his half-brother Billy (middle) that he never knew he had. Bobby's full brother, also Billy, is on the right. Bobby has been searching for family members on his father's side and met Billy through an email to patriots.com. PHOTO: courtesy of Vicki Hamilton
Not unlike many current NFL players, Bobby Hamilton was forced to grow up quickly after losing his dad at an early age. "The time when I was 8, 9, 10 years old was the worst time of my life," he recalled. Hamilton's misfortune wasn't limited to his father's death. The year before, his younger brother, Billy, was struck by a truck and was in a coma for more than six months. Billy still suffers from lingering effects of that accident, but that mishap was nothing compared to what happened the following Christmas.
With the Hamiltons preparing for a move to Houston to accommodate Bobby's father's job opportunity there, tragedy struck once again. Bobby's father was sitting in an apartment when he was shot through a window and killed.
To this day Bobby is unsure of the details surrounding the shooting other than to say it in no way involved drugs. "My mom tried to shield me from the whole thing at the time, but a couple of years later my aunt explained some things to me," he said. "She assured me that he wasn't involved in any illegal activities, but I still really don't know why any of that happened."
Hamilton's father had served as a "role model" to his son at the time. Billy also had been an athlete and even tried out for the Denver Broncos in the late '60s, and Bobby was intrigued by his father. But the events of that day served as an eye-opener, and Bobby's focus quickly turned to his mother, who he credits with holding the family together in such a time of need.
With the Hamilton children doing whatever they could to help out, Charlene Hamilton went to work each day and came home at night stressing the importance of education above all else. After some turbulent times early on, Bobby found his salvation on the football field and used his talents wisely, graduating from Southern Mississippi in 1994.
"We had one big family working and pushing together," Hamilton said. "My Mom always used to tell me, 'It's not just going to come to you, you have to go get it.' I respect my Mom so much because she didn't go to college. She helped my grandmother raise her two younger sisters so they could go to college instead. That's the kind of sacrifice she made for us, too."
Despite using his mother's words as inspiration, Hamilton's search to connect with his father's side of the family was largely unsuccessful until the summer of 1999. With Hamilton preparing for the start of training camp with the Jets, he received word that his grandmother had passed away.
Still hurting from that loss, Hamilton struck up a conversation with one of the Jets security personnel, Steve Arnett, who agreed to help in Bobby's quest to find relatives from his father's side. Hamilton provided as much information as he could —his father's obituary, names of aunts and uncles — anything he could think of that might be useful.
Arnett went to work and came back to Hamilton with information about Bobby's Uncle Jesse. "I was like, 'For real?' I was still down about my grandmother but I was just so excited to find someone after I'd been looking for so long," Hamilton said.
Buoyed by that meeting, Hamilton continued to search for his relatives. Unfortunately, his efforts were unsuccessful until he received the note in March.
Passing notes
When Hamilton looked in his locker and found the printout of an email that had been sent to the team from a gentleman named Billy Hamilton, the Patriots defensive end gave it little thought. The note claimed that this Billy was Bobby's half brother and the two shared the same father. It was a notion Bobby gave little credence to.
It wasn't the first time he'd received such a notice. As Hamilton's search for his family unfolded through the years, various newspaper stories accounted his plight. Those brought "every guy named Hamilton out there out of the woodwork." This time would be different.
"When I got back, they told me I had an email from someone named Billy Joe Hamilton and I thought they were joking because that was my father's name and my younger brother's, too," Hamilton said. "I was like, 'Why would someone send an email saying that?'"
It turns out there was a very simple reason: He was indeed Bobby's half brother. Hamilton went home that evening and talked with his wife, Celeste. Despite their lingering skepticism, Bobby decided he had nothing to lose and picked up the phone to call the person claiming to be his relative. After an awkward beginning to the conversation, Bobby says the two connected and quickly the cynicism faded away.
Billy explained that he was Bobby's brother on his father's side and was born before the elder Hamilton had married Charlene. The Hamiltons' father was in fact married three times with Bobby being one of five brothers produced from his marriage to Charlene, the last of the three. When Billy explained further that he was born in Arkansas and then his father went to Denver, Bobby started to take the story more seriously.
"The more he talked the more believable it all became," Hamilton said with a smile. "We talked for a while and then I was talking to his wife (Vickie) and she was telling me how [Billy] used to spend all this time and money looking for his daddy. I was thinking at the time how I was trying to do the same thing — looking for people on my father's side."
Bobby was born in Denver and thus the connections Billy described suddenly became plausible. Shortly after his birth, Bobby and the rest of his family moved to Columbia, Miss., a community they remain a major part of today. As their initial conversation came to a close, Bobby decided to lay his cards on the table.
"I just said to him, 'OK, if you're really my brother, I'm having a summer jam for my community May 18,' and he said, 'I'll be there.' I talked to my wife that night and she could see the excitement on my face but we still had some doubts."
Those were quickly erased when Billy and Vickie Hamilton made a Mother's Day trip to Milwaukee to visit Billy's mom. When that trip ended, they drove down to Mississippi and spent several days in Columbia with Bobby, Celeste, Charlene and the rest of the Hamiltons.
When Bobby laid eyes on the 6-6, 300-pound Billy, any lingering doubts were eliminated.
"He was so tall and he looked just like my younger brother Billy," Bobby beamed. "I was like, 'God, it's true.' We sat around for a while and talked and we hugged and my wife and his wife talked and it was just a blessing.
"It's coming together now after all this time trying to find your family and now you found a brother and you have two brothers to look up to. We sat down and tried to catch up but it felt like we'd known each other for a long time. He brought all these pictures and his wife was great and they just clicked immediately with everybody. Actually, when I left to come back here, they stayed for a couple more days with my family."
The meeting was equally satisfying for Billy, who spent as much time as Bobby searching for the missing piece of his life. Billy last spoke with his father in 1979 and wasn't even aware of his death until several years later in 1995. The news of his father's passing put a damper on his efforts, but every once in a while he'd re-start the process.
"I was always looking for Hamiltons and all I ever came across were Hamiltons who'd done bad things," said Billy, who works in the Dallas County Sheriff's Office in Texas. "I wanted to find some 'good' Hamiltons. I looked up an NBA web site and then NFL.com and that's where I found Bobby's name with the Patriots.
"I called up his bio on patriots.com and started reading all these things that made sense. I knew my father had tried out for the Broncos and I got in touch with Bobby's mother and she confirmed that her husband had another son. I had heard that I had brothers but I never thought I'd get to meet any of them."
The "new" half brothers now speak almost daily — Billy from his home in Dallas and Bobby here while he prepares for the upcoming season. They've made arrangements to meet again on Nov. 4 in Atlanta where the Patriots play the Falcons and the entire Hamilton clan can gather at Bobby and Celeste's home in nearby Duluth, Ga.
"All those years I kept waiting," Billy said. "This is more than I could ever have hoped for. [The meeting] was like the key that opened the door to all of this. The web site made it all possible. Without it, that door would still be closed."
Meanwhile, Bobby is thrilled with his new life and is anxious for a new season. After last year's disappointment, he believes the team is capable of turning things around quickly and getting back on the winning track.
"I have a beautiful wife and a nice family and I have a little one on the way," Bobby said. "My Mom is happy and now I have my daddy's side of the family. What do I have to lose now? All I have to do is go out and play ball."
A new team, a starting job, a career-best on-field performance, a contract extension and a new brother — all in all not a bad year for Bobby Hamilton.
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Game Recap: Patriots escape Buffalo with win
Recapping the Patriots 12-9 win vs the Bills on Sunday, December 16, 2001.
Game Preview: Bills can play key role in playoff race
Read a full game preview of New England's Week 14 game against the Buffalo Bills.
Game Recap: Patriots fight off scrappy Browns
Recapping the Patriots 27-16 win vs the Browns on Sunday, December 9, 2001.
Game Preview: Resilient Browns represent stiff test
Read a full game preview of New England's Week 13 game against the Cleveland Browns.
All aboard Patriots playoff express
Patriots complete comeback at Meadowlands to keep playoff hopes alive
Game Recap: Pats rally from 13-point deficit to steal game
Recapping the Patriots 17-16 win vs the Jets on Sunday, December 2, 2001.
Game Preview: Jets starting to dominate Pats matchup
Read a full game preview of New England's Week 12 game against the New York Jets.


