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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-155666572013-05-18T00:37:37.658-05:00Baseball ThinkingBaseball Thinking is a blog site dedicated to the spastic thinking of a longtime baseball fan. Thanks for stopping in and sharing your thoughts while reading his.Tommy Dee is the Red Sox catcher of the future?During the 2010 Red Sox spring training, there were open discussions regarding a contract extension for Victor Martinez. Many speculated that the catcher slash first baseman might sign an extension. When asked in February, Victor told the Boston Herald that he wants to remain in Boston. And his agent, Alan Nero of Octagon, told Gordon Edes of ESPN that even though he wants to stay, the Red Sox must pay him to stay. Martinez wants to be paid as a catcher. But do the Sox want him as a catcher? <br /><br />As a catcher, Martinez has thrown out approximately 23% of base runners, below the average of 30%. In 2008, he did catch 37% of potential base stealers, but only 22 stolen bases were attempted against him, by far the lowest. In 2010, he is beginning the year in a 1 for 12 slump. <br /><br />Defensively speaking, Martinez is not a very good catcher. The Sox feeling is that he might have one or two years left as a starting catcher and they are looking for him to become their 1B/DH. Very few teams will give a 32 year old catcher a large, multi-year contract. But Martinez wants to be paid as a catcher. Negotiations will become tense, for sure. <br /><br />The Red Sox have no potential starting catchers in their minor league system. Dusty Brown is not the answer. They gave up the rights to George Kottaras and Milwaukee quickly (in minutes) plucked him off the waiver wire. Former farmhand Kelly Shoppach was recently traded to the Tampa Bay Rays and the Sox certainly could have used his services. Shoppach for Crisp – what a trade! <br /><br />Moving forward, Martinez wants to catch and the Sox want him at first base. While negotiations will be honest, they will not be fruitful. Victor Martinez should sign with another team once his $7.7M contract expires at years’ end. Then who will the Sox sign to catch?Tommy Dee Tanguy Fired from Sports Hub!There is a God!<br /><br />A lot of times it seems like the inevitable is, well, inevitable. Sometimes the inevitable takes a lot longer than anticipated. On Friday, April 2nd, 2010, the inevitable arrived for Gary “Muffay” Tanguay. The beleaguered mid-day radio host of Tanguay and Zolak was fired from his cushy gig at the Sports Hub, Boston’s number one sports radio station (opinion, not fact). Tang Gay is now free to beat the meat with Pete “the meat” Shephard, who is also unemployed after being tanked by WEEI recently. <br /><br />Tanguay will be replaced by Andy Gresh, which is the equivalent of going from a 1972 Ford Pinto to a 2002 pickup. Sports Hub program director Mike Thomas was irked that the story was leaked by brain dead intern Courtney Fallon, whose career in the Boston sports scene is over before it started. What a tool! She was ordered to remove the Tweets within the hour. She was also told to head directly to Mass General for a complete brain scan. <br /><br />Although this can’t be verified, it is being reported that Scott Zolak, his former partner, is ecstatic that Tanguy has been replaced by his old friend Gresh. It isn’t that Zolak has refused comment; he just can’t stop laughing long enough to speak coherently. A going away party is being planned by the staff of the Sports Hub but it isn’t known if Tanguay has been invited. <br /><br />Chad Finn, a paid blogger for the Boston Globe, (who closely resembles a middle-aged lesbian I once knew), wrote that Tanguay was devastated by the fact he was fired. Really? He received this information from a second brilliant Tweet from Fallon. ( ) <br /><br />Apparently, Tanguay didn’t see this coming, but no one is surprised. Listeners tuned out months ago. His constant yells of “Jesus” and “Christ” on the air ruffled the feathers of many, including his superiors. His ignorance was clear. His character was weak. <br /><br />His lack of vision became evident during his infamous broadcasts of college football games for Comcast SportsNet. During one college football game in 2009, Tanguay reported to viewers that it was third and short. Andy Gresh, who was his analyst, corrected him and told him it was third and eight. Unbelievable! During the same game, he reported the first two point interception in football history! Historic! After a UMaine football game, he reported that the head coach of the Black Bears bled green, even though the school colors are blue and white. Moronic! And when he reported that a team was going for it on fourth down, Gresh once again corrected him and told Tanguay that the team was actually punting the football. Brilliant! My question is what took so long in getting rid of this clown? Even though he is close to fifty years old and grew up in New England, he knows absolutely nothing about New England sports. <br /><br />Best of luck, Gary, as you will need it beginning of the end of the New England PatriotsWhat happened to the legendary New England Patriots? They are a just a shell of their former selves. During their Super Bowl win of 2001, they chose to be introduced as a team. Their roster consisted of relative unknowns, players with some athletic ability but mostly intelligence. Their defense was tough and they won the close games. What has happened?<br /><br />During their dream run, they never lost two games in a row. That has changed. BB never made mistakes. Wow, has that really changed or what? Their defensive schemes were smart and difficult for the opposition to figure out. Not any more. They can’t get to the quarterback and their secondary gives up a ton of points to the worst offensive teams in the NFL. The offense had some surprises and made big plays. There is no guessing about the pats offense these days. They have become very one dimensional and there is no question who will receive the ball on offense. They were a team which got better as each month passed. Now they are the opposite, losing more games in November and December than they have for some time. They can’t win on the road, except London. They are as predictable as the tides. During the prime years, they didn’t beat themselves. They played sixty minutes of football and each player knew their job. Their secondary was outstanding. <br /><br />This is now Patriots Lite. Gone is the mystique, the swagger and the results. BB is being second guessed by everyone, as well he should be. Guys with the name Banta-Cain and Guyton are the best players on defense. That alone is scary. These guys were barely bench players recently. This is the beginning of the end.Tommy Dee ratings continue to slideTony Massarotti of the Boston Globe and The Sports Hub recently wrote an <a href="">article</a> stating that New Englander's, as well as Red Sox management, have become complacent. He also asked New England to root for the Yankees in the World Series. LOL. Why would any true New Englander root for the Yankees? In any situation? When you are done reading this, check out the comments section to his article. Anyway, I wanted to express my views as to why NESN ratings are down and if there is real complacency as far as the Red Sox go. <br /><br />NESN ratings are down for a few reasons. One, their format is very stale. Their pre-scripted pregame/postgame shows can be recited, word by word, by any Red Sox fan. They also have no real, live shows, like CNNSE. Every single word is scripted and stale. There is no off-the-cuff commentary and I find that boring. Every fan knows what will be discussed at 6:38 of any pre-game show. If Tom Caron has any skill and real historic baseball knowledge, I am not aware of it. I do know he is an excellent reader, though. <br /><br />Two, we have become complacent as a Nation. The Sox are on the wrong side of the bell curve at this point. Real fans are shut out from games due to prices, wine and cheese, pink and corporate. Just try nailing down a Sox Pax when tickets go on sale. I used to have a fair chance of getting opening day tickets 7 or 8 years ago. I had a solid chance ten years ago and longer. Now, there are fewer tickets for me due to corporate big wigs and I can never, ever get them the first day they go on sale. Our ticket chances become reduced to lotteries and eBay. A real turn-off. <br /><br />The initial attraction for the newer fans (corporate, pink, cheese, wine, and most girls) was the personality of the team. The Sox have lacked any type of specific personality over the past 2-3 years, which has reduced the initial attraction for the newbie’s, thereby reducing interest and the NESN audience. The Sox have become a team of well-behaved professionals with no visible character. NESN, a reflection and part of the Red Sox, has grown very stale. Add to the fact that the Celtics and Bruins are back playing winning sports dictates that the consumer dollar is spread out over 4 sports instead of 2. No longer is this just a Red Sox and Patriots town. If ratings are down for the Sox, then they are up for someone else.Tommy Dee night football fan kicked out of stadiumThis country is based on a solid foundation of principles. One of these principles is known as freedom of speech, where every American is allowed to express their opinion. This includes holding up signs at sporting events around the country. <br /><br />During the recent Redskins against the Eagles, a man held up a sign which simply read “<a href="">Bingo Night Football</a>”. This was in reference to new offensive coordinator Sherman Lewis, who came out of retirement to lead the Skins offense. In retirement, he was performing volunteer work, which included calling bingo numbers to senior citizens and working with Meals on Wheels. During the ESPN telecast, announcer Mike Tirico mentioned this fact. The fan remains anonymous, but he was escorted from the stadium, asked to leave for such a harmless act. <br /><br />What is wrong with this country? In no way did this fan violate any laws or violate any rules of the stadium. His sign was not offensive to anyone, except those who might have lost at bingo when Lewis was yelling out numbers. I think Skin fans should rally around this fan and support him. If every columnist and announcer in the country can make light fun of this, why can’t a fan voice his opinion if it isn’t offensive to anyone? I hope this fan comes forward and provides details of exactly what happened. The Washington Redskins also have a lot of ‘splaining to do. I smell a lawsuit in the making. Don’t you?Tommy Dee Brady is on the wrong side of thirty ...What is the big deal about turning thirty years old? I am asking because I don’t know. I have heard lots of stuff, but haven’t lived it yet. Tom Brady is over 30. Is it a big deal to him? I think so, and here is why. <br /><br />“Tom Brady sucks!”. I have actually heard that from some panicked fans. It must be true. Five games into the 2009 NFL season, he’s got 6 TD passes to go along with 2 INT’s. During 2007, he had 50 TD passes to go along with only 8 pics. His completion percentage is just below 62%, well below the 69% from 2007 but right along with his career average. He was below 60% two of the past three weeks. His QB rating is about an 86, right around his career average. So what is the big deal? <br /><br />Tom Brady is 32, in his 10th season, a very long time for any football player. He is uncharacteristically missing wide open receivers, unlike the past. He has exploded at teammates on the sidelines, unlike the past. And he is married with children, unlike the past. Tom Brady is becoming normal. <br /><br />But he is on the wrong side of thirty. This might be the best Tom Brady will ever be. Think about that. This could be the best he has to offer. And nothing more. Tom Brady is on the wrong side of thirty.Tommy Dee "Tang Gay" Tanguay is not a truck guyDear Gary “Tang Gay” Tanguay,<br /><br />I hope your having a great day. It’s almost the weekend and its football season! I do want to express my frustration, however, at your “truck guy” commercial. Gary, I am a truck guy. I live in the butt-crack, rifle-rack six-pack state of New Hampshire. Originally from Massachusetts, I was forced to purchase a truck due to the local terrain, But Gary, I am a tall, big and strong man, traits you do not possess. The truck really suits me. Based on the daily spankings you receive on-air, I am just not buying you as a truck guy. When I hear your truck commercial on the radio, credibility is that last thought that crosses my mind. You are at the bottom of the sports talk food chain here in New England. You are the little kid everybody picks on. Among the horses in the <a href="">Sports Hub</a> stable, you are the Shetland pony. <br /><br />So when I hear the radio spot announcing Tang Gay is a truck guy, I don’t buy it. Neither does <a href="">the rest of</a> New England. Perhaps you should do a commercial for Mini Cooper, Dodge Neon, VW Beetle or for the Toyota Rav4, a real chick’s ride. Ever think of doing an MG or Miata commercial? Perhaps you could do a voice-over for the Smart Car. It’s light, small, weak and picked on as well. The credibility just isn’t there for me. You sound very foolish explaining to the global community how cool you have become because you drive a truck. It’s like comparing you to John Madden. Gary, you are not a cool truck guy, regardless of what lies your family tells you. <br /><br />In light of this, have yourself a great day and best of luck with your future endeavors. <br /><br />Love,<br /><br />The sports fans of New EnglandTommy Dee Felger says "tits" on-airDuring the live broadcast Wednesday, October 21st, Mike Felger said “tits” during the Felger and Massarotti show on the <a href="">Sports Hub</a>. At first he was surprised when B Real, his producer, told him he couldn’t say that on air. When you work in the media, you must be 100% sure of all fine-able cuss words. That is part of the job. But he was genuinely surprised. So was I. <br /><br />What is wrong with "tits"? I think it goes along with ass, which is acceptable on air. Ass can be used freely (as in Tang Gays case). Tits and ass. Ebony and ivory. Peaches and cream. They go together. So why is “tits” so offensive? Do you know what I find offensive? <br /><br />Gary Tang Gay and is constant negative connotation of Christ and Jesus. He uses the Lords name in such derogatory terms, yet it is accepted (well, not fine-able). I find it much more offensive when someone casually uses the Lords name in vain than when someone says “tits” or “ass”, or both! I haven’t been to church in years, besides the occasional wedding and funeral, so it is a stretch to call me religious. I have actually written to Gary Tang Gay and asked him not to use the Lords name in vain. He’s still a meat head when it comes to the derogatory use of words. But I have to side with Felger on this one. Why is “tits” a bad word these days?Tommy Dee, a breathe of fresh sports talk air ..New England is famous for many things, but is often associated with sports and their fans. Markets have grown from our love of sports. One of those markets is talk radio. Well, we can now call it a market since there is more than one competitor.<br /><br />In mid-August, the <a href="">Sports Hub</a> was launched, taking over the old Mix 98.5 signal. Finally, in New England, there is a station without static. The Sports Hub provides listeners the opportunity to voice and reflect without interruption or annoying .wav files. The Sports Hub is an intelligent alternative to “static station”. With a full lineup of familiar talent, the Sports Hub is gaining weekly in the ratings and providing intelligent listeners with the long-desired alternative to “static station”. Many stopped listening to “static station” long ago, for many reasons (stale?) Others tried to duplicate it but quickly fell by the wayside because it was an identical product. Finally, New England, global and local fans, has the alternative to “static station”. Finally, a format that cares. Best of luck, Sports Hub.Tommy Dee wish list for Red Sox 2010 lineup ...Here is my wish list for the 2010 lineup of the Boston Red Sox. Leading off will be Tacoby Bellsbury, followed by Pedey, then VMart, Adrian Gonzales, Matt Holliday, Youkilis, Lowell, Drew and Alex Gonzalez. Lowell will be strictly the DH, with an occasional turn by Ortiz. Youkilis moves to third with Holliday in left. The Seattle Mariners land Jason Bay, forcing them to deal Felix Hernandez before he reaches free agency. They can’t afford both. The Red Sox send prospects including Buchholz, Casey Kelly and Michael Bowden. Thankfully, they send Papelbon as well. Papelbon still has market value, but his mouth (redneck bad teeth and all), along with a historically bad shoulder, paves the way for his departure from Boston. The guy is almost 30 but acts 19 years old. And he will go to the highest bidder when he is a free agent. The Sox then have some prospects left over to land Adrian Gonzalez. <br /><br />Starting pitching on Opening Day consists of Lester, Beckett, Hernandez, Wake and Matsuzaka, that is if Dice-K doesn’t show up as the same bloated pig he was this year. (Oh, oh, is 2010 the year of the pig in Japan?) Lowell splits DH 60/40 with Ortiz, but Ortiz spends most of his last year in Boston on pine. Papi is only here to honor the final year of his contract before being nudged out of the picture by Theo at seasons’ end. Bard and/or Billy Wagner fill closing void. Wagner gets his 400th save while showing Bard the ropes. <br /><br />Changes need to be made and this is a step in the right direction. This is my wish list for the 2010 season. And it is very doable!! Of course, if neither Gonzo or Holliday comes to Beantown, that might mean a late push for Chone Figgins, which would totally screw up the lineup!Tommy Dee Boston sports becoming mediocre?Is Boston becoming a mediocre sports town? I would like to hear what you have to say about this. <br /><br />The Boston Bruins could easily be 1-4. They were picked by many to be the top team in the NHL. It looks like they believe their own hype because they aren’t playing like the top team. The Patriots could easily be 2-3 or they could be 4-1. Are they just an average NFL team now? Is Tom Brady showing signs of aging? It certainly appears that way. The Sox were the second worse team in the playoffs, behind the Twins. Sure, they had 95 wins and all, but most of those wins were due to the home crowd, due to fans like me. Atlanta, Milwaukee, Florida and more had better road records and that is not a recipe for championship baseball. The Celtics are yet to be seen, but they could be the best team in Boston over the past 18 months, by far. <br /><br />Is mediocrity taking over Boston? Or are we just spoiled?Tommy Dee Warriors They Were">To the surprise of many, the Red Sox are out of the 2009 playoffs.<span style=""> </span>To others, this was expected.<span style=""> </span>I am the other. <br /> <br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">For the umpteenth year in a row, the Sox were the toughest to beat at home.<span style=""> </span>Whenever you win more than 50 games on your home turf, you should make the playoffs.<span style=""> </span>But remember, half the games are on the road during the regular season, and more than half are played on the road during the playoff’s, unless you’re the Yankees.<span style=""> </span>The Red Sox weren’t road warriors, they were road failures. <br /> <br /><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The Sox wish they could have played as well on the road as the Marlins (44 wins).<span style=""> </span>They want to be the Brewers when it comes to road wins (40).<span style=""> </span>They would die to have the success of the road warrior Braves (46 wins).<span style=""> </span>They dreamed of Indian success (.272) when it comes to the road. <br /> <br /><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">How much does the Green Monster play into the numbers?<span style=""> </span>On the road, the Sox hit .257, were on base at a .340 clip and slugged just .414.<span style=""> </span>At Fenway, they went .286, .365 and slugged .498 at home.<span style=""> </span>Balls hit off the wall at Fenway became routine outs on the road. <br /> <br /><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">It was no surprise, to some, that the Red Sox didn’t make it out of the first round.<span style=""> </span>They were the second worse team in the playoffs, right behind the Twins.<span style=""> </span>Every team playing in October has good pitching, but only a couple have the hitting of a championship team.<span style=""> </span>The Red Sox were not one of those teams.<span style=""> </span></p> Tommy Dee week in Red Sox HistoryIn 1919, Babe Ruth intentionally missed the boat, the <em>Arapahoe</em>, <a href="">Bill Nowlin</a>)Tommy Dee week in Red Sox History – March 11th – 17th<div align="left" <em>Arapahoe.</em> He was in a contract dispute and had no plans on sailing down to Tampa for spring training. He settled a few days later and took the train down to meet his teammates. (Day by Day with the Boston Red Sox, by <a href="">Bill Nowling</a>) </div>Tommy Dee.Tommy Dee in Red Sox History – March 8th <a href="">Bill Nowlin</a>)Tommy Dee in Red Sox History – March 7thIn.Tommy Dee Day in Red Sox History – March 3rd <a href="">Bill Nowlin</a>)Tommy Dee Day in Red Sox History – March 2nd<div align="justify", <a href="">by Bill Nowlin</a>).</div>Tommy Dee in Red Sox History - March 1stWithin <a href="">Bill Nowlin</a>)Tommy Dee in Red Sox History – February 28thOn this day in 2002, Dan Duquette was removed as GM, one day after John Henry officially became owner. Former manager and GM, Mike “Pinky” Higgins, was released from jail on this day in 1968 after killing one man and injuring three others with his car. The Sox sign Joe Wood, the son of Smokey Joe Wood, in 1944. He pitched only nine innings and left baseball with a 6.52 ERA. (Day by Day with the Boston Red Sox, by <a href="">Bill Nowlin</a>`)Tommy Dee Day in Red Sox History – February 27thThis Day in Red Sox History – February 27thOn this day in 2002, wire transfers were completed at 5:02AM, making John Henry principal owner of the Red Sox. In 1966, pitcher Earl Wilson stated he was refused entrance to two Winter Haven night clubs, inciting claims of discrimination. Matt Stairs was born on this day in 1968. Man, he’s old. (Day by Day with the Red Sox, by <a href="">Bill Nowlin</a>)Tommy Dee Sox History - February 26thThis day in Red Sox history featured Jeanne Yawkey, who along with her husband Tom bought the Red Sox in 1933, passing away in 1992 at the age of 83. The Fourth District Court of Appeals threw out a lawsuit filed by Margo Adams against Wade Boggs. In 1935, the Yankees released Babe Ruth so he could sign with the Boston Braves. In 1911, it was reported that the Boston Red Sox would build a new ballpark. In 1912, Fenway Park opened. (Day by Day with the Red Sox, by Bill Nowlin)Tommy Dee

2012-2013 Boys' Basketball Focus For the second time in seven days, Kaneland found itself scrambling to make an improbable second half comeback against a formidable Rochelle squad. This time around, the never-say-die Knights finished the job. Kaneland scored 8 unanswered points in the final two frenetic minutes of regulation, then tacked on the first 6 points in overtime to secure an emotional 65-61 victory in Friday night's Rochelle Class 3A regional final. The Knights (17-10) advanced to Tuesday's Sycamore Class 3A sectional semifinal, where they will face the winner of today's Marengo regional title game between Rockford East and Belvidere. Senior Marcel Neil calmly connected on 15 of 17 free throw attempts and finished with a game-high 21 points while sophomore Thomas Williams caught fire late, with 17 of his 19 points coming in the second half and overtime. "We always have that fight," said Neil. "That fourth quarter we always dig deep, and tonight we hit some big shots and big free throws down the stretch." "It was just a collective group of guys who kept fighting and fighting and fighting," added Kaneland coach Brian Johnson, who only utilized a seven-man rotation. Kaneland trailed 30-12 in last Friday's 59-57 Northern Illinois Big 12 East loss to the Hubs and dug itself a similar 37-21 hole early in the third. The Knights' deficit stood at 56-47 when Rochelle's 6-foot-8 defensive anchor David Newton fouled out with 2:52 left in the fourth. Williams completed a 3-point play when he was fouled banking in a tough shot off the glass. Neil followed his own miss for another conventional 3-point play to shave the deficit to 57-55 with 1:29 left. After a Rochelle turnover, Williams was fouled after rebounding Neil's miss and dropped in both free throws to tie the score. Rochelle (21-9) held for the last shot, but Matt Rosenwinkel missed a last second off-balance jumper. "When we got them in foul trouble, we felt could take it to the rim for easy baskets and free throws," Williams said. Williams' driving basket to start overtime gave Kaneland its first lead since 8-6. Drew David and Williams both hit a pair of free throws for a 63-57 lead, but Will Widick gave the Hubs life with a 3-pointer. Kaneland was called for traveling with 11 seconds left, but Grant Prusator's potential game-tying 3-pointer from the corner came up short and Neil grabbed the rebound and was fouled with 1.1 left. David and Tyler Heinle chipped in 8 points each for the Knights, who made 29 of 35 attempts from the line. Neil and Williams grabbed 11 rebounds each as Kaneland enjoyed a 40-27 edge on the boards. Prusator's 14 points led the Hubs while Derek White and Newton added 11 points each. "Kaneland saved their press for the second half again and our smaller guards had trouble with that," said Hubs coach Tim Thompson. "Then when Newton fouled out we lost our low post presence and size shifted to their favor."" Kaneland High School Rochelle Township High School Conference: Northern Illinois Big 12 East - Looking back at the best of the season - Boys basketball: Tri-Cities all-area team - Saying goodbye to seniors never an easy job - Defense carries St. Francis past Kaneland - Everyone shares a goal next week survive and advance

Draft Day: Feel the Excitement! The day Kings’ fans have been looking forward to since the regular season ended is finally here. Draft day. The day when legends are made and spirits broken. I know I woke up with a little bounce in my step. A lot of people like to denigrate this great sport of ours, but I feel no shame in saying that draft day is one of my favorite days of the year. It's like Valentine's Day (but without me crying as much). Rejoice, hockey fans. Of course, I can't say that my spirits weren't dampened a little bit by today's news that the Sharks traded Vesa Toskala. The Sharks and Ducks are supposed to be getting worse while the Kings get better, but with the Sharks possessing a first-round pick now (and the Lightning giving up a #1 pick to the Ducks for Shane fucking O'Brien), it looks like the Kings are going to be #3 in California for a little while longer. No matter, though; today's draft day, and I'm still excited. I have a feeling the Kings will do something shocking tonight during the draft. It just seems like it's their turn to set the hockey world abuzz. But first, I wanted to ask a question: how the hell is Greg Oden only one year older than Kyle Turris? I mean, look at them: I mean come on, Oden’s like 50 and Turris looks like he’s 12. Anyway, the Kings continue to mystify your noble correspondent, because I have absolutely no idea what they are going to do. It is especially difficult because what the Kings do is dependant on what the three teams picking ahead of them decide. As I am wont to do, I’ll post a few scenarios that are plausible and then my bullshit idea. The Kings Play it Safe The Kings hold onto their pick and draft Karl Alzner, the top-rated defenseman in this year’s draft. This is more of a need pick, as it is not believed that Alzner is the 4th best prospect in the draft. However, it would fill a hole in the Kings’ system and give them a solid defensive prospect that could eventually be paired with Jack Johnson. I have a problem with this idea because it seems like the Kings would be wasting a top draft pick on a player that could be picked later. I’m not against drafting for need, but it seems foolish to do so this early in the draft. If you’re just going to play it safe, you might as well trade down. Which brings me to… The Kings Trade Down Rumors abound that a number of teams are looking to trade down, including the Vancouver Canucks (who currently sit at 25). As I mentioned before, the Kings have a pretty elite farm system and it could be argued that they don’t really need to improve it. They would be better off improving the current team with a younger, NHL-ready player that could step in immediately. Maybe the Kings could wrangle someone like Kevin Bieksa or Alex Burrows and the #25 pick from the Canucks in exchange for the #4 pick and one of the Kings' many other picks in this year’s draft. The problem with this idea is that there’s always the risk the Kings would miss out on a great talent by giving up a pick this early in the draft. I don’t think I could bear to watch Jakub Voracek or James Van Riemsdyk light up the Kings knowing that they could have been on the team. This brings up my next point… The Kings Take the Best Player Available This is my favorite option. I think the Kings would best be served by just taking the best forward they can, depending on who’s taken earlier. I personally think that the best player available in this draft is Alexei Cherepanov, the ultra-talented winger from I know my fellow Kings fans are wary of developing another inconsistent winger from I’m going to wait until Monday and then give a run-down of who the Kings drafted, so I hope to see you guys again then. Here's a list of prospects as rated by TSN to reference through the first round tonight. I’m not going to the Kings’ draft party (I have a feeling blogging about the Kings is sad enough), but I’ll be having my own little draft party at my apartment. (It’s not so much a party as me drinking alone, but that’s just semantics.) Have a good time tonight. This is the time of the year when every team gets better; enjoy it. 7 comments: I know there are knocks on him, but that’s what makes him so intriguing to me. Sounds eerily like what happened with Kopitar. Every GM talked himself into "yeah but he's Slovenian so clearly his stats are inflated." I'm with you. Go with the highest upside. You can never have too many scorers. If you think there's a chance the Canucks would trade Bieksa for a pick, you're smoking better stuff than I've got. hahah. Oden does like 30 years old, and Turris looks like a muppet. Bieksa is overrated. Well, if we hold onto the pick, there is a good chance of one of those top three guys slipping to 4. PHI or PHX may decide Voracek is a better bet. If van Riemsdyk or Turris slips, I think you have to take him. If that doesn't happen, I like Cherepanov. Either him or Voracek might be more appropriate for that high a pick than Alzner. If we trade down, I think the hope would be to stay in the top 15 or so and try and land a defender (Alzner could slip down a number of spots, and then there's Ellerby, McDonagh and Shattenkirk still out there likely in that range). I would assume the additional return in a deal like that would likely be an aditional later pick (like a third rounder). You mention that it's the Kings turn to "shake up the NHL", but what exactly do you think we have that anyone wants of consequence? The first is pretty much it, and I don't know if that's going to be earth shattering. We made the big draft day deal last year with Demitra. Pretty much anyone worth a damn on our team now is either nigh untouchable or...actually that's pretty much the only option. Blake? Who would want the salary in return for declining play? We're pretty much only up for that because he has a future in the front office here and as a tutor for Johnson. I'm getting the feeling DL is after a defender and a forward in terms of young veterans to build with. Auccoin going to CAL today could signal Stuart signing with LA as a UFA and there has been talk of Souray also (I'd prefer Stuart). Maybe we send that first somewhere for the forward he's looking for (heard some crazy rumors we were talking to ATL about Hossa today), but it's probably more likely he's looking at Gomez or Briere as a UFA. Considering the strength of the draft and it being widely considered three players deep on the top end, I'n not sure how attractive that pick is to bring in real talent. I'm anxious to find out how it plays out tonight. F'in Versus better not pull another boner like they did with the awards show, because I'm counting on my DVR. Man, I'd galdly have dealt our first rounder for Vokoun... Who the fuck is Thomas Hickey? Goddammit... Thomas Hickey? I mean, he's a great pick around 20-30th... but why the hell did they not trade down? Wow. Interested on hearing what you think of this pick. DL did try and trade down but was unable to get a spot high enough to get the guy they wanted, so they went ahead and took him at 4. He says he talked to another exec with a pick between 10 and 13 whose team was planning on taking him there, so trading down too far would have meant missing this kid. Hey, it's easy to say "who's Hickey", but two weeks ago you likely would have said "who's Kane". And after the first three picks, the field was pretty much wide open. Some teams had Hickey in their top 10, some in their top 20, some out of the first round. It wasn't just the Kings going off the consesus rankings to take the guy they thought was best. I think 4 first rounders weren't even in TSN's top 50, and plenty of guys fell pretty far. This was a wide open draft. Everyone's first reaction is going to be about how little the earth shook, but the proof will be in the tasting of the pudding. It wasn't the safe pick, but we can't really make a call on this being good or bad until Hickey develops or one of the guys we assed on does. I do think DL has an underlying failure here in not being able to trade down, but he probably had to trade down to no lower than 10 or 12 to get the guy he wanted (which would have made for a similar failure if he missed the guy). STL moved their pick at that position, but they were looking to move down. TOR moved their pick at that position also, but they did it to get Toskala. It doesn't look like the option was really there. I geuss we'll see how fans react to DL as GM come July 1.

: Authorization: BASIC xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx where: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx = base64encoded(username:password) Don’t forget the semicolon as a string in between the username and password (like I did at first)! Before any programming, try debugging using a SOAP tool… it DEFINITELY helps save sanitiy. I got it working using SOAP UI: You need to do the following in SOAP UI: - File –> New SoapUI Project - Name it “SchedulesDirect” or something the like… - Paste in the WSDL location “” - Check “Create TestSuite” and “TestCase” - Expand the project, Under “xtvdBinding” there should be a “download” Web Service call stub, expand that and open Request 1 - Click the little “Auth” tab at the bottom of the Request window (easy to miss… look down next to “Headers” and “Attachments” tabs) - Enter your SchedulesDirect username and password, then click the little green “Run” arrow at the top left of the Request window With the initial testing out of the way as a “sanity check” on your SchedulesDirect account, you can now get started on the coding. TMS Direct Download script In the meantime, here’s a modified version of “tmsfetch.php” which was initially provided by SchedulesDirect as one of the official examples: <?php $username='username'; $password='password'; $wsdl_url=''; $start=gmdate("Y-m-dTH:i:sZ",time()); //today $stop =gmdate("Y-m-dTH:i:sZ",time()+3600*24); //tomorrow (now + 24hrs) $client = new SoapClient($wsdl_url, array('exceptions' => 0, 'user_agent' => "php/".$_SERVER[SCRIPT_NAME], 'login' => strtolower($username), 'password' => $password)); $data = $client->download($start,$stop); print_r($data); ?> -or- Conclusion This script provides a basic way of downloading TV data in Tribune Media Services (TMS) format. It can even provide a translation into XMLTV format (which is slightly different than TMS, but conveys all the same data); however, it won’t help much with the display of the data on the front-end. For that, I would suggest looking into one of the approved applications for actually viewing your XMLTV listings in the familiar grid/list styled EPG. While most of the software there is designed to run on the desktop, I would highlight XSLTV for web-based applications. There is not yet a mobile-friendly XMLTV application but stay tuned for my new jQuery plugin (not yet available), which should hopefully be compatible with jQuery Mobile. Related articles - I feel the need…the need for JSON parsing correctness and speed! (whereswalden.com) - Facebook’s Timeline is nothing but a LAZY and BLUNT marketing data parser (gubatron.com) - Why is JSON so popular? Developers want out of the syntax business (mongolab.com) - Facebook Graph API with Drupal Feeds (darrenmothersele.com) - 36 New APIs: Cloud-Based Video Encoding, Fotomoto, RealGravity (programmable.

Shipping & Returns Shipping & Returns At beach candy we use Paypal for all our online payments. You don’t have to be a member of Paypal to make payments from this site. We gladly accept all the regular debit and credit cards in various currencies that are accepted by Paypal. If you have any problems or you would like any advice, please email us at [email protected] or call us on +447796130702 from Monday to Friday (except public holidays) between 10am and 6pm. Although we make every effort to ensure that descriptions and pictures of our goods are as accurate as possible, we hope that you will understand that the uniqueness and hand crafted nature of some of the products means that there may be slight variations in colour or size. 1. Processing your order Goods will be dispatched together with the receipt within 24hours * subject to credit clearance, address verification and availability of stock. In the event that an item is temporarily out of stock, we will notify you of the delay and dispatch it as soon as it arrives. * Monday – Thursday. Orders received after 12pm on Friday will be despatched on the following Monday or the next working day. Orders received on public/bank holidays will be shipped on the next working day. 2. Payment All goods ordered must be paid for in full before despatch 3. Delivery All UK orders: Are sent by “Special Delivery” with the Royal Mail unless requested otherwise. Please note that the Special delivery is a next day delivery service (excluding Saturdays) and is subject to orders being placed before 12 noon on a work day. If required, we can arrange the goods to be sent via CSM Courier International orders: Are sent via the Royal Mail’s ‘Airsure’. It is fast, secure and fully trackable. Overseas deliveries are subject to local import duties and taxes, and may be affected by HM revenues & Customs delays. Please note that it is a legal requirement that we declare the full value of the goods on all packages destined outside the European Union. Beach candy cannot be held liable for any local import duties and taxes imposed. The Royal Mail's Airsure delivery service applies to the following countries:. For European countries not covered by 'Airsure’ we use CSM couriers which costs £25 For the rest of the world, countries not covered by ‘Airsure’ we use CSM couriers which cost £35 Please note that our delivery partners are unable to deliver to PO Box addresses Please also note that due to restrictions beyond our control,. All orders will require a signature and we are unable to be held liable for any delay due to customs. .. 4. Returns policy We hope that you are delighted with your item, however if you are not, please return it to us within 14 days of the delivery date and we will be happy to exchange or refund your purchase. Simply complete and enclose the Returns Form along with the item to: beach candy Returns, Flat 1, 8 Draycott Place, London SW3 2SB Your right to cancel: You may normally cancel your order (once accepted by us) for any reason up to the point of dispatch. If you do cancel the contract within this time, any payments made by you will be refunded in full. The items must be in their original, unused condition and securely wrapped. Our tag must be in its original place and must not have been tampered with. If you wish to, please keep the beach candy drawstring bag – it is a gift from us to you. If there is any sign that the garment or item has been used then we reserve the right to refuse your refund. Once we receive the goods, refunds are credited to the credit card used to purchase. We cannot credit any other cards or persons, nor send cash, make bank transfers or cheques. We will refund the purchase price of the goods and initial delivery costs, provided that they’re received by us no later than 14 days from the delivery date that you originally received them. We will endeavour to process your request for either a refund or replacement as quickly as possible. In some cases however this may take up to 28 days after receipt of the Goods. Exchanging Goods: Should you wish to exchange goods, the same rules apply as in the Returns policy and the goods must also be returned within 14 days of the delivery date. You will be responsible for meeting the costs of carriage which must be sent by registered post / recorded delivery so as to protect you against loss. We cannot be held liable for returned goods that do not reach us. Faulty Goods We will refund you the carriage for faulty goods. None of the above terms affect your statutory rights. Returns for International Customers: For EU Customers: Send your return via a prepaid, insured, traceable method. Please retain your shipping documentation so that we can complete your request in the event that the goods are lost in transit. For International Customers (including US): Send your return via a prepaid, insured, traceable method. You must put 'British Returned Goods' on any airway bill or similar documentation in order to avoid VAT and import duties.. Unfortunately we are unable at present to refund you for the original postage costs if the parcel has been sent outside the UK. Should you have any further queries on duties payable/refundable, please contact your local Customs authority. Many thanks for shopping at beach candy

February's question of the month is inspired by Valentine's Day: "What are your favorite pink items?" Once opposed to it, I now love pink! Well, hot pink and a soft peachy blush in particular. Beauty 1. Viktor & Rolf La Vie En Rose - More citrus and in my opinion, much softer than the original scent. This is my second bottle and I really hope I'm never without it. This will be my wedding day perfume. 2. Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in Fuchsia - Bright and bold, but very pretty if you want a statement lip and bare face. 3. MAC Hot Gossip lipstick - I wear this on a regular basis and highly recommend it! It's a very flattering, neutral pink. 4. Orly Fancy Fuchsia nail polish - My absolute favorite nail color for hands and feet. Ever. 5. China Glaze in Shocking Pink - The ultimate neon for Summer. 6. Essie Cascade Cool - One of my favorite bloggers introduced this shade to me. It's a cool-toned pink with hints of lilac. It's very wearable. Fashion 1. J.Crew Factory Bag - I love this for a pop of color. It's starting to get a bit stained and the natural suede does discolor after wear, but I'm still in love with it. So much so that I want another one in a different color! 2. J.Crew Mona Suede Pumps - They are an identical shade to the factory bag, but you do get what you pay for. The suede is much better quality. I've never worn the two items together, but maybe I will this Spring :) Are any of you obsessed with pink? What are your favorite pink items? - Alison*Elle - Alison finally found her perfect pair of boyfriend jeans. - Beautygirl24 - Noelle said yes to a wedding dress! She also started decorating her new home. - Ella Pretty - What Ella's been wearing and an update on her shopping ban! - Lindsay J Everyday - Lindsay has a new love. - Love, Lipstick & Pearls - Kristen shared her Beauty Wishlist for spring. - Schnelle Couture - Danielle shares her birth story in her final BUMPdate. - Sequins and Stilettos - Skylette of course wore red for Valentines - see the dress here. - The Currently Obsessed - Mehreen reveals the gender of her baby ... And gives us a bumpdate ! ♥ Noelle Great pink picks - I love all the nail colors and both the J. Crew items are so pretty! They would look fab together! Love the bag and pumps so hot! xo Meg<3 Meghan Silva's Blog I love the J.Crew bag! Those pink pumps get me everytime, love them! Lindsay LindsayJEveryday.blogspot.com Thank you ladies! The pumps definitely dress up any outfit! The bag is great too, love them both to add to my neutral outfits :) I love that Essie color! xo Josie I love all the pink!! I would rock the shoes and bag together, but make sure there are others colors in there so you're not focused on the colors being too matchy-matchy. -AJ FitTravelerAJ.blogspot.com I have the Revlon Fuchsia lipstick as well - it's amazing isn't it? Such a bright & pigmented formula - I love it :-) Loving all the bright pinks. Girlie Blog Seattle | Casual Chic Fashion I love that outfit!! Much love, Wengie

Coconut pancake rolls/Dadar gulung is Traditional Indonesian snack that genuinely well-liked to most people in Indonesia, especially in Java. Dadar literally means “pancake” while Gulung means “rolls” (to roll). A thin layer cake made of Pandan-flavored batter and then filled with the sweet grated coconut. The snacks are normally green color which comes from pandan leaves as it added as natural food coloring. The combination of the coconut milk and Pandan extract that hold in the batter are make the snacks extraordinary exotic! Above all, we have so many different kind of traditional Indonesian snack which particularly called as Jajan Pasar. I made my effort and promise to my self-my family to always be presenting them as precious after the meal, as a companion to our tea/coffee or as our snacking ritual. My husband and I both grew up with these delicious and beautiful traditional snacks. His most wanted sweet rolls that forever charming, he says, however I should keep them go on as our sweetie which absolutely would beautify our days. His most wanted sweet rolls that forever charming, he says, however I should keep them go on as our sweetie which absolutely would beautify our days. Frankly, it isn’t hard at all to make it home, perhaps if you run short of time, you could make the filling of the coconut pancakes rolls ahead, so in the next day, it would easier for you to call up a work and presenting the snack to your loved one. I flawlessly write up the recipe of my mother’s one, as you may notice that most parents or elderly would give you a completely different measurement, such a bit of this, a bit of that, just half from quarter, somehow not to make it too thick, that should be enough for you to hold the dough and some other unique quantity, roughly timing and funny tipsy. Well, strangely their food no doubt be the best flavor in the world, its magic! Well, strangely their food no doubt be the best flavor in the world, its magic! As I only have thick coconut milk in hand so I just diluted with plain water to make specific light batter while my mother calls for only a thin coconut milk for the batter. Coconut Pancakes Rolls (Dadar Gulung) makes 13 pancakes Ingredients 2/3 cup flour 1 whole egg 1 whole egg 2/3 cup coconut milk (160ml) ½ cup warm water ½ tsp salt 1 ½ tablespoon vegetable oil ¼ cup pandan extract * see how to make homemade Pandan extract Classic sweet coconut filling (Unti kelapa) 2 cups fresh grated coconut ½ cup shaved coconut sugar/palm sugar (gula merah), substitute brown sugar 5 tablespoons water 2 Pandan leaves, wracked and knotted Good pinch of salt Make the filing Place the coconut sugar, pandan leaves and water in a pan over low heat, cook until the sugar completely dissolves, shimmer until the liquids starts to thicken and become syrupy. Add grated coconut and salt, cook over low heat for about 10 minutes or until the coconut filling is thick and glossy. Set aside and cooled. Sift the flour and salt into mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the eggs, coconut milk and water. Using a whisker or wooden spoon, gradually incorporated the flour into liquid, *make sure making a smooth batter free of lumps (strain out the batter if there any lumps using a sieve) Add in pandan extract and oil, mix well until the batter perfectly colored Allow the batter to stand for 15-20minutes. To cook the pancakes Heat a medium skillet or griddle over medium heat ( preferably a non-stick surface) *Ensure that the skillet sufficiently hot. Stir the batter, Use ¼ measurement cup as a ladle, pour the batter onto the skillet. Immediately swirl the skillet so that the batter covers the base completely with a thin layer. Allow the batter to set and cook until lightly browned. Flip the pancake and cook the other side for a few seconds. Immediately swirl the skillet so that the batter covers the base completely with a thin layer. Allow the batter to set and cook until lightly browned. Flip the pancake and cook the other side for a few seconds. Turn the pancake out onto a tray, repeat the process with the remaining batter. Place a spoonful of the coconut filling in the center of each pancake, fold both sides towards the middle over the filling and roll the pancake up, neatly enclosing the coconut filling to form a little parcel. fold both sides towards the middle over the filling and roll the pancake up, neatly enclosing the coconut filling to form a little parcel. Cook’s Note If using dried coconut flakes for the filling, you will need to add more water. Truly beautiful snack, I would have difficulties eating, as it is that beautiful. Coconut filling, mmmmmm, sounds so good. Wow thats a lovely and beautiful recipe. Very tempting The pictures are stunning. beautiful dadar gulung ....yummm for sure :) I keep seeing pandan everywhere on the internet, now I just need to find some in real life to try. Beautiful! We have a same sweet from western parts of India except that there is no pandan! Love how different cultures have similar recipes. I want few of those rolls! :) Uuuenaaaknya Mbak Ira...mebayangkan legit dan wangi pandan asli *ngeces* Ra, I think you forget to invite me for the afternoon tea. Pasti itu dadar gulung udah abis deh! Cantik sekali fotonya. I love this recipe, thanks. Have saved for another day. I just need to be able to get Pandan leaves. Ira - you seem to know what I will be missing! We are leaving for the States in two days and seeing all the wonderful treats make me all nostalgic already. Hopefully I will get to make them once we settle in, so thank you for the recipe in advance. For now, I will have to run to the opposite street to grab a few rolls of these delectable treats! Lovely traditional dessert! I so much love the coconut filling that I can eat non-stop! I completely forgot to comment although I've been to this post many times drooling over this coconut & pandan dessert as well as your gorgeous photography (I was studying your styling. :-)). I am such a big fan of your work... =) We also have many traditional sweets and fillings made from jaggery and coconut in Sri Lanka. It's truly a match made in heaven. One of my favourite Malay/Indonesian sweets are dodol. Although I haven't tasted these, your beautiful pictures perfectly convey how delicious those dadar gulungs must be. Your photos look stunning! Wish I knew how to take photos like you. The recipe sounds fantastic as well, love the colours and love coconut! Your photography is simply amazing! So glad that I came across your blog. Ira .. your photography is like a work of art. Absolutely gorgeous! I think I will like this dish . We make something very similar but we wrap it instead of rolling. Must try this one sometime. @Natasha @Bite and Sip lol. Heavenly coconut filling :) @Priyanka Thank you Priya! @Food and story its one of my fav jajan pasar too! @Justin (@CutSquash) Good luck Justin, i hope you could find them, they are the plan of paradise! natural and gorgeous! @Hesti HH. Bener hes, I truly adore a Traditional snack! @Vaniahaha, I cant wait to see you again in the Island! will have dadar gulung together :) @Debs @ The Spanish Wok You are most welcome :) i hope you can manage to find them and let me know how it works. thx @Reese@SeasonwithSpiceoh, you have moved to US already. Hopefully everything is settled by now, cant wait to know your story on your blog, Take care Reese! @mycookinghut We all love traditional treat, my hubby could eat this snack like peanuts :) @Nami | Just One Cookbook Thank you nami, Your works is gorgeous too! @Rathai *if you keen to try on my dadar gulung recipe, You could tried it using jaggery and let me know how it works. Thx Rathai @Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake Thank you for the kind feedback Jen! happy cooking @kankana Thank you Kan. Dont forget to let me know how you turn them into a wrap instead of rolls:) Hi, you mentioned eggs in the method but not in the ingredients. How many eggs do you use? Thanks for such a beautiful post. @Extra Virgin Chef Thank you for the correction and I did add up the egg in the ingredients--the recipe only calls for 1 whole egg, Happy cooking! Ira, Your photography is work of art! Gorgeous! Enjoy browsing through the posts always..

Those rejecting a future independent Palestinian state as an Iranian proxy must have missed the history lesson of the establishment of a strikingly similar small country not far away. By Ron Ben-Tovim In "The Revolt," his seminal depiction of the Jewish resistance against British rule in Palestine, Irgun chief and future Prime Minister Menachem Begin often returns to his interrogation at the hands of the Soviets. These references apparently are intended to counter a contemporary communist argument raised during these interrogations, that the Zionist movement was a hoax, a "puppet show," meant to divert attention from the Jews' revolutionary role in Europe and turn them into a tool for British imperialism in the Middle East. "This talk of a State conceals the true purpose of Zionism - which is to divert the Jewish youth from the ranks of the revolution in Europe and put them at the disposal of British imperialism in the Middle East. This is the kernel of Zionism. All the rest is artificial shell, deliberately made to deceive." Begin, of course, repeatedly balks at these claims, referencing centuries of Jewish craving to return to their historical homeland and flee from the kind of persecution and massacre made manifest at that time by the camps and furnaces of Europe. Later, Begin repeatedly cites the deep chasm running between British imperialist objectives – for which, he said, they were more than willing to sacrifice the Jews – and the very real, heartfelt Jewish desire for freedom from both persecution and foreign rule. In one famous metaphor, Begin tells his Soviet interrogator that the need to establish a Jewish state was not a purely theoretical ambition, one motivated by either a revolutionary or a counter-revolutionary movement, but was like saving a family from a burning house. In other words, urgent and real. Begin is asking his Soviet interrogator to disregard for a moment the political powers at play, undoubtedly necessary for the creation of Israel, and look the hopes and dreams of real people: People that care for their children, that cry out against injustice, that find life hard, if not sometimes impossible, when lived under the specter of constant foreign occupation, exile, and persecution. Real people that crave real self-determination. Yet as convincing as Begin's arguments were, the tendency (typified here by the Soviets) to subjugate human needs with purely geopolitical considerations have far from disappeared from the Middle East. Indeed, they have become the official line of the State of Israel. Objections to the creation of an independent, viable Palestinian state often run the gamut of the kind of conspiracy theories realized by Begin's interrogator, opinions made strikingly evident since peace talks with the Palestinian Authority lost momentum (if indeed such momentum ever existed) late last year. "A Palestinian state would function as an Iranian proxy," one version of this argument goes. In another: "A Palestinian state would in effect act as a place holder, allowing weapons and terrorist groups to flow uninterrupted, putting larger cities such as Tel Aviv in range of rocket fire and closing crucial buffer zones protecting central Israel from bombing attacks." These arguments have). The Palestinians, they say, seek a stronghold - one erected by faceless Arabs. And once completed, one which could be filled with the kind of faceless Arabs that seek Israel's destruction, if not the annihilation of the entire Jewish people. The beauty of Begin's nuanced commentary on the criticism of Zionism, what I would term his turn toward the human, seems completely lost on proponents of the aforementioned positions. The consequence of this blindness to a facet of nationhood so close to our own is - as the unshakable leader of the dream of an Israel on both sides of the Jordan River must have understood - tantamount to a loss of humanity. It is a faceless doctrine that crushes individual lives.. The dangers of foreign influence, whether Iranian or other, are of course real. They are, however, as real to us as the fear of Western imperialism and exploitation was real to every other country in our region over Israel's creation. To understand that, finally, is to let go of the fears of an Iranian outpost. Not because those fears are unfounded, but because they are not what should determine how Israel treats its neighbors. To mistrust those who, in good times and bad, live alongside Israel and share its fate is to perpetuate those nefarious motivations for Israel's foundation, to prefer blind dogma over the real and the human. This is something Begin understood, and his nearsighted followers of today do not. We must live with those who share our fate, not rely on a culture that while instrumental in establishing Israel, should have been discarded immediately after. And that is why the former prime minister remains the only Israeli leader to sign a peace deal that actually had substance, both in terms of Israel's integration in the region and its security. Begin's vision should help us understand that as long as we refuse to come to terms with both our own desires and those of the people around us and among us, we shall never be fully here. That to be fully here is to sever the umbilical cord of dogma and start - as Begin himself did in 1979 - to live with our neighbors, whether they are truly the proxies of the Islamic Republic of Iran or not.

Facts: Ritchie claimed injury at work. The first providers to treat him, including a Dr. Robinson and a chiropractor, requested an independent orthopedic exam authorized by Paula Insurance, the worker's compensation carrier. Orthopedic surgeon Krasner, the examiner, opined to Paula that Ritchie had suffered only a strain and needed no more treatment for any industrial injury. Paula terminated worker's comp benefits, and Ritchie failed to seek further care for 8 months despite continued symptoms, until he qualified for medical insurance, when his own physician, a Dr. Solomon, diagnosed spinal cord injury and recommended surgery. Residual symptoms were blamed on the delay, so Ritchie sued, first for malpractice, but then died of "accidental" overdose, so his family added wrongful death. The jury verdict awarded $5 million to the plaintiff against several defendants, including Krasner, who appealed. The Arizona appellate court affirmed the verdict (appellate opinion). Duty: Ordinarily doctors who conduct independent examinations for employers and insurance companies are not considered to owe a duty to the examinee, who is not their patient. In fact, often the questions asked of the doctor have little to do with practice of medicine. For example in worker's comp cases like this one examiners are routinely asked whether the cause of the illness or injury was work related. Such a question is rarely if ever relevant in medical practice. In its opinion the court acknowledges that in many cases of independent examination a duty to the examinee may not exist, but upheld the finding of duty in this case apparently because Ritchie claimed that he relied upon Krasner's opinion in "deciding" not to pursue treatment with his own providers. According to the opinion "Krasner’s report prevented Jeremy [Ritchie] from seeking treatment either because he relied on Krasner’s report or because Paula relied on the report, causing it to terminate Jeremy [Ritchie]’s workers’ compensation coverage.(¶28) But it appears that Ritchie's ultimate diagnosis was delayed, not because he did not seek treatment, but because he delayed seeking treatment either because coverage by AHCCCS was delayed (because he did not qualify financially) or because Ritchie chose to spend his money on something other than a physician or health insurance. He did in fact seek another medical opinion, this time from his own physician, as soon as he obtained medical benefits under AHCCCS. Ritchie's failure to obtain benefits was not the responsibility of Kranser or any other physician. If Krasner was negligent in opining that there was no industrial injury, for that aspect of his services his only duty, and his only dereliction of that duty, was to Paula. Only Paula should have cause of action against Krasner for such negligence. One wonders why Ritchie did not name Paula in the suit. ERISA? Some other sort of immunity? Although the opinion may not have addressed the issue directly it appears that the appellate court allowed that Krasner's duty flowed through Paula to him by way of denied benefits. This was wrong. Doctors have no duty to obtain benefits for an individual, regardless of the nature of the relationship. The role of a physician is to diagnose and treat illness. Krasner's liability should have been limited to what would have occurred had Ritchie had access to care. This issue has become a problem in states where treating physicians must claim that a condition was work related in order to obtain reimbursement. Even though most states exclude mental-mental or stress claims, physical-mental claims (mental disorders arising out of physical injuries) commonly arise creating role conflicts for psychiatrists. Independent examiners, not treating psychiatrists, should determine causality. Damages: The jury may have erred in finding that Krasner's presumed negligence was the proximate cause of Ritchie's death. Ritchie's history of alcoholism and other substance abuse suggests that he had already established a pattern of ignoring directions in taking drugs he knew or should have known would be dangerous in overdose. He may also have been able to obtain the same drugs illicitly. Furthermore, it is likely that he used the drugs, or used too high a dose of the drugs, not to treat injury-related pain, but to get high. Once more this could not reasonably be blamed on Dr. Krasner. The logic in the appellate argument applying a foreseeability test is flawed. It is in fact also foreseeable that "from time to time" anyone to whom opiate agonists are prescribed will lie to physicians to obtain drugs or use the drugs to get high. This does not require negligence on the part of the prescribing physician. It is also of course foreseeable that any individual with or without a history of addiction will "from time to time" (¶26) overdose on any of a variety of drugs (obtained from any source) and die. What is particularly unjust in this case is that Ritchie's family and attorneys should receive a $5 million award while others whose family members died of overdose of the same or similar drugs receive not a penny simply because the decedent did not have the consideration to visit a doctor beforehand. Implications for independent examiners (Good news and bad news): The good news: HIPAA requires covered entities to provide records to examinees. Insurers often demand that examiners refrain from releasing reports, and some state statutes support that position. Examining physicians are caught in the middle. This appellate opinion suggests that independent examiners should inform examinees of important findings. In my experience most examinees obtain copies of reports eventually anyway. Making release of such records standard practice would simplify the work of independent examiners. Of course while this sounds simple in theory, attempting to establish policies for putting this into practice raises more questions. Physicians may no longer be caught in the middle, but given that a physician intends to share a finding with an examinee, how will this be accomplished without establishing a physician-patient relationship, further muddling the line between the two roles? This could lead to reduced credibility and objectivity in examiners and, worse, sloppy attempts to fulfill the role of treating physician. Will it be sufficient to provide a copy of the report to the examinee? Standard of care may require that the physician meet face to face with a patient to deliver bad news about diagnosis, and answer questions. How will examiners accomplish this? Who should pay for the contact? How should it be documented? Will this create added duty? and added liability? Will it suffice to recommend that the examinee seek follow up care with another physician who may have access to the examiner's report? The remedy for independent examiners: - Warn all examinees not to rely upon the opinion. - Warn all examinees to obtain second opinions from their own physicians. - Professional liability premiums and worker's comp insurance premiums will increase. - The cost of independent examinations will rise. - Physician's fees will increase. - Physicians will seek to avoid entanglement in similar cases by whatever means they can. Had Mr. Ritchie applied for insurance after his injury and described his symptoms on the application, the insurer might deny coverage because of the preexisting illness or, if he concealed the symptoms, argue that he should have sought medical care for his symptoms in canceling his policy or denying coverage for a preexisting condition. Is it fair to apply a different rule where Dr. Krasner is concerned? Hardly. As I write this Congress moves toward health care reform which could prevent cases like this. This case might never have occurred were it not for the fact that Ritchie lost his coverage, presumably while losing his job. He would not have had to prove an industrial cause of his symptoms in order to obtain care from his own physician. Independent examiners for worker's compensation should not have to determine whether a worker will have medical insurance or not. They should determine only who will pay: the industrial fund or ordinary health insurance.

