Former NFL pro is barely recognizable as he sheds 124lbs on The Biggest Loser
Former NFL pro Scott Mitchell is barely recognizable after shedding an impressive 124lbs - roughly the weight of 138 footballs. The 47-year-old ex-athlete fr...
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Former NFL pro is barely recognizable as he sheds 124lbs on The Biggest Loser - Video
Vinyl Cottage Workshop Portable Sheds
The Vinyl Cottage Workshop Outside Storage Building Is The Perfect Place To Store Your Garden Tools or To Make Into A Workshop or Craft Room. This Amish Built Storage Shed Is Available in...
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Vinyl Cottage Workshop Portable Sheds - Video
A tiny Siberian fish fossil thats a whopping 415 million years old may be part of a group of fish that was ancestor to all the jawed vertebrates living today, according to a team of European scientists.
Described online in the journal Nature, the fossil fish, Janusiscus schultzei, could help researchers flesh out - and perhaps redraw - portions of the ancient fish family tree.
The fossil, discovered near the Sida River in Siberia in 1972, is a strange, chimeric mishmash of features of very different lineages, which makes it valuable to scientists who have long struggled to sort out the ancient fish family tree between 443 million and 358 million years ago, during the Silurian and Devonian periods.
The vast majority of fish in the Earths waters today are bony fishes descendants of a group known as osteichthyans. But back in fishes heyday, around 400 million years ago, osteichthyans werent the only group around. There were also cartilaginous fish called chondrichthyans (whose descendants include sharks and rays) as well as extinct armored fishes called placoderms.
These different groups of fish were all descended from gnathostomes, or jawed fish, and scientists want to know what those ancestral gnathostomes look like in part because the answer could affect how we see our own origins.
Heres a brief family history. Osteichthyans, the bony fishes, split into two main groups the ray-finned fishes, which make up the vast majority of fish in the ocean today, and the lobe-finned fishes, whose descendants eventually crawled onto land. Those descendants, the "tetrapods," evolved into all four-legged vertebrates on Earth today, from reptiles to mammals (and, yes, including humans).
So what did the ancient ancestors of all jawed vertebrate life on Earth today look like? It was long thought that gnathostome species would look more like the cartilaginous chondrichthyans their living members, the sharks, are seen as "primitive," living fossils that havent changed much over time. Bony structures, like the ones in our own bodies, appear much more complex, so it was assumed they evolved later. But recent studies have found that shark-like, cartilaginous bodies may have been a later development and that the bony fishes might be the ones who inherited the more primitive traits.
For this study, the researchers subjected the fossil skull of this fish to an X-ray CT scan to examine tell-tale structures in the animals skull. Like other recently examined specimens, the Janusiscus schultzei fish fossil also has a strange mix of features that seem like theyre both from the bony osteichthyans and the cartilage-bodied chondrichthyans.
The structure of the skull roof bones look a lot like those of osteichthyans, but a number of features, including a flat-based braincase, dont match osteichthyans at all. In fact, certain features of the braincase actually look a lot more like those in early chondrichthyan species.
Janusiscus presents an unexpected suite of osteichthyan, chondrichthyan and generalized gnathostome traits, the study authors wrote.
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The rise of jaws? Tiny fossil sheds light on fishy origins
Home Movies Divergent First Insurgent featurette sheds light on mystery box, introduces Fours mother
A lengthy behind the scenes look at Insurgent explains the mystery box first seen in the trailer and where we find Tris and Four at the beginning of the film.
Amongst lots of behind the scenes footage are several highlights: A great fight between Peter and Tris, as well as our first look at Naomi Watts in the role of factionless leader Evelyn (the mother of Four).
Were also promised no more world building a frequent complaint about the first film, Divergent.
The great thing about this movie is that weve gone through the setup of this world, says Four actor Theo James. Adds Ansel Elgort, who plays Tris brother Caleb, We already have all of the characters introduced. Now we can just tell a great story.
The movie begins with Tris being chased amongst factions and never let[s] up, according to producer Lucy Fisher. Like the book, the films story begins in Amity where Tris and Four are taking refuge. We see the unveiling of Tris new haircut and several simulation sequences including the one found in the teaser trailer. Douglas Wick, the films second producer, confirms that Tris and Four will be brought to the factionless compound but its not clear if they get there by jumping into a train coincidentally full of factionless like in the book.
As for that mystery box seen in the second trailer which left lots of fans stumped? The box takes a lot of my favorite scenes from the book and puts them in the same place at the same time, author Veronica Roth explains.
In the first movie you dont really know exactly what Erudite is up to. In Insurgent, its crystal clear, adds Kate Winslet who plays Jeanine.