The George, College Station's newest luxury hotel, welcomes Bryan-College Station's own Andrea Young for a night of food, drinks and live music on February 16 from 8 to 11 p.m.
Young is a local singer/songwriter who "plays everything from smooth jazz to punchy classic pop/rock and folk." She has performed at The Republic 1836 and The West End Elixir Company as entertainment for brunch and dinner events. Young is a regular performer at The Republic and serves as one of the shining stars in the BCS area.
Young began performing in front of crowds around the age of 4 and has continued to grow and develop her style by playing songs of all genres. She puts her own twist on every song she plays and is planning to begin recording her first original EP this year.
The George will be a great stage for Young. The historical roots of College Station are celebrated by singers like Young and businesses like The George, which claims to "harken back to College Station's days as a rail stop, before the area was synonymous with Texas A&M University." Located in Century Square, The George adds a sophisticated twist to the Brazos Valley and carries an authentic Texas charm.
The George features large indoor and outdoor lounge areas, a large ballroom, and a craft cocktail, restaurant and wine bar.
The restaurant, Poppy, provides an eclectic dining experience with options ranging from steak to seafood. The menu changes weekly, and the culinary team works hard to offer the finest dishes possible. The whiskey bar, 1791, has experienced mixologists who can mix you up something you won't be able to get enough of. These lounge areas ensure the perfect atmosphere to enjoy live music the way it is intended.
Spend your Friday night relaxing with friends, in the most luxurious and classy place in BCS.
This is a free event, but according to Young, "you might want to take an Uber" to The George and enjoy everything the venue restaurant and bar have to offer, because "their drink menu is killer." Music by Young will begin at 8 p.m. on Friday, February 16.


