Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/10/ian-ziering-and-wife-expecting-another-baby/
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As the NFL launches its annual exportation of American football, it?s important for everyone to sell the product to a growing European audience.
Pats coach Bill Belichick didn?t get the memo.? Or, if he did, he tore it up.? Or ignored it.? Or both.
In his first meeting with the media in London since his team played there three years ago, Belichick displayed his usual bad ventriloquist routine, saying as little as possible behind a mouth that was barely moving.
Here?s a sample.
Question:? How does this year compare to a few years ago?
Answer:? I don?t know, just got here. It?s London.? A little overcast, some traffic ? it?s like everybody is up and at it this morning.
Question: How much of a disruption is it playing a game in London?
Answer:? We played in Seattle a couple weeks ago We?ve played here, we?ve traveled before.
Question: The NBA has done a great job translating itself internationally. Do you think football translates as well? Can you see it reaching that level?
Answer: I have no idea.
Question: There have been some issues with racism in English soccer. Can you describe how that?s changed the NFL?
Answer: I don?t know what you?re talking about.
Belichick is one of the all-time great coaches.? But he?s definitely not the guy to be selling the NFL to a potential customer base that has to date been as ambivalent as Belichick is when meeting with the media.
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Technological innovation of a product or a process can comprise of the following activities:
It is a proven fact that small businesses have to take the assistance of various sources for any innovation. These sources can be wide and varied ? such as academic organisations, advanced research institutes, R&D wings of large companies, specialized technology providers, or the buyers themselves who require product changes or improvements.
As regards technology development, collaborations between small businesses and large companies can be an advantageous alternatives to venture capital, since, in addition to resources, large companies can also provide know-how, credibility and access to a marketing network, all of which can prove valuable for a new product. For large companies, the advantage of associating with smaller ones is in the inventive efficiency. In addition, with the dynamism and heterogeneity of high-tech markets, it is difficult for large companies to dominate all market segments.
Therefore, we are able to perceive that the advantage small businesses have in adoption of innovations rests in their behavioural aspects of flexibility, speed of decision-making, accelerated learning, and the need to adapt in order to stay in business or search for new markets. Large companies possess the advantage of material assets, i.e., the quality of their research and development, the capability to hire highly qualified technical professionals, and easier access to gaining finance for maintenance of research activities.
It is evident that invention and innovation takes place faster in small businesses and it is the flexible structure of these companies that contributes to the effectiveness of innovation. Small businesses which are financially fragile and they should have the support of venture capital programs to encourage innovation, financing, and patents to protect inventions.
It should be kept in mind that most small companies operate through small capital, and there is a risk of cutting fixed costs by eliminating the spending on innovation. It is important to raise the awareness of small businesses about the importance of investing in innovation, as this forms the roots for the future competitions and business survival.
It is a proven fact that small businesses have to take the assistance of various sources for any innovation. In large businesses innovation is usually based on research and development, while in small businesses it is found in activities connected to the production line, activities concerning adaptation to technologies acquired from outside, or in small technical improvements implemented through engineering techniques.
Source: http://www.kuzabiashara.co.ke/the-role-of-innovation-in-small-and-large-businesses-21436/
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OPINION
By Tony DeMarco
NBCSports.com contributor
updated 3:35 a.m. ET Oct. 25, 2012
|
And that Barry Zito ? coming off an impressive NLCS-altering Game 3 start ? might be able to exploit that with his reliance on location and variety of off-speed stuff.
You also could have expected the Giants' freakish run of postseason success ? everything from winning six consecutive elimination games to balls bouncing off bases to pitchers driving in runs in four consecutive games ? to continue.
But considering how great Justin Verlander had been in his first three postseason starts, an off night from him was a long shot.
And what exactly nobody expected was all of those things occurring. Add in a night for the World Series record book ? three home runs from Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval and you're left with a worst-case-scenario combination of events for the Tigers in an 8-3 Giants romp in Game 1.
So now what for the Tigers? Now that their plan of Verlander giving them a 1-0 series lead has gone by the wayside?
"Just win the next game,'' first baseman Prince Fielder said. "There is no formula. I wish I knew, or else we would have won this game, too.''
Added manager Jim Leyland: "There was nothing fluky about this. They beat us in every way. We did not pitch good tonight, obviously. When you use five pitchers in a game Justin Verlander starts, that's not good tonic. That usually doesn't work too good. They're really good. And so are we. And tomorrow is another day.''
It had been eight days since Verlander dominated the Yankees in Game 3 of the ALCS. Leyland thought the longer-than-usual time between starts affected Verlander's command.
"First of all, you give the Giants' hitters credit,'' Leyland said. "But (Verlander) definitely was rusty; there's no question about it. His fastball command was not good. He got out of sync. He got on fast-forward. He didn't pitch well. It's that simple.''
But Verlander wasn't as certain. Asked if the layoff affected him, his response was, "I can't answer that ?You can't expect to be perfect every time out.''
Verlander's slider was very sharp, and his fastball velocity reached 97 mph, but too many of them ran back into the middle portion of the plate. In the Giants' three-run third, his total of 38 pitches was his most in any inning this season.
Verlander served up the first two of Sandoval's home runs ? "extremely impressive, wish I hadn't contributed'' was his reaction ? and allowed five runs and six hits in only four innings.
"Is it disappointing? Yes,'' Verlander said. "Did I want to win this game and give us a 1-0 lead? Obviously. But I don't know if you guys have been watching or not, but the other three guys (in the rotation) have been pitching pretty doggone well. So this (series) is not over by any means.''
Tigers hitters, who brought a .294 postseason batting average into the World Series, weren't about to play the layoff-as-excuse card.
"I said it before ? the time off doesn't really matter,'' Fielder said. "You take a month off, and they tell you you're in the World Series, and you're mind gets right into it. We did what we could (during the layoff). We worked out, we scrimmaged.''
Instead, they credited Zito, who allowed only a sixth-inning run and six hits.
"He hit his spots,'' Fielder said. "He didn't miss much out over the plate.''Catcher Al Avila put it a different way: "He's a trick pitcher, a junk-baller. He throws a lot of stuff up there. He hits his spots, then when he goes out of the zone, you chase. That's what he's trying to do to you.''
