EXPENSIVE ADVICE

The doctor finally reached his table at a dinner, after breaking away from a woman who sought advice on a health problem.
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Do you think I should send her a bill? the doctor asked a lawyer who sat next to him.

Why not? the lawyer replied. You rendered professional services by giving advice.

Thanks, the physician said. I think I'll do that.

When the doctor went to his office the next day to send the bill to the woman, he found a letter from the lawyer. It read:

For legal services, $50.
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Two Soldiers

Two soldiers were in camp. The first one's name was George, and the second one's name was Bill. George said, have you got a piece of paper and an envelope, Bill?

Bill said, Yes, I have,rift gold and he gave them to him.

Then George said, Now I haven't got a pen. Bill gave him his, and George wrote his letter. Then he put it in the envelope and said, have you got a stamp, Bill? Bill gave him one.

Then Bill got up and went to the door, so George said to him, Are you going out?

Bill Said, Yes, I am, and he opened the door.

George said, Please put my letter in the box in the office,rift gold and... He stopped.

What do you want now? Bill said to him.

George looked at the envelope of his letter and answered, What's your girl-friend's address?

Action Movies

Rock ’em, sock’ em, he-man, brawling, sprawling, blood and guts masculine cinematic confections that have been a mainstay of Hollywood production rift gold and appeal to audiences for decades. Using scenarios drawn from Westerns, adventure, war, superheroes or even terrorism, these movies showcase a masculinity of bravado, blood and violence. Key stars over decades have ranged from the suave Douglas Fairbanks, Jr or Errol Flynn to grittier portrayals by Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes or Arnold Schwarzenegger. Some women, including Sigourney Weaver (Alien) and Linda Hamilton (Terminator) have expanded the genre, while Hong Kong stars like Jackie Chan and Chow Yun-Fat have also shown box-office appeal and even gained cult status. Box office,rift gold rather than art, after all, is the appeal that these epics offer to young men with or without dates on a summer evening, negotiating masculinity by fantasy and imitation.

A Mistake

An American,rift gold a Scot and a Canadian were killed in a car accident. They arrived at the gates of heaven, where a flustered St. Peter explained that there had been a mistake. Give me $500 each, he said, and I'll return you to earth as if the whole thing never happened.

Done! said the American. Instantly, he found himself standing unhurt near the scene.

Where are the others? asked a medic.

Last I knew,rift gold said the American, the Scot was haggling price, and the Canadian was arguing that his government should pay.

I Am Acting Like a Lady

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One day when women's dresses were on sale at the FarEast Department Store, a dignified middle-aged man decided to get his wife a piece. But he soon found himself being battered by frantic women.

He stood it as long as he could; then, with head lowered and arms flailing, he plowed through the crowed.

You there! challenged a thrill voice. Can't you act like a gentleman?

Listen, he said, I have been acting like a gentleman for an hour. From now on, I am acting like a lady.

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Gaga's 'Born This Way' vs. Britney's 'Hold It Against Me': Which Video Wins?

The gooey egg or the paint-splattered wedding dress? With the recent premieres of Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way' and Britney Spears' 'Hold It Against Me,' the two biggest female vocalists in music set themselves up for a diva-off on par with the Britney/Christina pop-tart battle a decade ago.

But like 'Highlander,' there can only be one (OK, not really, but just go with it). To aid your decision on whose video reigns supreme, we've put together a side-by-side comparison of both videos.

We should note if this were a lyrical battle, Gaga would win before the contest even began. Rift Gold Using a tired, third-rate pick-up line -- "If I said I want your body now, would you hold it against me?" Britney coos -- as your chorus and title is lazy and embarrassing. Is Ke$ha going to start asking, "Are you from Tennessee, 'cause you're the only ten I see?" Will Pink be inquiring if we are wearing space underwear because "your ass is out of this world"? You'll probably have an equal chance at the bar with Gaga's opening line -- "This is the manifesto of Mother Monster" -- which is saying very little.

But on to the videos. For help, we enlisted MTV Buzzworthy senior editor and pop music expert Tamar Anitai for some additional insight. Let's break it down:

Location
'Hold It Against Me' takes place on "Earth, 2011," which is somehow different from "Present Day." While the thrust of the video takes place on a photo shoot, Spears' biggest points come from the colossal video dome that looks like the fighting ring from 'Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome' as directed by Oscar de la Renta.

'Born This Way' occupies both outer space and the outer recesses of Gaga's sanity. A colorful and cosmic beginning gives way to drab soundstages, though you can't front on the singer placing her head among a sea of disembodied heads.

Winner: Spears

Costumes
Both singers have the requisite gaggle of semi-nude dancers writhing around, so that's a draw. Spears gets points for the bullet belt and Jackson Pollock'd wedding dress, but Gaga is on some Erykah Badu/Janelle Monae sci-fi queen tip when she's not rocking strategically placed zippers that look like landing strips. Bonus points for the tuxedo/skull ensemble straight out of a 'Karate Kid' Cobra Kai garage sale, proving that melodies aren't the only thing Gaga borrowed from the '80s.

The critic's take: "I loved the jewelry in Britney's video, and the satin-y stilettos. RIFT Platinum Those are things I would actually wear," Anitai tells PopEater. "Whereas I would not actually wear an eyeball on my chin, you know? The zippers on Gaga's no-fly zones made me cringe, but I loved her men's suit. Very Fall 2011!"

Winner: Gaga

Choreography
Like the group of monkeys circling the obelisk in '2001: A Space Odyssey,' both singers have minions dancing around them in adoration and worship. rift gold 'Hold It Against Me' boasts the best fight-dance scene since 'Beat It,' with Britney taking on her doppelganger in some weird 'Mortal Kombat'/Las Vegas showgirl hybrid. 'Born This Way' takes its cue from 'Black Swan,' as the singer and her crew combine the balletic with the bombastic.

The critic's take: "The choreography in Gaga's video feels infinitely stronger, RIFT Platinum but that could be because you see so much of her body, which really emphasizes her dancing," Anitai says. "Teeny-weeny itty-bitty undies, anyone?"

Winner: Gaga

Product placement
This category is like golf: lowest score wins. 'Hold It Against Me' showcases Radiance, Spears' own fragrance, Make Up Forever eye shadow, Sony (Spears' parent company) and dating site Plenty of Fish, the latter making sense in the context of the video because, um, well, for some reason. But when you realize the video's director, Jonas Akerlund, also helmed Gaga's blatant product-boosting video 'Telephone,' things start to make more sense. TERA Gold But Britney is $500,000 richer now, so it all turned out OK.

Gaga's video appears to be free of any product placement, or at least there's nothing as obviously on display as her competitor. Makes sense, though. Not too many unicorn and vaginal gooey egg companies vying for more exposure.

Dana White Thinks Randy Couture Retirement Talk Is Premature

TORONTO -- Randy Couture's career lifespan is so beyond the scope of normal expectation, so mind-boggling, that there is actually a fair debate whether he -- 47 years old in human time but ageless in the cage -- should hang them up after Saturday night.

Will he or won't he? It's one of the big questions surrounding UFC 129 as MMA's biggest promotion gears up for its massive event at the Rogers Centre. Couture will spend much of the next two days answering queries about his future, looking back at his past and trying to avoid further speculation from fans and pundits. It will be no easy feat. His future and what's left of it is clearly on the minds of many of the 55,000 expected at the event and millions who follow the sport.

As for UFC president Dana White, he's among the group that thinks Couture isn't ready to pen his swan song just yet. Asked directly if he thinks we've seen the last of "Captain America" as an active fighter, White voiced his doubt.

"No," he said. "I'm going to go out there and say it again. I know he was chirping, he was mad at me earlier, but listen. Randy Couture, TERA Gold I've been saying it and you guys have been standing in front of me when I said it. This guy is one of the top 10 best in the world. And I think he's one of those guys that says, 'Yeah, I'm retiring. I'm done.' It's hard to do. You see Chuck Liddell. You don't know what I went through to get Chuck Liddell to retire. And I don't think anybody would disagree that it was time for him to retire. Who knows with this guy? I'm not saying it's not time for him to retire but who knows? He's such a competitor that every time there's something out there and he says, 'You know what? I think I can beat this guy,' I think he's going to come out and try to do it."

Perhaps White's opinion stems from the fact that Couture hasn't completely shut the door on a close. He's mentioned that the UFC is likely to approach him with other opportunities win or lose. It would probably take something major to get Couture back in the cage, a fight that truly piques his interest and fighting IQ.

It's a similar scenario that got us here. After Couture's last fight last August, RIFT Platinum he admitted he might be done unless he was offered a matchup that truly engaged him. Lyoto Machida was a fight he'd wanted for a long time, a desire he'd verbalized even in public. This time around though, he hasn't mentioned a specific circumstance that might coax his return. White, too, has no ideas on what it might take.

"I honestly don't know of another fight he wants," White said. "I'm sure there's a couple of match-ups out there. If the right thing happens, rift gold I think Randy will jump in and take the fight. And I think it's always fun to see him fight. If he's 62 and can still do it, I want to see it."

If he loses, perhaps Couture's decision will be made for him. He'd be moving further away from the championship, a position in which he spent literally half his career.

If he emerges victorious, though, he'd be on a four-fight win streak. RIFT Platinum Some find it hard to believe that Couture would go out with his momentum still rolling and his profile still high. He's amazed us before, so why not leave us with our jaws hanging as he fades out of the scene?