Looking for an unusual house plant? Bottle Brush Plant is sure to grab attention -- and admiration -- from all who see it. It's also attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds, if you choose to put it on your porch or patio for the summer.
Given enough light, the Bottle Brush Plant will produce upright flower spikes in spring and summer.
It doesn't actually have petals. Each "bottle brush" flower is made up of bright-red stamens with yellow tips, clustered on flower spikes up to 4 in (10 cm) long. At the top of each fuzzy spike is a tuft of leaves.
Each woody stem is covered top to bottom with long, narrow leaves. The dark-green leaves are pointed at the tips and grow upward, giving this captivating plant a lean, elegant look. They have a fragrant, lemony scent, giving this plant another common name: Lemon Bottlebrush.
An Aussie native, this evergreen shrub will do best with bright sun, warm temperatures and dry air. Give it good care, and it will become a fairly large shrub. However, you can keep it compact with regular pruning. Dwarf bottle brush makes a good container plant. Callistemon citrinus 'Little John' is a dwarf bottle brush variety, reaching only 3 ft (90 cm) tall.
Let it bask in the sun. It'll make an easy indoor plant, if you can provide the sunlight it needs to grow. Place it directly in front of a sunny window. Or, move your plant outdoors for the summer, if you want. Just be sure to bring it back inside when the nighttime temperature drops to 45°F/7°C. This plant won't tolerate the cold.
Prune it. Immediately after flowering, cut the plant back by half to keep it compact. Use sharp pruners to avoid tearing at the stems, which can harm the plant.
Give it a rest. Callistemons need a winter rest. Keep the plant in a cool place (with a minimum of 45°F/7°C). Cut back on watering during this time, keeping the soil only slightly moist.
Repot in spring. This plant blooms best when slightly pot-bound, so move it to a slightly larger pot only every couple years or when needed. When the plant reaches the size you want, you can keep it small by repotting it in the same container, just to refresh the soil.
Light: Full sun. Plants that don't bloom aren't getting enough light. Give Bottle Brush Plant as much light as you can year-round. A sunroom or a sunny spot directly in front of a window is ideal.
Water: Water thoroughly spring through fall and allow the soil to dry out between waterings. Cut back on watering in the winter, while the plant is resting. It's drought-tolerant, so if in doubt about watering, keep it on the dry side.
Temperature: Average room temperatures 60-75°F/16-24°C. It's hardy in USDA Zones 9-10, so it can take the summer heat. Give it a cool rest in winter with a minimum temperature of 45°F/7°C.
Soil: Well-drained soil. Use 2 parts potting mix and 1 part sharp sand.
Fertilizer: Feed monthly spring and summer with high-potassium liquid fertilizer diluted by half.
Propagation: Take 3 in (7 cm) stem tip cuttings in spring or early summer. Can also be sown by seed in spring.


How does your concentration stand up together as being important?
Looking back at the first half of the week, what major accomplishments have you made that helps you stand out from the rest of the class?
Advanced Drawing:Discussion of Composition and Meaning.
Looking back on the past few days of work, what are you pleased with in the creation of the work? What are area that you are still being challenged with? N: Mid Critique in the Drawing Process.
What did you take from the critique of your work? What did you add to the critique of your classmates work? What did you take away from the work of your classmates?
Drawing: Color and Shape and MEANING!
How are you using geometric shapes in your life? How do you relate meaning to them? What are some shapes that are dominant in your life?
What NEW ideas might you have had about COLOR and SHAPE in the art you were creating?
Studio Art 360: Develop Compositions for Final Drawing.
4.1P: Analyze, select, and curate artifacts and/or artworks for presentation and preservation.
How do you feel about the ideas you are creating RIGHT NOW? Name 2 things you are a bit uncertain about as it comes to your THUMBNAIL drawings turning into your final drawings.
What are the three best things you are working on with this drawing so far?
Previous PostPrevious #Thumbnail #Drawings, #DoYouEverFeelLikeAPlasticBag? or a #PaperBag?


For many, success or failure in life is all a matter of perspective.
How we see things; how we view people; how we feel we have been treated or deserve to be treated; all play a part in our view of life, our attitude and ultimately our happiness. There are many philosophies that would take us down a certain path of life only to find out they are unfulfilling and full of trials, pain, and loss. Even the successes we may find do not satisfy the way that we had hoped. Solomon, considered the wisest man to have ever lived, determined to experience every facet of this life; to find the wisdom in it. Only, what he found was empty and unfulfilling.
Ecclesiastes 12:8, Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.
So why then, do we work and pursue?
Why is it that we chase after dreams? Why do we spend a lifetime seeking a better life for us and our children? I cannot say I know all things or am wise in all situations, but I wish to relate to you a truth from one who has seen a few things and has allowed God to teach me a few things. This thing of 'dying to self' is a truth that God puts forth in many ways for us to see and understand. I can tell you from experience that when I was in control of my life, I sought to please me first. Whether it was emotional, physical, or spiritual; whether it was relationships, school, work or just within my neighborhood, I wanted to be accepted, loved, and significant – I wanted to know that my life mattered. I have found that when I seek out man's approval, look for man's acceptance and seek the love of others; I have ultimately been let down, disappointed and hurt deeply.
The realization that God is ALWAYS right and my way is ALWAYS wrong can be quite a bitter pill to swallow.
My pride stands in the way of accepting that truth. I must accept that when my heart gets involved in anything, it can and will deceive me.
Jeremiah 17:9, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Jeremiah 10:23, O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
Then, we 'try' God's way and we experience hurt, failure and loss, we blame God because of the way He took us. Unless we are committed; all in on God's plan doing it God's way, we are reserving judgment and holding on to some part of control just in case it doesn't work out the way we want it to. We shift the blame to God because after all, He said so.
Being dead to self is a matter of removing all parts of me in this life.
Whether it is something so simple as which way to go to work, how to spend the money I earn or accepting the call to service on a foreign field; the decision becomes simple when my heart is set to please my Heavenly Father. Once I begin to take ownership or claim any credit for this life I live, sin lies at the door and failure is sure to follow. Realizing the truth of who truly 'owns' me, is paramount in how I must live. When I received Jesus Christ as Savior, I gave away all rights to the One who purchased me. I have been bought with a price.
1 Corinthians 6:20, For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. The apostle Paul understood clearly this principle.
The apostle Paul understood clearly this principle.
1 Corinthians 15:22, 31, For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
When we are being dead to ourselves and alive unto God, my heart is turned to wanting to please my Father and not my flesh. Don't give up on your dreams. Being dead to yourself means giving those dreams to God. And should He see fit to give them back to you, then they will come to pass. But if they are not what He wants for you as His child, you and I will try as we may, but we'll never be satisfied and never see those dreams fulfilled! Being dead to self means seeing things the way God sees them. Apart from the Word of God, I can never truly see God's way clearly. It will get clogged in the filter of what I deem acceptable, achievable and doable in my flesh. But seeing Him who is invisible, I must, by faith, trust that my Heavenly Father knows what is best and will work out all things for His good.