All of which is nothing the Tigers didn't already know. They just couldn't combat it in Game 1.
''There's no secret, really, about Zito,'' Leyland said. "You know what he does. He does it very well. He stays out of the middle (of the plate). He changes speeds. He throws this when you're looking for that, and vice versa.''
As for Sandoval, who became only the fourth player (Babe Ruth twice, Reggie Jackson and Albert Pujols) to hit three homers in a World Series game, the Tigers' immediate reaction didn't signal major changes in how they will pitch him. But at the very least, you have to expect them to stay away from Sandoval as much as possible.
"We didn't make great pitches on him, and you have to give him credit,'' pitching coach Jeff Jones said. "He's kind of a different player. He's definitely a bad-ball hitter. I don't think we're going to change what we do too much. We just have to make better pitches.''
But the Tigers know tonight's Game 2 must be much different than Game 1.
"They executed and we didn't,'' Avila said. "They did everything right, and we didn't. But we do this for a living. Coming back (in Game 2) is like losing any other game (during the season) and having to come back the next day and win. That's why it's a seven-game series. The key will be getting it back to (Verlander) in Game 5.''
? 2012 NBC Sports.com? Reprintsadvertisement
More newsPablo Sandoval became just the fourth player to hit three home runs in a World Series game, connecting twice against Justin Verlander and once off Al Alburquerque to lead the San Francisco Giants over the Detroit Tigers 8-3 in Wednesday night's opener.
Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/49545255/ns/sports-baseball/
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UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The government of Myanmar is delaying crucial decisions on ways to reduce tensions in volatile regions, a U.N. investigator said on Thursday, as sectarian violence raged for a fifth day between Rohingya Muslims and Buddhists in western Myanmar.
Hundreds of homes burned and gunfire rang out in Rakhine State on Thursday as security forces struggled to stem Myanmar's worst communal unrest since clashes in June killed more than 80 people and displaced at least 75,000 people.
Tomas Ojea Quintana, the U.N. special rapporteur for human rights in Myanmar, which is also known as Burma, told reporters that the country's new government had made substantial progress with democratic reforms.
"At the same time, we see that they are not at this point taking the proper decisions toward a real solution," he said about the Rohingya problem. "I don't see a real analysis of the situation."
Quintana said a special committee set up by Myanmar's president to look at the causes of the tensions in the west had been expected to produce a report next month but that appeared to have been delayed.
"So again we see that those decisions that are needed to be taken immediately to control the situation, to start addressing the root causes of the problem, are not being taken," he said.
The latest violence in Rakhine has spread to several towns, including commercially important Kyaukpyu, where a multi-billion-dollar China-Myanmar pipeline starts. Quintana described the situation there as "critical."
The violence is one of the biggest tests yet of a reformist government that has vowed to forge unity in one of Asia's most ethnically diverse countries.
He said the government must find a way to end the discrimination against the Rohingya Muslims.
"I believe that the government must address the underlying causes of the tension and conflict between Buddhist and Muslim communities there, including the impact of deep-rooted prejudice and discriminatory practices based on ethnicity and religion.
"In this respect I urge the government to take measures to address the endemic discrimination against the Rohingya community and ensure respect for their human rights, which should include a review of the 1982 Citizenship Act," he said.
RIGHTS VIOLATIONS CONTINUE
Rohingyas are officially stateless. Buddhist-majority Myanmar's government regards the estimated 800,000 Rohingyas in the country as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and denies them citizenship. Bangladesh has refused to grant Rohingyas refugee status since 1992.
Quintana said he was concerned about public demonstrations against Rohingyas, calling these a "dangerous" development.
On Thursday, the United States, which has been lifting sanctions on Myanmar as relations improve with its reformist government, said it was deeply concerned about the violence and urged all parties to show restraint and halt attacks immediately.
President Thein Sein's government has negotiated ceasefires with most ethnic rebel groups that have fought for autonomy for half a century but has done little to address the Rohingya problem and encourage Muslim-Buddhist reconciliation.
Quintana welcomed the government's ceasefire deals with ethnic groups but voiced "ongoing concerns over continuing allegations of human rights violations conflict-affected ethnic border areas."
"This includes Kachin State, where I have received allegations of attacks against civilian populations, extrajudicial killings, sexual violence, internal displacement, torture, ongoing use of land mines, the recruitment of child soldiers as well as forced labor," he said.
He added that the violations in Kachin were being committed by all parties to the conflict.
Quintana also urged the government to ensure the United Nations has access to all conflict-torn areas of Myanmar.
He appealed to the government to free a U.N. staff member and several employees of international non-governmental organizations who have been in detention for months in connection with violence in Rakhine earlier this year.
"I again call for their immediate release," he said.
In his annual report to the U.N. General Assembly's human rights committee, Quintana called for the release of all remaining political prisoners in Myanmar.
(Reporting By Louis Charbonneau; Editing by David Brunnstrom)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/myanmar-delaying-crucial-decisions-muslim-tensions-u-n-210341190.html
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The US Census Bureau's monthly New Residential Home Sales Report for September showed sales climbing 5.7 percent since August.
By SoldAtTheTop,?Guest blogger / October 24, 2012
EnlargeToday, the?U.S. Census Department?released its monthly?New Residential Home Sales Report?for September showing a notable monthly improvement with sales climbing 5.7% since August and rising 27.1% above the level seen in September 2011 though remaining at an historically low level of 389K SAAR units.
Skip to next paragraph SoldAtTheTopWriter, The PaperEconomy Blog
'SoldAtTheTop' is not a pessimist by nature but a true skeptic and realist who prefers solid and sustained evidence of fundamental economic recovery to 'Goldilocks,' 'Green Shoots,' 'Mustard Seeds,' and wholesale speculation.
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It's important to recognize that the?inventory of new homes?appears to now be bouncing around a very low 145K units, near the lowest level seen in in at least 47 years while the?median number of months for sale?has improved to 6.5.?
The monthly supply declined to 4.5 months while the median selling price increased 11.71% and the average selling price increased 14.49% from the year ago level.?