These comments fit with a theory one of Hypables readers presented when the mystery box appeared in the trailer. The reader believes that the Edith Prior video, found by Tris and Four at the end of the Insurgent book, is in the box, and Jeanine needs someone with three faction aptitudes, like Tris, to open it. For the film, Tris is probably the only character capable of opening it.
Insurgent opens in theaters this March.
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First Insurgent featurette sheds light on mystery box, introduces Fours mother
Central First School in Ashington transformed an old bus into classroom They have also converted a shed, toilets and corridors to ease pressure School is still oversubscribed and is having to turn pupils away Figures have revealed almost one in five primaries have too many pupils The deadline for new primary school applications is tomorrow
By Lucy Crossley for MailOnline
Published: 05:16 EST, 14 January 2015 | Updated: 11:38 EST, 14 January 2015
Schoolchildren are being taught inside corridors, sheds and even a toilet because of overcrowding in classrooms, it has emerged.
One school in Northumberland is not only having to turn pupils away, but is also being forced to teach children in make-shift classrooms, including a garden shed.
Central First School in Ashington, which bought a double decker bus on eBay for use as a temporary classroom last year, has been finding new means of teaching its ever-growing pupil population.
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Schoolchildren, such as these pupils at Central First School in Ashington, are being taught inside cupboards, corridors, sheds and even a toilet because of overcrowding in classrooms
Pupils at work in a school corridor. New figures have revealed that one in five primary schools have more pupils than they have the capacity for
Central First School is not only having to turn pupils away, but is also being forced to teach children in make-shift classrooms, including a garden shed
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Children taught inside corridors, sheds and a TOILET because of overcrowding
A website that served as a report card for Pennsylvania's public schools' academic performance now carries information that details their fiscal performance as well.
At a Capitol news conference on Wednesday, Rep. Jim Christiana, R-Beaver, announced the launch of this online tool at http://www.paschoolperformance.orgthat he said will give "people more access to the way we spend their hard earned tax dollars."
For a step-by-step guide on how to access the information, click here.
He noted that schools collectively spend $27.6 billion a year but finding out how that money is spent has been less than transparent. Twice, he had introduced legislation to create a SchoolWATCH website that would present public schools' fiscal information but the bill never made it into law.
He said he often heard from "opponents to transparency" that "there was no way to grant this level of access without undue cost and undue burden to our schools." He called them "pathetic excuses," particularly when he found out the Department of Education already collected much of the same information that his legislation sought to make available.
Of particular note is the website includes individual salary information for professional employees including superintendents, principals, teachers, psychologists, among others. Information that appears on the site now is for 2012-13. Department officials say the 2013-14 information will be posted in May when it becomes available from school districts.
Tim Eller, education department spokesman, said the fiscal information that now appears on the school profiles for the 500 school districts, 176 charter schools, 14 cyberschools, 73 career and technical schools and 29 intermediate units was scattered throughout the department's website.
This site, however, makes it more readily available and easier to find, he said. "This put it in one area where the public can access and gain information with the click of a mouse," he said.
Christiana said he plans to continue to push for passage of a law in this legislative session to ensure this effort to make school fiscal information more transparent becomes a permanent feature.
House Education Committee Chairman Stan Saylor, R-Red Lion, said the committee will consider Christiana's bill at a meeting later this month.
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Online transparency tool sheds light on public school spending
By By Craig Scott and Lauren SalbergJanuary 9, 2015 12:00 am
Toilets and sewer systems are designed to transport and dispose of specific materials. The pipes that connect your home to the sewer or a septic system are only wide enough to transport three things: water, toilet paper and human waste.
When other materials are flushed down the drain, they can get stuck and cause damage from clogged drains to sewer backups and overflows; and these materials can create maintenance challenges for pumping out septic tanks.
Sewer back-ups are not only smelly; they can damage homes and businesses resulting in expensive repairs. If a spill leaks into the environment, the negative effects can be extensive. All these complications result in damaged systems, which increase the citys sewer maintenance, repair costs and your sewer bill.
Recently, the prime culprits in clogging sewer systems have been flushable products. Contrary to their name, these products should not be flushed, as they do not degrade as fast or as easily as toilet paper. The only truly flushable item is toilet paper, which readily disintegrates in water, making it easy to travel through sewer drains. Currently, there are no state or federal standards for flushable products, so products labeled flushable or septic safe have no regulated definitions.
Additionally, disposing of chemical products through the toilet leads to dissolved chemicals traveling through the sewer system and into aquatic environments, where they can pollute and disrupt these ecosystems.
