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About Us Media and News 2019 Press Releases Pocket-sized Innovation, Giant Impact
Pocket-sized Innovation, Giant Impact: New App and Online System Launches in South Sudan to Support Most Vulnerable Children
The innovations will support case workers helping unaccompanied and separated children, child survivors of sexual violence, and children associated with armed groups.
FAIRFIELD, Conn. (June 6, 2019) - A new online database and application designed to better protect children in emergencies is today being launched in Juba by UNICEF, Save the Children and a network of child protection organizations.
Developed globally but customized for South Sudan, the app contains a database of child protection cases, which frontline case workers can update and monitor in real time, removing the need for paper-based work while in the field. This innovation will drastically reduce administration time, giving case managers more time to dedicate to supporting vulnerable children.
The application has the capacity to take photos and record audio, which will make it much easier for case workers to trace families and reunite children with their parents.
With internet connectivity being extremely poor across South Sudan, the app is designed to be downloaded and then synced at the beginning and end of the day. The app also works across different agencies, linking up case managers across the country and ensuring a continuity of support for each child registered in the system.
"Case workers are the backbone of everything we do," said Rama Hansraj, Save the Children's Country Director in South Sudan. "They are the protectors of children at the worst end of a conflict or disaster – those who have been abused, exploited, lost their parents, or have seen things that no child should see. Often, they walk for hours and hours under the scorching sun, wade through mud, travel for days on bumpy dirt roads to knock on doors and make sure children are safe. They are in every corner of South Sudan, yet until now have found it difficult to communicate with other case workers on the other side of the country. With this new app, we're bringing their work into the twenty-first century."
The app and online system is being launched along with the first-ever case management handbook for case workers, which gives step by step guidance for field workers how to manage vulnerable cases, including how to speak with children to reduce trauma, how to assess child and family data, and the steps to follow to ensure high-risk children get the specialised supports they need to survive and recover.
"The handbook is the first of its kind and has the power to change children's lives," said Andrea Suley, UNICEF South Sudan Deputy Representative. "Case workers are often on their own in some of the most remote and dangerous areas in South Sudan. With the book, which is practical and easy to use, they always have a mentor in their hands, helping them provide essential, timely and often life-saving help to some of the most vulnerable children in South Sudan."
The new handbook supporting case management in the field and the new information management system will together strengthening the quality and reach of case management services by promoting a unified case management process, with broad vulnerability criteria while building and strengthening the social workforce capacities.


TruCore Pilates and Yoga in Kildeer, Illinois is located in Chicago's Northwest Suburbs. Since its opening in 2009, today, TruCore has over 300 clients. Both TruCore studios specialize in skills originally taught by Joseph Pilates. In addition to Pilates, we offer a wide range of programs, including TRX, Barre, Spin, and Yoga. At TruCore, we work to create a community among our clients. It is not just a space to workout; it is also a place to build confidence, strength, friendships, and learn more about one's overall well-being.


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A prestigious event recognizing and honoring those who have made a contribution to the martial arts around the world!
Brought to you by the International Martial Arts Council of America, a professional martial arts association.
Join us in Louisville KY for our 21st Anniversary as we celebrate the rich heritage of the martial arts and honor our 2019 inductees.
The mission of the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame is to recognize those martial artists that have made a profound difference. Unlike other Halls of Fame events that have followed us, we do not limit our inductees to celebrities and movie stars. Our goal is to serve the fundamental martial arts community. We honor all people that dedicate themselves to excellence; both the well known as well as the hidden treasures that never see the limelight.


As of Wednesday, my student loan balance is officially below five figures!
True, this is still a large sum of money. And it's also true that I don't like owing any money at all. But I've committed to paying my loans of a little less aggressively to take advantage of a teacher loan forgiveness program that I'm eligible for. At times, it feels like the pace is agonizingly slow, so I need to celebrate these milestones as they pop up.


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Features Music
Special Brew and Pink Speedos – Lemmy RIP
Illustration: Word Repeats
Lemmy touched a staggering amount of people's lives in his 70 rock n'roll years on Planet Earth and almost all of these experiences were positive and genuine. Sure, he could be a cantankerous bastard and equally told as many people to fuck off – but they probably deserved it. He was a man of rare integrity, conviction and passion and he compromised for no one.
When news broke of his death the outpouring of affection was vast and overwhelming. Everyone had a story to tell, a memory to share. From punks to rockers to every aspect of alternative culture, to the mainstream who held him high as a figurehead of rock, his influence is far-reaching. But the stories keep coming back to what a gentleman he was. He always had time for people and didn't fall into the rock star ego trap. His manager Todd Singerman recently stated: "He was one of the kindest men I've ever met. The proof would be to go ask his fans. He never denied someone an autograph, he bought the fans drinks instead of them buying him drinks".
I first met Lemmy when I was ten years old at a charity football event that my father took me to. I'm pretty certain that Motörhead's legendary frontman wasn't kicking a ball around but he was there, I got his autograph and he patted my head. I thought he was cool as fuck. Then in my early twenties I interviewed him for Metal Hammer magazine around the time of the release of their '1916' album. He turned up at the offices at 10.30am with a four pack of Special Brew, sat by my desk, drank the lot and churned out pearls of wisdom after wisdom. I was in total awe of him. I had to do the 'single's reviews' and played some of the latest rock releases on a turntable by my desk for him to comment on, one of which was 'Sliver' by Nirvana which I was raving about. " Yeah, I like that one", he said. "It's really interesting and they're having a go at something by themselves and not just copying someone else. Good one." It's fair to say that drinking Special Brew and spinning vinyl with Lemmy on a week day morning is a memory I'll cherish.
Ph: "Despite my appearance, believe me, I am a gentleman"
My wife has a fantastic Lemmy story that I want to share. Her and a friend were nearing the end of a US road trip in the early 90s, ending up in LA. They were staying at a rough motel at the wrong end of Sunset Boulevard and a gang had tried to break into their room the previous night, so they were scared to return. They were at The Rainbow and started drinking with Lemmy who was famously a regular, and told him their story. He showed concern at two young vulnerable girls with little money and invited them back to his apartment rather than return to the motel late at night. They agreed with some trepidation given Lemmy's reputation with the ladies, but his behaviour was entirely chivalrous. They spent a fun-filled 2 days hanging out in his apartment, drinking endless bourbon and cokes being regaled with debauched stories from a life of hell-raising. He played them new tracks which were to feature on 'Bastards', the album he was working on at the time, allowed them to nose through his collection of Nazi memorabilia whilst he sunbathed in bright pink speedos, and (at their direction) posed for some hilariously inappropriate souvenir polaroids.
The stories go on and on. It's been heartbreaking over the last year to see Lemmy looking so frail and ill. We all wanted him to live forever. If Lemmy is around still, then all is well with the world. When they played Hyde Park in 2014 with Black Sabbath, Lemmy really struggled and they weren't on good form. It was so sad to witness. But then a few months later Motorhead played at Wembley Arena with The Damned and they were back to full power and awesome again. That night they were incredible. The greatest rock n'roll band of all time, one more time.
Ph: Rummaging through Lemmy's dressing-up box
Slash declared "People who live, sleep and breathe rock n'roll, the lifestyle and the attitude. There's only a handful of guys who are still alive who represent that. And Lemmy represents that to me."
And now he's gone, taking the loudest band in the world with him. My absolute hero. A benchmark in integrity and passion, principled, opinionated and unapologetic, "I don't regret much. Fuck 'em." We will never see his like again. A true rock n'roll warrior. Rest in noise Lemmy.
Words: James Sherry
NOTE: It's well known that Lemmy collected Nazi regalia but essentially he was more an anarchist than a fascist. Worth noting that both women in these polaroid photos do not support Nazi fantasies.
Tags DEAD, heavy metal, james sherry, legend, lemmy, motorhead, nazi memorobilla, nirvana, RIP, rock, rock god, rock n'roll, slash, sunsey strip, tribute, unseen photos
Music Music News
RIP Vocalist Mitch Lucker
Suicide Silence's vocalist Mitch Lucker has died aged 28 after a motorcycle crash on Wednesday night in Huntington Beach. The Orange County coroner's office said Lucker was hospitalized after a motorcycle accident shortly before 9PM Wednesday and was pronounced dead at 6:17AM Thursday 1st November.
Suicide Silence have posted the following status on the tragedy:
"There's no easy way to say this. Mitch passed away earlier this morning from injuries sustained during a motorcycle accident. This is completely devastating to all of us and we offer our deepest condolences to his family. He will be forever in our hearts.
R.I.P. Mitchell Adam Lucker – We Love You Brother"
Our thoughts are with Mitch Luker's family, band and friends.
Tags DEAD, death, metal, Mitch Lucker, Motorcycle accident, RIP, Suicide Silence
Jackass star Ryan Dunn killed in car crash
Tributes from Jackass fans and skateboarders are flooding the internet following the death of Ryan Dunn today. The Jackass star reportedly crashed his black Porsche 911 GT3 just after 2:30am when it veered off the road, flipped railings, and tumbled into woods before erupting in flames. The impact of the crash has been reported to have killed Dunn and a passenger.
Many tributes via twitter and facebook are being posted online tonight including messages from the Dirty Sanchez lads. Lee Dainton tweeted: "sad news, RIP Ryan Dunn… thoughts going out to his family friends and fans around the world…" and partner in crime Matt Pritchard who says, "Terrible news on the death of Ryan Dunn, so sad. Thoughts go out to family friends and @jackassworld crew."
Reacting to the loss of his good friend, Johnny Knoxville also posted on twitter. "Today I lost my brother Ryan Dunn. My heart goes out to his family and his beloved Angie. RIP Ryan , I love you buddy." Bam Margera is yet to comment on his account although this afternoon his Mum was quoted on local radio station that "it was like losing a son."
Our thoughts go out to Ryan Dunn's family and friends. RIP.
Tags bam margera, CAR CRASH, DEAD, dirty sanchez, Jackass, johnny knoxville, RIP, Ryan Dunn, tribute, tributes, weeman

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Mr. Calhoun is a Certified Public Accountant (non-practicing) with a background in auditing and accounting, and has served as a director and as chair of the Company's audit committee since February of 2016. Mr. Calhoun joined Ernst & Young LLP, a public accounting firm, in 1965 and served as a partner of the firm from 1975 until his retirement in 2002. Mr. Calhoun currently serves on the board and audit committee for NantHealth, Inc. and Ryerson Holding Corporation. Mr. Calhoun has served previously on the boards and audit committees of seven public companies in the life sciences industry, including Abraxis Bioscience, Inc., Myogen, Inc., and Adams Respiratory Therapeutics, Inc. Mr. Calhoun also currently serves on the boards of three private companies in the life sciences industry. Mr. Calhoun received a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Southern California. We believe Mr. Calhoun is qualified to serve as a director due to his significant financial expertise and experience, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry.