The Christian Science Monitor has assembled a diverse group of the best economy-related bloggers out there. Our guest bloggers are not employed or directed by the Monitor and the views expressed are the bloggers' own, as is responsibility for the content of their blogs. To contact us about a blogger, click here.To add or view a comment on a guest blog, please go to the blogger's own site by clicking on paper-money.blogspot.com.
Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/z3t4UkibHtw/New-home-sales-climb-5.7-percent-in-September
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Source: http://www.facebook.com/carnegiecouncil/posts/109671269192322
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3 hrs.
Suzanne Choney , NBC News
The next time you're asked to create?an 8-character password, don't choose "password." Despite it being the among worst possible choices, it remains the most common password?used on the Internet and posted by hackers.
No. 2 and No. 3, respectively are the tried-and-true weaklings?"123456" and "12345678." (Those two mean you can count???on being low-hanging fruit for hackers, that is.)
The info?comes from?SplashData, which makes password management applications. The company's?top 25 list of the "scariest" passwords was released with?Halloween as a peg, but there's no treats here for anyone, and possibly some nasty tricks.
The list was put together "from?files containing millions of stolen passwords posted online by hackers," SplashData says. If you use any of the passwords on the list, you should change them immediately. Otherwise, users "of any of these passwords are most likely to be victims in future breaches," the company says.
While "password," "123456" and "12345678" remain the top three again from last year's list, newcomers include?"welcome, " "jesus," "ninja," "mustang" and the brilliant?"password1."?
Here's the top 25 "Worst Passwords of 2012," including their current ranking and any change from the 2011 list:?
1. ?password (Unchanged)
2, ?123456 (Unchanged)
3. ?12345678 (Unchanged)
4. ?abc123 (up 1)
5. ?qwerty (down 1)
6. ?monkey (unchanged)
7. ?letmein (up 1)
8. ?dragon (up 2)
9. ?111111 (up 3)
10. baseball (up 1)
11. iloveyou (up 2)
12. trustno1 (down 3)
13. 1234567 (down 6)
14. sunshine (up 1)
15. master (down 1)
16. 123123 (up 4)
17. welcome (new)?
18. shadow (up 1)
19. ashley (down 3)
20. football (up 5)
21. jesus (new)
22. michael (up 2)
23. ninja ?(new)
24. mustang (new)
25. password1 (new)
"At this time of year, people enjoy focusing on scary costumes, movies and decorations, but those who have been through it can tell you how terrifying it is to have your identity stolen because of a hacked password,? said Morgan Slain, SplashData CEO, in a statement.?
?Even though each year hacking tools get more sophisticated, thieves still tend to prefer easy targets,? he said. ?Just a little bit more effort in choosing better passwords will go a long way toward making you safer online.?
Check out Technolog, Gadgetbox, Digital Life and In-Game on?Facebook,?and on?Twitter, follow Suzanne Choney.
Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/jesus-ninja-join-password-worst-passwords-2012-1C6643652
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You can build a solid customer base and have a successful Internet marketing business if you apply the proper techniques. For many companies, this method of advertising has proven extremely successful. If you want to know more about Website marketing and how to use it to your advantage, be sure that you read the tips in the article below.
Choosing a good niche is key to having a successful Internet based business. For instance, if you?re trying to sell electronics, the Amish crowd isn?t going to be your primary target. Niche marketing is one of the most important aspects of Internet market; it?s essentially the path that all other marketing techniques will travel down. Knowing who is interested in the product you are selling and spending your effort on attracting them to your business is the smart thing to do.
An effective way to draw more traffic to your site is by creating a blog. You must post regularly so that there is always new content for visitors to read. People are far more likely to revisit your site if they realize that they will see new content each time they view it.
TIP! Offer customers a freebie that features your brand name and that can be transmitted electronically. It can be submitted to various websites where the item can be listed and provided to customers at no charge.
Try using captions with your images. The search engines scan keywords in the captions to determine whether or not the keywords searched will land the seeker effectively on your page. If you do not use relevant captions, your search engine rank may suffer.
Customize your site for worldwide access. Making your site available with multiple language options is a great idea. You would be surprised at how much viewer traffic this could add; not to mention, the global expansion that could be available to you. If a person can read and understand your site for themselves, the odds are improved for them to actually make a purchase.
TIP! If you want to be successful at Internet marketing, you need to be listed on Google. There are a lot of folks looking at Google at all times; you should know when they are searching for something you have to offer.
Provide something that is unique to your site and focused on a niche market. This will most likely get you a ton of traffic. By having one unique product, you will be able to offer many products in addition to your one unique product.
Publish positive customer reviews, informative articles and updates within your industry. Ensure that you have the appropriate permissions prior to publishing the interviews, however, to avoid any legal repercussions. Convert interviews into simple articles, then submit them to directories on E-zine. In this way, you can increase your credibility, your traffic and your sales.
Start a reward system. You need to make sure your business stays with you, if you are not cheap it will drum up word of mouth. It can also encourage your customer to tell others about the good deals that they get from your website and generate more sales for you.
TIP! Use a image that goes to your sales page by getting customers to click on images. The text should coordinate with the main font used in your article and should be positioned near the end of the article.
Regular blogging is an asset to any affiliate marketing campaign. If you blog regularly, you are giving yourself another forum through which you can inform consumers. A blog will increase the size and visibility of your website. The result is an increase in visitors.
Use descriptions that promise fast results and speedy responses when you are advertising your products and services. Brag about how quickly your customers can use your site, have products delivered to their front doors and see the amazing results of using your products or services. Anything that insinuates speed is a great draw card for the viewer, such as online orders receiving an immediate confirmation email or promising a simple and quick checkout mechanism.
TIP! Stay abreast of what your competition is doing. You may easily look at the competition?s web site to see the features they might have.
Do you want to market online? Allow several opportunities for visitors to leave their email address and other information. This is called an opt-in feature, and it allows your visitors to sign up for free newsletters or offers in exchange for their email. If a reader thinks that there are benefits to providing you with their email address, they are more likely to provide you the information.
If you understand your competitors you will have a better chance of seeing success in Online marketing. Find out what they are doing, and do it better. In Web marketing, this is the key ingredient.