"I'm happy for him either way," White said. "First of all, he can go out on a win streak, go out on a high in his career, as old as he was, and literally go down as one of the greatest ever. Right here and now, we're so used to him that we really don't celebrate the f---ing incredible journey this guy has had and the incredible athlete he is. I can't get on the treadmill. I'm 42. Everything hurts. My leg hurts, my neck hurts, my back hurts. This guy is going out and fighting 22 year olds. Rift Gold Who does that? Look throughout history. Everyone went apes---, it was on the cover of everything when George Foreman knocked out Michael Moorer. This guy is still doing it. Now we're all used to it and numb to it. In 10 years, we're all going to look back and go, 'That guy was a freak. Holy s---, he was incredible.'"

The Ass and the Grasshoppers

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A STATESMAN heard some Labourers singing at their work, and wishing
to be happy too, asked them what made them so.

"Honesty," replied the Labourers.

So the Statesman resolved that he too would be honest, and the
result was that he died of want.

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Thank-you note

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　　The son of a friend graduated from high school, so I sent a card to congratulate him. I enclosed money and scribbled some words of wisdom inside. He sent me a note back saying, "Thank you for the gift. Also thank you for the advice. My mom always told me that you are full of it."

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The Wolf and the Lion

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AN Indian who had been driven out of a fertile valley by a White
Settler, said:

"Now that you have robbed me of my land, there is nothing for me to
do but issue invitations to a war-dance."

"I don't so much mind your dancing," said the White Settler,
putting a fresh cartridge into his rifle, "but if you attempt to
make me dance you will become a good Indian lamented by all who
didn't know you. How did YOU get this land, anyhow?"

The Indian's claim was compromised for a plug hat and a tin horn.
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The Hare and the Tortoise

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OF two Writers one was brilliant but indolent; the other though
dull, industrious. They set out for the goal of fame with equal
opportunities. Before they died the brilliant one was detected in
seventy languages as the author of but two or three books of
fiction and poetry, while the other was honoured in the Bureau of
Statistics of his native land as the compiler of sixteen volumes of
tabulated information relating to the domestic hog.

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Chris Narveson Is Human After All, Nationals Beat Brewers 4-3 In 10 Innings

W: Chad Gaudin (1-1)
L: Zach Braddock (0-1)

HR: Rickie Weeks (4)

MVP: Carlos Gomez (+.215)
LVP: Zach Braddock (-.368)

FanGraphs Win Expectancy Graph and Star of the Game Voting

After back-to-back starts where he pitched like an ace, Chris Narveson looked more like a #5 starter tonight. His scoreless streak came to a somewhat ignominious end in the second inning, RIFT Platinum as he walked the #8 hitter and the pitcher with the bases loaded to force in the first two runs of his 2011 season. He recovered to put together a decent outing, though: He allowed three runs on five hits and four walks over 5.2 innings, striking out five. He threw exactly 100 pitches.

Rickie Weeks helped the Brewers close the gap a bit with a two run homer in the fifth inning, but that was all the Brewer bats could muster until the ninth. rift gold In fact, in the first seven innings of this game the Brewers only reached second base one time. Finally, in the ninth inning Carlos Gomez singled home Rickie Weeks to tie the game, but was thrown out trying to take second on the play, sending the game into extra innings.

The Brewer bullpen kept the team in the game for 3.1 innings tonight, as Sergio Mitre, RIFT Platinum Mitch Stetter and Sean Green combined to hold the Nationals scoreless through regulation. Unfortunately their luck ran out in the tenth as Jayson Werth reached and took second on a Yuniesky Betancourt error, stole third and came home on a walkoff fielder's choice.

In other notes:

Zach Braddock pitched the tenth inning tonight and hit 93 on the gun, so his velocity appears to be back up. Rift Gold He lost the game and gets LVP tonight despite not allowing a hit.
With Narveson on the mound, Wil Nieves (who had caught both of his prior starts) got the start at catcher tonight. He went 1-for-3 with a double before being lifted as part of a double switch when Narveson left the game.

With the Brewers facing a lefty for the second straight day, Erick Almonte made back-to-back starts for the first time all season. He went 1-for-4 with a single.

How to Get Forms to File for Child Custody

Overview
The overall process of seeking custody of your child represents a complicated legal matter. On the other hand, the initial step of obtaining the forms needed for obtaining child custody is relatively simple. The vast majority of courts in the United States maintain self-service centers and other resources designed to assist people involved in family law-related matters to commence and pursue cases, according to the American Bar Association Section of Family Law.

Step 1
Go to the clerk of the court in the county where you reside or where an existing divorce, Rift Gold paternity or legal separation case is on file. The court clerk typically is located in the main courthouse building.

Step 2
Request the packet of standard forms needed to pursue a child custody case. RIFT Platinum The primary forms include a motion for custody and child support guidelines and worksheet.

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Step 3
Obtain the instructions for completing these forms from the court clerk.

Step 4
Request a fee schedule at the same time. RIFT Platinum Some courts require the payment of a filing fee for custody motions.

Uncontested Divorce Agreements

Overview
Divorce laws enumerate a preference for spouses to attempt to settle issues raised in marriage dissolution proceeding through negotiation. A divorcing couple should consider a trial as a last resort when resolving issues through negotiation proves impossible, according to "Nolo's Essential Guide to Divorce" by Emily Doskow. In some cases, a couple fully agrees on divorce-related issues or no significant issues exist to resolve. Rift Gold In these instances, the divorcing couple enters into what is called an uncontested divorce agreement.

Function
The function of an uncontested divorce agreement is to put into writing the position of the parties regarding issues associated with their marriage dissolution proceeding, according to the American Bar Association Section of Family Law. Typically, a court clerk maintains a standard form uncontested divorce agreement for use by a couple able to fully resolve issues raised in their case.

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Features
The features of an uncontested divorce agreement usually are fairly simply. The document sets forth how a couple is dividing marital property and debt. If children are involved, the agreement establishes the couple's position regarding custody, visitation and support. Once complete, the parties sign the uncontested divorce agreement in front of a notary public.

Effects
Once executed, the uncontested divorce agreement becomes a binding contract between the spouses, according to "The Complete Divorce Handbook: RIFT Platinum A Practical Guide" by Brette McWhorter Sember. Ultimately, the agreement becomes part of the actual order of the court. At the conclusion of the divorce proceedings, the judge incorporates the content of the agreement into the divorce decree. Because the agreement ends up with the force of a court order, the failure to comply with the terms of the agreement becomes a violation of a court order. A judge can impose significant sanctions, including a contempt finding or a monetary penalty.

Misconceptions
A common misconception is that a couple cannot obtain an uncontested divorce if they have children. The presence of children in a marriage does not impact a couple's ability to pursue an uncontested divorce. rift gold Uncontested merely means the couple is able to resolve issues, including those associated with children. The misconception arises out of confusing an uncontested divorce with a simplified divorce. Some states permit a simplified divorce, a more streamlined process for couples that do not have children and possess property valued below a certain dollar amount.

Benefits
The benefits of an uncontested divorce agreement include allowing the couple a better ability to control the manner through which issues are resolved. Rather than hand the case over to a judge for resolution, they hammer out an overall resolution of the case. RIFT Platinum Concluding divorce proceedings in a shorter time represents another benefit associated with entering into an uncontested divorce agreement.

Todd Duffee's New Year's Gamble

For a certain kind of MMA fighter, New Year's Eve in Japan represents a simple math problem. It's about risk versus reward, money versus pain and embarrassment, and, more often than not, overflowing optimism versus some very long odds.

Mostly though, it's about money.

That might not be the only reason Todd Duffee reportedly agreed to end a tumultuous 2010 with a fight against Alistair Overeem on this year's Dynamite!! New Year's Eve show, but it's definitely one of the reasons.

By all indications, Duffee stands to make a nice chunk of change (somewhere in the neighborhood of $60,000, according to various internet reports) for shipping off to Tokyo at the last minute. For a guy who hasn't fought since being released from the UFC following his first career loss to Mike Russow in May, the chance to end the year with some money in his pocket must seem like a difficult offer to refuse. But does that necessarily mean it's a good idea?

Sometimes, for some fighters, the answer is yes. For instance, last year when Gary Goodridge got offered a chance to make a quick thirty grand just for showing up in Tokyo and letting Gegard Mousasi pound on his skull for about ninety seconds, there was no reason not to take it. It wasn't as if the loss would hurt his career or his legacy. Plus, he needed the money.

Then again, here we are a year later and Goodridge says he still hasn't been paid for that fight, so maybe it wasn't such a great idea after all.

The point is, sometimes you might as well get on the plane and hope for the best. Sure, you might get beat up, but sadly, at a certain point in a fighter's career his willingness to take that risk is the only commodity he has left to sell. That and his name value, if he has any to begin with.

But that's not Duffee. At least, not yet. He's a 25-year-old heavyweight with an action figure physique and only one freak loss on his record. He's suffered some setbacks, but he's still got more tomorrows than yesterdays. So why, when he reportedly turned down a chance to face Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva in Strikeforce on short notice, would he accept a much tougher fight against Overeem in Japan?

For one, there's the money, which is generally better in Japan for these types of fights. Of course, there's always the chance that, like Goodridge, you may never actually see that money, which is why Duffee should take every precaution to make sure his payout is secured before he ever steps into the ring (two words for you, big guy: escrow account).