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Hypercapnia (from the Greek hyper = "above" or "too much" and kapnos = "smoke"), also known as hypercarbia and CO2 retention, is a condition of abnormally elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the blood. Carbon dioxide is a gaseous product of the body's metabolism and is normally expelled through the lungs. Carbon dioxide may accumulate in any condition that causes hypoventilation, a reduction of alveolar ventilation (the clearance of air from the small sacs of the lung where gas exchange takes place) as well as resulting from inhalation of CO2. Inability of the lungs to clear carbon dioxide, or inhalation of elevated levels of CO2, leads to respiratory acidosis. Eventually the body compensates for the raised acidity by retaining alkali in the kidneys, a process known as "metabolic compensation".

Acute hypercapnia is called acute hypercapnic respiratory failure (AHRF) and is a medical emergency as it generally occurs in the context of acute illness. Chronic hypercapnia, where metabolic compensation is usually present, may cause symptoms but is not generally an emergency. Depending on the scenario both forms of hypercapnia may be treated with medication, with mask-based non-invasive ventilation or with mechanical ventilation.

Hypercapnia is a hazard of underwater diving associated with breath-hold diving, scuba diving, particularly on rebreathers, and deep diving where it is associated with increased breathing gas density due to the high ambient pressure.

Signs and symptoms
Hypercapnia may happen in the context of an underlying health condition, and symptoms may relate to this condition or directly to the hypercapnia. Specific symptoms attributable to early hypercapnia are dyspnea (breathlessness), headache, confusion and lethargy. Clinical signs include flushed skin, full pulse (bounding pulse), rapid breathing, premature heart beats, muscle twitches, and hand flaps (asterixis). The risk of dangerous irregularities of the heart beat is increased. Hypercapnia also occurs when the breathing gas is contaminated with carbon dioxide, or respiratory gas exchange cannot keep up with the metabolic production of carbon dioxide, which can occur when gas density limits ventilation at high ambient pressures.

In severe hypercapnia (generally  greater than 10 kPa or 75 mmHg), symptomatology progresses to disorientation, panic, hyperventilation, convulsions, unconsciousness, and eventually death.

Causes
Carbon dioxide is a normal metabolic product but it accumulates in the body if it is produced faster than it is cleared. During strenuous exercise the production rate of carbon dioxide can increase more than tenfold over the production rate during rest. Carbon dioxide is dissolved in the blood and elimination is by gas exchange in the lungs during breathing. Hypercapnia is generally caused by hypoventilation, lung disease, or diminished consciousness. It may also be caused by exposure to environments containing abnormally high concentrations of carbon dioxide, such as from volcanic or geothermal activity, or by rebreathing exhaled carbon dioxide. In this situation the hypercapnia can also be accompanied by respiratory acidosis.

Acute hypercapnic respiratory failure may occur in acute illness caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chest wall deformity, some forms of neuromuscular disease (such as myasthenia gravis, and obesity hypoventilation syndrome. AHRF may also develop in any form of respiratory failure where the breathing muscles become exhausted, such as severe pneumonia and acute severe asthma. It can also be a consequence of profound suppression of consciousness such as opioid overdose.

During diving

Normal respiration in divers results in alveolar hypoventilation resulting in inadequate CO2 elimination or hypercapnia. Lanphier's work at the US Navy Experimental Diving Unit answered the question, "Why don't divers breathe enough?":
 Higher inspired oxygen () at  accounted for not more than 25% of the elevation in end tidal CO2 (ETCO2) above values found at the same work rate when breathing air just below the surface.
 Increased work of breathing accounted for most of the elevation of  (alveolar gas equation) in exposures above , as indicated by the results when helium was substituted for nitrogen at .
 Inadequate ventilatory response to exertion was indicated by the fact that, despite resting values in the normal range,  rose markedly with exertion even when the divers breathed air at a depth of only a few feet.

A variety of reasons exists for carbon dioxide not being expelled completely when the diver exhales:
 The diver is exhaling into a vessel that does not allow all the CO2 to escape to the environment, such as a long snorkel, full-face diving mask, or diving helmet, and the diver then reinhales from that vessel, causing increased dead space.
 The carbon dioxide scrubber in the diver's rebreather is failing to remove sufficient carbon dioxide from the loop (higher inspired CO2), or the breathing gas is contaminated with CO2.
 The diver is overexercising, producing excess carbon dioxide due to elevated metabolic activity and respiratory gas exchange cannot keep up with the metabolic production of carbon dioxide.
 Gas density limits ventilation at high ambient pressures. The density of the breathing gas is higher at depth, so the effort required to fully inhale and exhale increases, making breathing more difficult and less efficient (high work of breathing). Higher gas density also causes gas mixing within the lung to be less efficient, thus increasing the effective dead space.
 The diver is deliberately hypoventilating, known as "skip breathing".

Skip breathing
Skip breathing is a controversial technique to conserve breathing gas when using open-circuit scuba, which consists of briefly holding one's breath between inhalation and exhalation (i.e., "skipping" a breath). It can lead to CO2 not being exhaled efficiently. The risk of burst lung (pulmonary barotrauma of ascent) is increased if the breath is held while ascending.  It is particularly counterproductive with a rebreather, where the act of breathing pumps the gas around the "loop", pushing carbon dioxide through the scrubber and mixing freshly injected oxygen.

In closed-circuit rebreather diving, exhaled carbon dioxide must be removed from the breathing system, usually by a scrubber containing a solid chemical compound with a high affinity for CO2, such as soda lime. If not removed from the system, it may be reinhaled, causing an increase in the inhaled concentration.

Under hyperbaric conditions, hypercapnia contributes to nitrogen narcosis and oxygen toxicity by causing cerebral vasodilation which increases the dosage of oxygen to the brain.

Mechanism

Hypercapnia normally triggers a reflex which increases breathing and access to oxygen (O2), such as arousal and turning the head during sleep. A failure of this reflex can be fatal, for example as a contributory factor in sudden infant death syndrome.

Hypercapnia can induce increased cardiac output, an elevation in arterial blood pressure (higher levels of carbon dioxide stimulate aortic and carotid chemoreceptors with afferents -CN IX and X- to medulla oblongata with following chrono- and ino-tropic effects), and a propensity toward cardiac arrhythmias. Hypercapnia may increase pulmonary capillary resistance.

Physiological effects

A high arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide () causes changes in brain activity that adversely affect both fine muscular control and reasoning. EEG changes denoting minor narcotic effects can be detected for expired gas end tidal partial pressure of carbon dioxide () increase from  to approximately . The diver does not necessarily notice these effects.

Higher levels of  have a stronger narcotic effect: Confusion and irrational behaviour may occur around , and loss of consciousness around . High  triggers the fight or flight response, affects hormone levels and can cause anxiety, irritability and inappropriate or panic responses, which can be beyond the control of the subject, sometimes with little or no warning. Vasodilation is another effect, notably in the skin, where feelings of unpleasant heat are reported, and in the brain, where blood flow can increase by 50% at a  of , Intracranial pressure may rise, with a throbbing headache. If associated with a high  the high delivery of oxygen to the brain may increase the risk of CNS oxygen toxicity at partial pressures usually considered acceptable.

In many people a high  causes a feeling of shortness of breath, but the lack of this symptom is no guarantee that the other effects are not occurring. A significant percentage of rebreather deaths have been associated with CO2 retention. The effects of high  can take several minutes to hours to resolve once the cause has been removed.

Diagnosis
Blood gas tests may be performed, typically by radial artery puncture, in the setting of acute breathing problems or other acute medical illness. Hypercapnia is generally defined as an arterial blood carbon dioxide level over 45 mmHg (6 kPa). Since carbon dioxide is in equilibrium with carbonic acid in the blood, hypercapnia drives serum pH down, resulting in respiratory acidosis. Clinically, the effect of hypercapnia on pH is estimated using the ratio of the arterial pressure of carbon dioxide to the concentration of bicarbonate ion, .

Tolerance

CO2 toxicity in animal models
Tests performed on mongrel dogs showed the physiological effect of carbon dioxide on the body of the animal: after inhalation of a 50% CO2 and 50% air mixture, respiratory movement increased for about 2 minutes, and then, it decreased for 30 to 90 minutes. Hill and Flack showed that CO2 concentrations up to 35% have an exciting effect upon both circulation and respiration, but those beyond 35% are depressant upon them. The blood pressure (BP) decreased transiently during the increased respiratory movement and then rose again and maintained the original level for a while. The heart rate slowed slightly just after the gas mixture inhalation. It is believed that the initial BP depression with the decreased heart rate is due to the direct depressant effect of CO2 upon the heart and that the return of blood pressure to its original level was due to the rapid rise of . After 30–90 min, the respiratory center was depressed, and hypotension occurred gradually or suddenly from reduced cardiac output, leading to an apnea and eventually to circulatory arrest.

At higher concentrations of CO2, unconsciousness occurred almost instantaneously and respiratory movement ceased in 1 minute. After a few minutes of apnea, circulatory arrest was seen. These findings imply that the cause of death in breathing high concentrations of CO2 is not the hypoxia but the intoxication of carbon dioxide.