A great marketing strategy is to offer bulk discounts on products. If your customer can save money through purchasing items in quantity, they often will. You can make profits with wholesale items being sold while increasing the amount you sell.
TIP! Marketing is all about finding a need and filling that need. When you start your business, be aware of the problems you are solving.
If you use words that make it seem like your site is easy to use it will drum up traffic. People are hesitant to order from sites if the process is too complicated. Your business can increase by a lot when you do this.
One absolute Affiliate marketing necessity is information security. You need to take every possible step to protect your customers? information when they buy from you. Always make sure that their security is a priority with you so that they will see you as a trusted source to work with.
Databases can help you maintain good customer relations. Keep track of what people buy and collect their contact information. Then, you can tailor your communications to showcase accessories or products that are similar to those that customers have already bought from your business.
TIP! Never resort to spamming your prospective and existing customers in the hopes of making a sale. While it might seem like a good way to reach many people, they are not nearly as effective as you think.
You have seen Online marketing and how it can be a strong way to attract new customers. If you have a good source of information and a healthy work ethic, you can easily devise a plan of attack to draw in traffic. You will be able to interact with your customers and learn more about your target audience. By using the tips here, you can make your Affiliate marketing efforts work for you.
Join me on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/maynaseric
Source: http://www.maynaseric.com/find-the-best-ideas-for-online-marketing
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by Chris Lindsey
I began brewing beer 3 years ago. For years I had thought about it and planned to someday give it a shot. I even went over a family friend?s house once and watched him brew beer in his kitchen, and came away telling myself ?I could do that.? However I always had one excuse or another to put off trying it on my own. I must have talked about it a lot because a friend finally bought me a book on brewing. I devoured the book in a week and never looked back.
I brew beer because I really like beer. This sounds obvious and straightforward, and well, it is. People that like food typically learn to cook, people that like planes learn to fly, people that like music learn to play an instrument; and so it goes with beer and brewing. The great part about homebrewing compared to other pursuits is that it?s readily accessible. Homebrewing as a hobby has matured immensely over the past 30 years, so an aspiring homebrewer has plenty of books, magazines, blogs, clubs, and both retail and online stores to help him or her get started.
As with anything else, the more I learn about brewing the more I appreciate beer. Even Bud Light has taken on a new dimension (it now has a green apple-like tang) with new appreciation from me. Believe it or not, it?s not easy to brew a beer like Bud Light. Though looking at the whole spectrum of beer, the scientific precision of Budweiser stands in stark contrast to the simplistic artistry of small Belgian and German breweries. Brewing history comes alive when I think about all the trial-and-error it took for brewers to develop the hefeweizen that I?m now enjoying. Brewing has changed my perspective on beer from curiosity to full-on enchantment.
Unexpectedly, I am now a participant in the budding American beer culture, rather than a spectator. The majority of craft breweries, from Sierra Nevada to Sam Adams to Stone, began in a home kitchen. New American styles like American Pale Ale, Black IPA, and Belgian IPA, came from restless homebrewers experimenting to find the new expression of a Good Brew. Like any creative movement there is a constant churning of notions, fancies, and whims. The beer I brew and share with others is my vote for the future of American beer in our time.
Brewing is often compared to cooking. Rightly so as it shares many of the same aspects as cooking: developing a recipe, shopping for ingredients, preparing the ingredients, thinking several steps ahead and the subsequent timing, evaluating your finished product, and of course sharing the fruits of your labor. For me it?s a great creative outlet. I have my variations on common dishes that I like to cook, and the same goes for the beer I like to brew. The same goes for the way in which you approach brewing. You can focus on perfecting a classic style of beer, or experiment on the fringe with a recipe that flaunts convention.
Brewing scratches my DIY itch. There?s plenty of great beer available in the store or at a nearby bar, most of it better than the stuff I brew. But there?s plenty of great food in restaurants, and yet I still prefer to cook my own meals. When I make something I know it?s being made for me. It takes more work, and it isn?t perfect, but it?s exactly what I want and I made it from scratch. For my efforts I?m blessed with a constant stream of interesting beers, all of which started in my head and came to be through my hands.
?
From the Author: I?ve been brewing beer for about 4 years. I took to it quickly once I got started and now it?s a regular part of my life. I have greatly enjoyed the experience and am glad I have put in the time and effort to learn the craft, so I hope my writings will inspire you to try brewing for yourself.
?
Legal Stuff: Of course, we should remind everyone that our blog entries are for your information only and are not intended as medical advice. If you?re going to drink, do it legally and responsibly; don?t be stupid =). For more info, check out our site: www.drinkwel.com.
Source: http://thehealthydrinker.com/2012/10/intro-to-brewing-beer-why-i-brew-beer-pt-1-of-8/
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TOKYO (AP) ? Weary of rules limiting the freedom of their "overwhelmingly outstanding" sailors, the top commanders of the U.S. Navy in Japan eased after-hours restrictions this month. Just four days later, two sailors were accused of rape on Okinawa, a small island that has long had a tense relationship with the large American force stationed there.
Now, in his first comments since the incident, one of the commanders has told The Associated Press the policy change is under review. But he also stands by his assessment that the U.S. troops under his watch display "exceptionally high standards of professional and personal conduct."
The Navy says the policy change played no role in the alleged attack on a woman outside her apartment building. But the U.S. ambassador immediately apologized, and the head of all 52,000 U.S. troops in Japan announced a new curfew for them as the case sparked intense anger on Okinawa and a brought a sharp rebuke from the Japanese government.
The uproar has deepened a dilemma nagging the U.S. military for years: It wants to improve relations on Okinawa, home to most of its Japan-based force and one of America's most important Pacific military outposts, but it also wants to be fair to its sailors. Many Okinawans believe the troops cannot be trusted to behave themselves off-base despite falling crime rates, and many sailors believe they are being unfairly judged because of a few notorious cases.
Less than a week before the rape was reported, 7th Fleet commander Vice Adm. Scott Swift and Rear Adm. Dan Cloyd, commander of U.S. Naval Forces, Japan, issued a memorandum ending the nearly decade-old "liberty card" program, which regulated off-hours activities by sailors in Japan.