But the money's only part of it. If, in Duffee's mind, he's just there to take an expensive beating on New Year's Eve, he's making a colossal error. Few people might be expecting him to beat Overeem, but one of those few had better be Todd Duffee. If not, he'd be better off staying home and watching the ball drop on TV, because there's still plenty for him to lose in this fight.

You see, taking a fight like this on short notice is a little like not studying for the SAT's and spending the night before the test shotgunning beers instead. If things go badly, you tell yourself, at least you have a built-in excuse. Only when things really do go badly, no one wants to hear your excuse, especially not when the excuse comes as a direct result of your own poor decisions.

Showing up in Japan underprepared and overmatched this weekend would be a good way for Duffee to damage not just his face, but also his future earnings potential. Right now Duffee is the interesting prospect who lost one fight because of one punch. RIFT Platinum His sudden UFC firing actually made him more of a sympathetic, if slightly enigmatic figure, neither of which is such a bad thing for a young fighter.

That would all be useful if he was planning on parlaying it into a contract with an organization like Strikeforce. It would even work in his favor if he was just building himself up in one-offs against lower-tier opponents in tiny promotions, which seemed to be his plan right up until the Japanese called with the offer of Overeem.

But by accepting this fight with Overeem, Duffee has put himself back in the spotlight. Whether he's doing it for the money or because he genuinely believes he can surprise everyone by beating the Strikeforce and K-1 Grand Prix champ, it doesn't matter. Regardless of his motivations, he's still put himself in a situation where the odds are stacked against him and anything but a victory is bad news for his immediate future.

If you think you're going to win – and every fighter, somewhere in the dark parts of his mind, thinks he can win any fight at any time – that's fine. It's a calculated risk.

But if you don't fully appreciate what you've gotten yourself into, rift gold and if you're just looking for a quick payday that will help you end the year in the black, you're gambling with your own future.

For a bright, young prospect like Duffee who still has so much to lose in that department, it's like betting your savings on one spin of roulette. RIFT Platinum If it works out, you're a genius, or maybe just very lucky. If it doesn't, everyone is going to wonder what you were thinking to begin with.

Taking a short notice fight with Overeem might be a sign of great courage and confidence, but that's not what people tend to remember once you're on your back staring up at the lights.
Rift Gold Duffee's already done that once this year, and it didn't do his career any favors. If he ends the year in similar fashion against Overeem, even at a hefty price tag, he'd better be prepared to make that money last.

Zimbabwe Police Arrest Human Rights Lawyers

Zimbabwe police arrested two human rights lawyers Tuesday as they travelled to represent a Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) cabinet minister and a Catholic priest who were detained in western Zimbabwe late last week.
The MDC has complained, since the start up of the inclusive government more than two years ago, that the police are not public servants but are loyal to President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF party.
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Moses Mzila-Ndlovu, co-minister of national healing in the multi party inclusive government and Catholic priest, Father Marko Mkandla appeared in court Tuesday in Hwange, western Zimbabwe and were released on bail.

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights say two lawyers were arrested on their way to the court house to represent the two men who had been in police cells since last Friday.

Moses Mzila-Ndlovu was arrested last Friday on his way to attend a memorial service for thousands of Zimbabweans from western Zimbabwe allegedly murdered by Mugabe’s North Korean trained troops 25 years ago. Father Mkandla was conducting the memorial service.

Police say Mzila-Ndlovu and the Catholic priest have broken laws governing public meetings.

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said the two were finally granted bail at a hearing late Tuesday. Lawyers had complained about police behavior against the two men who were brought into court in leg irons.

Mzila-Ndlovu, a veteran of the 1970’s war against minority white rule is a founding member of the MDC party and was recently appointed minister in charge of promoting healing among those who believe they have suffered persecution because of their political beliefs.

Zimbabwe's Lawyers for Human Rights also announced that an 82-year-old traditional leader, Rwisai Myakaurua, who was arrested in February and suffered injuries during 25 days in detention, died last Saturday. Myakauru was arrested with more than 20 MDC supporters when MDC legislator for the district, Douglas Mwonzora, was holding a rally.

Last month, South African president Jacob Zuma, on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), warned that political violence and diminishing freedoms undermined the inclusive government’s ability to prepare for free and fair elections in Zimbabwe.
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Political analysts say Zuma’s criticisms were aimed at Mugabe and his Zanu PF party. SADC guaranteed the political agreement which brought the inclusive government to power and appointed Zuma as mediator.

Several of Mzila-Ndlovu’s colleagues in the inclusive government protested against his arrest by refusing to take part in any independence day celebrations Monday.

The History of Wine

Early in the development of agriculture men discovered how to make alcoholic drinks from grapes and corn. The ancient Egyptians drank both wine and beer, and the Greeks carried on a lively trade in wine throughout the Mediterranean. Grapevines are all of a single species although there are hundreds of varieties adapted to different soils and climates.
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Wine is the fermented juice of fresh grapes. The juice of the wine grape contains sugar, and growths of yeast form on the outside of the grape skins. In wine-making, the grapes are crushed in a wine press and the yeast converts the sugar to alcohol, when there is no air present, by a process called fermentation. Red wine is made from dark grapes, and white wine from white grapes or from dark grapes whose skins have been removed from the wine press at an early stage. The most famous wine¬growing countries are France, Germany and Italy. Wine was made in England in the Middle Ages,rift gold but the climate is not really suitable for grapevines. Wines must be drunk quickly once they are opened; otherwise, bacteria will use the air to convert the alcohol to vinegar. The bacteria are killed by a higher alcohol content than is found in wine and that is why sherry and port, the specialties of Spain and Portugal respectively, are fortified by the addition of spirits to make them last longer.

Zimbabwe Unity Gov't Partners Detail Election Road Map Under SADC Pressure

Negotiators for the three political parties in Zimbabwe's national unity government are close to completing a long-mooted road map to the next elections in the country amid pressure from the Southern African Development Community to finish the job.
SADC and South African sources involved said they had to read President Robert Mugabe’s former ruling ZANU-PF party the riot act after it continued to stall on reforms.
ZANU-PF hawks say just three tasks must be completed before new elections can be held: the completion of a draft constitution,rift gold a national referendum on that document and reform of the electoral process as agreed by unity government party negotiators.
Sources close to Wednesday's talks said issues on the agenda include guarantees of personal security for all Zimbabweans,rift gold an end to violence, creation of an accurate voters roll, redistricting along transparent and impartial lines and participation of SADC monitors from six months before elections to six months after the ballot, among others.
Particularly problematic is proposed reform of the national security establishment to prevent further abuses by the military, security agencies and youth militia. President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, mediator for SADC in Harare, will present the road map to regional leaders in Namibia on May 20 at an extraordinary summit on Zimbabwe and Madagascar.
ZANU-PF sources say the party is worried SADC might isolate it
Furious at an unexpected rebuke at a SADC mini-summit early this month in Livingstone, Zambia, President Mugabe launched a sharp attack, accusing the regional body of trying to interfere in Zimbabwe's internal affairs. He contended that Mr. Zuma was just a facilitator to the dialog in Harare and "cannot prescribe anything.”
Such sentiments were echoed in in a full-page opinion piece by ZANU-PF Member of Parliament Jonathan Moyo, who suggested that Mr. Zuma wanted to use the road map to overthrow Mr. Mugabe in the same way the South African leader voted for last month’s United Nations Security Council resolution imposing a no-fly zone over Libya.
ZANU-PF has now dispatched Vice President Joice Mujuru Pretoria to apologize to Mr. Zuma over attacks on him by party hardliners, sources said.
Even Mr. Mugabe has been back-pedaling from his attacks on SADC. Addressing thousands of people in a Harare stadium during the Independence Day celebrations on Monday, the president said he appreciates SADC’s role in resolving the Zimbabwe crisis.
But ZANU-PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo said he knew nothing of an apology to Zuma.
Crisis in Zimbabwe Regional coordinator Dewa Mavhinga said a great deal remains to be done before elections can be held in Zimbabwe.

Vodka

Vodka,rift gold distilled alcoholic beverage known traditionally as the Russian national drink. It is distilled usually from a wheat mash and sold in concentrations of 40 percent alcohol, or 80 proof, and of 50 percent alcohol, or 100 proof. Vodka is a smooth,rift gold, unaged, odorless, and colorless liquor with an extremely mild flavor; it is popular in the U.S. for use in cocktails.

Mozambique Airline Sidesteps EU Ban

A Mozambican airline says it will continue flying to Portugal despite a European ban on air carriers from the African country.

The European Union's executive body said Tuesday that all Mozambican airlines are barred from EU airspace due to a failure to observe safety standards.

However,rift gold state-owned Mozambique Airlines says flights between Maputo and Lisbon will continue using a Boeing 767 leased from a Portuguese charter service, EuroAtlantic.

Mozambique Airlines also said it is a responsible company that has met all requirements and procedures set out by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

The European Commission said Tuesday that aviation officials in Mozambique are not enforcing standards such as providing qualified plane technicians.

The EU body also banned two Air Madagascar planes because of alleged deficiencies in their operation.
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The EU currently bans a total of 269 air carriers from 21 countries in all. The majority of the countries are in Africa.

Todays Matchup: Astros (Wandy Rodriguez) at Brewers (Randy Wolf)

Happy Easter!