Any business can be successful as long as they can create a good brand value for themselves. How to do that? Simple, find what your target audience wants and make sure that they know about your brand.
Creating a good design for the brand is imperative and that requires many facets that can get your brand to work.
To ensure that your brand becomes a success, various agencies are ready to provide services like brand design in London and many others locations. These agencies have experts who can be of huge help to get your brand an identity.
Professionals can conduct proper branding research to realize your brand's position in the market. Without proper research, you would be in the dark about your brand's market value.
With this knowledge, you can delve deeper and gain an understanding of what potential clients want and work on that so that conversion rates of your brand increases.
The data can also be used to compare your practices against rival brands. This will aid in understanding the strength and weaknesses of your brand. With the knowledge of your weaknesses, you will be able to assess and adjust accordingly to reduce the weaknesses.
One the major reasons behind a successful brand are good advertisement. For that you need an expert so that they can create a graphic design, which has a great layout but has low printing costs, reducing advertisement costs.
They help create visuals that are of high quality, which brings in more views, shares, and likes on social platforms. This can grab the attention of a higher number of potential clients.
Great graphics design is one of the things that can rope in the attention of viewers and hold them long enough for brand promotion.
A brand logo makes your business easily recognizable. As you keep adding the logo to your mail and website, your audience is constantly and consistently exposed to your brand, improving brand visibility.
Thus, you need to make sure that your brand logo is unique and well-designed, something that is only possible for professional designers.
A cluttered website can drive away prospective clients. Do you want that? No? Then hire professional help! Only they can design a website that drives the story of your brand and keeps viewers interested in coming back again.
A good website is one of most cost-effective forms of advertisement. It helps to deliver your brand's products and services directly to the customers. A website also provides the opportunity to build a better relationship with customers so that you can interact personally which can help in improving sales.
All of this drives your brand towards becoming successful and becoming more visible to a wider crowd.
Internet Marketing is an effective way of driving your brand towards success. Marketing your products and services through a physical retail store can be expensive with rent and employee salary; having a virtual store on the internet can be quite economical. These resources can be used for other forms of advertisement to improve brand visibility.
This form of marketing provides the opportunity to customize your advertisement approach. Appropriate customization is possible only if professional help is employed. They can customize for advertisement on all platforms like social media.
Most successful brands have been able to do so because they had help. The above-mentioned aspects are just the tip of the iceberg; many more aspects need to be addressed for complete success, like brand auditing, re-branding services and much more.
Professionals have been doing this job for a long time and thus they have the expertise to give your brand the same affluence.
All the above aspects together can lead your brand towards success, so you need to find experts for all these aspects, which can be time-consuming. Thus, take the help of various branding agencies. They have a host of experts, who are waiting to give you their advice and prowess. Do some research and find an agency that offers the best of the best for your brand's prosperity.


1.79 acres of commercially zoned land near many major tenants and Mt. San Jacinto College. There are plans for a 14,000+ sq. feet shopping center that can be shared with buyer but will need to be re-approved. This is a great investment opportunity in a high traffic area.


text:
Q: Generating .jar using Java 1.7 with Eclipse and SQL Server 2012 database with Windows authentication I am using Java 1.7 Desktop application with Eclipse and SQL Server 2012 database with Windows authentication. When I run through eclipse works correctly. The problem is when I try to generate a .Jar. The application works correctly but when I am going to do some query on the database the application stop working. I wonder what are the correct settings I have to do on the machine (the same machine) and time to generate. Jar, thanks.
Got this error by compiling in the prompt:
C:\Users\jean>java -jar C:\Users\jean\Desktop\Jean\aee.jar
Jan 15, 2014 8:29:34 AM com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.AuthenticationJNI <clinit>
AdvertÛncia: Failed to load the sqljdbc_auth.dll cause : no sqljdbc_auth in java
.library.path
com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerException: Esse driver nÒo estß configurad
o para autenticaþÒo integrada. ClientConnectionId:02155bdf-555d-4b59-8933-a98091
48a83f
        at com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerConnection.terminate(SQLServerC
onnection.java:1667)
        at com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.AuthenticationJNI.<init>

My problem is solved by just adding the .dll in the same directory of the .jar.