Treatment
The treatment for acute hypercapnic respiratory failure depends on the underlying cause, but may include medications and mechanical respiratory support. In those without contraindications, non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is often used in preference to invasive mechanical ventilation. In the past, the drug doxapram (a respiratory stimulant), was used for hypercapnia in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease but there is little evidence to support its use compared to NIV, and it does not feature in recent professional guidelines.

Very severe respiratory failure, in which hypercapnia may also be present, is often treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), in which oxygen is added to and carbon dioxide removed directly from the blood.

A relatively novel modality is extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal (ECCO2R). This technique removes CO2 from the bloodstream and may reduce the time mechanical ventilation is required for those with AHRF; it requires smaller volumes of blood flow compared to ECMO.

Terminology
Hypercapnia is the opposite of hypocapnia, the state of having abnormally reduced levels of carbon dioxide in the blood.

See also
 , decreased level of carbon dioxide

References

External links

Diving medicine
Medical emergencies
Respiratory diseases

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Watch These Precious Fennec Fox Siblings Being Bottle-Fed
So foxy.
By Michelle Broder Van Dyke
Michelle Broder Van Dyke BuzzFeed News Reporter
Posted on March 21, 2016, at 11:17 p.m. ET
Two baby fennec foxes were born at the Smithsonian's National Zoo on Feb. 4, and were just given the names Teddy and Hokees.
Teddy is short for Theodore, and Hokees, means "my love" in Armenian.
The foxes were born to 7-year-old Daisy and 2-year-old Charlie at the Washington, D.C., zoo.
https://www.facebook.com/nationalzoo/photos/pb.32235087901.-2207520000.1458609511./10152910509697902/?type=3&size=1638%2C2048&fbid=10152910509697902
The foxes are being hand-reared, because their mother Daisy has been unsuccessful in the past in raising kits.
The fennec fox is the smallest fox in the world, with kits weighing in at just 40 grams at birth. For the first 10 days, these newborns were nursed by hand every 2 hours.
https://www.facebook.com/nationalzoo/videos/10153937627577902/?video_source=pages_finch_thumbnail_video
Here are the baby foxes when they were just over a month old.
https://twitter.com/NationalZoo/status/707235101902553088
Zoo officials said the kits are doing great and "Like most newborns, they spend the majority of their day sleeping."
"They're very wiggly and vocal during feedings," the zoo added.
View this vine on Vine
vine.co
Fennec foxes are known for their large ears — around 6 inches long when fully-grown.
https://www.facebook.com/nationalzoo/posts/10153968981907902
Their enormous ears help them stay cool in the scorching heat. Fennec foxes are found throughout the Sahara Desert and can also be found in the deserts of Northern Africa and the Northern Sinai.
Watch this adorable video of the fennec fox kits being hand-fed at the National Zoo.
This Delightful Pet Arctic Fox Laughs Just Like A Human
Michelle Broder Van Dyke is a breaking news reporter for BuzzFeed News and is based in Honolulu.
Contact Michelle Broder Van Dyke at michelle@buzzfeed.com.


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'Black Widow' Set Photos Tease 3 Possible New Villains for Marvel's Phase 4
Taskmaster, is that you?
Allie Gemmill
Photos from the set of upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universal Phase 4 film Black Widow keep rolling in, and the latest batch may have just revealed the prequel film's villain. Now, Black Widow has come up against a lot of big baddies (we're lookin' at you, Thanos) but the villain she faces next could be one of her toughest yet — if the internet's guess is correct, that is.
Warning: Possible spoilers for Black Widow below.
Photos posted to various social media platforms hints at what is most likely a new MCU character and the villain of Black Widow. The photo shows a character standing at the top of a military tank as it rolls down the street. The character is wearing a blue and silver suit and is covered head-to-toe. Based on these photos, there's no what of knowing which of the Black Widow actors is inside the suit but that doesn't mean we can't take a crack at which MCU character this actor is dressed as.
Here are three possible options for this new MCU Phase 4 villain, based on the latest Black Widow set photos.
3. Taskmaster
The Taskmaster is one menacing AF Marvel villain Marvel Comics
The first guess fans offered up is that this Black Widow character is Taskmaster. In the Marvel comics, Tony Masters (aka, Taskmaster) is a pretty formidable villain. As a child, Tony was able to replicate the exact movements of whatever he saw after observing it for only a few moments. As an adult, he joined S.H.I.E.L.D. and went into the field with his partner and, eventually, his wife Mercedes.
During a mission, Tony encountered a scientist in possession of a Nazi form of the Super Soldier serum that turned Steve Rogers into Captain America. Tony evolved thanks to the serum, finding he was able to match the fighting skills and movements of his opponents after his innate abilities were amplified. As the serum changed him and he observed opponents during fights he became the Taskmaster. However, he also learned that memorizing other people's attacks meant overwriting his own memories.
Knowing who Taskmaster is, it makes sense he'd be incorporated into the Black Widow film. Since Black Widow herself is not a superpowered being — just an extremely well-trained fighter/superspy — it stands to reason the film won't put Natasha Romanoff up against a superpowered villain.
Finding a baddie who's similarly non-superpowered would offer a somewhat fair fight. Plus, the armor Taskmaster typically wears in the comics is a very close match to the photos taken on the Black Widow set. The suit colors seem similar as does the size of the actual person in the suit.
Granted, the Black Widow character's helmet differs from Taskmaster's, which resembles a skull, but it would be easy enough for Marvel to tweak that one detail slightly.
2. Darkhawk
Darkhawk makes on heck of an entrance. Marvel Comics
The costume shown in the set photos bear a striking resemblance to another Marvel character: Darkhawk. In the comics, the character Chris Powell becomes Darkhawk when he comes in contact with a special amulet that allows him to switch his consciousness into a Darkhawk android. Believing this would give him the upper hand in fighting crime, Chris hopped into action to take criminals off the streets.
Now, Darkhawk isn't as overtly as bad a character as Taskmaster is — but that doesn't mean he couldn't undergo some slight personality changes to fit the bill. Spider-Man: Far From Home has had no problem making some tweaks to the fundamental nature of Mysterio, softening him into an outwardly nice guy, so why couldn't a switch-up of this sort happen in other Phase 4 films?
Most convincing of all, if you compare the photo of Darkhawk from the comics (seen below) to the photos from the Black Widow set, it's difficult not to see Darkhawk. The color of the suit and the chrome detailing seem to be a spot-on match. Even the helmet, with its metal band running across the tap, is a decent match.
1. It's Some Other CGI'd Marvel Villain
It's also possible that both of these guesses are wrong and the suit seen in the photos is one which will be used for CGI purposes in post-production. Admittedly, it's a very detailed and non-traditional take on the CGI garb worn by MCU actors who will be transformed into their true characters after principal photography, but we know so little about this movie that it's tough to say anything for sure.
For all we know, Marvel will pull a fast one on all of us and pit Black Widow against a revamped comic book villain that nobody sees coming.
Black Widow is filming now and could hit theaters as soon as 2020.


Maya N., Freelance Animator, Compositor, Designer, Editor (offline), Motion Graphic Designer Product skills include Premiere Pro CC, Final Cut Pro 7, After Effects CC, Cinema 4D.
Maya N. Animator, Compositor, Designer, Editor (offline), Motion Graphic Designer.
Maya has been drawing from the moment she could hold a pen; it felt like a natural way to express herself. Once at university, she was able to transfer her illustration skills digitally and never looked back. Specializing in editing, graphics/ visual effects and shooting, she is a bold, speedy & resourceful creative who always looks to support her team and not just herself. Her broad range of skills means that she approaches all projects with a 360 degree mind set allowing her to plan, execute and anticipate accordingly.
Many of Maya's creations and ideas stem from her love of photography and travel. When documenting her journeys she feels fully responsible for the outcome; there are no Creatives or producers to support her and in one single shot she will seize the moment knowing that there may not be the opportunity for a second. In her down time she explores with new music and dance which have enhanced the natural rhythm in her work. After spending a few months around South America, she is now conversational in Spanish.
Maya is a highly experienced Premiere Pro Offline Editor.
Maya is a highly experienced Final Cut Pro 7 Offline Editor.
Maya uses Cinema 4D to enhance her own work.
Talent Similar to Maya N.