In today's game, the Astros are sending out Wandy Rodriguez (1-2, 5.48), Rift Gold who is probably the teams ace after the departure of Roy Oswalt last year, though his high ERA doesn't reflect that. RIFT Platinum His FIP is right around where it has been since 2008 at 3.65. He is also striking out and walking one batter less per nine innings this season compared to last. Rodriguez throws three high 80s fastballs--a two seamer, a four seamer and a cutter--along with a changeup and a curveball. Here is how current Brewers have fared against Rodriguez. rift gold As you can see, Rickie Weeks, Ryan Braun and Casey McGehee have all had success against Wandy while Prince Fielder has mostly been held in check.

Randy Wolf (2-2, 3.18) had another very good game in his last outing, going six innings without giving up a run and allowing just two hits. RIFT Platinum He currently sports a 4.32 FIP. Here is how current Astros have fared against Wolf in their careers.

Here are the lineups, now with 100% more Brandon Boggs!

Brewers

Weeks 4
Gomez 8
Braun 7
Fielder 3
McGehee 5
Betancourt 6
Boggs 9
Nieves 2
Wolf 1

Astros

Bourgeois 8
Sanchez 6
Pence 9
Lee 3
Hall 4
Michaels 7
Johnson 5
Towels 2
Rodriguez 1

Go Brewers

Bethenny Frankel Reveals Boob Job Ordeal

Bethenny Frankel's candor about the intimate details of her personal life on Bravo hits 'The Real Housewives of New York,' 'Bethenny Getting Married?' and 'Bethenny Ever After' have made her a household name, and now the reality star is opening up about some painful history.

In the new issue of Life & Style, Frankel opens up about her choice to get plastic surgery in 2005 and the regret that came along with it. The Skinnygirl entrepreneur, who has admitted to suffering from body image and eating issues in the past, says she was talked into getting breast implants as an alternative to the breast lift she originally wanted.

Frankel, who was a natural C cup prior to surgery, says she wanted to improve the look of her sagging breasts with a lift, but a Florida plastic surgeon convinced her to get implants.


"He told me there would be big lollipop scars if I got a lift. Being single at the time, I wasn't comfortable with that idea," she says. RIFT Platinum "He told me he could instead put in a small implant that would give me a lift -- not as much as a real lift would but at least a little bit of a lift. So I did it."

The result? Frankel was left with breasts too large for her petite frame, which only worsened the issues she had hoped to correct.

"They were still saggy -- only now they were bigger! They were saggy and gigantic. rift gold I was so uncomfortable."

Frankel, who was working as a chef at the time, didn't have the money to have her implants removed, and had to bear their weight for three years. RIFT Platinum "I don't think your breasts should be the first thing people notice when you enter a room," she says, although that was exactly the reaction she got from many, including 'RHONY' nemesis Kelly Bensimon, who mocked "ho-bag" Frankel's "double D fake t*ts" during a confrontation.

Frankel says that in 2008, once her finances allowed, she made the decision to have her implants removed. "The minute I had the money, I was like, 'Let's do it.'"

Frankel, Rift Gold who has also admitted to having Botox and microdermabrasion treatments to maintain her youthful appearances, has no qualms about telling the world her story.

"If there's something you're not comfortable with and you can correct it, great," she says.

Woman Freezing Body Fat to Use Years Later

Women who undergo liposuction surgery at a London hospital have the chance to freeze some of their leftover fat if they want to use it decades later to counteract age-related sagging.

Young female patients at The Private Clinic can put some of their own fat on ice in a "bank" and then have surgeons use it when they're older to give them a lift, according to the Daily Mail.

The cost? Nearly $2,000 for the first year, with an annual storage fee of more than $300, the paper said.

"In your 20s, 30s and 40s, you can extract a substantial amount of healthy stem cells from this fat," Dr. Mike Comins, medical director of The Private Clinic, told the Mail. "As you get older, the stem cells start to diminish."

But a U.S. cosmetic surgeon said there's no evidence that younger, frozen fat is any better than older, fresh fat when it comes to firming up droopy skin.

"Fat in itself does not age," Dr. David W. Stepnick, the division chief of facial plastic surgery at University Hospitals in Cleveland, told AOL Health. "I would very much doubt that the fat frozen for years and years is any better than fresh fat extracted at age 50 or 60. I wouldn't do it on my patients."

The procedure, called fat grafting, which involves transferring fat from one area of the body to another, has become increasingly common -- particularly in breast augmentation and other cosmetic surgeries.

"Fat injection is a very, very hot topic," said Stepnick. "We're going to see a lot more research in the next 10 years."

He said more patients are likely to have their own fat injected six to 12 months later -- not 30 years into the future, as the women at the clinic say they plan to do.

Virginia Crowley is one such patient. The 28-year-old was among the first to store her fat in the clinic's bank, according to the Mail. Rift Gold She said she considers it an "insurance policy."

"It's early days for this type of storage, but there is no reason to suggest that the tissue wouldn't be just as effective years later," a clinic spokeswoman told the paper. RIFT Platinum "There should be no degeneration of the fat cells, as it is a robust tissue and it is properly treated and frozen at a regulated facility."

Stepnick disagrees, RIFT Platinum saying there is little to suggest that the fat stem cells of a younger woman are superior to those of an older woman.

"While it's possible that when you're older, there are fewer stem cells in fat, rift gold I have yet to read any studies comparing the stem cells of a 50-year-old and the stem cells of a 20-year-old," he told AOL Health

Here's How To Get A New Year's Eve Date On Short Notice

When I walked into my local Brooklyn Starbucks one mid-December morning, I wasn't expecting to get a New Year's Eve date. But as a recently minted 33-year-old with chronic No Boyfriend Disease, RIFT Platinum I did have a goal. Not only to get caffeinated, but also to test out a few pick-up tricks from the dating how-to guide I was reading, Date Like a Man, by Myreah Moore and Jodie Gould. In it, they assert coffee chains were "the Mecca for thousands of hyped-up singles." lemondrop: How I Finally Got Over Only Liking Guys Who Never Called Me Back

This morning's outing was actually part of an even grander experiment; to read a different dating book every month for a year, rift gold taking the advice to see if I, whose "relationships" typically expired before the Half and Half in my fridge, could find lasting love in the city of barstool make-outs and three single women for every unmarried man.

So, when I walked in and saw among the couples not one but two members of the rare Brooklyn male species Bachelorus availobolus, unencumbered by stroller or nearby female, I quickly put my newspaper down in the seat across from them. lemondrop: Find True Love (And 11 Other Things You Can Do Over A Coffee Break)
When I returned from getting my coffee, as I sat and re-read for the seventh time a line about a goat in a version of polo played in Afghanistan I tried to think. RIFT Platinum What were those non-verbal flirting cues Myreah told me about? I could flip my hair (currently tied in a rubber band), expose my supposedly "erotic" wrists, massage my neck (a no-go in my turtleneck), twirl something cylindrical (revealing my subconscious desires),Rift Gold let a shoe sexily dangle off the back of my heel (impossible as I was in double-knotted cross-trainers) or cross my legs, point one foot in his direction and let it swing, because "thrusting is a courting signal." lemondrop: Decode Any Guy in Seconds

Juan Pierre Leads The Hit Parade Against Niemann

Can the White Sox play against Jeff Niemann every time they get into a losing streak this year? When the Sox met Neimann in Chicago on April 10th, Rift Gold he lasted just 2.2 innings while giving up five runs. It seemed liked another run in with him was just what the club needed to bust out of their losing funk.

The Sox roughed up Niemann pretty well on the night. This time out he lasted 4.2 innings while giving up six runs (five earned). RIFT Platinum The damage started in the first inning, when Juan Pierre singled on a bunt and then advanced all the way to third on a throwing error by the Rays. One out later and the White Sox led for the first time in 51 innings. They didn’t stop at a single run, though, as they hung eight more on the board across four different innings.

Starter Gavin Floyd gave the offense just the backing it needed with an excellent game. He pitched six innings, giving up just two runs on seven hits and two walks. He also struck out seven. rift gold The White Sox bullpen also stepped up, throwing three scoreless frames with only one hit and one walk.

It was a great night for most of the lineup. Six members of the Sox had hits, RIFT Platinum and three had multi-hit games. Even Omar Vizquel got in on the action, scoring a run himself and driving in two more on two hits.

The Sox will continue their road trip and look to start a winning streak in Detroit on Friday evening, with first pitch happening at 6:05 P.M., CDT.

Stephanie Seymour's Son Responds To Mother/Son Embrace: I'm Gay!

Remember the olden days when Angelina Jolie and her brother were creepily close on the red carpet? Well, there may be new heirs to the throne of family inappropriateness: Stephanie Seymour and her son, Peter Brant II. Several days ago, the two were photographed canoodling in the tropical setting of St. Barth, with Seymour's son cupping her breast in a way that strangers just might instead mistake him for her husband!

The faux pas has garnered an international media blitz, but the oldest son of Seymour and billionaire Peter Brant isn't apologizing. RIFT Platinum In fact, the 18-year-old is speaking out to defend his actions and insists it's all just normal mother-son stuff, really. Peter Brant And Stephanie Seymour House Hunt

"I would just like to say that these pictures have been taken completely out of context; my mother and I are very close as she is with all her children," Brant II told Gawker. rift gold "She often hugs and kisses me and my siblings in an manner that is intimate, any mother in the world does the same."
Brant II goes on to state that he is openly gay and that he acknowledges their "relationship may be different because of his sexuality." RIFT Platinum He also adds that he and Seymour were were well-aware of the paparazzi's presence on the beach and wouldn’t do anything differently.