A: I'm guessing you use some libraries for your project. If you export a jar from Eclipse, it doesn't package those libraries into that jar automatically. As an easy way out you coul'd use the Fat Jar Plugin. It worked fine for me in the past.
Ultimately you want to use a build and dependency management tool like Maven.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Used to numb certain areas of the body before tests or procedures. This medicine is a topical anesthetic.
You should not receive this medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to tetracaine, or certain other types of numbing medicine. You should not receive this medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to aminobenzoic acid.
Tell your doctor about all other medical problems you have before receiving this medicine.
If this medicine is used in your mouth or throat, do not try to eat or drink anything until feeling has returned to normal.
Shortness of breath, chest pain, cold sweat, or bluish-colored skin.


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Customer satisfaction is key! Our customers are our best advertisement. If you are happy with our products and service, please tell a friend or write us a review. If you aren't satisfied, please contact us!
We are the largest organic, green business in Marbletown. We are committed to our customers, neighbors and the environment.
Give us a call today at (845)331-4232 to discuss our products and how they can enhance your landscape.
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text:
Mortgage madness: Bank freezes account, then deducts extra mortgage payment
By Michael Finney and Renee Koury
Bank freezes man's account, then deducts extra mortgage payment
MILL VALLEY, Calif. (KGO) -- The Bay Area is facing a severe housing crunch and ABC7 has been reporting on the shortage all week long. Now, a Marin County man tells his unusual story of he came to own his own home. He needed help from 7 On Your Side's Michael Finney.
Michael White has something many Bay Area residents can only dream of: He owns his Mill Valley home outright.
"The full amount. Paid in full. Out of my mortgage," he says.
Usually, it's "a great day for most people," as White puts it. It's just not what he had planned.
White was paying a monthly mortgage like most homeowners when suddenly he got a letter from Citibank.
"Telling me my mortgage was not paid, which was odd," White said.
Odd because his mortgage was paid with automatic debits every month for the past twenty years. Why not this time?
"I went to the bank and found my account had been frozen," he said.
It was another shock. Why would his bank suddenly freeze his account?
"They would say these words, 'national security interest' and I have no idea what that meant," said White.
White did remember receiving a mysterious call earlier from a Citibank office, asking all kinds of questions about his finances.
"They wanted to know my net worth, all my ownings, if you owned anything else, a boat..." he said.
White found some questions overly intrusive. "I said it's quite honestly none of your business, you don't get that stuff -- you can have information about the house and the mortgage."
That's when Citi froze his account. White did later provide that extra information, and the bank eventually freed up his money. However, he was so upset about the ordeal, he marched to the bank and paid off his home loan.
"It was a big relief actually," White said.
But the problem didn't end there. After he paid off the loan, Citibank took another house payment from his account.
$2,600 was gone -- and he couldn't get it back.
"They took my money, they're not giving it back and they can't find it," said White.
White contacted 7 On Your Side. We reached out to Citibank. It said White never canceled his automatic debits so the money went into his closed mortgage account. However, the bank did find the money and gave it back.
As for freezing his account? Citibank said it was complying with the federal "Bank Secrecy Act," which is intended to uncover financial crime. Though White was not under suspicion, the bank said:
"As part of our compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act, we periodically review bank accounts to verify and update information to ensure our files comply with federal regulations and Citi policies. If we are unable to verify or update the required account information after numerous attempts to contact the account holder, we will restrict access to the account, including closure. When customers come to us with the required information, we make every effort to keep the account open or reopen it as soon as possible. We aim to limit these instances as much as possible. We apologize for any undue inconvenience that may result and have fully refunded the customer."
For White, it was an aggravating ordeal with a very nice upside.
"It's fantastic. I own my own tenth of an acre," he said.
Citibank said questions about White's finances were purely routine -- and even though he's a longtime trusted customer, banks are required to update account holder profiles.
Take a look at more stories and videos by Michael Finney and 7 On Your Side.
real estatemill valleymortgagesbankmortgage lendershome7 on your sidecitireal estate
California suspends some disability claims, citing fraud
Majority of KN95 face masks sold online are fake, doctor says
Facebook pulls out big guns to fight small claim by East Bay father
Hiking trip organizer accused of using deposits for personal use
Bay Area native killed after man pushes her in front of NY train
Minneapolis men's knitting group continues to grow