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Welcome to Bay Endodontics – Root Canal Specialists. We are a specialty practice focused on microscopic and microsurgical root canal treatments. Our expert team, led by Dr. Phuong Quang, is dedicated to providing patients the highest standard of professional care in a friendly and comfortable environment. Some procedures that we perform include: Root canal therapy, endodontic retreatment, root-end surgery/Apicoectomy, treatments for cracked or fractured teeth, treatments for traumatic injuries, CBCT scans.
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text:
11 Signs You're A Ravenclaw, Which You Were Obviously Smart Enough To Know Already
by Jamie Kenney
Relative to Gryffindor, Slytherin, or even Hufflepuff, not much is known about Ravenclaw, the Hogwarts house known for producing some of the brightest, quirkiest, and most innovative wizards and witches the world has ever known. As I read every Harry Potter book, I was hoping to get more information about Ravenclaw and the people who are in it and maybe even a list of helpful signs you're a Ravenclaw, because from what little I could gather, it seemed like it was obviously the best house. Then Harry started dating Cho Chang, seeker for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team and it was like, "Yes! We're going to get all the info on Ravenclaw." But no. A couple mentions here, an observation from Hermione there, and aside from a really cool snatch of backstory about Ravenclaw founder Rowena and her daughter Helena in Deathly Hallows — that's it.
But you know what? That's all I need to take out my little blue and bronze pennant and hope, nay, know I will be sorted into Ravenclaw when my time comes. Because deep down, I think we all know where we belong... and if we don't, obviously, we just head on over to Hufflepuff where everyone is really nice to us despite the fact that we might not have any discernible talents or inclinations (no, really, that's kind of their thing). And I know, based on my Muggleworld personality, idiosyncrasies, and motivators that Ravenclaw is the place for me. Here's how you know #RavenclawLife is right for you...
You're A Nerd About *Something*
Maybe you're someone who counts down the days between ComicCons. Maybe you obsessively follow U.S. foreign policy. Perhaps you marathon watch David Attenborough documentaries or have a blog about Game of Thrones fashion. Noted cool human Wil Wheaton defines a nerd as "a person who loves something to its greatest extent, and then looks for other people who love it in the same way, so they can celebrate loving it together." It's not about what you love, so much as it's how you love it. In short: People who get really into whatever they're into. Since Ravenclaws are by nature inquisitive and analytical, seeking to understand something from as many angles as possible, it makes a lot of sense that they would be nerdy. (Fie on anyone who claims that's a bad thing.)
You're "The Creative One" Of Your Friends
Whether your medium is pen and paper, oil paints, sculpture, or complex nanorobotics, you think differently and use that talent to making beautiful, complex, and/or revolutionary things. People fawn over your ability to innovate and see things in unique, fascinating new ways. You haaaaaaaaaaaaate it. #sarcasm
You're Also "The Smart One"
Your brains are just sort of universally acknowledged among your friends. If you're friends with other Ravenclaws, you take pride in the Genius Posse you've assembled. If there's a problem to be solved, or studying to do, or any kind of trivia question to be answered, you're the go-to person... and you don't even pretend you don't love it.
You're Witty AF
For Ravenclaws, wit is pretty much their defining characteristic. They treasure it in themselves and others. They're fascinating conversationalists and their keen observational skills and sharp mind make for some truly delicious jokes, barbs, and satirical musings.
You're Only Reading This List Because You Ran Out Of Books
Erasmus once said, "When I have a little money I buy books; and if I have any left I buy food and clothes." Erasmus was almost certainly a Ravenclaw. We're a bookish lot; it goes along with that whole "smart" and "nerdy" thing. We're all on Goodreads. Or we've at least been meaning to get on (sometimes we have a bit of that nutty professor thing going on and we can be scatterbrained).
You're Hyper Competetive
Maybe with classmates, colleagues, similarly smart friends, or that one smug looking a**hole at your weekly trivia night who needs to be taken down a peg. Maybe you're just competitive with yourself, striving for perfect grades or quarterly reports that go above and beyond at work. Ravenclaws strive for excellence...sometimes to the point of backstabbing and sabotage. A Ravenclaw probably invented the expression, "I didn't come here to make friends — I came here to win."
You're Artsy
In high school, you probably hung out in the art or band room or in the theater a lot. Or maybe there was an alley you and your friends liked to tag. There's a higher than average probability you went to art school. Nowadays you like going to museums and galleries and plays...or at the very least you have a super eclectic Netflix queue if you have kids and never get to go out anymore.
You Love Fellow Weirdos
Ravenclaws appreciated fellow creative free spirits (think: Luna Lovegood, perhaps the most famous Ravenclaw in the Harry Potter series). We not only accept off-beat eccentrics for who they are but welcome them into our lives with open arms. Why be boring?
You Know There's Nothing Sexier Than A Big Throbbing Brain
Articulate, aware, clever people give you tingly feelings in your most intimate of bits. Ravenclaws are just as likely to have a boner (metaphorical or actual) for Jon Stewart or bell hooks as Jon Hamm or Kate Upton. Smart is sexy. Super sexy.
Your Sense Of Style Is All You
Maybe you're considered fashionable or maybe not, but whichever way it goes, your sartorial decisions usually get people's attention. Plain old jeans and a t-shirt aren't going to cut it for you (unless you accessorize with, like, a tiara or something). Or maybe you'll pair that with an amazing pair of boots and an impeccably tailored jacket with just the right jewelry. For you, clothes are just another way to be creative and it's not an opportunity you want to miss out on.
You Need To Keep Your Mind Working 24/7/365
When your friend says, "When I read, or watch a movie or TV, I like to just kind turn off and not think, so I pick fluffy crap," this legitimately blows your mind. Why on Earth would you want to not think? What does that even entail? Doesn't that mean you're dead. Do you want to die? Is that it? Oh my God, how can I help you?
So, are you a Ravenclaw? Let's be honest: iIf you are, you were probably smart enough to figure it out on your own without this list anyway.
Images: Warner Bros.; Giphy(10); Tumblr


text:
Prospectus Perspective: First-Strike Options
Christina Kahrl
Everyone's entitled to a notes column now and again; most of us are already in early high gear on the annual, so here's a speed loader for my take on the major moves that have already been consummated since the end of the regular season.
The Tigers re-signed Jhonny Peralta to a two-year, $11.25 million deal, after already inking Brandon Inge to a two-year, $11.5 million deal (with a 2013 option).
This might seem like a lot of the already dished-out blanditude the Tigers delivered in their ongoing bid at relevance while regearing their rotation. However, keep in mind that, as far as the market of available talent, this winter's collection of free-agent offerings on the left side of the infield makes for fairly thin fare. Dave Dombrowski understandably automatically counted the Kitties out of the pursuit of Derek Jeter and Adrian Beltre, and, especially early, you probably don't want to bid big on post-season heroes Juan Uribe or Edgar Renteria, not that the latter's participation in the ill-fated thousand-run Tigers of 2008 wouldn't already count against a renewed association. And Miguel Tejada? He's older than everybody else already mentioned.
So, between the market's scant offerings and the uncertainties over whether they could strike a deal with anyone instead of signing anybody, they renewed these two relationships. It's far from glorious, and the Tigers' lineup has issues, especially in the outfield. Ryan Raburn more than adequately replaced Magglio Ordonez, hitting .321/.372/.553 in his 246 PAs logged from the moment he got to become a regular again. While Austin Jackson seems set in center, the corners are a lot more wide-open, especially with Brennan Boesch going from fair-haired to whipping boy by hitting just .163/.237/.222 after the All-Star break. Think on that, a corner outfielder who generates two bases every nine at-bats? That didn't play in the Deadball Era, let alone now. They're going to have to sort out where to play Carlos Guillen (again), but after Raburn's excellent second half, you can at least hope that he's in the mix for fixing them up at one corner or the other.
If there's a problem, it's that this doesn't bode well for making a break from Miguel Cabrera and the Migettes, because Inge and Peralta aren't about to break out. Peralta is an infamous performance flake, achieving Oprah-like variations in a few too many dimensions for anyone investing in him to be entirely confident about the contents of the package just purchased. Last year's bounce back to a .260 True Average was an improvement, but his season-by-season variation from his age-23 season in 2005 shouldn't inspire confidence: .300 to .245 to .267 to .279 to .248 to .260. Anyone care to guess where this is going in his age-29 season?
The intent is that Peralta is going to be the everyday shortstop, and that's swell, insofar as he should be somewhere around the position average (.255 last year), but add that to weak defense, and is that really worth sewing up before the market has a say? After the big move to upgrade their infield defense in 2009 by replacing Renteria with Adam Everett and Ramon Santiago, trusting the spot to the more generally adequate Peralta doesn't exactly represent a new data point for the believers in the "defense is the new black" theory of roster makeup.
Getting angry over Inge is an equally reasonable response, but signing him as quickly as the Tigers did represents a confession that conjuring up an alternative for 2011 would be hard, while this was easy. Inge's merits remain much as they've always been: he's a quality fielder and he can bop a bit against lefties. Although that's a pretty penny to pay for that sort of adequacy, Inge didn't wind up that far below average in 2010, posting a .261 TAv to a third-base position average of .268. The problem is that the Tigers aren't going to get 2010, they're going to get the age-34 and -35 seasons of a guy for whom 2010 represents a highlight, because it was his best year since 2005.
So, if the early reacquisition of the demonstrably adequate sounds a lot like the world champion Giants' offseason before the 2010 season, what hope is there for subsequently going out and getting some serious offensive help? There are still two or three slots open, at second, DH, and perhaps an outfield corner if they avoid granting full faith in Boesch and Raburn. Guillen—if his latest knee repairs puts him back in action by Opening Day—can handle one of them, at least until he breaks again. The collection of performance dwarves employed at the keystone last season don't really represent good answers if you're looking for runs; maybe the Motor City makes sense as the next destination for Orlando Hudson, especially since this lineup's leaning pretty heavily to the right. But to find a bopper to shore up a lineup that tied for fifth last season in the AL in TAv looks like tough sledding this winter.
The Dodgers re-signed Ted Lilly to a three-year, $33 million deal.
In contrast, this was the sort of quick strike to retain a relatively sure thing you could respect. Lilly finished the year with a .550 SNWP, exactly the same as fellow free agent Carl Pavano, to pick an entertaining contrast, but with a much higher strikeout rate (21.2 percent to Pavano's 12.9), and with a SIERA that resembled his actual ERA, suggesting that what they saw is what they'll be paying for into the future. You might give him the left-handed compliment—apropos, no?—of being the third-best lefty on the market behind Cliff Lee and Andy Pettitte, and $11 million per might seem like a lot to spend on that. But if you already expected to be out on Lee, and allowing for Pettitte's unlikely availability, Lilly was probably as close to a sure thing as the market had to offer.
What's striking is the amount and the speed with which the deal was consummated. The attendant bells and whistles—no-trade protection through 2012, a signing bonus spread out over three years and balloon payments at the back end—are hallmarks of the creativity with which the Dodgers have usually resorted to in order to make the uncertainties of the McCourts' accounting add up. That's especially interesting when you consider the questions over who will be signing the checks by the time Lilly's deal winds down, because there's already the $11.5 million the Dodgers will be paying out to non-Dodgers in both 2012 and 2013.
The other thing that's amusing to note in passing is that Lilly's much-feared loss of velocity became such a non-story during the course of the season. The man logged quality starts in 10 of his 12 outings as a Dodger, and his strikeout rate went up. Of course, his home-run rate also topped 10 percent of all fly balls, but he's been there already (in 2005 and 2008), so it isn't like we should anoint him the new Jamie Moyer just yet.
Basically, he's a strikeout/fly-out control fiend in a park that doesn't punish these things. While signing him through his age-37 season for eight figures per annum might seem like a big risk, especially to those in a rush to diagnose the beginning of the end for him every other month, letting Lilly reach the market strikes me as the potentially even larger risk. The reason? The inevitable losers on Lee will inevitably start looking around for alternatives, and if they were willing to sign the best for $20 million or more, getting in on the next-best thing for half of that starts to look fairly reasonable.
The Blue Jays traded future considerations (a player, cash, a lunch tab) to the Rockies for Miguel Olivo.
They then paid off Olivo's 2011 option, effectively purchasing a supplemental (or sandwich round) pick for $500,000. Think on that, when you get into arguments about draft slotting: the mere possession of that additional pick was worth a cool half-million. Now, do you really think that agents and amateurs aren't right to bridle over proposals that the next CBA hand away their freedom to negotiate, when that's the price tag on a team simply acquiring the right to make an additional early pick, of a guy not any more guaranteed to become something than anyone else at that stage of the draft? Which is not to criticize Alex Anthopolous—he may have to live with plenty of heat from MLB already for sensibly gaming the system. But getting the equivalent of a second-round talent for this kind of money is a no-brainer, even if he were handicapped by signability questions as far as who picked, beyond the already noisome rigmarole of dealing with MLB when you want to go over slot.
bozarowski
No offense to Ted Lilly or Andy Pettitte, but I think there's a pretty good case to be made that Jorge de la Rosa is the 2nd best lefty SP in the market.
Reply to bozarowski
dianagramr
That Blue Jays maneuver is fascinating from a business perspective .... is it a true "loophole" in the draft system?
Reply to dianagramr
Mariofan
This also happened in hockey once upon a time, which is why Brian Leetch was an Edmonton Oiler for literally one day (the day before free agency) before re-signing with the Rangers. Needless to say, the NHL closed that loophole shortly thereafter.
Reply to Mariofan
I75Titans
So, does that cast the Rockies in the role of "hapless foil", or "cheap bastard"...or both? That better be a VERY good lunch.
Reply to I75Titans
jhardman
I loved the Anthopolous maneuver on Olivo, and they get the prize for doing it before the league puts a stop to it. It sort of reminded me of some of the chicanery from my local Strat league, where a manager would come up with a back door deal that no one else had thought of right before the annual rules check. Then, all the other leage managers would make a rule change to make sure it didn't happen again. Watch for something around this space in the Winter Meetings. :-)
Reply to jhardman
mgolovcsenko
Warning, snarky comment: Sometimes I simply can't parse your phrasing, Christina. Last paragraph of this post is an example - case in point:
First sentence: Now, .. , when ... ,of ...
Final sentence: But ... , even ... , beyond ... when ... .
(I love the Anthopoluous maneuver as well. Wonder how long he's been laying in wait to find the right situation to pull that off.)
Reply to mgolovcsenko
"Noisome rigamarole" is a great name for a band.
garmoore
The signing of Peralta and Inge makes sense when you consider that Beltre wouldn't give the Tigers the time of day the last time he was on the market, and there aren't any other third basemen on the market to match Inge. In addition, Peralta is simply a better everyday player than what the Tigers could get for a reasonable price. They want to spend their money on protection for Cabrera, not on a high-priced shortstop. Finally, the organization is probably 2 years or so from producing a left-side infielder. These moves aren't exactly exciting, but they fill spots with talent the Tigers know and like.
Reply to garmoore
cdmyers
Inge is a fan favorite in Detroit, and gets some credit around here as the last survivor of the bad old days. I'd guess maybe one of those eleven million are a sort of mini version of the gift Jeter is about the get from the Yankees.
Reply to cdmyers
lesmash
Is there any chance they could have gone with Rayburn at 2B and then moves Rhymes/Sizemore to the left side of the infield? Rayburn has experience at 2B, though I admit I've never seen him play there so don't know if he could be even league average with the glove. I think he would be a plus bat at the position, but maybe not enough to overcome defensive concerns. Any thoughts on this?
Reply to lesmash
mentalmeat
Unless they had a plus defender at SS, I think starting Raburn at 2B would be asking for trouble. Peralta would not compensate for Raburn's sub-par glove. Raburn seems to be a good defensive OF, and better suited to the super-sub role.
I like the O-Dawg idea.
Reply to mentalmeat