Though Brant II has called the collective gasps and rumors a "malicious attack," he does seem to be enjoying the attention to some degree. On Friday, the aspiring socialite trumpeted the arrival of his 1,000th Facebook fan. He also appears to be following in his mom’s footsteps as a model on the rise, with Paper dubbing him the "It Boy" of last fall's Fashion Week.Rift Gold And, like any celeb worth their salt, he also seems to have mastered the art of the public statement:

"We learn to accept that these photos may appear in the media but we do not appreciate speculation on our personal lives and any other hateful uninhibited opinions," wrote Brant II. Inside Stephanie Seymour's Ugly Divorce

So was it truly just a loving mother-son moment or did Seymour and Brant II cross a lascivious line? Sound off in the comments and give us your take!

How I Lost It: I've always loved walking -- RIFT Platinum it gives me energy and always helped me manage my weight in the past. So naturally, I started walking again.

I began slowly. I would walk in the morning with my dog and then at noon and after dinner -- they weren't long walks, but they were long enough to get my heart pumping and get me energized. I would walk at a steady pace -- not too fast but not too slow either. rift gold As I got used to walking again, I noticed it did two things for me: It gave me exercise that I desperately needed, and it helped me take my mind off food and work. When I got home after my walks, I didn't head straight to the pantry -- in fact, I usually wasn't even hungry!

Suzy now
As I got used to walking, I started challenging myself by speed walking, adding weights and even running from time to time. RIFT Platinum I have a weighted vest from NYKNYC that I usually wear, and it's done wonders for helping me burn fat. I walk 20 minutes in the morning, 45 minutes at lunch and another half hour after work. When I don't feel like walking, I find the music helps motivate me.

As I began to get healthier, I noticed I was making better food choices, too. Rift Gold I seemed to lose the urge to gulp down sugary or fatty junk foods, and I cut out bread completely. Nowadays, my diet is mostly lean meats and veggies, but I do treat myself to dessert most days. The difference is that now I can enjoy just one or two cookies -- not several.

I also allow myself one cheat hour a week -- usually it's on Friday. Nothing's off-limits during my cheat hour -- even a gallon of ice cream! After the hour is up, it's back to healthy eating again. The cheat hour helps satisfy any junk food cravings I have.

My No. 1 piece of advice is this: Don't give up! You can lose weight -- it just takes a bit of effort at first, and after a while, you'll start to look forward to it. Making only slight adjustments to my lifestyle helped me lose 50 pounds, and I'm still losing!

How I Gained It: I'd been trim and fit pretty much my whole life, but then something changed: Rift GoldI started working from home. My job involves sitting at the computer all day, so I began putting on ridiculous amounts of weight. I was so busy, I didn't notice or even care that I was eating too much -- in fact, food helped me deal with stress while I was working. When I was feeling stressed, I reached for the cookies. RIFT Platinum And it wasn't just stress that caused me to eat -- when everything was going well and running smoothly, I'd have a mini celebration with a cookie or a piece of cake or something sweet. I always had some way to rationalize my poor food choices.

Breaking Point: I was the heaviest I'd ever been, and I'd gotten to the point where I was disgusted with myself when I looked in the mirror. rift gold One day, I'd just had enough. I said to myself, "OK, I have to make a choice -- do I want to be overweight or do I want to get a grip on my mindless eating habit and do something about it?"

Were bread and butter more important to me than looking good and feeling healthy? RIFT Platinum The answer was no. I wanted to be the lean, athletic girl I used to be. It was then that I decided to give up the sweets and start walking.

Panama Canal chief unfazed by Colombia rail competition

PANAMA CITY (AFP) - The administrator of the Panama Canal dismissed the notion the key waterway could be under threat from a Chinese-backed project to build a new rail link across northern Colombia. ''I don't see that as a competition issue,'' Alberto Aleman Zubieta, the head of the Panama Canal Authority,rift gold told AFP. ''We are a very important freight shipment hub, and shipping by sea is the most efficient (method).'' The Financial Times reported on Sunday that China was looking to construct a new 220-kilometre (136-mile) railway from the Pacific to a new city near Cartagena in northern Colombia. Chinese goods would be assembled for re-export throughout the Americas and raw materials would make the return journey to China, the report said. ''It's a real proposal... and it is quite advanced,'' Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos was quoted as saying in Monday's Financial Times. ''The studies (the Chinese) have made on the costs of transporting per tonne, the cost of investment, they all work out.'' China has ramped up investment and lending to the developing world, including Latin America, a strategy widely viewed as aimed partly at securing access to the raw materials needed to fuel its fast-growing economy.
Trade between China and Colombia in the first eight months of 2010 reached $4.8 billion, an increase of more than 73 percent over the same period in 2009, according to the Chinese commerce ministry. The Panama Canal -- long considered an engineering marvel -- was built between 1904 and 1914 by the United States after an initial French attempt failed. It was returned to Panama's control 11 years ago. Each year, around five percent of all international trade passes through the 80-kilometer (50-mile) man-made artery linking the Atlantic to the Pacific, with around 40 ships passing through the canal each day. Last year, work began on a 5.2-billion-dollar project to enlarge the canal by constructing a third set of locks to ensure that today's super-size container ships,rift gold cruise liners and oil tankers -- many of which are too wide for the canal -- will be able to navigate the waterway in the future.

Medical Sociology

The Medical Sociology Section of the American Sociological Association was established in 1959. Since that time, sociologists have made important contributions to public health research and practice in a variety of areas. Most notably, sociological research on the social determinants of health, health inequalities, access to care, the organization of services, health policy,rift gold and family health have dominated sociological studies of population-based health. In particular, sociology and demography have played a major role in shaping the field of social epidemiology. Using the methods of survey research and statistical analysis, researchers have identified significant variation in health status and conditions for groups defined by sociodemographic variables, including age, gender, race, class, ethnicity, occupation, education, marital status, and religion. Increasingly sophisticated techniques for analyzing large data sets such as vital statistics, population surveys,rift gold and health service indicators have provided useful information for identifying populations at risk, for measuring unmet need for services, for planning health programs, and for formulating health policy. In another line of activity, sociologists have made important contributions to understanding the social construction of health problems, that is, how social processes shape how and why societies come to define certain conditions and trends as public health problems. Examples of this include the framing of teen pregnancy as a social problem, public reactions to the AIDS epidemic, and concern with the growing prevalence of obesity in wealthy societies.

Presence of Undocumented Africans and Asians Worries Panamanian Officials

A new phenomenon of migration has been recorded in Panama with the emergence of hundreds of migrants from African and Asian countries, which regularly arrive Panamanian territory illegally from Colombia. Recently, the director of the National Immigration Service of Panama (SNM), María Cristina González, urged the Colombian government to implement appropriate immigration measures to stop this human tide that has filled the holding cells with undocumented migrants. Currently, among the detainees are 34 citizens from Bangladesh, seven from Pakistan, 23 from Nepal,rift gold three from India, and ten from Afghanistan, without forgetting that every month persons of other nationalities are released from countries such as Somalia and Eritrea.
According to Gonzalez, these groups of immigrants are arriving in the territory of Panama from Colombia, passing through the rugged mountains that divide the two countries, until they arrive at the Panamanian province of Darién. The immigrants from other continents use the connecting routes, by sea, from the countries to arrive on the Colombian coasts, and then they pass overland into Panama, with the purpose of using it as a step to reach the United States and Canada. The drama of many of these people, who come from countries in civil wars like Somalia, has been the subject of debate and attention of the National Organization for Aid to Refugees (ONPAR). Some qualify for this immigration status, so their cases in the immigration holding cells might extend to five months, such as the case of a group of immigrants from Bangladesh and Pakistan who are in desperate legal limbo.

The situation for the Panamanian immigration authorities is also difficult because they have to take over the maintenance of these individuals and provide health care when needed. Indeed, on 13 February, the situation of these people was so difficult that they decided to stage a protest in the premises of the immigration holding cells, asking for their release or deportation, but none of these measures was possible. It was impossible to release or deport them because the legal representatives of the detainees filed a request for habeas corpus before the Supreme Court, but those cases have not yet been decided.

In a similar case, the Pakistanis decided to conduct a hunger strike demanding that their cases be resolved quickly and after five days one of them, Mohamed Shafi,rift gold had to be rushed to the Hospital Santo Tomás in Panama City. Mohamed was sent to the emergency room of the main medical center in the Panamanian capital dehydrated and physically weak. Another group of these people, applied through ONPAR for political refugee status, but their cases also are delayed while the relevant agencies are assessing the conditions of each of the applicants.

The human face of the African and Asian immigration is becoming the new phenomenon of migration, and has caused the Panamanian authorities to step up surveillance on the southern border with Colombia, where we share a mountainous border of 266 kilometers. Gonzalez has spoken firmly to resolve this problem that afflicts the treasury and human resources of their institution, demanding that the Colombian government comply with immigration regulations and prevent the transit of such persons into Panamanian territory. The official said Panama would not be used for human trafficking because it is becoming a serious problem for Panama's security.

On 10 February, the governments of Panama and Colombia signed a bilateral agreement that will combat trafficking in persons, drugs and terrorism-related activities within its borders. The border area between the two countries has traditionally been the scene of illegal activities due to lack of effective controls on both sides, a situation aggravated by the existence inhospitable jungle mountain terrain. Over the past year, the deportation of illegal immigrants caused the National Immigration Service to spend more than $104,000 dollars in services and transportation.