Anyone? Thursday, June 21, 2012 Whatcha ya'll think of this idea? Like it. Do it. I would totally participate. Just the other day I was thinking that I want to bring back the phrases "cool beans" and "cut. it. out." a la Full House. I was also sleep deprived at the time. Coincidence? I think not. "how rude" and "have mercy"! I would participate especially if you keep the rules kind of loose. I do some link ups when I can match a post to their topics but I'd really love something that was just a good frugal ideas without it being so strict. Besides I truly enjoy your blog and would love to share. Loose and easy is my nickname! Wait. No. That's not right. But yes, it wouldn't be a strict kind of link party. What are some of the natural food blogs that you enjoy? I have been searching for some good ones and can't seem to find a whole lot. Thanks! I can send you some via email if you'd like to email me. Basically there aren't a lot that I "enjoy". I do get information from them, but I always feel like a piece a shit most of the time because I don't chug cod liver oil and I occasionally buy Annie's bunny crackers. I would link up! I love link parties :) And yep... I totally remember Jesse and the Rippers. I didn't realize there was a cost involved with hosting... I've done a few "link up" posts using Simply Linked and never had to pay a fee. Just created my own button and asked my readers if they participate to include my image in their post. I must be missing something here (or I've been doing it wrong!) With the company I was looking at, there is a cost ($24 per year). I'll look in to Simply Linked. Thank you! I'm in. Trying to get more involved with linky parties... considering hosting our own "whole foods" weekly party as well. Or possibly just things related to natural living. I'm in! :) I'm IN! I think! I'm pretty new to this so as long as it doesn't require me having to actually know HTML...I'm IN! I remember Jesse and the Rippers, but I have had to block out most of my Full House memories after seeing the movie "Half Baked" and hearing Bob Saget shout, "I've sucked d*** for coke!". That's the kind of moment that can retroactively spoil a childhood. If you can copy and paste, you can participate in a link party! You don't make your own olive oil?!?! O_O I'd link in! :) I love linky parties. Im in I would link in! You use OLIVE oil??? I press my own coconut oil from the organically grown trees in my yard. It's the ONLY healthy way to eat. :-) Oh wait...I live in Alabama. Nevermind.... I would love to participate in a less intimidating link party! I'm pretty sure I would be blocked from most of the sites that you mentioned. I sometimes even use things that come out of a CAN! lol (I do bake my own bread now though, so it all evens out...) You use stuff from a can?! There must be a block feature somewhere around here...;-D

Roger Hudson All Posts SolarCity: Making Dollars-and-Sense...almost! By Roger Hudson - January 19, 2013 | Tickers: BP, FSLR, SCTY, WPRT Introduction There's excitement around the campfires of the Triple-P this winter. SolarCity (NASDAQ: SCTY) just might be one of those green disruptors that gets it right --- makes a Profit while caring for People and Planet. Picture SolarCity from 10 000 feet up, as one writer suggests, and you see a green power company brilliantly decentralized onto the rooftops of the very customers it sells power to more » Rolling Out the Red Carpet for This Green Disruptor By Roger Hudson - January 9, 2013 | Tickers: TILE Consider. What does the Zoological Society of London (est. 1826), InterfaceFLOR Corporation (NASDAQ: TILE) of Atlanta, and beautiful coral reefs in the Phillipines have in common? Well, perhaps you! That is, if you are a proud investor in InterfaceFLOR; if you signed on to ride the Triple-P-Trail towards a sustainable future; and, if the triple-bottom-line appeals to you more than merely the bottom. The News In a recent press release more » Another Fool Flirts With Profitable Sustainability By Roger Hudson - December 25, 2012 | Tickers: CMG, TILE, SBUX, WFM more » A Dollars-and-Sense Portfolio for a Dollars-and-Cents World By Roger Hudson - December 22, 2012 | Tickers: CMG, TILE, SBUX, WFM Whole Fools Market - a portfolio of campanies committed to sustainability - launched recently on the Triple-P. Its purpose? To Foolishly (i.e. "educate, amuse, inform" while building personal wealth) help green our one world (i.e. make a Profit while caring for Planet and People) one investment and one consumer purchase at a time. It aims to be a sustainability platform for "everyman," helping investors and consumers add more » Mackey, Schultz, Anderson and Ells - "Trail Bosses" of the Triple P By Roger Hudson - July 11, 2012 | Tickers: CMG, TILE, SBUX, WFM If there's a "golden hour" on the Triple P, this morning it yields a golden moment! Quail and pheasant calls leave my bird dog quivering beside me. Distant thunder promises early summer rains to help green the grasslands of the cattle on the back forty. And cooing doves herald, not just the new day and greener pastures, but a new economic dawn - the syncing of the business cycle with more » Chuckwagon of the Triple P By Roger Hudson - July 2, 2012 | Tickers: CMG, JACK, M, YUM The Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG), chuckwagon of the Triple P*, parked its wagon recently in Spokane, Washington. With cooking fires burning on the corner of Division and E. Cataldo Ave, this fast-food restaurant arrived to deliver healthy food locally, and to do the Triple P thing - make a Profit while caring for Planet and People. With a One-World Triple-P-Rating of TP-331(7) [3 out of 3 more » “A Colossus Shaking Hands with 2 Billion People a Day...". By Roger Hudson - May 25, 2012 | Tickers: TILE, UL, WFM Unilever (NYSE: UL) intends to double the size of its business in 10 years. That makes it a stock worth watching. But there is more. Much, much more! Unilever intends to double the size of its business AND reduce its environmental impact at the same time. That doubles the value for me of keeping an eye on this dividend paying company. Clearly this is a vanguard organization that understands which more » Whole Foods, Whole Person, Whole Earth - This Market Shines By Roger Hudson - May 7, 2012 | Tickers: WFM Some companies shine. Others $hine. Still others SHINE with an elegance far beyond the reach of the dollar. And this company does just that, announcing both a blowout quarter with soaring profits, and, the growing success of Eco-Scale, a way of helping shoppers make "smarter, greener choices for their families and the planet" in purchasing cleaning products. Which is why Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ: WFM) is the star of the more » Making "Mission Impossible" Possible - Interface Rocks! By Roger Hudson - April 30, 2012 | Tickers: TILE, NKE, SBUX It's not quite the magic carpet, but the company making this rug is soaring to new heights and weaving the triple threads of sustainability - profit, planet and people - into the present, one purpose-driven throw at a time. For investors looking to profit (grow Economic Capital), that's good news. It has been for me! Having bought low in March 2009, a return of 318% isn't bad. But to more » "Fracking" Craziness By Roger Hudson - April 18, 2012 | Tickers: CLNE, UPS, WM, WPRT Too much gas hasn’t yet raised enough of a stink to prompt action to clear the air. And I’m not talking about the benefits of a good sized bean burrito from Chipotle Mexican Grill (a favorite company of mine with an estimated One-World-Rating, of OW-223(7)), though I wish I was. The truth of the matter is the time has come to raise the red flag higher on more » What's in Your Wallet? By Roger Hudson - April 16, 2012 | Tickers: TILE, SZYM, SBUX, WFM Rating porfolios, not only companies, for their commitment to sustainability, would help investors determine whether their wealth is either helping, or not helping, to care for planet and people. That's a metric that could revolutionize the role business plays in society. And it matters! The trend is becoming self evident. Companies committed to caring for the one world we have are those that people increasingly want to share their more » From Dangerous Red, to Indifferent Amber, to the “Go” of Green – Color Coding the "Right" Companies By Roger Hudson - April 13, 2012 | Tickers: XOM, GS, SBUX, WFM Many investors want to do the right thing. They want to invest their money not only where it will make a profit, but where it will also both make people’s lives better and care for the planet. There is a growing megatrend amongst investors (and consumers) to move from supporting the vampire capitalism of Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) to the “conscious capitalism” (listen here) of Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ: WFMmore »)

Why Verizon Should Be In Your Portfolio Joel is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited. Verizon (NYSE: VZ) reported yet another quarter of spectacular revenue, proving its consistency in terms of growth and performance. Its Q2 revenue is commendable at $28.5 billion and earnings per share of $0.64, up 3.7% and 12.3% respectively from the comparable quarter last year. To talk about the future of this New Jersey based company is to talk about strong long term goals: The company has added 134,000 fiber optic internet and 120,000 fiber optic video subscribers. Verizon has not only invested in its FIOS network, but has also cracked a precious spectrum deal for $3.9 billion after negotiations with the FCC. Spectrum, a precious and scarce resource is the key to success in the coming years for any telecommunications provider. Verizon has been considered as the best telecom service provider given that its churn rate has dropped from 1.2% in the year-ago quarter to 1.1% . With the advent of the tablets and with the surge in sales of smartphones, the crowd has gone berserk over doing virtually everything on the go. From downloading and surfing the internet to streaming multimedia content. Consumers with data hungry tech devices are creating an ever increasing pressure on service providers to offer higher quality services at faster speeds. Verizon finds itself in a favorable position as it now has a nation-wide chunk of prime spectrum which it bought from cable companies recently. But that’s not all… Verizon is also competing with Canada based ‘on demand’ internet streaming provider Netflix (NFLX) and Apple (AAPL) (iTunes services) by partnering with Coinstar. This deal brings additional revenues considering how big the online movie business is. With the acquisition of Hughes Telematics, Verizon has entered into manufacturing wireless devices for vehicles. The growth prospects are huge and this deal will open up a world of opportunities in vehicle GPS, safety and entertainment and help it compete in the fields of satellite system operations, telecommunications equipment manufacturing, satellite & broadcast network, equipment manufacturing and telecommunications services. No, it doesn’t stop here. For all those investors going gaga over dividends, the company has been gradually increasing its D/P ratio: from $0.46 per quarter to $0.50 per quarter. Verizon has been rated as one of the highest dividend paying companies. What about the competitors? While Verizon managed to get its paws on prime cable spectrum, AT&T (NYSE: T) was busy floundering with the T-Mobile deal which ultimately got disapproved by the FCC. Hence, Verizon is able to effectively compete today, in providing 4G LTE services. Now I’d like to highlight Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S), which has experienced a speculative 121% rise in its share since May this year because of the billions of dollars of debt ($10 billion in net debt and almost $38 billion in total debt) that it has to service leading investors to believe the company is heading for a probable takeover. Furthermore, it has actively invested and partnered with Clearwire (NASDAQ: CLWR) which has a lot of spectrum to spare. But the problem is that Clearwire's 2.5 GHz spectrum is not of the highest quality and is a lot more prone to service disruptions. The Foolish Takeaway It is true that Verizon’s stock has been dipping for the past 2 months. But there’s no concrete reason to see why that should happen. Over the last 10 years, Verizon has only had 4 unsuccessful quarters. The company has shown consistency in earnings and a profit margin of over 5% in most quarters. Having said that, Verizon’s future looks great as it continues with its 4G LTE ambitions. Verizon is definitely a good buy. Firstly because the company has a lot of growth potential, and secondly because its stock is trading at low valuations, that too topped by an annual dividend yield of 4.7%. Sounds interesting? Well, what do you think about Verizon? rahelg.

Workout Posts - Calendar - All Activity - Workout Posts - Journals Benchmarks 27 Workout Posts - CrossFit Total : 800 lbs | Rx'd 70 lbs1 Back Squat 280 lbs 1 Shoulder Press 140 lbs 1 Deadlift 380 lbsDante Puliatti PandemoniumGreat Work, Dude!!!Dante Puliatti PandemoniumNice video! I need your help making my CFT video :) - 60 Burpee (Bar Facing)s 5 mins 50 secs 22 Overhead Squats 120 lbs 4 mins 10 secs 0 Muscle-ups Great Work, Man! Your OHS were crazy good. The fact that you nailed 11 in a row at 120 is incredible... after stumbling on the first two!!! Great job! - CrossFit Games Open 11.4 : 0.667 rounds | Rx'd 0.089 rounds60 Burpee (Bar Facing)s 30 Overhead Squats 120 lbs 0 Muscle-ups You are the man! there is no way I could do 90 reps. Too trashed by the time I get to the OHS to do them with any authority! You are the man! - 1 Snatch 145 lbs - 3 Hang Power Cleans 155 lbs 2 Hang Power Cleans 165 lbs 2 Hang Power Cleans 175 lbs 2 Hang Power Cleans 185 lbs 1 Hang Power Clean 195 lbs 1 Hang Power Clean 205 lbs 1 Hang Power Clean 215 lbs 1 Hang Power Clean 225 lbs 0 Hang Power Cleans 230 lbs - 3 Overhead Squats 155 lbs 3 Overhead Squats 165 lbs 3 Overhead Squats 170 lbs 3 Overhead Squats 175 lbs 3 Overhead Squats 185 lbs Good job, buddy!! Quite impressive!!Liv said, turm down the volume. I don't want to listen to him breath hard. Lol!!!Lol....I will put some music on next timeLOL!! No she was just kidding.Huge Effort, Man! How are you getting the weight to back? I start with a snatch, which is not limiting because my OHS is so weak...my new power rack is awesome. i can put the bar in the 3 different locations. one of those locations is on the outside. i unrack from there and walk it over to my mats. worked out perfectly!!Totally agree!!! A power rack is a must have. - 1 Overhead Squat 205 lbs are you kidding me? Dude, that's Awesome!!!!Lol....it felt good! I'm pretty sure I can do more - 2 Push Jerks 155 lbs 2 Push Jerks 175 lbs 2 Push Jerks 195 lbs 2 Push Jerks 205 lbs 1 Push Jerk 215 lbs ok, now I'm intrigued. I've never tried this without having to clean it first, which always limited my max. I think I'll try this tonight. Pretty sure your number 1 ranking is NOT in jeopardy!!HA! i'm pretty sure your shoulders have always been a LOT stronger than mine. get it done man! i'm sure you'll destroy 215!Well, you've been doing this a lot longer than I have so your core is a lot stronger than mine. I'll have to wear my fashionable knee brace for sure. Jerking is how I dislocated my knee the last time, but that was about 3 years ago and I'm stronger nowyou'll be fine...just concentrate on form. video it too :)Well I videoed it but I've never posted to YouTube so I'll have to work on it. Your record is safe!! - 1 Squat Snatch 135 lbs 1 Squat Snatch 135 lbs 1 Squat Snatch 155 lbs 1 Squat Snatch 135 lbs 1 Squat Snatch 135 lbs 2 Squat Snatches 120 lbs 2 Squat Snatches 120 lbs 2 Squat Snatches 120 lbs Not Applicables Not Applicables 3 Squat Snatches 110 lbs 3 Squat Snatches 110 lbs Not Applicables Not Applicables Not Applicables 1 Squat Clean & Jerk 185 lbs 1 Squat Clean & Jerk 185 lbs 1 Squat Clean & Jerk 185 lbs 1 Squat Clean & Jerk 185 lbs 1 Squat Clean & Jerk 185 lbs 3 Squat Clean & Jerks 150 lbs 3 Squat Clean & Jerks 150 lbs Not Applicables Not Applicables Not Applicables video coming soon....nice work!! Love the form!So where did you find this WOD at? Was it something like the leg program I'm going to start next week? I may try this one this weekend. I think I'm getting addicted to the power aspect of all this!i love these aspects for sure! i got it from the same website. we need to actually talk sometime. here is the link:, so that's pretty advanced for me right now. I'm guessing I really need to focus on my technique before jumping into that or I'll hurt myself. I agree we do need to actually talk sometime! Mike's website is my new favorite!definitely! i use it more for repetition of the oly lifts to get that form down. let's talk this weekend or something and we can chat about all of this. i have done so much research on all of this, i would be happy to share :)sounds great!! I work Saturday until 1. After that I think I'm free but I never know from one minute to the next!CF Animals!!!!That should have been the name of our gym!!!!i can change it!! let me know :) - 1 Snatch 155 lbs 0 Clean & Jerks 0 Front Squats 0 Front Squats 0 Front Squats 0 Front Squats added video proof of my stubbornness and humility. i did actually get one rep of 160, but it wasn't pretty and my squat wasn't full depth...therefore, no rep. Disappointing day.well, i sorta subscribe to the same addage fishermen do. A bad day at the gym beats a good day at work anyday!!! Still amazing.Ok, I will admit, Austin and I actually started laughing at your stubborness. Loved the effort and it was WAY more than I would have given. Still great job and you looked great doing it!!lol! i know right?! i was so close i just couldn't get it done....so frustrating. 155 was no problem at all...160 has to be in my head.Yeah, that's frustrating when it's just 5lbs. You know what they say about the proverbial "straw?" - 3 Deadlifts 315 lbs 2 Deadlifts 325 lbs 2 Deadlifts 335 lbs 2 Deadlifts 345 lbs 1 Deadlift 390 lbs 1 Deadlift 390 lbs 1 Deadlift 315 lbs 1 Deadlift 315 lbs 1 Deadlift 315 lbs - 5 rounds of: 7 Muscle-Up (banded)s 21 Sumo Deadlift High-pulls 95 lbs Nice!! Now I need bands!!bands are incredible! the wod was still crazy hard.....that many muscle ups was nutsAMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!This is sick watched your video, freakin beastly I can't hardly even do one muscle up!lol...thanks, the bands are a magical thing.That video is really awesome! You just power through them, but the transition into a dip is still ugly and unassisted... which has to be one of the worst parts of the MU. Killer! - 3 Hang Squat Cleans 135 lbs 3 Hang Squat Cleans 155 lbs 3 Hang Squat Cleans 165 lbs 3 Hang Squat Cleans 175 lbs 2 Hang Squat Cleans 185 lbs Dude, that really sucks. The cold is horrible and helping us old guys hurt ourselves. Nothing like cold muscles. Sorry if I was the inspiration for you to try this one. Get some ice. - 6 rounds of: 2 Front Squats 235 lbs That's awesome!!! Dude, you're just killing the leg work!!Yeah my legs are feeling strong! I've only got 2 more weeks on my squat program and then I wil attempt a new pr! Can't wait!Any guesses as to what that will be? Oh, I tried to watch the vid but the last two you've posted are listed as private and we can't watch.not sure what the max will be...i will shoot for somewhere around 255. we'll see. i fixed both videos, let me know if you can see them now...Ok that is inspiring!!MONSTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - CrossFit Total : 885 lbs | Rx'd 85 lbs1 Back Squat 320 lbs 1 Shoulder Press 150 lbs 1 Deadlift 415 lbs Damn mike!! Awesome numbers!!! He-Man!!!This is awesome! You destroyed previous glass ceilings, Dude! 320BS and 415DL is nothing shy of monstrous! - Load next 15 workout posts

Please help out the victims of Katrina by clicking one or both of the links below and giving even a small donation: Red Cross Hurricane Disaster Relief -- or -- Salvation Army Disaster Assistance I borrowed this list/meme from Lilith at Spinster War Diaries. She has a very enjoyable blog, so go visit her site soon. As always, I'll answer these as Cassie would at 24. 7 things to do before I die: 1. Go to college 2. Visit Europe 3. Go to college 4. Get a better job than a secretary in the Yale library 5. Go to college 6. Move to New York 7. Have kids (but NOT NOW!) 7 things I can do: 1. Get a job at a strip club (but P. would never let me) 2. Make men and women want to sleep with me 3. Pick up hot things and not get burned 4. Sew. I make my own clothes (when I can sit still long enough) 5. Make strangers want to talk to me, especially old people 6. Function on a few hours of sleep a night 7. Dance 7 things I can't do: 1. Write. When I have to. When I write in my journal, it pours out 2. A chin-up. No upper body strength. Couldn't climb the rope in gym class, either 3. Bake cakes: mine all come out flat 4. Sit still (and wouldn't you know, I'm a secretary). I should be a carpenter or something 5. Reduce the size of my stomach. It's not fat, it just sticks out 6. Not come if I have sex; my pussy has betrayed me, too 7. Play sports 7 things that attract me to a man: 1. Good eyes 2. Tenderness 3. Broad shoulders 4. Teasing. P. is so serious, while S. is all fun 5. Politness. Why do guys think a girl will want them if they have the manners of a gavone? 6. Being a good listener 7. Strong hands 7 things I say most often: 1. Who'd a thunk it? 2. F'nable (literally "go to Naples" in Italian) 3. Ah-ite (means "all right" in South Philly-speak) 4. Do I hafta? 5. Oh, God, Yesssssssssssssssssssssssssss! 6. Fuck (said as a response to something unpleasant) 7. Does this make me look fat? 7 celebrity crushes: 1. Bobby Clarke of the Flyers 2. Alexis Smith 3. Grace Slick 4. Prince Charles (please don't laugh) 5. Johnny Callison of the Phillies 6. Marilyn Chambers 7. Jack Nicholson 7 people I'd like to do this list: 1. Demon Queen 2. Freya 3. Odd Wife 4. Alice 5. O 6. Wilma 7. Magdalena

- Buying Guides - Reviews - Tips and Solutions - Announcements - Online Videos. The heart of the new camera is a 33-megapixel, 48 x 36mm, 16 bits/channel CCD, which is mounted on a revolving back, which enables you to switch from portrait to landscape mode without having to reposition the camera. If you currently own an RZ system, you’ll be pleased to know the RZ33 makes full use of all existing RZ lenses, prism finders, waist-level finders, and other RZ imaging accessories. Because the RZ33’s imaging sensor is smaller than the camera’s native 6x7 design you have to consider a 1.48x magnification factor when choosing lenses. As an example Mamiya’s 50mm/4.5 ULD wide-angle lens has an effective field-of-view of a less-wide 74mm lens, a 150mm portrait lens has the effective field-of-view of a 222mm lens, etc.) The RZ33 records 16bits/channel RAW files that open up to 190MB, 16 bit TIFF files that display little if any artifacting and/or moiré patterns. This capablilty makes it an attractive tool for shooting beauty and fashion, jewelry, textiles, or any other subject matter that requires sharp, clean detailing. IOS levels can be set from a native 50 through 800, and frames can be captured at a rate of 1.1 frames per second. Images are captured onto CF cards (the faster, the better), and the resulting images can be viewed and edited using the camera’s 2.4 x 2.7 inch (6 x 7cm) LCD touch screen, which is also used for selecting camera and menu settings. For processing your image files, the RZ33 comes with both Capture One DB and Leaf Capture, which are two of the finest image processing programs available today. As with earlier generation RZ optics, you have a full range of shutter speeds from 8 to 1/400-second (and ‘T’ for time exposures up to 32 seconds) with full flash sync at all speeds, which makes the camera equally ideal for studio and location shooting alike. Another RZ feature pro shooters take advantage of is the close focusing abilities of the RZ-system with all RZ optics. And yes, the RZ33 also accepts Mamiya RZ 120/220 film backs for those who still swing both ways.

New Living Translation (©2007)May he remember all your gifts and look favorably on your burnt offerings. Interlude English Standard Version (©2001)May he remember all your offerings and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah New American Standard Bible (©1995)May He remember all your meal offerings And find your burnt offering acceptable! Selah. King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah. Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)May He remember all your offerings and accept your burnt offering. Selah International Standard Version (©2012)May he remember all your gifts, and may he accept your burnt offerings. Interlude NET Bible (©2006)May he take notice of your offerings; may he accept your burnt sacrifice! (Selah) Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)Lord Jehovah will remember for you all your offerings and he will accept your burnt sacrifices. GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)He will remember all your grain offerings and look with favor on your burnt offerings. [Selah] King James 2000 Bible (©2003)Remember all your offerings, and accept your burnt sacrifice; Selah. American King James VersionRemember all your offerings, and accept your burnt sacrifice; Selah. American Standard VersionRemember all thy offerings, And accept thy burnt-sacrifice; Selah Douay-Rheims BibleMay he be mindful of all thy sacrifices: and may thy whole burnt offering be made fat. Darby Bible TranslationRemember all thine oblations, and accept thy burnt-offering; Selah. English Revised VersionRemember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah Webster's Bible TranslationRemember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt-sacrifice. Selah. World English Bibleremember all your offerings, and accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah. Young's Literal Translation He doth remember all thy presents, And thy burnt-offering doth reduce to ashes. Selah. Remember; continued.... Remember all thy offerings - The minchah, which is here mentioned, was a gratitude-offering. It is rarely used to signify a bloody sacrifice. Remember all thy offerings, and {c} accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah. (c) In token that they are acceptable to him. accept: Heb. turn to ashes: or, make fat 3. all thy offerings-or gifts, vegetable offerings. accept-literally, "turn to ashes" (compare 1Ki 18:38). Continued... Psalm 20:3 Parallel CommentariesBible Hub: Online Parallel Bible Alphabetical: accept acceptable all and burnt find he May meal offering offerings remember sacrifices Selah your OT Poetry: Psalm 20:3 Remember all your offerings and accept your (Psalm Ps Psa.) Christian Bible Study Resources, Dictionary, Concordance and Search Tools Psalm 20:3 Bible AppsPsalm 20:3 Bible SuitePsalm 20:3 Biblia ParalelaPsalm 20:3 Chinese BiblePsalm 20:3 French BiblePsalm 20:3 German Bible

Washed (113 Occurrences) Mark 7:4 And when they come from the market-place, they take no food till their hands are washed; and a number of other orders there are, which have been handed down to them to keep--washings of cups and pots and brass vessels. (BBE DBY) DBY WBS) Luke 11:38 When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that he had not first washed himself before dinner. (WEB KJV DBY WBS NAS) John 9:7 and said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means "Sent"). So he went away, washed, and came back seeing. (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) John 9:15 Again therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he received his sight. He said to them, "He put mud on my eyes, I washed, and I see." (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV) John 13:6 So he came to Simon Peter. Peter said, Lord, are my feet to be washed by you? (BBE) BBE DBY WBS) John 13:12 So when he had washed their feet, put his outer garment back on, and sat down again, he said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV) John 13:14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV) Acts 9:37 It happened in those days that she fell sick, and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper chamber. (WEB KJV ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV) Acts 16:33 He took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and was immediately baptized, he and all his household. (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV) Acts 22:16 And now why lingerest thou? Arise and get baptised, and have thy sins washed away, calling on his name. (DBY) 1 Corinthians 6:11 Such were some of you, but you were washed. But you were sanctified. But you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in the Spirit of our God. (WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV) Hebrews 10:22 let's draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having our body washed with pure water, (WEB KJV ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV) RSV NIV) Revelation 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood; (WEB KJV DBY WBS) NAS RSV NIV) Revelation 19:13 And he is clothed in a robe washed with blood: and his name is The Word of God. (BBE) Revelation 22:14 A blessing on those whose robes are washed, so that they may have a right to the tree of life, and may go in by the doors into the town. (BBE) Genesis. (BBE) Genesis 43:24 The man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys fodder. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV) Genesis 43:31 He washed his face, and came out. He controlled himself, and said, "Serve the meal." (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV) Genesis 49:11 Binding his foal to the vine, his donkey's colt to the choice vine; he has washed his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. (WEB KJV ASV WBS YLT) Exodus 19:10 And the Lord said to Moses, Go to the people and make them holy today and tomorrow, and let their clothing be washed. (BBE YLT) Exodus 19:14 Moses went down from the mountain to the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV) Exodus 29:4 And let Aaron and his sons come to the door of the Tent of meeting, and there let them be washed with water. (BBE) Exodus 29:17 and the ram thou dost cut into its pieces, and hast washed its inwards, and its legs, and hast put 'them' on its pieces, and on its head; (YLT) Exodus 30:19 and Aaron and his sons have washed at it their hands and their feet, (YLT) Exodus 30:20 Whenever they go into the Tent of meeting they are to be washed with water, to keep them from death; and whenever they come near to do the work of the altar, or to make an offering by fire to the Lord, (BBE) Exodus 30:21 Their hands and feet are to be washed. so that they may be safe from death: this is an order to them for ever; to him and his seed from generation to generation. (BBE YLT) Exodus 40:31 Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and their feet there. (WEB KJV ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV) Exodus 40:32 When they went into the Tent of Meeting, and when they came near to the altar, they washed, as Yahweh commanded Moses. (WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV) 6:27 Anyone touching the flesh of it will be holy: and if any of the blood is dropped on any clothing, the thing on which the blood has been dropped is to be washed in a holy place. (BBE) Leviticus 6:28 But the vessel of earth in which the flesh was cooked is to be broken; or if a brass vessel was used, it is to be rubbed clean and washed out with water. (BBE) Leviticus 8:6 Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water. (WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS NAS RSV NIV). (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Leviticus 9:14 He washed the innards and the legs, and burned them on the burnt offering on the altar. (WEB JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV) YLT) YLT) Leviticus 13:54 Then the priest will give orders for the thing on which the mark is, to be washed, and to be shut up for seven days more: (BBE YLT NIV) WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Leviticus 13:56 If the priest looks, and behold, the plague has faded after it is washed, then he shall tear it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof: (WEB YLT NAS RSV NIV) NAS RSV NIV) YLT) Leviticus 14:9 And on the seventh day he is to have all the hair cut off his head and his chin and over his eyes--all his hair is to be cut off--and he will have his clothing washed and his body bathed in water and he will be clean. (BBE YLT) Leviticus 14:47 And anyone who has been sleeping in the house will have to have his clothing washed; and anyone who takes food in that house will have to have his clothing washed. (BBE) Leviticus 15:5 And anyone touching his bed is to have his clothing washed and his body bathed in water and be unclean till evening. (BBE) Leviticus 15:6 And he who has been seated on anything on which the unclean man has been seated:8 And if liquid from the mouth of the unclean man comes on to him who is clean, then he is to have his clothing washed and his body bathed in water and be unclean till evening. (BBE YLT):11 And anyone on whom the unclean man puts his hands, without washing them in water, is to have his clothing washed and his body bathed in water and be unclean till evening. (BBE YLT) Leviticus 15:12 And any vessel of earth which has been touched by the unclean man will have to be broken and any vessel of wood washed. (BBE):17 Every garment, and every skin, whereon the semen is, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the evening. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) YLT) Leviticus 15:27 And anyone touching these things will be unclean, and his clothing will have to be washed and his body bathed in water and he will be unclean till evening. (BBE YLT)) Leviticus 16:26 And the man who takes away the goat for Azazel is to have his clothing washed and his body bathed in water and then he may come back to the tent-circle. (BBE) Leviticus 16:28 And the man by whom they are burned is to have his clothing washed and his body bathed in water, and then he may come back to the tent-circle. (BBE) YLT) Leviticus 17:16 But if his clothing is not washed and his body bathed, his sin will be on him. (BBE) Numbers 8:7 And this is how you are to make them clean: let the holy water which takes away sin be put on them, and let the hair all over their bodies be cut off with a sharp blade, and let their clothing be washed and their bodies made clean. (BBE YLT) NAS RSV NIV) Numbers 19:7 and the priest hath washed his garments, and hath bathed his flesh with water, and afterwards doth come in unto the camp, and the priest is unclean till the evening; (YLT) Numbers 19:8 And he who does the burning is to have his clothing washed and his body bathed in water and be unclean till evening. :21 This is to be a law for them for ever: he who puts the water on the unclean person is to have his clothing washed; and anyone touching the water will be unclean till evening. (BBE) Numbers 31:24 and ye have washed your garments on the seventh day, and have been clean, and afterwards ye come in unto the camp.' (YLT) Judges 19:21 So he brought him into his house, and gave the donkeys fodder; and they washed their feet, and ate and drink. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV) 2 Samuel 11:8 And David said to Uriah, Go down to your house and let your feet be washed. And Uriah went away from the king's house, and an offering from the king was sent after him. (BBE) 5:10 and Elisha sendeth unto him a messenger, saying, 'Go, and thou hast washed seven times in Jordan, and thy flesh doth turn back to thee -- and be thou clean. (YLT) 2 Kings 5:12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not be washed in them and become clean? So turning, he went away in wrath. (BBE) 2 Kings 5:13 Then his servants came to him and said, If the prophet had given you orders to do some great thing, would you not have done it? how much more then, when he says to you, Be washed and become clean? (BBE) KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS) Nehemiah 4:5 Let not their wrongdoing be covered or their sin washed away from before you: for they have made you angry before the builders. (BBE) Job 9:30 If I am washed with snow water, and make my hands clean with soap; (BBE DBY YLT NIV) Job 14:19 The stones are crushed small by the force of the waters; the dust of the earth is washed away by their overflowing: and so you put an end to the hope of man. (BBE) Job 22:16 Who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream; (See NAS RSV NIV) Job 28:1 Truly there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is washed out. (BBE) Job 29:6 when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me, (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS RSV) Job 33:9 I am clean, without sin; I am washed, and there is no evil in me: (BBE) Psalms 51:2 Let all my wrongdoing be washed away, and make me clean from evil. (BBE) Psalms 51:7 Make me free from sin with hyssop: let me be washed whiter than snow. (BBE) Psalms 58:10 The upright man will be glad when he sees their punishment; his feet will be washed in the blood of the evil-doer. (BBE) Psalms 73:13 Surely in vain I have cleansed my heart, and washed my hands in innocence, (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV) Proverbs 6:33 Wounds will be his and loss of honour, and his shame may not be washed away. (BBE) Continued...

February 1st, 2010 Stybar, Vos win World Championship at Tabor After taking the World Cup, Czech Republic’s Zdenek Stybar wins the Cyclocross World Championship. Dutch rider Marianne Vos wins her third Worlds victory. Elite Men Racing in his home country in front of 30,000 spectators, Czech Republic rider Zdenek Stybar earned his country its first World Cyclocross elite title Sunday by conquering icy conditions and tough competition on the frozen course in Tabor, Czech Republic. Stybar, 24, took the rainbow stripes for the first time in the third Cyclo-cross World Championship after second place finishes in 2008 and 2009. His strong performance comes only one week after a second place finish in Hoogerheide earned him the World Cup. Runner-up Klass Vantornout finished 21 seconds behind and Sven Nys outsprinted Czechis Bina for the final spot on the podium. Stybar was unable to hold off his tears coming down his face. “It is something incredible to win here in Tabor. It is a lifetime experience. I think that the fans were amazing. They were along the whole track and I really enjoyed,” Stybar said after the medal ceremonial. American Jonathan Page, who took second place in the World Championships three years ago, had a promising first lap until getting stuck behind a crash involving Niels Albert, then suffering back-to-back mechanical problems in the second lap left him playing catchup for the remainder of the race, finishing in 30th. His American teammates fared better. Tim Johnson used shoes equipped with sheet-metal screws that helped him pass other riders during running section, finishing 14th. James Driscoll finished 19th. UCI course officials added large amounts of sand on top of the frozen course to try to make the course safer to ride, but the resulting conditions were now muddy and slippery. The icy course challenged some riders more than others, with defending champion Niels Albert dropping out of the race half way through. In the first lap, Stybar took off, with Vantornout chasing. Stybar lost his early lead when he had to deal with a flat tire, but he caught up quickly with race leaders after exchanging his bike at a pit stop. After three laps, Stybar jumped out of his saddle and broke away from a group made up of Vanotornout, Christian Heuele and Franics Mourey. His efforts brought him an 18-second gap that he was able to sustain for the rest of the race. “I was fairly calm throughout, and even when I lost time and places because of a tire problem in the first lap, I stayed calm and came back without too much problem,” Stybar said in a statement. “After that, everything went very well up until the last few hundred metres: when I saw the finish line and my country’s flags in front of me, I experienced sensations that I will never forget, and I nearly lost control. ” From the fourth lap on, a group of four riders formed behind Stybar: Nys, Vantornout, Heule and Martin Bina. Halfway through the race Stybar had the advantage of 20 seconds and the Swiss rider Heule was dropped from the chasing group. Vantornout took off in the seventh lap, shaking BÌna and Nys, who spent the remaining lap fighting for third place. Nys managed to take the third-place finish from Bina in the final straightaway. Bina, who won the World cyclo-cross title in 2001 in Tabor, attempted to outsprint Nys but he safely held off his pressure. Elite Men’s standings 1. Zdenek STYBAR (CZE) 1:08:58 2. Klaas VANTORNOUT (BEL) 1:09:19 3. Sven NYS (BEL) 1:09:36 4. Martin BINA (CZE) 1:09:38 5. Francis MOUREY (FRA) 1:09:54 6. Martin ZLAMALIK (CZE) 1:10:00 7. Christian HEULE (SUI) 1:10:05 8. Radomir SIMUNEK (CZE) 1:10:16 9. Gerben DE KNEGT (NED) 1:10:47 10. Bart WELLENS (BEL) 1:11:11 11. Marco Aurelio FONTANA (ITA) 1:11:23 12. Nicolas BAZIN (FRA) 1:11:24 13. Steve CHAINEL (FRA) 1:11:26 14. Timothy JOHNSON (USA) 1:11:26 15. Marcel WILDHABER (SUI) 1:11:35 16. Erwin VERVECKEN (BEL) 1:11:43 17. Thijs VAN AMERONGEN (NED) 1:11:45 18. Marco BIANCO (ITA) 1:11:52 19. James DRISCOLL (USA) 1:12:05 20. Lukas FL‹CKIGER (SUI) 1:12:07 Elite Women Marianne Vos’ victory was as clear-cut as that of Stybar. After just a few meters, the Dutch rider began her flight toward her third World Championship title, after her victories in Zeddam and Hoogerheide. In doing so, she again relegated the German Hanka Kupfernagel to second place, and her compatriot Daphny Van Den Brand – who has just won the UCI World Cup – to third. Despite crippling leg cramps, Katie Compton, who hadn’t raced since Zolder three weeks ago, decided to attempt competing at Worlds. The pain ended up being too much, and she dropped out after just one lap. American teammate Meredith Miller led the U.S. effort, finishing in 12th place. Amy Dombroski finished 14th. Vos jumped ahead to an early lead on the frozen course, setting a quick pace and soloing for the remainder of the race. Kupfernagel followed and sustained a similar strong effort for a second place finish. Her Dutch teammate, Daphny Van den Brand, had to deal with constant attacks from behind for third place. Czech Rider Katerina Nash was one favorite to win the race, but was involved in a pileup on the first corner. She moved up throughout the race, but was unable to overtake Daphny Van den Brand for the final spot of the podium. Elite Women standings 1. Marianne VOS (NED) 42:59 2. Hanka KUPFERNAGEL (GER) 43:44 3. Daphny VAN DEN BRAND (NED) 44:01 4. Katerina NASH (CZE) 44:19 5. Eva LECHNER (ITA) 44:40 6. Christel FERRIER-BRUNEAU (FRA) 44:46 7. Caroline MANI (FRA) 44:52 8. Pauline FERRAND PREVOT (FRA) 45:10 9. Sanne VAN PAASSEN (NED) 45:27 10. Lucie CHAINEL-LEFEVRE (FRA) 45:30 11. Annie LAST (GBR) 45:36 12. Meredith MILLER (USA) 45:54 13. Sabrina SCHWEIZER (GER) 45:59 14. Amy DOMBROSKI (USA) 46:15 15. Sanne CANT (BEL) 46:17 16. Linda VAN RIJEN (NED) 46:22 17. Rocio GAMONAL FERRERA (ESP) 46:29 18. Maureen GUICHARDOT (FRA) 46:38 19. Nikki HARRIS (GBR) 46:48 20. Elisabeth BRANDAU (GER) 47:01 See all the Bicycling.com blogs. [...] was ill-advised, since she was already feeling pain from leg cramps even before the race. Via Bicycling.com Related Posts : Cameron Meyer Wins Australian Time Trial Championship Andre Greipel [...] [...] Stybar, Vos win World Championship at Tabor | MB Word bicycling.com/blogs/mbword/2010/02/01/stybar-vos-win-world-championship-at-tabor/ – view page – cached After taking the World Cup, Czech Republic’s Zdenek Stybar wins the Cyclocross World Championship. Dutch rider Marianne Vos wins her third Worlds [...]

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In other words, how many of the teams whose records are in the top five of 54-game winning percentages go on to the playoffs? How many of the teams in the top ten slots wind up in the post-season? When we take it down to the top ten, 71% of those teams make the playoffs. The team that has won the World Series over the past sixteen years has had an average won-loss record in the first third of the season that is just a hair under .600. Only one team (the 2003 Marlins) has posted a sub-.500 record over the first third of the year and gone on to win the Fall Classic. But there are some other interesting tidbits. Teams that have the best 54-game record but fade away and don't make the post-season (as shown in the column marked "+54, -162") actually play a tad bit better than the eventual World Series winnners during the first third of the year (.603 to .599). Teams that languish in the first third of the season and rebound from that point onward (as shown in the column marked "-54, +162") break out into two distinct groups: those who make the playoffs play a good bit closer to .500 (.463) than those who don't (.414). So it clearly doesn't pay to fall too far behind in the first third of the season...only the 2009 Rockies and the 2005 Astros had truly rough starts and were able to lift themselves into the playoffs. What about the rest of the season? How does the "last 108 games" look in terms of this formulation? Well, it's probably not surprising to find out that the level of certainty for teams in the Top Five and Top Ten of WPCT over two-thirds of a season is extremely high. Teams with a WPCT in the Top Five over the last 108 games make it to the playoffs in just under nine out of ten cases (89% to be exact). Teams in the Top Ten are a bit better (91%). The aggregate winning percentage, however, declines a bit, down to .587--which makes sense given the long haul of the season. We've been on a streak of sub-par performances for World Series winners in this area over the past six years--only one team (the 2009 Yankees) has played really well in the last 108 games. Conversely, you might wonder what type of indicators are in place when we go down into smaller sample sizes. We took a look at slices of the season at the one-sixth (27 games) and one-ninth levels (18 games). Those results can be seen below. What we see is that the level of correlation drops a good bit, but it seems to stabilize when it gets down into these smaller slices. Yes, we are going only on one year's worth of data for these, but the aggregate percentage of Top Five and Top Ten teams in any given "sixth" or "ninth" slice seems to stabilize at or around 55%, though the totals do move around a good bit from slice to slice. There's an interesting little reversal in the WPCT distributions for these slices. 27-game slices tend to tip toward teams that play a bit under .500, while the 18-game slices go the other way. The distributions are not uniform in nature, since the average WPCT in each category isn't necessarily that orderly, but it's still striking that the tilt in each slice is so dramatic between the teams that play .500-.599 ball and those who post WPCTs between .400-.499. It's interesting to know that a team that makes the Top Five in WPCT over an 18-game period has more than a 50% chance of being a playoff team. We wouldn't necessarily think that to be the case, but there it is. We'll take a look at the teams who fit that definition in 2011 in just a few days from now.

Nadine Dorries, poster-girl for the Christian Right, and hate-figure for just about everyone else, has been attracting even more flack than usual in the last day or so, always supposing that such a thing is possible, for her success in persuading the Department of Health to to back the campaign to ensure that women seeking abortions are offered advice that is “independent” of agencies that also conduct terminations. The claim is that there’s a financial conflict of interest if an organisation which charges for abortion services (charges not to the woman in question, usually, but to the health service that purchases the care) is also giving advice to women wondering what to do about an unwanted pregnancy. For a government generally committed to “one-stop shops” and critical of disjointed service provision in which several agencies are taking on different parts of a single service, this conversion to a sort of “fire-wall” between advice and subsequent care is a little odd. But it’s not odd, because it’s a smoke-screen. The debate is not really one about formal independence, but one about the rights and wrongs of abortion per se. And insofar as independence comes into the debate at all, the independence in question is not financial, but ideological. Anti-abortionists want advice to be independent of those who believe that abortion is a right, a matter only for individual women and the choices they wish to make. Pro-abortionists want advice to be independent of those who believe that abortion is morally wrong. Both sides are dissembling, engaged in a skirmish about a technicality because we’re not able to have an open debate. It’s simply not possible to think about the rights and wrongs of abortion, its tensions, its moral and social dilemmas, without being accused either of moral decadence, or (if you’re a man, at least) misogynistic and reactionary authoritarianism. That’s not all. The debate about abortion has become embroiled in other debates, most notably about homosexuality, that the Christian Right are also obsessed about. The antics of Nadine Dorries and her crew are for Christians what the Stalinists were for communists. Anyone who, like me, is open about their Christianity has to spend most of their time distancing themselves from a variety of crack-pot notions that are not only unpleasant, but very unchristian to boot. So, for the avoidance of doubt, I do not believe that homosexuality is a sin, nor that abortion is always wrong. Which doesn’t mean that it’s always right. And there’s the rub. Absolutism is pretty much always wrong, dangerous and unhelpful. I don’t distinguish between the absolutism of the Roman Catholic Church, and the absolutism of those who claim that in abortion it is only and always about a woman’s individual right to make whatever decision she sees fit. Absolute truths are generally absolutely mistaken. The idea that a fertilised human egg is already a person is fanciful, and to pursue that fancy in the face of a woman who does not want to continue the pregnancy no matter what the circumstances (abusive relationship, rape, foolishness even) is entirely unreasonable. On the other hand, to suggest that an individual woman has no responsibility to wider society, is entirely free to do whatever she likes, is to flirt with an individualism that is reminiscent of Thatcher’s infamous denial that society exists at all. We are all members one of another. We have responsibilities to one another that transcend our individual desires. To be sure, the desire of a woman not to have a baby requires a very high standard of proof indeed if it’s to be over-ridden, but that doesn’t make it impossible in principle. Ultimately it is not a woman’s right to choose. It is society as a whole’s balance between competing rights that must prevail, in this as in anything else that affects others beyond the individual. By making it impossible even to question, for example, the maximum legal limit on abortion without accusing the questioner of being some kind of oppressive ogre bent on crushing women and returning them to back-street abortions, we disable debate on things that matter to us all. I have no right whatsoever to impose my religious commitments on you. None. But I am a member of this society, and I’m entitled to raise questions without being abused, or accused of supporting things I do not support. So, for the record. I support abortion in principle. I worry about the balance between foetal viability and the legal maximum for abortion. I do not believe that the balance is a matter only for the woman in question. There. I’ve said it. A woman’s right to choose is not an absolute right. String me up if you want to. And Nadine Dorries is still an idiot. I think you’re going to have to justify your entire penultimate paragraph if you want to avoid being labelled as an oppressive ogre. In what circumstances would you over-ride a woman’s desire not to continue with a pregnancy? What standard of proof would you need? What is the “competing right” that society has to balance? You’ve indicated it can’t be the foetal right to life which is the standard for the pro-life movement, so you need to articulate this right, and from where it derives. The major problem when moderates and liberals say that we’ve got to be able to talk about these things is that we do it so nebulously we give the extremists carte blanche. By raising the possibility that a woman’s right to decide whether to undergo a legal medical procedure is not actually her decision but society’s, you leave an open goal to Dorries and her ilk. Rather than society, how about we let biology decide? The current legal limit on abortion is predicated on natural viability and foetal development. If medical science created an artificial womb that could develop a foetus from conception to term, would that mean the limit for abortions should be 0 weeks? I think not. There is a difference between natural viability and intervention by medical science; we cannot alter the length of gestation, and the time limits as they stand reflect that. On the topic of smokescreens, what thoughts on the likelihood that the “independent counselling” is simply a delaying tactic to ensure some women hit the time limit? At the risk of being pedantic, as an individual I would not presume to be able to “over-ride a woman’s desire not to continue with a pregnancy”: such a constraint must be mediated by society at large. However, I think you mistake the source of “rights” when you imply that only individuals can have them. There are many people who are discomforted by late abortion, and lots of us do not support Dorries in this or in anything else. Society has already set limits, and I think that those limits are open to change as viability changes. The issue of natural vs artificial womb is irrelevant. Even an artificial womb is not going to produce a viable 10-week foetus. I believe that if society at large were to find abortions earlier than the current legal limits to be unacceptable, than society’s right to determine those limits would over-ride an individual woman’s right to choice. To establish what “society at large” finds acceptable we need a debate that’s more open to challenge of all kinds than we currently have. Just because some very undesirable characters want to join in the debate is hardly a cogent reason for not having it. I have not disposed of foetal rights in what I wrote: I’ve disposed of the person-hood of a bunch of cells derived from a fertilised egg. I do think that foetal rights are a very difficult problem, and one which can’t be dealt with simply by denying that they exist. At some point between conception and birth we have, I think, to accept that something qualitative has changed. You say, “Let biology decide.” I agree, but biology is not independent of human intervention. A moment’s thought exposes that argument as ridiculous. Left to “nature” many people would die who, as a result of medical intervention, do not in fact die. We’d hardly be justified in killing them because biology left them unviable, would we? Finally, if independent counselling is merely an expedient to make abortions illegally late, then it’s pretty obviously wrong on every count. I can’t see into the souls of its proponents though, so I can’t help you there! Why are we debating abortion? The number of abortions remains stable whether or not they’re legal. The only difference is more women die when abortion is illegal. The decision to abort or not is made in private. I should think that, short of a medical emergency, very few women choose to abort late in their term. Logic would lead one to believe that the decision is made soon after they find they are pregnant. I find it arrogant that some seek power over the decision against the woman’s wishes especially since children are not well treated in this country and mothers have little support. I don’t recall anyone celebrating all motherhood or every childhood in any meaningful or egalitarian way. A lifetime of criticism awaits. The only impact abortion law can have is whether we protect women or kill women. That is the debate. For the record, because of the above, I find the “pro-life” tag offensive and misleading in the extreme. You won’t find the expression “pro-life” in this or any other thing I’ve written, so whilst I agree with you, I’m not sure it’s relevant here. If you can find the merest scintilla of a suggestion from this post that I support the idea of making abortion illegal, I’d be interested to know where. I do not. And to imply that I do is exactly the kind of misuse of argument that I’m trying to point out. It may well be true that women would not choose to have a late abortion, and certainly I’m not suggesting otherwise. It seems to me that if we had better abortion services more readily available earlier in pregnancy, then late abortion would be less of an issue. Presumably women would welcome that too. All I’m arguing for is the right for society to determine the limits, and to change them for lower limits if medical advance changes the point of foetal viability. And my right to have the temerity to raise the issue without people accusing me of wanting to criminalise abortion, to oppress women, or any other fantasy about me. Is that OK? No Billy, it isn’t OK. Changing the limits downwards will only drive more women to seek illegal abortion. It still doesn’t have any impact on the abortion decision. You have yet to explain how you would have the state stop women from seeking abortions if that’s their decision. How exactly would the “rights of society” be enforced? Place all pregnant-above-the-legal-limit women in special prisons? Or just some women? What would the criteria be? Explain yourself. Also, it seems you apparently have zero conception of the pressures on women or you wouldn’t be wanting to add another. Did you know the leading cause of death for pregnant women is murder? Or that, as it is now, in some states, if a woman doesn’t deliver a perfect baby, she may be arrested in the maternity ward because she must have done something criminal, careless or desperate: taken drugs, had too much to drink, fallen down, tried to kill herself, etc. Women who miscarry are equally at risk. Motherhood carries with it the threat of prosecution for all manner of things until the child turns 18. It’s not much better for children. They’re funneled into the military or private prisons or some other service to the the global financial elites as the environment crumbles around us. No real jobs but fodder is always needed. The federal guarantee of a “free, appropriate education” is a horrible joke. Our tattered education system is nonetheless under attack from all quarters. How many children have you adopted or fostered? Does the ‘right to life’ end at birth? I really think you are seriously out of your depth. “Ultimately it is not a woman’s right to choose” is where you come unstuck. I also think your argument is in reaction to a non-problem. I am not aware of a crush of women demanding late-term abortions. If you have the statistics that reveal such a problem, please publish them. I do think your post is “rubbish”. If you choose to believe that opinion is “easy” and “abusive” as you tweeted earlier, then we have a difference of opinion. Trying to narrow the reactions to your post to those that make you feel comfortable is what limits the debate. Trying to discuss the issue without awareness of the larger societal issues women face limits the debate. If you spent your time and energy achieving the goal that every pregnant woman, all mothers and their children have, not just real support and safety, but are celebrated in this society I would listen to your abortion rights arguments. But I think you’ll find that they have become moot. You seem to want to take issue with everything except what I’ve actually written. You put up a series of arguments that I haven’t made, and then knock them down again. This has nothing to do with what makes me “feel comfortable”; you needn’t be so concerned on my behalf! It just so happens that I agree with almost all the points you raise, which isn’t especially surprising since I never disputed them. And just to be absolutely clear, I’m not recommending prison; I utterly abhor conscription; and I’m not remotely sympathetic to the right-wing would-be theocrats that seem to infest the United States, where fortunately I do not live. Your argument with me seems to add up to this: because I have raised one issue amongst many in the abortion dispute, my position must be false because I haven’t discussed every one of the other issues. And where I’ve not offered a view, you’ve kindly filled in the blanks with a caricature of some crazy people’s views, and then ascribed those views to me. Forgive me if I don’t accept that attempt to smear me. You do raise one very fair and important point. What is to be done if the legal limit for termination is exceeded? Of course, that problem exists now since there’s already a limit. I have not created that problem simply by pointing out that if the gestational age at which a foetus is viable falls, we should not simply ignore the moral dilemmas that raises merely because it’s inconvenient. In any individual case, we need to proceed with compassion, and that may well include not pursuing the letter of the law, just as we currently do with “mercy killings” which are technically murder. As in most legal development, I suspect it would need to proceed by case-law and precedent. So no, remarkably enough, I don’t recommend special prisons. What would you do? Just ignore the problem and hope it goes away? And of course the best answer, as it is now, is to ensure free, easy, compassionate access to quality counselling and abortion care as early as possible to minimise the issue of late abortions that no-one in their right mind wants to see anyway. It is possible to have a reasoned debate, albeit that you think it’s an unnecessary one. In focusing on the issue of maximum time limits for abortion, I do not pretend that there are no other issues. I’m also sorry that if, in raising this issue, I have one small area of overlap with people that in every other respect I have no time for. It’s embarrassing, I accept, but it hardly makes me one of them. not sure how an individual woman has a responsibility to wider society to carry a child to term that she doesn’t want? I don’t think that’s quite how I’d express it. Society has already set limits to abortion (in lots of areas, but here I’m specifically talking about the limit to how far a pregnancy can continue and abortion still be lawful) and I think society has the right to do that because this is both an intensely personal issue and a public one. The admittedly narrow point that I’m making (but I believe an important one nonetheless) is about how society should respond to medical advances, specifically in the case of foetus viability. I think this is a legitimate matter for public debate, and that there are matters other than “a woman’s right to choose” that come into play. My concern over the Dorries furore is that the reaction from some quarters seems to be saying that even to raise questions about abortion is somehow an affront. I don’t agree with that. I’ve made it clear that I’ve no time for Dorries: but equally I’ve no time for the notion that because she is a pretty offensive and hypocritical person, anyone who dares to wonder about the current state of abortion law and care in this society must also be offensive and hypocritical. It feels like a kind of collective punishment! Society has the right, and the responsibility in fact, to set the legal framework for abortion, and women have to operate within it, even if they might also seek quite legitimately to change it. Only in that sense does an individual woman have “a responsibility to wider society”. aah, now I see. Thank you for going so fully into my point and yes, I agree that it is for society to set the time limits and for these to be observed. Hats off to you for a genuinely brave post for someone in left leaning circles. Frankly I usually keep my mouth shut. I don’t want to be associated with the conservative right yet I feel so distant from the abortion on demand position… I think that the tone of some of the response you have received here but especially on Twitter demonstrate the validity of your assertions. Regarding unfettered rights how do people feel about only wanting a termination because the mother wants a baby boy? It’s hardly a mere hypothetical scenario either

As I mentioned yesterday, I accidentally left my current cartoons at home so I'm using stuff that is on my laptop, hence the date of this cartoon. This is one that never ran in the papers because it was feared that people with OCD would rise up against newspaper editors all across the land and cause trouble for me. One might be tempted to say, "Don't give in, Dan. To hell with them if they can't take a joke." But editors don't like losing a day of work answering angry emails, letters and phone calls and may decide to replace Bizarro with a less controversial clone. That would be bad for me. So this isn't really censorship as much as it is my personal editor advising me against it and me agreeing. I experienced a bit of this last week when I ran a cartoon about dyslexia. I didn't lose any papers over it (that I know of), but some folks complained. I have OCD and dyslexia in my family (and a touch of OCD myself) so I feel I have the right to poke a little fun at me and mine. Humor is an age-old human device for getting through tough times and situations, so I am not as sensitive about it as many people apparently are. God knows that vegans get regularly grilled in humor venues of all kinds, but I take it with grain of salt (or a salt lick) and laugh at myself and my kind. My folks taught me that. Laughing at ridicule and teasing takes the fun out of it for the other guy, and the sting out of it for you. The blog is good for this kind of cartoon, which will likely never see wider publication. Glad I had this opportunity to share it with you, hope no one has taken time off from checking the door locks and stove handles to get offended. 20 comments: God knows that vegans get regularly grilled in humor venues of all kinds Vegans getting grilled, heh. I laughed! But then again, I have UPLS, uncontrollable pathological laughing syndrome. Most cartoonists have OCD anyway I think our society is getting out of control with people taking offense. Of course, I say that only until someone says something way offensive and then I think our society is getting out of control with people saying offensive things. Sometimes people are stupid and sometimes stupid people say stupid things. Apart from all that, though, I thought the comic was very funny and was not poking fun in a malicious manner. It's weird, how people don't get humour. Or they get it until it's about them and they forget that it's not for real. I don't think anything is off limits, I might not like it, it might suck, I might even be offended, but it's not off limits. I was offended once when I saw a black stand-up comedian making jokes about being black in Sweden and picking apart myth after myth. Then he went over to making fun of eastern european (like me) pilots, but only building the jokes upon prejudice (stupidity, illetarcy, alcoholism), and not conterclaiming them once. In contrast to his anti-racist theme I was offended by his hypocracy. The jokes themselves were only old. Some of the best jokes are funny because they're true. And I think the more truth a joke has, the more (some) people get offended. Some people just can't handle the truth, I guess. motto of the day - laughter is life...god knows in what order your cartoons they run...the sj-r ran a substitute cartoon today. BUT like i said i came to your cartoonery late so i enjoy the old one too. I'm so weary of, "As long as *I* laugh, it's funny. If I'm not laughing, then you shouldn't, either." Blarh. This was funny. I've got mild OCD and I GET IT... as do my other friends with OCD. Some people are just strung waaaay tooooo tight. BOOORING! Sheesh! If only people put all that unused energy towards something worthwhile... I've always appreciated your weekly reminder e-mails to check this blog, but now I don't even need them! Great blog, outstanding commentary, nonpareil cartoons! i concur! it made me giggle because i want to hang that sign in the bathroom at work hoping it will make more people actually wash their hands. (yuck!) aside from not washing at all, my (gross) favorite is the person that answers their cell phone in the stall and, while still on the phone, they go to the sink and merely rinse the fingertips on their free hand. no wonder cell phones are so nasty, right? i generally open the door with the paper towel and toss it to the trash from the door so i don't have to touch their yuckiness. anybody queasy yet? Strange how people can be so sensitive. Still, the line between humour and being offensive is very thin, grey and random. Even if I have a hint of OCD I still find this cartoon very funny. :-) I have major OCD and I laughed out at this. Now ask me how many times I had to spell and respell the word verification before I accepted it and pressed "Publish Your Comment." HAHAHA! Checking door locks and stove handles! Because that's what they do! HAHAHAHA! That's some low-level humor there, Danny. Try aiming for funny next time. =v= I am terribly offended and must leave a comment. Hundreds and hundreds of times. I have OCD and I loved this toon :) Maybe it's all the soy protein that gives us such tough skin. In any case, the idea of an OCD uprising in hilarious in and of it self. Great Comic! You can get lost in it. Ha! Just imagining all of the people who have OCD uniting and rising against makes me laugh. "Oh no! I have to go back and make sure I put out food for my cat before I start this riot!" BTW - I have OCD and this made me laugh. I have OCD and thought the cartoon hilarious. Especially since my handwashing is the worst part of my compulsion. I don't think the joke about OCD was done in bad taste at all. Sometimes I think people complain about these things just because they want to make a noise.