Matching a 50-Ω cable to an FD4 requires a balun and an impedance transformation of 1 × 7 (1 × 6.7) On the feeder side there is a choice between a choke balun and a trifilar 1 × 1 balun. Two violet Philips 4C65 toroids, T2 and T3, are required to make the 1 × 7 balanced impedance transformer.
The balun was made with two T200-2 toroids and a choke balun of 6-m coax on a coil former. Everything was mounted in standard PVC housing with in the lower part the rolled coax cable. The photos will be clear enough for home brewers. I think that the inductance of about 7 μH (2 × 17 turns in series) to the secondary side of the balun is rather low for 80 and 160-m, but apparently it works to his full satisfaction.


text:
//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// <auto-generated>This code was generated by LLBLGen Pro v4.1.</auto-generated>
//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
using System;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Runtime.Serialization;
using System.Xml.Serialization;
using System.Collections.Specialized;
using System.Collections.Generic;

namespace EF6.Bencher.EntityClasses
{
	/// Class which represents the entity 'Address'.
	[Serializable]
	[DataContract(IsReference=true)]
	public partial class Address : CommonEntityBase
	{
		/// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="Address"/> class.
		public Address() : base()
		{
			this.BusinessEntityAddresses = new HashSet<BusinessEntityAddress>();
			this.SalesOrderHeaders = new HashSet<SalesOrderHeader>();
			this.SalesOrderHeaders_ = new HashSet<SalesOrderHeader>();
		}

		#region Class Property Declarations
		/// Gets or sets the AddressId field.
		[DataMember]
		public System.Int32 AddressId { get; set;}
		/// Gets or sets the AddressLine1 field.
		[DataMember]
		public System.String AddressLine1 { get; set;}
		/// Gets or sets the AddressLine2 field.
		[DataMember]
		public System.String AddressLine2 { get; set;}
		/// Gets or sets the City field.
		[DataMember]
		public System.String City { get; set;}
		/// Gets or sets the ModifiedDate field.
		[DataMember]
		public System.DateTime ModifiedDate { get; set;}
		/// Gets or sets the PostalCode field.
		[DataMember]
		public System.String PostalCode { get; set;}
		/// Gets or sets the Rowguid field.
		[DataMember]
		public System.Guid Rowguid { get; set;}
		/// Gets or sets the SpatialLocation field.
		[DataMember]
		public System.Data.Entity.Spatial.DbGeography SpatialLocation { get; set;}
		/// Gets or sets the StateProvinceId field.
		[DataMember]
		public System.Int32 StateProvinceId { get; set;}
		/// Represents the navigator which is mapped onto the association 'Person.BusinessEntityAddress.Address - Address.BusinessEntityAddresses (m:1)'
		[DataMember]
		public virtual ICollection<BusinessEntityAddress> BusinessEntityAddresses { get; set;}
		/// Represents the navigator which is mapped onto the association 'SalesOrderHeader.Address - Address.SalesOrderHeaders (m:1)'
		[DataMember]
		public virtual ICollection<SalesOrderHeader> SalesOrderHeaders { get; set;}
		/// Represents the navigator which is mapped onto the association 'SalesOrderHeader.Address_ - Address.SalesOrderHeaders_ (m:1)'
		[DataMember]
		public virtual ICollection<SalesOrderHeader> SalesOrderHeaders_ { get; set;}
		/// Represents the navigator which is mapped onto the association 'Address.StateProvince - StateProvince.Addresses (m:1)'
		[DataMember]
		public virtual StateProvince StateProvince { get; set;}
		#endregion
	}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


I do my best to be obedient to God.
The thing is, you can be rebellious, host a rebellious spirit, and not even be aware because you are not connected to God.
It is way too easy to come up with a million excuses for why we can't obey God and do the things He wants us to, commands us to do.
I don't have enough patience.
The trouble really starts when there is no checks and balances system to keep us on track, when no one is telling us that we shouldn't do the things that we do. Being plugged into a church should do that for us, but all too often it does not.
Our society today has adopted an attitude of permissiveness. Anything goes; if it feels good, do it. If it doesn't hurt anyone it can't be bad.
The truth is, many of those things that "can't hurt anyone" can be very, very bad. When you do things, you never know who is watching you and emulating you. As an example for others, as God's representative, it is your duty, your obligation, live, act, talk and be like Jesus. No, you can't be perfect, but you can do your very best.
This is a very slippery slope. I have seen leaders fall and the body falls right behind them.
Some years ago I attended a large church. It had three or four services on Sunday and a couple on Saturday. Thousands of people poured through the doors.
It was fairly new when I first began attending and you could feel Jesus walking up and down the aisles! It was a spirit filled church. After a while, however, things began to change. I don't know what happened. Some people said that the pastor had said that God told him to put the church in a certain area, but he wanted it in a more influential area so he went against God's will and put it in a different location. He even mentioned this a few times when he preached.
All I know is that they went from pure worship and communion with God to something resembling pagan festivities. The women musicians and vocalists began dressing inappropriately (even wearing jeans on the platform!) and the platform became a stage with fancy special effects. It wasn't worship, it was more like a rock concert and the "band" put on shows, feeding their own egos while the congregation followed right along.
It wasn't long and the "worship" moved from God to the people on the stage. The people on the stage became the main attraction and the worship was secondary.
Yes, they had great talent and great voices, but the focus was lost. They were not anointed and God no longer moved there. The spirit leading that church was no longer God, but the spirit that was attached to the members of the band.
Too often we idolize talent and create other Gods to worship, even if we are doing it in tandem with the One True God. But that isn't good enough. See, there really is only One True God and He is the ONLY one we should be worshiping, not the preacher who is a talented, charismatic speaker or the talented vocalist or the talented musician or anyone else.
I haven't been to the church in a few years, but I have heard from people who live in the area that it has gotten farther and farther from God's plan.
And that, my friends, is a pure act of rebellion.
Obedience is not flashy. It won't get you noticed or idolized. You probably won't get a bunch of money for it or get famous. But what you will have is far more valuable that all of these things put together. You will be living a life for God and He will honor you and bless you beyond your imagination.
It is easy to pass off the little details, the little things that God wants us to change, but we don't. It is easy to make excuses or pretend like you don't hear God's voice. It is easy to continue down the path that you have chosen, even if it isn't the one that God wants for you.
Obedience takes energy, effort and character.
One direction is the easy path with few obstacles or hindrances while the other is more difficult, more narrow and challenging.
One ends in destruction and pain and unhappiness while the other ends in pure joy and love and eternal life.
But we always have a choice. Which way do you want to go?
The late Howard Cosell is credited with saying, "What's right isn't always popular. What's popular isn't always right." This is what God chose to lay on my heart this morning. I let it stay there in my head for a while, until I realized that this was just a glimpse of what he was actually giving me, sort of like lifting just the corner of a veil covering a massive painting.
What is God's will isn't always pleasing to us. What is pleasing to us isn't always God's will.
There was no toying with words to get the style and rhythm and meaning just right, God just handed it to me and I knew what I would be writing about today.
Sometimes we are asking for the wrong things and looking through the wrong eyes. Our motives and priorities are all messed up. God does not want us to be of this world, but set apart from it.
Sometimes, it may not be popular, it may not be pleasing to us, but it is God's will and it is RIGHT.
When we are in tune with God through knowledge of His word and are operating in the spirit, we not only hear His voice, we know it.
Then it is up to us to decide how we will exercise our free will. There is always a choice; even it is the choice to do nothing.
But is we are obedient and stop listening to those voices of the flesh and tune in to God, we will never, ever be guided in the wrong direction. It is the ultimate submission, the complete giving up of self, but to follow in His will is so worth it.
Many blessings come with obedience and submission to God. He honors these qualities in us where many humans will only take advantage and manipulate us through them. He is the ONLY ONE who has our best interests at heart.
We can't just pick and choose which parts of ourselves we want God to change, the parts we want to surrender to Him. We must surrender all to Him.
Have you surrendered all to Him? Or are there still some vestiges of this world that you are still clinging to?