Scuba Divers in Portobelo Look For Evidence in Murder of Jean Pierre Bouhard (Video)

On Saturday, 19 February 2011, a group of professional scuba divers made an attempt to locate missing evidence in the case of the murder of the Frenchman Jean Pierre Bouhard. These are the same people who found his body floating in the water on Friday, 4 February 2011. On that day,rift gold at about 11:30 am they were taking a group of tourists for a recreational dive in an area known as "One Rock." This area is a popular spot because there are channels on the bottom that allow the diver to feel like they are swimming through underwater caverns, however it's open overhead so it's not as dangerous as cave diving. The bottom is about 90 feet down, but heading out towards the open ocean there is a wall and the water depth drops off considerably. They think Javier Martin dropped Jean Pierre Bouhard's body into the deep water, weighted down with an anchor or tied to some other kind of heavy object. Over time as the body decomposed gases formed, causing his body to become more buoyant. When the body was recovered there were ropes and lines - apparently taken from his sailboat the "Levante" - that led down underwater to the bottom. The police officers who recovered the body cut the line but did not recover the anchor or weight,rift gold nor the rest of the line that was used. These guys wanted to recover that evidence in an attempt to assist in the investigation, and they had a police officer along as a witness just in case they actually turned anything up.

Factoid Learning

There has been criticism of Learning Object computer-based learning as 'factoid' because of the tendency to break things down into small, often disjointed, chunks, where transmission of information replaces acquisition of knowledge.
rift gold
The current emphasis on reusable Learning Objects does risk this, if they are not counterbalanced. Quizzes, which are quick and easy to do, are used in huge numbers, and lesson plans, which are basically printable documents are probably the most common aids available on the internet. However, with the drive to construct Learning Object Repositories for use in education, this is likely to be worse. The internet has counterbalancing activities that appears to be missing. Becta's vision for LORs prioritises reusable exportable learning objects, which I believe is too narrow a view for what is intended to be a fully-fledged educational resource.

The use of forums on the internet, which are not mentioned in the report, strikes me as a useful asset, where students can interact directly with teachers and other learners. In forums, students are able to determine the content simply by creating the questions, which means that they are responsive to student needs and encourage students to take more control of their own learning. In time, the internet will develop a sufficient variety of possible ways of learning to overcome the current criticisms of being factoid. However, the closed systems being built for use in education in the UK may not have this range of tools.

There are also ways to make simple activities like quizzes, which are very popular with many online students, less factoid. The BBC Skillswise website breaks its quizzes down into three levels, each containing ten questions. This does suggest that everything can be broken down neatly into this form, which does not correspond to the realities of, in this case, language use. It also presents them one question at a time, which both reduces the possibilities for students to use the other questions to help them and is not narrowband friendly- it takes a long time to load so many pages down a dial-up modem. Presenting one question at a time is a good way of testing or examining, but it doesn't allow students to use their cognitive skills, which seems a pity if the quizzes are meant to help students learn the language.
rift gold
If quizzes are given a set number of questions, then they are instantly more flexible. If they are also easily editable, then they can be revised and added to so that they improve over time, rather than thinking that the topic has been dealt with the second the tenth question is written. Flexibility and change are two simple methods to make quizzes less factoid, and this is a welcome part of the Learning Object Repository strategy as there is a heavy emphasis on the learning objects being editable.

UKeU- the best of UK university education online

UKeU was launched in 2000, with high aims:

'We want to create a new partnership between universities and the private sector, which will develop a novel means of distance learning and exploit the new information and communication technologies.' David Blunkett, then Secretary of State for Education.

It is now, after £40 million, up for sale, far short its target of 5,600 students- 900 were recruited, costing £44,000 each. The future of the £9 million learning platform, developed with Sun Microsystems, is unclear. However,rift gold the development of the platform is also unclear; the site suggests it is fully functional, while others have said it is behind schedule and has problems.

The report in Computing.co.uk gives details of a report by PA Consultants, listing an unclear business strategy, marketing ideas "based more on optimism than on market-led judgements", costs and an inadequate infrastructure, with insufficient budgeting for support systems. Others have criticised the high wage bills, running at over £2 million a year, of which £180,000 was the chief executive John Beaumont's salary, though he also received a performance-related bonus of £44,914. The Parliamentary Education and Skills Select Committee is to investigate what has gone so wrong here and why so much money has been spent for such a paltry outcome.

The project was criticised for being overambitious in attempting to start-up from scratch, instead of in partnership with the Open University or a university like Oxford or Cambridge.

The site is currently offering courses for the coming academic year, and rift gold, according to CETIS, the aim is to 'anchor' e-learning good practice in the universities themselves. Given the growth of online course availability, through sites such as the University of London's Distance Learning Site, it can be hoped that UKeU is merely an example of a public project going wrong and not indicative of the future of university e-learning.

eparable and Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

Our dictionary of phrasal verbs now gives details about whether a verb is intransitive, inseparable, or separable. Separable verbs have two sub-groups,rift gold according to whether they must be separated or whether it is optional to separate the verb and particle, unless a pronoun is used.

At the time of writing (9th May 2005) , the dictionary has 1,104 verbs, so, while far from complete, it does have a fairly large number of verbs in it. Classifying the verbs was not a completely straightforward matter; a verb like 'check in' is usually used intransitively, but can be transitive, in which case it is separable. I classified this verb as separable because it can be,rift gold even though it rarely is. before I started, the webmaster asked me which was the most common category to set it as a default to reduce editing time. I suspected it was the verbs than can be separated or not, but wasn't sure.

New York City's parks, beaches and even Times Square will be off-limits to smokers under one of the nation's toughest anti-cigarette laws passed Wednesday by the City Council.

"This summer, New Yorkers who go to our parks and beaches for some fresh air and fun will be able to breathe even cleaner air and sit on a beach not littered with cigarette butts," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said after the 36-12 vote.

The smoking ban will cover 1,700 parks and 14 miles of public beaches plus boardwalks, marinas and pedestrian plazas like the one in the heart of Times Square. RIFT Platinum The ban goes into effect 90 days after Bloomberg signs the bill; the mayor has 20 days to do it.

States and cities from Maine to California have banned smoking in public parks and beaches, but New York is pursuing one of the widest-reaching urban bans. Smoking is also prohibited in Los Angeles city parks and in Chicago parks with playgrounds.

Supporters of the New York ban said exposure to secondhand smoke poses health risks.

"The statistics don't lie: Secondhand smoke kills," Council Speaker Christine Quinn said. rift gold "With this bill, all New Yorkers can now breathe easier and breathe cleaner air."

A law banning smoking in New York City bars and restaurants went into effect in 2003.

Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz voted for the latest ban despite her ambivalence about earlier anti-smoking measures that forced her outdoors in bad weather when she was a smoker.

"My grandson used to tell me, 'Grandma, you're going to die,'" Koslowitz, now a nonsmoking legislator, said in announcing her vote.

Outside on Wednesday, the wet, raw winter weather didn't seem to bother Cal Johnson as he strolled through the park in front of City Hall, puffing on a cigarette.

"I guess I'll have to stop smoking in this park," said the 68-year-old retired Wall Street analyst when he was told of the anti-smoking vote.

However, "in principle, I support this ban on smoking -- even though I'm a smoker," said Johnson, adding he'll smoke on a nearby street where he lives once the new law kicks in.

The expanded smoking ban will give the city's Parks Department the power to slap violators with quality-of-life summonses, Rift Gold which are tickets for minor offenses like panhandling or public urination that typically carry fines of under $100.

However, Councilwoman Gale Brewer, the bill's prime sponsor, said the ban isn't intended to be a legally "punitive program." She said the city expects the law will be primarily self-enforced, RIFT Platinumwith residents warning anyone who lights a cigarette in a park or on a beach that it's illegal. Police won't be responsible for enforcing it, she said.

Smokers'-rights groups held protests against the ban after city officials announced last fall that they were pursuing it.

And on Wednesday, some of the dozen council members who voted against it said they believed the ban violated individual freedoms.

Councilman Erik Dilan called the ban "an infringement on the rights of people," adding sarcastically, rift gold "So now, if anyone wants to smoke, they'll have to smoke in the bike lane."

Health and environmental advocates applauded the council vote.

"Thanks to this policy, public spaces intended for outdoor recreation will now be available for use in the healthy manner they were intended," said Sheelah Feinberg, executive director of the NYC Coalition for a Smoke-Free City.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. RIFT Platinum The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

White Sox Mum at Trade Deadline, Still a Factor in AL Central

The Tigers added Jarrod Washburn. rift gold The Twins added Orlando Cabrera. The Indians have apparently added a bevy of young talent in the Cliff Lee and (rumored) Victor Martinez deals. Where are the White Sox moves?

Be careful what you wish for. The White Sox were the first of the AL Central teams to make an early deadline deal this year, sending Brandon Allen (a top 100 prospect) to the Diamondbacks for Tony Pena (a middle reliever). Rift Gold Given the price that the Sox have paid this year, if middle relievers cost a Top 100 prospect, then you'd expect the Sox to pay something like a Top 50 prospect (Tyler Flowers) for a position player, and more if that player was actually any good.

Take an honest assessment of the White Sox roster. What are their biggest weaknesses?