WWE WrestleMania 28: 5 Reasons Why Triple H Will Crush Undertaker One of the biggest matches going into WrestleMania 28 is Triple H vs. the Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell match. It would take several attempts by the Undertaker to even get Triple H to agree to this match. But has the Undertaker bitten off more than he can chew? Triple H left him pretty beat up at last year's WrestleMania, and it would take the Phenom more than a year to recover. Triple H on the other hand has been much more active since there last confrontation at WrestleMania 27. We know that Triple H is in good shape, but how much has the Undertaker actually recovered? The Undertaker was able to get the victory over Triple H last year, but this time it will be much, much different. Here are five reasons why Triple H will crush the Undertaker at WrestleMania 28. Hell in a Cell Record Triple H sent Cactus Jack through the ring in his first Hell in a Cell match. Do you know how many times Triple H has lost a Hell in a Cell match? Once. Triple H has faced the likes of Mick Foley, Kevin Nash, Shawn Michaels and even Chris Jericho in Hell in a Cell matches. He would defeat all of them, and would finally be handed his first and only loss by Batista in 2005, five years after the Game's first Hell in a Cell match. Undertaker on the other hand has lost a total of four Hell in a Cell matches. Even though Hell in a Cell in the Undertaker's match (he would first debut in it going against Shawn Michaels in 1997) Triple H is clearly the King of Hell in a Cell. When these two superstars clash at WrestleMania 28, Triple H is going to show the Undertaker why he thrives in the cell. Triple H Is Not Intimidated Try as he might, the Undertaker doesn't scare Triple H. Every year around WrestleMania time the Undertaker plays the same mind games to try and intimidate his opponent. He comes out in complete darkness, rolling his eyes backward, and in general just tries to scare his opponent before their WrestleMania match. It's a huge mental advantage going into WrestleMania. However this year it didn't work. Triple H was not at all intimidated by the Undertaker's dark entrances or his promos. For a couple of weeks he was ignoring the Undertaker, and denying him the match he so desperately wanted. The Undertaker would then try to get under the Game's skin by comparing him to Shawn Michaels, and telling him that he was afraid he couldn't do what Michaels couldn't do. Instead of intimidating Triple H, the Undertaker enraged him. With the mental advantage now lost, and a Triple H determined to prove he can do what Michaels couldn't, can the Undertaker survive this Hell in a Cell match? The Sledgehammer Triple H is extremely dangerous with his trusty sledgehammer. The Hell in a Cell structure is a weapon in itself, but when you throw in other objects like chairs and sledgehammers, the match goes from dangerous to deadly. Being able to use these weapons effectively, and being able to take the pain that these weapons cause can be a huge factor in a Hell in a Cell match. Triple H is no stranger to dealing out, or receiving pain. In his first Hell in a Cell match for example, Triple H would have a 2-by-4 wrapped in barbed wire grind on his head by Cactus Jack (Mick Foley). He would however also use that weapon against Cactus, hitting the hardcore legend repeatedly with the weapon. But that 2-by-4 is the least of the Undertaker's worries. As we all know by now the sledgehammer is Triple H's weapon of choice. The Game was about to use the sledgehammer on the Undertaker at last year’s WrestleMania (before being pulled into the Hells Gate Submission), and more recently fought Kevin Nash in a sledgehammer ladder match at the TLC Pay-Per-View last year. Weapons, more specifically the sledgehammer, will more than likely be used in this WrestleMania 28 match. Triple H has a high tolerance for pain, but what about the Undertaker? Will the Deadman be able to survive a beating once Triple H gets his hands on his signature sledgehammer? WrestleMania 27 Triple H may have lost the battle, but he won the war. At last year’s WrestleMania the Undertaker was able to lock in the Hells Gate submission and force Triple H to tap out. He was able to push the streak to 19-0. The Undertaker however had taken a massive beating. He was left helpless in the middle of the ring when the match was over. Triple H on the other hand, was able to walk away. He went so far as to hit the Undertaker in the head with a steel chair, something that took a lot of us by surprise. Triple H was about to use a sledgehammer to put the Deadman down but was pulled into the Hells Gate submission. The Undertaker still remembers the beating he took at last year's WrestleMania. He remembers the embarrassment of being left motionless in the middle of the ring. Now these two enter a Hell in a Cell match at WrestleMania 28, which is a much more dangerous environment than last year's match. If Triple H was willing to go as far as he did last year, imagine how far he will go this year in the cell. The Undertaker Is Running on Empty How much longer can the Undertaker continue? It would take a full year for the Undertaker to recover after last year’s WrestleMania match against Triple H. He is of course getting older, and it is clearly becoming an issue. With that in mind, how much longer can the Undertaker really last? Hell in a Cell is an extremely demanding match. Triple H himself is getting older, he is 42 compared to the Undertaker's 47, but we know that Triple H can still wrestle. Last year Triple H wrestled some demanding matches against CM Punk (no DQ match) and Kevin Nash (Sledgehammer match) and would win both of them. But what about the Undertaker? As mentioned before the Undertaker was gone for a whole year after WrestleMania 27. Hell in a Cell will be a much more dangerous, and exhausting match than the previous one these two superstars had. We really don't know what type of shape the Undertaker is in, and how much longer he can last. Triple H still has a lot of fight in him; the Undertaker however might be running on empty. 23 Comments This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete

Pittsburgh Penguins: Should They Have Overpaid for Jaromir Jagr? The Pittsburgh Penguins get ready to face off against their hated rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers, twice in the last four games of the regular season. The way the playoff matchups are set up, the Pens and Flyers will most likely square off for another seven games between the two teams. How sweet would it be for Jaromir Jagr to lead his new team to victory against the team he became famous with that refused to overpay to sign him this past summer? Which leads one to think, with Sidney Crosby out most of the year, could the Penguins have won the division had they signed Jagr? Jagr has 18 goals and 52 points with the Flyers, and he's missed 10 regular-season games. He has shown he still has it this year. Also, he loves playing against Pittsburgh. He's scored three goals against his former team in four games, and who knows what he has in store for the last two games and playoffs? The Flyers are a solid offensive team with 251 goals on the season and it's been a conducive environment for No. 68. Pittsburgh might've been an even better situation for Jagr, considering all the stars they have on that team. He would've most likely been playing with James Neal and Evgeni Malkin. There's no doubt he would've been able to replicate his scoring numbers with the Pens. Although Steve Sullivan has been an awesome alternative for Pittsburgh, scoring 15 goals and 31 assists, there's no doubt that Jagr is the better player. He would've had more scoring opportunities skating with Geno and Jordan Staal. And now with Crosby back, this team would be even more explosive. With Jagr due for free agency once again this summer, the Pens would be wise to give him another shot—there is no reason why they shouldn't consider bringing him back. There were questions heading into this season whether Jagr would be able to play a full season at the NHL level. He hadn't been in the league for several years and, it goes without saying, the Russian KHL is not on the same level as the NHL. Would you consider signing Jagr this summer? Jagr, however, has shown that he's barely missed a step. Sure, he's not leading the league in scoring, but he's 40 years old and he's providing positive offensive contributions for a playoff team. Only guys like Nicklas Lidstrom and Teemu Selanne can say the same. Also, speaking of Lidstrom and Selanne, they're playing at a high level well past their 40s. Why can't Jaromir? He's showing that he's good for another two or three years and that it doesn't matter how old you are. If you play with Sid and Geno, you're going to put up fantastic numbers. Plus, he'll still be able to repair his legacy with Pittsburgh fans, as he tarnished it to a great extent this by signing with the rival Flyers. Jagr has shown that signing him won't be just a PR move for teams. The dude can play, and he's going to be around for a little while more. What is the duplicate article? Why is this article offensive? Where is this article plagiarized from? Why is this article poorly edited? 6 Comments This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete

Jon Jones vs. Vitor Belfort: What Can Jon Jones Do to Get Some Fans? For the first time in his UFC career, Jon Jones walked out to a chorus of boos prior to his UFC 152 title defense against Vitor Belfort. This wasn’t exactly shocking to the MMA world, especially after the debacle that was UFC 151, but for a fighter to go from loved to hated as quickly as Jones has over the last six months has been a rather extraordinary situation. The fall from grace began for Jones shortly after his UFC 145 title defense against Rashad Evans. Going into that bout, Jones was still a heavy fan favorite over nearly everyone in the UFC’s light heavyweight division, but you could feel the crowd start to turn against Jones for the first time leading up to that fight. Most chalked it up to fans getting sick of the dominance that Jones had displayed during his recent destruction of the division, but it turned out to be more than that once the light heavyweight champion of the world was charged with a DUI just weeks after his successful defense against Evans. The immediate public backlash following the DUI was harsh and ended up lasting far longer than a lot of people anticipated, but it seemed like the criticism of Jones had finally died down leading up to his scheduled title fight against Dan Henderson at UFC 151. However, an injury to Henderson forced the UFC to go into panic mode just a week prior to the event, and when Jones deemed former middleweight challenger Chael Sonnen an unsuitable replacement for Henderson on just a week's notice, the card was cancelled and the hatred for Jones amongst fans grew considerably. Now that Jones survived the initial blowback last night, it’s time for him to start attempting to rebuild his image. After all, Jones is one of the most well-known fighters in the sport, and with the ink still drying on his contract with Nike, it seems doubtful that anyone connected with Jones wants him to remain the villain for long. The UFC could set Jones up against Dan Henderson or Lyoto Machida and let him slowly gain back his fanbase by taking out a few more top-tier fighters, but if Jones is truly looking to get back into the fans' good graces, there’s only one fight that could set him back on the right path to be loved again. This is where Chael Sonnen comes in. No matter how many fans tried to make Chael Sonnen the conquering hero of the UFC 151 situation, the fact remains that Sonnen has used his mouth to become one of the most despised fighters in the history of our young sport and it will take someone of Sonnen’s skill set to help Jones rebuild his image. All it will take is for Sonnen to take to the media and start going after a few MMA legends to get the ball rolling, and when he takes another cheap shot at Jones, the champion can respond with a challenge. This makes Jones the good guy all of a sudden, the champion of the future stepping up and defending the fighters who allowed him to get to where he is today, and he’ll end up back in the hearts of fans just as quickly as he left. This may sound a but too much like a pro wrestling-style “work,” and I can understand why a lot of hardcore fans would be able to see through the smokescreen and call the situation what it is, but in the end, the only fans that Jones needs to convince to side with him again are the casual ones. Without Sonnen it will take a long time for Jones to win over the fans again, and while there’s little doubt that eventually the public will end up back in his corner, the sooner it happens the better it will be for Jones and the UFC. Whether anyone likes it or not, Jon Jones is well on his way to becoming a superstar and all it will take to get the fans back on his side is a few verbal barbs from a “Gangster” from West Linn, Oregon. What is the duplicate article? Why is this article offensive? Where is this article plagiarized from? Why is this article poorly edited? 18 Comments This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete

Notre Dame Football Recruiting: Top Instant Impact Recruits for Fighting Irish USA TODAY Sports After an undefeated regular season, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish should remain near the top with a number of instant impact recruits projected to join Brian Kelly’s team. Just four years ago, the Fighting Irish snagged 5-star linebacker Manti Te'o out of Hawaii. Although he came up short in leading his team to a national title, Te'o was a bona fide star as soon as he stepped foot on campus. Fast forward to 2013 and it appears the Fighting Irish will have secured their first 5-star linebacker since they brought Te'o to South Bend. Let's take a look at the top instant impact recruits for the Fighting Irish. Jaylon Smith, LB, Bishop Luers HS Jaylon Smith, the No. 2 overall player in the class of 2013, is regarded as a can't-miss prospect. Blessed with an incredible 6'3", 218-pound frame and 4.44 speed, the consensus top outside linebacker is a physical freak. Anyone who watched the U.S. Army All-American Bowl realized just how special this kid can be. Lining up at both outside linebacker and with his hand in the dirt, the best player in the state of Indiana displayed impressive pass-rushing skills and even blocked a field goal. With his frame and athleticism, Smith could fit at any linebacker position. While he should ultimately end up as a premier 3-4 outside 'backer, Smith should make an instant impact on passing downs. His pure speed and freakish first step should make him a pass-rushing nightmare, while his fluidity and pass-coverage skills will make him a valuable third-down defender. As he continues to grow into his frame, Smith will evolve into an All-American player, but he'll certainly make noise as a third-down defender as a freshman. Max Redfield, Safety, Mission Viejo HS The strength of Notre Dame's recruiting class goes far beyond its top player. With safety Zeke Motta graduating, the Fighting Irish are in need of a playmaker on the back end. Ask and you shall receive. Fellow 5-star recruit Max Redfield should step in immediately at Motta's free safety spot and become a first-round pick. Pound for pound, Redfield might just be the best athlete in the country. Checking in at 6'' 3'', 195 pounds, the California native could dominate at receiver or defensive back, but looks like a lock at safety. A consensus top-five safety, Redfield draws high marks for his hands, instincts and coverage skills. Combined with his fantastic frame and 4.50 wheels, Redfield should be an upgrade over Motta. Like Smith, he could bulk up a bit, but he should find his way onto the field early in his career. His incredible skill set should give Fighting Irish fans plenty to cheer about in 2013. Greg Bryant, RB, American Heritage HS While Smith and Redfield should anchor the defense for years to come, running back Greg Bryant should be a staple on offense. And with leading rushers Cierre Wood and Theo Riddick both departing for the NFL, the time is now for the 4-star tailback. Checking in at 5'11", 196 pounds with 4.48 wheels, Bryant clearly has the size and speed to be an excellent college back. When watching the tape, it's evident that the star out of Delray Beach, Fla., runs with conviction. He isn't the shiftiest back, but plays with power behind his pads and breaks tackles consistently. Notre Dame hasn't been able to reel in a running back with his talent in quite some time, so the Fighting Irish shouldn't be coy in showing off their new toy in 2013. What is the duplicate article? Why is this article offensive? Where is this article plagiarized from? Why is this article poorly edited? 21 Comments This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete

NBA Midseason Awards: All-League First Team Steve Nash is averaging 17.4 points per game and 12 dimes. Nash has won back-to-back MVP awards and should have won three. Nash flies down the court with tremendous vision and blows past slower defenders to dish it to anybody who is open. It doesn't matter if you’re in the highest seat in the house, he could hit you in the nose with a no-looker. And with a good supporting cast like Amare Stoudemire, Raja Bell, Shawn Marion, and Grant Hill, Nash is even more dangerous. Nash isn't afraid to get flashy to deliver pin-point pass to the hoop for an alley-oop to any one of his teammates. Shooting Guard Kobe Bryant has been known for his clutch performances and his stingy defense. He's dropping 27.4 points per game and 5.1 assists. For a while, it was thought he was carrying the team, but with Andrew "Baby Shaq" Bynum growing up right before our eyes, Kobe has become even more dangerous. Bryant will pull up a jumper from anywhere with complete confidence that he is going to knock it down. He will also take a defender one-on-one and break his ankles. A veteran, Bryant is still one of the best, if not the best player in the league. Small Forward LeBron James, the only player on the Cavs worth mentioning, is averaging 30.5 points and 7.1 assists. He may not be the best shooter but dang-it if he wants to win, he will. After coming off a big performance in San Antonio, James is looking to do the same back home tonight against the Wizards. He amazed us last summer in the playoffs and now I look forward to seeing how he plans on bettering this year’s attempt at a NBA title. Power Forward: Dwight Howard is a beast with 24 points and 9.4 rebounds in the past few games ; he is looking to send the Orlando Magic back into the playoffs for the second straight year. Since being drafted straight out of high school, Howard has been an awesome player for the Magic as they look to build a franchise around. But he is not alone on the team, Jameer Nelson is the second go to guy on the team and looks to be more of a factor in the offense this year. Center Amare Stoudemire is joining his teammate Steve Nash on this list simply because he is the future of the Power Forward/Center position; and with 22.4 points a game and 9.3 rebounds this season it’s hard to argue with that. This kid has a bright future and he clearly is going to become one of the most dominant players of all-time if he stays healthy. Put up a shot near him and he is throwing it into the 7th row of the stands … then laughing at you for your stupidity. His versatility is what makes him so great. Coach What good is a team without a good head coaching staff. At this point in the year, I believe the best coaching staff has been the Los Angeles Lakers. Phil Jackson and Co. have gone from being just a annoying fly in the west to becoming the flyswatter. This year the Lakers have improved from seventh in the west last season to third this season. Coach Jackson is looking forward to returning to the playoffs for the third consecutive year and hopes to win another NBA title. Does he have enough fingers for all of his rings? What is the duplicate article? Why is this article offensive? Where is this article plagiarized from? Why is this article poorly edited? 5 Comments This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete

Security On Entropy Depletion & Related Links0 I had to dig these up in the context of a conversation around the (in)security of currency regimes such as BitCoin where presumed ownership of currency is built solely upon asymmetric cryptography. You may find some of these links to be of interest as well. Textbook RSA is insecure and other interesting observations.... Invasive sideband attack. Presentation on Exploring 'Distributed' in DDoS Exploring Distributed in DDoS - Social Engineering aspects of an 'Anonymous' style DDoS attack Recorded 24 April 2013. Abstract: With the proliferation of social media and mobile devices to masses, protecting against distributed denial of service attacks has become an arduous technical challenge. Even though we expect much more sophistication, research reports show that majority of anonymous style hacktivist attacks originate from distributed denial of service. During analysis of the largest-known hacker forums with roughly 250,000 members, impervia's hacker intelligence report states that social networks today pose a major interest for hackers. In this talk we discuss the technical challenges and potential remediation of such denial of service attacks. The presentation will elaborate on key tenets of defense in depth, web application security and do's and outline potential threats for financial application domain. The Cultural Knowledge Consortium (CKC) is a joint and inter-agency effort established to provide a Socio-cultural Knowledge Infrastructure (SKI) to help provide access and connect multi-disciplinary, worldwide, social science expertise and support collaborative engagement efforts in support of Combatant Command (COCOM) socio-cultural analysis requirements. CKC supports and complements the alignment and synchronization of DoD analytical efforts, operational information requirements, and training programs Hacking Web Apps - Book Review Hacking Web Apps - Detecting and Preventing Web Application Security Problems - by Mike Shema is a contemporary guide on web application security. Mike's labor of love, as he likes to call this book, contains very relevant and distilled information on modern day web application attacks. The book is different from your garden variety web-application-top-n-style verbose texts with template vulnerabilities and hello-world solutions; Hacking web apps is a book with strong personality which shows in the eight chapters covering diverse topics from HTML5 security, XSS, CSRF, platform weaknesses to browser and privacy attacks. Starting with HTML5, author discussed security issues surrounding "new" DOM, CORS, web sockets, web storage, web workers in a concise and concrete manner. This first chapter, however brief, makes this book quite unique since very few books in my knowledge have dealt with security issues pertaining to HTML5. The book provides a nice knowledge upgrade to exploits and vulnerabilities when it comes to web 2.0 technologies. Packed with tips, epic failures and notes providing security anecdotes from the real-world, this text keeps you involved and entertained throughout. Going beyond usual CWE-SANS/OWASP top x vulnerabilities, author elaborates on design issues and draw parallels on how to apply these issues to other similar problems. The text tends to be language agnostic and code samples are in multiple languages (python, php etc) but I do miss the examples with specifics of libraries such as AntiForgeryToken in ASP.NET MVC. Since I have not read any of Mike's previous books, I cannot comment on how much is shared between his writings but for any web and server side developer interested in security, I'd highly recommend reading this book. Slides from 11th Annual SecureIT conference- “OWASP Web Services Security - Securing your Service Oriented Architecture” I recently spoke to 11th SecureIT conference on "OWASP Web Services Security - Securing your Service Oriented Architecture". This annual event was hosted by UC San Bernardino at Sheraton Fairplex Hotel. This SecureIT Conference conference provides focus and opportunities to higher education staff meeting the challenges of providing a secure information technology environment for campus communities. The event was well attended with distinguished speakers, including Pradeep Khosla, UC San Diego’s chancellor, Michael Montecillo, IBM Security Services Threat Research and Intelligence Principal and Eric Skinner, VP of Mobile Security for Trend Micro. The slides of my presentation can be found below..

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. _ Something just didn't feel right about that Purple Heart medal up for grabs in an Illinois garage sale. The conviction led the buyer on an information quest that ended in Gurley last week when the medal was presented to the family of the long-deceased soldier. The recipient. private first class Veer M. Krause, was killed in action in the Korean Conflict - often known as the Forgotten War. Thank goodness the medal purchaser had the fortitude to track down its history so Krause's valor would also not be forgotten. Such medals are earned, not bought in garage sales for a buck. This one had been paid for in blood. A priceless keepsake for family members of the deceased. Krause was killed in the Battle of the Naktong Bulge in South Korea on Sept. 8, 1950. The medal was awarded on Jan. 2, 1951. He was living in Norfolk County, Va. with his grandmother when he joined the military in 1949. How it wound up an east-central Illinois yard sale remains a mystery. Judy Krause-Mobley of Gurley had been looking for information about her late father and her deceased uncle, Veer M. Krause. She had submitted an e-mail to the Korean War Veteran's Association newsletter last year after learning of their military service. Meanwhile, a bargain hunter stumbled across some medals encased in a faded black box in a garage sale in Jacksonville, Ill. Veer Krause's name was inscribed on the back of the Purple Heart. The other medal and a presidential proclamation also belonged to him, The medal purchaser, insisting on anonymity, contacted a newspaper reporter for the Jacksonville Journal-Courier in Jacksonville, Ill. The reporter gleaned details about Krause's military service through a congressman. The buyer said he thought it "sad" that the seller had told him the box of military honors was from a family friend and didn't mean anything to her. A further investigation by the Journal-Courier led to the newsletter inquiry by Gurley's Krause-Mobley. The newspaper sent the Purple Heart and other keepsakes in a package to The Huntsville Times, which set up an official handover last Friday from local officials with the Military Order of the Purple Heart. So now, a Madison County family can relish in the valor of a loved one who served his country honorably. Other items given the family include Veer's Good Conduct Medal, a box of family photographs and a proclamation signed by President Harry Truman that reads: "Freedom lives and through it he lives, in a way that humbles the undertakings of most men." By most accounts, Veer, a member of the 38th Infantry, had been in Korea for less than three weeks when he died. A salute to the garage sale purchaser who didn't want this Purple Heart recipient's service to go unnoticed. By John Peck for the editorial board. E-mail: [email protected]

Story Provided by: Cleveland Engineering Society. Engineers are in demand in NE Ohio, and more are needed. With more than 300 current openings for engineers and 86.7% of engineering leaders saying they plan to hire more engineers this year, the Cleveland Engineering Society (CES) and its member companies are working hard to find both the current and next generation of engineering and technical professionals needed in the local workforce. CES announced today that it has completed its first annual "Pulse of the Profession" analysis of the NE Ohio engineering and related professions. The effort uncovered more than 300 engineering positions open today, and identified 200 positions that companies plan to hire for in the remainder of 2013. The needs span across all engineering disciplines, with the Civil and Mechanical disciplines leading the way at 26.7% and 20% of the identified future needs respectively. Although the NE Ohio region has its own subset of needs, these results align, generally, with a recent national survey published by Engineering News Record (ENR) which identified Mechanical and Electrical as the disciplines expecting the largest shortages by 2014. According to the CES survey, 46.7% of engineering leaders in NE Ohio believe there is a shortage of engineers in the region with 38.5% of those believing that not enough young people considering engineering or technical based career paths is a primary reason for the shortage. The survey also uncovered that the demand for engineers is not driven solely by retirements. Although the retirement of a generation of experienced engineers is a significant concern facing the profession as a whole, it appears that organizations in NE Ohio don't see this issue as an immediate near term concern or driver for their openings. 60% of engineering leaders indicated that they do not anticipate a significant portion of their engineering workforce to retire in the next five years. So why the big demand for engineers? What do engineers do and what are they involved in anyways? The answer: everything. This week, February 17 – 23 2013, is national engineers week, an annual celebration that many corporations and organizations participate in to help promote the positive impacts engineers have on society and bring more recognition to the profession while also acting as an inspiration for outreach to encourage young people to consider careers in engineering. "Engineers are a true catalyst to the economy and society, generally not a single product gets invented or produced, or a building or facility gets built, or a bridge or road is opened without some type of engineer, and often many types of engineers, being involved", said Brandon Davis, Director of Industrial Manufacturing at URS, Cleveland's largest engineering firm, and member of the board of directors at CES. "It is a profession that helps turn dreams into reality, and engineers are a key part of nearly everything we do in our daily lives", he continued. He is right; engineers are involved in manufacturing, building, government, research & development, medicine, education, and even on Wall Street. They are everywhere, that car or bus we rode in today, the house or building we live in, that iphone or computer that has revolutionized our lives, the water we drink, the lights we use, that new medical device that saves lives, even the sports we watch, engineers are quietly at the center of it all and have been since the pyramids and before. No wonder there is such a demand for them. "Engineering remains a good profession in NE Ohio, with something like less than 3% unemployment amongst engineers, it is clear that people who have an engineering background are in demand" said Ron Czaplicki, Principle at Barber & Hoffman, a local engineering firm, and current President of the CES board of directors. "Cleveland has a history of invention and innovation, and I think we are going to continue that tradition, but only with the help of great engineers", he continued. The CES "Pulse of the Profession" analysis looked at current openings within a 60 mile radius of Cleveland's public square, and surveyed senior managers who oversee an estimated 3,000 engineering and related professionals in the region. The respondents were primarily members of CES, which includes manufacturers, contractors, technical consultants, and members of Build Up Greater Cleveland (BUGC), which represents public agencies in the region. About Cleveland Engineering Society The Cleveland Engineering Society (CES) is a non-profit professional (NSPE), it is among the oldest of America's professional outreach efforts.

Q3 15:00: Matt Prater is about to kick off, and Jordan Shipley is deep to receive for the Bengals. Shipley returns it to the 20-yard line. Q3 14:45: Bernard Scott is chased out of bounds by Baraka Atkins, but there are two flags on the play. First, personal foul on the offense for a late hit. Second was a holding penalty on the offense, which was accepted by the Broncos for a 10-yard penalty. On first-and-20, J.T. O’Sullivan finds Shipley for a 5-yard gain before the receiver is brought down by Joe Mays. On second down, O’Sullivan sets up a screen pass to Scott, and the running back gets all the way to the Denver 39-yard line. Darcel McBath and Mays are down after the play. Q3 13:38: Both players walk off the field under their own power, flanked by trainers. On the ensuing first down, the Bengals pick up another first down on an O’Sullivan-to-Jerome Simpson connection for a 21-yard gain. Scott picks up 2 yards on first down, followed by an incomplete pass intended for Andre Caldwell. On third-and-8 at the Denver 16-yard line, O’Sullivan finds Shipley, but Johnny Williams is there for the tackle short of the first-down marker. After the 6-yard gain, Dave Rayner kicks a 27-yard field goal to give Cincinnati the league. CINCINNATI 20, DENVER 17 Q3 11:26: Matthew Willis returns the kickoff to the 22-yard line, and Brady Quinn jogs back to the huddle at quarterback. Of the starters, only Zane Beadles and J.D. Walton remain in the game. The rest of the first-teamers appear to be done for the day. *INJURY UPDATE* McBath has an arm injury and is questionable to return to the game. Mays has a groin injury and is probable to return. Q3 9:45: After a Bruce Hall run for no gain, Quinn connects with Willis for a 30-yard pickup down the middle of the field to the Cincinnati 48-yard line. After a Hall run for a loss of 3, Quinn looks deep once again, this time to Patrick Carter, but the receiver can’t quite haul it in and it falls off his fingertips. On third down, Quinn is sacked to bring out Colquitt for a punt. The Broncos are called for delay of game, giving Colquitt a little more room to work with. He gets the punt off on fourth-and-23, where Shipley fields it inside the 20. The rookie gets out to about the 37-yard line. It was a 44-yard punt and a 21-yard return. Q3 8:41: The defense is on the field, and Tim Tebow is warming up on the sideline. On first down, James Johnson picks up a yard. On second down, O’Sullivan is sacked by Jammie Kirlew to bring up third-and-13. On the next play, O’Sullivan finds Johnson again, but Alphonso Smith takes down the back after a gain of 6. Kevin Huber is back to punt, with Perrish Cox deep to receive. The rookie muffs the punt and there’s a scrum to see who recovered it — it’s Cincinnati’s ball. Q3 6:40: The Bengals will take over at the Denver 12-yard line, but Cox is down after the play. Q3 6:39: After Cox walked off the field flanked by two trainers, O’Sullivan and the Bengals get their drive going again. With no one open downfield, the quarterback takes off before being taken down by Baraka Atkins. It was a gain of 3 yards. On second down, James Johnson is swallowed up after a gain of 2, bringing up third-and-5. On the ensuing play, O’Sullivan is sacked by a diving Atkins for a loss of 6. Dave Rayner is in for a field goal attempt, which is nearly blocked by Tony Carter. The kicker gets it off, however, and drives home the 31-yarder to extend the Cincinnati lead to six. CINCINNATI 23, DENVER 17 **INJURY UPDATE** Cox’s injury is just cramping, and is probable to return. Q3 4:39: After a 28-yard kickoff return by Cassius Vaughn, boos rain down from the crowd as Tim Tebow marches onto the field for his first play as a Bronco. He fakes a handoff before rolling to his right and finding Marquez Branson for a pickup of 5 yards. On second down, he hands off to Bruce Hall for no gain, bringing a large reaction from Bengals defender Michael Johnson. On third down, Tebow lines up in the shotgun. He drops back and fires deep to Willis, who has beaten his man. The receiver has the pass in his hands and drops it, bringing up fourth down. Q3 2:59: Colquitt booms a 52-yard punt, which is downed at the 8-yard line, where the Cincinnati offense takes over. On first down, O’Sullivan fakes a handoff before finding Jerome Simpson for an 18-yard gain. The next play brings a run by Johnson for a gain of 4. Johnson takes another handoff on the next play, picking up 15 yards. Q3 1:15: After an incompletion, it’s second-and-10, and O’Sullivan hands off to Johnson yet again. The back picks up a first down before being tackled by David Bruton. It’s now first-and-10 for Cincinnati at the Denver 43-yard line. After an incompletion on the following play, O’Sullivan appears to fumble the ball on a sack — but the ruling on the field is that it was an incomplete pass, bringing up third-and-10. The third-down play has O’Sullivan in the shotgun. The quarterback drops back and fires toward Daniel Coats, and the tight end hauls it in for a 16-yard gain, bringing the third quarter to a close. Q4 15:00: A new Bengals quarterback has entered the game — Jordan Palmer, Carson’s younger brother. He hands off to Johnson for no gain, and on second down lofts a pass deep toward Simpson that flies out of bounds incomplete — but Tony Carter is called for pass interference, giving Cincinnati a first down at the 4-yard line. Q4 13:32: A 3-yard run by Johnson to the 1-yard line is followed by a run for no gain — the back was tackled by Ben Garland — bringing up third-and-1 at the 1. On the next play, Johnson is drilled in the air short of the goal line, but one ref runs in late with a touchdown call. Rayner’s extra point is good, and the Bengals now lead 30-17. CINCINNATI 30, DENVER 17 Q4 12:47: Cassius Vaughn is back to receive the kickoff for the Broncos. The rookie steps out of bounds at the 26-yard line after fielding it 2-yards deep in his end zone. Tebow is back in at quarterback. On first down, he hands off to Hall, who is brought down for a loss of a yard. Second down brings a pass from Tebow under pressure — a quick dump off to Britt Davis for a gain of 7. The attendance has been announced as 51,278 fans, by the way. On third down, Tebow is in the shotgun. The rookie drops back and fires toward Willis, who can’t haul it in. Colquitt is back in to punt, and he kicks it to about the 18-yard line. The Bengals have another productive punt return, as Quan Cosby gets out to the Denver 39-yard line after the 50-yard punt — it was a 43-yard return. Q4 10:32: After a 5-yard completion, Jordan Palmer drops back and hands off to Johnson. The running back picks up 2 yards, bringing up third-and-3. On third down, Palmer drops back into the shotgun. He takes the snap and takes off when no one is open downfield, running for the first down himself. Q4 8:57: Perrish Cox is in on the tackle on first down — a run for no gain. On second down, Palmer’s pass is tipped and falls incomplete. Third-and-10 brings a bootleg from Palmer after no one is open downfield. He sprints toward the sideline and leaps to dive up and over Alphonso Smith for a first down before giving the cornerback a tap on the helmet. Q4 7:05: Chris Baker was shaken up on a run by Cedric Peerman for no gain, but he is walking off the field under his own power. Second down brings another run by Peerman for a gain of 6 to the Denver 11-yard line, setting up third-and-4. The following play is another run, but Jeff Stehle and Ben Garland are there for the stop short of the first down marker. On fourth down, Rayner is in for another field goal attempt. The 26-yarder is good, extending the Cincinnati lead. CINCINNATI 33, DENVER 17 Q4 5:35: Vaughn is back deep to field the kickoff. He gets it out to the 16-yard line, where Tebow and the offense take over. On first down, Tebow is nearly sacked but he gets the pass off — it falls incomplete. On second down, Tebow drops back and gets a pass off to Hall for a gain of 6. That makes it third-and-4 at the 22-yard line. On the next play, Tebow lines up in the shotgun. The rookie fires to Alric Arnett’s back shoulder, and the fellow first-year player adjusts to make the catch for a 21-yard gain. Q4 4:28: Hall picks up a yard on first down, and Tebow drops back on second down before rolling to his right and being taken down for a loss of two. On third-and-11, Tebow lines up in the shotgun and doesn’t see a blitzer, who hits him and forces a fumble. The Bengals pick it up and run it in for a touchdown — but Head Coach Josh McDaniels and the Broncos are challenging the call on the field of a fumble. Q4 3:37: The refs rule that his arms was going forward, reversing the call and deeming it an incomplete pass. On fourth down, the offense remains on the field, but J.D. Walton seemed to think Tebow was under center when he was in the shotgun. The snap never gets to Tebow, who is forced to dive forward to pick it up and run for a handful of yards before being tackled for a turnover on downs. Q4 2:00: The clock runs down to the two-minute warning after three Bengals running plays that has moved Cincinnati to the Denver 24-yard line — second-and-1. Q4 1:59: The Bengals are called for a false start, making it second-and-6. Jammie Kirlew is there for the stop on the next play, bringing up third-and-3 after a run by Johnson. As the clock continues to wind down, Johnnie Williams sprints into the backfield to put an end to a fullback carry for a loss of 2 on third down, making it fourth-and-5. The Broncos call a timeout. The Bengals elect to go for it on fourth down, firing a pass toward tight end Chase Coffman inside the 10-yard line, but it falls incomplete, and Denver will take over on downs. Q4 1:09: Tebow is back in under center at his own 27-yard line. On first down, he lofts a screen pass to Hall, who is taken down hard at the 44-yard line. On the following play, he dumps off a pass to Hall who picks up 9 yards before the Broncos call their second timeout of the half. Q4 0:40: Tebow finds Branson for a first down as the clock continues to run. On the next play, he rolls to his right and fires deep to Britt Davis, who hauls in the pass and runs out of bounds at the Cincinnati 7-yard line. It’s a 33-yard connection. On the next play — with 12 seconds remaining — Tebow is in the shotgun. He buys time, rolls to his right and fires to Branson in the end zone — but refs rule that the tight end trapped the ball and the pass was incomplete. The booth decides to review the play, however. Q4 0:03: The ruling on the field is confirmed, and the Broncos are left with one last play — second-and-goal — from the 7-yard line. Tebow is in the shotgun with Ball to his left. The rookie drops back before taking off and powering his way past two defenders into the end zone — one of which stays down after the play. Cincinnati is charged a timeout for the injury. Matt Prater kicks the extra point as time expires to give the Broncos 24 points in the game — a 33-24 loss to Cincinnati in Denver’s first preseason game of 2010. It was Cincinnati’s second preseason game. The Broncos will be back in action this Saturday at INVESCO Field at Mile High against the Detroit Lions. Look for more coverage from tonight’s game on DenverBroncos.com in the coming hours. CINCINNATI 33, DENVER 24 -Gray Caldwell, DenverBroncos.com Tags: 2010, Cincinnati Bengals, First Half Live Blog In order for anyone to play Saturday, I would think that they would have to be participating in this week practices, tomorrow through Thursday, if not I don’t see why McD would play them. So my guess is at least we’ll know by Thursday if those guys will play or not. For all the Westbrook fans out here, he just signed with the 49ers. And the Saints signed the one who just turned us down last week, Ladell Betts. We don’t those guys. We have all pro running back lance ball. :/ *need Bruce Hall is my favorite, last night, 5 runs, minus 3 yards, long 1 yard, but the guy caught a bunch, LOL. I think the passes to Bruce Hall are the only ones Quinn could complete, haha. bay – that was my response to the guys re: Hillis but you know how they can be… don’t want to hear any b.s. excuses. (In their minds anyway). At any rate, we now know it’s just a matter of time for Tebow to climb the depth chart to #2. He’s only going to get better. Won’t go there about Quinn, but maybe he’ll have a better outing next game. Orton sure looked great though…no doubt! It was clear on the 2nd TD that he audibled at the line of scrimmage on a called running play! Way to go KO! So I am guessing we practice tomorrow?? I really hope Deck and Thomas are out there or at least them play in our next game vs Detroit!! I love me some Broncos Country!! Here is your answer: Today,. I hear you rbf1, enjoy your first game of the season at Invesco, with at least 9 to follow, football life must be rough for you, LOL. No need to put any stock in the pre-season games. Only thing to pay attention to is how our first team plays against the opponnets first team, and even that doesn’t carry much weight. The coaches aren’t going to show anyone to much out of the play book. Really it is just a chance for the staff to weed out the weeklings, grt the rookies into some game type atmospheres and experience, and get out all the jitters. Now go kick some first team Detriot but. Javis Best should be a good test for our first team D line and LB’s Go Broncos keep in mind folks that McD did state in a press conference before the cincy game that the team was going to work on the things they needed to work on and not worry about the score. evaluating talent and getting to practice against another team is the main focus of preseason. so i dont see anything to worry about! ask me again after 4 weeks of regular season play! Go Broncos “THE BATTLE IS WON IN THE TRENCHES” What’s up my Broncos family? This is a non football question. Does anyone know where I can find the Denver Broncos silicone wristband bracelet? They are like the Lance Armstrong “Live Strong” bracelet excpet says Denver Broncos and are Orange, Blue, and Orange/Blue. I’ve been trying to find these things for the longest of time. I saw a Dolphin fan with some on a few days ago and the chump wouldn’t tell me where he got his from. posting to read I got a question…. How come in all the articles I read about Tim Tebow they are refering to the over turned call of him fumbling and losing the ball as a fumble still? Is it they are trying to highlight something bad that he had done? I relize the guys throwing motion looks exactly the same as it did in college, but if it works…… Don’t fix it. Right? His release could be a little sharper and quicker…. But it hasn’t hurt him yet. I don’t think he is ready to start and yes I am a believer in Titanium Tim, but realisticly we are talking at least next season b4 he starts. Orton looks great and I will stand behind him this year! I believe his numbers can rival Romo…. I hate that guy!!! Well hate is a strong word and I am sure it has more to do with the fact that he is a Cowboy than anything. Romo is a choke artist, hopefully Orton can be better than him, he has a more professional approach to the game and I’ll take that over Hollywood Romo. As for Tebow’s throwing motion I go back to Elway who said the coaching staff is making too big a deal of it, that with the strength and speed that he throws at, that delivery of his is fine. I mention Elway because if I say it it might sound like crap to many, but when Elway talks people should listen, Tebow should throw however he is comfortable is my opinion, but McD so far hasn’t listened. Young man, a lot stubborn and hasn’t learned quite yet that his way is not the only way, he should take advice from Elway on this one. Still can’t believe people are saying that Orton looked great….i saw again the same QB that cannot get the ball down the field, who is inaccurate, and relies on his receivers to make him look good. I saw a first team offense that underwhelmed against non gameplanned defense. I saw us get lucky to end up with 14 because the call on Hall was borderline at best. I saw Tebow, playing against guys that will be playing in the UFL. Also saw a defense, give up yardage like crazy and not even come close to pressuring Palmer. Maybe my tv is messed up…LOL, someone prove me wrong Many experts such as Shanahan have said that the problem with changing someone’s delivery is that when in a tough position the QB will most likely reverse to his old motion, going by instint using his natural motion, so why in the heck would you mess his throwing motion to start with, just confusion is all it can bring to Tebow is the way I see it. Let the man worry about the field as he says himself, not his throwing motion. thanks bay.. we’ll do our best to enjoy and support our Denver Broncos!! And to the question why would articles keep bringing up the point of the Tebow fumble that wasn’t, most of the experts have said Tebow couldn’t make it in the NFL as a QB, they obviously are going to hold on to whatever they can get, just pushing back the inevitable fact that they will all be fools in the end. I think from a football perspective, one of the things youteach is that you don’t put the ball on the ground. That is why they are calling it a “fumble” because that is what he did. The timing of the fumble is what got it overturned, but the fact that he did fumble is not to be diminished. It is just like when someone runs for a touchdown, but it is brought back, no the touchdown does not stand, but he did run for it. I don’t think it is an attack by the media. Ok… Was just strang when it is ruled incomplete that it is called a fumble by everyone… On another note… Tebow had the best QB rating out of all the rookies…. Don’t know if Bradford started or was a back up in his first outing, but either way, it sounds as if Tebow had a fine first outing and showed his determination to win a football game with his last effort in the redzone! granted just a preseason game, but could not help but notice a lack of receiver talent, but then again KO has no long ball so maybe it will not be an issue. I liked what I saw in Tebow, his first NFL (even though it was preseason) game, certainly looked better than Quinn, and I liked the way he just muscled the ball down field looking much like big ben, the lefty thing was weird to watch but I can see how that can develop into a real asset, specially with someone his size, it’s going to be fun to watch. With the Lions coming up this week I don’t expect much but I do hope to see the team solidify as we get closer to the regular season. GO BRONCOS Haha, a lack of receiver talent tends to happen when you trade away one of the best guys in the NFL and then lose your top two WR picks in the draft to injury. Did Royal ever play? I missed the first half. As far as Tebow’s throwing motion goes, I can see the “if it isn’t broke don’t fix it” argument, but it really does need to be a bit quicker. There were two plays that could have been made had Tebow managed to get the ball out just half a second faster. Royal, 1 catch, 1 TD.

Current Articles | RSS Feed. … — By Anne Bromley To read the first part in this article series, please click here The important things to bridge the differences in the professional nursing practice in the United States are: 1. Develop critical thinking skills. Always ask how, what, when, where, who, and what-if questions. Seek to understand the need for what is not understood. It creates deeper and more meaningful learning when we ask questions and search for answers. It also expands knowledge and leads to future change with less frustration. 2. Be true to ourselves. Stay strong, positive, and use positive energy everyday. Do not fall into the trap of negativity. Keep eyes open, mind clear, and refuse to go into a negative pit. There is no room for negativity. 3. Limit negativity. 4. Plan to bridge the differences in our nursing practices in many steps. Attachment I: Examples of possible solutions and preparation to bridge the differences in changing and adapting our professional nursing practice in the United States. Differences Our Possible Solutions Assess and re-assess our patients Report abnormal finding Learn emergency responses – RRT, Code Blue with education in ACLS and PALS Giving P.O. medications and medication reconciliation Protect patients’ privacy and protect colleagues’ privacies Attachment II - SBAR. This tool has two documents: Both the worksheet and the guidelines use the physician team member as the example; however, they can be adapted for use with all other health professionals. By SBAR Technique for Communication: A Situational Briefing Model Kaiser Permanente of Colorado Evergreen, Colorado, USA Attachment III – Read-Back Read-back is a way to verify of the complete order by the person who receiving the verbal order. The receiving person will repeat the verbal order back to the ordering clinician, who will verbally confirm that the repeated order is correct. The purpose of “Read-back” is to ensure patient safety. Contributors: Mai Tseng -- RN, BSN,MPA,EMBA, NE-BC,CRNI, LNCKaren Cox -- RN, PHD, FAAN,Laurie Ellison -- EMBAXu Hong Fang -- RNHong Guo -- RNSufan Sun -- RN The following is a Diversity Statement written and signed by numerous colleges and universities and taken from the University of Virginia's website for their Office of African American Affairs. It provides good insight into the value that diversity adds in higher education, which almost always applies to professions, like nursing, as well. On the Importance of Diversity in Higher Education America's colleges and universities differ in many ways. Some are public, others are independent; some are large urban universities, some are two-year community colleges, others small rural campuses. Some offer graduate and professional programs, others focus primarily on undergraduate education. Each of our more than 3,000 colleges and universities has its own specific and distinct mission. This collective diversity among institutions is one of the great strengths of America's higher education system, and has helped make it the best in the world. Preserving that diversity is essential if we hope to serve the needs of our democratic society. Similarly, many colleges and universities share a common belief, born of experience, that diversity in their student bodies, faculties, and staff is important for them to fulfill their primary mission: providing a quality education. The public is entitled to know why these institutions believe so strongly that racial and ethnic diversity should be one factor among the many considered in admissions and hiring. The reasons include:. American colleges and universities traditionally have enjoyed significant latitude in fulfilling their missions. Americans have understood that there is no single model of a good college, and that no single standard can predict with certainty the lifetime contribution of a teacher or a student. Yet the freedom to determine who shall teach and be taught has been restricted in a number of places, and come under attack in others. As a result, some schools have experienced precipitous declines in the enrolment of African-American and Hispanic students, reversing decades of progress in the effort to assure that all groups in American society have an equal opportunity for access to higher education. Achieving diversity appropriate for their missions. The success of higher education and the strength of our democracy depend on it. Meg Beturne MSN, RN, CPAN, CAPADenise Colon, RNBaystate Health System, Springfield, MA This article was submitted by Meg Beturne RN, MSN, CPAN, CAPA, Assistant Nurse Manager @ Baystate Orthopedic Surgery Center in Springfield, MA. Meg became a mentor and participated in "Baystate Health’s Diversity Leadership Initiative, Mentoring Across Differences" Program. A Dimensions of Diversity Exercise (copyrighted in 2011 by Washington Orange Wheeler Consulting firm) was offered as part of the Program.. This is the first of a 2-part article and is a follow up to the CAN (Chinese American Nurses) Sisters I published on our blog on August 23, 2011. Click Here to Read the first article in this series. The article is the collaborative work of a team of Chinese American Nurses (CAN) sisters. It speaks as “foreign” nurses who have worked in America for a number of years. Our group is very lucky to have CAN meetings twice a month. We have each other’s support. We share our setbacks and clarify our things that might confuse us. Together we provide opportunities to think things through; to have a better understanding of ourselves, to not let fear paralyze us; and to add strengths to face tomorrow with positive thoughts and energy. Go CAN!! Go!!!Last month, a CAN nurse started to talk about the major differences that we are experiencing in the nursing functions and practices between China and the United States. Everyone joined in the discussion. Assess and Reassess Our Patients In USA:Nurses are expected to know as much as possible about our patients. Nurses have a major responsibility in the assessment and re-assessment of our patients. Most nurses are doing a great job in assessing patients. Nurses are at patients’ bedside 24x7. Physicians are not. We may notice a change first, and take action as the law allows. We can initiate many nursing protocols, especially in an emergency, and then we report the changes to physicians. Physicians come to assess, verify, confirm the changes, and take additional actions. In China:The nurse-to-doctor ratio is nearly 1:1 in China. Doctors are just like nurses, at patients’ bedside 24x7. When new patients arrive, doctors perform the first assessments.Report Abnormal Findings:In USA:Nurses report abnormal findings from our own assessments or from the results we receive from other departments or facilities. Most of our current practice is to report the results to nurses first. Nurses are expected and required to report abnormal findings to physicians. We can take actions that are legally allowed. Many nursing protocols are there for us to utilize, especially in an emergency, and then we turn around and report the results to physicians. Physicians come to assess, verify, confirm the changes, and take additional actions. In China:Doctors on the units get reports first. Nurses may not be aware of the results and reports. Therefore, nurses may not be aware of changes or actions needed.Emergency Responsibilities:In USA:Nurses or anyone who witnesses the need can call a code. A nurse is usually the initial emergency responder, until an organized team comes. Teams, including physicians, take over the emergency situation. Organized teams, such as the Rapid Response Team, Code Blue Team, and Trauma Team, have additional training in things like Advanced Critical Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support. In China:Doctors are at the patient’s bedside or nearby to respond and initiate emergency actions.Administering Medications:In USA:Nurses are responsible to ensure medications which are taken by mouth (P.O. medications) are swallowed every time, with no exceptions. In the Medication Reconciliation process in some facilities, nurses verify medications on an on-going basis. Verbal and telephone orders are seen often in some facilities.In China:In past practice, P.O. medications might be left at the patient’s bedside or with their families, trusting that the patients would take their medications. This is not the right thing to do. It is very dangerous. What if a patient purposely hides his/her medications, and then overdoses on them? China’s nursing practice is changing; now nurses are watching patients take their medication more often. Doctors are there to verify medications in the Medication Reconciliation process. No verbal orders.HIPAA Regulations:In USA:A patient’s health information is very private, personal property. It totally belongs to the patient. If we don’t have a patient’s written consent, or regulatory permissions, then we cannot give personal information to anyone except the patient. Self-imposed “kindness” such as initiating family or community support for a patient without the patient’s permission is no long allowed. For example, let’s say we go to work at the hospital and see our neighbor who is very sick. Our sick neighbor needs help, especially with child care. We cannot tell another neighbor who we think would be happy to help with the sick neighbor’s child. We have to plan ahead, talk about our intent, and ask the sick neighbor’s permission before we talk to the helpful neighbor. We would be violating the sick neighbor’s confidentiality if we talk to another neighbor without the sick neighbor’s permission. In China:Helpfulness and kindness are always welcome as long as it is a sincere act. Sterile TechniquePerforming and maintaining a sterile technique is a big deal in infection control to the nursing practice of both countries. Maintaining sterile technique saves lives, time and money.In USA:In some cases, CAN nurses had the perception that a few of their nurse co-workers’ practices were a bit sloppy. When you notice the lack of sterile technique, you must speak up. Express concern about contamination. This is a time to educate our co-workers in a kind way. Often the nurses who are doing the job may not be aware that contamination has occurred. Mentally, we know that it is difficult for us to point out any possible contaminations or any wrong doing. Culturally we were taught to pretend that we did not see; let others do whatever they want to do; we do what we are supposed to do to keep ourselves clean. “Mind our own business,” is what we learned. But in today’s world we need to prepare a simple and easy phrase or sentence that will help us to gently point out possible contamination. It will save lives. We have a lot to learn about how to be assertive and to be an advocate for our patients.In China:The fear of contamination and the strict self-monitoring of sterile techniques are emphasized more. CAN sisters feel that because of our past strict training, sterile technique is branded into our minds. PIV Insertions:In USA:Many facilities prefer to have IV Teams for Peripheral IV insertions to save nursing time, promote patient satisfaction, and decrease line infections. Therefore, nurses’ experiences in starting PIVs are very different. Some nurses do not have to start an IV at all and they have no skill in PIV insertion. For some nurses who start PIVs occasionally, their skill is hit-and-miss. Very few nurses are good at PIV insertion. In China: CAN nurses discovered in the support group meeting that most of nurses are good at PIV insertions. We found out that CAN nurses are the “go-to person” for performing PIV insertions. Personally, I have never paid much attention to this as a big difference. It was delightful to find out that this is one of our common strengths.Salaries & Bonuses:In USA:We make good salaries as nurses, even after about 40% is withheld in taxes, income taxes, and sale taxes. On the other hand, if we compare our salaries to physicians’ salaries, we find out a real gap. Physician pay is much higher. Of course, there are good reasons. Physician education and training are much longer and more in depth, and more physically and emotional demanding than nurses’ education. The demand for physicians is greater than the supply of physicians. We have many physician assistants and nurse practitioners who work under physicians and support some of our physician functions and responsibilities. In China: Nurses and physicians both have two types of incomes – regular salary and bonus. The nurses’ salaries are much closer to physicians’ salaries in China. Chinese doctors and nurses are equally compensated by the government. It is a perfect system for equal professionals. The differences in their earnings come from their bonuses, which are regulated and paid by the hospital. Currently, no nurse practitioners are working in a hospital or clinic in China.Nurse to Physician Ratio:In USA:The variety of job choices for nurses is huge, including acute hospital care, clinics, nursing homes, home health, insurance, occupational health, schools, law firms, etc. The nursing functions and responsibilities are varied, and it is very different in different health-care and non-health care settings. The physician to nurse ratio ranges from 1:4 to 1:8 or more, depending on the type of facility and the time of day or night. Some nurses function independently.In China:Most of nurses are working in hospitals and clinics, the nurse to physician ratio is nearly 1:1. It is a perfect ratio for an equal professionalism. No nurses are function independently. For us “foreign” nurses, especially those of us who have studied nursing or grown-up abroad, we often find that nursing functions and practices are very similar in some ways and quite different in other ways. This becomes apparent particularly on initial entry into the nursing profession in the USA. Adaptation will ease most barriers. The sooner we can identify the differences, analyze them, and find ways to adjust, the sooner we will adapt to the United States’ way of practice. As we open our hearts and minds to learn new things, we can expand our horizons. Every challenge forces us to learn and to bring out undiscovered talents within us, thereby making us stronger. There is no failure in trying to do the best we can do; the only failure is not trying to change and adapt to a different way of doing things. There are times we have to be brave enough, to have enough self confidence, and to excel on own strengths. We want to keep very strong, solid nursing skills, such as peripheral IV insertion skills. We want to keep the valuable nursing concepts, such as sterile techniques with us. Our skills will be lost if we do not practice constantly. In all, we are excited that we have opportunities to brand ourselves as the best we can be in United States. Please watch for the second half to this article to be published later in December. By Laura RainesPulse presentationsTFe said. from insideWorcester.comBy Dave Greenslit CORRESPONDENT WORCESTER —. © 2013

Thursday, February 18, 2010 Impressions from IWEEE 2010 by Luis Falcon The first International Workshop on e-Health for Emerging Economies - IWEEE 2010 - has been a success. In these three days, we have had the oportunity to learn the reality from personalities coming all different parts the world: Uganda, Canada, Belgium, United States, Rwanda, Spain, Argentina, Colombia, Germany and Switzerland. We heard Ans de Jager (War Child) talking about the need of energy for the kids in Northern Uganda; Carlos Travieso (ULPGC) using biometrics to identify aborigins in Costa Rica for Medical purposes; Pedro Herranz (Caritas) explaining the huge gap among the "North and the South"; Dr Caminero discussing the links between poberty and tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS; Cesar Brod and Corinto Meffe (Brazilian Government) talked about how free software is being used in the public sector. Dr. Moses Isyagi explained how they've been doing telepathology in rural areas of Uganda. Dr Carmen Martín (Red Cross) talked about the efforts being made to help the elderly and the people with special needs. On the technical side, Mark Höller and Thomas Karopka (German IT Center) talked about adapting Medical for Nursing and the need for convergence. Norman Young (Clear Canvas) showed us a demo how open source is working in the field of Radiology. Raúl Zambrano (United Nations) talked about the rol of the United Nations Development Program and the importance of free software as a public good. Rayco and Alfonso García (ULPGC - OSL) talked about the COREi project. We had the visit of Dr. Bernardo Agudelo and Juan José Vélez, from the University of Antioquía, Colombia, who demo the use of free software in a red-code protocol. Dr. Etienne Saliez explain the need of having a working group that include multi-disciplinary team of doctors and scientists. Finally I talked about our NGO, GNU Solidario, and the Medical project in Latin America, Africa and Asia. The slogan for this congress was "The Human Factor" , a key concept missing from many of other e-Health events. IWEEE 2010 has been focused on the human factor, considering that health is a human right, and that all the contributing factors - education, access to technology, employment, nutrition, family affection, energy, peace, ... - must be also met in order to have healthy individuals and societies. The round table discussion among the multi-disciplinary representatives (NGOs, government, church and UN) gave all the participants the opportunity not only to expose their realities, but to discuss possible solutions to the most urgent needs. Organizing an event like IWEEE is a great challenge, and, even though we had been working non-stop for a year there where high expectations that we had to deliver. Finally, I must say that those expectations have been met, and that we have been asked to organize IWEEE 2011, again in Canary Islands, which we have already started to do. My gratitude to Fundación La Caixa, the University of Las Palmas (specially to Fernando Real ), Consejería de Sanidad (who provided the Hospital Auditorium) , Colegio de Médicos de Las Palmas, Gran Canaria Turism and Innovation Bureau, Cabildo de Gran Canaria ( specially to Carmelo Ramírez ) and to Juan Montero from UNESCO. My gratitude goes to all of you who have participated and donated your time, experience and knowledge, putting them in the hands who need it most. I'm looking forward to seeing you again in IWEEE 2011. Publicado por Selene Cordara 12:22 PM Etiquetas: free software , fsf , gnu , GNU Health , gnu solidario , iweee Posts (Atom)

Club News, RV News Now Available! NEW Edition of the Digital Highways January 31, 2012 by Good Sam · 5 Comments We’re kicking 2012 off with a NEW edition of your favorite RV magazine – Highways! This edition is packed with excitement from cover to cover, complete with your favorites such as Tech Topics and Chapter Chat and also includes important Good Sam news beneficial for all members. The Club’s recent announcement about the combination of the former President’s Club and the Good Sam Club and the new, money-saving benefits available to all members is broken down to give you even more details on just how you can take advantage of these great new features and in turn, getting the most value from your membership. Additionally, the new Highways provides you with a thrilling guide to the natural wonders of the 49th state, Alaska, and it also highlights the exhilaration that is scheduled to take place in other states for the three 2012 Rallies! As if this weren’t enough, the excitement of this edition climaxes with the announcement of this year’s RVer of the Year (drum roll, please)! So what are you waiting for? Start reading the Digital Highways online now! Highlighted Articles: Your new online issue will not load, it tries but don’t go past 98%. Click on it several times and waited up to 10 minutes. The whole issue with the digital Highways magazine is a poor reflection on Good Sam. The problem Ed Borland described is probably due to the fact they PDF file are huge (45 MB is not needed). The whole concept of the pdf is to provide a smaller file for electronic transmission. The files need to be optimized. A computer screen can only display 72dpi so there is no reason to load up the file with high resolution pictures. If you go back to pre May 2011 and look at the archived files that worked you will find a solution. This is not the first time I have brought up the problem and a suggested solution to no avail. I think we the members have really lost with the new management’s approach. They don’t seem to care about the people who pay their salaries. Get the webmaster to get it right. I just tried to download archived copies and no matter what issue I requested the same on was downloaded so it doesn’t work. Good Sam says: Roger, we apologize for this inconvenience. This issue has now been corrected. Thanks for your patience and for being a Good Sam member. What ever happened to the Android Good Sam app that was due by December? Don – thank you for your interest in this app. We hope to be able to provide the Good Sam app at some point in 2013. The great news is Trailer Life Directory already has produced the RV Park Finder app that shows Good Sam RV Park locations that can be utilized in the meantime. Thanks for your patience and for being a Good Sam member!