text:
MASS. WANTS TO EXAMINE MORE INSURANCE FRAUD
John Morrissey
HCFA is expected to act within a week on a request by Massachusetts' attorney general for jurisdiction to prosecute health insurance fraud affecting all payers-federal and private.
If a waiver from current rules is granted, the state's Medicaid fraud control unit would be able to prosecute non-Medicaid insurance fraud that it uncovers in the course of going after suspected Medicaid cheats.
The Medicare and Medicaid fraud-and-abuse amendments to the Social Security Act in 1977 authorized states to create the units and also granted 75% federal funding. But HCFA regulations limited their enforcement powers to the joint state-federal Medicaid program.
In return, the Massachusetts unit would provide reports to HHS every six months on the status and progress of probes into other health insurance programs and, as a pilot project, it would supply an evaluation and list of recommendations at the end of two years.
"We're basically asking the federal government to give us federal dollars to prosecute federal fraud," Mr. Kogut said.
A HCFA spokeswoman said a deci-sion on the waiver request was antici- pated before the end of the month.
Nationally, 42 out of 50 states have Medicaid-fraud units, and federal law requires the remaining eight-Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Carolina and Wyoming-to establish them by 1995.
The units cost the federal government $62 million in 1993, according to the National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units.
During the past 15 years, the units have racked up more than 7,000 convictions for Medicaid fraud and patient abuse and neglect, the association said. It had no figures on the total amount of money returned to the Medicaid program.
The Massachusetts unit's activities have recovered $21 million for the state Medicaid program and resulted in indictments of 80 people and 15 corporations in its 31/2 years of operation, according to Mr. Harshbarger.
The specialization of such units on sophisticated white-collar crime, using registered pharmacists alongside full-time insurance-fraud investigators, makes them well-equipped to assist FBI and U.S. Justice Department agents, Mr. Kogut said. And, unlike federal enforcement agencies, the units don't have to reach a pre-established threshold of potential payback to justify time and resources of prosecution, Mr. Kogut said.
"The biggest reason for the request is to let us show the federal government that we can use the Medicaid fraud-control experience to prosecute healthcare providers who steal from private health insurance programs," he said. "That's where the big void is."
Mobile Apps | Modern Healthcare
Beyond the Byline: Texas COPA law may pave the way for more hospital M&A - Transcript