In a cruel ironic twist, the Sox have capably filled their glaring holes this year to keep their ship afloat at a game above .500. Gordon Beckham has cemented 3rd base. Scott Podsednik, who's probably not a great bet to maintain his performance, has done more than any reasonable Sox fan could have hoped for. RIFT Platinum They've had about 4 different pitchers give them quality starts from the back-end of the rotation. Everytime there has been an "Oh, crap!" situation, someone has easily slid in to guard against any more Lillibridge/Betemit-like embarrassments.

Making that irony even more cruel, is the Sox glaring mediocrity. The Sox haven't had their entire club on the field and performing well at the same time. There has always been someone on the DL, underperforming, or just plain in need of replacement. rift gold KW has ably filled those holes in a giant game of Whack-A-Mole, but now the Sox are as healthy as they've been all year, and have trimmed most of the useless fat from their roster. It's time for the team to perform.

Sure they could have upgraded with a real center fielder like Alex Rios or found a more dependable back-end of the rotation arm like Jon Garland. But at what price?

I've been preaching taking the Stand Pat approach for a couple of months now. RIFT Platinum I'm not going to be a hypocrite and suddenly lament Kenny Williams' inability to make my Friday afternoon more exciting. The Sox can (and will) still compete for the AL Central title this year, regardless of their inactivity and the respective moves of their rivals.

Experts have developed a new system to tell people if they're too fat, and it's probably more flexible than the traditional body mass index or BMI ratio.

Researchers at the University of Southern California have devised a system called the Body Adiposity Index (BAI), which relies on one's height and hip measurements as opposed to the height and weight ratio of the BMI system.
Rift Gold This new method, which is outlined in a report in the journal Obesity, can be used in a clinical setting as well as in remote locations where reliable scales aren't available.

BMI, which has been used to measure body fat for the past 200 years, is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height in meters squared.rift gold And it classifies a person who is five feet, five inches tall and weighs 150 pounds as overweight. That person would be classified as obese at 180 pounds.

"The problem with BMI is it doesn't take into account that a person may be an athlete or a fitness expert," Dr. Michael Wolfe, chair of medicine at The MetroHealth System and professor of medicine at Case Western Reserve Medical Center, told AOL Health. RIFT Platinum "Someone with higher muscle mass will have a higher weight. BAI tells you more than just weight; it also tells you composition of weight."

BMI measurement may not be consistent either when applied to different nationalities or even lifestyle groups. For instance,
Rift Gold an athlete cannot be compared to a couch potato, and African Americans may have a different body build from Caucasians. Men and women, too, can have the same BMI but very different amounts of body fat.

But doctors can use the BAI system to measure body fat for adult men and women of different cultural backgrounds without numerical correction. In addition, BAI can be measured without stepping on the scales, RIFT Platinum which could be useful in situations where measuring accurate body weight is difficult. Doctors can calculate a person's BAI with something as simple as a calculator, too, just as with the traditional BMI measurement.

Researchers are not certain, however, if BAI is necessarily a more reliable measure.

But it may be one more resource that health-care professionals can use to determine people's risk for obesity-related diseases. RIFT Platinum "Once we are able to validate [BAI's] usefulness, we will be able to use it next to the BMI system," Wolfe says.

One in 10 people worldwide are now considered obese, and in the U.S.,rift gold estimates project 10 percent of all medical costs can be traced to health problems caused by obesity.

Drawing parallels between the teams that lose because they're not lucky and the ones that lose because they're poorly managed.

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Apr 18, 2011 - One of the strongest compliments you can give the city of Houston is that you'll meet all types here. Just about every culture has their own little cut of the city, and they all work in common to bring their best to it.

Unfortunately, the one thing just about every professional sport based out of the city has in common these last few years is losing. Houston has not seen a professional playoff game involving one of it's teams since the Dynamo were eliminated by the Los Angeles Galaxy in the MLS Western Conference Finals on November 13th, 2009.rift gold The number of cities who have three or more professional franchises who have longer playoff droughts than Houston? Zero. Even Cleveland, hometown of sports-related misery, has seen a Cavaliers playoff game grace it in the teens. Just don't ask them about what happened afterwards.

Houston has hosted two Texas Bowls and a Final Four since then, but even those have been muted somewhat by mediocre teams and the Connecticut Huskies being the first-ever tenants of Reliant Stadium to understand how to play defense.

Despite the constant misery of late, I'd argue that what we really have is two distinct classes of Houston sports teams: the ill-fated and the poorly conceived.

Team Poorly Conceived (Astros, Texans)

The similarities between these two teams are much closer than you might think on paper,rift gold which scares the part of me that's a Texans fan. Lets start up top, where Drayton McLane and Bob McNair have never been shy about spending money to win. Unfortunately, because of a poor power setup (McLane's post-Gerry Hunsicker meddling and the Texans inability to put together a clear hierarchy of command) the teams have crippled themselves into a couple of staggeringly mediocre clubs.

Both clubs are pretty good on one side of the ball. The Texans have one of the best offenses in the NFL, led by a trio of Top 10 players at their position in Andre Johnson, Matt Schaub, and Arian Foster. The Astros, despite the fact that they don't boast any aces of renown, have put together a very steady pitching staff between Brett Myers, Wandy Rodriguez, J.A. Happ, and Bud Norris.RIFT Platinum Ed Wade has shown some talent in putting together decent bullpens on the cheap as well.

Unfortunately, whether due to stubbornness or misguided devotion, both teams have completely flubbed on the other side of the ball. They both have some decent building blocks (Mario Williams, Brian Cushing -- Hunter Pence, Michael Bourn) but they've surrounded them with a mix of miscast role players as starters and overpaid washed up players (Carlos Lee, Dunta Robinson) who the team really has no logical replacement for.RIFT Platinum Because of the dire situation, they rush rookies into starting roles they aren't ready for (Kareem Jackson, Brett Wallace), have absolutely no backup plan for injuries (Connor Barwin, Jason Castro), and continually tread water with mediocre players at important positions (nose tackle, shortstop) while doing little to address the problems long-term other than take another stab at it in the draft.

To put it bluntly, both of these teams have major long-term problems that won't be solved by better drafting alone. They would both be better served with smart forays into free agency than no forays at all, Rift Gold and they could both use a change in management after years of stagnation. But instead they've deluded themselves into believing the template they installed in the middle of the decade can work with just tinkering every year.

Team Ill-Fated (Dynamo, Rockets)

Both of these teams have no problem accumulating and acquiring talent. Their problem is keeping the cupboard stacked completely. RIFT Platinum Chronic injuries to big name stars (Brian Ching, Yao Ming) have really hurt their chances of playing well, and while both front offices continue to be very creative in looking for the roster-defining big talent that they need to get back to their past success, they haven't managed to come up with him yet.

In the mean time, both teams have a "next man up" philosophy, and accumulate a ton of depth. rift gold They also both have a good idea of just how they want to work the draft. Incorporate a good mix of older talent (Brad Davis, Luis Scola) with the youngins, and have one obvious flaw that they just haven't been able to fix yet (interior defense, creative attacking) without their stars.

For these two teams, the question is not how, like it is for the other two teams, but when? As long as they hold the course and continue doing what they're doing, they will continue to be the two teams in this city that are going somewhere. RIFT Platinum They were the last two teams to make the playoffs, and they'll be the first two to make it again at this rate.

Which would be a welcome pace from what we've had lately. Now if only someone could manage the other two teams in the city the same way.

Cigarettes will kill 7,200 New Yorkers this year. In an effort to reduce these numbers, the New York City Health Department recently launched a bold, new advertising campaign which coincides with the annual NYC Quits smoking patch and gum giveaway that takes place until March 24.

The goals of this campaign are to educate smokers about the long-term suffering tied to smoking, reminding smokers that dying from smoking is rarely quick and never painless, and offer a poignant reminder that smoking can cause suffering every minute of every day.

Instead of focusing on death as a consequence of smoking, however, these new gruesome and straightforward advertisements highlight the suffering that can result from smoking. RIFT Platinum They exhibit a man painfully suffering from emphysema and a female stroke victim.

"Our conversations with smokers suggest that they are more motivated to quit by the suffering from smoking-related illnesses than by the risk of dying," said Farley in a press release from the New York City Health Department. "Each year thousands of New Yorkers will suffer from smoking-induced strokes, heart attacks, debilitating lung diseases and cancers."

Farley says the NYC Health Department decided to highlight life-altering problems, such as emphysema and stroke, in the campaign in hopes of encouraging more smokers to quit.

"There's a lot of research that shows smokers respond best to emotionally evocative advertising," Russell Sciandra, New York State director for advocacy for the American Cancer Society. "You need to penetrate a pretty thick shell that smokers have developed to protect themselves from what they already know. The happy ads, the funny ads tend to roll off their backs."

Sciandra pins smoking as the killer in NYC. "There is no other biological, chemical, or physical agent that causes as much death as tobacco," he says.

Since 2003, the NYC Health Department has distributed nicotine patches and gum free of charge to approximately 250,000 NYC smokers during this annual program enabling an estimated 82,000 smokers to quit.

The agency's Facebook page, "NYC Quits," has become an online smoking cessation support network with more than 5,000 fans.

According to the NYC Health Department, someone in the United States suffers from a stroke every 40 seconds. Cigarette smoking can nearly double a person's risk for stroke by increasing dangerous plaque build-up inside arteries, which can later rupture causing clots to block blood flow to the brain. rift gold The NYC Health Department says more than 1 million Americans are currently suffering the effects of stroke caused by smoking.