Microsoft signs a pact to reveal the Windows source code, making China one of the first to benefit from the company's program to allay security fears of governments.
Microsoft on Friday signed a pact with the Chinese government to reveal the Windows source code, making China among the first to benefit from its program to allay the security fears of governments.
In addition, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates hinted that China will be privy to all, not just part, of the source code the government wishes to inspect.
The Chinese government and military have previously stated their preference for the rival Linux operating system because its source code is publicly available.
Without knowing the inner workings of an operating system--a fact revealed by its source code--governments like China fear that backdoors may be installed to leak sensitive information.
The China Information Technology Security Certification Center signed an agreement to participate in Microsoft's Government Security Program (GSP).
Wu Shizhong, director of the center, reaffirmed that IT security is a key issue for the government.
"Microsoft's GSP provides us with the controlled access to source code and technical information in an appropriate way. It also establishes cooperation between China and Microsoft. Microsoft has taken a step forward to let us understand its product security," he said.
Gates, who was on a two-day visit to Beijing, said his company was pleased with the pact. "We are committed to providing the Chinese government with information that will help them deploy and maintain secure computing infrastructures. We see this agreement as a significant step forward in Microsoft's relations with the Chinese government," Gates said.
In January, Microsoft announced its GSP, under which it will share the source code underlying its Windows operating system with several international governments, a move designed to address concerns about the security of the OS.
Last month, it announced GSP agreements with Russia, NATO and the United Kingdom. Microsoft is in discussions with more than 30 countries, territories and organizations regarding the program.
During Gates' visit, he also met with Chinese President Jiang Zemin. Jiang said China welcomes Microsoft and other global companies to invest in China and create growth.
Gates briefed Jiang about Microsoft's investment in China and gave an update on how it was sharing the source code of computer software. No details were given on what specific software would be part of the information-sharing deal.
In order to develop its software industry and maintain security, China has produced its own version of Linux, Red Flag Linux, as well as its own office productivity suite, RedOffice, which go head-to-head with Microsoft's Windows and Office packages.
ZDNet China's Ken Gao reported from Beijing. CNETAsia staff also contributed.


text:
Jon Greenberg Blog
Blackhawks should use Patrick Kane situation to make a difference
5yJon Greenberg
These rebuilding Bears have that 6-10 look, but at least it'll feel like a respectable 6-10
Keeping Patrick Kane out of Blackhawks camp is in everyone's best interest
Forte leads the list of positive takeaways for Bears
Stop me if you've heard this before: Jay Cutler must limit turnovers
Kane: 'I have to stay confident in myself and the legal process' (1:30)
Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane discusses his mentality heading into training camp and returning with his teammates in the midst of the allegations surrounding him. (1:30)
Jon GreenbergESPN Staff Writer
Jon Greenberg is a columnist for ESPNChicago.com. He has lived and worked in Chicago since 2003, and is a graduate of Ohio University and the University of Chicago.
CHICAGO -- It was certainly a surprise that Patrick Kane took questions Thursday as he made his first public appearance since being accused of sexual assault in early August.
The case is ongoing, he hasn't been charged, and outside of a statement, what could he say?
Not much, as it turned out. In a statement, Kane expressed his innocence, apologized for the distraction and fumbled a key scripted line, saying, "I will be absolved of having done nothing wrong."
The video of Kane then politely appreciating every question lobbed his way shows the interaction was appropriately awkward for all involved.
And when Kane was done, it got worse. Chicago Blackhawks president John McDonough outdid himself, even by Blackhawks standards of self-congratulation, with a seven-minute speech highlighting the organization's many, many, many successes, all the way down to the triumphs of the club's AHL affiliate in Rockford.
If Kane weren't under investigation in New York for sexual assault, the speech would make sense. The Blackhawks have won the Stanley Cup two of the last three seasons. They are the model organization in hockey. Just ask them.
NHL observers from Sunrise, Florida, to Vancouver, British Columbia, were aghast as the team refused to engage with even the most basic, non-legal questions in a painful press conference. The Blackhawks, who are used to being universally praised since 2009, were panned both in America and in Canada, where they treat hockey like we treat football.
I don't think the Blackhawks are oblivious, I just think they're used to directing the conversation. This isn't the most open organization, and that comes from the top.
The Blackhawks only wanted to talk about hockey and not off-ice issues during an awkward press conference. Ronald C. Modra /NHL/Getty Images
I noticed a lot of my peers were surprised by the Blackhawks' rhetorical stumbles, but I wasn't. It's a very tough situation to handle from a PR standpoint -- tougher than you might think. This is a very serious organization that is rarely challenged and puts an overwhelming amount of effort into controlling the message.
When you win, the way you handle press conferences is just background noise, as far as the public is concerned. When you lose, or have a situation like this one, it becomes the story. Welcome to reality, Blackhawks.
Unlike our other teams, the modern-day (in the era I call A.B., for After Bill Wirtz) Blackhawks haven't had to deal with much, if any, criticism locally. Three Stanley Cups in six years, with a Western Conference finals loss thrown in the mix, earns you a lot of freedom, as it should.
But I always get a kick out of the Blackhawks brass's self-serious love of the Blackhawks Way. Typically, it's harmless veneration, like the time the team held a press conference for the contract extensions of Jonathan Toews and Kane in 2014, and it took way too long let the players speak, instead devoting its time to, among other things, honoring team owner Rocky Wirtz, who was described by McDonough as having "the humility of a statesman."
I've always said I'd be interested to see how this team reacts to being covered the way, say, the Bears are. We found out: Very awkwardly.
People were correct to criticize McDonough for making a seven-minute speech about the greatness of the Blackhawks organization directly after Kane played an awkward dance with reporters trying to quiz him about the sexual assault allegations that hang over the three-time Cup champion.
McDonough has to know that no one cares about Wirtz's stewardship right now. At one point, he pivoted to describing the great success of the team's AHL franchise, the Rockford IceHogs. This went on until he gave way to a clearly uncomfortable Stan Bowman, the general manager. Bowman later acknowledged the awkwardness by wryly referring to reporters asking the same questions in slightly different ways. What else could they do? Reporters are there to ask questions, to push for some version of the truth.
The highlight of the exchange, broadcast live on Comcast SportsNet, which is partially owned by the team, was when McDonough tried to rebut a Buffalo reporter who told him, quite correctly, that he sounded tone-deaf.
"Well, I can assure you I'm anything but tone-deaf," McDonough said.
Here's the thing: The Blackhawks, under McDonough's leadership, are anything but tone-deaf. Actually, they are obsessed with tone. But those rehearsed, scripted methods of dealing with the public don't always work when people are actually paying attention to the words being uttered.
While many people have chosen to make the narrative of this team about the guys in suits, it's always been about the hockey. But at that moment, in a press conference about one thing and one thing only, no one wanted to talk hockey, which is why it was silly to hold a press conference and ask for only hockey questions. That happens all the time in sports, and I get why PR folks have to try. But this just wasn't the time.
But here's the good news for the Blackhawks: The worst is over. The press conference was akin to holding their nose and taking their medicine. Because they know that until Kane faces charges, hockey talk now takes over. Eventually, for better or worse, this will likely fade into the background. It always does. The game takes precedence. It always does.
On Friday, the team held its first practice at Notre Dame. Fans lined up around the block to get in and Kane was cheered. He has always been a magnetic, exciting athlete. On the ice, he has few peers. Fans showed up in Kane attire, though the Hawks didn't sell any at the arena, according to reporters.
My colleague Melissa Isaacson wrote about talking to her kids about Kane, and it is a strong, necessary read, but what about the younger kids who idolize Kane? Who love the Hawks?
This is where the Blackhawks can make a difference and realize some of their potential off the ice.
The Blackhawks are the darlings of the middle school set in certain pockets of Chicago. Kane, Toews, Duncan Keith and the rest are heroes to these impressionable children. It's at this age when boys start to learn about relationships, sex and behavior, good and bad.
The Blackhawks could help combat sexual assault before it begins by funding workshops, clinics and speeches for this age group. They can help talk to the kids about sexual assault when they'll still listen. This would be a good use of the team's power.
Last month, I talked to Leigh Goodmark, an attorney who specializes in domestic violence cases and teaches at the University of Maryland's Gender Violence Clinic, about the NFL's domestic violence problem, and we talked a little about the Kane situation and the societal problems of sexual assault. She stressed that you have to get to boys before high school to have any impact.
"If we're not starting at middle school or before, we've already lost these kids by the time they get into high school," she said.
Hopefully the Blackhawks brass, the men and women in the suits, think about this and don't just ignore an issue that means more than a game.