text:
IPC Chapter 35: Succubus
LalaPigeon
Interstellar Power Couple
Translator: Lala
Quality Check: Linn
Editor: Chesh
Chapter 35: Succubus
The lion's body was huge and looked exceptionally cramped in Xiao Lingyu and Lei Jue's aircraft, so Zuo Zhihuan told Zuo Qiu to take the Zuo family's aircraft and give Lei Jue and Xiao Lingyu a ride back.
Out of politeness, when they arrived at their destination, Lei Jue and Xiao Lingyu invited Zuo Qiu to stay at Bulacca city for two days before going back, but Zuo Qiu, similarly politely, refused them. Zuo Qiu greeted Grandmother and Luo Yuling with the gifts he brought from the Southern Clearwater District, and told Lei Jue and Xiao Lingyu before he left, "Thank you guys for making the trip today, truly. You guys will likely face many troubles in the future, so while I can't help in other areas, if you come to the Southern Clearwater District again, please allow me to fulfill my duties as the host. Also, as my second younger brother has always been a head above the rest and has been spoiled since he was a child, the way he acts in many situations is a little inappropriate. I hope you guys won't fault him for this."
Xiao Lingyu recalled the way Zuo Feng had looked like he was about to burst into angry tears when they left and spent much effort in pushing down his laughter. "You're being too formal with us, Elder Brother Zuo. If Uncle Zuo has any other problems, feel free to get in touch with us anytime."
Lei Jue chimed in, "I just couldn't stand seeing Zuo Feng being a bully. But if the lion really can't get used to the environment here, I'll bring him back. Thank you for giving us a lift home too, Elder Brother Zuo."
Zuo Qiu nodded. "Then I'll take my leave first. Goodbye."
Xiao Lingyu and Lei Jue waved. After Zuo Qiu Left, Xiao Lingyu asked Lei Jue, "Are you really going to give the lion back?"
"We'll see," Lei Jue said. "There's too big of a temperature difference between here and the Southern Clearwater district. I don't know whether the lion will be able to adapt to it. Also, it's not like I can hold a grudge against a bratty child anyway." Moreover, since he was playing the part of a 'white lotus', the more someone was insolent towards him, the more kind and forgiving he had to be to them; that way, the entire world would think that they were the bad guy and that Lei Jue was the polite and reasonable one.
"Pfft!" Xiao Lingyu laughed. "Honey, mind telling me how old you were in your past life? Zuo Feng's one year older than even me, yet you called him a bratty child."
"Guess." Lei Jue lightly scratched Xiao Lingyu's chin.
"The same age as me?" His chin felt a little itchy, so Xiao Lingyu rubbed it.
Lei Jue playfully raised his arms as he walked forward, positioning his left forefinger horizontally, and his right one vertically.
Xiao Lingyu thought, So he was one year younger than me. He caught up to Lei Jue in two quick steps and pulled him into his arms. "How do you feel about the three brothers of the Zuo family?"
Lei Jue recalled the situation in the Zuo family. "The eldest is an intelligent man, the second kid is an idiot with a halo of blessing over him, and the third is reclusive but has sharp eyes—you could say he's down-to-earth."
Seeing that Lei Jue's opinions were mostly the same as his own, Xiao Lingyu's smile subconsciously grew wider. But when his gaze landed on the lion lying on the windowsill of their bedroom, his smile faded a little and a new plan flashed by in his mind after.
After Lei Jue returned home, the first thing he did was to enter the bedroom and check on the little sprout they had planted before. Because Carrera hadn't been able to find out just what the plant was called and there was no relevant information online, they gave it the temporary name of 'Little Odd Flower'. Little Odd Flower grew incredibly fast; according to their observations, it had no trouble growing two centimeters a day. Moreover, this was while he wasn't providing it with any life energy. If he got bored again and decided to touch it, it might even grow three to four centimeters a day.
It grew so fast it was as if it was trying to point its middle finger at logic. Lei Jue was a little stressed over where to put it after it grew a bit more, because if this speed was kept up it would probably make a hole in the house by the start of spring. But he couldn't bring himself to give up on raising it, either.
When it came to Little Odd Flower, he couldn't name the emotion that he felt towards it. It was a feeling of longing and love that came from the depths of his heart, making him unable to do anything that would hurt it. Otherwise, without these emotions, he would've given it a trim with a pair of scissors whenever he got bored, like in the past.
Xiao Lingyu had also discovered that Lei Jue held strange emotions toward Little Odd Flower. Not only that, but they even shared the same scent. It was almost as though there was some sort of natural connection between them. Because of this, he was even more sure of his plan.
The next morning, Xiao Lingyu told Lei Jue that he needed to return to work, so he needed to go out. Lei Jue did not ask for details, and since the lion would feel bored trapped inside, he planned on taking the lion out for a walk.
Xiao Zhicheng asked about how Zuo Zhihuan was doing after breakfast and Lei Jue replied, "It looks pretty serious, but as long as he undergoes continuous treatment, it shouldn't affect him too much for now."
Xiao Zhicheng nodded. "Zuo Zhihuan even gave me a call yesterday just to heap praise on you, telling me that you're kind and smart. It looks like you'll still need to run back and forth in order to treat him in the future, however."
Lei Jue didn't look like he felt that it was much trouble for him and smiled. "That's a good arrangement. In a sense, isn't it just right for showing my worth? Otherwise, I would be stressed if I were to stay at home all day with nothing to do." Most importantly, he received a lot of wisdom energy from healing big issues like this one. If he hadn't, he actually might not have been able to tame the lion back then. "So if there really is anyone in the future who asks for your help, so long as they are your friend, feel free to say yes and I will do my best to heal them."
Xiao Zhicheng laughed and shook his head. 'You really are a godsend."
Lei Jue laughed too. "Dad, you're being too honest! Hahaha, then I'll leave you to it, I'm going to take the lion out for a walk."
Luo Yuling asked, "Little Jue, will you be alright on your own? How about I go with you?"
Lei Jue patted the lion. "With him here, ordinary people definitely won't dare to come near me. I'll be fine. I'm only going to take him to the pet store and see if I can order a set of clothes for him so I can take him out to play often."
Luo Yuling also felt that it would be too cruel to force the little guy to stay indoors when he had grown used to running around in the wild, so she said, "Sounds like a plan. Be careful, then."
Xiao Lingyu came down the stairs and handed Lei Jue's outer coat to him. "I've watered Little Odd Flower already. Let's go, I'll drop you off first."
Lei Jue's aircraft wasn't as big as Xiao Lingyu's. When he bought it, he thought that it was dashing with how delicate it looked, and hadn't considered it too much. However, now he could see the benefits of having a big aircraft—a small aircraft couldn't fit lions, after all.
Xiao Lingyu dropped Lei Jue off at the entrance to the pet store. The two stuck out like sore thumbs on their own, but now that they had a crimson flame lion with them it attracted the gazes of even the non-gossip mongers.
"Oh my god, it's a crimson flame lion! It looks so cool and dashing ahhhhh!"
"It looks so obedient, it's not even running around anyway. Wow, I want one too."
"But crimson flame lions aren't used to the climate here, right? Doesn't it look a little cold?"
"Uh, the two gentleman over there—" a staff member, having heard the commotion, couldn't resist gulping upon seeing the lion by Lei Jue's side. "May I, may I ask what kind of service your pet requires?"
"I want him to have a bath, and I'd like to order a set of clothing for him too. Is that possible?" Lei Jue stroked the lion's fur. "If it's possible then please give him a bath first."
"If he will cooperate, yes."
"He will. Come on, lion." Lei Jue patted the lion, then turned his head to Xiao Lingyu. "You go finish your business first, then come back and pick me up when you're done."
"Mm, I might be a bit late. After you've finished up over here, remember to give me a call." Xiao Lingyu kissed Lei Jue's forehead, then gently swiped his nose with a finger before leaving. The doting way he was acting quickly dyed the atmosphere of the pet center a rosy hue, making a wave of sharp squeals erupt from the surrounding area.
My god, pretending like you're so cool, Lei Jue inwardly complained.
After complaining, he thought again, But he was indeed very cool. Also, Xiao Lingyu, did you know beforehand that I like this kind of stuff or something?! Tsk!
Lei Jue rubbed his nose. After taking the lion in, he told him to cooperate with the workers so that they could give it a comfortable bath with warm water. After that, they went and got the measurements for the custom-made clothing. When the designer asked him if he had any special requirements, he told him that he wanted the clothes to have a lightning symbol on it.
The designer was very fast, since the basic design of the clothes was premade. It just needed a little modification and for the color to be chosen. After he chose the color, she just needed to calculate the size of each piece of cloth on the software she was using according to the lion's measurements, and the robot tailors would cut the fabric and sew them into complete articles of clothing.
This process was a bit slower than it would normally take, as the lion was too big, so the clothes were very big as well. Thus, Lei Jue took the lion to the VIP area and used his communicator to scroll through his feed and play a few games.
There were very few people in the VIP section, and no one dared to disturb Lei Jue. Lei Jue had been playing for about half an hour when they finally finished making the clothes. A crimson article of clothing with a golden lightning symbol was delivered to Lei Jue by the workers. Lei Jue picked it up and examined it, discovering that, despite its size, it was very light and convenient to move in, as well as considerably warm. He 'discussed' it with the lion then helped the workers put it on the lion. The lion wasn't very happy about it in the beginning, but after going outside and realizing that he didn't feel cold anymore, he immediately changed his mind and no longer wanted to take the clothes off.
After he confirmed that the lion could wear it, he ordered three more sets of clothes in other colors, telling the workers that he would pick them up in two days. Afterwards, he sent a message to Xiao Lingyu.
Xiao Lingyu would usually reply quite quickly, but this time it took several minutes for him to send a message back: 'The financial power of our family will become yours tonight.'
Lei Jue recalled how Xiao Lingyu had asked for his help in maintaining his image of a 'repentant manwh*re' back then and replied, 'No problem. Do I need to dress to impress?'
Embroidery Needle: 'The He family's eldest is holding a birthday party. Everyone's of the same generation, so you don't need to wear formal clothing.'
Lei Jue indicated that he understood, and Xiao Lingyu sent Carrera over to pick them up. Lei Jue and the lion made a trip back home, and after some thought, he asked Luo Yuling, "Mom, could you recommend a reliable stylist?"
Luo Yuling looked Lei Jue up and down. "Do you want to change your style, Lei Jue? It looks good right now, though. Very 'Mr. Fresh and Innocent'."
Lei Jue glanced at himself. "Lingyu said we're going to the He family, so I can't be 'Mr. Fresh and Innocent' tonight."
There were benefits to being a 'Mr. Fresh and Innocent', but it wasn't suitable for every occasion.
So just after Lei Jue finished lunch, a stylist arrived at their home. The stylist was someone Xiao Linghua hired and was a big name in the stylist world. He had been conveniently close by, so when Xiao Linghua received his mother's message he sent the person straight over.
"Young master Lei, you can call me Rodin. May I ask what requests you have?" Rodin was a male-to-female transgender about forty years old. She had a head of long wavy hair and a full, curvy behind. She looked bewitching, although her voice was quite androgynous.
Lei Jue looked at her and said two words with a smile.
Hearing those words, Rodin paused. "Are you sure?"
Lei Jue replied without a second thought, "I'm sure."
Seeing that Lei Jue's eyes didn't hold even a hint of playfulness, Rodin nodded and began picking clothes for Lei Jue, then had her assistant send a few things over.
Thus, Lei Jue spent his afternoon sitting by the entrance watching the lion chase birds around in the snow in his new clothes while he let Rodin work her magic.
On his side, Xiao Lingyu was wholly unaware that Lei Jue had made special preparations and was still hurrying to organize tasks for Qi Yu and Si Qing. It was because they had discovered Wei Li might have left Lin City and hid in the He family that they needed to make the trip today, otherwise Xiao Lingyu genuinely didn't want to go to the He house.
The matter with Wei Li didn't really affect Lei Jue's 'Plan A3' anymore, but it may very well have had links to the cause behind Lei Jianwei's death back then. Therefore, Xiao Zhicheng currently placed much importance on this and had specially arranged for Xiao Lingyu to do the investigation.
Xiao Lingyu took an outfit out from the spare wardrobe and changed into it. When he walked out, he saw that Si Qing and Qi Yu were mostly finished with their preparations and gestured with his chin, saying, "Let's go."
Qi Yu jokingly asked, "You're not going back first to wear a matching couple's outfit with Lei Jue?"
Xiao Lingyu looked at the time and realized he wouldn't be able to make it, because they couldn't allow anyone to discover this place, nor could they take the direct path back. For this reason, he said, "No, our feelings for each other no longer need a couple's outfit as proof."
Qi Yu made a gagging noise. At this moment, Che Heng, who was next to them, asked, "That's right—why were you so late this morning?"
Xiao Lingyu said, "I asked an old friend out to discuss something. It's almost time for the festival, so I wanted to prepare a surprise for Lei Jue."
By now, the people of Squad 5 had already completely discovered Xiao Lingyu's true nature as a wife-crazy maniac and no longer felt surprise at his words. They had not expected, however, that even if Xiao Lingyu couldn't surprise them any more, there was still someone who could.
Lei Jue casually ran a hand through his hair. "Come on lion, let's go."
The lion nimbly leapt up into Xiao Lingyu's aircraft. Right then, Luo Yuling stood at the entrance and asked, "Little Jue, are you really not going to bring a bottle over?"
Lei Jue was confused. "What would I bring a bottle for?"
Luo Yuling couldn't hide her smile. "To hold all the blood that'll come from Little Fifth's nose."
Lei Jue reached out a hand and wiggled his fingers. "No need, mom, I'm a practitioner of the One-fingered Meditation [1] and will heal everything that I poke. Healing him won't take more than a second."
Luo Yuling waved her hand. After Lei Jue got in the aircraft, he told Carrera to fly to the appointed meeting place.
At this time, Xiao Lingyu was also flying to the meeting place after taking a detour. Using the couples' tracking app, he saw Lei Jue getting closer to him and his mood rose in a way that he couldn't describe. After all, ever since they were together, they had never separated for a whole day before like this.
"I will probably arrive before you and will wait by the door," Xiao Lingyu messaged to Lei Jue.
"Okay." After replying, Lei Jue laid face down on the lion's back.
"Hmm? Lingyu, didn't you say that you would come with your partner? How come it's just you?" The He family's eldest, He Jie, said in a disappointed tone when he saw that there was no Lei Jue by Xiao Lingyu's side.
"He'll be here soon." Xiao Lingyu smiled, and, seeing that his aircraft had arrived, raised his hand and spoke into the communicator, "Babe, I see you."
"Mm, I'll be there shortly." Lei Jue told Carrera to open the door, sat on the lion's back, and leapt directly off from there, ten meters above the ground.
With a loud 'boom' from his weight, the lion landed. The surrounding area quieted immediately.
Lei Jue patted the lion's back and told him to walk over to where Xiao Lingyu was, then leapt from the lion's back and came to stand in front of Xiao Lingyu. "I'm not late, am I?"
'No…" Xiao Lingyu was a little stunned. He had never thought that with only a day of not seeing each other, his other half would dye his hair light purple. On top of that, he wore white skinny jeans and a loose button-up shirt of the same color. The collar of the shirt was open quite wide and the only thing he wore over it was a black jacket, which he had draped over his shoulders without putting his arms through or buttoning it up. He looked casual, but when he smiled he was incomparably seductive. His face was already devastatingly beautiful, and now that he was in this get-up….
Xiao Lingyu coughed. "Let me introduce you," Xiao Lingyu turned around, an arm around Lei Jue, "Babe, meet He Jie, the birthday boy. He Jie, meet the apple of my eye, Lei Jue."
"Happy birthday." Lei Jue nodded his head at He Jie, hugging Xiao Lingyu's waist. "My dear, how do I look?"
"Very good." Xiao Lingyu had only just finished speaking when Lei Jue pulled him in for a deep kiss. The people behind them, with He Jie in the lead, were all stunned into silence.
So who was it that said Xiao Lingyu's wife was a gentle, obedient, sensible, and shy… model wife?? What the f*ck, he was clearly a succubus!
[1] 一指禅: Yi Zhi Chan: One-fingered Meditation: A type of martial arts in which the user fights with a single finger.
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LEGO Changes Bulk Order Policy After Ai Weiwei Protest
by Maren Williams • January 20, 2016 • Comments Off on LEGO Changes Bulk Order Policy After Ai Weiwei Protest
Ai Weiwei and son celebrate the policy reversal.
Months after news broke that LEGO Group refused to fulfill a bulk order for Ai Weiwei's current exhibit at Australia's National Gallery of Victoria, the company reversed course this week and announced that it no longer vets customers' intentions for bulk orders.
A statement on the company's website explained the reasoning behind the old policy was that the "purpose of the LEGO Group is to inspire children through creative play, not to actively support or endorse specific agendas of individuals or organizations," but went on to acknowledge that the "guidelines could result in misunderstandings or be perceived as inconsistent." Although the statement does not mention Ai by name, there can be little doubt that the change was spurred by the artist's contention that LEGO's reticence in his case was an attempt to avoid angering the Chinese government, which is no fan of his work. LEGO bricks are already sold in China, and the company has a factory slated to open there next year.
Ai celebrated the policy reversal with several Instagram posts last week. In an interview with the New York Times, he said that "when it comes to artists and freedom of expression, it's a continual effort. Even though Lego is a big company that moves slowly, I'm glad they made this decision in the end." He has no quibble with the company's stipulation that artists displaying LEGO works include a disclaimer that "the LEGO Group does not support or endorse the specific projects," and says he will not hesitate to place more bulk orders in the future.
Ai's current project using another brand of plastic bricks, as well as LEGO donated by fans at collection points around the world, can be viewed in the NGV's Andy Warhol | Ai Weiwei exhibit through April 24. The show will then travel to Pittsburgh for a three-month exhibit at the Andy Warhol Museum opening June 4.
Contributing Editor Maren Williams is a reference librarian who enjoys free speech and rescue dogs.
Tags: ai weiwei asia australia china lego
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Jeff Gordon's next trip will be to the bank, to deposit the Winston Million he won while earning a spot in the record book with a thrilling victory Sunday in the Southern 500 auto race at Darlington, S.C.
Gordon, 26, became only the second driver to win the prize, and the first to take NASCAR's oldest race three years in a row. His two-car-length victory over Jeff Burton moved him closer to another $1.5 million--the season-ending payoff to the Winston Cup champion.
"It really is exciting to me to do things as a team that nobody has done before," Gordon said. "When you look at the list of those who have raced here to know that we've accomplished that is something else."
Mauricio Gugelmin's first CART victory in the Vancouver Molson-Indy was overshadowed by series leader Alex Zanardi's wild roller coaster ride that carried him to fourth place.
Gugelmin, a Brazilian who ran out of fuel while leading on the last lap at Detroit earlier this season, broke through with the victory in his 67th PPG Cup race, defeating defending series champion Jimmy Vasser.
Zanardi, Vasser's teammate, came into the event holding a 39-point lead over runner-up Gil de Ferran of Brazil and could have wrapped up his first Indy-car title by adding five points to that margin.
Instead, he wound up finishing one place behind de Ferran, who now trails Zanardi by 37 points with a maximum of 44 available in the final two events.
Brazilian rookie Cristanode Matta won his second race of the PPG Firestone Indy Lights Championship season when he led from the start to win the Molson Indy Vancouver.
Kenji Okazaki earned $100,000 by winning the Big Bud Shootout special event for Funny Cars, and Joe Amato set an NHRA national speed record of 317.90 mph while qualifying No. 1 in Top Fuel at the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Clermont, Ind.
Scott Hoch chipped in from 70 feet for an eagle on the par-five 18th hole to leapfrog defending champion Loren Roberts and win his second Greater Milwaukee Open in three years at Brown Deer, Wis.
Minutes after Hoch's remarkable shot, David Sutherland knocked in an eagle putt from nearly the same spot that would have forced a playoff with Hoch. Instead, he finished tied for second with Roberts at 15-under-par 269.
Sweden's Robert Karlssson won the BMW Open at Munich, Germany on the third playoff hole against England's Carl Watts, while the 10 automatic qualifiers were decided for the European Ryder Cup team.
Seve Ballesteros postponed announcing his two captain's picks for the European Ryder Cup team because of a wrist injury to Miguel Angel Martin.
Martin, who hasn't played since missing the cut at the British Open in July, has until Wednesday to prove that he has recovered enough from surgery to play in the Ryder Cup at Valderrama, Spain later this month.
Hugh Baiocchi, playing in his second playoff in two weeks and third of the year, tapped in for par on the sixth extra hole then watched Bob Duval miss a par-saving putt and win the Pittsburgh Senior Classic at Midway, Pa.
Cindy Figg-Currier shot the best round of her career, a nine-under-par 63, and held a one-stroke lead over Kim Williams after two rounds of the State Farm Rail Classic in Springfield, Ill.
World champion Ivan Pedroso of Cuba claimed the final gold medal of the 19th University Games by winning the long jump with an event-record leap on his final attempt before 30,000 at Sicily, Italy.
Pedroso jumped 27 feet 6 3/4 inches, beating Jamaican James Beckford's mark of 27-4 3/4. Pedroso's leap bettered the games mark that had stood for 22 years.
Frankie Fredericks of Namibia completed a sweep by winning the 100 meters in 10.15 seconds, ahead of Americans Dennis Mitchell and Jon Drummond. Fredericks also won the 200 on Saturday.
In swimming, the United States won the men's and women's 400 relay titles, giving the Americans 22 consecutive University Games relay wins.
The United States ended the games with an overwhelming lead in the final medal tally, with 61, including 20 golds.
Marco Etcheverry and Roy Wegerle scored as the D.C. United defeated Kansas City, 2-0, before 18,123 in a Major League Soccer game at Washington, D.C. . . . Jason Kreis and Dante Washington each scored twice to lead the Dallas Burn to a 4-1 MLS victory over the Colorado Rapids before an all-time low 4,451 at Dallas.
Britain's coxless foursome, led by one of the world's most successful pairs, Matt Pinsent and Steve Redgrave, won its 2,000-meter heat in 6 minutes, 0.55 seconds to advance to the semifinals of the World Rowing Championships at Chambery, France.
Corey Beck led six players in double figures with 18 points as the United States beat Puerto Rico, 95-86, to win the Tournament of the Americas basketball tournament at Montevideo, Uruguay.
The International Olympic Committee virtually conceded that it has failed in its campaign to wipe out drug use in sports. The IOC executive board acknowledged that an agreement, signed with great fanfare in 1994 to harmonize anti-doping rules in all Olympic sports, had fallen short of its goals.
After losing out to Sydney to host the 2000 summer games, Beijing is set to enter the race for the 2008 Olympics, the Asahi Newspaper reported. . . . Dashing Perfection scored his second straight Grade I stakes victory, beating Royal Shake Em by a half-length in the $261,053 All American Derby at Ruidoso Downs, N.M.
World cycling's governing body was forced to make an embarrassing retraction after announcing that one of its top officials, still alive after suffering a stroke, had died in a hospital.
Miron Baramia, 62, suffered a stroke Thursday. He remained in the Royal Perth (Australia) Hospital on Sunday night.
Jose Loiola and Kent Steffes, the winningest team on this year's Miller Lite/AVP Tour, finished the season with a 15-6 victory over Canyon Ceman and Mike Whitmarsh at the $325,000 beach volleyball championship at Orlando.