Ladies, we know how important your makeup is to you. We know how often you splurge on new mascara or brushes to keep your makeup collection in tip-top shape. But we’ve all been there– you suddenly loose your favorite new Lady Gaga limited edition lipstick in your bottomless purse or ruin your brushes in the midst of travel. So, we’ve identified some tips and products to help you keep your makeup collection fresh all year round! KEEP IT OR TOSS IT? We’re always wondering if we should keep our six-month-old eyeshadows and face creams or run to the store to purchase all new beauty products– we’re sure you’re wondering the same. For beauty tips, we’ve looked to Mario Dedivanovic, a celebrity makeup artist whose work has been featured in top magazines (he shares celeb beauty secrets in his tell-all blog). We first asked Mario about mascara. How do you know when it’s expired? Mario says, “Mascara will begin to go bad after about 2-3 months. When the wand comes out looking dry and flaky, it’s time for a new mascara. Another simple way to tell when your mascara is too old is by smelling it. After a few months of use, mascara tends to get a very bitter smell – similar to vinegar in my opinion. If something smells abnormal like that, close it and toss it.” Since we all love luscious lashes, this is definitely a tip worth remembering. Next comes foundation. Especially for liquid foundation, Mario says if it “begins to seperate in the bottle and change colors, please do yourself and your skin a favor and get rid of it. Products that contain oils will eventually go bad and will certainly accumulate all kinds of bacteria.” What else can’t Mario stand? Filthy sponges. Mario tells us “wash your sponge at least once a week. It takes a few seconds to wash with soap and water. Reusing these sponges over time and not washing them will be more harmful to your skin than anything else. If you dont want to wash them, you can use a new sponge every time and toss it when done. Every pharmacy has bags of disposable sponges that are fairly inexpensive.” Washing your sponges will keep your skin and your makeup fresh– good to know! KEEP IT ORGANIZED Most of us have a simple makeup bag that holds absolutely everything we need to keep our faces looking pretty. But, we’re here to tell you that there’s a much better way to store your makeup. A cosmetic travel pouch is lightweight, washable, and has specific compartments for all your makeup essentials. You’ll finally be able to see what you have (or don’t have), and can keep items secure in your purse or while traveling. Another solution? A purse organizer. Instead of taking their entire makeup bag, many women will simply carry a lipstick, mascara and blush for touchups. The problem? We know how many other items you carry in that enormous bag of yours. So try a purse organizer– it fits right into your bag and has exterior pockets to hold anything and everything (including makeup)! A cosmetic pouch or purse organizer will help with Mario’s final tip: “Try keeping liquid and cream products including lipsticks and glosses away from the sunlight. Instead, store them somewhere dark and cool like a drawer or medicine cabinet.” There you have it, ladies. Now go clean up those makeup bags! For more information about products and ordering, visit.

The. It's a good thing many people not as wise yesterday are much wiser today! Obama's campaign of an uninsured man who lost his wife to cancer. How dare his administration exploit a man's emotions to convince the man to publically blame someone totally unassociated to the situation, imply murder! For one: he neglected to pick up on his wife's symptoms of her illness or that she was ill. For two: insurance doesn't care. It's a piece of paper that never stopped anyone from getting medical attention before obama. For three: no one should use the lack of insurance to hold them back from getting medical care! Health care is only as good as the hands you put it in. 5 people close to me died since Obama's been president. NONE of old age or naturally. The social care as obamacare has been infiltrating private insurance for years. All 5 were insured. All 5 were living independently, self reliant, not tax burdens to society. ALL but one experienced great medical neglect observed by visitors whom also observed horrific manipulation of the conditions enduring, CAUSING their death. To suggest insurance saves lives or cures cancers is misleading and distorted! People save or kill lives and cure or create cancers! Isn't this against the law, oh I forgot Obama doesn't care about the law. IF Big O is paying these folks out of his own pocket, it is NONE of our business. HOWEVER, if they are being paid out of the taxpayers' coffers, THEN it is public information covered by the "Freedom of Information Act." Perhaps there is a way to get this information after all . . . how about we SHUT OFF THE MONEY until the POTHUS and his minions TELL THE TRUTH for a change!!! Are they paid out of a secret checkbook or something? Why can't we just ask for the information and receive it without such a struggle every single time? And lastly, where have the watch dogs been for the past four years that this is only coming to light now and the questions are FINALLY being asked????? The most "transparent presidency" in history, isn't. Obama said that just so he could get elected. He's as transparent as Nixon. barrys rule: it does not matter what you do as long as you win. the laws be damned" Wow! You mean Obama's regime is not the most "transparent" in history? What a surprise! This what happens when the progressive elite run the country. They use our money to promote themselves. The "Word is out" this photographer is being paid twice; once by the white house and again by the obama campaign. and maybe even a third time since:. The only thing I couldn't find is who in the white house he is related to.

. They’ll each be signing their latest releases after the lecture; tickets are going fast – get yours here. Last week, Rollins gave us a sneak peak in his own guest blog; this week Berry talks about the upcoming lecture. Fiction into reality? That’s a little backwards for me. What I do is turn reality into fiction. I like to find something from the past—the Amber Room, the lost Romanov children, Charlemagne, the tomb of Alexander the Great—items or artifacts you may not know much about (but, hopefully, would enjoy exploring), then weave a modern day tale around them. The kind of stories I’ve always like to read have a mix of secrets, conspiracies, history, action, adventure and international settings. So it was only natural that I would write that same kind of story. Every novel for me starts as a treasure hunt. I’m searching for bits of reality that somehow can be woven together into a coherent plot. And it’s not easy. In fact, the challenge is to find the most unrelated stuff as possible, then relate them through a twist of the facts. While doing this, I have to always keep in mind that I’m not writing a textbook, it’s a novel, whose primary job is to entertain. But that doesn’t mean the reader can’t learn some stuff along the way. I enjoy that aspect, and I’ve come to learn that my readers do too. I’m careful, though, with my twisting, and I make sure the reader knows where I played with the facts by including a writer’s note at the end of each of my books. In Houston, on January 19th, Jim Rollins and I will be discussing all of this. Jim’s books are a little history and lot of science, mine are the other way around. But we both definitely like to tinker with reality. For me, every book involves around 200 -300 sources obtained from many trips to bookstores; lots of internet browsing; and at least one visit to a locale important to the book. I have, for days, sat in a German Cathedral (The Charlemagne Pursuit); roamed an abbey in Portugal (The Alexandria Link); scoured Paris (The Paris Vendetta); climbed citadels in southern France (The Templar Legacy); boated all over Venice (The Venetian Betrayal); and wandered through the Kremlin (The Romanov Prophecy). But that’s all part of the job. So drop by January 19th to the museum at 6:30 and spend an evening with me and Jim Rollins. Have your questions ready. See you then. An Evening of Thrills: How Science and History Make Great Thrillers will take place on Tuesday, Jan. 19 at 6:30 pm. Both authors will sign copies of their latest works after the lecture; copies will be available for purchase from Murder by the Book. Tickets are available here.

“Feet don’t fail me now”… thus begins the debut disc from New York native, Lana Del Rey. The title track from Born To Die starts the disc off on the right foot, but clearly she’s walking with two different feet. By the end of 2011, I had heard the name Lana Del Rey as much as I heard the name Adele. Without hearing a single note of music from the girl, she was exploding through the critical stratosphere, propelled by the song “Video Games”. Fast forward some weeks later and my first exposure to Del Rey’s music, much like many others, she appeared on Saturday Night Live. Like watching a deer in the headlights, I thought her appearance was one of the show’s skits. Del Rey injected “Video Games” with the passion of a corpse and appeared more awkward than the freshest of freshmen at their first day of high school. It was uncomfortable at first, and then I decided to stop the pain and go to bed. Clearly she wasn’t prepared for such a national/international stage and it turned me right off the girl. With the backlash that followed, I began to feel sorry for her, starting to chastise her management for throwing her to the wolves like that. Since then, Born To Die came out and while resistant at first (the album sat on my desk for a couple of weeks) Del Rey’s face stared at me, almost daring me to give it a listen. The verdict? Surprisingly good actually, but songs can be split into two teams: one where she applies a more hushed, smokey tone that will appeal to an older demographic; the other. definitely to aim for her own age demographic. Del Rey’s deep voice on “Born To Die” recalls the somber tones of Mazzy Star’s "Hope Sandoval," and was enough to make me instantly rethink my initial dismissal of her. The song’s sweeping strings and muted beats compliment the range of Del Rey’s voice nicely and while it would be easy to tread into adult contemporary territory, the lyrics and production lend it a current and vital vibe. The album is hit and miss from there. The hits “Blue Jeans”, “Video Games,” and “Born To Die” are definitely worth the price of admission alone. These are the songs that wear well with the evening gown. I can almost picture her singing these in place of Isabella Rossellini in Blue Velvet. The misses for me are the tracks where Del Rey sounds like she’s channeling Britney Spears. While this poppier stuff might find a home on the Top 40, ultimately they are forgettable and it will be the slower, almost Florence and the Machine style, that will continue carrying of Del Rey’s torch. The girl is new and I should cut her some slack. She’s new to her feet, but given the dual personalities, she will need to decide which foot fits her best. The following guest blog is written by Indigo's Regional Assortment Analyst, Andrew Rodwell. **** When I was a teenager I learned to play several musical instruments. Of all of them, the guitar was my nemesis. Give me anything brass or with a reed I could play passably well, or at least not terribly, but the guitar required practice and dedication. I just wasn’t that dedicated and my interest waned over the years. A few years ago I finally admitted defeat and sold my acoustic guitar after a decade of disuse. But it would have been great to play the guitar as an adult. I love music and I truly admire musicians in their skill and artistry. Evidently Gary Marcus, as he writes in Guitar Zero, admires their skill and artistry, too. Guitar Zero is a little bit A.J. Jacobs and a little bit Steven Pinker. Gary Marcus wants to learn how to play the guitar before he turns 40, though he has no previous musical training…or obvious talent. Marcus describes his musical adventure in adult learning with establishing the challenges of learning the guitar over, for example, the piano. Marcus explains how learning the guitar is much more difficult than learning the piano due to the many different ways a guitarist can play the same note. Each note on a piano is assigned a unique key, quite unlike the guitar. Examining this difference leads Marcus to explore how the human brain understands music, both as a listener and as a player. Marcus is interested in what makes great musicians great. Physical dexterity is one of the characteristics needed for virtuosity. Great guitar players, he points out, have very fast and dextrous fingers. To me, the most interesting observation Marcus makes, is that virtuoso performances often manipulate timing and tempo to highlight the lead performance. If the lead performer plays just a few milliseconds ahead of their accompaniment, their performance will be noticeably more prominent to the listener. And how the listener hears is as fascinating as the how the musician plays, especially the trained listener, such as a musician or a producer—who can hear things in the music most people do not notice. Musical structures create musical narratives or even jokes - if you know what you are listening for. By the end of the book, Marcus can listen to Miles Davis and understand what he’s doing with his musical choices. This deeper understanding leads to a deeper appreciation of music. Throughout Guitar Zero Marcus asks and attempts to answer many questions: Can a person learn to play a musical instrument later in life? And learn to play it well? Is there a critical period where a person is most apt to pick a new skill? Professional thinkologist Malcolm Gladwell postulates that to be good at something you need to have done that thing for 10,000 hours. That may apply to many activities. Is this true of music as well? Can a person be born with musical talent? Does it give you a leg up if you come from a family of musicians? I found Guitar Zero to be an engaging exploration of the cognitive geography of music and the human mind, and the social aspect of music making. As noted above, Marcus’s most compelling and reverent theme is that of virtuosity; how some musicians can understand music so well—with its mathematical and often bizarre rules—that they can break those rules, improvise, and perform compositions that are greater than the notes from which they are composed. Marcus does not answer the question of where virtuosity comes from, but that is alright, as long as there is beautiful music to listen to and gifted musicians to play it. Steve Martin is a man of multiple talents. Known to many of us as an actor in films like The Three Amigos! and Father of the Bride, Martin has also written the bestselling novels Shopgirl (which he adapted for a film) and An Object of Beauty. He also plays banjo with his bluegrass band, The Steep Canyon Rangers. His newest book, The Ten, Make That Nine, Habits of Very Organized People. Make that Ten. The Tweets of Steve Martin, is a collection of his witty tweets that have gained him 2.3 million followers on Twitter. You can read an except of this very funny book thanks to HBG Canada. Read below, as Steve Martin answers questions on his Grammy wins, the perils of the banjo world "beefs," and his inspiration for The Tweets of Steven Martin: Q: One more Grammy and you’ll catch up Taylor Swift. Is the prospect of winning another still exciting? Steve Martin (SM): I want to win not only for the glory and the pleasure of defeating the other nominees, but also for the glory and the pleasure of defeating the other nominees. Q: Do you have an acceptance speech planned? SM: I don’t, but I do have a copy of Alison Krauss’ acceptance speech for her last 37 wins. Q: Are you friendly with the other nominees in the bluegrass category? SM: I have met all of them and liked all of them until now. Q: Are there banjo “beefs” similar to those in the rap world? SM: Similar, except we use poison. Q: Most indelible banjo moment in pop culture? SM: They are too not-numerable to name. Q: What sort of expectations/hopes/fears do you have about playing [the Stagecoach Festival]? SM: We have played Bonnaroo, the New Orleans Jazz Festival and the Newport Jazz Festival. That said, I didn’t know I should be worried about playing Stagecoach until just now. Q: And then there's the book [out on Feb. 21]. What was your inspiration, in 140 characters or less? SM: I am very excited about my Twitter book, which is released on February 21, because it ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This interview conducted by Lorraine Ali, originally appeard on the Los Angeles Times blog. We'd like to think HBG Canada for allowing us to repost it here. The Tweets of Steve Martin is now available. ISBN - 10:1455512478 9781455512478 An Oral History of Grunge The Nonfiction Blog is pleased to share this piece from Indigo Bookseller (& all around music nerd) Jordan Ferguson. I'm sure everyone thinks the music of their adolescence is superior to everyone else's, so I can admit to a slight level of bias here. I was 14 years-old in an autoworker commuter town when Nirvana's Nevermind dropped 20 years ago. I was primed and ready for a musical revolution. And yes, it's easy to sneer at the dingy flannel shirts and the Doc Martens, and the unspoken competitions to determine whose hair could get the grimiest. There's no legacy to be found in the current musical landscape, but it doesn't change the fact that grunge was a real moment, arguable the last one in the history of rock music. The success of Seattle inspired similar movements in cities across North America, like Halifax and Hamilton. Even in Amherstburg, Ontario where I grew up, it seemed like everyone had started a band. Why wouldn't we? The underdogs were breaking through, and if it could happen in Seattle, it could happen anywhere. But how did it happen? How did this handful of bands, connected only by a shared locale, capture the imaginations of a generation? This is what Mark Yarm's Everyone Loves Our Town: An Oral History of Grunge. What makes the book successful is right there in the title: inspired by the Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain's punk classic Please Kill Me, it's an oral history, the story told by the people who were there. And it's a story that goes back farther than most people might realize. Many of the musicians who would go on to form Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden were jamming around Seattle with each other in the early-to-mid 1980's. The Deep Six compilation album, considered to be the “big bang,” of grunge, came out in in 1986. This is fertile material to wade through, and Yarm, a former editor at Britain's Blender magazine, talks to everybody, not just the members of the most famous bands, but lesser known acts like The Melvins and Tad, as well as bands forgotten by all but the most hardcore of completists like The U-Men and Malfunkshun. It's a fascinating story of egos and drugs, starring a bunch of charming and charismatic musicians, most of whom were woefully unprepared for what the success machine would do to them. For someone who grew up with this music, consuming every magazine article and taping every performance and interview I could find, Yarm's book is a fantastic read. Less concerned with analyzing what it all meant, what the music's success said about the world, Yarm steps into the background and lets these characters, over 200 throughout the book, praise and snipe at each other (Courtney Love is, not surprisingly, heavily demonized throughout). It's sometimes hard to get a bead on where the truth lies, as different people contradict each other multiple times throughout a chapter. But as the saying goes, when the legend becomes fact, print the legend. The benefits of getting older can seem few and far between, friends. But you can always count on the passage of time to bring a nostalgic re-examination of that short moment when the music that mattered to you mattered to everyone, when you wrote bad poetry in spiral-bound notebooks, when it actually felt like you ruled the world. Everybody Loves Our Town comes highly recommended not only for fans who remember the time, but for all fans of musical history. Learn more about the book, and celebrate the music it chronicles, at grungebook.tumblr.com. Those looking to continue their studies can turn to Kurt Cobain's Journals [frequently quoted in Yarm's book], Seattle journalist Charles Cross's Cobain Bio Heavier Than Heaven, the earlier oral history Grunge is Dead, Pearl Jam's recent retrospective Twenty, and the classic documentary The Year Punk Broke, chronicling Nirvana and Sonic Youth's 1991 European tour. Title inspiration, courtesy of Mudhoney: *** Special thanks to Jordan for contributing – and interested readers can see a (long) interview with the author here. This review generously provided by Jordan Ferguson. On August 11, 1973, DJ Clive Campbell played his first gig, a back-to-school party organized by his sister Cindy in the rec room of their building at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx, New York. Campbell, a native Jamaican, incorporated elements of what he saw in the dancehalls of Kingston, including the tradition of “toasting,” where a DJ would talk to the crowd over the music. Campbell had also noticed that the dancers seemed to get more excited by the short instrumental ‘breaks’ found in the bridges of popular funk and soul songs, so he began isolating them and stringing them together in longer sequences. The kids loved the breaks, and the man who became DJ Kool Herc [a riff on his schoolyard nickname of Hercules] christened the dancers break-boys, or b-boys. On August 11, 1973 DJing, MCing and breakdancing combined in one place for the first time, and the culture that became hip-hop was born. So while I might be a little late to the party, I wanted to share with you what I consider a few of the best books on the culture and the music. Total Chaos: The Art and Aesthetics of Hip-Hop, edited by Jeff Chang Chang’s other book, the essential Can't Stop Won't Stop has already been deservedly praised in this space (here) as probably the best book on the history of hip-hop, so I wanted to give this lesser known work some exposure. A collection of essays that acknowledges rap is a music, hip-hop is a culture, and looks to educate and inform on the other arts that fall under that umbrella, including graffiti, literature, photography. Most fascinating to me were the essays on hip-hop dance, which are compelling reading for someone who doesn’t know their top-rocking from their footwork, like me. Lots to love here. Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies, by Brian Coleman Being a fan of rap in the 1980s and 1990s was a somewhat mysterious practice. The artists still weren’t getting any mainstream press, so it was impossible to learn anything about your favourite acts. The most you could do was squint at the production credits on your cassettes, which usually gave you nothing. Coleman’s book succeeds in filling this gap, collecting oral histories on the creation of both classic and, well, not so classic albums from rap’s golden age. The Big Payback: The History of the Business of Hip-Hop, by Dan Charnas How did hip-hop and rap go from the regional and isolated hobby of a passionate few, to a global and more importantly lucrative cultural movement? On one side you have the artists and musicians, Charnas’s book gives the other side, the story of the radio DJs, club promoters, record labels, artist managers and ad men that recognized ignoring hip-hop was leaving money on the table. From how Sprite used hip-hop to snag an NBA sponsorship away from its own parent company Coca Cola, to why 50 Cent is a more visionary businessman than anyone gave him credit for, every story in this book was new to me, and I can think of no higher compliment to give it. Part memoir, part lyrics book, part director’s commentary, Decoded is many things at once, and succeeds at all of them. For a nerd like me, the highlights are the footnotes sprinkled throughout his rhymes. Many might be obvious to fans, but some provided genuine insight to the inside references and wordplay Jay-Z makes in his rhymes. That alone would probably make the book worth a read, but add in the unusual candidness with which he discusses his hustler’s life in Brooklyn and you have not just a memoir but a love letter to the art by one of the best to practice it. The paperback version of Decoded releases in November 2011. Book of Rhymes, by Alan Bradley The more you read books on hip-hop, the more you come to see how political a lot of the scholarship is. That’s all well and good, since hip-hop has historically been the reaction of an oppressed people to the systems that hold them down. But it’s still poetry, and Bradley’s book actually remembers that language and its manipulation is a key component to hip-hop and rap. Breaking down styles of rhythm, wordplay, style and signifying, Bradley lays out what makes the greats so great, and what makes the art so compelling if you really pay attention to the complexity that goes into its creation. … and finally, a book I don’t have my hands on yet, but will quickly get added to my library. Def Jam Recordings: The First 25 Years of the Last Great Record Label In 1984 a party promoter named Russell Simmons was growing tired of the disco-tinged rap that was starting to cross over onto radio and into the clubs; he didn’t think it accurately reflected what was going on in the streets. He liked more aggressive, beat-driven music. Music like ‘It’s Yours,’ a minimalist, pounding track by rapper T La Rock and co-produced by a 21-year-old NYU student named Rick Rubin. When Rubin met Simmons, Def Jam Records went from a vanity label Rubin ran from his dorm room, to the most influential rap label in music history. From LL Cool J to Public Enemy to Kanye West, Def Jam has been integral to the creation of some of the best music the culture’s ever produced, and this slick hardcover from Rizzoli promises to be as beautiful as it is informative. There are others, of course: the dated but still hysterical and super informative Big Book of Rap Lists from the merry pranksters of Ego Trip magazine; public intellectual Michael Eric Dyson has a few books under his belt, including a celebrated biography on the life of Tupac Shakur, Holler If You Hear Me, and the The Anthology of Rap is an admirable resource for those who want to further investigate the work of the great lyricists. Happily, hip-hop didn’t turn out to be a fad after all. If you’re a 26 year old rocker, pushing 27, you may want to consider slowing down on the partying a little bit—that is, if there’s any truth to this myth—the Forever 27 Club—which seems to indicate a need to chill out on the substance ingestion (outside of Cobain, perhaps) before it goes a little too far. The usual suspects on this list are Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, and Kurt Cobain, and sadly, there’s a new member, Amy Winehouse. My colleague Michael Gallagher posted a great blog about Amy’s passing a couple of days ago, which can be found here—I agree with him; of the ‘club members,’ I’ll probably miss Amy’s artistic output most of all. There’s no shortage of books on these compelling personalities – here is a look at some of the best of them. For a look at the idea of the 27s, short stories about all of them, shared in the context of the concept (idea, urban myth, whatever you want to call it), Eric Segalstad has put together a work that highlights this legend in his book The 27s: The Greatest Myth of Rock and Roll. If you care to read about some of these icons individually, here are some of the best biographies out there: While not a book specifically on Brian Jones, True Adventures of the Rolling Stones by Stanley Booth is, I think, the best book on the Rolling Stones—(I know, it’s a bad cover, but it’s a great book). The book’s structure alternates chapter by chapter; one chapter will describe the genesis of the band, and the next will focus on their 1971 US tour. Brian’s life and contributions are covered in great detail; some of the most memorable sections include Booth interviewing Jones’ grieving parents, who are still wondering where it all went wrong. A reliable work where Jones himself is the focus is Brian Jones: the Untold Life and Mysterious Death of a Rock Legend. For the Hendrix fan, the title to check out is Room Full of Mirrors, a meticulously researched biography that tracks Jimi from birth all the way to the end. Another great Hendrix bio is Becoming Jimi Hendrix: From Southern Crossroads to Psychedelic London, the Untold Story of a Musical Genius. There are two schools of thought on biographies: those by the detached outsider (and often these can go the sordid route of the unauthorized and gossipy type), and those by the insider. One of the best Janis Joplin biographies out there is by her sister, Love, Janis. Jim Morrison was the next unfortunate musician to join the club: Stephen Davis’ Jim Morrison: Life, Death, Legend is a definitive biography. This is by the guy who wrote Hammer of the Gods, so you know he knows how to write a rock and roll book. No One Here Gets Out Alive is the other definitive work on Jim Morrison and the Doors. Charles R. Cross’s Heavier than Heaven has become a go-to work for the fan curious about Nirvana. Somewhat controversial, the book does include fictional aspects that does speculate on events where no research was available. Of course, going directly to the source is always a good idea, and Kurt Cobain’s own Journals are no doubt the best look directly into this subject. Cobain Unseen is another informative work, more visual than text based. And now we come sadly, to the newest member of the club. Currently unavailable, but certain to come back in print soon (as well as new works, no doubt), are two books on Amy Winehouse: Amy Winehouse: The Biography and Amy Amy Amy: The Amy Winehouse Story. A biographical documentary is available on DVD: Amy Winehouse: The Girl Done Good: A Documentary Review. Another DVD is available, Amy Winehouse: I Told You I Was Trouble two live performances and a documentary, released shortly after the release of 2006’s fantastic Back to Black album. The fifth day at the 2011 Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest was sadly my last day. Aside from Day 4’s surprise storm and exodus before The Black Keys came on, the week was filled with great music and the most fun I’ve had in a field packed with other people. My body missed the routine meals and not walking in the heat so much, but overall it was well worth it. Day 5 was clearly the busiest day of the festival to that point, all the beer gardens swollen with the thirsty and lineups testing the patience of a saint. This was little a small obstacle to me in my quest for a couple of beers and a decent viewing area for the enchanting Erykah Badu. Families, boys, girls, you name it, packed the second stage area in time for Ms Badu’s 8 PM set time. However, she did not show up in a timely fashion following the announcer’s introduction. By 8:30, the crowd finally grew restless, as her set had to be finished by 9:30 to make sound room for the headliners on the main stage. All was forgiven as Ms Badu and her very capable band quickly locked in a groove with bass so heavy I’m sure the Parliament buildings shook. Over the course of an hour, Badu touched upon most of her catalogue for her first visit to the nation’s capital. Always a classy performer and in possession of great wit and an uncanny ability to engage a crowd, Badu left after an hour with her band still playing and a crowd that quickly realized they would have to wait until her next visit to get more. The Tragically Hip closed Saturday on the main stage with the biggest crowd I’d seen all week. As the final notes from Erykah’s set rang out beside the main stage, Kingston’s favourite sons were firing up “Blow at High Dough” followed by “Grace, Too”. Possibly too eager to begin the festivities, front man Gord Downie shouted out words almost to the point of strain. We decided to venture around the festival grounds to give Downie some time to settle down. The other stages failed to offer anything worth parking ourselves for, so it was back to the Hip who were tearing through “New Orleans Is Sinking” (featuring “Nautical Disaster” in the middle of it). Downie was still doing his Downie thing, but the shouting had subsided. Mark came out as a closet Hip fan so we stayed until the end, making him happy, joining legions of other happy people. A refreshing cool breeze accompanied the summer evening warmth, making it a great night to enjoy the company of beautiful people enjoying live music on day 3 of the 2011 Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest. You may not have heard of Gregg Gillis, a.k.a. Girl Talk, the Pittsburgh mash-up maestro. Mixing hip hop raps over rock, alternative and pop hits, an hour of the man is pop overload. I’d never seen the man but heard his performances were legendary. I was surprised to run into an old friend, one I would have never have expected to be there, who said “It’s not my thing at all, but Girl Talk was the best time last year”. My friend turned out to be right. I’ve been on the fence about the artistic merit of Girl Talk. Many argue he just pushes buttons, but I don’t think it’s quite that easy. The man obviously has quite the ear for mixing songs you’d never think to put together. The songs Girl Talk combines and his manic energy for what he’s creating make for a euphoric atmosphere. Flanked by an elaborate lighting rig and about 50 fans dancing on stage, Gillis dropped 90 minutes of the most fun to be had at this year’s Bluesfest. We heard snippets of Black Sabbath, Kylie Minogue, Ludacris, Beyonce, Michael Jackson, Pixies, Phoenix ... and I could go on and on. It was impossible to stand still, although my friend, unimpressed, did just that. But when the chorus of Nirvana’s “Lithium” came on, the entire place erupted into complete blessed abandon. Shivers went up my spine as thousands of people threw their arms in the air and exclaimed “Amen” or “Yeeeaaaahhh”. The experience was religious. I guarantee anybody at that show will never forget it. Some may want to, but they won’t. After that, things were a similar anticlimactic experience as Day 2. Steve Miller got underway on the main stage and his sound was pretty muffled from our vantage point. Venturing over to the Subway stage, Stephen Marley was paying homage to his father. The field was packed and we stayed for a few songs until growing restless. David Clayton-Thomas of Blood, Sweat & Tears fame was definitely not our thing at that point in the evening, so it was back over to Steve Miller for a few more songs. The sound had greatly improved and “Take The Money and Run” surprisingly inspired clouds of cigar smoke. But the euphoria from earlier in the day waas not to be matched, so it was time to soldier home. So the recent postal strike had more of an impact on my life than originally thought. On the first day of Bluesfest, those who ordered tickets online were forced to suffer through punishingly long lines to pick them up. Thankfully I picked up my tickets before the park even opened, but my buddy Mark begins what will turn out to be a two-hour wait to get in. If you’re in Ottawa to attend any of the Bluesfest, I highly recommend picking up your tickets at one of the offsite outlets, unless you are built with some strong patience and even stronger shoes. We arrived as Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros were playing. We got to hear them from outside the park and I must say I was impressed with I heard and I’m now inspired to do further research on them. One of the main reasons I’m here is for Oklahoma City’s The Flaming Lips. The Fearless Freaks return this year, relegated to one hour on the second stage. They still bring their full psychedelic carnival presentation, complete with frontman Wayne Coyne, wading through the crowd in a large bubble to start the proceedings. The setlist draws mainly from their most recent albums, other than a detour to the old days via “She Don’t Use Jelly,” the closest the Lips have come to a hit. After a beautiful sunset, loads of balloons, graffiti and a crowd sing-a-long to “Do You Realize?” they’re gone, but have inspired a celebratory start to the 2011 festival. Not exactly continuing this vibe are Seattle boys Soundgarden, who have reformed after 14 years apart. Their tour started last week in Toronto and tonight they close the first day on the main stage, with a solid two hours of heavy hits. I did see them a few times back in the early 90s and tonight I catch the first half of their set (whilst still waiting for Mark to get in). The sound fills the packed field nicely. They seem genuinely enthused about being there, but some spark is missing. I need my celebratory vibe to continue… The party that began with the Flaming Lips concludes in an almost religious form with a funky, frothy and fantastically flashy set courtesy of funk freak Bootsy Collins. Collins slings a mean bass and practically shook the trees from their roots with his frantic funky jams, including revisiting his old days with George Clinton in their Parliament/Funkadelic days. It’s a fantastic way to end Day 1 and even my hips continue to sway long after I’ve departed the park. Spring was like one long episode of Punk’d this year—replaced with a lingering fall. At times I did lose hope summer was coming and we would end up plunged back into the depths of autumn and winter. Fortunately, summer has finally smothered the nation and people are now safe to abandon their extended hibernation. My favourite thing about summer is not the weather. In fact, I’m a pasty Irish guy that wilts in the heat. What I love about summer is the ability to gather outside with a number of like-minded individuals and enjoy some live music. Festivals seem to be popping up out of nowhere, trying to establish their niches and capitalize on the success of Glastonbury, Bonnaroo, Coachella and the like. There are many festivals across Canada over the summer, catering to almost any whim. They’re an inexpensive and fun way to discover new sounds and meet new friends. I’ve made my way to Ottawa for Canada’s biggest music festival, the Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest. For 13 days, Lebreton Flats Park plays amazing host to hundreds of bands spread over several stages. Check out the lineup and performance grid here. If there’s an act you’d like to recommend me seeing, please do! I lived in Ottawa for seven years and watched this event grow slowly and surely into what has become, for me, one of the most anticipated music events of the year. So for the next 5 days, I bring to you the hot and sweat-soaked sounds from the 2011 Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest. Enjoy!

Now for our final post on the Student Satisfaction Survey. In addition to asking about the facility and website, we questioned students on their use of, and satisfaction with, the library’s Access Services and Research Services. Access Services include circulation, course reserves, and Interlibrary Loan/Borrow Direct. Research Services include the reference desk and research consultations. Overall, 50% of respondents use the Circulation Desk from a few times per month to a few times per week. An additional one-third uses the desk a few times per semester. Reference Desk use, of course, is less than that of circulation. 46% of respondents use reference from a few times per semester to a few times per month, while 6% use the desk quite frequently—from a few times per week to daily. Students are more likely to use reference as they progress through their law school careers with 35% of 1Ls never having used the desk, while only 12% of 3Ls report never using the desk. As expected, journal staff members use reference service more frequently than other students. Research consults, which are a more focused and time-intensive service, have been used by 1/3 of respondents. Student satisfaction with Access Services is noteworthy. 90% of those who have used the Circulation Desk are mostly to very satisfied, 42% of users are very satisfied. 73% of those who have used course reserves, and 73% of those who have used Interlibrary Loan/Borrow direct are mostly to very satisfied. While more users of course reserve report being “mostly” satisfied as opposed to “very” satisfied, this is likely due to the availability constraints caused by high demand of certain items. Student satisfaction with Research Services is similarly high. 78% of those who have used the reference desk are mostly to very satisfied with 35% reporting being “very” satisfied. Research consults are a big hit: 54% of students who have had a research consult are mostly satisfied, while an additional 38% are very satisfied. Most research consults were for either a class paper or a journal note the student was writing. Comments on the core services, and the Law Library generally, were plentiful. The library is appreciative of both the very positive comments and the constructive ones. Representative responses to the question “What do you like most about the Law Library?” include: - “The large amount of resources and the helpful staff.” - “The librarians. Seriously, you guys are great.” - “I enjoy interacting with the library staff. They have always been able to assist me with my research and to help me track down a source. Thank you.” We also asked the question “What do you like least about the Law Library?” This yielded numerous constructive comments, which overwhelmingly focused on the physical plant. As noted previously, space and temperature issues featured prominently. Representative comments on service issues include: - “There should be more transparency in the carrel assignment system.” - “Not enough copies of core hornbooks on reserve.” - “You should allow ILL/borrow direct for books which are on course reserve.” The library really appreciates these comments as they flesh out the numerical ratings and help us to prioritize items that need to be addressed. The comments regarding course reserve comport with the numerical ratings. These comments will assist both Access Services and Collection Development personnel in making decisions to improve the student experience. Finally, to gauge interest in additional research services, we asked students “Would you be interested in attending one-hour research workshops presented by the library on a specific topic?” Three out of four indicated that they are somewhat to very interested in such workshops. Related comments were made in response to a question on what else the library should provide. These include: - “More research trainings.” - “I wish the librarians taught more for-credit classes on legal research, especially research for transactional law.” Overall, the survey confirmed that students are quite pleased with the Law Library and the plethora of services the library provides. It also helped confirm that students do have facility-related issues with cold temperatures and limited space, especially group study space. The survey also highlighted areas within the direct control of the library that need to be addressed, specifically the carrel-assignment procedure, availability of course reserve materials, and the policing of noise and food. The Law Library greatly appreciates all of those who took time to complete the survey. The feedback, both positive and constructive, is helpful in assessing what works and what does not, and in charting a course for the future. And congratulations to our prize winners: Joseph Pohlkamp (2L) won the reserved study carrel for next fall, and Lilian Balasanian (3L) won the $25 Cornell Store gift card. Awesome!

Before Google, search engine builders thought that the way to organize the Internet was like an index, or, to use the term that was popular at the time, a directory — A giant list of every link on the Internet. Librarians saw a place on this wave also, as Steve Coffman wrote recently: Remember those heady early days when we thought we were going to catalog the web? … Almost every library felt the responsibility to stuff its website with long and often elaborately annotated lists of web resources for just about everything. As Matthew Reidsma says, the list-making urge is still much in evidence on library websites: Libraries love links so much that most [library websites] look like spam link farms, designed to trick Google. Every other successful website on the planet gave that up in the late ’90s, but not libraries. We librarians like to see a big list of resources because it makes us seem more relevant. As Reidsma has discussed in other works, the problem with the prevalence of link lists on library websites is that users ignore them, and don’t find the really important things on the website … or they just go to Google. Why do users find library lists so unappealing? Neither of the commentators quoted above, nor anyone else that I’ve seen, has written about it, but the obvious answer, I think, may be … Alphabetical Order — Invariably lists of links on library sites are alphabetical — In the days of PageRank, how boring! The “I’m Feeling Lucky” PageRank Revolution Before Google, the only rational way to organize a long list of links on the same subject was alphabetical order. It’s almost hard to imagine back to those days, and to realize what a revolution Google’s PageRank was. It seemed like magic that Google gave us automatic lists of links, with the best ones at the top of the list. James Gleick wrote about this recently, in a retrospective look at the Age of Google [boldface added]: PageRank is one of those ideas that seem obvious after the fact. But the business of Internet search, young as it was, had fallen into some rigid orthodoxies. …. With this great new invention of PageRank, people soon came to assume that any list of resources worth looking at would, of course, have the best links at the top of the list. If they encountered an alphabetical list, their eyes would glass over. So, with most long link-lists on library sites being in alphabetic order, is it any wonder that they’re not very popular with users? So what can libraries do? As Reidsma has been saying recently, we need to look at our websites like our users do, and change them to fit users’ needs — He says from his work with users surveys that this means greatly simplifying library websites. Link lists should be short, with someone’s idea of the “best” links at the top. As I’ve learned with my work on Hardin MD, no matter how long the list of links is, only the top 2-3 will get many clicks. The emphasis on simplifying our websites, of course, fits very well with the mobile revolution. The small screens of mobile devices beg for small, simple web pages, and trimming our lists is a great place to start. Eric Rumsey is at: eric-rumsey AttSign uiowa dott edu and on Twitter @ericrumsey Don’t know why users find it unappealing but I can guess why it is so popular on websites. From experience one of the reasons why librarians or other people like to order options alphabetically is because it avoids political arguments on who to put on top. Once someone starts to argue positioning based on importance it will open a can of worms. Usage data would be nice but often unavailable, so will be based on gut feel, which is obviously going to be messy. So many just take the safe way out as Alphabetical lists are more defensible…. Aaron, That’s a good point that I hadn’t thought of — No doubt politics is an important part of why alpha lists are popular. As a matter of fact, Matthew Reidsma’s discussion of the role of politics in making library websites fits in well with your observation.

Unless you are a not for profit, your goal as a business owner is to make profit. There are a number of directions you can take to get there and social media marketing is one of them. But as a business owner, are you diving into social media expecting it to instantly become a revenue source? If so, read on and I will share with you how you should be approaching social media first and foremost as a way to build relationships with your audience(s). Nothing Beats Having a Great Community! When it comes to search and social media marketing, your community should be the center of your focus. Your community can act as brand advocates and ultimately help increase your brand awareness. Without that community, it is very difficult to devise a strong, working social media marketing campaign. Come up with a plan and create steps that will help you reach your goal. In this case, your goal is to get a community. How do you Get a Great Community? Building a great community takes time, dedication and patience. Manual outreach, marketing (paid and/or organic), content sharing, networking (face to face helps) and simply seeking out individuals with similar interests are just a few of the many community building actions you should implement. Building a great community isn’t something that happens overnight so if you aren’t committed to the long-haul, you are better off working with a marketing agency to alleviate some of the work. Once you Have the Community, Engage With Them After setting your community based social media goals and reaching them, by no means is this quitting time. You worked hard to get where you are at so after a quick pat on the back, it is time to start engaging with your community. Engage with your community on individual and group levels and be personable. Too many times, when building social media communities, the human factor is overlooked. Your audience wants to interact with humans and they will easily spot automated responses and other automatically generated communications. Be human! Use Your Community to Promote Your Brand Whether it’s giving away something for free or holding an interactive contest for your audience to participate in, generate some sort of buzz around your product or service. At a recent social media conference I attended in Buffalo, NY, Ramon DeLeon of Dominos Pizza shared with the audience that while he cannot make profit selling pizzas for a dollar (which he does) he will make profit with the buzz it generates socially. Word of mouth marketing is still the best form of marketing and when you treat your social audiences right, they will share their positive experiences. No matter what type of business you operate, techniques such as Ramon’s can be easily applied. Treat your customers and community so well with these freebies and contests that they feel guilty not using your brand. This is what a strong community is and why you took the time to build it. What’s Next? Social media marketing and everything that goes into it will never come to rest. It will take ongoing efforts, maintenance, listening and reacting to keep you moving full steam ahead. After building a strong social community and engaging with them to the point where it gets them talking to their social circles, you can more easily measure ROI and put a value on each of your followers, likes, etc. Use social media as a tool to create buzz, share great content and as a way to spark that all so mighty word of mouth marketing. So in conclusion, don’t think of social media as a means of direct revenue. Build a strong community, engage with them, use them as brand advocates and the revenue will follow if you are doing things correctly. Start by figuring out the lifetime value of a customer, create a social media goal and then steps that are going to get you to your end goal. I encourage you to share your thoughts and questions in the comments section below! Post by Craig Kilgore - SEO @mainstreethost (View Original Post Here)

. Steps Step #1:Next - First, you will need a few things: - 1. A gearmotor capable of lifting something about the weight of an AA battery to half the distance you want the blade to fall (explained in more detail later). - 2. One or two wall power supplies (or the equivalent in batteries) which combined produce the maximum voltage your gearmotor can take. Using two supplies will give you a better effect but a single one will work if it produces sufficient voltage. - 3. An adapter to fit your motor. - 4. A small microswitch (N.O./N.C.) that will go alongside your motor. Mine had this built in. - 5. A hunk of cardboard the size you want the guillotine's blade to be. - 6. Aluminum foil. - 7. A dowel rod. Its length should be half the distance you want the blade to move. Step #2:Next - 8. (optional) A metal rod a little over double the length of the dowel. - 9. Fishing line. - 10. Various pieces of mounting hardware. Step #3:Next -. Step #4:Next -. Step #5:Next -. Step #6: - The last steps are to make a blade out of cardboard and aluminum foil (do NOT use sheet metal, as it may actually decapitate someone!). - Then poke a hole in the weight center of the top (where it balances), put the fishing line through, and tie a knot so it doesn't back out. Do not tie it directly to the blade, or the fishing line will not spin freely, and it will tangle. - Add your hook or suction cup a little over twice the length of the spinning arm above the ground. - Run the line from the blade through the hook. Mount the motor where you want it, and turn the motor so the arm faces directly away from the hook. - Extend the line from the blade so that the blade is a few inches below the hook, then run it to the arm and either tie it off, glue it, or tape it. This should leave you with the blade all the way up, and the arm at its farthest. - Remove the arm from the motor and apply power. Wait for it to finish its brief high-speed cycle, and stop it. Then replace the arm so that the blade is all the way in the down position. - If nothing catches on the line, then apply power and you should have a working guillotine.

Patriots defensive end Markell Carter draws inspiration from sister's battle with lupus FOXBOROUGH – Sometimes Markell Carter feels like he’s playing for two. Whenever he feels like he can’t do another bench press or run another sprint during practice, he pictures his sister, Keyarrie Hudson, and it gives him the strength to push on. “She’s really strong, a lot stronger than me,” the Patriots’ second-year defensive end said. “Lupus probably would have been the end of me. For her, it was just a new chapter in her life. She took it in full force.” The 21-year-old Hudson also has her brother to help absorb some of the blow in her battle with lupus, an autoimmune disease that affects the skin, joints, kidneys, brain and other organs. Carter is in the process of moving his sister from Oklahoma to his home in the Boston area so she has better access to specialists who can help her deal with her condition, but he feels like the biggest beneficiary of the arrangement since his best friend and main source of inspiration will be back under his roof. “It’s always been me and my little sister since I was (young),” Carter said. “Just to see her go through those struggles, see how she had a smile on her face even though I knew it was hurting her. Just how she stayed in her faith, and how she didn’t lose herself. “A lot of people would have been depressed and lost who they were, but she never lost that. She was that same girl as she was before and after.” And right now, any boost Carter can get can only help him. A practice squad player last season, the 22-year-old is looking to carve out a role on the 53-man roster and earn some playing time. He added 10 pounds of muscle to his frame over the offseason, putting him at 275 pounds, up from the 250 he played at as a senior at Central Arkansas, and took part in rookie camp over the weekend to give himself a leg up on the competition. “Whenever coach gives you the opportunity to learn more, you take it,” Carter said. “Just having these extra two days to be in the meeting room, to be back on the field, doing drills, it’s going to give me a head start.” “(During the lockout) I was sitting on my couch. I’d work out in the morning two hours and then after that have the whole day to myself. Now I’m more organized, I’m more of a professional.” Despite not using him last season, something Carter says he feels not bitterness about, the Patriots believe that he can be a valuable member of the team, and expressed that during the offseason by doubling his salary from $150,000 to $306,000. With defensive linemen Andre Carter and Mark Anderson both off of the roster, he may have a shot to prove that he was worth the bump salary at some point this season. “You’ve got a lot of young fresh legs running around out there. You’ve got a lot of eagerness out there. We all want to prove ourselves,” Carter said. “Us being so young, we haven’t established ourselves in this league.” If he manages to do that, it would certainly make his sister proud.

Some people still believe that, to be happy, we need to accumulate things. Shopping malls have become the destination of choice for human entertainment, in turn making our regions economically dependent on department stores. Have you ever wondered where so much of what we buy, mostly needlessly, comes from and goes? The system of production and consumption on our planet begins with extraction. You get the necessary natural resources (minerals, water, wood, etc.) from all over the world taken to manufacturing centres. There they are combined with synthetic products, and energy is invested to produce anything from clothing to appliances. So far, so clear. Yet there are two basic problems with this system. First, there are not enough natural resources in the world to meet the current demand of Western consumption. The USA, with only 5 per cent of the global population, uses about 30 per cent of the world’s resources. Clearly, if other countries follow these rates of consumption – and there are several that threaten to do so including India and China – our resources will run out much sooner than we think. Second, the world’s largest corporations have amassed so much power that they’re increasingly difficult to regulate. According to the consultancy Global Trends, of the world’s 150 largest economies only 41 per cent are countries; the rest are corporations. There are various drawbacks to this situation, from the terrible working conditions for employees in developing countries, to the destruction of valuable natural resources without compensation. All this to produce shoes, watches and tablets as quickly and cheaply as possible to satisfy the demand of global consumers. Although consumption trends are high in many countries (Germany leads in Europe, while the growth in some Persian Gulf countries is astounding), the USA has topped the list since the times of Victor Lebow. This analyst theorized that for the large US economy to maintain its robustness, it would need to make consumption a permanent part of the US lifestyle. It is seriously difficult to understand prices in US malls. How can a buyer know how much was earned by the Chinese boy who assembled the product by hand? If he was offered social security and health benefits? How much did the fuel cost to bring it from China to Rotterdam to Florida? If it is an electronic device, where did the Coltan come from? And how much was paid to farmers who extracted it? If this mineral – vital for cell phones and games consoles – came from D.R. Congo, did it come stained with blood? We do not have sufficient space to address the last link in this consumer system: the inevitably gigantic quantities of waste generated. But the message is clear, responsible citizenship requires us, at the very least, to ask ourselves again and again if we really need that new item that we are about to buy. Although modern advertising may suggest the opposite, and those who call us ‘ecocentric’ are everywhere, it is worth pursuing sustainable lifestyles. Ultimately, parks and fellow humans are worth more than shopping malls and corporations. Because our quality of life doesn’t depend on our level of consumption! by Carlos Cadena Gaitán, PhD fellow at Maastricht Graduate School of Governance and UNU-MERIT. First published in El Mundo, 9 April 2012. Translated from the Spanish by Howard Hudson. Image: Flickr / Enoughproject

"We're encouraged she is getting help through the Lord. That's the first step," the Muskegon woman said after watching a judge sentence Laurie Swank to a lengthy prison term. Ottawa County Circuit Judge Ed Post ordered Swank, 49, to an agreed-upon term of 10 to 20 years in prison Monday for the 1979 murder of 22-year-old Hope College student Janet Chandler. Her second-degree murder sentence comes three weeks before Post is to sentence four others -- all former Wackenhut security guards who knew Chandler through her night clerk job at the Blue Mill Inn -- whom Swank helped convict earlier this month through trial testimony. Arthur "Carl" Paiva of Muskegon, James "Bubba" Nelson, Anthony Williams and Freddie Parker face mandatory life prison terms when sentenced Dec. 10 for felony murder. Swank, who calmly unfolded a creased paper on which she penned her thoughts, told Chandler's family she wanted to take responsibility for her part in the murder. "Age, ignorance, coveting and jealousy -- there are no excuses," she said, describing how she has lived in a "self-imposed mental prison that has affected every aspect of my life" since 1979. "I am not and have not been the same person since Janet died," she said. Swank, still handcuffed as she clutched the paper, offered an apology Monday. "I present myself, meekly and humbly, full of God's grace, and ask for forgiveness," she said. In 1979, Swank was Chandler's boss at the Blue Mill Inn as well as her roommate at a house on Holland's north side. Jealous of Chandler's popularity with Wackenhut guards staying at the inn and patrolling a Chemetron Corp. strike, Swank helped instigate a plan to "teach her a lesson" at a party where she would be "(raped) to death." The guards hatched a plan to lure Chandler away from her job under the guise of a surprise party. At the party, she was raped, beaten and ultimately strangled to death with a belt while her arms and legs were bound, and her eyes and mouth taped. Her body was dumped in a snowbank in the I-196 median. Former Wackenhut guard Robert Lynch, who admitted holding the belt when Chandler died, was sentenced to a minimum 25 years in prison in February after pleading guilty to second-degree murder. On Monday, Glenna Chandler asked Post to give Swank the most prison time allowable. "Laurie has chosen her destiny where she let hate and jealousy rule her," she said. Chandler's father, Jim, said Monday's sentence brought another measure of justice to his family for their daughter's killing 28 years ago. "(Justice) will never be served, but the whole thing is coming to closure," he said. "It's encouraging to hear Laurie say she is taking responsibility for what she did and recognizes there has to be a penalty to it." Outside the courtroom, Swank's sister warmly greeted the Chandlers. Some of Swank's family were present for the sentencing, but they declined to comment. Glenna Chandler said she cannot imagine the shock experienced by Swank's family and the other suspects' families upon learning the dark secret that had been kept for so many years.

While on the internets today I found that Mr. Level-up himself, N'Gai Croal, had finally updated his blog and tackled an issue that has been setting the game blogs ablaze: (note: I refuse to use the word blogosphere it is the most idiotic sounding word ever created) the issue of Mirror's Edge and innovation versus execution in video games. Croal goes on to say. I finished the game last night and since I got close to the end this past weekend I have been trying to figure out how I am going to score it. It is hard to dislike it because when the game does things right, it REALLY does them right, but the flaws cannot be ignored. As someone who appreciates when a game designer does something different I want to laud this game as much as I can. On the other side of the coin, as a critic there is no way I can give Mirror's Edge a perfect score because it is far from perfect. I'm glad that I found this post, it really helped me in my decision. Full review later this week. The rest of N'Gai's post and something completely different after the break. The Idea: Game reviewers and game players get so hung up on minutiae-i.e. game controls and combat systems-that too often, they miss what's important and innovative about games. This in turn creates a culture where gamers are searching for aspects of a game to dislike. Instead, what's needed are more critics and gamers who champion particular developers and games. The Thinkers: Leigh Alexander, Ben Fritz, Keith Stuart The Sources: Sexy Videogameland, The Cut Scene, Games BlogAdvertisement The Quotes:. --Leigh Alexander, Sexy Videogameland [I]n the case of games that are different in some way (like a new IP, or a sequel from a new developer as in the case of "Silent Hill: Homecoming"), a lot of videogame critics obsess about the small stuff because they don't like the big picture...? --Ben Fritz, The Cut Scene [I]f. For example, no-one complains that, say, Pan's Labyrinth or Eraser Head lack the formal, easily recognisable narrative structure of a conventional movie. Their aspirations exempt them from that requirement. So should we really be marking Mirror's Edge down for control issues--a game that aspires to re-interpret the very interface between player, screen and character? Yes, I know, it's a clumsy comparison, but the underlying point is--should reviewers just accept that sometimes incredibly new experiences will lack some of the formal substance we expect from traditional games? That's what innovation is, it's leaping out into the unknown. --Keith Stuart, Games Blog The Reaction:. From where we sit, the core mechanics of Mirror's Edge--the locomotion, or movement, of the main character--are exceedingly well implemented. The same is true for the twinning of the player and the camera. The shooting mechanics, however, are shockingly mediocre for a studio whose history and expertise lie in first-person shooters. As for the hand-to-hand combat, it's certainly well-animated and pleasing to the eye. Yet it's also both perfunctory and unforgiving, which means that it's somewhat satisfying when you get it right and thoroughly irritating when you get it wrong. Stuart and Alexander would have us believe that the fault lies with reviewers and gamers who have disparaged any of the game's mechanics--movement, shooting or hand-to-hand combat--while being insufficiently laudatory of the breathtaking way Mirror's Edge simulates the experience of le parkour. They're wrong and, if we can turn back a phrase from Fritz, they're wrong in a way that misses the big picture. Because while the locomotion in Mirror's Edge is praiseworthy and innovative, the game it's wrapped it not only fails to amplify and focus said innovation, the game by and large works against it. What do we mean by this? Mirror. Imagine if after crashing in a Burnout Paradise race, the developers started you over at a standstill rather than already in motion, and you'll have a sense of how dissatisfying failure feels in Mirror's Edge. Stuart, for his part, says that there's just a "smattering of trial-and-error moments," which we'll graciously chalk up to the superiority of his gaming skills over our own. Still, the effect of this marrying classic try, die and retry failure states to a trickier-than-usual platformer is to create an experience that continuously alternates between elation and frustration, which steadily erodes the sensation that DICE comes so tantalizingly close to imparting. This is why the most satisfying portion by far of Mirror's Edge is the Time Trials. In this mode, you not only expect trial-and-error, you embrace it, because you're trying to improve your time. And by taking manageable portions of each level and isolating them to serve as Time Trials, you get to know each mini-level well enough that you can successfully maintain the unbroken chain of continuous motion that is the best thing about Mirror's Edge. Even within an individual run, there's still exploration, but it's highly focused on looking for an aspect of the environment that you hadn't seen previously, an alternate route that you'd missed, all in hopes of reducing the time that it takes to get from beginning to end. Forget Madden NFL or NBA 2K: this is the first game that we genuinely makes us feel like an athlete when we play it. That's when it's firing on all cylinders, however, and more often than it should, the Mirror's Edge story mode you feels like you're shooting blanks. A number of reviewers have likened Mirror's Edge to Portal. It's an apt comparison: both are first-person games that radically innovate on how players can traverse from Point A to Point B; both games contain movement, platforming, exploration and combat challenges. Yet the differences between the two are ultimately more instructive than their similarities. Portal, at its core, is about solving environmental puzzles in order to get somewhere. Mirror's Edge, by contrast, is about solving environmental puzzles at top speed in order to get somewhere as quickly as possible. (Yes, there are a number of momentum-based obstacles in Portal, but the game is nowhere nearly as dependent on continuous movement for its pleasures as is Mirror's Edge.) The paradox is that while most story-based games rely on forward progression (shuttling you from new environment to new environment) Mirror's Edge is at its most alive in its circular progression (when you replay an environment that you're already familiar with), something which, on your first playthrough, only happens after you fail. That's not an easy tension to resolve, and it hasn't been resolved. The tragedy here is that in the development time allotted, neither DICE nor its masters at Electronic Arts HQ were able to do what Valve did a year ago: figure out how to take the essence of Mirror's Edge and turn it into a game that could be sold for $60. Sure, Valve placed Portal in the tender, nurturing embrace of Half-Life Episode 2: The Orange Box, but it also married the innovative portal gun gameplay mechanics to a narrative structure, enemy placement and level designs that connected its 19 discrete puzzle sequences in a way that felt the whole felt greater than the sum of its parts. Mirror's Edge does not, and that's what is being reflected in its reviews. As Penny Arcade's Tycho put it, "The main problem is that I love what they've done with the art and with the style of play, but when they start hounding me with these snipers and S.W.A.T. motherf---ers it quickly becomes a game I don't want. I guess the idea is to make it more exciting, but I was already having fun." This is, of course, merely one blog's opinion. But. One more point. In response the IGN UK review of Mirror's Edge which states "The ideas are there for a very cool experience, and I truly hope that a sequel is spawned, but this first attempt falls just a bit short," the Guardian's Stuart replies:. I felt the same about Killer 7 and Shenmue and the mobile game, Nom - flawed every one of them, but I don't begrudge the creators a single second of the time I spent toiling with imperfections. Similarly, in a Sexy Videogameland post that went live after the one we cited above, Alexander writes: . While taking issue with Stuart's claim that Mirror's Edge is a masterpiece, Variety's Fritz, in a post that went live as we were penning this screed, goes even further in lambasting the IGN reviewer for even bringing up the prospect that a sequel could solve what ails Mirror's Edge. He states: What I think we both dislike is the cowardly critic, the one who focuses on the details and refuses to engage with the big picture ideas of the game....On the one hand, it's kind of a dismal acceptance of reality--we all know there probably will be a sequel and EA/Dice probably will address specific issues. But that's hardly the most interesting thing about "Mirror's Edge," love it or hate it. This game made some very high level choices and those are what reviewers should be engaging. First, Fritz's complaint doesn't quite square with the review, whichThe Verdict: Red light. Reviewers aren't perfect, but attempting to police the discourse by insisting on the primacy of innovation over execution is not the answer. tackles a big picture idea when the reviewer states that there's a conflict between the openness of the player's abilities and the sectioned off nature of the world. (You can read the review for yourself here.) Second, we hate to drag out our old chestnut of a quote, but we'll do it yet again nonetheless: We see games with our hands. In other words, not only do mechanics matter (why else would there be a minor civil war between those who think the floaty physics-based platforming in LittleBigPlanet is A-OK and those who believe that it renders the game unplayable?) but mechanics are also improvable, both between franchises (the cover system innovated in Kill.Switch but significantly improved in Gears of War) and within the same series (the cover system as built for the original Gears of War and as subsequently enhanced for Gears of War 2). To pretend otherwise is to miss a fundamental aspect of what games are and how sequels, downloadable content and expansion packs can function in this medium. To let the tastes of less knowledgeable gamers dictate the dialogue among those who are more fluent in this burgeoning critical language is to neuter the conversation. Let's avoid doing either. And now for something completely different Warning: This video contains coarse language Stop watching at 1.43 to avoid this vid's jump on the failboat.