They said the program treated sailors of lower rank "as if they are expected to engage in misconduct," when in fact very few sailors "have difficulty adhering to minimum standards of conduct."
"The decision to cancel the liberty card program is in recognition that the vast majority of our sailors are overwhelmingly outstanding," the commanders said in the Oct. 12 memo, adding that lower-level leaders would be able to keep the small number of potential troublemakers in line.
The alleged rape was reported Oct. 16. In a statement Tuesday to The Associated Press, Cloyd stood by the assessment he made in the memo.
"The vast majority of our sailors have demonstrated overwhelmingly outstanding behavior while serving and living in Japan," he said in the statement, his first public comment since the incident. "We continually focus on training that reinforces the exceptionally high standards of professional and personal conduct of all service members here in Japan and throughout the world."
Following last week's rape allegation, Lt. Gen. Salvatore Angelella, the commander of U.S. forces in Japan, announced that all U.S. military personnel in the country are subject to a curfew from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. and will have to take "core values training."
Cloyd said the Navy is also reviewing its liberty policies. But Cmdr. Kenneth Marshall, a spokesman for the Commander U.S. Naval Forces, Japan, told The AP the loosening of the liberty card policy would not have affected the suspects because their squadron was still enforcing it ? an option that the top commanders left open to the lower-level leadership.
"This is really about the investigation of a violent crime: If these reports are substantiated, these actions are a complete disregard of the personal moral and ethical standards that the U.S. expects of service members," he said.
Okinawan police allege Seaman Christopher Browning of Athens, Texas, and Petty Officer 3rd Class Skyler Dozierwalker of Muskogee, Okla., raped and robbed a local woman in her 20s last week outside her apartment building. The sailors, both 23, were temporarily deployed to Japan with their unit, the VR-59 reserve air detachment based at Joint Naval Air Station, Fort Worth, Texas.
According to police, the two arrived in Okinawa two days earlier on a brief stopover and were staying in an off-base hotel. They were reportedly drinking before the alleged rape took place, between 3 and 4 a.m. They are now in Japanese custody awaiting trial.
The U.S. military has an outsized presence in Okinawa, which was a major battlefield during World War II and a U.S.-administered territory until 1972. The prefecture (state) of 1.4 million hosts about 28,000 U.S. troops ? mostly Marines and Air Force personnel, with smaller contingents of sailors and soldiers. U.S. bases occupy nearly 20 percent of Okinawa's main island.
Anger on Okinawa was already rising because of the military's decision to deploy the Marines' MV-22 Osprey hybrid aircraft to a base there last month, despite local opposition over safety concerns after two recent crashes elsewhere. Tens of thousands of protesters held the largest rally in years to oppose the deployment.
But crime has long been the most sensitive trigger to anti-U.S. military emotions on Okinawa.
The rape of a 12-year-old schoolgirl by two Marines and a sailor in 1995 sparked a huge outcry there. It led to a broad review of military regulations and an agreement to reduce the military footprint on Okinawa, including a plan to move about 9,000 Marines off Okinawa to the U.S. territory of Guam or other Pacific locations. The plan has not yet been implemented.
Over the past decade, base-related crime on Okinawa has generally been decreasing.
According to statistics released by the Okinawan government, the number of felonious crimes ? murders, rapes, arsons or violent robbery ? committed by service members or their dependents on Okinawa dropped from 13 in 2008 to four last year, and the overall number of crimes has dropped by about 50 percent since 2003 and remained fairly stable.
Takuya Kobashigawa, of the Okinawa prefecture's base relations department, said U.S. troops or their dependents account for about 1 percent of all crime on Okinawa. He said there had been two sexual assaults on Okinawa by U.S. personnel over the past three years and no rapes since 2008, when there were four cases.
The downtick in overall crime, however, has done little to change Okinawan perceptions.
"The preventative measures currently taken by the U.S. military and its efforts to educate its personnel can only be called dysfunctional, and we are outraged," Okinawa's prefectural assembly said in a resolution adopted Monday. "The repeat of this kind of incident tries the patience of the Okinawan people beyond their limits, and has generated calls for all U.S. bases to be removed from our prefecture."
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/apnewsbreak-us-navy-reviews-rules-japan-bases-063940035.html
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A 15-year-old boy trips and falls, someone takes a video on their phone and sends it to their contact list, posting it to YouTube and Facebook.
A 19-year-old woman is sexually assaulted, tells a friend?and days later has expletives spray-painted on her car.
A 12-year-old boy is invited to a party at the town park ? when he gets there, no one is there.
A coach screams at a team, picking on weak personality traits.
An 8-year-girl is tripped repeatedly on the bus.
A 14-year-old girl is made fun of every day for her choice of clothing or hair
style.
An 11-year-old boy is made fun of for being overweight.
A 6-year-old boy has a dirt stain on his butt and a rumor is started that he
has ?poop? on his pants.
A 16-year-old girl gets a hickey, a friend takes a photo which is then posted
to Facebook and Instagram, and a rumor is spread that she did things she
didn?t.
These are only a few examples of daily bullying I have heard about, or seen, in the Milford area recently. Middle School East had a "Black Out Bullying" day in January of this year. Of course bullying happens in the ?adult? world as well, but this column will focus on kids and teens.
This week, on the new TV show ?Neighbors,? the ?humans? were trying to teach the ?aliens? different techniques to prevent bullying. It was a head shaking acknowledgment of how ?humans? have grown accustomed and essentially accept bullying by teaching how to ignore or overcome it. And it's not just the bullying from my childhood anymore, cyber bullying is rising.
Bullying affects all aspects of a person?s social, physical, emotional and scholastic health. Despite the discussions in schools, and the month dedicated to prevention, surveys of fourth to sixth graders indicate that 25 percent of all children had been bullied at least "several times" within a two-month period and?about 10 percent had been bullied at least once per week.
Bullying is a serious health concern, which the World Health Organization states elevates?morbidity and mortality among its victims.?It often leads to dislike of school (and lower grades), depression, anxiety, and contributes to 19,000?suicide attempts each year. Bullying may lead to eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and obesity. Research reveals it leads to a decrease in self-esteem and difficulty in social functioning. Along with the potential health issues grouped with eating disorders, there are often other physical symptoms such as migraines, insomnia, fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, ADD and chronic pain syndrome.