Exceptional value asking $270,000 below assessment value on this spacious 7 year old, custom built home that sits on a large 7385 SF and comes complete with a legally authorized suite! This bright & south facing home offers 4 bedrooms + den in the main part of the house and a 2-bedroom suite with a full kitchen & separate entrance. The open floor plan with 3570 SF of spacious living has high ceilings in the grand entry, living, dining and family rooms. Other features include central AIR Conditioning, HRV, all granite & quartz countertops, high end stainless steel appliances, radiant heating on both floor, high quality tiles, large gourmet kitchen, wok kitchen, large master ensuite and covered balcony off the master. Great corner lot w/back lane.


I am writing to ask if you'd be interested in selling banner ads or sponsor posts (or ads in other form if you have other ideas) on amylaurenbutler.com.
I would like to advertise our website: https://altruisto.com which is a landing page for a browser extension that allows its users to collect money for effective, research-backed charities while shopping online (with no extra costs for them). For every $4.85 raised for Against Malaria Foundation two people are protected from malaria (via bed nets) and for every $1.19 raised for Schistosomiasis Control Initiative one child gets cured from parasites. It works with over 1000 shops including eBay, Aliexpress, Etsy, Microsoft.
You can see an example of our ad on slatestarcodex.com (the design of the ad can be adjusted to match your website's design).
This sounds like a good idea and does interest me – I would like to learn a bit more about the logistics of having your ad on my website and a bit more about altruisto.