On Sunday 28 October at the Expo Center in Vijfhuizen is an indoor flea market!
At the wonderful Expo Center, you can rummage and search and find various treasures at the Flea Market. You can find all kinds of wonderful things, from Bric-a-brac, books, record albums and more.
We wonder what you will find!


WORKOUT ANYTIME, a growing 24-hour fitness franchise with more than 130 locations in 19 states, has enjoyed incredible growth so far in 2017, with 42 projected new club openings for the year and signed franchise agreements for 73 new units.
To continue its impressive growth trajectory, WORKOUT ANYTIME has targeted Kentucky as a priority market for development. From its affordable start-up costs to its proven systems, the brand boasts what every entrepreneur is looking for in a business ownership opportunity.
One Kentucky franchisee, J.P. Wilson, owner of WORKOUT ANYTIME of Madisonville, has seen great success and found that the brand fits perfectly in his small town.
What sets WORKOUT ANYTIME apart from other brands in the segment are its strong corporate support, proven systems and affordability, both from a franchisee and member standpoint.
Another successful franchisee, Trey Hornsby, operates a location in Bardstown and recently signed an agreement to open a second location in Radcliff, Kentucky, set to open before the end of the year. New franchisees Caroline Hendy and Doug Ladd opened a location in Corbin in July, which broke the WORKOUT ANYTIME record for new membership signups in the first day of business with 276.
"You can feel the excitement in the community. People keep coming up to me and telling me they just didn't see a reason not to get involved with the brand because it's open 24 hours and the most affordable gym around. People here in Corbin are excited to change their lives and we can't wait to help them get their start," Hendy said.
With more than a dozen other locations in Kentucky -- Campbellsville, Fairview, Glasgow, Greenwood Square, Lexington, Louisville, Madisonville, Nicholasville and Versailles -- WORKOUT ANYTIME has created awareness in the state and is looking for franchisees to grow the brand across Western Kentucky specifically.