The difficulty? Kids will be kids. Coaches will yell. Teachers can?t keep up with (or hear all of) the bullying. If the child is unaware they are being bullied (or lacks self-esteem to tell a teacher or parent) how will a parent know? These videos on the Milford Public Schools website are fantastic and should be watched by all members of our community.
Signs and symptoms of a young person being bullied:
? They are sad or anxious, yet refuse to say what is wrong.
? Unexplained cuts and bruises.
? Reluctance to go to school.
? Changes in mood and behavior.
? Lower confidence and self-esteem.
? Complaints of headaches and stomach aches.
? Problems sleeping.
? They have few friends and appear to be socially isolated from peers.
? Their grades drop.
? Child appears upset after being online or looking at their phone.
Often when parents are told, they tell the child to ?ignore it? with the fear that reporting it increases the potential for more bullying. Safe Schools has put together a great?guideline to assist parents and guardians in the event of potential bullying. Milford schools have a ?no tolerance? policy. Bottom line for parents and students: disregard your fear of reciprocation and REPORT using this form.
Amy Leone of Community Impact?commented "kids need to have a better understanding of what it takes to build and maintain relationships and how to be a good friend. This will decrease bullying in the end."
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Despite WiFi connectivity issues and a Skype credit drought, I had the great pleasure of talking with the ever-pleasant Warwick Davis.
For the uninitiated, Davis is a British actor who played memorable characters in the Harry Potter films, Star Wars, Willow, and stars in the tremendously successful HBO series Life?s Too Short. Warwick?s collaborative involvement with creator Matmi and producer Offficial in the development of PocketWarwick, a Tamagotchi-style simulation game, is the impetus for this interview.
What makes this game stand out from others? In it you get to take care of a digital version of Warwick. You assist him in finding acting gigs, dress him in costumes, winning awards, and buy luxurious items as he lands more roles.
Here is what Davis has to say about the game, his favorite apps to drink to, and his love of all things Apple.
APPOLICIOUS: Provide a little background about PocketWarwick?s origins. What led you to develop your own app?
WARWICK DAVIS: I?ve had a smartphone for a number of years now, and I?m a big fan of gadgets in general. I think I own every model of Mac Apple has ever made. I don?t seem to get rid of them and look after them meticulously.
These days, we live with our phones all the time. In my acting career, I find that developing my own projects is very fulfilling. I was interested in creating a game about the world of acting, while balancing life with work and the money coming in. That was kind of the birth of PocketWarwick.
APPO: How hands-on are/were you in the app development process?
WD: Very. I was able to push the folks at Matmi and Offficial, but they were working simultaneously. Originally I wanted a two-dimensional animated game. However, the developers wanted a two-dimensional face on a three-dimensional body. I learned that developing a game is very different than a movie... when you release a game it doesn?t have to be the end. You can add updates and features. I'll continue to give input on the range of outfits that can be purchased using the in-game currency system. Since the game exists in parallel with my real life, versions of costumes from upcoming roles of mine will show up in future updates.
In terms of what I wanted for the game, I knew the experience couldn?t be shallow. I personally wrote over 350 parody film titles and synopsis that exist inside the game. When the agent offers auditions, you can have a laugh. Some of them sound so interesting that I might end up making them! I can access the database of titles and have been thinking about Twitter competitions where fans make up their own funny titles that we can add to the game.
What amazes me about the process is the length of time it takes. Fifteen people work on the game full-time. I watch them work and think about how people moan about the price of games. 40 pounds for a PlayStation game or whatever, they don?t really know the effort that goes into this process.
APPO: What features were most important to you in PocketWarwick?s gameplay mechanics?
WD: I wanted the game to play on two levels. First, the game needed to be one that you can pick up and play. I was inspired by apps that simulate drinking a beer so you can have a laugh at the pub, but also wanted PocketWarwick to be more in-depth like a simulation game. It?s entirely possible to play the game all the way through from Z-list to A-list without spending any real money, but in-app purchases are there if you want to speed things up.
I wanted the whole game to be free, but have the options to buy coins and speed up the process. My friend's four-year-old was playing the game for an hour and a half, dressing little Warwick up and doing basic domestic tasks like showering. My son enjoys leveling up digital Warwick?s XP and improving his celebrity status. I wanted the game to appeal to a broad range of gamers, including casual folks.
APPO: How did you incorporate your current HBO show Life?s Too Short and your previous film roles into the game?
WD: Definitely Life?s Too Short?s sense of humor, in showing the funny side of being a little person in this world. My personality is in the game, including scenarios I find humorous. For example, when PocketWarwick discovers his autobiography, he says ?Oh, this is a short story.? We can?t use exact film titles and characters due to copyright, but there are costume elements in the game that are close enough.
APPO: The game is very similar to old-school electronic games like Tamagotchi. What are some of the advantages in adopting this game format?
WD: I didn?t sit down to make this game in a formulaic way. We ended up realizing that in the end, there weren?t simple ingredients to make a game like that. I didn?t look at it as an advantage. If people like looking after something or somebody, it would appeal to them. The developers and I stumbled upon the current incarnation of PocketWarwick.
We had a physics professor working on the game to help with character movement. I think a free experience is important. You can choose how you want to play the game. If you do well as an actor, you can buy the big screen TV one day.
APPO: How does it feel knowing that very soon thousands of people will be able to interact with your game-based avatar on a daily basis?
WD: I hope it is thousands! It will be a weird thing. Usually people recognize me from movies and television, but now maybe people will say ?I was just playing your game!?
I?ve been testing it over the last months, and it?s interesting how you play the game and switch it off. You can say ?Let?s check how he?s doing.? Digital Warwick keeps living in there, and you don?t want him to get too hungry or deteriorate.
The right reaction to PocketWarick might be ?this is the weirdest thing I?ve ever seen!? It?s quite surreal and I am excited to see people?s reactions to it. I love Apple and what they do, so it?s nice to have a close association with that, having an app launched in The App Store.
APPO: Are you at all worried that players will become so obsessed with making PocketWarwick?s career work that they?ll forget about their own?