Items that should never be flushed include:
Flushable items (cleaning wipes, toilet bowl scrub pads, disposable mops, diapers);
Tampons, tampon applicators, sanitary napkins, condoms;
Medications, vitamins and supplements;
About 19 months ago, rain forced groundbreaking ceremonies to be held under a tent, but a ceremony marking UnityPoint Health-Trinity's official ownership of a $63 million addition was held on a frigid Tuesday in the comfort of its new heart center's lobby.
Executives from Trinity and some area builders wore big smiles as a large ornate key was passed from Dan Meyers, the project director for the contractor, and Rick Seidler, the Trinity president and CEO.
The project that got underway June 5, 2013, has gone quite smoothly and will end up under budget, said Jay Willsher, the chief operations officer at Trinity.
"It's an exciting day for us," Seidler said, pointing out that it is the largest addition in the history of the complex at 2701 17th St., originally constructed in 1972 as Franciscan Hospital.
The addition includes the heart center as well as an enlarged emergency medicine department. Importantly, it adjoins the Robert Young Center for Community Mental Health. Included are six special rooms called "crisis stabilization units," which are for behavioral health patients.
Those units and an adjoining room setting are designed to calm agitated patients. The concept has received attention from hospitals across the United States, Seidler said.
The addition encompasses 90,000 square feet and is three stories high.
The ceremony represented the awarding of Trinity's "certificate of occupancy" from the city of Rock Island. That means it meets all city standards, regulations or codes for its intended purposes, allowing the owner to occupy the space.
Before the doors open officially to public use, the addition must be cleaned, equipment moved in and employees trained. Approval also is needed from state regulators, Seidler said. The target date for the addition to open is April 19.
Marika Jones of the Trinity Health Foundation announced that $6.2 million was raised locally for the project, $200,000 over the $6 million goal. The money came from physicians, staff members and others in the community.
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Trinity RI gets key to hospital addition
A company that operates 11 establishments in the city won Chicago Park District approval Wednesday for a restaurant that will sit at the south end of Maggie Daley Park.
The company that won the bid, Four Corners Tavern Group, will also run a kiosk near the skating ribbon on the north side of the park.
Chicago Park District Superintendent Michael Kelly said the kiosk will be well-received, noting that the second-most requested item at the ribbon has been hot chocolate.
"Not only does it make good business sense," Kelly said, "We have to do it."
The restaurant group, which employs about 600 people, was the largest company out of three that made a bid, parks officials said at the meeting.
Four Corners will pay $1.1 million to build the restaurant, officials said. Preliminary renderings of the building's design were also presented at the meeting. The restaurant will feature glass walls and a grass-covered roof, similar to the feel of the field house north of the skating ribbon, said Rob Rejman, director of planning and construction for the Park District.
The company will also pay for all utilities and waste removal and $75,000 in rent per year, and 5 to 10 percent of its gross profits will go to the Park District.
"As they make more money, we make more money," said Steve Lux, Park District chief financial officer.
The commissioners approved a 10-year agreement with the option to terminate at any time. The Park District can renew the agreement five more times for one year each time. After that, the restaurant will be rebid, Lux said.
Rejman said public meetings regarding the design will be held at a yet-to-be-determined date.
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Company chosen to run Maggie Daley Park restaurant, kiosk
Vu Tran, owner of the popular Janes Seafood and Chinese Restaurant in New Iberia, walked around the rebuilt restaurant Tuesday with a smile on his face. The day hes been waiting for was almost near.
Ten months ago Tran and his family lost their restaurant to a fire. Reportedly, the only thing left standing after the blaze was the hostess station.
After almost $400,000 in construction, the restaurant is close to reopening.
The community has been a great help. They are anxiously waiting for the opening. Theyve been following our updates and theyre excited to have us back, said Tran as he walked around the restaurants construction site.
Its kind of nerve racking. I know its going to be crazy once we open, Tran said.
Tran said he was encouraged after the fire and planned on building the restaurant back bigger and better. The restaurant is certainly bigger with a 2,300-square-foot increase from its original size of 4,000 square feet, according to Tran.
Janes Seafood also will offer a private dining room and a full-scale oyster bar. Instead of just beer, Tran said customers will have a choice of mixed drinks as well.
We will serve oysters raw and charbroiled. Were also adding a grill so you can have grilled items, Tran said. I think the bar is going to be something different. I think people are really going to enjoy it.
Tran said the restaurant spent close to $100,000 on inventory, putting the total reconstruction process at close to a half million dollars.
Paul Migues with Migues Electrical said the restaurant is almost up and running with a few minor steps to go.
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Janes to reopen a year after fire