Crooks Cured by Surgeons Knife (Jul, 1930) This is pretty terrifying, though I suppose it is just a much cruder form of how we use psychiatric drugs today. A few things I noticed: 1. obviously being gay is a disorder. 2. they didn’t say if the prisoners were actually given any choice about their operations. 3. what did they do to the kids? 4. This quote “It points also to the more illuminating truth that if the grandparents, or even the parents, of these men had been given proper medical and surgical treatment for their own glandular abnormalities, their children and their grandchildren would not have offended society…” sounds like Lamarckism. Though according to Wikipedia that theory seems to be making a comeback. 5. Apparently you can tell a criminal by their face. From the pictures in the article that seems to mean “Foreign Looking”. Crooks Cured by Surgeons Knife Here for the first time is the amazing story of how criminals in San Quentin prison, California, are made honest by giving them healthy glands. By H. H. DUNN THE surgeon’s knife and the laboratory test tube have entered the campaign against crime. Experimental researches, carried on over a number of years and beginning to show results in control and reform institutions this summer, indicate that criminal tendencies may be eradicated, development of the criminal averted, and the established criminal restored to normal by medical and surgical treatment. Most of the work which has resulted in this astounding discovery has been done in schools for “backward,” or “wayward, children in San Francisco, and among the inmates of San Quentin prison in California. Looking into the causes of criminal behavior, Dr. Ralph A. Reynolds, of San Francisco, has opened a door which apparently leads not only to the prevention of crime, but to the reformation of the adult criminal. Confirmation of the value of the method of treatment of criminal tendency by surgery and medicine awaits the test of time, but in the five years so far devoted to this work results have been achieved which indicate that the surgeon may take the place of the policeman, the physician that of the judge, and that civilization will prevent rather than punish crime. In the course of these experiments, it was found that a very high percentage of the inmates of the prison were suffering from some abnormal condition of the endocrine or “internally secreting” glands, which empty directly into the blood stream. It was learned that perpetrators of crimes of violence showed disturbance of the thyroid, the twin gland in the front of the neck which regulates growth, while forgers and similar criminals against property were found to have abnormal conditions in the pituitary. This is a pear-shaped body about the size of a bean, lying at the base of the brain. Perverts and degenerates hid certain derangements of the sexual glands under apparently normal exteriors. Working with Dr. L. L. Stanley, San Quentin prison physician, Doctor Reynolds found that beneficial results were obtained, both in physical condition and mental outlook, when the glandular derangements of these prisoners were corrected. Approximately sixty were so treated by operation and by administration of gland extracts. Not one failed to respond to the treatment. THESE results with adults in the penitentiary led to two conclusions, the most important that have been made in the scientific study of crime: First, that the so-called “criminal instinct” may be removed from the minds of men, and women, by the study and treatment of the endocrine-gland systems, in childhood or later. Second, that potential criminality may be eliminated by the treatment of these glands in youth, whenever and wherever children are found to be suffering from such abnormal conditions. In other words, it now seems not only possible, but highly probable, that malsecretion (that is, a secretion which is too large or too small, or chemically unbalanced) of some gland is responsible for the greater part of the crime in the world. “We are beginning to accept the fact that the criminal is not essentially ‘bad’,” said Dr. Reynolds, “but that he merely is a person who shows a departure from what society has established as the ‘normal.’ There is a growing belief among scientists that, in dealing with criminals, too much attention is paid to the mind and the emotions, and too little to the sources from, which the mind and the emotions arise, and by which they are controlled. “On the reasonable assumption that these sources exist in the functions of the body itself, and more specifically in the chemical functions of the body, the next logical step is to find the mechanism which controls the body’s chemical activities. “Evidence is that this mechanism exists in the endocrine glands—the glands of internal secretion, also known as the ‘ductless’ glands, because their cells secrete directly into little blood vessels in the glands, without the aid of ducts. In connection with this reasoning, it appears quite obvious than any unbalanced condition of the chemistry of the body will lead to various and varying forms of unbalance in the mental and emotional outlook, and in the conduct (i. e., behavior) of the person involved. THE work at San Quentin, of which more later, leads logically to a study of the field from which all criminals are drawn—our children. It would be tremendously more advantageous to society to prevent the development of the criminal, than to reform him after he is developed. Aside from the saving to humanity, the economic value to civilization of the salvaging of young lives, and the conversion of young minds to useful occupations, cannot be estimated. “My work has taken me into the medical direction if two institutions, involving about 200 children. In virtually every ‘backward’ or ‘wayward’ child, boy or girl, I have been able to see a physical departure from normal. In many that as yet are neither backward nor wayward, I see evidence of the future development of abnormal conditions in the gland system. There is the child of low, often moronic, mind, who can do good work with his hands, but not with his brain. He is mistrained, and, because his mind does not respond to the training given him, he is called a ‘dumb-bell’ or worse. He goes out into the world unprepared to earn what the world calls an ‘honest living.’ He is drawn into a ‘gang.’ He is involved in a hold-up, or a gang-fight. The law gets him, and he— with an antisocial inclination in his subnormal mind—becomes a criminal. “Such a child should be discovered; his ancestry traced; his physical and mental history recorded; the cause of his mental condition found. He may not be—in fact, he often is not—an obvious ‘gland case,’ but in many, many instances he will be found possessed of an abnormal thyroid or pituitary gland, and back of him will lie a history of ancestors similarly affected. “Now, many children who show visible endocrine disturbances have pleasant types of minds, never brilliant, often below normal; but usually best described as ‘fat and good-natured.’ Their obesity or extreme fatness can be reduced by the correction of their glandular disturbances, and with such reduction comes an increase in industry and ambition. The moronic mind cannot be improved, but it can be given a sound body, and it can be given the training for work with the hands which will enable its possessor to win and maintain an honest place in society. “What we must learn about children is why one becomes a criminal and another does not. Then we must treat the subnormal child—by medicine or by surgery—to restore the chemical balance of the body. This done, we must prepare him, or her, to earn an adequate living, so that the economic incentive to crime—as well as the mental receptivity to criminal ideas— may be removed. By so doing, we shall prevent crime. Indeed, we are so preventing it, in the schools mentioned. “It seems to me essential, as the first step in this program, that orphanages and other schools containing numbers of children whose heredity and early environment may have been unsatisfactory should segregate the problem-children for study and treatment. Certainly, children so cared for could not be harmed, while the opportunity for their improvement is tremendous. “THERE can be no question that in the majority of instances, malsecretion of some one or more of the endocrine glands is responsible for the commission of crime. To return to the experimental work at San Quentin prison, we have traced certain criminal activities directly to certain glands. “The treatment of these glands has resulted, in many instances, in marked mental and physical improvement of the criminal, and, moreover, in what bears every evidence of being the elimination of the tendency to commit crime. “THE principle involved is the restoration of normal mentality through establishment of chemical stability in the body by the treatment of the gland, or glands, involved. “Some time ago, with the cooperation of Doctor Stanley, I undertook to carry through to conclusion a series of studies and treatments of prisoners showing gland disorders. Among these were men with enlargement of the thyroid gland, the very fat, the very thin, the very tall, the very short, those having abnormal hair distribution and growth, and some with subnormal sex glands. “The thyroid group was divided into three classes: “First, those having an excessive growth of the normal cells of the thyroid gland, resulting in a highly active, ‘nervous,’ and emotionally unstable mentality. This condition is known as ‘hyper plasia,’ or overgrowth. “The second class consisted of those having tumorous or lumpy growths of foreign tissue within the thyroid gland. This growth secretes a poisonous substance into the blood stream, resulting in great excitability, emotional instability, increased bodily activity, and, frequently, periods of depression. This condition is known as ‘adenoma.’ ” In the third group were gathered those with ‘colloid goiter;’ that is, an abnormal growth of the thyroid gland, caused by a deposit of supposedly inert material in the gland tissue. As a rule, this condition does not present obvious external symptoms, but it does produce a tendency to obesity. “When we referred to the records of the crimes committed by these men, we found that in approximately seventy percent of the cases those in classifications one and two had committed Crimes of violence; that is, murder, assault with intent to kill, manslaughter, or manslaughter from reckless driving. “EVEN more important than this, we learned that many of these men had records of similar, though lesser, crimes running back to boyhood years. One man showed tendencies to this sort of crime at the age of eight. Had he been given the proper medical and surgical care when a child, his life could have been turned to usefulness, and society would have been saved the labor and expense of protecting itself from his criminal tendency. Records of these three groups of prisoners in general showed that each suffers from an abnormal stimulation of some sort. It appears to be certain that this instability of their mental processes is due solely to maloperation of the thyroid gland. “Five of these men, intractable and guilty of frequent attacks on other prisoners, were given treatment by operation. That is, the hyper-plastic or overdeveloped tissue and the adenomas (gland enlargement) were removed. All have shown marked improvement in behavior, their mental stability has increased, their tendency to impulsive action has been reduced, and it is strongly probable that they will leave the prison with minds more in accord with the processes of civilization, and more amenable to its limitations, than they ever have been. “Another group of prisoners—not thyroid abnormals—was made up of men having a disorder of the pituitary gland, commonly diagnosed as being due to undersecretion of the anterior or forward lobe of this gland. It was learned from the records that more than eighty percent of these cases were ‘sent up’ for crimes of irresponsibility, such as forgery, embezzlement, bad-check passing, and petty theft. “IT IS interesting to note that not one in this ‘pituitary group’ had committed any crime of violence. “In daily life, these are the fat, good-natured men; irresponsible, usually living far beyond their means, always in need of money, and so abnormal in endocrinal condition that they follow the paths of least resistance. Yet they are extremely difficult to arouse to a fighting mood, and in their efforts to fulfill their desires, stop far short of violence of any kind. “We found that, generally speaking, it was possible to modify in a marked degree the personalities of these men, giving them greater seriousness, making them more responsible, and fixing in their minds a stronger sense of their proper attitude toward their fellow men. “We did this by administering what we found to be the proper combination of pituitary and other glandular extracts, which seem to act as catalyzers, or reagents in the distribution of the introduced pituitary substance.” Doctor Reynolds and Doctor Stanley also worked with a third group of prisoners, known as the “dys-gonads” (those having badly developed sex glands), involving two divisions, the homosexuals and the undersexed. Most of these are furtive, secretive, unaggressive, harmless men, but here and there arises one who suddenly becomes vicious, without apparent reason. The majority of them are in prison for crimes of perversion, yet there are thousands of persons of similar type in society, hiding their perversions to such an extent that they never have fallen foul of the law. Treatment of this type by glandular extract produced demonstrable, highly beneficial results, and there is little doubt in the mind of Doctor Reynolds that the pervert and degenerate types may be returned a long way toward normalcy by this artificial restoration of the balance of the sex glands. Thus, the three departments of crime—acts of violence, attacks on property, and perversion—have been given tests of five years and proved to have their source in unbalanced mentality, produced by abnormalities in the glands of internal secretion. Yet both Doctor Reynolds and Doctor Stanley, pioneers and leaders in this study of glandular criminology, insist that the results obtained be regarded only as “experimental.” “OF THE prisoners examined, numbering hundreds, eighty-five percent had a definite history of disorder of the endocrine glands in one or both parents,” continued Doctor Reynolds. “Similar abnormal conditions of these glands were found in grandparents, uncles, aunts, sisters, and brothers of these men. “This points clearly to a powerful hereditary factor at work in disorders of the glands of internal secretion. “It points also to the more illuminating truth that if the grandparents, or even the parents, of these men had been given proper medical and surgical treatment for their own glandular abnormalities, their children and their grandchildren would not have offended society, and would not now be in prison, burdens on that civilization whose rules they have broken because of the upsetting of their endocrinal gland balance. “Beyond this somewhat scientific deduction, we are met squarely with the tremendous economic and sociological fact that if we remove the endocrine abnormalities from the children of today, we shall reduce greatly the crimes against the society of tomorrow. If we restore the balance of the thyroid gland in the throat of little Johnny Jones, thereby calming permanently his childish outbursts of temper, we are in a fair way to prevent a murder. If we train wee Billy Smith’s pituitary glands so that he refrains from stealing his neighbor’s apples, we have curbed the malsecretion of the gland which has put other and older men into prison for embezzlement and forgery. “WE ARE becoming more and more certain that behind every ‘ backward’ and wayward’ child there is a physical reason. Something is wrong with the internal mechanism, the glandular chemistry, of that child’s body. If, through a study of the child’s endocrinal history, and a complete examination of its present condition, we can restore the balance of the gland influence on the child’s mentality, then we can remove what we call, for want of a better term, the ‘tendency to crime.’” So much for the prevention of crime, for the averting, in youth, of a predisposition toward wrongdoing in later years. We have seen what Doctor Reynolds and Doctor Stanley have accomplished with the adult criminal in San Quentin prison. The logical path along which this work must go is the one of restoring to these men such mental balance that they will realize their responsibilities to themselves, to society, and to civilization. Doctor Reynolds believes that this can be done in many instances, but his demand is for time to observe the result of experimental surgical and medical work done on these prisoners. Let Doctor Reynolds speak again: “We have with us another and larger group which has been only touched in this study of glandular balance and control. These are the persons who, we say casually, ‘have criminal faces’; scientifically, they are classified as having the stigmata of degeneration. Their facial abnormalities—from the sight of which the layman judges them to be at least potential criminals—are due to disturbances in growth and development. Endocrinologists, specialists in the study and treatment of endocrine glands, have come to look upon them as glandular subjects, inasmuch as virtually always their ancestry reveals a long and involved history of disarrangement of the glands of internal secretion. “IN THE ancestry of such persons also appear insanity, epilepsy, feeble-mindedness, cataracts early in life, harelip, strabismus (commonly known as cross-eye’), and other defections from the normal, scientifically classified as ‘stigmata.’ Their histories often begin with a parent who, for example, had a pituitary abnormality, from which only other pituitary disarrangements will appear in the children for several generations. Then, quite suddenly, in one of these generations, the offspring will begin to show other defects in development, abnormalities of mind as well as of body. “Often these ‘degenerations’ are not accompanied by any of the recognizable symptoms of gland disorders, and it is only from their histories that the true causes of their conditions, their physical, mental, and moral aberrations, may be obtained. For this reason medical science has been slow to accept the close relationship which undoubtedly exists between the ‘ man with the criminal face’ and glandular disarrangements. “If the earlier stages of gland disorder are diagnosed and treated, much can be accomplished, but when the hereditary process has reached the point— several generations later— of pronounced stigmata of degeneration, segregation of these individuals seems to be the only method of eliminating their spread. Low fecundity and early death combine to wipe out this type, if so isolated that new blood cannot be brought in by marriage. “ALL the types in our penal and corrective institutions, these seem to be the ones whose segregation and confinement is necessary until they die out, in spite of all that has been or can be done for them in the way of effort to restore their mental and physical stability by gland treatment. “In the near future, large groups of prisoners at San Quentin and other penal institutions are to be classified as to the type of crime committed, and then studied as to the glandular disturbance which preponderates in each group. On the determination of the extent to which criminal tendencies can be reduced by restoration of the endocrine gland balance rests the greatest hope of modern society for the prevention of crime in future generations, and the reformation—or, better, the ‘remaking’— of the criminal in this generation.” They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, and this doctor obviously had a little knowledge of the endocrine system and the arrogance to run with it. Jesus, this is just as bad as the theory of the four humors. Instead, there are the three glands, which by over- or underactivity define the character of the person. I’m so glad science has found the reason for all of society’s ills. This great research has led to the eradication of our nation’s prisons and led to the total lockstep of today’s peaceful and contented citizens. Look at all the learned doctors that came aboard on this radical research. Thank god I had my Thyroid removed! Who knows how many lives this has saved! One of the most chilling parts of this chilling article: ““We are beginning to accept the fact that the criminal is not essentially ‘bad’,” said Dr. Reynolds, “but that he merely is a person who shows a departure from what society has established as the ‘normal.’ ” If you depart from what’s “normal,” you’ll be medicated and operated on till you conform. If you look at the picture on page 21, second row middle…you can see Adolph Hitler. Check it yourself. Of cousre it figures. I saw the part about male gonads. Just what is the normal size? Are TSA agents at the airports going to be measuring these as a way to spot terrorists? I wouldn’t doubt it. And this sort of baloney is why Alan Turing didn’t live to see “Pac-Man”. (He killed himself after being forced to get estrogen injections to “cure” his homosexuality.) Devak, nah, That mustache was popular mustache at the time. My Grandfather had one until the war. This ranks alongside the Tuskagee experiments, MK Ultra,early radiation experiments for professional arrogance.Sadly it even goes on today look at the over medication of children for a catch all behaviour problem Attention deficit disorder. I wonder if they sterilised a few of these feeble minded inmates in addition. Its like that movie judgement at Nuremberg? They knew the nazi experiments were over the top but they didnt place the same viewpoint to these experiments.

1st, 2012 You’ve been waiting. We’ve been waiting. The waiting is ovah. Done. Finished. Buh bye. Info on the 2012 MMVA wristbands is finally here! Oh, happy day! Take a minute to go nuts and let your freak flag fly. Are we all chillaxed now? Awesome possum. I have ALL the info you need on wristbands in this post, so make sure you read this over a good THREE times. If you still have questions, feel free to leave them in the comments section below and I’ll do my best to put my thinking cap on and answer your Q’s. Let’s begin, shall we? Your Guideline for Getting Wristbands to the 2012 MMVAs: * MMVAs wristband giveaway starts at 6 pm ET on Friday, June 8 during New.Music.Live. at MuchMusic. * MuchMusic is located at 299 Queen St. West, Toronto at the corner of Queen and John St. * For maximum safety and enjoyment, we ask that the wristband line up starts no sooner than Tuesday, June 5 at 7am. Anyone who comes down before that will be asked to return later. * You must be at least 14 years old as of Sunday, June 17 to get wristbands. Not 14 in a month. Not 14 on June 18. * You must have photo ID with you to get a wristband. School photo ID with your birth certificate, license, photo health card, TTC card or passport (actual or photocopied) is fine. We basically need any photo ID, but if it’s school ID/TTC card, we need your birth certificate too. If you have a clear photocopy of your birth certificate or passport, you can bring that instead of the real thing! * One wristband per person. You cannot get one for your friend who couldn’t make it, even if she is the biggest Justin Bieber fan in the world. If you get a wristband we will put it on you and you MUST keep it on until the MMVAs on June 17. * Wristbands are free. We cannot be bribed. If we could, I’d be writing this from a yacht in Tahiti. Tips: * If you do not get a wristband you can still totally watch the MMVAs from the street on June 17! And yes, you can still totally see the stages! There are no age limits for watching from the street. We lurve er’body. * We will be giving some wristbands away through contests. Keep checking the MMVA 2012 site for updates on contests! * How many wristbands are you giving out? Sorry, we can’t release that number. * I can’t make it to MuchMusic on June 8. How can I get wristbands? Keep checking the MMVA 2012 site to find out about contests for winning wristbands. * If I wear the wristband for 9 days before the MMVAs, won’t it fall off? Nope, it’s durable. * Is it safe for me/my kids to line up over night? Our security staff will be monitoring the line-up at all times. * How will I know where the line-up starts at MuchMusic? You’ll know once you get there, we promise. * What if I don’t get a wristband on June 8 and don’t win one? You can still watch the MMVAs from the street. You can also line up to be part of the red carpet, and hopefully get an autograph from your favourite celeb. * When can I begin lining up for a wristband? You may start lining up Tuesday, June 5 at 7 am.Anyone who comes down before that will be asked to return later. Since we don’t know how many people will begin lining up at Tuesday, June 5 at 7 am we can’t tell you when you should join the line. We will update the MMVA site with information on how long the wristband line up extends on a daily basis. Posted on Friday, June 1st, 2012 at 6:30 pm by Allison and is filed under Blog.Tweet

Politics continues to intrude on our fantasy lives this week in the form of DCU: Decisions #1. By most accounts it was a predictable story, but it included an unexpected reveal about Lois Lane. Chris J. Miller gives the details: Perhaps the only unexpected relevation [sic] in the issue is that Lois Lane is “proudly for a strong military, small government, low taxes, and maximum individual freedom.” This is presumalby [sic]. Other reviewers were less generous: [T]his book is Judd Winick writing Green Arrow as a clueless moron and Bill Willingham writing Lois Lane as Ann Coulter. Stop it. Just stop it. I could understand if they said that Batman was a Republican. Or Alan Scott. Or Wonder Woman. Heck, it could even have been an interesting twist if Hawkgirl voted Republican. By there is NO FREAKIN’ WAY that Lois Lane is a Republican. That is all. By defining the political leanings of these characters, DC has instantly alienated a lot of the readership. While this first issue does not clearly state the big three’s views, it does define them for other important characters, most notably Lois Lane. They made Lois a Republican. It makes no sense. And it has pissed a lot of people off. I have to say I’d be annoyed if the rationale for her party membership was just because she was a military brat. Contrary to popular belief, Republicans do not hold a monopoly on the loyalty of military members. It’s pretty damned annoying that so much of the military’s representation in popular culture is painted red and riding elephants. I’d like to see the sort of people I’ve actually met in the military as characters in pop culture. I’m tired of the Conservative Christian Family Values General, okay? I want to see the atheist NCO gun enthusiast, or the liberal conspiracy theorist technician, or the socially conservative Wiccan from personnel reflected in our entertainment. I know it’s a cliche, but could you think outside the box for five seconds? There are all sorts of people in foxholes. But if this was a way of making a point about her as a journalist, then I have to say it has potential. Probably not under these writers (Honestly, Wonder Woman decides who to vote for based on their military prowess? Have they ever read her book?! Do they really think she’s so one-dimensional?), but someone with some characterization skill can take this development and get some good story material out of it. How she’s registered doesn’t necessary match with how she marks her ballot. Lane, as characterized over the past 60 years, probably votes for the least corrupt person on the ballot. She most likely decides who’s the least corrupt after investigating them herself. If her ideals tend to be conservative, and the conservative candidate turns out to be corrupt while the liberal candidate is an honest person, there’s some internal conflict for Lois. And what does she do when the conservative candidate is more religious and moralizing than she’s comfortable with? There’s some good election tale fodder here. I don’t have faith that DCU Decisions will make good use of it, but then I have low expectations for these writers. (And the Wonder Woman thing really doesn’t help.) But some future Superman writer could get a really great story out of Lois Lane, Registered Republican. September 19th, 2008 at 7:29 pm I haven’t read the material, but if Chris J. Miller’s description of it is accurate, it doesn’t sound to me like Lois is a Republican. Rather, it sounds like she’s a Libertarian. And that would go well with a career as a journalist, with marrying an illegal alien, and with supporting her husband’s vigilante tendencies. September 19th, 2008 at 7:38 pm I hope all these people realize that there are probably as many people as they who think Lois being a Republican makes perfect sense. I know people who I always imagined were Republican actually turn out to be Democrat and the other way around. Isn’t this part of the greatness of America? I really feel sorry for anyone who is alienated by Lois because it turns out the character is Republican. September 19th, 2008 at 8:11 pm I’d consider Lois more a pragmatic conservative. In Canada, she’d likely be what we used to call a “Red Tory”, back when there really were Tories. She’s seen enough to know when the other side of an argument’s got ideas worth acting on. Looking forward to seeing how the rest of this plays out…and how a meeting with Icon and the Rocket would go for her. September 19th, 2008 at 8:47 pm I look at all that and go “sounds like a Democrat to me”. Or at least my definition of what I want. I don’t think anyone’s going to ever literally SAY a party they belong to. They’ll say enough bout what they believe in that everyone will go “They belong to……” But I bet everyone’s gonna see something that makes them say its their party over everyone elses. Which just means its all universal in the end. September 19th, 2008 at 10:37 pm Lois Lane for Sarah Palin! LOL! September 20th, 2008 at 2:55 am We need to be talking more about Superman’s stance on the issues: “It’s a secret ballot, stop bothering me” September 20th, 2008 at 5:07 am Hey! Many thanks for linking to my still-infant blog! (Obviously, one thing I’m going to have to do is keep a closer eye on my typos. Sorry about those [sic]s!) I agree with Lisa that the revelation about Lois *could* be interesting (if only as an ironic inversion of the “liberal media” meme), but the story as written lives down to her low expectations: Lois’ own dialogue says “You always know who I vote for… I’m a product of my upbringing.” Nuance? Internal conflict? What are those? (Unlike Matt Morrison, though, I’m not sure who to blame for this dialogue, or any other. Most of it reads like Willingham’s work to me, but I could be wrong.) I don’t think the plot is as awful as some others do, nevertheless. Yes, it’s a bit odd to see the JLA on point for presidential candidates’ security, especially for what appears to be a non-meta threat, but other than that it more-or-less hangs together so far. Anyway, like I wrote earlier — as both a political junkie and a comics fan, I just can’t help being curious. September 20th, 2008 at 10:24 am Pretty Mediocre, not horrible like some Winick bashers make it out to be. – My Thoughts on #1 (And Rick Leonardi CAN do better, c’mon) September 20th, 2008 at 10:28 am Oh and sorry, but Republicans will NEVER be seen as decent, especially after they pulled that ‘Obama is a secret muslim’ crap. September 20th, 2008 at 11:08 am I predict there will be 50,000 commenters on this comic with only 20,000 copies sold. Everybody’s got an opinion. What they really need is an informed opinion. September 20th, 2008 at 11:58 am Lois being a Republican goes against everything established about the character imo. I agree with the poster who said not all military folk are conservatives, although her father has in fact been portrayed that way, and she’s been portrayed as rebelling. She’s a reform minded feminist exposer of truth. George W. Bush would give her gas pains. I agree with what Evan said, even though that’s how Republicans define themselves, it’s closer to how Democrats are in real life, except perhaps for the “low taxes” bit, but the Republicans are the same on taxes, except if you’re a millionaire. September 20th, 2008 at 3:49 pm Willingham is the the conservative of the two, blame him for making Lois one. This whole miniseries should be pulped IMO. September 20th, 2008 at 6:26 pm Without knowing which writer is taking responsibility for which parts, I’d suspect Winnick wrote Lois Lane’s dialog here. Whether he believes the dialog or not isn’t the point here, but it just smells like typical Winnick ‘hit-’em-over-the-head-with-it writing. September 21st, 2008 at 12:07 pm Hasn’t anyone ever heard of the moderate New England Republicans, also known as Rockefeller Republicans, a quickly dying branch of the Republican Party? It’s actually not a bad place for Lois to be on the political spectrum, balancing both her army brat upbringing with a strong sense of social justice. Unfortunately, it’s a horrible place to be in today’s more fundamentalist Republican Party (just ask former senator Lincoln Chafee). September 22nd, 2008 at 11:07 am It fits quite well with the Margot Kidder version of Lois. And neatly overturns the cliche that every newspaper journalist is a lefty (by US standards). Can’t see the problem. September 22nd, 2008 at 11:14 pm Hmmm…that “New England Republican” angle might go well with certain theories on Metropolis’ location on the map of New Earth’s version of the USA… November 28th, 2008 at 3:11 am Thank God Lois is a republican! She’s very smart and well informed so it’s no surprise she would be a Republican. November 28th, 2008 at 12:00 pm So, Nicky… Lois also thinks President-Elect Obama is Muslim, thinks Obama “pals around with terrorists,” thinks living in Alaska gives one foreign policy experience or that going into Iraq (while bin Laden is still on the loose) has been a positive, successful experience? Certainly she feels the economy has been really strong the past few years, right? Yeah, very smart and informed indeed… And to think some Republicans have accused Dems of “drinking the Kool-Aid” this year. More accurately, lots of people just changed to a different, more palatable flavor after eight years. September 4th, 2012 at 8:49 pm That’s an apt answer to an ientrsetnig question

A story about exceptional service Wednesday, August 26, 2009 Recently I found myself constrained by the puny 200GB of my Mac Book Pro and I bought a 500GB Seagate drive to replace it (a fast 7200 rpm one). The Macbook Pro has no easy access for the drive so you have to resort to dismantling the case to access it. This put me off replacing the drive because I would probably be voiding the warranty and was running the risk of damaging this expensive piece of equipment. I’ve been filling the drive with pictures from my recent camera purchase and I couldn’t put it off any longer, so I bought the new drive and went online to find some good tutorial on how to crack open the Macbook Pro case. After a few searches, I noticed that many people were referring to the iFixit.com website. It was very easy to find the tutorial I was looking for, I didn’t have to register, and each step was made very clear and simple. It took no time to open the case and replace the drive. I was very happy with that find. Now, that’s not the end of the story. A couple of days before I replaced the drive the left fan of the laptop suddenly became noisy. This would happen a few times a day, at random, and would last 10-20 minutes. My only solution to get this repaired was to get to the local Apple service shop. Even though I knew exactly which part number was to be replaced, they still wanted me to: - go across town to visit them so they could see for themselves what the problem was: annoying because the problem was intermittent so I may have to go for nothing. - wait for the part to arrive a few days later. - go back to leave the laptop - go again to collect the repaired laptop the next day or so. So all in all: about 6h spend travelling back and forth + no laptop for a couple of day + the risk that some indiscreet technician start looking through my personal stuff. Instead, I went back to the iFixit website: - identified my machine - found out the list of spare parts available from their store - added the fan to my cart - paid for it. - found a guide that showed how to replace the part. That took me all of 10 minutes; I placed my order on Thursday and the next Monday I received the part … halfway across the globe! I also got a survey request from iFixit and left some comments, from which I got back two nice detailed email follow-ups, one from the CEO saying they were implementing my remarks as part of their site improvement efforts. Well, I thought I would share this story. It’s not that often that you get excited by an online vendor that not only does its job well but goes beyond expectations. Entry Filed under : Business,Hardware,Reviews,sysadmin Some HTML allowed: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong> Trackback this post | Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed

As you may have noticed, if you read this little bloglet, TPF has been on a very brief hiatus while The Fool and my adamantly Un-Foolish Significant Other took a wee camping trip down to Kanaskat Palmer State Park, a place I highly recommend for those who want to escape King County, Washington, while not actually leaving it. Laying there under a bell-clear summer sky at night, listening to the Green River murmur its run-off-swollen blues, well, it may not be Paris but it’ll do for what ails ya. Elk Head is in a tiny industrial park on the “outskirts” of what might be called “downtown Buckley”. It’s almost the last building on 410 as you push on to the west, the setting sun, and all the Glory That Is Tacoma. You enter through a regular door, next to a roll-up door which, on this hot-ish summer day, was open to expose a beautiful burgundy old panel van, emblazoned with Elk Head’s logo on the side. Inside the door was a long counter fronting a wall of 14 beer taps, all of which, shockingly, held a different beer. The guy behind the counter could not possibly have been more welcoming and cheerful, short of offering a back-rub, something I try to avoid when tasting beer. (It makes the beer slosh out of my glass.) We told him we’d like to taste everything and he said “Okay!” No dickering about tasting flight charges, no dialog about only allowing four-to-six tastes, he simply dragged out a tiny, two-ounce miniature beer stein and got to work. I’m not going to go through all 14 beers because we both have to get on with our days, but I will mention several things that really deserve your attention (provided you ever find yourself in Buckley) and say that, whatever was in the back of my mind about Elk Head Brewing of Buckley, Washington, what we found there vastly exceeded expectations. The first pour was a pale ale infused with citrus fruits, “Citronic”. As these fruit-laced beers go, this was a gem; a jazzy package of fresh fruit flavors that present emphatically without taking over the beer. My big peeve with citrus beers is that the beer frequently disappears. Brewer Rich Dirk has balanced this one masterfully, letting the lemon, orange, and lime notes ride atop the lovely grain and toasted bread flavors. The light touch of banana worked as a gentle accent and the total effect was as refreshing a thing as I’ve tasted this summer. Elk Head “Kilted Elk” is just simply a top-shelf Scottish ale; a strappin’ mouthful of mellow, caramel-drenched malts, married to some impressively assertive hops, producing a balance that a lot of American Scottishes fall well short of. This is Scottish ale as they understand it in Scotland, where hops are not as widely grown as around here and they’ve historically made maximum use of what’s on hand. This actually reminded me a lot of Belhaven “Wee Heavy”, on a slightly smaller scale, packing in Scotch ale muscle into a Scottish framework, to make an incredibly satisfying brew that will stand up well when you’re having more than one. This is just a flat-out delicious beer and will compare favorably to any Scottish made anywhere in the Northwest. I’m instantly suspicious of any brewery that gets too esoteric with their choices in additives. I’m wrong about that, frequently, and always happy to be so but I approach any beer with more than three or four infusions as I would a sleeping rattlesnake. The last beer on the taps was “Elk Dandee”, a 9.2% ABV whopper of a Pale, infused with dandelions(!), ginger, and ginseng. I tasted it with a reflexive scowl already in place and relaxed the second it hit my palate. “Dandee” is a solid effort. This is refreshing, silky, and the exact opposite of overdone; subtle, immensely flavorful, and beautifully made. The fine, faint dandelion flavors – which I know quite well from my childhood experiments with dandelion wine, in my Virginia mountains birthplace – presents right up front, a mild, sweet tang that suggests fresh dill and bananas. Behind that, the ginger – which normally hijacks any liquid it’s mixed into – lays back prettily, adding a brisk bite without overdoing it. And the ginseng adds it’s signature note of radish to the finish, pulling the ale back from excess sweetness. As these Asian-inspired ales go, this is as good as I’ve found from any Washington Brewer. But the star of the show was what Dirk and Company call “Blast Zone”, a dazzling chile beer that very nearly redeems many of the truly grotesque examples of this style I’ve forced down, over the past ten years. Like many people, I tasted Cave Creek Chile Beer as my first chile ale and the memory of that horror sometimes wakes me up in the night, drenched in sweat. Since that one, back in 1991, I’ve tasted about two dozen but never one as fleshed-out, thoughtful, and enormously flavorful as this EH version. This is quite simply the best chile beer I’ve ever tasted, from anywhere. Rich Dirk used several medium-to-hot chiles, fresh, and put half the yield into a Traeger smoker. This smoking shows up beautifully in this ale, tinging the lovely, bright flavor of the Serranos and jalapenos with a firm smoke character reminiscent of a fine Euro Rauchbier like Bamberg or Aecht Schlenkerla. The peppery burn starts within about five seconds and stays managably warm, comfortably warm, on the palate. The flavors have almost nothing in common with typical chile ales, in which the burn delivers nearly absent of any trace of the actual peppers. This stuff came home with us in a pint growler and it was even better the next evening, as we sipped it contemplatively on our patio. The whole trip down to Buckley would have been justified to get this alone but, added to the other great stuff we found, we’re planning another trip to Elk Head any time we’re within 20 miles of the place. Just a word,too, is in order about…well, the vibe of the place. It goes beyond just that Elk Head Brewing is located in a small town and all the all-American images that conjures up. We arrived just about opening time. We were nearly the first ones in the door and the crowds arrived right behind us. Clearly, the folks at the brewery know – and like – most of their customers. And just as clearly, these folks do not just come in to drink whatever mild, inoffensive analog of Bud Light EH may have on tap. There was a lot of sampling, lots of laughs, and an immensely unhurried, un-prissy, down-home atmosphere. We both remarked on it: this is just a completely likable brewery, particularly in contrast to a couple of Seattle-area operations we’ve visited that have been in business for less than two years and already have an (unwarranted) Attitude and rock-star swagger that would register from outer space. Elk Head Brewing was a true breath of fresh air that anyone who’s a real beer lover – and not just interested in beer for the Hipness Quotient – can appreciate. I sometimes get all puffed up with myself and forget that great beer – great anything, really – is not the sole province of cities and their cool, uber-hip urban breweries. Within the past three months, we’ve tasted literally revelatory ales from Kent, Wenatchee, Poulsbo, Waitsburg, and Stevenson, Washington, and Enterprise, Oakridge, Pendleton, and Ashland, Oregon. Now, we can add Buckley, WA, to our must-visit list, for a periodic catch-up on what Rich and his inspired crew are whupin’ up lately.

Fresh from five days in Barbados earlier this year, tight end Vernon Davis dominated Wednesday’s practice catching at least six passes from a combination of Shaun Hill and Alex Smith during last week’s OTA practices. Now entering his fourth season and with an offensive coordinator who likes to highlight the tight end, Davis has the best opportunity yet to realize his sixth overall selection potential. “He (new offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye) told me the tight end is the focal point,” Davis said Wednesday. “I’m looking forward it. He said he wants to get his playmakers involved.” Looking the part has never been an issue for Vernon Davis. Davis has a year of frustration to unleash after his minimized role last season in Mike Martz’s offense. He went from 52 passes in 2007 to 31 last year, despite Martz’s declaration in training camp that he was making a special play list just for Davis. Either Martz couldn’t break his habit of having a receiver-dominated offense, or Davis never caught onto Martz’s system. Either way, Davis said he spent some time in Mike Singletary’s office pining for more opportunities. “It was real frustrating,” Davis said. “I thought when you pick a guy with the sixth pick (in the 2006 draft) that you pick him to make plays. So my thing, was I was just trying to be patient.” Raye’s development of Kansas City tight end and former Cal star Tony Gonzalez is a highlight in Raye’s resume. “I talked to Tony all the time,” Davis said. “He said Jimmy would take of me and make sure I would get the ball and stuff like that. I’m just looking forward to the opportunity.” If Davis is going to be an elite tight end, this will have to be his year, not only because of Raye but because he’s showing the maturity to handle the responsibility of becoming a major piece of the offense. On Wednesday for example, linebacker Mark Washington ran down Davis from behind and tried to deck him during the non-contact team drills. The Davis of early days would have tried to punch Washington in the throat. Instead, Davis calmly walked back to the huddle while coaches admonished Washington. “I don’t have time for fighting,” Davis said. “If it’s during a game, that might be different. But out here, I got to concentrate on what I’m doing.” Despite learning a new offense, Davis said he’s comfortable with Raye’s scheme and it looked like it in the week of practices. In fact, the 49ers gave him the day off Thursday after he dominated on Wednesday. Davis also said he tried to get the higher ups to take a hard look at his little brother Vontae, one of the top cornerbacks to come out of this year’s draft. In light of Walt Harris’s season-ending and perhaps career-ending knee injury, it would have been a good idea. “He’s going to be great,” Davis beamed with brotherly pride. “Press coverage? Forget it. He’ll kill it.” Davis said he has trouble getting off of his younger bro’s press coverage. Vontae was selected 25th overall by Bill Parcells’ Dolphins, despite his prima donna rep. The younger Davis was demoted by Illinois coach Ron Zook for goofing off in practice. On second thought, maybe two Davises on one one team is one too many.

Bohemia of Finances (pt. 4)March 8, 2011 | By Filed under: Conversations,, today an e-mail conversation with the amazing American writer Eileen Myles. EM: I was a full-time academic from 2002 through the end of 2007. So I get a small allowance from them. I’m on the dole. Before then I taught workshops sporadically and wrote freelance, read, and performed. And since then (the full-time academic job) I’ve been writing mainly, my own stuff and lots of different kinds of journalism, art writing, writing about books, etc. Blogs. I’ve been traveling doing readings, having a semester-long visiting writer job, a bunch of short-term — one or two week — ones, and I guess that’s about it. I’ve gotten some grants, too. BB: You’ve done a lot of writing about visual arts and artists. Other artists and writers I’ve talked to in this series have drawn attention to the somewhat thorny relation of the visual art world to the centers of financial capital. Especially when the work itself seems to advocate for an exploited or alienated class, an oppressed and brutalized gender, or sexuality — the “inevitable” transformation of these works into objects of sale seems paradoxical or at least … complicated! Does this seem like a fair description? EM: Yeah, yet I think that exchange is one of the few ways some of those exploited or alienated peoples or causes do get expressed. I mean, outside of the academy and political papers and websites. It’s visible, and that seems valuable somehow. Even to make monuments to be sold. I remember seeing genital mutilation (of women) exist as a page of print in a vitrine in a Wolfgang Tillmans show. I wasn’t so much appalled as interested in the fact that a man could include that info in his work, and I couldn’t think of a single woman who would or could. All of this in a world where politicians may or may not rally at all to save any kind of public funding for art in America. And, increasingly, fashion and the design industry is supporting the visual arts. It seems more melancholy than paradoxical. BB: And then, I guess, I’m wondering if you track a different situation for writing versus the more generally commodified art world? EM: You mean in the way that we make wider claims for more kinds of people with fewer sales in quieter venues? Writing is less splashy for sure. Smarter in more complex ways, less sophisticated in other ways. Our society is more about the world but in itself less worldly. I think the arc of being innovative is a little more desperate in writing and more uneventful. Our world is less brash than the art world, I mean in terms of our relationship to media and the artist’s expectation of being heard. In writing, the part of the world that labels itself experimental is often kind of old-fashioned. Or maybe just not interested in fashion. Which is not bad, but it’s slower and quieter. Big publishing is in the hands of oafs largely. There’s a big opportunity for détente in art and writing, but I keep saying this maybe while it’s passing. Sometimes I think it’s two snow globes next to each other. Someone warm needs to pick them up and give a talk perhaps. Or make a movie about what’s real inside of them. Have you noticed airport security bans the carrying of snow globes? They’re a weapon, it turns out. I’m not sure what I’m talking about. BB: In the Valentine’s Day piece, which appeared in Awl, you write, “Is writing just a job. Writing books, writing poems. If it is then the message to women is to go elsewhere.” You note that recent numbers analysis of poetry reviews show supposed sex parity, but also that the majority of people writing poetry are women. Does the fact of the “fewer sales in quieter venues” make the poetry world a place less inclined to send this message to women? Like, while there’s still no shortage of the heroic guy poet thing, in that “experimental” poetry world I’m at least hearing the questions and challenges that seem feminist. EM: I think the poetry world you’re describing in so many ways is women. It’s women-driven. Increasingly we’re actually seeing women including men in their things. Our neck of the woods is probably the best there is. I think we just have to resist being precious and guarding our borders too hard. Not looking out. BB: I’m just curious — what does “sophistication” mean to you? I’ve been obsessed with it as a thing just out of reach, being raised in a sort of backwards, rural meth-town in middle America and moving to San Francisco at 18. EM: Yeah, I’m from suburban working class Massachusetts. Not much culture there. Though it wasn’t far. But still you had to get on the bus. I always knew the kids on the bus going to Cambridge were the sophisticated ones. I suppose that’s it. Being sophisticated has something to do with having a choice and making it. Creating an aesthetic. Knowing what’s out there and not being beholden to it and not being oblivious of it either. You don’t even have to do a lot. Culture is exhausting, right. But I think there’s an increasingly wide band of hunters and gatherers working across the art-making worlds, and they are the most sophisticated people I know. I vote for seeing them get rewarded for doing this crucial work of doing and knowing. But you know it is its own reward to know. We don’t do this ’cause it’s NOT a pleasure. BB: What’s your take on the economics of “coming up” or, to use artist-speak, “emerging”? Reading Inferno, I got the impression of this lost New York City, a place that somebody goes to be an artist and can do that and not work all the time. I don’t mean that your book is utopian or romantic in a dumb way — but it describes a different kind of scene than the one I see now for young writers and artists who are encouraged to buy themselves a couple years at very expensive MFA machines. EM: I think it’s less geographical but that younger writers could probably think of coming to New York more actively as a collective project. Do people live together in big or small groups with the goal of working on their writing or art and NOT getting a job. I’d love to hear about that project. I’m sure it’s possible. If part of your ideal was witnessing your time and working in it instead of having to succumb to it I think a lot could be accomplished and differently. I wouldn’t like to live with people, though. I’m bent by the opportunity I had to get away from my suburban family and live mostly alone. Most of my friends lived alone, too. But our story isn’t the dominant one. Its fragility is probably there to be witnessed. I think that’s why I wrote that book. What recent numbers analysis shows supposed sex parity, but also that the majority of people writing poetry are women?March 8th, 2011 at 10:03 pm The sex parity was suggested in the vida pie-charts though yeah I remember a different result in the ones you produced. But I was responding to the ones I’d seen lately. I do mean in my experience everywhere I’ve taught the workshops are packed with women. Maybe that’s who takes my workshops but that’s the case at Naropa which is why I’d get enraged when some guy would get up and prop up the same old sexist world view to a tent full, largely, of young female students. Aren’t most writing programs getting most of their applications from women? Most of the graduate students in Missoula where I last taught, were female. I haven’t done research but this is what it seems to me. in the interview with Brandon I was thinking of many female driven scenes like the Belladonna one in New York which seems to be the dominant set in the poetry world I occupy here. Juliana and Dodie seem to be central figures in the Bay Area scene. Who are the big men?March 9th, 2011 at 5:10 pm Oh. Thanks. Was wondering what studies. I’m not sure I would read the VIDA ones that way. Although I am going to go back and look. Wondering if one does a sort of VIDA count using a random sample on last year in “experimental” what happens. I would hope to be pleasantly surprised. I want “experimental” to be “better.” Not worse. I agree with you. Belladonna is amazing! I wish I had Belladonna in my backyard. I say this all the time. Stopping self from writing long paragraph on how much I adore the multi-media/platformed approach of Belladonna. Books! Conferences! Reading series! Chapbooks! Etc! And, although there are no #s on this, I suspect most MFA programs are more female than male. Perhaps way more. Ugh. MFA makes my brain hurt. If the MFA admitted its femaleness “at the true level of their productivity and influence poetry would wind up being a largely female world and the men would leave.” Or not get MFA. Is this one more of the many reasons everyone hate on the MFA so much? Brandon is one of the big men in the Bay area! But also the obvs are Michael Palmer. Kit Robinson. Bob Haas. Dean Young. Alan Bernheimer. Joseph Lease. Stephen Ratcliffe. Etc. You know this list. Thank you though for asking “who are the big men?” Thank you for “Being Female.”March 10th, 2011 at 12:35 pm

~ Sock Dreams ~ We offer FREE USPS shipping on all US orders! back to » home » latest news index RSS feed Latest News « Older Entries | Newer Entries » by JenDub April 26th, 2013 Stumptown Comic Fest 2013- code word #1 After the success of our promotional give away at Sakura Con, we’re doing it again!!! For each day of the con (Saturday 4/27, Sunday 4/28), we’ll be posting a new code word right here in our Latest News.. Stop by our booth at Atrium #2 right outside the main con area and say the code Rose Red. Good luck! be the first to comment! » by JenDub April 22nd, 2013 Stumptown Comics Fest 2013 Not everyone can be a superb artist, but here at Sock Dreams, we are fortunate enough to have several seriously talented folks. From the real to the absurd, from the geeky to the adorable, if you ask for invoice art, one of us is more than happy to oblige. That’s why, when we were offered a table as the first non-comic retailer at Stumptown Comics Fest , taking place at the Oregon Convention Center this weekend April 27th & 28th, we knew that we had to present something pretty darn special. Stumptown Comics has been celebrating independent comic artists, writers, and publishers for 8 years now and has grown exponentially. It is a gathering for all the geek community of Portland, with parties, performances, pod casts and the Stumptown Independent comics awards. Portland is a city of comics, with folks like Oni Press, Dark Horse, Periscope Studios and countless other comic folks doing it on their own and Stumptown is their time to shine. When we learned the we were going to table at Stumptown, it only seemed natural to feature not only our amazing socks, but our artistic talents. As such, we will be premiering our very first Zine!!! It will be filled with interesting artwork, inspired by our customers, from various invoices over the years and we’re pretty proud of it. You will be able to find the Zine at any of our geeky events this year and can pick one up for the low, low price of 7 bucks! In addition, we will have all the usual deals on our Dreamer Socks and Dreams Stockings, as well as fun socks for this artistic crowd. Hope to see you there! to comment! » Photo Phrenzy! In addition to all the pictures we’ve been taking of this spring’s new items, we’ve been doing photo shoots all over town! We got to hang out with the supremely rad folks over at Periscope Studio… We were graced with a visit from a traveling Latanya, blogger extraordinaire behind Sprinkles and Booze… We met a sweet calico with Meghan Sinott from Filmed By Bike… Soon, we’ll be shooting the lovely Karol Collymore, newly-appointed head of the Equity Foundation, and her partner Shaley in their BRIDE Knee Highs… If you’re local, be sure to pick up the Portland Mercury‘s annual Southeast Neighborhood Guide in May, and keep an eye out for our socks gallivanting around Sunnyside Piazza! And we KNOW we’re going to have a blast snapping pictures of the devastating derby dames of RCR! We Dreamers love our derby girls almost as much as derby girls love socks… Stay tuned! be the first to comment! » by JenDub April 2nd, 2013 Thanks Sakura Con! We had a great time at Sakura Con this past weekend! We saw many amazing costumes, sold some socks and had a generally lovely time in Seattle. If you received one of our promotional gift cards, we’d love to hear from you. Feel free to post on our Facebook or Twitter pages how much your gift card was for and what awesome socks you got with it. We look forward to seeing you all in Seattle later this year!!! « Older Entries | Newer Entries »

~ Sock Dreams ~ We offer FREE USPS shipping on all US orders! back to » home » sock journal index RSS feed Sock Journal « Older Entries | Newer Entries » by Brenna April 12th, 2013 Socks For: April! I will admit that I’m a little partial to April’s symbols, but for good reason—it’s my birth month! Sparkling diamonds, pretty little sweet peas, daisies, and Aries, April has got a pretty good batch. Diamonds are, according to popular song, a girl’s best friend, but they’re also clear so they’re not easily represented via sock. If only there was a pattern or something that was diamond-y . . . • Diamond Jester Knee Highs • • Dreamer Harlequin Diamond OTKs • • Harlequin Diamond & Stripe Tights • Right! “Diamond” is a pattern/texture you can check off in our Advanced Search. It’s a gorgeous, simple pattern that goes with everything, kind of like the gemstone, even. Top row, from left: Diamants Lace Topped Knee High, Sheer Pattern Knee High, Vienna Trouser Socks. Bottom row, from left: Sheer Pattern Crew, Five Toed Sheer Knee High, B.Ella Gigia Microfiber Crew. Sweet peas are pretty little pastel flowers. They have a distinct shape and don’t seem to be a popular choice to decorate socks with. Daisies too! Other than the flowers the Sock It To Me Elephants are holding, there isn’t single daisy on the socks we currently carry. I suppose I’ll just have to make my own. Let’s see, we need some solid white styles for the outside and some solid yellow for the middle: Clockwise from top: Bobby Socklings, Ribbed M Stockings, Socklings, Opaque Thigh High with Bows, Taller Tabis, Harajuku Arm Warmers. Center: Arm Warmer w/Thumb. Did you know the daisy is a compound flower? Each petal and each cluster of yellow in the middle is an individual flower. Nature! So crazy and awesome. The constellation that makes up most of April is Aries, the ram. I know the ram is kind of like, this noble symbol, but even the most dignified ram is still as fluffy as the sheep on the Sleepy Sheep bedsocks (though I’m sure the facial expression would be more stern). Sheep provide a lot of wonderful wool, with merino being a popular choice when luxurious softness is sought. We have a nice selection of merino styles to pamper your toes, but here are a couple that I consider the fluffiest, thanks to the amazing combo of soft wool and boucle yarn: • B.Ella Katy Striped Wool Socks • • Alpino Merino Mousse Crew • • Franco Wool Boucle Stripe Midcalf • April! Fluffy flowers, sparkling sheep! Spring all of its wackiness in full force. by Brenna April 5th, 2013 Gumball Poodle: Dress vs. Athletic Ever popular, Gumball Poodle’s made in the USA “word socks” are a fun way to label and proclaim. We’ve totally done a style spotlight on them before, but with the introduction of their crew style, they’ve now got three great ways to say it with socks. Wait, three?! That’s right, all the Gumball Poodle knee highs aren’t created equal and there are two distinctly different ways you can wear a word. One style Gumball Poodle calls “dress socks.” You can spot ‘em by their contrast heel and toe. Smooth textured and thin enough for snugger shoes, they’re perfect at hiding under office slacks, looking like a plain dress sock at the ankle while secretly being like, a ninja. The other style is called an “athletic sock.” True to its name, this style is rugged and ready for anything. A terry lined foot cushions and absorbs—in the copy for the athletic styles we even say “Keep in mind that they are SO cushy they bring your shoe size up by half a size, so they’re best for roomier sneaks and boots.” Their lightly ribbed body is a pro at staying up, they’re no sissies. Beyond just style, the differences between the dress and athletic socks affect the fit. The dress socks don’t stay up as well on some legs as the athletic socks and there is no way the athletic socks are fitting into snug dress shoes. But with over forty words and phrases to choose from we know you’ll find a fit that strikes your fancy and says exactly what you mean. be the! » by Brenna March 15th, 2013 Socks For: March! Folks say that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, and maybe that’s why it has two birthstones, Aquamarine and Bloodstone. The daffodil and Pisces round out the other symbols for March. The aptly named “water of the sea” Aquamarine is turquoise beryl (its deeper green cousins are emeralds!). Now, we’ve got a lot of things that are turquoise, it’s a very popular colour (although, I will confess, it’s a real bear to colour correct!) Clockwise from top: Opaque Solid Nylon Trouser Socks, Nuova Baby Ribbed Wool Socks, Harajuku Arm Warmer, Classic ToeToe Socks, Harajuku Scrunchy Socks, Layered Tulle Petticoat. But March gets two birthstones! The second is Bloodstone, also known as Heliotrope, even though it is totally a different colour than the Heliotrope flower. Deep, dark green with flecks of red, it’s sort of the perfect counterpoint to the clear blues of Aquamarine. Green and red don’t appear together on socks very often, but I think we can capture the ideals of Bloodstone pretty easily. • Dreamy Striped Tubes • • New Zealand Bedsocks with Stripes • • N Stripes • I always forget that March’s flower, the Daffodil, is properly called the Narcissus. Frilly and yellow and already flowering in my yard, they’re harbingers of spring, reminding us that sun is around the corner. I was a little worried about picking styles to represent these flowers. Yellow, despite the recent popularity of mustard as a colour, isn’t a common shade of sock, but lo and behold I found a couple of shots where we used the Narcissus to bring out the best of lemony shades! • White Knees • • Sock It To Me Bumble Bees • • Vertically Inclined Knee Highs • Properly following February’s Aquarius sign, March’s constellation is mostly Pisces, symbolised by two fish. And we’ve got two-by-two options for you, both straight up fish: • Sock It To Me Koi Fish • • Mouthy Fish 3-D Socks • And more symbolic scales (maybe your feet are the fish!): • Lola Knee High • • Mermaid Armor Over the Knee • March marches on, bringing us the start of spring and sneak peeks of sunshine. Are you a March birthday? Do you pick Aquamarine or Bloodstone? « Older Entries | Newer Entries »

The Splitweet support email receives every day a lot of comments, suggestions, good words (and bad ones) from registered and not yet registered users. From people who don't know how to browse the page to experts who suggest brilliant ideas. What I want to show here is the list of the most (not necessarily the nicer) requested features that I've found in the inbox several times, so users say... I want... - To filter following tweets by account - A desktop application like Tweetdeck - A translation in my speaking language - An application for my iPhone - An application for Blackberry (the word Storm was heard a lot) - TinyURL, is.gd, xortr.com and similar link integration - Exclude my own tweets from the brands' mentions - To pick the color associated to each account - An application for Windows Mobile - Search box for users - To see new following users - To schedule tweets - To show nested conversations (and other similar stuff) - A Firefox sidebar - To post via SMS We won't do everything on the list, at least in short. I want to remark that we are not a company and that we do all this in our spare time, so the development is slow. And, NO we can't promise you a specific date. We do our best, and we are also open to anyone who might help us, specially in the Adobe AIR development, firefox plugin development and translations. The first 3 points in the list are started :) We also did a lot of stuff based on this kind of comments, just to put ten: - Enable/disable sound preference - Show complete name or username preference - Disable autoupdates preference - Redesign of the site - Retweet messages - Reply messages - Check the last used account so you can post several times using the same selection - Stop reloading page if there are new tweets and you are writing something - Add to favorites and the favorites page - Warn the user by javascript if no account is selected And of course Splitweet is now in 11 languages... I'm dying for a desktop version for OS X, or a pop out version of some sort that makes it easier to leave Splitweet running in the background. Any idea what the ETA is on something like that? Keep up the good work guys. We all appreciate the work you're doing to provide this free service! A desktop version that runs on OS X 10.4 & doesn't require AdobeAir! My biggest frustration is being taken back to the dashboard after I reply to a comment from my brands or replies list. I'd like to be returned to the page I reply from. Also, why the three page limit on followed tweets? Overall great job. I appreciate your efforts. Hi Bob, there is no 3 pages limit, but there is an algorithm that mixes all the followed accounts in a given date. Probably one account of yours has reached the last tweet and the others stop working, I should look at it. While reading this i was browsing splitweet.com/page/7 ... Thank you :) Click tracking and tweet scheduling. those are two features that another service has, but I still prefer the splitweet interface, so I haven't switched away yet. I'll second the tinyurl integration and some type of follower management. Those all might be "pro" features worth paying for too. Being able to create groups for different types of accounts would be nice Also to toggle which accounts to tweet to. (Select all, etc.). Some sort of caching would help a little (maybe?), it seems to take a long time to move from tab to tab within the app and I think performance is more important than bells and whistles. I don't mind using tinyurl extension for example for FF and just do that manually so long as I dont ahve to wait 10 seconds for the page I requested to load. The client thing is cool but I don't care much for it since I use the 3 major OS' heavily and don't expect an app to work the same in all 3. To simulte an app I would use a single site browser like Fluid or Chrome. But thats just my $.02. Thanks for putting this out anyway, you guys are doing awesome. Hey Oscar, There is caching right now, but probably expires before you click again. Think that users want to see FRESH content, that makes us to cache for 90 seconds or so. If you have a lot of accounts then you have to wait for all the background twitter calls to create the dashboard. We could make the web fly, but it wouldn't be fresh... You are right that sometimes in some cases the dashboard response is slow... we will have to look for a mid-term. Thanks for your comments, and the sinle site browser is a good idea. :) maybe have the brands show in individual sections : "brand 1" = "box 1" and so on (would make it easier if you have many brands) I'm a brand new user to Splitweet (less than 24 hours) and I LOVE it! I manage 4 Twitter accounts and this has been very helpful to see them all in one place. I'm getting used to the color coding, too. It would really be cool to have the avatar instead of the color, but that's so minor. I like it better than Tweetdeck (which really slows my computer down), but the only thing I miss is the ability to "Group" the people I am following so I can really keep up with certain people and not miss their tweets in all the traffic. Keep up the great work! :-D Carla <!-- /*;} --> I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often. Is there a way for Splitweet to automatically know which account I want to respond from? For example, if I click on a tweet to reply I won't always know which acount they are listed with so how do I know which one to reply from? By now Splitweet remembers your last used account(s). It doesn't matter what are you doing, it just remembers your last selection and assumes you want to reply/retweet/tweet with it. A major feature that would really be useful would be to have the ability to cluster / group selectable twitter accounts together in to a catagory. This way when messages need to be sent out to say just "Europe" twittter accounts then all you would need to do is select that catagory "Europe" and your tweet would be sent to all those twitter user accounts. It can be used in other ways too. This would make life easier than having to select each user from your twitter accounts check box to send tweets out to if you have lots of accounts! N. Number 6 would be great. Integrate a solution to shortening URLs. This forces me back to TweetDeck. For me, the only thing missing from Splitweet is the URL shortening. I prefer tr.im. Thanks for the service and all the work you do. I'd like to be able to block people. At the moment I can follow/unfollow but there doesn't appear to be a block option. Some people who follow me I really don't want showing up on my followers list. Seems like you could kill a few birds with one stone using Adobe Air. Hey i love the site, i use it every day and it's brilliant, so cheers! the only time i switch back to the normal site is when i have to block/remove people. So thanks very much and keep up the great work! for your wonderful service. Most of the time, internet activities consume an unbelievable amount of our time. This service helps to save lots of precious time. Please keep up the good work. Hats off for a geat service, website and keep up the good work. Great site but it'd be even better if brand mentions didn't include your own accounts. It is hard to filter through and find actual mentions if you are managing many accounts that follow each other. Please consider implementing this change soon! Thanks :] Hey whatever language splitweet uses, I will code the "brand mentions shouldn't include one's own tweets" for you, free of charge. I want it so badly :( how can I retweet mssgs from splitweet ?? To retweet click on the "recycle" icon when the mouse is over a tweet. Great site but it'd be even better if brand mentions didn't include your own accounts. It is fast and easy to use. Occasionally I need to schedule tweets, so for that I use another service, but I prefer Splitweet otherwise..