WD: Play it sensibly! I wouldn't want anyone to lose their job, but that would be the biggest compliment if someone was that into the game! If someone says they lost their job, I would be both sad and quite excited.
APPO: What are your favorite mobile games, other than PocketWarwick?
WD: Reckless Racing and Reckless Getaway. I love games with intricate, detailed graphics. Pick up and play games especially. I used to play SpinBall 2 on the Amiga. It was my favorite game, and the newer version has the same classic sounds as the original.
It?s no secret that I am not a brilliant gamer. On the other hand, my daughter is a completionist when it comes to games. She needs to get three stars on every level of Angry Birds. When I played Angry Birds and Flight Control I got to the point where my brain almost blew a few fuses.
APPO: If your first foray into mobile is a success, do you see yourself developing more games and starting your own mobile gaming empire? What other types of games featuring...yourself...would you want to see in the App Stores?
WD: I have other ideas for games. For PocketWarwick, we took 70 photographs of my face and recorded a lot of audio. I would like to use performance capture in a game, just as I have in movies. My kids motivate me to continue developing games, because they love playing them. We?ll see where it goes.
APPO: In the Harry Potter universe, Professor Filius Flitwick is the Charms Master, which is like being an app developer ? does he use an iPhone or Android device and why?
WD: Definitely iPhone. I think Apple would describe them as being magical.
Here is a trailer for PocketWarwick:
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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pulitzer-prize-board-adds-yorker-writer-playwright-newspaper-003237002.html
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Heading into his UFC 154 bout with Carlos Condit, UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre is riding a nine-fight win streak. Dating back to UFC 69, when he lost the belt to Matt Serra, GSP has not lost. However, his last win by a stoppage was in January of 2009, when he TKOed B.J. Penn. Since then, he won five-round decisions over Thiago Alves, Dan Hardy, Josh Koscheck and Jake Shields.
The run of decisions has brought about criticism from fans who call the longtime champ "boring." As he has rehabbed from a knee injury over the past year, GSP has heard the criticism, and guess what? He agrees.
"I agree with the criticism," St-Pierre told The New York Post. "I want to do better. I want to give more entertainment to the fans."
Do you think you'll see a more exciting GSP at UFC 154? Tell us in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.
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?20,000 - ?24,000 plus benefits
This is an excellent opportunity for a candidate with some credit underwriting/risk experience to develop a career in consumer lending.
Key Responsibilities:
Contact: Please send CVs to Julie Ramsay julie@thcrecruitment.co.uk 01279 713900
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I had?every ?intention?to blog while?in London. Really I did.?What?I didn't?factor in?was traveling with energetic children and grandchildren who want to make the most of every minute of every day. By the time we get back to the house?after a long day of site seeing this grammie needs a nap.
I even brought along Bianca's Mini Me. I thought it would be fun to have her show you all around London, but the first day here she had a terrible accident. She slipped and fell while boarding one of those big red double decker buses and dislocated her shoulder. Not to worry. She's fine now.
Bill performed surgery and?pinned it.?She's on the mend, but?definitely in no mood for site seeing.
So here is a brief recap of our trip so far.
Bill and I arrived in London on Friday;a day ahead of Jen and grand kids Sarah and Michael. Our son Bryan was already here?for work. Our thought was to arrive a day early so we could somewhat recover from jet lag before the rest of our family arrived. We stayed that first night at a charming three hundred year old boutique hotel in SoHo called the Hazlitt Hotel. The rooms were done in antiques?with lace curtains,
and velvet couches,
wood paneling, a fireplace and a canopy feather bed.
Just lovely.
Saturday we checked into our home away from home for a weeks stay in a private residence. We've never rented a house in Europe?before but thought with the kids it would work well and it's been great. We eat a light breakfast here before heading out for the day and usually return in the late afternoon to chill for a while before going out for dinner. Everyone has their own room and bathroom and it really couldn't be more perfect. Mid week they come and refresh the towels and change the sheets and tidy up a bit. We have full use of everything. The house is just a block from Buckingham Palace so it's within walking distance to many attractions. Monday night Bill and I walked to a nearby theater to see Billy Elliot. Tonight we take the family to see Lion King.
Speaking of family - here we are outside Buckingham Palace.
Michael is ten and Sarah is twelve. They are at the perfect age for a trip like this. Great kids who will eat anything and are able to withstand a full day of walking.
Sorry this is so brief, but I've gotta go.
Hope you all are well. Miss you all,
Source: http://patches.typepad.com/notes_from_the_patch/2012/10/cheers-from-london.html
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Vice President Joe Biden listens at right as President Barack Obama speaks during a campaign event at Triangle Park in Dayton, Ohio, Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2012, the day after the last presidential debate against Republican Presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Vice President Joe Biden listens at right as President Barack Obama speaks during a campaign event at Triangle Park in Dayton, Ohio, Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2012, the day after the last presidential debate against Republican Presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, right, and his vice presidential running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., takes the stage at a campaign stop, Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2012, in Henderson, Nev. It was the first joint appearance after Monday's last presidential debate between Romney and President Barack Obama. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
A silhouetted President Barack Obama gestures while speaking at a campaign event at Delray Beach Tennis Center, Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2012 in Delray Beach, Fla., the day after the last presidential debate against Republican Presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. The president is making campaign stops in Florida and Ohio today. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney waves as he speaks to the crowd during a campaign event Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2012, in Henderson, Nev. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
President Barack Obama stops to waves to supporters as he takes the stage during a campaign event at Triangle Park in Dayton, Ohio, Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2012, the day after the last presidential debate against Republican Presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) ? The endgame at hand, President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney plunged into the final two weeks of an excruciatingly close race for the White House Tuesday with TV advertising nearing an astronomical $1 billion and millions of Americans casting early ballots in all regions of the country.
Increasingly, Ohio looms as ground zero in a campaign waged in tough economic times. The state's unemployment of 7 percent is well below the national average of 7.8 percent, Obama has campaigned here more than in any other state and Romney has booked a heavy schedule of appearances in hopes of a breakthrough.
The economy was the theme Tuesday as the two rivals put their final, foreign policy-focused debate behind.