In addition, four million Americans suffer from emphysema as a result of smoking. Many of the 7,000 chemicals found in cigarettes permanently damage the small air sacs in the lungs causing emphysema. This debilitating lung disease makes it very difficult to breathe and keep up with daily activities, including simple tasks such as walking up stairs.

Here are some tips from the NYC Health Department for smokers who are trying to quit:
- Prepare yourself. Make a list to establish reasons why you are quitting and a plan for dealing with situations that may tempt you to light up.RIFT Platinum
- Pick a quit date and get ride of all ashtrays, lighters, and cigarettes.
- Make your home and car smoke-free.
- Find support and encouragement. Ask for support from your family, friends, and co-workers.Rift Gold
- Find a quit buddy. Ask another smoker to quit with you or find a past smoker who can offer helpful advice and support during your process.

Gilbert Melendez thinks he's the best lightweight in mixed martial arts. Is he right? I don't think so, not yet. But I sure would love to find out.

The best thing about the UFC buying Strikeforce is that it means we'll eventually see the champions of the respective promotions fighting each other. For now the mantra is "business as usual," but we all know it's just a matter of time before we see the best of Strikeforce inside the Octagon. And there might not be a better fight out there than Melendez taking on the top of the UFC lightweight division.

It will probably be 2012 before we get to see that: UFC lightweight champ Frankie Edgar has to fight Gray Maynard in May, and the winner of that fight is expected to fight the winner of the June Anthony Pettis-Clay Guida bout after that. But it sure would be fun to see Melendez retiring the Strikeforce belt to his trophy case and fighting for the UFC gold.

Find out where I think Melendez stacks up in the lightweight division below.

(Editor's Note: The fighter's rankings the last time we ranked the lightweights are in parentheses.)

1. Frankie Edgar (1): The UFC champion remains at the top of the heap at least until he fights Gray Maynard at UFC 130. The third meeting between the two will, I hope, tell us once and for all which one of them is really the superior fighter.

2. Gray Maynard (2): Maynard could certainly make the argument that he actually deserves to be ranked ahead of Edgar, since Maynard beat Edgar the first time these two fought. I'll stick with Edgar for now because Edgar's overall lightweight resume is more impressive, but these two are basically equals.

3. Gilbert Melendez (4): Now that Melendez has destroyed Tatsuya Kawajiri, I think he's behind only the UFC lightweight champion and No. 1 contender. I love watching Melendez because he's so active and tenacious: He took the fight to Kawajiri and showed off a great killer instinct in finishing him with the recently legalized elbows to the head on the ground. The question now is whether any lightweights on the Strikeforce roster can even be viewed as credible threats to Melendez, or if he's going to have to start fighting guys in the UFC.

4. Kenny Florian (3): For now, I'd pick Florian to beat just about any lightweight in the sport. But Florian has lost two lightweight title fights and doesn't appear close to getting a third chance, Rift Gold so he plans to drop down to featherweight and pursue the belt there. When he does move down to featherweight, I'll take him down the lightweight list -- and I expect him to quickly rise up the featherweight ranks.

5. Shinya Aoki (5): There really wasn't any question that Aoki would make quick work of Lyle Beerbohm, but there are a lot of questions about Aoki's future: Will he stay with Strikeforce and keep fighting second-rate opponents? Will he go back to Japan and try to be a part of revitalizing the MMA scene in his homeland? Will he finally step into the Octagon?

6. Jim Miller (8): It's time for Miller to take a major step up in competition: His 20-2 record consists of wins against a bunch of guys who aren't even close to the Top 10, and losses to the two best in the world, Edgar and Maynard. Ideally I'd love to see Miller against Melendez or Aoki, but if we're not going to get UFC-Strikeforce crossover fights yet, Miller probably will continue fighting overmatched opponents outside the Top 10.

7. Eddie Alvarez (7): The Bellator champ is a lot of fun to watch, but it's going to be awfully tough for him to move up in the rankings as long as he remains in Bellator, which just doesn't have any elite opposition for him to face. Alvarez may have the talent to beat anyone at 155 pounds, but he's probably going to have to sign with the UFC if he wants to prove it.

8. Anthony Pettis (10): The thing that's so exciting about Pettis is that he's doing so many new things at such a young age. RIFT Platinum It's not just the "Showtime Kick," although that's obviously what he's best known for: It's a combination of creative striking and an aggressive ground game, especially off his back, that makes Pettis different from any other fighter in the lightweight division. The 24-year-old Pettis is the youngest fighter on this list and is only getting better.

9. Clay Guida (NR): Guida has always been a fan favorite because of his brawling style, but it's been somewhat overlooked that his technique,rift gold especially on the ground, has noticeably improved in the last year. Guida is now on a three-fight winning streak, and if he makes it four in a row against Pettis, a title shot could be next.

10. Tatsuya Kawajiri (9): Kawajiri has had some great wins in his MMA career, but he was simply no match for Melendez. At age 32, he appears to be on the down side of his career, but there are still some fun fights for him: I'd still love to see a rematch of the classic 2005 Pride fight between Kawajiri and Takanori Gomi.
Read More: UFC WEC Strikeforce Bellator Rankings Lightweights Anthony+Pettis, Clay+Guida, Eddie+Alvarez, Frankie+Edgar, RIFT Platinum Gilbert+Melendez, Gray+Maynard, Jim+Miller, Kenny+Florian, Shinya+Aoki, Tatsuya+Kawajiri

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Besides Rifting and questing, players can also participate in player vs. player activities called Warfronts. The only Warfront available at low level is called Black Garden, and it's essentially a game of keep-away.Rift Gold Aside from various class balance issues, which will always plague this game because of the variety of class specializations, Black Garden seems like a well thought out PvP zone. The Defiants are up against the Guardians in a 10v10 matchup, and whichever team can hold onto the Fang of Regulous item the longest will win. The team holding on to the Fang accumulates points based on how long they have it for. But to make it more interesting, the player holding the Fang takes more damage the longer they hold onto it.Rift Gold The first team to reach 500 points wins.

Rifts are constantly spawning all over the map, and every so often a zone-wide event will occur where dozens of Rifts will spawn at once. This was by far the most fun we had playing the game.Rift Gold Joining a huge raid and going out as a massive group to kill dozens of Rifts was absolute fun, and a great deviation from the monotony of questing.
rift gold

rift gold
Elemental rifts spawn randomly around the zones. The sky will turn dark, and a huge jellyfish monster – or some creature related to that particular element – will descend from the sky to try and ruin your day. And give you a lot of experience points. Rifts are great fun, and they basically work like a mini gauntlet. Several stages of monsters spawn, one after the other, until a mini-boss spawns. For each stage, you get a ton of experience points and loot, and once the mini-boss is slain, the Rift will seal and disappear.
rift gold

The entry level quests on the other hand, were not so fascinating. All the way up to level 20, the available quests were fairly mundane.Rift Gold Once you talk to a quest giver, an icon appears on your mini map telling you exactly where to go, and a quest tracker helps you to find out what objectives are left to complete. Rift's quests mostly consist of killing a number of mobs, or picking up a number of things off the ground.Rift Gold Repeatedly. The story and lore of Rift may be excellent, but there is no incentive to actually read any of it.

Luckily, if you don’t enjoy this monotonous type of play, Rift does offer an alternative to questing, and it's what the game is named after.

As we began our character's journey, aside from the soul trees, the experience was strikingly similar to that of our other MMORPG experiences. Right away the controls felt intuitive and very similar to other current MMOs.Rift Gold Aside from the UI, the first thing you’ll notice when you load into Rift is how absolutely gorgeous the game is. With the latest beta patch they fixed anti-aliasing in the game, giving it a much smoother look than ever before.Rift Gold Any angle we turned the camera, we were able to get beautiful shots of the sky, the plains, the ocean, even the various menacing Rifts were a sight to behold.

Even with the NFL in lockout mode, the taxpayers in Erie County, N.Y., still have to keep paying the Buffalo Bills for their stadium expenses. Rift Gold

Even if that stadium doesn't host a game this season.

The Bills are set to receive $640,000 from the county on May 1, part of a quarterly payment the team -- as the stadium tenant -- receives for upkeep and game-day expenses. RIFT Platinum Ralph Wilson Stadium
CAPTIONBy Kevin Hoffman, US Presswire
The Buffalo News shined a light on the payments, which total $4.01 million for the current fiscal year.

Bills team treasurer Jeffrey C. Littman told the Buffalo News that the team will not charge the county for game-day expenses if the lockout forces a cancellation of the 2011 season. rift gold But he said the team expects payment from the county for the day-to-day stadium costs that are written into the lease agreement.

Those payments total about $2.5 million, 62% of the yearly commitment.

The payments could foreshadow financial problems for NFL teams and their partners -- as well as a major public relations issue for the league -- if the lockout extends into August, when preseason games are scheduled to begin.

Thousands of workers across the country depend on the 10 games each NFL team hosts as part of the income. Lost games will mean lost wages as stadiums sit idle and workers lie fallow.

The NFL revealed the preseason schedule this week and is expected to release the regular season schedule soon.RIFT Platinum NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has consistently said he expects to reach a labor agreement that will allow the 2011 season to take place.

Goodell and other NFL officials began court-ordered mediation with the NFL Players Association on Thursday.