Search « Waiting to Expel | Main | More 911 Madness » other Clear Channel stations. Sayeth the website:. Except for the line about "big name personalities" (I mean, who are they supposed to be pining for? Dick Clark? Alan Freed?) it's not bad, huh? The station was outed by someone at WOXY, who looked up the Radio Free domain name and saw that it was owned by Clear Channel in San Antonio. I supposed this isn't all that surprising coming from the company that pioneered the art of making generic, nationally produced newscasts sound as if they're local. Still, it's hard to believe that upper management would have their heads so far up their asses as to think this is a good idea. Chances are they plan on using this "guerilla" marketing to convert one of their stations to a new "alternative" or liberal talk format, but all it's really going to do is piss people off. Anyway, I think of all this as good news: Clear Channel is so desperate to defend its turf that it'll even try joining the chorus of critics. (Thanks, Sarah Riegel!) Update: The RadioFreeOhio website is now just radio silence; nothing but a launch date and a promise of "revolution." But we've posted some text from the site here. Update 5/30/05: Clear Channel acknowledges stunt. See this followup post. Posted by carrie on 05/25/2005 | Permalink bash-2.05b$ dnsqr a radiofreeohio.org 1 radiofreeohio.org: 51 bytes, 1+1+0+0 records, response, noerror query: 1 radiofreeohio.org answer: radiofreeohio.org 86400 A 207.230.150.254 bash-2.05b$ whois 207.230.150.254 OrgName: Clear Channel Communications OrgID: CCC-111 Address: Clear Channel Worldwide Address: 20880 Stone Oak Parkway City: San Antonio StateProv: TX Country: US NetRange: 207.230.128.0 - 207.230.159.255 CIDR: 207.230.128.0/19 NetName: NSNS NetHandle: NET-207-230-128-0-1 Parent: NET-207-0-0-0-0 NetType: Direct Allocation NameServer: NS1.CLEARCHANNEL.COM NameServer: NS2.CLEARCHANNEL.COM Comment: ADDRESSES WITHIN THIS BLOCK ARE NON-PORTABLE RegDate: 1996-11-19 Updated: 2005-03-31 OrgTechHandle: MOORE7-ARIN OrgTechName: Moore, Rick OrgTechPhone: +1-210-253-5000 OrgTechEmail: [email protected] # ARIN WHOIS database, last updated 2005-05-25 19:10 # Enter ? for additional hints on searching ARIN's WHOIS database. Posted by: xx | May 26, 2005 6:30:00 AM It won't piss people off. Once they begin regular broadcasts nobody will remember. Posted by: aabbaabb | May 26, 2005 8:57:34 AM Ladies and gentlemen, that is what we in the broadcast industry call a "radio stunt". Posted by: ThatGuy | May 26, 2005 9:22:04 AM It's ironic that fans of WOXY, a truly independent and innovative station was the first to discover that ClearChannel was trying to be hip and cool... Posted by: Bryan-Mitchell Young | May 26, 2005 10:11:44 AM They had a message board up. First people were calling them commies, then when they got outed people were posting angry responses. Sometime this morning (between 7:30 and 10:30 EST) they pulled the plug on the message board--I'm getting a 404. Posted by: mj | May 26, 2005 10:33:39 AM Aha!!! Another radio clone trying to bring people to the darkside. Posted by: lothlorien | May 26, 2005 10:37:24 AM Check your facts more carefully. WNIR is not a Clear Channel radio station. We're independently owned and proud of it, and we have nothing to do with the Radio Free Ohio fiasco. Posted by: wnir | May 26, 2005 11:35:27 AM lol, the website is changed now, it says nothing but wait til the 31st, anyone have it cached or archived? archive.org and google and yahoo cache dont have it Posted by: comsn d | May 26, 2005 11:44:37 AM Wait. When folks are claiming that this is "bleeding" into other broadcasts, do they mean that WNIR's signal has actually been interfered with by this operation? Or is it that this operation bought time on WNIR, (and was presumably given it by Clear Channel stations in the area).? Posted by: MB | May 26, 2005 12:05:10 PM Well if I WAS going to make a truly pirate radio station, I wouldn't use my real identity in the DNS information of its website. It might even be a cute prank to enter the ownership details of the company I was lampooning... Now FCC frequency license records, that would be a better indicator of who is what. -PHiZ Posted by: PHiZ | May 26, 2005 1:21:57 PM Everytime I have to drive past their offices (my in laws live in Stone Oak) I contemplate how awful life was before satellite radio. Then I realise radio isn't that great. Then I cry on the inside. Awhile ago San Antonio had hearings against clear channel's business here... I don't know what became of those.. What was i saying? Posted by: MeltMan | May 26, 2005 2:32:27 PM I live in Ohio, and the "big name personalit[y]" I miss is Billy Ray Vulgar. Not that any of you know who he was, or care. But I miss him. Oh, yeah, Clear Channel sucks. I'm not being sarcastic. Posted by: mammon | May 26, 2005 4:33:08 PM Not to be pimping for WOXY, but over in the thread I linked to before they found that the message board is still up, you just can't get to it from the main page. You can still post though. Some of us are having fun taunting them and seeing how long it will be before they delete those posts too. Posted by: Bryan-Mitchell Young | May 26, 2005 6:31:28 PM Pimp away, BMY! The sleuthing at WOXY has been great. Posted by: Charles Star | May 26, 2005 7:02:47 PM Come now, my little anarchists. This sort of thing goes on all the time. It's not even a new tactic on the airwaves. They've been doing this in Houston and other markets, having their top 40 station trash-talk their Alternative station and vice-versa. It's a practice as old as corporate convergence itself. Most people honestly never catch on. Maybe it's news that CC blew it by registering the domain in their own name, but they'll learn. They'll create a wholly-owned subsidiary with a grassroots-sounding name to do this sort of thing from now on. Then only the people with enough snap to look into the backgrounds of the companies will ever know -- and only then because they're probably investing. Oh, and as for faking the DNS registration -- that'd have to be a thorough hack. The NS records point inside the Clear Channel domain, so even if all the contact info is bogus, Clear Channel's own DNS servers are authoritative for this. Still think it's an outside job? Meanwhile, look who's generating the publicity on behalf of Clear Channel. Brilliant! Posted by: johnnyb | May 26, 2005 7:57:47 PM Meanwhile, look who's generating the publicity on behalf of Clear Channel. oh, yeah, Clear Channel is just loving the publicity; that's why they took the website down IMMEDIATELY. Give me a break! Posted by: Carrie McLaren | May 26, 2005 9:44:58 PM Poor Radio Free Ohio. Y'all should quit pickin' on the poor fellows. In fact, I'll even give 'em some of my hard-earned cash so that they can continue the good fight:. Posted by: Greyscribe | May 26, 2005 9:49:04 PM Most, if not all, of the stations insulted by that site are not Clear Channel owned. Posted by: Matt | May 27, 2005 6:53:54 AM They're bright enough to leave "Clear Channel Worldwide" on their Error page: Posted by: James | May 27, 2005 8:26:06 PM clear channel needs publicity like coca-cola and mcdonalds need publicity. Posted by: andrew | May 27, 2005 9:14:02 PM only station i listen to is infinaty broadcasting....but to hell with clear channel.... anyways couldnt they kinda be called a monopoly (which is illegal for those who dont kno)? Posted by: greg | May 28, 2005 4:18:56 PM I e-mailed the clear channel tech guy listed in the dns info and he e-mailed me back telling me to go to the clear channel website. e-mail him back again saying well radio free ohio isn't listed as a clear channel channel on that site what is the connection with clear channel. he hasn't responded to that. e-mailed the radio free dudes and they never returned the e-mail. the first thing that occured to me about the station was that this was some kids setting up a pirate station and then using clear channel's specs for their dns entry to hide themselves. however all evidence points to the contrary. peace, a Posted by: andrew | May 29, 2005 11:54:28 AM Radio sucks. Music sucks. Here in the DC market DC101 is on the verge of becoming a classic rock station; they've played House of Pain (Jump Around) at least 3x a day during the afternoons lately. Not to mention the inmitable Pearl Jam (why won't they die? Who does Eddie Vedder have pix of to blackmail?). The reason for this is simple: there's no new music being produced that anyone will listen to (but what about mash-ups? Hah.) The interesting thing with CC in this instance is the notion of the "pirate" station "bleeding" onto other stations. A CLEAR AND SERIOUS FCC VIOLATION. Their license can and will be pulled immediately if any evidence exists as to this. Anyone have a tape of these "pirates". Why not post a .wav file on some blogs, file a complaint with the FCC for frequency infringement, and finally put a rock in the eye of this 10-headed CC monster? The bigger they are, the harder they fall.... Posted by: Recovering Music Listener | May 30, 2005 11:24:56 AM Here's an idea--turn off the radio, get yourself an instrument, pick up a pen, and make your own music. Let's make art and music an activity again instead of a commodity that we are dependent on others to supply to us. It will be more meaningful to you because it's your personal expression. Then get together with your friends and show them what you did, and hear and see what they did. We don't need this pre-fab junk which is just a platform for advertisers anyway. We need to express ourselves. Then all these creeps will have no advertising revenue, and their huge empire will collapse. Anything not based on quality collapses eventually. Posted by: SH | May 30, 2005 12:13:05 PM This is kind of like McDonalds opening up a health food restaurant and imploring people not to poison themselves on the crap at those golden-arched fast-food joints. Keep up the good work. Posted by: Mark | May 31, 2005 5:49:51 AM For the Activists: Also, to your list of people to complain to, please add Robert Levine of the New York Times, who reported the story yesterday. Actually, add his editor, who's job it is to pitch stories and hype them up so they get space and don't end up running on a HOLIDAY. Let Levine and his editor know that they did a shoddy job of reporting what could have led to a discussion of important issues (such as Low Power FM, lack of local voices, the fact that CC could just pop up another station, but a real local broadcaster would have much more difficulty), that you are complaining to OTHER people, and that this "prank" as he called it, has not been laughed off by everyone. (From a journalist, this is how to make it 'newsworthy.') You have to send these things soon, though. A newsroom has no memory until it's necessary. Posted by: Jennifer | May 31, 2005 5:48:24 PM I'm in the delivery business in Austin TX, so I spend a lot of hours driving around while listening to the radio. So, last fall I noticed the dramatic format change on three FM stations I surf among on a daily basis. Overnight all three changed: 102.3 and 105.9 (Clear Channel) and 103.5 (Sinclair Broadcasting). Out went the "oldies" format that even went back to the 1950s when Rock n' Roll began, to be replaced with what all three stations started promoting as "old songs mixed with contemporary ones." Hmmm, this should be interesting, I thought. Then, I noticed something strange. All three statiions, as an example of contemporary R/R music started promoting ?Los Lonely Boys? ?"How far is Heaven?" (not certain if I've got this right, but you probably know the song). Pretty good song. No problem, right? But then I began to wonder about all the Christian Rock songs that started showing up, especially on Clear Channel's FM 102.3. Oh, I get it. Under the old format of "oldies," the Religious Reich couldn't get their religious fundamentalist rock played over the publicly-owned airwaves,...so they dumped the old format. But I think the plot even goes deeper. Certain classic R/R songs from the past use religious terms in their lyrics. For example, the Doobie Brothers and "Jesus is just alright with me." Great song. But the DB's had other great songs, too. So why does this seem to be the only DB song that Clear Channel plays? You do see where this is leading, don't you? Lowery Mays (Clear Channel) and Bob Sinclair (Sinclair Broadcasting) put their heads together, I believe, and decided to use their network of radio stations to Proselytize over the airwaves. Christian Rock is essentially a niche market, but da boys at CC and SB wanted to share their right-wing faith with everyone. I noticed what they are doing, and I'm not at all interested in being proselytized by some religious nuts, especially two guys who pulled a "sneaky" on everyone. Even though they don't play continuous contemporary Christian Rock, I now find myself carefully listening to the lyrics of any song I've never heard before...then I change the radio channel if I start hearing certain religious fundamentalist lyrics. However, I think it is time I looked into XM Radio or Sirius Satellite. This way I can listen to R/R hits without having to wonder if that Christian Rock crap is intermixed. Hopefully. And the funny thing is, I'm a Christian, but not one of May's or Sinclair's types of Christians. Hey, I'm liberal and a child of the 60s. Posted by: The Oracle | Jun 1, 2005 4:27:36 AM? Posted by: Ritabert | Jun 1, 2005 8:26:36 AM For anybody who takes all this stuff seriously: Get a life! Posted by: Neil | Jun 2, 2005 1:23:43 PM Love music country the gretested Posted by: David Stevenson | Jun 3, 2005 6:16:06 AM Why not take it seriously? Many of the things being discussed happen to deal with the fact that CC is taking the capitalist system and raming it up our... so i cant see how not taking a selfserving prank to promote yourself to eliminate other grassroots radio stations, thereby allowing a corporate monopoly to exsist, is unimportant. And you are obviously taking it seriously to take the time to comment/read/ whatever. Posted by: alan | Jun 4, 2005 6:31:51 PM ?" dude, it's fucking florida. I lived in Orlando for 7 years. The latin ratio is huge. of course their going to do this. it's money. peace, a Posted by: andrew | Jun 7, 2005 12:07:06 PM The comments to this entry are closed.

Paradise? Trip Start Sep 12, 2007 1 44 48Trip End Feb 25, 2007 Map your own trip! Map Options Show trip route Hide lines I arrived at Rarotonga airport at 2am, January 30th, having left Auckland at 9pm the same day. This was all due to the crossing of the international date line, meaning all the hours lost due to time changes as I've moved around the world were given to me in one go, so now instead of being in front of time in the UK, I'm now way behind! Interesting to have the same day twice- although I think I'll time it for my birthday in the future! The first thing you notice about the Cook Islands is how quiet it is. The Islands have a population of 18,000 and spread out over 15 tiny islands spread out over an area the size of Western Europe and the pace of life is positively sedate. I am staying on the largest of these islands, Rarotonga,- a volcanic island surrounded by an atoll reef. The vast majority of my time here has been spent at the beaches of this reef, occasionally snorkeling, bust mostly reading and sunning myself, getting the last bit of sun on my trip before I head to the winter of the Northern Hemisphere and my final leg across the United States. I've also hired out a moped for the week, allowing me to navigate my way around the orbital main road of the island and take in the many different villages en route. I've been into town a couple of times, but the nightlife is as quiet as the rest of the island life, and all is closed by 12 most nights! The people here are incredibly friendly, as it is nowhere near as developed for tourists as other pacific islands such as Fiji, making tourists more of a novelty than a commodity. Overall, it's been a fantastic place to recharge my batteries from the frantic pace at which I traveled New Zealand before I take in the equally frantic cities of San Francisco, Las Vegas and New York before my final flight home, now quite clearly on the horizon! Roratonga I visited Roratonga in Nov. 1991 for a week. Your description sounds much like mine would have. I signed up for everything they offered and loved it. The Cultural Center, History Trip around the island, scuba dived the wreck, flew to the northern island of A......., rented a car and drove it on every inch of the island, bicycled to the Falls. It is still one of my favorite island memories. AND THE PEOPLE WERE WONDERFUL, FRIENDLY AND HELPFUL. One of the dancers from the 'show' picked me up and gave me a ride to the airport. A great peaceful place to visit. L.

Going Coastal... Trip Start May 22, 2010 1 3 17Trip End Jun 28, 2010 Map your own trip! Map Options Show trip route Hide lines But as I slowly defrosed and took in the quiet Carpinteria morning, I realised that it had been a great idea after all. The greyish-pink quality of the light at dawn and the crispness of the air really made me feel alive. The waves shushed against the shore as we crossed a lone train track to reach the cliff overlooking the ocean. Beaches in this part of California are like no beaches I have ever seen. The sand has an almost coffee colour to it, and they are much rockier than I had imagined A flock of pelicans glided by, caught in an updraft. Shane thought they were dirty - their feathers weren't the usual gleaming white we are used to. Later after a quick breakfast of cereal and yoghurt (Mel was game enough to try the powdered-egg omeletes) we jumped back in the tank for the four hundred mile trip from Carpinteria to San Francisco. The plan was to take Highway One, a road we had been told was a lovely scenic trip. Somehow the descriptions that friends had given us of this road had not done it justice. Not even slightly. I'd been told that travelling from LA to San Francisco would feel like travelling to another country. What I hadn't planned on was the feeling of travelling through many on the road between the two cities. The trip began as the urban sprawl gave way to farming land - acres and acres of crops like a patchwork across the ground, with the mountains in the background framing the picture. This gave way to fields of swaying green-gold grass, as we hit Highway One and the coast came into view once more. Even the coast seemed changed; fantastic craggy rock formations pierced the surface of the ocean like an old man's teeth. We made our first stop at the Hearst Family State Park. The wind hadn't let up - if anything it had gotten stronger, whipping my hair into my face as we tried to pose for photos on the jetty. It was here we discovered the answer to the dirty pelicans - they're a whole different species - the Brown Pelican. Zipping across the highway we made a little detour to Hearst Castle - the home of WR Hearst, a media magnate from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His Castle and grounds are said to be breathtaking in their magnificence. Unfortunately, we hadn't pre-booked a tour, and in the typical control-freak style of the American's, no one can access the castle or the grounds unless they are on a tour. The wait for an available tour would have made us so terribly late into San Fran that we were forced to leave empty handed. The disappointment didn't last long, however, when we stumbled across the next stop on the highway - a viewing area for Elephant Seals who sun themselves on the beach. And before we even got near the seals I was fully distracted by another form of wildlife - a squirrel, begging for food. I desperately wanted to feed it, but the signs forbade it, and I had nothing to give in any case. The seals were enormous, rolling about in the sand and flicking it over themselves while using as little energy as possible. The only real action we saw was when two larger ones started grunting and throwing themselves at each other - an obvious show of dominance. What really left me speechless was the sheer numbr of seals on the beach - it seemed like almost every available bit of sand was taken up with at least one of the enormous creatures After there the road really started to take some serious twists and turns, narrowing and winding around the steep cliffs overhanging the ocean. Bede was a very careful driver, taking the road slow and steady like the tortoise. Unlike Shane, the hare, who seemed to prefer to leave the car to pick its own speed, and at times I was clinging to the seat for dear life. He'll insist I was overreacting, but I'm sure I tasted my heart in my mouth at least once. It seemed like every time we came around a bend we were gasping at the new beauty of the scenery. It never stopped being amazing how each turn revealed a sheer drop towards aqua ocean, cliffs covered with pine trees or enormous misshapen rocks. We stopped for lunch at a little cafe very high above the ocean. As suspected the meals were enormous, but delicious. I think Man and Food might be even - the cool, salty air must have boosted Shane's appetite. We weren't entirely through the windy part, but the road curved away from the ocean, and the landscape changed again. Forest suddenly soared up on either side of us, forming a break from the icy coastal wind, and overshadowing the road. We had entered Big Sur. One thing I was dying to see was a Giant Sequoia - a Redwood. They are the tallest trees in the world, and only found in this part of the United States. While the best ones are hanging out with Yogi Bear at Yellowstone, according to the slightly creepy park attendant at Big Sur "there are some lovely specimens right here". Of course, I think his slightly confused tone of voice was in response to Shane's ambiguous and uber bogan greeting: "g'day mate, we wanna see some big trees". It's been Shane's goal to try and work up to using an Australian colloquialism like "flat out like a lizard drinking" or "dry as a dead dingo's donger" in a conversation with an American. He's not quite worked up the courage, but I think he's on his way. The "specimens" we saw in the park weren't quite the giant ones, but they were still enormous and magnificent. Mel and I were like tiny munchkins trying in vain to get out arms all the way around one. Mel is used to being a munchkin, but it's not something I've ever really felt before.. Further into the park, we came across a little rocky stream. There was no question about whether I was taking a paddle or not. Icy cold outside it may have been, but that water was getting on my feet in one way or another. The trees allowed a dappled light to penetrate and sparkle off the water (a bit like vampire skin, really). The water WAS freezing, but my feet were numb so quickly that I didn't mind. I waded around for about ten minutes with the boys. Mel decided her feet would stay dry, but she did find some tiny golden specks in the wet sand. Gold was a big contributor to the settlement of California, and so the specks could well have been tiny pieces of real gold. We dried off and kept moving, still having a couple of hours until we would reach out accommodation in San Francisco. The road met up with the 101, and we were flying once more. My first glimpse of the San Francisco I recognise was the steep rows of houses as the freeway closed in on the suburbs surrounding the city proper Shane's first impression of San Fran was; "It's like Melbourne - it's cold, there're trams and lots of beggars". And he's quite right. In walking one block from the car to the hotel I was accosted by three different beggars - one cradling a scruffy looking dog with a sign against her knees reading "Please help us get out of the cold". It was almost heartbreaking. It's definitely not a sleeping city though - it's almost midnight on a Sunday night as I write this and I can hear the street car (tram) clanging it's bell outside my hotel window. I'm looking forward to riding one of them tomorrow. Our hotel is 'boutique' and had maintained an Art Deco charm. The features are very close to original, and the corridors are long and confusingly laid out, almost to the point where I'm starting to wonder if I turn a corner whether a pair of twins will appear asking me to come play with them...forever and ever and ever... But horror movie scenery aside, it's a stunning hotel, and definitely more unique than any modern behemoth. Tomorrow we plan on hiring some bikes and taking a bit of a ride through the city. Maybe we'll catch the trolley car to the top of a hill and coast down... I'm really enjoying the read each evening. Loving your blogs :) Ha, you should be a travel writer. Love the descriptions. Too bad it's still so cold though... You better have given the dog some food sis ! You better have given the dog some food sis ! You better have given the dog some food sis ! You better have given the dog some food sis ! You better have given the dog some food sis !

Fredericksburg, Texas White House, plus a Surprise Trip Start Unknown 1 31 66Trip End Ongoing Map your own trip! Map Options Show trip route Hide lines Where I stayed -Lyndon B. Johnson Wednesday's field trips were in the Hill Country. First stop: Fredericksburg, a town with much German influence, where we started with the Pacific War Museum. Most of us did a cursory walk-through but retired history professor Jack, of our group of friends, wanted to see (and read) it all! We walked, without Jack who was still in the museum, along Main Street checking out a few shops and even tasting some local wines. We decided to eat at Wheeler's Restaurant. John had German sausage which he said was OK, not great. I had a Reuben sandwich which was quite good. The six of us split up after lunch. John and I checked out Rustlin' Robs where there was a huge variety of salsas and sauces to taste. John discovered some hot ones! We shared a German sweet pretzel from the bakery---very nice. The coach picked us up at 2 and we were headed to the LBJ complex. The first stop was the Visitor Center where we viewed a film partly narrated by LBJ himself. We had a little while to browse the exhibits and gift shop. Our driver, Michael, then drove us around the ranch while we listened to an audio narration. We saw many cows ---with branded horns. There were a number of deer grazing as well. We toured the Texas White House where there were park rangers in some of the rooms to relate stories about LBJ and Lady Bird. The last bus stop was the cemetery where the former president and first lady are buried. After leaving the ranch, Michael took us on some very curvy roads to Luckenbach, which was a surprise as it was not on our itinerary. While we still didn't know where we were headed, Christina and Della played the Waylon Jennings song "Luckenbach, Texas" and then told us we would stop there for a cold one. As long-time country music fans, both John and I just had to get Tshirts and he chose a visor, too. It was a fun stop and a cool surprise! And, you know, "Everybody is somebody in Luckenbach!" Click on the youtube link to hear the song. Just X out the advertising at the beginning. Then we were "on the road again" to Waring and realized that these were the REALLY curvy roads! When we arrived at the Waring General Store, Bret Michael's tour bus was parked there. I took a picture for my daughter who was a big fan at one time. It was "steak night" and we ate outdoors on picnic tables. There was salad with Texas ranch dressing---spicy, chalupas, quesadillas, mashed potatoes, rolls and of course, steak! Not the best but OK. We had beer with our meals---definitely not a bad thing. There was live music but NOT country---go figure! (OMG, I just this minute had a revelation! It was likely Bret Michaels playing!) I was hoping to get John to dance but there wasn't even a dance floor! We returned to the hotel about 8:30, pretty tired after another long, busy and fun day!

It is my honor to introduce Lawrence De Voe as Yammer October Customer of the Month. As Chief Technology Catalyst at Initiative, Lawrence embodies the progressive technologist who understands that the role of IT is to make the organization more adaptable and innovative through the use of technology. Apart from being a visionary, Lawrence is a valuable member of the Yammer customer community and a respected voice in the industry. Here’s Lawrence’s experience in his own words: When I joined Initiative, one of the first things I did was sit down with our CEO to discuss the state of the business and how we were using technology. We talked at length about the business strategy and what we needed to do with technology to further it. The clearest single message coming out of that meeting was that our business leaders around the world (we have offices in over 70 countries) found collaboration hard, and had very little visibility into what was happening in other parts of the network. We had an Intranet, but it was over engineered, widely disliked, out of date and difficult to use. Over the next month I had my team identify and evaluate the key problems with the existing Intranet while I thought about the gaps between what it was and what the agency actually needed. Coming out of this assessment we had a problem – fixing the existing known problems with the Intranet was going to cost a lot, and even then we would be left with a system that didn’t align very well with the actual needs of the organization. I met again with the CEO, and proposed that we take the opportunity to try something different – a simpler and more social Intranet that would empower users across the network to collaborate and communicate in real time. He loved the idea, and after a few weeks of looking at different ways to accomplish this we decided to pilot Yammer. The initial pilot user group was 10 users who were supposed to report back on what they thought at the end of 3 weeks. Instead, they invited their co-workers and at the end of 3 weeks we had 400 users signed up and actively using the toolset. People were emailing the CEO telling him how much they loved Yammer, and emailing me asking how they could get involved. We quickly moved from pilot mode to full on deployment planning, and now have 7500 people from 4 agency groups in our Yammer network. each of our networks has its own character from our Initiative network which is a pure Yammer network, to our UM network where Yammer is embedded in SharePoint. We also have numerous self-service external networks for clients and business partners being set up all the time. My favorite thing about Yammer is that it’s so empowering to our users. It’s let my team get out of routine provisioning discussions to focus on higher value activities. And here’s a little more about Lawrence: Thank you, Lawrence, for your vision and commitment to making Yammer successful at Initiative.!

Shannon, from the Zazzle Store wasootch, was kind enough to sit down and answer some questions about her hobbies and some great tips for new sellers. Check out the interview below and don’t forget to check out her store wasootch! About: Why is the store named Wasootch? Well, it’s the name of a picnic area in Kananaskis Country, Canada and we’ve always found it to be quite a fun sounding word. Then, we looked up the meaning and found it is a Stoney Indian word meaning “unique”. We thought that had a nice ring to it. Finally, we started off with our cartoon Bigfoot products and thought that perhaps a Bigfoot type animal might be appropriately named a Wasootch. Lately we’ve been creating more wedding related designs, many of which we try to put some “uniqueness” into. Zazzle: When and how did you first become interested in art? How long have you been making art? Shannon: I’ve always been interested in art, even as a small child. Back then, I really liked cartoon art and would draw a lot of cute little characters. In elementary school, I enjoyed arts and crafts class the most out of all my classes. Once I reached high school, I made sure to fit many art and visual communication classes into my schedule. I actually thought I might become an animator professionally. Of course, thinking I couldn’t really make a living off of being an artist, I actually didn’t end up pursuing it as a career. I took Electronics and ended up in the computer industry for a quite a while. It was through this that I started doing web development, and the graphic design that went along with that. Eventually, it is this that led me to Zazzle, as it has always been the design work that I really enjoyed, rather than the web programming. Zazzle: When you’re not creating art, what are your other hobbies? Shannon: I have always loved trying all sorts of new things. Right now, I enjoy hiking, traveling, running, and reading. I’m also attempting to learn Spanish and I’m finding it quite challenging. Lately Zazzle keeps me quite busy. I might have to put more time aside for other interests! Zazzle: What is your favorite Zazzle feature? How do you use it? Shannon: This is a tough one, as I really like a lot of Zazzle features. As just one example, I like how easy it is to take an rss feed of any of the products from Zazzle and post them on a web page anywhere or import them into a database to be used on a web page. I’m currently working on creating a site on my own domain, so I will be using this feature a lot. Also, Zazzle store builder and many of the other promotional tools really help sellers get the word out as well. It’s really quite easy to post Zazzle products onto blogs and social networking sites using the tools available on the product pages. Zazzle: Do you have any fun stories about being a seller on Zazzle? Shannon: I would say the most fun I have is interacting with my customers when they have contacted me through my store on Zazzle. I’ve heard from customers all around the world and I’ve gotten to know some of them fairly well. Another fun part of being a seller on Zazzle is getting to tell people I often “make money when I’m sleeping”. Not many jobs where you can make that claim! Zazzle: What got you interested in selling your art on Zazzle? Shannon: Random luck I suppose. I was looking into ways people use the Internet to make money and found the print on demand world. I thought it might be fun to give it a try, as I felt it could be a good way to motivate me to learn Illustrator and Photoshop better and do something different in terms of design. It was really just an experiment. It has been fun for sure! I never actually thought I could make a living off of it, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised. Zazzle: What tips can you give someone who is just starting out on Zazzle? Shannon: This is a tough question, as everyone has their own goals with their Zazzle stores. One thing I will say is that it is not a get rich quick scheme. It takes a lot of work and you need to put in the effort to get results. I’ll also say that, contrary to popular belief, success does not lie in putting up huge quantities of products. Wasootch was getting good sales without having very many products up. It is better to think about what designs you are putting up right from the beginning. There is a lot of competition out there. You need to think about how you can fill what a customer might need or want. Think: Is there a niche market that is not well represented in the Zazzle marketplace and elsewhere that you may be able to tune into? You can get sales without doing much promotion, but it is important to have good titles, descriptions, and tags. Even the names of your images should be considered. I see many people use titles like “Whimsical Dream”. Well, that is a pretty and artistic title, but it’s not great in terms of helping people find your product. Titles that use design descriptive keywords work much better, like “Cute boy and dog walking in park customizable poster”. Also, creating designs that fit the products properly is important in my opinion. A bumper sticker design should fill the full size of the bumper sticker. A round sticker should have a design that works with that shape properly. Finally, adding template text is a good idea. What makes Zazzle special is the ability customers have to customize the products with their own names or text or pictures. Showing them samples of what they can do doesn’t hurt at all. That is something I wish I had learned earlier. I made a lot of products that weren’t really customizable. When customers are buying a shirt or invitation or whatever off of Zazzle, I suspect they want to add their own personal touch. Thanks Shannon! September 3, 2010 at 4:55 am | Congratulations on your feature, Shannon! I am pleased to read that you came full circle and are right where you deserve to be, creating beautiful art. Your designs are beautiful and many a bride has had her special day enriched with your creative designs. Have a great weekend. September 3, 2010 at 10:13 am | WTG Wasootch ! No-one is more deserving of this recognition ! September 3, 2010 at 4:23 pm | Well done Shannon. A great tribute to a very creative young woman! I’m definitely a fan! September 3, 2010 at 4:55 pm | Everyone loved the cards you designed for our wedding – and the postcards you created for my husband’s new business are amazing. You’re creative, and have great attention for important details. September 3, 2010 at 8:59 pm | Cute Big Foot! September 4, 2010 at 12:37 pm | Congratulations, Shannon! Much deserved feature for all of you beautiful work. September 4, 2010 at 5:15 pm | Congrats on your feature, Shannon! Well deserved and a fantastic interview! September 4, 2010 at 8:22 pm | Congrats Wasootch on the feature as you are an outstanding shopkeeper with great products. I wish you nothing but success in your adventure at Zazzle. September 5, 2010 at 12:47 am | Good going! September 5, 2010 at 8:01 am | Hello, Shannon! Very nice interview! I would also like to add that I appreciate the help you offer to other Zazzlers, like me, on the forum. Congratulations, and best wishes toward more success!

Acrobat X Opens a New World of Document Collaboration and Innovation Courtney Brigham exchange. Our customers tell us they spend too much time figuring out how to do their jobs. They regularly face the difficulties of keeping everyone on the same page. They struggle with a staggering volume of information and the negative effect it has on their work. They want to reduce the complexity. Yesterday’s tools and techniques no longer cut it if you want to move your business towards tomorrow. In a recent study of enterprise collaboration techniques, the Gilbane Group said, “The document is becoming a parallel collaboration channel to the Web, a channel in which people not only create and consume ideas, but also interact around them, creating innovation and value.” Clearly, our expectations of what a document is and does are changing. Today’s documents need to be dynamic. They must have tools for collecting, sharing and aggregating feedback. They must be able to contain comprehensive content, from text and images to audio and video. Documents need to be dynamic in every dimension: It’s not just about content, it’s also about context. The context in which we present information or the order in which it is viewed is as critical to the overall communication as the content itself. For example, when a sales presentation is sent to a customer that contains slides, a short video and an order form, how might we manage the process that the customer moves through the information so we can create the most impact and get the order? Think of an insurance company that can process video, images and forms to expedite a claim. Or similarly video, images and testimony in support of a case for law enforcement. Putting content into context not only adds clarity; it improves productivity as well because the information is more actionable. You can see powerful examples of PDF Portfolios here. The new Acrobat X software family redefines how documents are managed and used, how they are perceived, and how dynamic they can be. And now, anyone with the free Adobe Reader X can join the review and feedback process—all with access to sticky notes and highlighting commenting tools, as well as full control and security. We’ve introduced new Acrobat services today, as well. Adobe SendNow, a new document exchange service lets you send and receive large files and track them with proof of receipt, so you can avoid e-mail gateway issues, complicated FTP servers, or the costs of expensive overnight mail. The SendNow service will be available when Acrobat X ships. Adobe CreatePDF is a new document exchange service that will be available through the Adobe Reader X interface as well as through the browser and allows a user to quickly create a PDF online. The CreatePDF service will also be available when Adobe Acrobat X ships. These days, the document is very much the proxy of its author. It represents what you do, how you do it and the value you deliver to your company, coworkers or partners. With Acrobat X, your documents can be virtually unconstrained, as dynamic as you need them to be, expressing the creativity and innovation that leads to greater productivity. Welcome to the next generation of document collaboration. Be sure to check out our new web site for a sneak peak of Acrobat X. And don’t forget to sign up for a trial download notification so you can be one of the first to see how Acrobat X can dramatically improve the way you exchange and collaborate on documents. Kevin M. Lynch, vice president and general manager of Acrobat, Digital Enterprise Solutions Group ><< Has MDI been restored? Thankfully I’m working for a company at the moment who have stayed on Acrobat 8, but I hope that we’ll be able to update without the huge loss of usability that forced SDI brought about. MDI isn’t back. We’re still SDI. Please see the blog post on this topic here: [...] and Reader software, today announced a new family of products, including Adobe Reader X and Acrobat X. This new series of software, which Adobe says will be available sometime in November, will [...] I agree MDI is a must and was a stupid decision to remove it. I trust that employee has since been fired and is looking for a job in the 70s on his monochrome monitor. Speaking for myself, two of the most valuables features missing in Acrobat 9 were: 1. Support for MDI (multiple documents in the same window). Nobody in Adobe reviews documents side by side? 2. Compare documents from Acrobat 8. The compare feature in Acrobat 9 is an absolute mess. Tracking changes for long documents full of text was incredibly tedious and complex in version 9. Will these two features be back in Acrobat X? If not, I hope Adobe don’t start thinking in dropping menu bars and adding silly ribbons. Can Acrobat X open multiple documents? Or should I continue with Acrobat 8? So, it I understand that MDI is still not available and that I either have to stick with V8 or look for an alternative. It’s enormously tedious that design-decissions are being made by people who apparently never have to work seriously with their own software. Please look at other industries that thought they could decide what customers need and what happened to them. Regards MDI support is not available in Acrobat X as previously announced, please check out this past blog post that details it further:

After exhausting all other possibilities, Braves outfielder Matt Diaz is headed for surgery on his right thumb, which is expected to end his 2012 season. Diaz said he had the decision confirmed Monday afternoon by Braves hand specialist Dr. Gary Lourie, who will perform the operation on Wednesday morning. Diaz would need two months to recover before he could swing a bat at full speed, so this effectively ends his season. operation Diaz has had on the same area in a little more than two years, both times to remove splinters he and his doctors believe he got after being stabbed by a palm frond clearing his yard in Lakeland, Fla. back in 2006. Diaz has been on the disabled list since July 21st, after trying to play through pain for the better part of six weeks. An MRI revealed he still had two small foreign bodies in his thumb. The hope was that with rest and antibiotics, the inflammation would subside. Infection hasn’t been a problem, but it never stopped hurting. “I can’t grip a bat,” Diaz said. Diaz said he first found out he was likely headed for surgery last Wednesday. He and his wife Leslee got a babysitter for their three children in case he needed some time to work through the news. “I felt it was going that way because it just wasn’t feeling good,” Diaz said. “Surprisingly a sense of peace overcame me and just kind of ‘At least we’re taking care of it.’” Diaz said he’s confident that the surgery will take care of the problem this time, especially considering he’s not under the gun to get back before the season is out, like he was when he had his first operation in May of 2010. He also takes confidence, he said, because he came back and played 58 games that year and didn’t have a problem with it until it cropped up against this June. was hitting .222 with two home runs and 13 RBIs in 51 games this season for the Braves. He said he takes consolation in knowing his thumb worsened before the July 31 trade deadline, so the Braves could acquire right-handed hitting outfielder Reed Johnson from the Cubs. “I’m glad I hurt it as bad as it did two or three weeks before the trade deadline,” Diaz said. “If I were going through this now and we didn’t get Reed Johnson and Tyler (Pastornicky) wasn’t doing so awesome off the bench, I’d feel more of a sense of almost guilt from not playing. But we’re set with the right-handed hitting outfielder in Reed Johnson who’s done it, been there, and Tyler has proven himself off the bench as an unbelievable young guy to be able to do that.” 119 comments Add your comment billy shears August 14th, 2012 12:08 am hopefully his last game with the braves. JC Boscan III August 14th, 2012 12:14 am Yet another classy comment by a Braves “fan”……….. jimmyt August 14th, 2012 12:39 am Billy, you’re and idiot. Obviously, you can’t fix stupid. Probably voted for Obama too. Kyle August 14th, 2012 12:49 am Irony: Billy, you’re and idiot. Smitty August 14th, 2012 12:53 am I really like what he has done for braves…hope he get well soon Smitty August 14th, 2012 12:55 am Anybody know why blogs bring out all the negative comments in some people Smitty August 14th, 2012 12:56 am Who is obama anyway….just kidding.. I know he is the guy costing me money J-MAN August 14th, 2012 1:05 am Well he is making 2.5 million this season. If Diaz does come back it will have to be at a reduced price. Id give him a Minor League contract and give him a chance t mke the team in ST nex year. But my complaint is why isnt Reed Johnson and David Ross batting against left handed starters. The final game of the Mets and tonights game could have been changed with them in the line up. Also Uggla hasnt hit leftys all season. Kyle August 14th, 2012 1:11 am I think Matty’s career w/ the Bravos is over. Great club house guy, good off the bench but I think he’s done. Diaz headed for surgery, likely out for season – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) August 14th, 2012 1:27 am [...] Diaz headed for surgery, likely out for seasonAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog)After exhausting all other possibilities, Braves outfielder Matt Diaz is headed for surgery on his right thumb, which is expected to end his 2012 season. Diaz said he had the decision confirmed Monday afternoon by Braves hand specialist Dr. Gary Lourie …and more » [...] Matt Diaz (Braves) — BaseballMoves.com August 14th, 2012 2:00 am [...] Source: ajc.com [...] TexasRose August 14th, 2012 3:14 am is Diaz’s upcoming surgery a reflection of poor surgical technique/care in the first surgery…or just ‘one of those things?’ COOPER August 14th, 2012 3:32 am Why wasn’t the problem taken care of in 2010 when he was disabled the first time. It is time to cut Diaz loose. He certainly isn’t and hasn’t earned his keep. Time to retire Diaz. He may be okay in our minor league system as a coach but as a player let someone else waste their money on him. Retired 6 years too late August 14th, 2012 4:20 am Is this the start of another August like last year? When this team faces left handed piching, Johnson, Ross needs to be in the lineup. Sit Uggla and move Prado to second. Come on Bobby Lite, Left Handed Pitching is shutting this team down. Poor Minor is getting no runs from this predominate lefty hitting line-up. birdpoop August 14th, 2012 4:46 am Does Jim Powell own Liberty Media? Thats the only way he and Don Sutton have jobs;they are the WORST baseball announcers in the country. Diaz headed for surgery, likely out for season FEATURED LINK | Atlanta Braves Dugout Online | Atlanta Braves Blog August 14th, 2012 6:18 am [...] The rest of the article can be found here: Atlanta Braves [...] BRAVES FAN August 14th, 2012 6:28 am best news all day…….no more dplay diaz,good riddance been with braves for 2 years,and done nothing the pics have been revealed………so long sucker BRAVES FAN August 14th, 2012 6:29 am diaz lowe norton kiwanimi wilson hampton worse signings of all time BRAVES FAN August 14th, 2012 6:30 am and of course lowe goes scoreless innings against the rangers last night Gail August 14th, 2012 6:30 am Now a blog contributor criticizes the announcers…seriously? Don Sutton and Jim Powell are fantastic. Not sure which is more annoying…the contributors that criticize the Braves or the blogger that offers a very negative comment about Don Sutton and Jim Powell. If you don’t like it, watch the Braves on TV or better yet, find another team to follow. MikeY August 14th, 2012 6:48 am J-MAN, I absolutely agree w/ you on the match-ups. We will face 4 lefty pitchers in a row, Ross and Pastornicky and Johnson need some starts in there. Has Pastornicky progressed to where he can play LF? Could we start an OF w/ Pastornicky, Johnson, Prado, with Ross at C? I think so. Could help us win. MikeY August 14th, 2012 6:49 am BRAVES FAN: You left out Livan Hernandez. Tampa Gator August 14th, 2012 7:02 am The Nats beat SF 14-2 last night. The Braves are playing for a wildcard spot. Larry August 14th, 2012 7:09 am Dismiss the dimwit and make Diaz the manager. He’s infinitely more intelligent and extremely popular and well respected by the team. Look for Diaz to go into coaching when his career ends….which may be now! alex August 14th, 2012 7:31 am @Larry: spot on, as for “surgical technique ” wizard above, perhaps your lobotomy was botched John w August 14th, 2012 7:57 am I saw the lineup last night and couldn’t believe Reed nor Ross was in it! I’ve tried to give Freddi the benefit of the doubt but I’ve concluded this guy is not a very good manager!!! BravesfaninWis August 14th, 2012 8:05 am The Braves better just focus on the wild card spot now and do everything in their power to not choke that away again. It’s clearly obvious the Braves don’t have what it takes to win this division. They can’t possibly choke away the wild card with the addition of another spot, or could they? At this point I won’t be surprised either way. longtimefan August 14th, 2012 8:20 am That “not very good manager” has guided this Braves team to the fifth best record in MLB with the 16th highest payroll. Only two teams with higher payrolls have better records. If this were a business(which it is), management would be looking to promote him. Let’s not let facts get in the way of opinions. longtimefan August 14th, 2012 8:22 am To Wis Braves “fan”-they make pills for the chronically depressive. KD August 14th, 2012 8:22 am Diaz, a little advice, next time you are doing yard work….WEAR GLOVES todd h August 14th, 2012 8:31 am always loved matt diaz. a real class act and a solid right handed bat against lefties who always give us fits. Let's Go August 14th, 2012 8:31 am Matt’s season was over when the Braves picked up Reed Johnson. Yeah, he could have came back in Sept but I doubt he would have seen much playing time. When he was in the zone he could swing a hot bat but when he wasn’t he looked bad and struck out too much to be an effective pinch hitter. He may get on with someone else next year as a bench player but his days of seeing 2.5 mil a season are over. ijudgenot August 14th, 2012 8:34 am Tonight Hudson pitches. If Fredi follows his pattern of letting Ross catch Hudson then Ross will be in the lineup. However if all that was just BS to give cover for McCann being sat for not hitting then BMac will start again tonight then be rested on Thursday day game. Fredi like Cox takes into consideration the players egos too much at the teams expen Whackado August 14th, 2012 8:37 am Why not bring back Dale Murphy and Bob Horner for the playoff run. Also, look to see if Rico Carty and maybe Sid Bream (Sid for speed on the bases) are available. Giddy up... August 14th, 2012 8:38 am Love bloogers who can’t spell players’ names (Kawakami) and don’t know the facts… We didn’t sign Diaz….the Pirates did… We got him a trade for a low class prospect… Also didn’t sign Wilson- trade with Seattle. I see the Braves Jerk in Wisc doesn’t have anything else better to do. rodney August 14th, 2012 8:39 am jimmy.t is everything Obama fault you must be a redneck. metfan Lou August 14th, 2012 8:39 am I have always been a big fan of Matt and hope he’ll have a big recovery and if the Braves cut him loose I would love to see him in a Met uniform. The mets need an outfielder like him. AAA August 14th, 2012 8:40 am Don’t know why people try to drop political commentary here. It’s a sports blog. Go to Fox News if you want to whine and cry. DeepDiver August 14th, 2012 8:45 am You know that Matt Diaz RAKES RHP. DeepDiver August 14th, 2012 8:45 am You know that Matt Diaz RAKES LHP. #corrections Tucker August 14th, 2012 8:53 am What is the latest count of Braves who are either out for the season or just decided to quit giving it much effort? Speedy Gone zalez August 14th, 2012 8:57 am Have to agree, Jim Powell is SO boring……………….zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz & Sutton needs to retire. Diaz may be a good guy but he’s wasting a roster spot just like Hinske & Wilson, they are all done. Ross & Johnson are great off the bench but then what? Simmons comes back & who do you keep at backup SS, Janish or Tyler? Still need to add a bat, heard they may be looking at Youkilis, which may be a good move that continues into next year, Go Bravos!!!!!!!!!!! JoeBravesFan August 14th, 2012 9:01 am Get well soon, Matty D! I have a feeling this was your last year with the Braves, so thanks for hitting lefties…most of the time! JoeBravesFan August 14th, 2012 9:02 am I think Paul Janish has made Jack Wilson expendable. After his performance, I’d have a hard time letting him go. Get Tyler trained at 2nd, so when Uggla’s contract is up, or he’s traded, we can put Tyler there. Ed August 14th, 2012 9:07 am See all above, and people wonder why free agents won’t consider Atlanta. If I could play there’s no way I would come play for a fan base as stupid as Atlanta has. Plus you have idiots like Mark Bradley, Jeff Shultz writiing their dribble every day. BravesFan August 14th, 2012 9:07 am i am so tired of all these negative “braves fans” who have nothing better to do then air out their lonely lives on the AJC comments. Get well Matty. urban redneck August 14th, 2012 9:11 am who the hell is kiwinimi? and the worse signings “of all time” is a stretch. what about tom glavine, phil neikro and dale murphy? those guys didn’t help us a bit………hope you have your irony boots on. and someone else above is knocking rednecks?? we are not all hardcore conservatives. but that is for another blog. we’re talking baseball. sorry to hear about matty d. it’s not really much of a loss i guess, but he’s a heckuva nice guy. our bench is in trouble. is there anyone to promote from gwinnett to pinch hit? go bravos. PMC August 14th, 2012 9:11 am Good luck Matt D. Hope all goes perfectly with the surgury and you’re back playing ball soon. Thanks for playing as hard as you could for the Braves. PMC August 14th, 2012 9:12 am surgery. Heisenberg August 14th, 2012 9:15 am This is the Braves blog. Take the political comments to the Bookman or Wingfield blogs. Whichever suits your style. Columbus August 14th, 2012 9:18 am Billy, you ARE an idiot. Even if his time is up, thats not how you show respect for a Brave or anyon fr that matter. I bet you voted for Obama too. No Im sorry, I bet you didnt even vote. But thats OK, the rest of us in Georgia did not vote for Obama and he did not win GA and nor will he in 2012. But we will still have you Billy…maybe you will come around. Columbus August 14th, 2012 9:21 am You like that political comment Heisenberg? Politics IS a game brother! Vote for anyone except Obama and America will be much better off…ANYONE! anonymous August 14th, 2012 9:25 am Jim Powell is ok. It’s Don Sutton who is the worst announcer/analyst EVER! ALWAYS brings subject back to himself. ALWAYS brining up old stories that relate to himself, someone he knew or played with, that has nothing to do with Braves baseball. NONSTOP yakking – tv execs. probably tell him to not let their be any silence at all. Sutton is the one turning Powell into a boring turnip. CALL THE DAYUM GAMES! BravesFan August 14th, 2012 9:27 am Columbus, I am sure you are mesmerized daily by Faux News, too. You are a fool, brother!!!! GRAPHITE August 14th, 2012 9:29 am Now children,settle down.It’s going to be alright. Tralfaz August 14th, 2012 9:29 am columbus: see the rules at the top of the page “We talk baseball, other sports, music, movies, BBQ and whatever (except politics or religion)” steve August 14th, 2012 9:31 am 4 lefty’s everynight against lhp is insane no other mlb manager would even consider this Fastball August 14th, 2012 9:33 am I like Diaz and Obama. If you don’t, you better WAKE UP. GRAPHITE August 14th, 2012 9:34 am And to Anonymous…The word is”DADGUM’ as in Coach Bowden dadgum bad call. phil August 14th, 2012 9:34 am Sutton is indeed awful. Hope Diaz recovers well and is ready to go next year, wherever that may be. Have always liked the guy. ragnar danneskjold August 14th, 2012 9:34 am Hope Diaz comes back next year as his old self. Good guy. Yogi Berra August 14th, 2012 9:34 am Love Sutton and Jim… great details to game and storys (past history)are great. Many times I mute TV and turn on Don. ragnar danneskjold August 14th, 2012 9:36 am I disagree with a couple of fellow bloggers – Sutton and Powell are terribly funny. I turn off the television sound to listen to the radio during games. Sonny Jackson August 14th, 2012 9:37 am Get well Matt! He always reminded me of a Jerry Royster type of player who can play almost anywhere on the field… on of my favorites. I for one, hope to see him with the Braves next year. Matt Diaz Lawn Maintenance August 14th, 2012 9:39 am Great. Now I can get some work! Kidding. Diaz is a class act who can rake lefties when healthy. He is a solid defensive outfielder and excellent baserunner, which the Braves obviously are not too concerned about. I hope he makes a full recovery and is given a shot in 2013 with ATL. MD, Reed Johnson make the OF/bench much deeper. We already know Braves struggle against just about any LH pitcher, (except Johan Santana) and need that RH stick for PH and platoon work. I See Clearly Now August 14th, 2012 9:43 am Matt will need a solid 2013 Spring training to make the club and I hope he does it. I like him. I also dislike Sutton’s non-stop gabbing. Just too much, and so glad he doesn’t do the TV telecasts anymore.Chip and Joe are enjoyable on most nights. Let's Go August 14th, 2012 9:46 am Giddy up… @ 8:38am Not that I’m disagreeing with you about fan is Wis but the Braves did resign Jack Wilson during the off season, 1mil for 1 year. He was granted free agency in Oct and the Braves resigned him in Jan. Jack is another player like Diaz who won’t be around anymore after this season and could possibly be given his out right release once healthy. I see Paul Janish being the Braves back-up infielder for the next couple of years. jc August 14th, 2012 9:47 am Fastball you must have got hit in the head with a fastball. you the one that needs to Wake Up! Get better soon Diaz but I believe your days in Atlanta are over. Good luck. Nevada Roy August 14th, 2012 9:59 am Thank you Matt but you are non-tendered for 2013. Pippa's hiney August 14th, 2012 10:03 am Never understood why baseball has the dumbest fans. Billy Shears August 14th, 2012 10:07 am Hey guys! Just wanted to drop a line and let you all know that I am dumb as a rock. Thanks Billy Shears August 14th, 2012 10:08 am Just letting ya’ll know that I am in fact dumb Matt Diaz to undergo season-ending thumb surgery | HardballTalk August 14th, 2012 10:16 am [...] told Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta Journal Constitution that “we’ve given it pretty much every way to rest [...] Get well, Matt! August 14th, 2012 10:18 am Real Braves fans appreciate everything Matt Diaz has done. He’s been one of my favorites for the last few years, and I wish him a speedy recovery that’s as painless as possible! HE, unlike many of these mean-spirited commenters, is a positive, unselfish and high-quality person, and he’s about 1,000 times more talented than all of you blasting him. We miss you, Matty D! JM August 14th, 2012 10:23 am His Braves’ career is over. His contract is up and they will sign Johnson. Marc Schneider August 14th, 2012 10:24 am “Obviously, you can’t fix stupid. Probably voted for Obama too.” Thanks, douchebag, we needed your insightful political comment. I’m sure you get all your news from the geniuses at Fox-it’s great, you don’t even need to think or, for that matter, even have a brain. JM August 14th, 2012 10:25 am And, after this year, Hinske is likely gone too. Terry Forster August 14th, 2012 10:25 am I’ve been saying how lame Don Sutton and Jim Powell are for two years. They way they make chessy jokes and always yuck it up over them… annoying. Ben Ingram should be the primary play by play guy. MMMmmmmm.. chesseburgers. Ken Stallings August 14th, 2012 10:29 am Had absolutely no idea that palm fronds could be so dangerous! Note to Matt: next time when clearing palm fronds, where industrial strength leather work gloves! Ken Stallings August 14th, 2012 10:30 am … “wear industrial strength leather work gloves!” ERRR! jc August 14th, 2012 10:43 am Marc keep believe the lies from liberal media, proves u don’t have a brain. Go Braves. Wendell miller August 14th, 2012 10:44 am Folks, I believe that Matt signed a 2 year 2.5 million contract with the Pirates and was not making that amount in this the second year of the contract. One thing I can say about the man is that he has always given his all, built others up and has been a great addition to the clubhouse. I bet Santana would like him to be a Met next year. In any event I hope the best for our Braves and Matt Diaz. Yogi Berra August 14th, 2012 10:53 am Diaz contract this year is 2 million, Pirates paid some of his salary last year. He will be free agent at season end. Yogi Berra August 14th, 2012 10:56 am Wendell it was 2 year 4.5 million with Pirates. All contracts can be found at “cots contracts.com” with all teams. Gary August 14th, 2012 10:57 am How many teams has stultz been released or traded from……..and why cant the hitters take some pitches…. make the pitcher work………. Fragile Bob Horner August 14th, 2012 11:02 am I am available for pinch hitting duty…..and buffet duty as well. Brave New World August 14th, 2012 11:11 am Hope Matt’s surgery goes well. Wendell miller August 14th, 2012 11:19 am I stand corrected, folks. about the money. Overall, I think Matt has been a good addition and hope all works out surgery wise and otherwise for him. He even seems to have a great attitude and his head on his shoulders right and will land on his feet somewhere good, if not with us. Well, let’s go catch the Nationals and win this thing! crackbaby August 14th, 2012 11:20 am Matty Diaz – many of us hope a full and speedy recovery is on the way. MD is a streaky hitter but when he’s on, it’s fun to watch. His outfield play always made me uncomfortable (although it has improved). Not sure when it will happen, but sooner or later Costanza is going to be a contributor on the Braves. Brings energy and speed and the club just wins when he’s in the game. Heisenberg August 14th, 2012 12:04 pm I have always respected the way Diaz carries himself but the business part of MLB makes me think this could be it for his Braves tenure. He is most likely looking at a minor league deal for wherever he goes next year. As far as the yard work goes, all pro athletes take note and hire someone. Even the lowest paid pro baseball player can afford that. Werth August 14th, 2012 12:54 pm Obama may not win dumb redneck Ga but most of the country is smarter than that. Obama 2012!!! Romney is a fraudulent disaster. Rotunda Shaquonda Obama August 14th, 2012 1:18 pm Matt Diaz=Joe Shlabotnik. iliketacosson2 August 14th, 2012 1:18 pm Great player of the bench…. hopefully he can recover fast Boo Hoo August 14th, 2012 1:26 pm That’s why Wren traded for Johnson………sooooooooo what is the big deal???Johnson is a better hitter than Diaz anyway! Jack off Team August 14th, 2012 1:30 pm It looks as though Jack Wilson will be designated for assignment when Simmons is ready…….Good Bye Jack! Matty Ice August 14th, 2012 1:32 pm Maybe the Falcons can get Diaz……..he throws the ball better anyway! Fastball August 14th, 2012 1:43 pm jc…really thought I’d get beat up over my comment, but so far only you. Thank you though. snowman August 14th, 2012 2:05 pm For those of you who don’t like Jim Powell and Don Sutton, try listening to some of the other team’s announcers on XM radio. Then see what you think. Ken Stallings August 14th, 2012 2:06 pm Yes, because adding over $7 trillion to the national debt in less than four years is such an economic success that I can easily see how turning to a different philosophy would constitute a “disaster.” Oh yes, the refrain is sure to come in reply, “It’s Bush’s fault!” P Rose August 14th, 2012 2:07 pm :=I Morris Code August 14th, 2012 2:16 pm Wow, I didn’t know we were allowed to talk politics now. O-B-A-M-A 2012. Beat Mittens and Paul. Braves look to Hudson for another “W” after an “L” | Atlanta Braves August 14th, 2012 2:26 pm [...] other late night news in case you missed it, about Matt Diaz being out for the rest of the season in all likelihood, now that he’s facing surgery on his thumb. And wasn’t that Derek Lowe I saw [...] Mark (another one) August 14th, 2012 2:50 pm There’s a lot of crap posted in all the blogs. Diaz played the game with respect for it and the fans. He has always given everything he had, and I respect his efforts. He has been fun to watch, especially against the Marlins. My hope is the surgery works and the Braves give Diaz a chance to earn a roster spot next year. Someone who can fill in and pinch hit is always valuable. He knows there are no guarantees but that’s the way he has lived most of his career. Best of luck with the surgery and get well soon. Lobosolo August 14th, 2012 2:53 pm Larry, hook up with your brethren alexis and take a big old pull on one of his sugar binkies… You are hands down the bitterest crybaby to ever come down the pike… I’ve come to believe that you weren’t really as great a player as you claim… anyone who says they played at as high a level as you do, and still show such pathetic ignorance of the game, is nothing but a professional delusionist… Why don’t you just take your incessant whining and go root for your own fantasy team…. God, what a total crybaby… Ralph August 14th, 2012 3:43 pm When they traded for Reed Johnson that was the end of the season for Diaz, with or without surgery. Atlanta Braves Links of the Day For August 14, 2012 | Atlanta Braves Dugout Online | Atlanta Braves Blog August 14th, 2012 3:47 pm [...] Diaz headed for surgery, likely out for season [...] Bro August 14th, 2012 4:07 pm Diaz’s problem with his thumb should have been taken care of last year or at least the first of this year. If you have a bad thumb, you can not grip the bat-thus you can not hit. Why do players continue to play hurt and why do stupid managers keep trying to play injured players. It never works out for the good–except for Kirk Gibson. Braves brought B-Mac back early last year and lost a chance for the playoffs because he could not swing the bat–doing the same thing with this year with his shoulder problem. A healthy Ross is much better than an injured B-Mac. kbb August 14th, 2012 4:15 pm Braves and thUGA fans will find a way to interject Obama into every blog. tim August 14th, 2012 4:29 pm best of luck matty, this braves fan hopes he can come back next year and be part of the team. guys like he and hinske are important parts of the ball club as pinch hitters and able to give starters a day off. from what I have read they are good guys in the locker room as well. Pro sports could use more Matt Diaz’s Heywood Jablomie August 14th, 2012 5:47 pm To all the Sutton haters….it could be worse. We could be listening to Tim “Never Shuts Up” McCarver call games…. Good luck Diaz. Thanks for everything… bostonbravo August 14th, 2012 6:19 pm Jablomie …absolutely correct…the horror of McCarver should shut Chip, Joe, Don haters everywhere. J.C.L. August 14th, 2012 8:29 pm Marc Scheinder, have you always been an idiot or did you have to practice at it ? You could surely give lessons now. Go back to sleep until after election day and quit wasting our time with your idiotic comments. Hammond August 14th, 2012 8:55 pm Who gives a rat’s rear about the election neither can throw a curve ball much less hit a curve ball I love baseball I hate politics Go Braves Mr. Dawg August 14th, 2012 10:12 pm Ya gottta respect those pond fronds, man, They fight back. Kat August 14th, 2012 10:34 pm You are criticizing others and you use the term “bloogers?” JASon August 14th, 2012 11:43 pm I have a serious f-ing question. Why the f is matt diaz on this team? seriously. Its ridiculous acquisitions such as these that make me hate the braves. Dick Cheney August 14th, 2012 11:48 pm The last time my party was in the White House the real estate market totally collapsed and it brought the nation to almost a complete economic/financial failure. But that was Clinton’s fault. icons design November 2nd, 2012 10:06 pm I apologise, but, in my opinion, you are not right. I am assured. I can defend the position. Write to me in PM, we will communicate. HANDICAPPING RIGHT HAND HITTING OUTFIELDERS | SD Yankee Report January 30th, 2013 12:23 am [...] in 2012 were partly related to a thumb injury that plagued him for a good chunk of the season. He eventually had surgery in August, with the prognosis being that he would need two months to recover. He should be fine [...]