Obama brandished a new 20-page summary of his second-term agenda and told a campaign crowd in Florida his rival's blueprint "doesn't really create jobs. His deficit plan doesn't reduce the deficit; it adds to it."
More than that, he said Romney changes his positions so often that he can't be trusted.
In Dayton, Obama said of his rival: "In the closing weeks of the campaign, he's doing everything he can to hide his true positions. He is terrific at making presentations about stuff he thinks is wrong with America, but he sure can't give you an answer about what will make it right. And that's not leadership you can trust."
Before flying to Ohio for his 17th trip of the election year, Obama also said with a hint of humility, "It doesn't mean that every candidate is going to get everything done all at once perfectly, but you want somebody to be able to look you in the eye and say, here's what I believe."
Romney countered in an appearance before a large, cheering crowd in Henderson Nev. He said Obama wants a new term for the same policies that have produced slow economic growth and high unemployment for four long years. "He is a status quo candidate. ... That's why his campaign is slipping and ours is gaining so much steam," he said.
Romney's aides dismissed Obama's 20-page booklet as nothing new, and the former Massachusetts governor said of the president, "His vision for the future is a repeat of the past."
There seemed to be no end to the television advertising in a season when voters report they are heartily sick of it.
Material collected by ad trackers showed the two candidates and allied groups have spent or reserved nearly $950,000 million so far on television commercials, much of it negative, some of it harshly so. Romney and GOP groups had a $100 million advantage over Obama and his supporters, although variations in the purchase price made it difficult to compare the number of ads each side had run.
Increasingly, the two campaigns were focused on turning out their supporters in early balloting under way in more than half the states.
"Every single day right now is Election Day," Obama's campaign manager, Jim Messina, told reporters. On that, at least, Republicans offered no rebuttal.
About 5 million voters have already cast ballots according to data collected by the United States Elections Project at George Mason University, and about 35 million are expected to do so before Nov. 6.
While no votes will be counted until Election Day, the group said Democrats have cast more ballots than Republicans in the battleground states of North Carolina and Iowa by about 20 percentage points, while in Nevada, about 121,000 people have voted ? 49 percent Democrats and 35 percent Republicans.
Republicans have an early edge in Colorado, where Republicans have cast 43 percent of the 25,000 ballots to date, to 34 percent for Democrats.
Romney's camp projected confidence as the race entered its final phase, still riding an October surge in the polls that began after the challenger's dominant performance in the first presidential debate on Oct. 3 in Denver.
The Electoral College math made clear neither man had sealed a victory.
Wins in Ohio and in Wisconsin ? a state that Democrats have carried in the past six presidential elections ? would leave Obama only 5 electoral votes short of the 270 needed for victory.
That placed a premium on Ohio ? readily apparent from the candidates' campaign schedules and the millions in television advertising flooding the state.
Romney arrives in Cincinnati on Wednesday night after his Western swing, and he is expected to spend all day Thursday and part of Friday campaigning across the state.
His running mate, Paul Ryan, is to deliver a speech on the economy Thursday at Cleveland State University, something of an unusual event in a campaign with only two weeks to run.
Obama intends to fly into the state Thursday at the end of a two-day cross-country trip into a half-dozen battlegrounds.
Vice President Joe Biden was in Toledo during the day before heading to Dayton to join Obama at their rally, mid-way through a three-day tour of the state.
Barring a last-minute change, Obama appears on course to win states and the District of Columbia that account for 237 of the 270 electoral votes needed for victory. Romney has a firm hold on states with 191 electoral votes.
The battlegrounds account for the remaining 110 electoral votes: Florida (29), North Carolina (15), Virginia (13), New Hampshire (4), Iowa (6), Colorado (9), Nevada (6), Ohio (18) and Wisconsin (10).
____
Associated Press writers Kasie Hunt in Nevada and Stephen Ohlemacher, Beth Fouhy and Josh Lederman in Washington contributed to this story. Espo reported from Washington.
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Park District preparing to open the new leased space for winter 2013 programs
Following the winter holidays, Naperville residents can look forward to a tempting menu of fun, educational, and healthy activities offered by the Naperville Park District in the newly renovated Fry Property Building at 2244 W. 95th St. in south Naperville.
At their October 11, 2012 regular meeting, the Naperville Park District Board of Commissioners formally named the new recreation space the 95th St. Center. The District holds a three-year lease for 11,500 square feet of indoor programming space at the Center. The leased space includes:
?Our recreation staff is excited to be able to offer a full range of programs for all ages at this south side location,? said Director of Recreation Brad Wilson. ?Beginning in January, residents and nonresidents can participate in new sewing and cooking classes, dance classes, yoga, Pilates, gymnastics, arts and crafts, computer explorers, knitting, weight loss classes, and much more.?
?The teaching kitchen setup is unique in Naperville, with six teaching stations in one room,? said Program Manager Sandie Gilmer. ?Class participants will be able to practice what the instructor is teaching while the demonstration is taking place,? she said. The culinary space also will be available for rentals by families and small groups for personal use.
Following the completion of building renovations in November, the Naperville Park District will move furniture and equipment into the space. On Saturday, December 8, the community is invited to a Grand Opening celebration from 9-11:30 a.m. Participants will be able to try a variety of different activities to get a taste of the new classes being offered at the 95th St. Center.
For more information about the 95th St. Center or for questions about the Naperville Park District, please visit www.napervilleparks.org.
Created in 1966, the Naperville Park District is an independent, municipal agency serving the recreation needs of its residents. An Illinois Distinguished Agency since 1994, the District is one of only 1% of park districts across the country to be nationally accredited through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA). The Naperville Park District?s mission is to provide recreation and park experiences that enhance the quality of life for our community, including benefits such as community health, environmental education, social connections, and personal growth. The District maintains and operates more than 2,500 acres with 140 parks and facilities and provides more than 1,400 recreational, arts and environmental programs and special events annually. Included within the District?s operations are two championship golf courses, a multitude of playgrounds, trails, athletic courts and sports fields, two inline skating and skateboarding facilities, the Millennium Carillon, a paddle boat quarry, historic Centennial Beach, and the beautiful Riverwalk.
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