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Jessica Rose, Director of Employee Ownership Programs, The Democracy Collaborative
As I travel around the country sharing the transformative power of employee ownership, I find that it's not difficult for folks to fall in love.
Indeed, the promise of a proven, common-sense pathway to reduce inequality, anchor jobs at home, and rebuild a strong and stable middle class by leveraging firm structure — rather than social programs — has a rare practical and bipartisan appeal that sounds almost too good to be true.
But as I and other advocates have found, the question we are asked over and over is, "Does it really work?" My answer: the only thing that can truly prove the efficacy of the model are examples of real businesses at scale that are doing things right and succeeding in the marketplace as a result.
I love sharing the stories of great companies, such as Equal Exchange and Recology, whose employee ownership structures are part of a broader expression of their values and corporate social mission. And it's consistently exciting to see folks' eyes light up with surprise to learn that major corporate names — e.g., Publix Supermarkets or Wawa Convenience Stores — also incorporate employee ownership.
Until last month, New Belgium Brewing was one of my favorite examples to share. Almost everyone I meet has enjoyed a Fat Tire Ale but few ever expected that this household brand — with over 700 employees and hundreds of millions in revenue— was 100 percent owned by the people who produced each and every bottle of craft beer that came off the factory line.
New Belgium's success as a mission-led business that shaped an entire industry made me proud to be a part of the movement to promote employee ownership. So, like many of my peers, I felt a real sense of loss when I woke up to read about the acquisition of New Belgium by the Japanese conglomerate, Kirin Holdings.
And the news resurfaced a lot of questions that I hadn't considered for at least a decade, since my early research into employee ownership led me to conclude that employee ownership was not only the best kept business model secret of our age— but also the best shot I or anyone had to promote a more fair and just economy in an era of global markets and government gridlock.
What does it say about the viability of market-based strategies that even the most integral moral commitment to worker equity ultimately could not stand up to economic and market pressures?
Is it responsible to advocate for public incentives and community investment for a structure that is so vulnerable to its own success?
Is the outcome of this corporate buyout a success story, in which hundreds of rank-and-file worker-owners now have a real economic future and a chance to benefit their families and communities in a way that few middle-class Americans are afforded? Or is it merely a failure that illustrates the insurmountable gravitational pull of wealth-concentration in a capitalist system?
We at Fifty by Fifty's Employee Ownership News feel that these questions are far too fundamental to leave unexamined. Further, we recognize a responsibility to those who would join in the cause of expanding employee ownership to present a view of the model in which both the promise and the limitations are fully considered. So, we invited experts from across the industry to consider what New Belgium's next chapter means for this work.
In the end, the responses have been heartening. These contributions reflect a rich and diverse portrait of a model that may not be the silver bullet we all sometimes wish for, but none the less does a tremendous service to the cause of economic justice.
We hope the following will serve you and your work well.
Can image via Anssi Koskinen @ Flickr
Last Call: A forum on the end of employee ownership at New Belgium, New models for employee ownership


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The Passage At Moose Beach (Hardcover)
By Michael Foster, Gloria Miller Allen (Artist)
Z Girls Press, 9780996568388, 180pp.
Paperback (11/30/2018)
In the wilds of Idaho, an adventurous young girl stumbles into an alternate dimension that's plagued by a tyrannical creature and faces a life-threatening curse as she struggles to find courage, strength and her way home. The environmental elements of the story are especially relevant now, as is the strong female protagonist.
Eleven-year-old Alicia encounters unusual, surprising friends and terrifying enemies as she embarks on an unexpected and magical journey in nature. While enjoying the lake with her father, as they do every year, Alicia gets lost during a rainstorm and ends up transported to a different and unfamiliar place with no idea where she is or how she got there. The story takes the reader to a land not so far from home, yet farther than imagined, perhaps another realm, that looks much like what we see around us on earth today, but nothing is what it seems.
Alicia sets out on a difficult journey to try and discover a way home, finding compassion and friendship along the way. She meets a squirrel named Mickey, a jay named Briar, and Fiona the enigmatic deer, who help her fight terrible foes and comes face to face with Bristleback, the fearsome mountain troll. These friends help each other in every way imaginable through both moments of adventure and terror. Though Alicia and her friends help each other overcome crippling fear, can they find a way to stop "The Drying" which threatens them all?
"The Passage At Moose Beach is an enchantingly magical tale about finding friends in the unlikeliest of people and working together with them to achieve your wildest dreams."


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Home News Ocasio-Cortez sends a message to bigots flooding her office with threats
Ocasio-Cortez sends a message to bigots flooding her office with threats
After she and a colleague revealed that they have been receiving threats since taking office, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) fired back on Twitter with a warning for her haters.
On Thursday, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) mocked Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) for bigoted remarks he made toward her in reaction to her placement on the House Foreign Relations Committee. Zeldin responded by going full snowflake and after much criticism for being unprofessional Zeldin complained to Omar that he has received threats for being a Jew and demanded to know if Omar condemns it.
Of course, Omar handled the situation with grace by responding in a way that Zeldin probably never would if the situation were reversed.
This is heinous and hateful. I too am flooded with bigoted voicemails and calls every day.
Maybe we could meet and share notes on how to fight religious discrimination of all kinds?
Maybe over Somali tea, in your old office which I happen to be in now. https://t.co/FQ909kYSwo
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) February 1, 2019
Soon after, Ocasio-Cortez revealed that she has also received a flood of threats and bigoted remarks, which makes it difficult for her to hear concerns from her own constituents. And so, she informed those who would threaten her that their messages are forwarded to Capitol Police for investigation.
Yep. Our offices are flooded with bigoted calls too – so much so that we have to put energy into searching for actual constituents.
We forward all the threats to Capitol Police to build files. For all those who think your bigoted calls + digital threats are anonymous: Enjoy! https://t.co/Tw0LWnpmDh
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 1, 2019
That means Capitol Police will investigate and likely refer the threats to the FBI, so a lot of bigots should be scared of seeing the FBI on their doorstep in the near future.
Ocasio-Cortez and Omar have been prominent right-wing targets ever since they started running for office, Omar because she practices Islam, and Ocasio-Cortez because she's a democratic socialist. Both are also women of color.
But both freshmen congresswomen have stood tall amid the hate and have pressed forward unafraid to take on people who attack them. Zeldin found that out the hard way on Thursday while multiple Republicans have been humiliated by Ocasio-Cortez.
The moral of this story is that it doesn't matter how much hate and threatening messages are directed at either lawmaker, both of them will not tolerate it and will not shy away from calling it out.
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