No. 8 Blessed Trinity is looking more and more like the most likely candidate to challenge St. Pius for the Region 6-AAA championship. The Titans won their third straight game on Friday and inched closer to a showdown against the No. 5-ranked Golden Lions on Nov. 2. Blessed Trinity (5-1) took down Decatur 28-14, as quarterback Spencer McManus completed 7 of 12 passes for 112 yards and scored on a 1-yard run. The Titans built a 21-0 halftime lead on the strength of touchdown runs from McManus, Milton Shelton (40 yards) and Tim Mertz (9 yards). The defense intercepted three passes to dash any hopes of a Decatur comeback. St. Pius did not play on Friday. Coach Paul Standard’s team returns to action on Friday against Cedar Grove. Here’s what else we learned on Friday night: Robinson sparks Peach win: No. 1-ranked Peach County (6-0) needed a couple of fourth-quarter scores to put away pesky Jackson, 34-13. The Red Devils closed the lead to 21-13 in the fourth quarter. Peach County quarterback Greg Williams completed 11 of 22 passes for 220 yards and four touchdowns, three of the scores going to all-state receiver DeMarcus Robinson on plays of 34, 4 and 16 yards. Williams also hooked up with Malcom Colvin for a 47-yard touchdown. Keyshawn Lowe was a workhorse, running 27 times for 199 yards. Jackson tailback Derrick Bell rushed for 113 yards and threw a 28-yard touchdown pass. Buford’s shutout streak ends: No. 4-ranked Buford (5-1) had its three-game shutout streak end, but had little trouble with White County, winning 49-14 in Cleveland. Buford had 443 yards of offense, with 358 coming on the ground. Running back Dontravious Wilson scored two touchdowns in the first half for Buford; he rushed 18 times for 212 yards. Quarterback Will Brock scored touchdowns on carries of 4 and 31 yards for the Warriors (4-2), who scored the second-most points against Buford this season. No rust for Carver: Taking a week off didn’t slow Carver Columbus. The Tigers put a 47-0 thumping on Henry County on Friday, their third straight win and second shutout of the season. Brandon Thoms scored on runs of 23 and 17 yards and quarterback Torrance McGee threw a 34-yard TD pass to Dreilon Freeman and ran for a 39-yard score. Carver isn’t likely to be tested until its Nov. 2 game at Peach County North Oconee perseveres in win: The No. 9 Titans outscored Franklin County 14-0 in the second half to break open a close game and score a 28-13 win. It was the fifth straight victory for North Oconee (5-1), which faces a showdown against No. 10 Elbert County next week. Woodward is unleashed: Woodward Academy, ranked as high as ninth this season, piled it on hapless Towers 62-6. The War Eagles (5-2) got touchdowns from eight different players and a pair of field goals from Alex Robinson. Quarterback Terry Googer had a pair of touchdown passes to lead the Woodward offense and Benji Russell and Marcus Hyatt sparked the defense by returning an interception for a touchdown. Callaway wins Region 4 showdown: The unranked Cavaliers came from behind to beat Central Carroll 14-10 and put themselves in the driver’s seat in Region 4-AAA. The winning score came on a 68-yard drive that was capped by a 1-yard scoring run by quarterback Tez Parks. Two defensive plays were crucial to Callaway’s win; Terry Godwin scored on a 65-yard interception return and Wilson Lindsey sealed the victory with an interception in the closing minutes. 6 comments Add your comment FOOTBALL October 13th, 2012 5:34 am Why is Appling Co and Pierce never mentioned in the AAA write ups each week with 1 loss a piece??? Blessed Trinity Fan October 13th, 2012 9:31 am Way to go! Thanks to Roswell High. For not letting him stay. REALLY? October 13th, 2012 10:42 am To BT:Whose “him”??? Your HC who resigned in 2008 and then retired in 2011 or your AC who quit on RHS in the Region Championship v Lassiter and took his starting QB son home during the game?Your HC will always be admired and respected for his solid career and accomplishments at RHS. Congrats on your big win v Decatur. Enjoy your team and your AAA schedule. Next time your at Mass pray for the Hornets… BT Fan October 14th, 2012 5:06 pm BT has a chance to win the region. There is no question that we are a senior laden team with the right pieces in place. The only thing that concerns me is that while we won Friday against a very young Decatur Team, they really dominated our line of scrimmage the second half. Nobody has ran on us like they did that second half. Decatur will be a scary team next year. I think if we can continue to play balanced ok offense there is no question we can win this region but it starts up front! Go BT!! Class of 2005 CGHS Observer October 15th, 2012 10:22 am Please don’t sleep on Cedar Grove. They may just surprise you…. BullDawgRick October 15th, 2012 12:42 pm The Buford machine is getting lubed up for the stretch run to State!!

ATHENS – Three days before Georgia’s opening football game, coach Mark Richt still had no answer to the persistent question of whether an NCAA inquiry launched in July will affect the status of star wide receiver A.J. Green. “Are you expecting A.J. to play Saturday?” Richt was asked at his post-practice media briefing Wednesday evening. “A.J. Harmon? Yeah,” Richt replied, referring to a backup offensive lineman. “Green,” the questioner corrected. “You know I can’t talk about that,” Richt said. “It’s a good try, though. I just can’t talk. I don’t know the answer to anything other than I’m not supposed to talk about the situation. And I really don’t know.” The NCAA informed Georgia in late July that it was launching an inquiry at the school -– part of a series of probes at multiple schools about football players’ dealings with agents. An e-mail from the NCAA to UGA stated that investigators planned to interview one Georgia player. Green has said that UGA officials asked him if he attended an agent-affiliated party in Miami and that he told them he did not. Green repeatedly has declined comment, at Georgia’s instruction, about the NCAA matter. On Tuesday, Green was asked if he has any doubt he’ll be able to play Saturday despite the inquiry. He replied: “No. I don’t know. I can’t say anything.” Green was the first of six players mentioned by Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo when he was asked after practice Wednesday what the Bulldogs’ receiver rotation will be in Saturday’s game against Louisiana-Lafayette. The NCAA also has issued no rulings on agent-related inquiries at North Carolina, South Carolina and Alabama. Two players linked to the investigations, North Carolina defensive tackle Marvin Austin and South Carolina tight end Weslye Saunders, have been suspended from their teams’ opening games for what their coaches called “violation of team rules” unrelated to the NCAA probes. A July e-mail from Marcus Wilson, the NCAA’s assistant director of agent, gambling and amateurism activities, to Eric Baumgartner, Georgia’s assistant athletic director for compliance, instructed Baumgartner to “refrain from disclosing the details of the investigation . . . [to] anyone except your athletic director and/or president” and to inform them “of the necessity of protecting the integrity of the investigation as well.” The e-mail said the Georgia player would be interviewed “to determine his knowledge of or involvement in, directly or indirectly, any violations of NCAA legislation.” ++++++++++ Freshman Hutson Mason will play Saturday if Georgia uses a second quarterback against Louisiana-Lafayette. “God forbid, [if] something happens to our starting quarterback Aaron Murray, Hutson would definitely play,” Richt said Wednesday night. It’s not clear if Georgia would play Mason in the game without an injury to Murray. “Hutson is the No. 2, and if the No. 2 goes in, it will be Hutson Mason,” Bobo said. “For me to sit here and say, ‘Hey, he’s going to play,’ I can’t. We got to play the game.” Mason has worked throughout preseason practice as the No. 2 quarterback. Last season’s backup quarterback, Logan Gray, moved to wide receiver and missed much of preseason practice with a sprained ankle. ++++++++++ Branden Smith will open the season as Georgia’s No. 1 punt returner, Richt said. Smith, a sophomore cornerback from Atlanta, welcomed the news. “I’ve been wanting to play punt return ever since I got up here,” he said. He said he takes a three-pronged approach to the job: “The No. 1 thing is catching the ball. No. 2 is holding on to the ball. And No. 3 is just do my thing. With my speed and the blocking up front, it should not be that hard.” Carlton Thomas is Georgia’s No. 2 punt returner, Richt said. ++++++++++ When asked on the SEC coaches’ weekly teleconference Wednesday, Richt reiterated his belief that Georgia doesn’t need to play more than one BCS-level non-conference opponent per season. “We’ve been doing it, but I don’t think we need to do it anymore, quite frankly,” Richt said. “And I don’t think anybody in the league needs to do it.” Georgia’s non-conference schedule this year includes two games against BCS-level opponents: the annual game against Georgia Tech plus a trip to Colorado. Richt rejected the idea that weak non-conference schedules could pose a public-relations problem for the SEC nationally. “Let me ask you this: Who’s won the last, what, four national championships?” Richt said. “It’s been SEC teams. And I don’t think those teams have gone overboard on what they’re playing out of conference.” ALSO: It’s showtime for Georgia’s new defense. 289 comments Add your comment The Woodlink September 1st, 2010 8:08 pm Ok NCAA, finish off the 3 martini lunches, come down ftom the ivory tower, and tell this young man if he can play ball or not. The Woodlink September 1st, 2010 8:15 pm Oh, and one more thing NCAA, the apparent grandstanding you took in delaying your “judgement” on Masouli is reprehensible…. Dawg_Mike September 1st, 2010 8:20 pm Nothing to see here folks…keep moving along, or as Flo says…”and we’re walking…we’re walking”… Dawg_Mike September 1st, 2010 8:22 pm What I’m really trying to say is that the next trouble number 8 gets in will be the first. He is a good citizen and a damn good dawg. SSIgator September 1st, 2010 8:25 pm No point in even trying little dogys the Gators are going to repeet as SEC champs again this year. DoubleDownDawgFan September 1st, 2010 8:26 pm Fulmer Cup Champs and NOW THIS TOO!! Thanks a lot Coach Richt! Good riddance! SSIgator September 1st, 2010 8:26 pm make that SEC east champs. Go Gators! SSIgator September 1st, 2010 8:27 pm forget it I hate all of you Mick September 1st, 2010 8:27 pm Nah what was reprehensible was Masoli burglarizing someone. POS needs to sit out a year. Weird that nothing has come out from this with just 3 days left. DawgNation September 1st, 2010 8:28 pm SSIgator it is doggies not [i]dogys[/i] and repeat not [i]repeet[/i]. Good Lord if you are going to try and trash talk at least learn to recognize what the red line under your miss spelled words indicate. DORKS September 1st, 2010 8:31 pm What a party!!! Worm September 1st, 2010 8:33 pm AJ is a non story..Now whose with North Carolina tomorrow is different..Butch will not give out any info and the ACCer’s will use players absence for the waxing they’ll receive..I smell a SKUNK-As in ZERO! ryan September 1st, 2010 8:41 pm Its been well documented that AJ Green was in SC on Memorial Day weekend not Miami Aunt Bea September 1st, 2010 8:43 pm If it’s been so well-documented, why hasn’t he been cleared already? DoubleDownDawgFan September 1st, 2010 8:46 pm we are going to lose AJ for the whole YEAR!! Goodbye RICHT and good riddance!!! hunker down September 1st, 2010 8:54 pm NCAA…makes up their own rules and then can’t seem to tell you anything. ryan September 1st, 2010 8:57 pm You people jumping to conclusions he was in SC are calling him a liar. Grey September 1st, 2010 8:58 pm Weird that no one has been cleared so close to opening week. In fact, SC plays tomorrow night. The longer it goes, the worse it is IMO. 5150 P.O.A.D September 1st, 2010 9:01 pm Richt don’t know if his player will listen to him when he tells then not to drive on a known suspended drivers license, How the F does Richt know what the NCAA will do? The only thing Richt knows for sure is that the beleives in God and accepts Christ as his Savior, but after that he don’t know crap. Wait, he knows he will never get a head coaching job at the NFL or SEC level bettrer than he has now. Dawg September 1st, 2010 9:04 pm S@%T OR GET OFF THE POT, MY MOTHER AT 80 IS FASTER THAN THE NCAA! Hunter September 1st, 2010 9:08 pm Yeah you’re right ryan. He has no reason to lie. Only several million reasons why. Red September 1st, 2010 9:08 pm After years of just pathetic enforcement and picking and choosing who they harassed the NCAA is finally making up for lost time and holding EVERYONE by the pigskins. If you happen to be under ANY scrutiny right now, you might as well give up. Even looking the wrong way sends the NCAA popo after you. Credibility is shot and the athletes and the schools suffer for it. This place is run like some corrupt union. Kurt September 1st, 2010 9:11 pm Strange that Richt couldn’t say as of right now, he will be playing. gcs September 1st, 2010 9:17 pm Still nothing on Alabama’s marcell Dareus, South Carolina or North Carolina either. What are they waiting? Kickoff? . Brad September 1st, 2010 9:18 pm How dumb for the big 10 to split mich and oh st. So if mich returns to their old winning ways, you could have their end of year game meaningless. They would meet the next week in the champ game. They should have done like the sec with bama and auburn and put them in the same division or at least play the game during the middle of the season. Bride of Chucky Knapp September 1st, 2010 9:21 pm NCAA is worse than the Ministry of Magic under Cornelius Fudge. TallyDawg September 1st, 2010 9:24 pm Congrats to UGA on winning the Fulmer Cup. Now get that BS outta your heads and win some damn football games. DawgNation September 1st, 2010 9:25 pm Brad, They didn’t. At least for the 2011 and 2012 seasons. OSU and Michigan will still play each other on their last game. Mark "Crimson Crier" Ingram September 1st, 2010 9:26 pm It’s just a bunch of NCAA racist BS! AJ Green said he never been to Miami, never tried no Miami, never inhaled no Miami and don’t even know where Miami be at. My knee feels betta already! ryan September 1st, 2010 9:27 pm NCAA is like Obama calling the US the worst human rights violators NCAA what a joke . Brad September 1st, 2010 9:27 pm dawg Did you read what I wrote. Where did I say they wouldn’t play each other. The problem is they play the last game against each other. If both teams have the champ game locked up when they meet, or one does, it makes the game meaningless since they will play again for it all in a week or two. It’s going to happen eventually and based on history, could happen quite often. They should play during the beginning or middle of the season like FSU Miami do. Overrated CMR September 1st, 2010 9:29 pm terrible piece POAJ September 1st, 2010 9:30 pm The only thing I know is we got a bunch of chicken hearted know it all’s on this blog that acually think they know more than CMR,and the NCAA. DoubleDownDawgFan….we don’t want you as a Dawg fan…please don’t ever set foot in Athens or Sanford Stadium again. Go follow Tech or Ga. State but stay away from the Dawgs. What a pu$$y you are…I’ll bet that you are always telling people what to do all the time…ever notice how many friends you don’t have?..What an idiot you are! DawgNation September 1st, 2010 9:32 pm Yes Brad I did read your post. OSU and Michigan are both in the same division so it will be impossible for them to play each other for the Big 10 championship. Now the final game can determine which one will play for it. NJ September 1st, 2010 9:33 pm I hear the meal plan is amazing!! DawgNation September 1st, 2010 9:34 pm While you ponder that I am heading off to bed. Good night. Raul September 1st, 2010 9:43 pm NCAA is a joke – Teams are preparing to travel and some games start tomorrow yet they won’t tell school’s the results of their investigation. Give me a break Richt is in Trouble September 1st, 2010 9:46 pm So Colorado scares Richt!? What have they ever done??? So he wants to keep scheduling the Idaho States and La.Tech’s of the world….show he is circling the wagons and realizes his job is on the line. To think I ridiculed UT fans for dropping UNC and our coach is afraid of BCS teams like Kansas State. My 22 years as a season ticket holder and donations are likely at an end. Need a coach to fit our talent and upside. Richt is in Trouble September 1st, 2010 9:49 pm Kirby Smart we need you! Van Gorder we need you! Surely the Head Coaching job would entice one of them to come back and show some backbone rather than running scared from middle of the pack or lower tier BCS teams over the Georgia Southerns, Idaho States, etc. of the world. Harry the Hat September 1st, 2010 9:55 pm What I’m really trying to say is that the next trouble number 8 gets in will be the first. He is a good citizen and a damn good dawg. You are going to feel like such a stupid dawgtard when you have to eat those words. Green is guilty as hell. Say bye bye to Green. Unfortunately.....More to come September 1st, 2010 9:56 pm The NCAA officials camped at UGA is more than the Miami trip that did not happen. Trust me, we don’t want to play AJ and later forfeit the wins. We can win without him, but I hate the scum Agents that corrupt these kids. This is about the other action that AJ took – Not MIAMI. NCAA Suspensions are going to be a huge hit for our program if this materializes like some on the inside fear it may. Dana September 1st, 2010 9:58 pm “I hear the meal plan is amazing!” In the Athens jail, yes. NCAA Absurdity September 1st, 2010 9:58 pm Too bad AJ doesn’t play in Tuscaloosa. If he did, he’d be able to drive a Bentley with an NCAASUX tag and post youtube videos of himself taking money from agents and the NCAA would busy themselves elsewhere. Brad September 1st, 2010 10:02 pm Next time do your homework before sounding off like an ignorant fool.. ADVERTISEMENT Neither division has been named, but they break down like this: Michigan, Nebraska, Iowa, Michigan State, Minnesota and Northwestern in one; Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Illinois, Purdue and Indiana in the other. BRAD STEVENS September 1st, 2010 10:13 pm Knowing more than most about AJ Green it would not surprise me with anything. Good guy and hard worker with an excellent talent but not bright. His nickname amongst all of his former high school teammates and all around Summerville was AJ “cant read” Green. He always hung around a bad crowd and wouldn’t be surprised if he has done anything stupid to hurt UGA. Have any of you even looked at his birthdate and realized that he was 20/21 years old as a true freshman at Georgia? That should tell you something… Eric September 1st, 2010 10:22 pm Huh he’s 22 as a junior. 2 years older than most. Not as bad as chris weinke. lol The fact it’s still going on suspects me to believe they will come out with something tomorrow or Friday. Doesn’t look good that it’s taken this long. law dawg September 1st, 2010 10:25 pm The ignorance of some who post here amaze me. AJ has been cleared to play. The NCAA in their infinite wisdom has requested UGA to not comment until they are finished with everyone else. UGA would not put AJ on the field if he had not been cleared. Believe me. He will take the field Saturday. chazzo September 1st, 2010 10:26 pm Florida hasn’t traveled outside the region for a regular season game since 1991 when it played at Syracuse. John September 1st, 2010 10:32 pm If he was cleared to play law, then richt wouldn’t say no comment or I can’t talk about it. Dumba$$. Ahmed September 1st, 2010 10:40 pm I no understand AJ is the best! I want for AJ to score 4 touchdown saturday! Go Dog!

. We’ve got to stay together, and I’ve seen no signs of change in my mindset that we’re a close-knit family. But we’ve also got to look within, starting with me, as to the things that have kept us from having the success that we want. Herschel Walker September 26th, 2010 5:24 pm Did y’all see how many yards Lattimore got against Auburn? 33. How many did he get versus thuga? Herschel Walker September 26th, 2010 5:26 pm Buck Belue says everybody should wear red panties against Colorado. Warhorse September 26th, 2010 5:28 pm Jack bull, UF has had 30 arrests in FIVE years, less than UGA with ten in less than one year. BTW one of the UF arrests was Cam Newton who will QB Auburn to yet another win over the pups. He is NOT playing for UF but for you rival in Alabama. Herschel Walker September 26th, 2010 5:30 pm The rest of the S.E.C. says to please keep Saint Richt. Herschel Walker September 26th, 2010 5:31 pm Has Wayshon taken that defensive driving class yet? Atticus September 26th, 2010 5:31 pm There is NO WAY that Kirby Smart should be the HC at UGA. None. He hasn’t earned it. Go find a guy that has been head coach for a number of years and a proven winner. Get the BEST in the business that you can get. Get Jon Gruden. Other Dog September 26th, 2010 5:35 pm hahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahhaaha as an atlanta msu fan who attended the game: all I can say is we kept trying to give uga the game and you just didn’t want it… and for that hahahahahhahaa go ahead, fire richt. he’s the best coach uga has had since dooley, but if you want to let a couple of down years bother you, then fine, run him off. maybe you can hire derek dooley. or les miles. TazzDawg September 26th, 2010 5:39 pm Look all you Buck Belue’s out there. This is MR’s offense, he is the offensive genius (sic) on this team. This is HIS play book, HIS offense, HIS game plan. He hired these coaches, this is all you get! If you think anything will change with Mr. Blindly calling running plays, yes he approves all of this, then you’re as blind as Belue! MR has go to go. This is as good as its going get. MR compiled his record when the SEC was down, No Cryer, No Saban, Spurrier trying to build a team, no Petrino. Richt is over matched when it comes to coaching! Sorry but his fate should be sealed. Blindly calling running plays? OMG, do you really think thats a plan? joey September 26th, 2010 5:39 pm Bring Donnan back, atleast he recruited good players! Didt he Richt? ; ) AFDawg September 26th, 2010 5:47 pm gomdawg, You’re right — Muschamp and Smart are not head coaching material. I don’t think Boise’s coach would be a good fit in the SEC either. Harbaugh would probably be a good choice. Bottom line — we need a complete shake up in the coaching staff from the top down. It might take 2 to 3 years to realize the results — but we’ll be better off for it in the long run. Think of it this way — what high powered program would try to hire Richt right now — none. Don Henley September 26th, 2010 5:51 pm The World doesn’t owe you a thing, Get Over It. CHAMP September 26th, 2010 6:03 pm uga lets play hard and smart the rest of this season,because mark r.-should be given another full season to turn it around,he has earned that, 1.young QB-HE WILL BE MUCH BETTER IN THE NEAR FUTURE{THIS YEAR-ESP-NEXT YEAR 2.A BUNCH OF DRUNKEN PLAYERS WONT HAPPEN NEXT YEAR! 3.DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR-MAY NEED TO GO NEXT YEAR-TOP 10-BUT WE MUST KEEP RICHT- CMR September 26th, 2010 6:10 pm How soon we forget, you country hicks were nothing before i showed up. You were still living in the 80s with walker. Fire me lol……I am still the best thing to hit this state since coke. Billy Jack.... September 26th, 2010 6:11 pm I’m with Joey…I liked Jim Donnan…(are we still paying him…??) CHAMP September 26th, 2010 6:17 pm CMR I AGREE WITH THE SENTIMENT LESS THE NAME CALLING-RICHT IS NOT EASY TO REPLACE-HE DESERVES ANOTHER FULL SEASON-#2 IN THE NATION 4 YEARS AGO Bob H. September 26th, 2010 6:20 pm There is absolutely NO DISCIPLINE on our team, both on and off the field. There never will be until Coach Richt makes these guys pay the consequences. This goes for players and coaches alike. If a player makes a mistake sit him down and play the second string until he knows you won’t tolerate medoicrity, if that doesn’t work dismiss him. If a coach can’t coach or call plays replace him. I know there is pressure on the coach to win; however, more games will be won with discipline instead of ignoring problems.. Leadership is the art of influencing people toward the accomplishment of a common goal. Where is our leadership? joey September 26th, 2010 6:25 pm Billy Jack= It would seem that way, except Donnan could do more with less when it came to his recruits. Zooker September 26th, 2010 6:36 pm Remember Fla fired Ron Zook after loss to MIss State in mid season. The new GA AD has had a front row seat to how a good SEC program operates. Don’t be surprised if Mark is removed by week’s end. 5150 P.O.A.D. September 26th, 2010 6:39 pm Nice to see Richt kicked the last arrested player off the team. I fel sorry if a Star players is the next to screwup. I think with Richt on the hotseat any player getting in trouble now is gone. To all the USC, UGA and Bama tards September 26th, 2010 6:41 pm WAR DAMN EAGLE, retards!!!!!!!! To all the USC, UGA and Bama tards September 26th, 2010 6:42 pm “BTW one of the UF arrests was Cam Newton who will QB Auburn to yet another win over the pups.” I guess the stupidity never ceases. Cam Newton was never arrested. He was never charged for anything. SUCK IT, DAWG FANS. Skipper September 26th, 2010 7:01 pm CMR kicks Baker off the the team for under age drinking. He did this because it was an opportunity to get rid of a player that wasn’t right for the new defense. Yet, AJ Green commits a worst transgression and CMR says he’s a good boy and can’t wait to get him back playing. This wishy washy stuff is what is wrong at UGA. Green got 4 games suspension by NCAA, now UGA should add 4 more. Now lets see if he leaves school early for the pros when he only gets too play a hand full of games. Pros will not draft him in first round as a junior and only playing a couple of games. He deserve it. layinlow September 26th, 2010 7:07 pm Baker was kicked off the team. I’m ok with that but why kick this kid off and not aj green and washaun ealey or others who have had dui’s and other alcohol related arrest. This season is lost so I believe kicking AJ Green off would be the right move. I still believe that AJ is dirty and knows exactly who he was dealing with when he sold that jersey. But as usual the no name guy pays the ultimate price while the star gets a slap on the wrist. Uneven discipline is pure cowardice. layinlow September 26th, 2010 7:10 pm Cam newton knowingly purchased stolen equipment. I would much rather have a kid get arrested for underage alcohol that harbor a lowlife thief. Scott September 26th, 2010 7:11 pm Get a 100 yard rusher–Richt’s 39-2 when that happens. layinlow September 26th, 2010 7:12 pm Damn skipper our line of thinking is spot on. I posted that same thought beforee you’re post showed up. Of course i wholehardly agree with you’re thoughts on the subject. Scott September 26th, 2010 7:19 pm Lewt Logan Gray QB/Lead this team. Better team chemistry, the team loves the guy, lots of buy in to his leadership. Lazy Eye Luscious September 26th, 2010 7:29 pm What coach calls plays blindly ? Lazy Eye Luscious September 26th, 2010 7:31 pm Richt kicks non-starters off the team not starters. Lazy Eye Luscious September 26th, 2010 7:32 pm Mettenberger has the last laugh after all… To all the USC, UGA and Bama tards September 26th, 2010 7:33 pm “Cam newton knowingly purchased stolen equipment. I would much rather have a kid get arrested for underage alcohol that harbor a lowlife thief.” LOL!!! Nothing better than seeing crybaby UGA fans whine. Cam was never charged with anything. Retards, thy name is UGA. DOO DOO LEE September 26th, 2010 7:34 pm so let me get this straight, Baker kicked off the team and becomes the SCAPEGOAT for the 3 losses and 10 arrest. BRILLIANT CMR that’s showing them! Missy State Rules UGA September 26th, 2010 7:34 pm Thanks for coming to Starkville for that beating we laid on ya’ll. Ya’ll are the new Vanderbilt in the SEC. Congrats ! Misery September 26th, 2010 7:44 pm Maybe we suck because we don’t have UGA VIII yet. I guess Sonny doesn’t want to subject a young pup to this disgrace of a team. Yuck September 26th, 2010 7:46 pm @ To all the USC, UGA and Bama tards Maybe lay of the use of the “retard” tag…kind of offensive Missy State Rules UGA September 26th, 2010 7:49 pm SteveW, you smokin’ a bent cigarette ain’t ya ? Murray is very average and will not even be mentioned as a Heisman as a Jr. or Sr. Keep on living in your UGA world while everybody else lives in the real world. To all the USC, UGA and Bama tards September 26th, 2010 7:52 pm “Maybe lay of the use of the “retard” tag…kind of offensive” Ma’am, I’m not one for political correctness. If you want play mommy, go over to the AJC Momania blog. Kenny Powers September 26th, 2010 7:52 pm @Randy September 26th, 2010 5:20 pm Your post… “Georgia’s #1 porblem is they make decisions based on hypotheticals instead of real world tests. Example, Aaron Murray as QB over Logan Gray or Hutson Mason. Also, Joe Cox as QB was a poor decision last year. These guys need an on the field try out, and the winner is the QB. That’s the only way to get that decision right.” WTH does that gibberish even mean???? Murray won the job based on what the coaches observed of all of the QB’s. Why would they just hand him the job? He won out fair and square. Murray is playing great, the team as a whole is having issues. Murray is posting good numbers. Imagine if the team was playing lights out. Imagine the #’s Murray would be putting up! A freshman playing in the SEC, on a team that can’t find their way out of a brown paper bag, while playing at a very high level in spite of all that’s NOT happening around him. Knock him? H3ll UGA doesn’t deserve him! Yuck September 26th, 2010 7:53 pm @ Missy State Rules UGA It’s a little hard to measure Murray’s value as a QB four games into his college career. He could end up average or he could end up great…unless you or SteveW have a magic crystal ball. Missy State Rules UGA September 26th, 2010 7:55 pm Murray’s 1-3. He missed a bunch of open receivers especially in the final possession. He will play like a freshman as a junior. Missy State Rules UGA September 26th, 2010 7:56 pm I can only base it on what I see. Let’s base it on that. He sucks. Kenny Powerless September 26th, 2010 7:58 pm We need a coach fans. We need a new head coach. Yucky September 26th, 2010 7:59 pm I don’t know what I’m talking about. I’m just a UGA homer. Dawgfans=knuckleheads September 26th, 2010 8:00 pm You “fans” amaze me. Prior to CMR’s arrival, UGA football had been nonexistant for 20+ years. He has won 2 SEC Championships and finished #2 as well. Exactly what benchmark are you dilusional fans using as a measuring stick? Your last SEC Championship was 1982 prior to his arrival. You guys always win the “this is the year” Preseason National Championship, but it is always self proclaimed. Face it, short of one outstanding running back in the early 80’s, you guys are mediocre. Be careful what you ask for, because most of the time, the grass is not greener… Wallydawg September 26th, 2010 8:01 pm Turn out the lights the party’s over (for Richt & company). If McGarity doesn’t clean house after this season, then fire him and get someone in here who will demand that these coaches earn their paychecks. t bradford September 26th, 2010 8:15 pm We will be aggresive and attacking on defense. yeah right maybe in his dreams. mettenbooger September 26th, 2010 8:18 pm I gave the Georgia play book to everybody bite me UGA!!! And Jerry Mathers as the Beaver September 26th, 2010 8:20 pm Dawgster, I agree. That show by Jeff Danzler is horrible. How many times do I need to hear that they are at the Hotel Indigo in beautiful downtown Athens? And that some sorority is having a shin dig there? Take some callers and let some folks gripe for crimeny’s sake! NOBODYYOUKNOW September 26th, 2010 8:37 pm Yea, its gonna be a long year. Look at the games comming up. Colorado,Vandy, Tenn,Kentucky, those are pretty sure losses. UGA surely can handle the Techkies. But who the hell knows any more? nmdaawg08 September 26th, 2010 8:49 pm Murray may be a feshman, but plays with courage and a sense of urgency. With experieince, and a little better protection, he will be praised by UGA fans. Coach Richt looks disinterested to me.

One of the ‘Special Days’ at this year’s conference will focus on ‘High-Performance Low-Power Computing’ on March 20, an area that is bringing new challenges to the system design community. This Special Day will feature four sessions covering System approaches, IC Architecture approaches, Many-Core SoC approaches and Fabrication Technology approaches for Energy-Efficiency. I have been invited to deliver the keynote on Energy-Efficient Computing at 1:30pm. I’m fortunate that my work at ARM and our heritage in low power, high performance – particularly in the mobile space, enables me to speak with a pretty long view of this subject. Since the very first mobile computer, power efficiency has been a key measure for success. In today’s hyper-connected world, our need for performance is ever increasing, and the energy cost of performance has risen well beyond just the life of the battery in mobile devices. Energy efficiency is now the key driver across most consumer and enterprise products and has become the primary limit in the delivery of high performance. During my keynote I will consider the various power related limitations of compute while discovering how the techniques and new capabilities introduced into mobile computing also bring the flexibility to address the limitations of the traditional computing approach. We can think of three key phases in this journey: (1) Phase One began in the 1990’s with single core designs, such as the ARM1176 CPU paired with a DSP such as the + TI C64x. (2) Phase Two saw the Multi-core cluster based designs like the ARM11 MPCore and the ARM CortexTM-A9 MPCore often used with specialist accelerators. (3) Phase Three is where we are now: Multi-cluster designs such as ARM big.LITTLETM processing technology with Cortex-A15 and Cortex-A7 processors and ARM MaliTM GP-GPU graphic acceleration. Big.LITTLE technology ensures application tasks are using the right processor for the right job, to produce 70% energy savings on common workloads. What could become (4) Phase Four is where we are potentially heading: ‘Scalable Compute Units’ – a future towards which ARM has already laid the required IP tracks. This introduces a new way of understanding, and also driving energy efficiency, while supporting the software paradigms and models familiar to the software community. To begin, we need to abstract the thought of building systems with single discrete CPUs and start thinking about ‘Units of Compute,’ each unit managed by one of today’s SMP operating system, operating within an partitioned coherent region of the globally shared memory map. It is then a question of how to use these compute units in a SoC and scale them into many-core systems. The size and capability of any specific compute unit is defined by the target market’s ability to utilize the SMP resources the unit defines, ranging from a single CPU core up to a multi-core, multi-cluster design with arrays of GP-GPU compute. Today such units can be constructed from a single Cortex-A5, through big.LITTLE with GP-GPU acceleration, to a 16-way Cortex-A57. From this concept we consider the benefit from a common global address space across the whole system with a very scalable global cached communication path between compute nodes isolated from traditional bottlenecks to DDR & IO. As the SMP operating system (OS) won’t scale as far as the hardware can, we can then consider how any access to remote regions could still provide coherent shared memory between compute units while keeping the central part of the OS tied to each compute unit’s local coherent region Because of advances such as big.LITTLE processing we can now begin to view the CPU as no longer having a single pipeline, and think of it more in the domain of a single SMP OS’s ownership. This thinking will start to include other API abstracted processors and accelerators, such as ARM Mali GP-GPU through the architecture currently being defined with in the HSA consortium. As the complex of such compute sub-systems has increased, ARM has used this basis to develop what can now be viewed as Compute Units from a single CPUs through to multiple clusters of multi-core CPUs utilizing MPCore technology, with the system IP such as CoreLinkTM Cache Coherent technology (CCI-400, CCN-504) being used within the Compute Unit to scale the overall capability of the design. ARM has also recently introduced the Cortex-A50 series of ARMv8 CPUs, extending the concept of the Compute Node to 64-bits which through the capabilities it enables through a common global address, enables the development of a unified architecture with which to build many-core systems from multiple compute units and as such to nurture the future of the ARM ecosystem. These and other developments will continue to steer us towards the low power, high performance course that government, business and consumers all need to take for a sustainable and dynamic future. John Goodacre, Director of Technology and Systems, ARM. John. »

We like holidays, not just for the obvious reasons–the days off from work and school, the food, the gatherings and celebratory mood–but also because we like to have a theme. A theme for how to dress, a theme for crafts, a theme for books, a theme for new things to learn about. Seems like I’ve been especially aware of this since Sabrina began preschool and started bringing home themed songs and artwork. Then there are the themed school events. From the Halloween Parade to the Thanksgiving Gathering Feast to the Valentine’s Day sing along, it’s been a great flow of holiday themed fun for us pretty much since September. But now, no theme. I realized this immediately after Easter when Sabrina asked me what was next. What do you mean, what’s next? Is it going to be Halloween now? she asked. No, I answered. Is it New Years, she asked eagerly. And suddenly I realized what she was getting at. What was our next theme, the subject we’d explore for a few weeks that would then culminate in some big food- and probably candy-filled day. I mentally went through the calendar and realized there really was nothing on the horizon. Veteran’s Day? Hardly something a kid can get excited about. Memorial Day perhaps, but that’s still a stretch when it comes to holidays that are fun for kids. We do have 4th of July to look forward to, but school will be out so I’ll be on my own as far as exploring this holiday in craft and art and song form. I have to say, I’m feeling kind of liberated with this little break from holidays. Nothing to make a big deal about, no pressure to make anything memorable. But for Sabrina, it’s a different story. Luckily for her, April is a huge birthday month in our family. We’ve got, in order: my Dad’s birthday, my sister’s birthday, Sabrina’s birthday, CC’s birthday (she’ll be ONE!), and finally my nephew Alex’s birthday on the 30th. So now Sabrina is really looking forward to “the birthday holidays” as she’s been calling the celebrations. Her art has been filled with cakes, candles and balloons, and even as I write I can hear her humming “Happy Birthday” in her bed. So I’m curious, are you feeling a bit of holiday withdrawal or are you sighing with relief at the break? Singing relief here!! Yeah for no plans! Yeah for at least a month before the next holiday. (Earth Day, May Day, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Father’s Day) I don’t ‘celebrate’ all of these, but just in case you need a theme I thought I would include them. It felt strange having Easter so early. There really wasn’t time after St. Patrick’s Day to do much easter stuff, unless you skip St. Patrick’s day all together. My family always celebrates May Day (May 1st). We don’t do the may pole stuff, but we leave flowers on people’s doorsteps. Last year my girls were only 10 1/2 months (twins), but we still made flowers using handprints to give to the grandparents. This year I am not sure what we are going to do, but it will be fun and it will make some people feel good. If you were feeling really ambitious you could take flowers (real or made) to a local nursing home (maybe convince the preschool teacher to get the whole class involved). We have a whole spat of April and May birthdays! So that’s our thing. Don’t forget April Fool’s Day! You could check out some joke books (such as the Jokelopedia) or if your kids are older, like 4th or 5th grade, “Dogs Don’t Tell Jokes” is excellent. You can also celebrate with a cake topped with trick candles or by practicing fun magic tricks together! Could you help me. The trick is to make sure you don’t die waiting for prosperity to come. Help me! I can not find sites on the: Small business innovation. I found only this – small business valuation. The small consumer avail securities hardly emphasize shot size opportunities into their tied products that seek a finance head of purely pulling widows and have just been known, small business. Small business, your concept combination can then visit your details to help and check you to be hourly in the available members of your professional note. Thanks for the help , Ardis from Qatar.

Preface The older is the death story. The church first preached Jesus’ death. ‘Ye do preach the Lord’s death until he come’, said St Paul near the year 50ad, in describing the marrow of the meaning of the meal, the Eucharist, at the heart of the community’s life. Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried: here we hear the older story, the death story. This older story, the account of the Crucifixion and the radiant apocalypse of resurrection to follow, is the church’s primal affirmation. Paul: ‘I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me, and the life I know live in the flesh I live by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ, who loved me, and gave himself for me’. The second story followed the first, though that seems odd to us today. Later, some decades later, the church began to convey not only the story of the cross and resurrection, but also the narrative of the incarnation and proclamation of Christ. This was the primitive church’s second story. Conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary: here we hear the second oldest story, not of death but of life, not of cross but of cradle, not of suffering but of growing, not of example but of precept. John: ‘The Word became flesh and dwelt among us’. In this secondary affirmation, the church accounted for Jesus’ advent, his birth, his teaching and preaching and healing, his parables, his miracles, his family, his disciples, and his call to those who would hear, ‘follow though me’. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and soul and mind and strength. And thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. The whole law is here summarized”. Now these two sibling stories have usually gotten along well, with the occasional familial rancor. You will notice that the second story is that of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany and Ordinary Time. You will notice that the first story is that of Ash Wednesday, Lent, Holy Week, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter. They are related but different stories. How they are related consumes two thousand years and the whole history of Christianity. Some traditions and denominations within Christianity tend to favor the life story. Orthodox, some Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, Quaker, Unitarian and various other Christians tend to know the second story better, and to sing the Carols of Christmas loudest. They tend to interpret the New Testament letters in light of the Gospels. They tend to interpret Holy Week in light of Epiphany. Some traditions and denominations within Christianity tend to favor the death story. Lutheran, Calvinist, some Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist and various other Christians tend to know the first story better, and to sing the hymns of Holy Week and Easter loudest. They tend to interpret the New Testament Gospels in light of the letters of Paul and others. They tend to interpret Christmas in light of Good Friday. But you will ask for a synthesis. ‘Please, Dean Hill, is there no way to bring these two stories together? Is there not an apt balance between Bethlehem and Calvary, Nazareth and Golgotha? May we not find a suitable compromise? Must we ever be at daggers drawn, death vs life, one vs two, Novum Testamentum vs Jesus Seminar, Buttrick vs Craddock, Calvin vs Wesley? In the immortal sentence of Rodney King, Dean Hill, please, por favor, ‘CAN’T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG’? No. No. The answer to your heartfelt desire is: no. You will inevitably read one story by the light of the other. Or, at least, the LENTEN answer is no. Now. Now…Come back at Christmas and ask again THEN and you may find a more irenic, more life affirming, more pacific, more latitudinarian response! But you will need to stay around until December for that. In any case, in this season of Lent, we are best advised to listen to the first story, the account of Jesus death, and to do so guided by Scripture, Tradition, and Reason, that is, by Exegesis, Exposition, and Application. A quintessential Lutheran, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, is here to help us. Our Holy Gospel from John, chapter 3, takes us insot the heart of Lent, the heart of darkness, a prelude to Calvary. Nicodemus appears at night, trying to catch the spirit. His darkened, murky encounter with the Christ of God reminds us, as Bonhoeffer wrote, that ‘discipleship is more than what we can comprehend’. In that sense, discipleship comprehends us, grace comprehends us, Christ comprehends us, rather than the other way around. Nicodemus is a ruler of Israel. He is a teacher and a religious leader. He has stayed by the mother tongue, the mother tradition, the mother religion. He has stayed in the womb. He has never left home. But you cannot become yourself if you never leave home. To become who you are you have to go somewhere else. Not always geographically. Jesus never traveled more than fifty miles from Bethlehem. John is concerned with Spirit, not speculation; with the artistry of the everyday, not with Armageddon; with the church, not with calamity. You have already learned the heart of this text: that Nicodemus and Jesus are representative types of religion—past and future, law and liberty; that the word for Spirit and wind is the same word and that John can and does mean both; that the command to be born from above is plural, you all, or as they say in the South, “all y’all.” John turns his gaze now away from inherited religion to focus on culture, away from Judaism to address the Gnostics, who wanted fervently to be saved by knowing “whence we come and whither we are going.” Says Jesus, “The Spirit blows where it wills.” Cultural religion says, “You know whence you came.” Spirit says, “You do not.” A pre-Christian culture says, “You know where you are going.” John says, “Not so: Those who are born of the spirit, of them you do not know whence or whither.” John’s neighbors affirm: we know whence and whither. John replies: not so of those born of the spirit. You are left with confusing liberty, the assorted decisions of a complex life. You are free. In Christ, you are set free. In Spirit, you do not know. In Spirit, you believe. Here stands Nicodemus, a man in full. A religious leader, really a representative of the best in spiritual inheritance. He ventures out at night, choking from the challenge of truth, new truth, full truth. Where he has been will not take him where he needs to go. He is a person on the edge of a great dislocation: he is about to make up his mind to change his mind about something that really matters. Think of Bonhoeffer in 1944. Some years ago the Christian Century ran a series of articles by nominally great religious leaders, titled “How My Mind Has Changed”. A disappointing series. One found really little significant change of mind in any of them. Typical of preachers—stubborn, self-assured; it takes one to know one. But here stands Nicodemus, a courageous soul. He is facing the great heartache of maturity. You face it too. He is facing out over a great ravine, a great gorge, a great precipice. On a matter of mortal meaning, he is making up his mind whether to change his mind. That takes real courage. Benjamin Franklin found this courage when he left behind his beloved Europe and his confidence in diplomacy to take up arms with his fellow colonists. Abraham Lincoln found this courage when he finally moved to side fully with the abolitionists. Robert F. Kennedy, then the junior Senator from the Empire State, found this same courage when he left the Cold War mind of his own past and of his dear brother to oppose the war in Vietnam. Sometimes you get to a point where you have to make up your mind whether to change your mind. To face facts, as Nicodemus courageously faced the works, signs, deeds of Jesus the Christ. It takes great courage to change your mind about something of mortal significance. In fact, it may not even be humanly possible, apart from grace. It means admitting error. We would sooner be proven sinful than stupid. John takes us to higher ground. We have an easier time receiving forgiveness for sin than we do receiving grace for change. So, we hear John 3, the first of our three Lenten tasks in these weeks of Lent 2011. For our rendering of, our exposition of, the Gospel, we turn to the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was born in Breslau Germany, in 1906. His father was a prominent psychiatrist, and the family sooned moved to Berlin. Bonhoeffer made, for his family, the unusual decision to study theology, and began in Tubingen in 1923. In the next several years, he wrote and published, and traveled to Barcelona and New York. He later served as a pastor in London, and returned for further study to NYC, again at Union Seminary. In 1934 he worked to organize the Confessing Church, which criticized the Lutheran church’s support of Hitler. For three years, he led a small seminary for the Confessing Church, in Finkenwalde, until it was closed by the Gestapo (about the time his book, the Cost of Discipleship, was published in 1937). Although on returning to Union in NYC in 1939 he could have stayed there, he determined to return to his homeland. In 1940 he was prohibited from public speaking in Germany. For many years he had taught and practiced a kind of pacifism. But in 1943 he began to take part in a plot to kill Hitler, for which activity he would lose his life. He was also engaged to married that year, and then imprisoned in Berlin. In 1945 he was moved from Berlin to Regensburg and from Regensburg to Flossenburg where he was hung on April 9, days before he would have been liberated. Bonhoeffer is best known for his ferocious assault on cheap grace. We here at Marsh Chapel in Lent 2011 will not let his voice be forgotten. Hear him again: Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our church. We are fighting today for costly grace. Cheap grace means grace sold on the market like cheap wares. The sacraments, the forgiveness of sin, and the consolation of religion are thrown away at cut prices. Cheap grace means grace as a doctrine, a principle, a system. It means foregiveness of sins proclaimed as a general truth, the love of God taught as the Christian ‘conception’ of GodIn such a church foregiveness without requiring repentance, baptism withouth he has. Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. Costly grace is the sanctuary of God; it has to be protected from the world and not thrown to the dogs…it comes as a word of foregiveness to the broken spirit and the contrite heart. Do we realize that this cheap grace has turned back upon us like a boomer. With us it has been abundantly proved that the sins of the fathers are visited upon the children unto the third and fourth generations. Cheap grace has turned out to be utterly merciless to our Church. We set ourselves these weeks a third assignment, to apply the Gospel and this one life. As Justice Holmes said of a sermon he heard (5 beautiful words): ‘I applied it to myself’. Monday morning this week brought a quiet calm to an empty campus. Our plaza centrally adorned by the majestic, universal beauty of the MLK sculpture was empty, or nearly so. A winter solitude settled on the center of our University. Across the plaza hustled a young father, administrator and doctoral student. He is completed a dissertation on the leadership of our fourth President, Daniel Marsh. He paused in front of the Chapel named for his subject, and then saw last Sunday’s sermon title. Slowly, haltingly, deep in reverie, he came across the rest of the windswept emptiness. Then he spoke: The Cost of Discipleship. I will never forget reading it in college. It changed me. It inspired me. It stays with me. Not since have I read it or anything like it. Bonhoeffer’s voice penetrated my heart and soul, and lives there still. The Lenten series here offered, Marsh Chapel 2011, is lifted with the hope that such an experience, either of reading remembered or of words presently heard, will broadly be ours. May you know his voice, remember his voice, honor his voice, hold and be held by it. For something there is that warns us that sometime, maybe soon, maybe sooner than later, we shall need, deeply need to remember that voice. Our life, our salvation may in part depend upon it. We are relying this Lent, for the application of the Gospel heard in Scripture and Life, upon a third voice, beyond that of Nicodemus and that of Bonhoeffer. This is the voice of Franklin Littell, who preached thunderously from this pulpit in 1952. The meaning of the Holocaust for Christians is at least this: when the baptized betray their baptism, when those who have been grafted into history flee back out of history, when the new men and new women in Christ cast off the new life and become part of the dying age again, the old Israel is left alone as the sign that the God who is God yet rules…For Christians only: we must begin our agonizing self-assessment and reappraisal with the fact that in a season of betrayal and faithlessness the vast majority of the martyrs for the Lord of history were Jews. The Jewish people carried history while the Christians fled headlong from their professed vocation. (80) Israel and the Holocaust are alpine events deeply resented by many modern Christian teachers—the former, because its survival against great odds requires a theological reappraisal for which few are ready; the latter because popular religion admits error but denies guilt. (2)) Within the jail cell of his last years, Bonhoeffer penned memorable prayers, reflections, meditations, and a hymn that is located in our hymnal, and we shall sing it next week. It is a hymn of faith. A hymn we may hum when we want to summon the courage to change our mind. A hymn we may hum when we need to remember the supreme sacrifice of others. A hymn we may hum when we try again to see ourselves, truly, in our real location in history: And confidently waiting come what may We know that God is with us night and morning And never fails to greet us each new day Dean of Marsh Chapel.

Chad: Taking a Gamble with Better OddsPosted on Tuesday, July 19th, 2011 at 3:36 pm By Francesca Reinhardt, Program Support Officer, Chad At 6:30 am on the dot the rain begins to fall in Goré, southern Chad. It sounds like an avalanche clattering down on the tin roof overhead. This is the sound everyone’s been waiting for with bated breath, because it’s already mid-May and the rains should have started a few weeks ago. But after twenty minutes it stops. Is it a false alarm? There’s no more rain, but the air is thick and heavy and clouds still hover in the distance, promising more. So after a long, hot dry season, the farmers swing into gear. When to plant is a serious gamble for farmers. If the rains don’t start in earnest, the soil will dry up and precious seeds will get blown away. If they wait too long, it might be too late, and food stores from the year before will have to last even longer. For many subsistence farmers, the months between the end of the harsh dry season and the first harvest are known as the “hunger gap,” when they have to survive on the last of the cereal crop, foraging, and loans. There is an added danger that if families get too hungry, they will eat the seeds they need to plant for the next harvest, thus threatening their food supply for the following year. Some families hide their seeds in trees, or anywhere else that will keep them out of reach of hungry children. This is obviously a difficult choice for families to make: to have their children go hungry now, or risk starvation the following year. Timing is everything. Concern has been pre-positioning seeds and tools to get ready for the planting season. The area around Goré gets cut off during the rainy season as the roads become impassable, so everything has to be ready to go as soon as the rains start. However, if seeds get distributed too early, they might be eaten or sold before the rains come. Working with refugee and host communities, Concern has built seed banks and stocked them with certified seeds for improved crop varieties. This ensures a reliable and affordable supply of seeds, and a safety net against bad harvests. Participants can borrow seeds for planting, and if the harvest is a success, deposit them again for the following year. As soon as the first rains come, it’s time for the seed banks to organize distributions. Peanut and sesame seeds come first, followed by sorghum — which needs more water – a few weeks later. Eventually the seed bank committees will take over the entire process, but for now they work closely with Concern. This year there are 2,000 beneficiaries in three refugee camps and seven villages. As with regular borrowers applying for a bank loan, the beneficiaries have to show that they are practicing farmers and likely to return the loan. A special effort is made to ensure that the poorest families participate.Alice Dero is treasurer of the seed bank committee in Dosseye Refugee Camp, near Goré. The committees are elected by the community, and Alice is the only woman on the executive. She has a formidable presence it would be hard to ignore. I have a feeling if she told me to do something I would comply pretty quickly. Hundreds of people are milling around the seed bank, a weather-proof brick warehouse, trying to find a scrap of shade where they can wait their turn. Alice wastes no time putting people to work and doing crowd control. She herself measures out the 6kg of sesame seeds that everyone receives. Despite the commotion, the crowds of farmers and onlookers are good for transparency. As a public event, everyone can see what’s going on and who’s getting what. I ask her if it’s a lot of work, on top of her usual responsibilities as head of a big family. “Everything is work,” she says, “everything is work. But if the job’s done right, it’s worth it. Here I can see with my own eyes if it’s done right.” Dosseye Refugee Camp looks like a sprawling village, and dwarfs many towns in the region. It is home to 10,000 refugees from the Kabba and Fula ethnic groups fleeing violence and instability in the Central African Republic (CAR). Kabbas, like Alice, are traditionally farmers who share ethnicity with some of the host population in Chad. The Fula are pastoralists who are rapidly learning to farm, now that their herds are gone and animal migration routes cut off. Putting farming and refugees together might seem unusual, but the 76,000 CAR refugees in Chad could be here for the long term. Some have been here for almost ten years, and the future in CAR is uncertain. Uncertainty is a part of life here. No one knows ifthe refugees will be staying here another two years, five years, or forever. Year to year and month to month, subsistence farmers depend on numerous factors beyond their control. Will the rains come? Will there be floods? Will waves of locusts and birds devour the crops? Will mysterious blights and molds ravage them? Will animal migrations trample them? After the back-breaking harvest, will weevils and rats get into the grain stores? What happens when there’s not enough land? Will there be land-title disputes? You would think that just getting up in the morning is not for the faint of heart. Better inputs, farming techniques, and management can make a big difference, but mastering all these variables at once is a remarkable feat for those who achieve it. There are definitely some bigger farmers making a go of it, usually by relying on several different sources of income to spread the risk. But the refugees of Dosseye and other nearby camps are living much closer to the edge, farming smaller plots, waiting for the clouds to burst. For them, just feeding their families is an amazing achievement..

Morgan face-to-face: 58-42 to Coalition; Seat of the week: Eden-Monaro The. Categories: Federal Election 2013, Federal Politics 2010- It was not only less affluent -parts of the North Shore still had septic tanks in the early 70s. Until about 15 – 20 years ago, the Pyrmont area of inner Sydney was not connected either – it just flowed untreated into Sydney Harbour. A massive sewerage infrastructure had to be put in to support the recent massive development. by blackburnpseph on May 26, 2012 at 9:57 am premature encapsulation then by The Finnigans on May 26, 2012 at 9:58 am Zoomster @ 2495 Probably quite true. Best to go equipped with plenty of water and fuel, a satellite phone, and good car repair skills. by blackburnpseph on May 26, 2012 at 9:59 am Caaaaaaaaaaa-ney…. Labor is guilty of “Politics With Intent To Govern”. It’s apparently a very serious offence, a clear violation of the Carney “Labor Is Always Bad and Grubby” Act, 2006 (as amended 2007, 2010 and just about every weekend thereafter). He dismisses over three hundred pieces of legislation that Labor wanted, balancing them against one or two they they to agree with the Independents to pass so they could get all the other stuff through. He tells us that Slipper is her problem. He omits to tell us that if Abbott had won the election, Slipper would have remained the Coalition’s problem. It’s all “problems” to Carney. The achievements of government under a hung parliament are faffed-off by the patrician rose-water sniffer as merely some kinds of incidental, illusory saving graces, that are opposed, weakly, to the enormity and infamy of passing watered down poker machine legislation. In case Shaun didn’t notice: Wilkie is better disposed to the government nowadays. The Clubs are quieter. The Labor back bench is more settled. The poker machine legislation passed the house last week (where the old version would not have passed the house in any week). Gilliard is still PM. The government is still in government. The Carbon Tax is about to start showing the punters that the world isn’t going to go up in a puff of soot…. one is reminded of a herd of BISONS. The downside? The polls are bad. Carney, in his elegant, mannered way, is the same as the Coalition, their urgers at News and the bogan shock jocks with their rednecked caller mates. He just can’t get over the fact that as a government, this government has governed, and governed pretty effectively. The cock-ups that usually remain behind closed doors have admittedly been made more public (aided by a media that regards paying prostitutes and trawling through Otto bins as a noble enterprise). Cock-ups, there have been, of course, but it is wrong for Carney to dismiss the vast body of solid legislation and governance as mere asides to an imagined main game of dysfunction and …. oh, the horror! …. political deal making. Politicians do politics. They do deals. They govern in the best way they can, with the cards they are dealt, not the cards that previous governments were dealt. Carney’s main gripe (although he’d never admit it) is the same as that of the most rednecked caller to the Hadley show: he’s a sore loser. And he’s worried that things are going to get better. As Megalogenis puts it: why would he be wailing so loud now, if he was so sure of victory in just a few short monhs? by Bushfire Bill on May 26, 2012 at 10:01 am Jackol @ 1.22am And at 9.55am, funnily enough the spelling is corrected but nor the error about “minister” is still there. Is the SMH making a challenge for the “Alan Kohler never-let-the-facts-stand-in-the-way-of-a-good-yarn Memorial Award”? Either quality control is very poor or the SMH is peddling a lie with a political agenda. With a poor quality product like this, little wonder the FXJ stock price is wallowing at all time lows by Laocoon on May 26, 2012 at 10:02 am My family (incl me and sister) migrated here from Holland in ’57. If there is work grab it, don’t sit and whyne that it is far away! by political animal on May 26, 2012 at 10:02 am Musiekemp: Sorry for your loss. I recently watched an uncle die in exactly the same way. I was comforted by the fact that he died peacefully and pain free. by confessions on May 26, 2012 at 10:02 am Muskiemp, Condolences to you and your family. by fiona on May 26, 2012 at 10:04 am Victoria North Korea ..or so we are told. But your point is valid, there is a pervading cynicism toward our political leaders – it could be the pervasiveness of media, it could be the blurring of ideological lines (I would exempt the US fromtaht category), it could be the ‘professionalisation’ of a political caste. Possibly, as we are allmore educated, we are all more sceptical – the role of political parties in defining identity and their bases have also shrunk. by blackburnpseph on May 26, 2012 at 10:05 am Listening to SEN sports radio. Dr Turf who is a commentator and identity in Melbourne said that News Ltd will be shedding 400 jobs Australia wide. He said this is huge, but does not believe it will be reported extensiely. by victoria on May 26, 2012 at 10:06 am Muskiemp My condolences. It was good your Mother had her family with her. by Puff, the Magic Dragon. on May 26, 2012 at 10:06 am I’ve been through that with my own Mum, Muskiemp. It’s a shattering experience for those who sit and wait, but like yours, my mother’s passing was peaceful. She was 90. Many condolences. by Bushfire Bill on May 26, 2012 at 10:08 am Good Morning Thay GetUp! Pokie Advert by guytaur on May 26, 2012 at 10:08 am Did it? I completely missed that. by confessions on May 26, 2012 at 10:09 am Muskiemp, my condolences to you and fam. by political animal on May 26, 2012 at 10:09 am BB @ 2450 A brilliant little slice of the utterly transformative potential of the NBN. There simply is no excuse for not being on board with it. The cost is peanuts compared to some of the things we spend billions on. We can’t know what the new industries that will be developed thanks to a universal high speed communications system will be any more than someone in the mid 1800s could have predicted what would come of universal electricity networks, but we can be certain that it will be at the centre of our lives and economy in the decades to come. by ratsak on May 26, 2012 at 10:09 am Political Animal, Congratulations to the parents, and to all interested parties! And thank you for reminding me about “The Outcasts of Foolgarah” – I must hunt up a copy and reread. BB @ 2450, Your “guru” customer sounds as though 150 years ago he would have been an ardent supporter of the Locomotive Acts: After all, those demned new-fangled contraptions don’t have any real future, hrrrumph. by fiona on May 26, 2012 at 10:11 am Muskiemp Condolences to you and yours by victoria on May 26, 2012 at 10:11 am Yes it was good that Mother did have her Daughter, Son grand children and great grand children at various times during the weekend. One of her grand sons was at her bedside, keeping vigilance in the early hours of Tuesday morning, when she dyed. by Muskiemp on May 26, 2012 at 10:12 am Last week I mentioned bus services that had been cut by Ballieu in my locality. 10.00 news reported that my local state Member together with residents are walking the route of one of the bus services cut this morning in protest. They want fallieu to reinstate these services. As an aside, the services have been cut in Labor stronghold areas. by victoria on May 26, 2012 at 10:14 am Muskiekemp We all die eventually. The best we can hope for is to go peacefully. So your mother managed the best possible. May we all be so lucky. My Condolences to you and yours. by guytaur on May 26, 2012 at 10:15 am Muskiemp My best wishes to you at a difficult time – take care! by MTBW on May 26, 2012 at 10:16 am Talking about dunnies. I grew up in the remote outback where the norm was an iron structure over a deep pit. At the rail siding at Abminga (SA) there was a hotel which sported a six-seater dunny (unisex at that) and I remember as a child imagining all six seats being occupied and what the conversation might be! In Alice Springs there was the night cart system and it could be quite amusing to see someone come scurrying out of the dunny when the nightcart pulled up to change the pan, or to hear the tales of those visitors who didn’t know the routine and were caught by a blast of air on the bare bum as the pan was whipped out from under them. In Darwin, there were the ‘flaming furies’ that were set alight every sunday evening. Lines and lines of huffing and puffing as the plumes of black smoke filled the air, and the long wait for the dunny seat to cool down enough afterwards. by janice2 on May 26, 2012 at 10:17 am Further to my earlier comment that 400 jobs would go in News ltd, Dr Turf said that newspaper circulation is taken a huge nose dive and will continue to do so. Said that 400 staff is a significant amount of people. If News ltd is going down this path, what hope does fairfax have. by victoria on May 26, 2012 at 10:18 am Grrrrrr…….son has decided to play football today, against medico advice!!!! by victoria on May 26, 2012 at 10:19 am I recall what we used to call, as kids, ‘The shit can man.’ by Boerwar on May 26, 2012 at 10:21 am victoria Fairfax has more hope than NewsLtd. Fairfax has always been for quality. It is quality that will survive. Just look at Crikey. Quality people are willing to pay for. So it will be for Fairfax. So it will not be for News Corp papers tabloid papers world wide. by guytaur on May 26, 2012 at 10:22 am guytaur Fairfax is losing more money than News. The herald Sun is this best selling paper here in Vic, purely because of its sports reportage. The Age comes nowhere close to the Herald sun by victoria on May 26, 2012 at 10:24 am Muskiemp My condolences. It can be hard to do but, if my similar experience of sitting by Mum for the same time is anything to go by, it is a good thing to do – for your Mum and also for yourself and family. Best wishes over the next little while. by Boerwar on May 26, 2012 at 10:24 am Perhaps the news ltd staff can seek what with Ms Gina. Would save her the trouble of needing to use all the visas by victoria on May 26, 2012 at 10:26 am A recent article – which I linked to here – outlined that the NBN would more than cover its costs threefold. Once, by the improvement to health services. (One of the issues which comes up every year when local health users are surveyed is the need for transport and the cost of it. Interestingly, the conversation is shifting towards how the NBN can replace transport. And that’s only one area in which there’ll be savings to health). Twice, by its ability to monitor, in real time, energy usage. At present, energy generation (as I understand it) is largely predictive – they THINK there’ll be an increase in demand, so they fire up the generators. They THINK demand is slowing, so they close them down. Real time monitoring of energy usage will smooth out the problems this creates. Thirdly, by replacing the copper network, which is getting increasingly more expensive to maintain as it ages. And that’s without considering: Telecommuting – if even 5% of our present workforce telecommuted (even part time) that would create huge savings on road maitenance, fuel emissions etc etc. Education – again, if students can access classes remotely, this would see fewer buses on the roads (as students wouldn’t have to change schools to access their curriculum needs), fewer teachers (sorry. But it would save money), wider curriculum offerings to students (and thus a higher likelihood of them taking up courses at a higher level) etc etc. And other savings: for example, we’re currently setting up a small business, based on my husband designing and building motorhomes from scratch. To do this, he uses engines and gearboxes retrieved from wrecked cars bought at auction. To attend an auction, he has to drive to Melbourne (7 hour round trip) and there’s no guarantee that he will be able to purchase the required car if he does so. With the NBN, he doesn’t have to go anywhere – and he can access auctions not just in Melbourne but throughout Australia. by zoomster on May 26, 2012 at 10:26 am Victoria,these bus services were reorgansied because of the opening of the South Morang train extension – promised if you recall by the previous government in 1999 – and only brought on by them close to the 2010 election. However, that is not to say that lots have been inconvenienced by the withdrawal of the bus services. Both sides are guilty for losing the plot on service extension. Except that the ALP built a tram extension to Vermont South that very few people seem to use. by blackburnpseph on May 26, 2012 at 10:27 am ‘The Australian’ continues its war against the AGW today. It is on the attack against the ABC (and the BBC – as you would) for getting AGW wRONg. This is done with a complete lack of any sense of irony. The Deltoid blog side now has over 80 detailed examples of ‘The Australian’s’ war on science. by Boerwar on May 26, 2012 at 10:28 am Phillip Hudson outlines some key dates: A leadership change between May and August would be lunacy and he’s included that speculation to fit the Herald Sun’s agenda. End of October to November would be the ideal time by spur212 on May 26, 2012 at 10:28 am oops what – work by victoria on May 26, 2012 at 10:28 am Death should be a happy occasion. i told my family i want plenty of singing at my funerals. Happy, joyful, soulful or sad songs, i dont care. he he he, i am dead so why should i care. The sufferings or pain to death, if any, that’s the sad part. by The Finnigans on May 26, 2012 at 10:28 am After reading the editorial yesterday I regret signing up again. I wont be fooled twice. by Ian on May 26, 2012 at 10:29 am victoria The Age needs to remember it is a quality Newspaper and it does not have the rivers of gold anymore. The Herald Sun sell as you say as a sports paper that has some news. The Age needs to shed old generation journos and go with new vibrant ones willing to change with the new world. That means no Grattan and others writing opinion pieces that are basically a load of BS and most know it. Instead they need to return to quality journalism. This way they will survive. Their circulation will be greatly reduced but they have a bad business model trying for a mass market. Those days for the Age are gone. Those readers are on the internet getting their news. They have to do similar to Crikey and have good quality journalism people are willing to pay for. by guytaur on May 26, 2012 at 10:29 am janice2 Apparently the unisex multi seat dunny was a feature of the French court at Versailles. Parties of men and women would decamp together after meals. Interesting to imagine all those expensively dressed exquisites in all their finery spending quality time together!!! by zoomster on May 26, 2012 at 10:30 am Bbp It is not just services in the South Morang area. Services in Greensborough have been cut. I have spoken to people directly involved with the new South Morang station. One word bedlam by victoria on May 26, 2012 at 10:31 am The snowy and tehyfro scheme was built by the italians and tne polish, even then some born aust. Refused togo there by my say on May 26, 2012 at 10:31 am Ian I got a subscription to Crikey this time around, and I regret it too by victoria on May 26, 2012 at 10:31 am Highs and lows for PBers today. Congratulations PA for your new addition. Commiserations Mukiemp for your sad loss – although a tremendous innings and a life and lifetime of memories to be celebrated. Another topic. HELP!! Any PBer electricians? Power has been out from yesterday arvo (lucky you lot not having to put with me) and finally been restored. But no power points on one side of the house functioning. Power company says bad luck, we don’t fix those. Your expense, although demarcatingly?? if said outage caused an appliance to be fried that was connected to one of those power points then a claim could be made to replace the appliances at the power company’s expense. Questions: Would it be a blown fuse? if so, is it possible to fix it without the expense of an electrician? or is that illegal? by kezza2 on May 26, 2012 at 10:32 am Kezza2 My son is an apprentice electrician, but he has gone out now to play footy. So I cant ask him for advice. I am so mad with him. Doctor said he was not to play following accident yesterday where he got whiplash. by victoria on May 26, 2012 at 10:35 am Finn—I attended funeral of someone who had been an employee, She didn’t quite make 60 but decreed that after the funeral there would be a birthday party so we ate birthday cake and sang Happy Birthday in the funeral parlor by political animal on May 26, 2012 at 10:36 am Ian Crikey remains quality. I want it to survive. I have many problems with it. However it is still up there at the top of the Pyramid in terms of quality. Much more informative and accurate than most publications available. I hope you have told Crikey your concerns. Given the resource Crikey has I think it does a good job. by guytaur on May 26, 2012 at 10:36 am The Mining Industry is an export industry, almost 100%. So why it hasnt complained & jumping up & down about the high AUD. #justasking by The Finnigans on May 26, 2012 at 10:37 am Dunny man Shit can man Night soil man … and there’s my great-grandmother’s euphemism: the honey cart man. by fiona on May 26, 2012 at 10:37 am spur212 post @ 533 by the dates newstld is giving , its all over for Abbott/newsltd after july 1 by Meguire Bob on May 26, 2012 at 10:38 am Abbott’s gone once the price on carbon is in place and it’s entrenched for a couple of months regardless of whether he becomes PM or not. Don’t confuse that with the ALP will win the election if they get past July 1st. The public’s view of Gillard is very firm now and I fail to see how the PM’s going to turn it round from here. For a long time, I thought the PM would be able to do it, but now I know it’s too late. Needed clean air between April and July. Not her fault, but it’s the way it goes. by spur212 on May 26, 2012 at 10:38 am

Watch Carefully as The Dallas Morning News Tippy-Toes Away from John Wiley Price read the fine print. The News has already started trying to write itself out of this story, an effort that will only get more obvious as this business unfolds. Why is The News in it? Oh, you have not been keeping up, have you? Tsk-tsk. I thought I told you there would be an exam later on Jim Schutze columns. If all you remember is Price as the firebrand protester who slow-walked with his "Warrriors" across the front of The News' property 20 years ago, then you may be in for a very bad grade. Since then The News has transmogrified into Price's principal aider, abettor, hagiographer and co-conspirator. They love this guy. It was only last April 17 that News reporter Scott Parks, normally a fine journalist, penned a kiss-ass portrait of Price, drooling over his collections of classic cars and weird Barbie Dolls, in which Parks offered this reportorial rebuff to Price's critics: "What most people don't see," Parks wrote, "is his day-to-day dedication to improving county government." Ah, yes. That and ... how many cars are there again? Now Price is the subject of an FBI investigation. That doesn't make him guilty of anything. But it sure has The News crab-walking away and covering its own traces. The News has embraced Price warmly in recent years, working aggressively and shoulder-to-shoulder with him in what history will certainly deem to be Price's greatest betrayal of his own people, whether he ever gets indicted for it or not -- the Inland Port deal. In 2005, Price led an effort to stymie development of a massive rail and shipping development called the Inland Port in the black part of the city. The Inland Port promised more than 60,000 well-paid jobs with benefits in an area of the city that has had a Third World economy since Reconstruction. The main developer, Richard Allen, had just completed five years of land purchases, planning and permission-seeking from Dallas and other communities involved and was ready to start selling and leasing land. But Price decreed that the whole thing needed to be put on hold. He said lots more planning was needed before Allen would be ready for prime time. This was just after Allen had shot down an attempt by four of Price's allies to get Allen to give them $1.5 million and a 15 percent cut of his family-owned company in exchange for their help making sure he didn't have any political problems with southern Dallas politicians. In a story in Wednesday's Morning News, reporter Gromer Jeffers seeks to perpetuate two untruths about this transaction. We might call one of them a known untruth, in Rumsfeld-speak, and the second is more of a known unknown. But Jeffers knows better on both. Of the demand that Price's allies made for a 15 percent stake in Allen's company, Jeffers writes, "The trio also wanted an opportunity to purchase 15 percent ownership in the development." But both Allen and Price himself told me at the time that there was never any "purchase" contemplated in this picture. Allen told me when the group asked for an equity stake in the company, he told them everything he had out there on the ground was for sale. All they needed to do was give him an offer. What he got was silence from them and more pressure from Price, who started doing everything he could to screw up a crucial road and bridge project Allen needed done on Wintergreen Road in Hutchins. I discussed this with Price at the time. I asked why, if the group wanted equity, they didn't come up with some money for it. He told me that what they offered in exchange for equity was not money but "intellectual capital." That would be the part about helping make sure Allen didn't get no windows broke, speaking in strictly political terms of course. That's "intellectual capital." The other little tippy-toe dance-around in Jeffers's story involves an attempt to include state Sen. Royce West, in whose district the project was being developed, in the gravy train. In today's story, Jeffers reports as fact that it was the leader of the group, Pettis Norman, a Dallas Cowboy 100 years ago, who told Senator West it would be naughty for him to be a member for the group. It would have been naughty for sure. West had major direct legislative say-so over important public funding for the project. The proposal was that West should be a hired consultant for Allen, helping make sure Allen didn't have any problems with people who had major direct legislative say-so over him (wink-wink). In his report, Jeffers writes: "West was originally tapped to be the fourth member of the consulting group, which they called SALT, but Norman shot down the idea." Yeah, that's what Norman says. But as I reported at the time, Allen said different. Way different. He said he was the one who told Norman it would be screwed-up and shady for him to hire West, because West had major direct legislative say-so over him. The guy really pushing all of this on Allen was southern Dallas radio personality Willis Johnson, now a contractor with DART, the city and the school district. Johnson also is the main southern Dallas political consultant to our recently elected mayor, Mike Rawlings. Allen told me he told Johnson that hiring West was out of the question because of the obvious ethical pitfalls. He said Johnson came back at him several times. Allen quoted Johnson as telling him, "It's already been cleared with the ethics commission in Austin." That would be the Texas State Ethics Commission -- an entity that any heads-up businessman would understand was an oxymoron at its birth and might as well be called the "Official State of Texas Cover-up and Alibi Commission for Way-Shady Sleazy Deals." Allen told me: "I said, 'Well, I don't care if it's been cleared or not. It makes absolutely no sense. He needs to be able to represent his constituents.'" In other words: fuggetaboutit. But Allen says Johnson came back again, this time with the whole group on a speakerphone. .'" He says later that Norman admitted to him that West had been present for that call. Norman told me that Allen was lying and that he had never said that. But, look. You don't just report as fact that, 1) The Willis Johnson group wanted to pay for the equity they demanded, and 2) It was the high ethical standards of the Willis Johnson group that kept the greedy senator at bay. We know the first is not true. We know the second is staunchly disputed. In a story about all this published in the News on April 12, 2009, Jeffers and county reporter Kevin Krause summed up the whole problem as a misunderstanding caused by Allen's own racial insensitivity: "Allen, who is white, appeared blind to the county's complicated racial politics," they reported as fact. In an editorial four days later, the News wagged its finger at Allen for trying to rip off southern Dallas: "Going forward, white-dominated companies must keep foremost in mind the unique history of southern Dallas. It is not simply a great business opportunity to be exploited for maximum profit." As I reported at the time, Allen's record for minority participation on his jobs far outstripped anything done by local Dallas companies. On the Wintergreen Bridge project, for example, Allen's minority participation was 55 percent. The prominent local company on that job championed by Commissioner Price had a minority participation of 4.9 percent. Allen provided Price with a list of minority elected officials in areas all over the nation where he had done business and asked Price to contact them and inquire about his racial sensitivity. As far as Allen could tell, nobody ever called any of them. Part of the wild hypocrisy in all this is the News' Pulitzer Prize winning series of editorials calling for a clean-up, spruce-up campaign in black southern Dallas devoted mainly to litter and code enforcement. Too bad their daily newspaper cronies on the Pulitzer committee never bothered to check out their record on the Inland Port. But here's the point now. The News has been pushing and promoting Price and his agenda for years. We can talk about why later. It will all come out. Basically, Price, who is very smart, has figured out the formula. There is no Dallas or Dallas County. There is no Fort Worth or Tarrant County. Those are meaningless abstractions. In the world of power and money in North Texas there are only families -- five or six. Price picked a couple to work for. From here on out, if you read the News closely, you are going to see them doing with Price exactly what they are also trying to do with their other great passion, the proposed Trinity River Toll Road. They're going to be busy getting their story right by getting it wrong. Don't forget. There will be a quiz in heaven.

Steve Pollack gets up close and personal with the Little Mermaid in Ariel’s Grotto, part of the New Fantasyland attraction at Disney World, Orlando. (Susan R. Pollack) ORLANDO, FL — Dana and David Curtis have the right idea when it comes to doing Disney World. Even though it was near dusk when they got to Orlando, the Birmingham couple headed straight for the Magic Kingdom with their two young sons and found smaller than expected crowds. “We checked in and came right over. We got here after dark and haven’t waited in a single line,” crows Curtis as he exits the newly-rethemed Great Goofini Barnstormer ride with 3-year-old Christian. ”This is his first roller coaster and he did it three times — it’s awesome! I had to take a break before he did.” Before leaving the park’s new Storybook Circus section, the Curtises regrouped under a big-top tent at Pete’s Silly Sideshow where they posed for photos, no wait at all, with Disney characters including stunt pilot Goofy, snake-charmer Donald Duck and circus star Minnie Mouse. The family also whirled through the sky in elephant-shaped cars on the newly-redone Dumbo, the Flying Elephant attraction that now boasts two side-by-side Dumbo rides. It’s all part of the “New Fantasyland,” a multi-million dollar, multi-year project that’s the largest expansion in the Magic Kingdom’s 41-year history. Located just beyond the original Fantasyland, in the shadow of Cinderella’s Castle, it’s generating plenty of buzz, along with surging crowds, at the perenially-popular Orlando theme park. In addition to Storybook Circus, New Fantasyland features an Enchanted Forest with waterfalls, grottoes, arched bridges and two new movie-inspired castles inhabited by the Beast from “Beauty and the Beast” and Eric from “The Little Mermaid.” They’re designed to bring the two Disney classics to life by taking parkgoers beyond castle walls and inside their favorite stories. To experience ”Under the Sea — Journey of the Little Mermaid,” an ”E”-ticket attraction, we boarded an oversized clamshell for a five-minute extravaganza of songs from the film, performed by crabs, starfish and 180 other colorful audio-animatronics characters, including the 7 1/2-foot-tall Ursula and her steaming cauldron and crystal ball. Disney’s trademark special effects make it feel almost as if you’re descending below the ocean surface. Travel writer Susan Pollack poses with Minnie Mouse in an attraction in the Magic Kingdom’s New Fantasyland at Disney World, Orlando. (Steven R. Pollack) Afterward, it’s fun to follow the twists and turns of Ariel’s Grotto and pose for photos with a live version of the famous mermaid. But guys, don’t be so dazzled by her flowing red hair and clam shell-topped bosom that you trip over her sparkly, green-sequinned tail. Another interactive experience, ”Enchanted Tales with Belle,” takes park-goers through Belle’s father’s cottage and the Beast’s library and taps participants to interact with a live Belle and animatronic Lumiere. Props and costumes are dispensed by an oversize, talking Madame Wardrobe. Bottom line: corny but cute, thanks to endearing little kids from the audience and their frantically photo-taking parents. Perhaps the most buzzworthy New Fantasyland attraction is the “Be Our Guest Restaurant,” an enchanted dining experience that’s so popular in the early going that, without advance reservations, you can’t get anywhere near it for dinner — even after dark. I’ll tell how to best see it in my next blog. Stay.

Where Does Anna Go From Here? Anna Hazare’s movement has fizzled out. The Lokpal bill is in cold storage. Anna himself is a rustic old man, out of touch with modern thinking. Right? Wrong – thrice over. The drawing rooms of south Mumbai and south Delhi took to Anna with great enthusiasm last year. The middle-class gathered at Jantar Mantar and Azad Maidan but the intellectual elite provided drawing room and television studio support. Anna was the flavour of 2011. What went wrong? Anna’s first mistake was to make his movement a one-issue crusade – the Jan Lokpal Bill. His team did not advocate – as it should have – a “strong Lokpal Bill but the "Jan Lokpal Bill”. The rigidity jarred even the faithful. Anna’s second mistake was to allow the allegations of financial impropriety, however minor, against team members Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal to remain unresolved. By December 2011, public sentiment, desperately looking for an anti-corruption messiah, began turning against Anna. The living rooms of south Mumbai and Delhi, never known for intellectual stamina over public causes, began to mock the “rustic” Anna and his hubristic team. Battered for months by Anna’s movement, the UPA 2 government activated its DTD (Dirty Tricks Department). The DTD had in mid-2011, at the height of Jantar Mantar, used sections of the friendly media to discredit individual members of Team Anna. There were initially two DTD ploys: 1. A CD of Prashant Bhushan, purportedly in conversation with Amar Singh, was played up in the press by the DTD. But when it was proved that the CD had been doctored, the story and the retraction were quietly buried. 2. Anna was quoted by the DTD (faithfully reported by a section of the press) as saying: “Voters are corrupt”. In fact, he’d said – rightly – that voters are being corrupted by politicians who use money and muscle power and deliberately cause religious and caste divisions in order to win votes. Again the true quote was buried. Once seeds of doubt had been planted by such Machiavellian disinformation, the sheen around Anna began to dull. Team Anna made it worse by not countering the DTD’s Goebbelsian methods more robustly. It compounded the problem by not being more transparent about the allegations of financial impropriety against Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal. The government used Kejriwal’s Hissar election campaign to claim Team Anna’s motives were political. By the time Anna had broadened his crusade to include electoral reforms (especially proposed legislation barring candidates facing magistrate-framed criminal charges from contesting elections), the damage had been done. Congress spokesman Manish Tewari had been forced to apologise in writing for calling Anna “corrupt from head to toe” and barred from TV for two months. Now he was back, in fine fettle, grin firmly in place. Just as we’ve identified Anna’s errors, let’s pick out the errors of Anna’s critics, one by one. 1. The Lokpal Bill is not a panacea. It won’t put an end to corruption. The Lokpal bill was never meant to be a panacea. And it was never meant to put an end to corruption. It was always meant to be the starting point of the fight against corruption. When you distort a proposition and then proceed to discredit it, only the corrupt will win. 2. The Lokpal by itself is not enough. Of course it isn’t. On Saturday, February 18, 2012, I wrote a piece on the edit page of The Times of India, A New Grid Of Governance, which suggested that the Lokpal should be one of five interlocked institutional anti-corruption pivots. The other four: an independent CBI, the Election Commission, the Comptroller and Auditor General and a new National Judicial Commission. All five institutions, with constitutional or statutory authority, would form an integrated grid to curb corruption. To claim that the Lokpal alone is an anti-corruption panacea is to not understand the principle behind an ombudsman. Finally, a myth surrounding the RTI needs to be buried for good. The UPA government claims credit for passing this fine piece of legislation in 2005. But in the decade from 1995 to 2005, politicians – many from the Congress – opposed it tooth and nail. Who finally pushed through the Maharashtra RTI in 2003 after years of fasting and agitation – a bill that was used as an inspiration and model for the central RTI? Why, Anna Hazare. But public memory is short and selective. Politicians are delighted by this and claim credit for the RTI which they have since systematically tried to weaken, including taking the CBI out of its purview last June. Where does Anna go from here? His team’s allegations against 15 ministers, including the prime minister, should be resolved in court. If found false, the signatories of the letter to the PM containing the allegations, led by Anna, should be sued for defamation. Team Anna has simultaneously in its letter to the PM outlining these allegations asked for a judicial probe against Team Anna members as well. The government must accept this offer. Let us, however, not be distracted in the fight against corruption. Anna may not be the messiah people thought, but at least he has made corruption an issue no government can afford to ignore anymore. For this alone he should be lauded. The anti-corruption movement must continue. Individuals don’t matter. Anna, Kejriwal, Bedi, Bhushan, Sisodia have all played their parts, for better or worse. It is up to the larger public now, India’s citizens, to take up the baton and continue the battle against graft till it is won. Follow @minhazmerchant Minhaz Merchant's Recent PostsFood for thought The road to 272 Debar criminals from contesting elections 1984: Justice Delayed Dressed-up Secularism BJP-JD(U): Breaking Point? Left, Right and Centre: Redrawing India’s Ideological Map Why India punches below its geopolitical weight Wharton, Modi and the Defenders of Liberty Wharton’s self-goal Minhaz Merchant's Most Read - Day - | - Week - | - Month - | - Year Minhaz Merchant's Top Rated - Day - | - Week - | - Month - | - Year Politics: the art of distraction Wind behind their back Does the system need change? How do you educate India, India? Archives About the Author Head On is a clear-eyed look at political, economic and foreign policy issues. Comments:Sort by: Newest | Oldest | Recommended (13) | Most Discussed Sanjog Maheshwari September 05,2012 at 05:45 PM IST CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES The well-intentioned provisions of our Constitution that make it a sacred-cow are observed only in their breach by the Executive which is just not more than a handmaid of the Legislature; the Legislature that comprises of those tainted politicians, most of whom have gate-crashed into the exalted institutions of democracy- the Parliament and the State Legislative Assemblies- by polling even less than 20% of the votes and that too not always by fair means- and now wield absolute power absolutely without any accountability. That underlines the dire need of an Anna- phenomenon in our country that could usher in the big change in the system of our governance through series of reforms after bringing about an adequately empowered and sufficiently strong institution of LOKPAL and electoral reforms- the two issues presently on Anna’s agenda. Others such as, completely deglamorising the institution of the President, formation of pan-India constituency and electorate for the purpose of electing the Prime-minister and so forth will follow. Naturally, it would be a long-drawn out war after the series of battles are won. So Anna has miles to go. Long live Agree (10) Disagree (10) Recommend (10) Offensive Jaiprakash Kaladi August 18,2012 at 04:05 PM IST It's the latest strategy of pulling the string of so called politicians than accuse Anna. Why Anna or Baba Ramdev be called as ALIBABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES who any way want's to bring back the stashed amount looted more than the Britishes from India and those who accuse or oppose they might be linked one way or the other with politicians and keep common mans mouth shut. It's disgrace to the people who fought 1857 revolution and give some solace to the souls for which are proud and maintain the sanctity. Agree (10) Disagree (10) Recommend (10) Offensive Varun July 27,2012 at 10:13 PM IST Please do not call Anna team "circus".By this type of journalism, you are not discharging your professional commitment towards Indians who are fed up with corrupt polticians and a few crusaders are the only hope left.If you can not support them due to any reason or professional/economic compulsion, please keep quite/neutral.THis will be a great service towards hapless and helpless fellow Indians. Agree (12) Disagree (11) Recommend (11) Offensive Varun July 27,2012 at 10:05 PM IST Calling The Struggle "Circus" by The Economic Times is not appreciable and shows Magalomaniac attitude towards national cause and noble fellow indians who are far and few between. Agree (12) Disagree (11) Recommend (12) Offensive shri June 14,2012 at 04:24 PM IST agree with these 5 points completely. Agree (19) Disagree (17) Recommend (18) Offensive bvsmkt May 31,2012 at 02:45 PM IST Champions of civil society want CBI to be independent of the Government. Is it possible for the civil society to be strong enough financially and intellectually to have an investigaive wing of it's own for at least those cases of utmost national importance and then challenge the findings of CBI in the court? Civil society should spend it's energy and resources to bring in electoral reforms,making our police professionally strong not to submit to political pressure, and judiciary to be fast enough to decide the cases without delay at least during the life time of the culprits.Unfortunately many of the enthusiasts of corruption free India are running NGOs of doubtful integrity. Agree (24) Disagree (24) Recommend (25) Offensive Aman May 30,2012 at 10:47 PM IST Tactfully written article, must applaud the author for keeping the sponsors pleased without appearing to have done so. Agree (25) Disagree (26) Recommend (24) Offensive varun May 30,2012 at 04:36 PM IST so much agree to this. we all ahve got to the petty discussions whether Team Anna is right or wrong... but forgot that this battle is not about Anna and all, about corruption@ shame on us. Agree (27) Disagree (24) Recommend (26) Offensive Sunder May 30,2012 at 10:16 AM IST The way India is going on we need more than 1000 Anna Hazare to break the powerful system backed by money and authority [virtual monopoly] No wonder India is written off by US [inspite of shining all the way with 33% common msn earning less than 1 US dollar a day] Even God has forgotten India] Bless this country Agree (26) Disagree (26) Recommend (26) Offensive chanchal May 30,2012 at 08:51 AM IST Love this article... Agree (24) Disagree (25) Recommend (25) Offensive justom May 30,2012 at 01:24 AM IST Mr Merchant, i disagree with you on many counts, some of these are highlighted below. 1. First of all your hasty decision of calling that the Anna movement has fizzled out, is very incorrect. I consider that the sholay are simmering and getting very hot and not visible but will come up again and gulp the ruling elite, who are probably encouraged by articles from persons like you and information spread by DTD. 2. If people in your capacity misinterpret what all is talked about by Anna on lokpal bill than i think we can not expect a justice from press and media. Your statement a “strong Lokpal Bill but the "Jan Lokpal Bill” is just false and it seems that you are also effected by the DTD propaganda. Every individual of team Anna has announced in no uncertain terms that they want a strong bill and not necessarily their JLPB. 3. It is pity that you consider that Anna had only one issue despite his taking about election reforms, vote to recall and vote to reject etc. but at the same time one can not and should not take up all the issues simultaneously. We have in front of us Baba Ram Dev's approach, he took up dozens of issue and the movement died down over night. 4. On financial impropriety: once again press did not come out strongly that the corruption associated with Anna team subject to analysis is in no way comparable to the one done by UPA. 5. RTI myth was well covered but once again press and media did not explain very strongly and neutralised the effect of DTD that congress can not claim victory that they have given RTI because they thought it will help root out the corruption. Agree (28) Disagree (24) Recommend (26) Offensive Anup Thakare May 29,2012 at 06:18 PM IST Nicely written and well though article! Agree (26) Disagree (23) Recommend (24) Offensive suresh May 29,2012 at 04:58 PM IST good writing,the common man should take the mantle to fight against corruption . Agree (27) Disagree (24) Recommend (26) Offensive

Richard Denison, Ph.D., is a Senior Scientist. Allison Tracy is a Chemicals Policy Fellow. A major initiative of EPA’s toxics office finally made it across the finish line yesterday when EPA posted a pre-publication copy of the final rule upgrading its chemical reporting system under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The process took over 16 months just to get from the draft of the proposed rule to yesterday’s final rule, with EPA having to endure not one but two nearly six-month regulatory reviews by the Office of Management and Budget. The wait was largely worth it: EPA’s new program – renamed the Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule – significantly advances chemical production and use reporting relative to its predecessor, the more arcane-sounding Inventory Update Reporting (IUR) rule. Most, though not all, of the critical elements EPA proposed last year made it through to the final rule. The catch is we’ll have to wait until 2016 for the program to reach its full potential. The significance of this reporting program is under-appreciated: It is the only systematic means by which the federal government – and by extension the American public – gets any picture of which chemicals are produced in or imported into this country, by what companies, in what amounts and for what uses. This kind of information is crucial to EPA’s efforts to carry out its mission to assess and manage the risks that chemicals may pose to human health and the environment. Given the obvious need for such information, it is astounding that this program to collect it, in place since 1986, was so flawed as to yield not only an incomplete, but actually an inaccurate, picture of chemical production and use. Changes made to the program in the mid-2000s in many ways made matters even worse, by reducing the frequency of reporting from one out of every four to one out of every five years, and by dramatically scaling back the number of chemicals reported by raising the reporting threshold from 10,000 to 25,000 pounds per year per site of production. The new leadership at EPA undertook to change this situation to the extent it could. While the final rule fails to reverse the threshold increase made in the mid-2000s, the reporting frequency has been returned to every four years – AND the rule will require reporting of production volume for every year in each cycle if the threshold is triggered for any year in the cycle. As we noted in comments we filed on the proposed rule, the previous system of reporting volume data for only a single year in each five-year cycle yielded a very inaccurate picture of which chemicals are actually in commerce. We’ll have to wait until the 2016 reporting cycle for that to kick in, unfortunately, although in the 2012 cycle at least we’ll get production volume data for both 2010 and 2011. Production volumes have been shown to fluctuate enormously from year to year, so having a system that provides year-to-year production data is essential to providing a reliable picture of the magnitude of chemical commerce. One of the few positive aspects of the mid-2000s changes – in principle – was the addition of a requirement for companies to report processing and use information – a critical gap in both government’s and the public’s knowledge base on chemicals that has severely limited our ability to understand the potential risks posed by a chemical. But the intent was stymied by three conditions placed on such reporting. First, it only applied to chemicals produced above a whopping 300,000 pounds per year per site – a small minority of the chemicals subject to any reporting. Second, such information could be claimed confidential without providing any justification. And third, a company could claim the requested information to be “not readily obtainable” and get out of having to report it at all. EPA’s final rule addresses all three of these flaws: - The threshold for reporting processing and use information is being lowered, to 100,000 pounds per year per site in the reporting to be done next year, and to 25,000 pounds per year per site in the 2016 cycle. - Any confidentiality claim must be accompanied by up-front substantiation, which acts both to reduce the number of claims made and ensure those that are made are warranted. - Finally, the “not readily obtainable” loophole – very heavily used in the last reporting cycle – has been eliminated, replaced with the more conventional “not reasonably ascertainable” standard – which means you actually have to put some effort into trying to find the requested information. Two other positive changes to note: - While the overall reporting threshold remains at 25,000 pounds per year per site, that threshold has been lowered to 2,500 pounds per year per site for those chemicals for which EPA has undertaken certain actions based on concerns about their risks. These include chemicals for which EPA has issued Significant New Use Rules (SNURs), has listed as chemicals of concern (assuming OMB ever allows EPA to propose such a list), or has regulated under Section 6 of TSCA (the latter has rarely been used due to the high burden of proof EPA must carry, though EPA is considering trying to do so again). Importantly, EPA need only have proposed, as opposed to finalized, such an action in order for the lower reporting threshold to apply. - EPA will now require electronic reporting under the new rule. Believe it or not, this was controversial even in 2011. The lack of such a requirement in the last reporting cycle led to both major delays in EPA’s release of the data it collected and inaccuracies introduced by EPA being forced to manually translate information from hard copy to electronic form. The final rule is not perfect: the reporting threshold remains too high, wide latitude remains for industry to claim its submissions to be confidential business information (CBI), and most unfortunately, some of the key improvements made by EPA won’t hit the road until 5 years from now. But given what the Agency had to navigate in the way of industry opposition, OMB meddling and delay and complaints from some in Congress, all in all, not a bad day’s (well, actually a couple years’) work. One Comment Richard, Is there any useful nexus or information share between EPA and Dept. of Homeland Security with respect to chemicals?

« Previous | Main | Next » February 24,. Wise Judi Posted by: slowlayne | February 24, 2005 at 05:11 PM I hate people who abuse dogs. Posted by: Balanchine | February 24, 2005 at 05:15 PM I guess it could have been worse. The dog could have been debating a bill on the Colorado House floor. Poor dog. Posted by: Kilmeny | February 24, 2005 at 05:15 PM This is the first story that I laughed at in quite a while. hmmm what does that say about me...? Damn! I don't want to go to hell. Posted by: orcel | February 24, 2005 at 05:20 PM I think someone needs to check this guy's coffee intake... I agree poor dog. Posted by: Papua Mike | February 24, 2005 at 05:21 PM Y'all are missing the point here. Blind man, he can't see. Someone says "Hey! Hot dogs here! Get y'er hot dogs here!" He can't see what they're talking about. What did you EXPECT? Posted by: Liam | February 24, 2005 at 05:26 PM Oh, my mistake. I forgot how I was just kicking my hotdog through the grocery store yesterday and I needed to just reach out and bite something... Posted by: Papua Mike | February 24, 2005 at 05:33 PM orcel: handbasket to your left . . . Posted by: Mahatma Kane Jeeves | February 24, 2005 at 05:33 PM Editors must have smiled when this one crossed the desk. Posted by: everysandwich | February 24, 2005 at 05:40 PM Jeez, and I thought my boss was ungrateful. Posted by: reneviht | February 24, 2005 at 05:44 PM You think that's bad..You should have heard the blind guy yelling at the poor dog..His bark was worse than his bite.. Posted by: Sean | February 24, 2005 at 06:01 PM I agree ... not funny, however, we may be able to assume that the man was in a blind rage ... Posted by: Uncle Omar | February 24, 2005 at 06:02 PM You think that's bad..You should have heard the blind guy yelling at the poor dog..His bark was worse than his bite.. Posted by: Sean | February 24, 2005 at 06:03 PM NOW THAT'S NEWS! Sry for caps. Thanks for tolerating me. 8> Posted by: Psycho_Joe | February 24, 2005 at 06:10 PM Bitten by the hand that feeds you. Posted by: matt neffer | February 24, 2005 at 06:14 PM Did you bite this dog? I've never seen that dog in my life. Posted by: matt neffer | February 24, 2005 at 06:17 PM Shoot the bastard. Twice. And then let the poor, innocent dog have his dumb ass owner's genitals as a chew toy. Posted by: punky brewster | February 24, 2005 at 06:55 PM I agree with Judi Posted by: cubie | February 24, 2005 at 07:02 PM While a blind man biting his seeing eye dog may not be funny in reality (especially for the poor dog) I have to say it sounds like a mighty amusing premise in a Seinfeld or Curb Your Enthusiasm episode. If it were a seeing eye cat, I have to admit I'd be laughing either way. Posted by: everysandwich | February 24, 2005 at 07:19 PM you're right everysandwich...man-bites-dog is every journalist's dream...Of course it's No. 2 after covering an enhanced-ramparted Miss Chile Posted by: philintexas | February 24, 2005 at 07:30 PM Thanks for the throwback, Blogfly. It was relative, timely and hilarious. High marks on all counts! Posted by: Marvin | Paranoid Android | February 24, 2005 at 08:29 PM Number One reason NEVER to abuse your seeing eye dog- On coming traffic. Posted by: opiesgirl | February 24, 2005 at 08:56 PM Well, Matt, it doesn't sound like he is impressed by guys in bikinis. And you offended him! You meanie - you are tho inthenthitive!! Posted by: vannchan | February 24, 2005 at 09:57 PM Another one bites the dog. -Queen Posted by: D'Artagnan | February 24, 2005 at 10:16 PM Dave, you really need to listen to Judi. NOT funny. Posted by: Guin | February 25, 2005 at 02:43 AM Oh, c'mon, Guin. A LITTLE funny. This appears to be one of those largely gender based ones. The sensitive, caring gender thinks this is horrible, the beer drinking "guy" gender thinks this is a laugh riot. And the Emeril watching gender wonders what the dog tasted like. Liam Posted by: Liam | February 25, 2005 at 03:38 AM Oh sure, take the dog's side, people, even though I didn't see ANY report of what went on prior to the attack. Blind Guy: Come on Rex, please just lead me home. Please? We haven't been home for two weeks. Rex: Sure, here we go. Blind Guy: But, this doesn't sound right, and it doesn't smell right. You're leading me to that field where you romp with all the stray dogs again, aren't you? I'm telling you, I can't take it! They hump my legs mercilessly! I need my medicine and some food. Rex: Bite me, blindy. Posted by: Christobol | February 25, 2005 at 03:50 AM while the funny quotient of this article is in debate, beside the article you will see a slideshow. Picture number 40 is a man who is squirting milk out of his EYE. If that isn't funny, I don't know what the heck is. Milk, hmmm, cereal, gotta go, I'm hungry. Posted by: klynn | February 25, 2005 at 05:06 AM Re: Road Kill Candy . . . Sweet! Oh, and I think the blind guy dog story is funny. Even with XX chromosomes. I mean, just because the guy's blind, doesn't mean he'll be nicer than any other beer-swilling XY cretin. Oops, are my opinions showing? Posted by: Maggirat | February 25, 2005 at 10:42 AM OMG! Lighten up, SPCA ... it's a joke ... I don't think it sends a message, let alone an improper one ... Old joke: What's the difference between a road-kill skunk and a road-kill lawyer? Skid marks in front of the skunk. Posted by: U.O. | February 25, 2005 at 11:30 AM Did I miss anything? Thought somebody mentioned my name... Posted by: candy tutt | February 25, 2005 at 01:58 PM I'm with Judi. Poor doggy :( Posted by: mysticweirdo | February 25, 2005 at 04:51 PM pachislo what a machine... what is a pachislo ? come and see Posted by: slots4fun | July 02, 2007 at 09:00 AM

Content Marketing Makes Its Mark Posted By Najwa Smith On February 5, 2013 @ 7:58 AM In Opinions | 5 Comments pioneered over a century ago when it began publishing Westways magazine [1]. But today’s digital environment and new expanded “universal” organic search engine results afford multiple channels of communication, including articles, blogs, digital magazines, eBooks, email newsletters, micro sites, podcasts, social media channels, videos, webinars, white papers, and wikis. Specific examples you might be familiar with are Barnes & Noble’s dedicated YouTube channel Nook Study Channel [2], or the Whole Foods’ Blog [3]. Home Made Simple [4], a micro site created by P&G, is often cited in articles about content marketing. Full of recipes, decorating ideas and organizing tips with a homespun, retro feel, it embodies one of the first and foremost industry best practices -- “Share, don’t shill.” Share a resource with customers or solve a problem for them, don’t just sell a product. It sounds obvious, but the temptation for marketers is often too great to ignore! Secondly, “Reimagine instead of recycle.” View each piece of content as part of a larger whole to be chopped up and reconfigured in different ways. For example, interviewing the author of a white paper for a podcast, producing a webinar based on key findings, then taking three key points and writing a series of three blog posts. Reimagining content allows the creation of a content circle of life that feeds itself more efficiently. Both best practices deal with issues Content Strategists struggle with daily. The need to understand audiences, craft language and target messaging, efficiently leverage assets, and carefully plan for ongoing updates are the primary roles of Content Strategy. Content Marketing isn’t a replacement for Content Strategy, but rather the natural growth and evolution of it, taking Content Strategy’s framework, processes and concepts off the website and into all areas of the digital world. A Content Marketer might be described as a cross between an SEO Specialist and a Social Media Guru. In that case, their wise and web-savvy grandparent must have been a Content Strategist. But seriously, we’re all partners, coming together to tell create one seriously compelling experience, regardless of how you slice and dice that content. Learn more about Content Marketing: • Custom Content Council [5] • Content Marketing Today [6] • Content Marketing Professionals Association [7] (CMPA) LinkedIn Group • Content Marketing Institute [8] URLs in this post: [1] Westways magazine: [2] Nook Study Channel: [3] Whole Foods’ Blog: [4] Home Made Simple: [5] Custom Content Council: [6] Content Marketing Today: [7] Content Marketing Professionals Association: [8] Content Marketing Institute:

Earlier this year, it was reported that Quentin Tarantino was hard at work on his next film, with a script due sometime this spring. Last night, fansite The Quentin Tarantino Archives dropped the first nugget of information. They got their hands on an image of the first page of the script -- which looks like it was written by a five-year old with a broken hand (you can check it out below) -- revealing the title to be "Django Unchained." Well a bit more digging has been done and not only has the title been confirmed, but a cast member, potential shooting dates and even a possible synopsis have emerged. Like we said, the buzz has grown deafening fairly quickly. Thompson On Hollywood picked up the ball and reaching out to their sources at WME, confirmed that yes, "Django Unchained" is indeed the title, and that it will be a spaghetti western. Moreover, they spoke with reps for Christoph Waltz and also confirmed that the "Inglourious Basterds" star will reunite with Tarantino for the film. But let's rewind for a moment shall we? As you might remember, a few months ago Italian actor Franco Nero said he was teaming with Tarantino for a spaghetti western that would star Waltz, Treat Williams and Keith Carradine and that the film would shoot in the United States. Now whether or not Nero, Williams or Carradine will be involved remains to be seen, but the Nero connection is made stronger given that the actor starred in the influential 1966 spaghetti western "Django" directed by Sergio Corbucci. And as any genre fan knows, that film was recently referenced by Takashi Miike in his 2007 film "Sukiyaki Western Django" which -- to bring it all back -- featured Quentin Tarantino in a small role. Over at Deadline, Mike Fleming adds that the film is aiming for a late summer or early fall shoot with Tarantino's longtime buds The Weinstein Company to handle domestic distribution, with all the majors pretty much scrapping it out for international rights. Additionally, he adds that casting will be "top-shelf." But perhaps the most interesting nugget comes from Shadow & Act who snagged this comment made over at Hollywood Elsewhere from someone who claims to have read the script:. Of course, there's no confirmation that this is accurate but it sounds a helluva lot like the slave/western idea Tarantino had talked about in early 2010. At the time he had' [which Uma Thurman confirmed earlier this year]." He also definitely a lot to chew on right now, but just to recap: Quentin Tarantino is reteaming with Christoph Waltz for a spaghetti western titled "Django Unchained." Fucking A. 20 Comments The Playlist | May 3, 2011 12:40 PM "Of course, there’s no confirmation that this is accurate but it sounds a helluva lot like the slave/western idea Tarantino had talked about in early 2010." It's completely accurate. I'm reading the script now. shark | May 2, 2011 6:10 AM Black Dynamite proved Michael Jai White is awesome, and should be given every possible opportunity to exhibit that awesomeness. hank | May 2, 2011 3:00 AM @Alex P, all hank said was he wanted Eddie Murphy. I appreciate your study of Tarantino's use of "homage", but you hateful. Alex P | May 2, 2011 1:47 AM Hayden, did you ever read that script? You are giving Quentin FAR too much credit. J. Bone | May 2, 2011 1:44 AM Djimon Hounsou would be hot pick for the lead in this flick. His wife ought to be Queen Latifa, the mentor would have to be Michael Madsen and the evil plantation massa should be Ed Harris. This is how it will be once I finally achieve my goal of becomming undisputed king of the entire universe. Meanwhiles, we'll just go with QT's picks. J. Bone Northern California Hayden Maxwell | May 1, 2011 9:17 AM @AlexP Did you not watch the climax of Inglourious Basterds that very explicitly questions the futility and morality of using cinema as a way to play out revenge fantasies? There's a lot going on in that movie. It's not about how the ideas got there that led to genocide but how the subjugated people react and their thirst for revenge. rudy | May 1, 2011 9:09 AM Michael Jai WHITE! Tarantino owes him for cutting out his cool death scene from kill bill Ive had goodbye uncle tom for a long time seems like nows the time to watch it. hank | May 1, 2011 9:01 AM Eddie Murphy for Django. reader | May 1, 2011 5:40 AM Remember when the Playlist said (circa 2009 Cannes) that Tarantino was in a creative rut? Well it doesn't look like its coming to an end soon. Billyboy | May 1, 2011 4:52 AM Will Smith? He's such a bore... I prefer someone like Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackie or even Forrest Whitaker (he might be too old, though) Roark | May 1, 2011 4:43 AM I'd rather see someone like Anthony Mackie in the lead... Rufus | May 1, 2011 3:03 AM I second Will Smith. Hey, why not? Cory Everett | May 1, 2011 2:37 AM @Brad The film was never called "The Southern," it was just Tarantino's way of saying he wanted to do a "Western" set in the South in slavery times. Ken | May 1, 2011 2:32 AM Well the Playlist was completely wrong about Inglourious Basterds (I think it's his best film so far) so whenever this comes out, I'll take their word with a grain of salt. Xian | May 1, 2011 2:09 AM Badass = Michael K. Williams (Omar Little on the range, y'all) Alex P | May 1, 2011 1:36 AM You moron (@brad), it was never going to called "Southern," it was TARANTINO's southern; as in, before he had a title for it Tarantino said he was going to make a movie and it would HIS 'southern.' This was his way of referring to the project he had not yet written, but was very much in his mind. And@hank, considering Inglourious was a ripped-off title and film plot redone to suit his own purposes and Django Unchained, sounds like it's once again using an existing film for Tarantino to riff on and rethink, maybe his IS in a creative rut considering his hasn't written an original idea since Kill Bill (and even then obviously Tarantino's films are like mash-ups of other ideas or blatant thefts from other films -- City Of Fire is liberally stolen from for Resevoir Dogs). Let's not forget if you've ever read any Tarantino bios, he basically took an unfinished Roger Avary script to write True Romance and he tried to bilk Avary's credit for Pulp Fiction after he himself had lifted Avary's short film "Pandemonium Reigns"and incorporated it into Fiction. So yeah, no question, the dude can write his ass off, but his ideas aren't the most original in the whole world and frankly, Django Unchained sounds like Inglourious Basterds all over again, but instead of the jews getting revenge -- his only theme it seems -- on the nazis, its the slaves getting revenge on their masters. It's an idea ripe for commentary on racism in America, but lord knows, Inglorious had zero commentary on anti-semitism, or the rank evils of Nazism or their deplorable ideas. It was a revenge B-movie and that's it. So think about it before you open your mouth. Mr. Arkadin | April 30, 2011 12:02 PM I like the idea of putting some "Mandingo" and Addio, zio Tom" up in the spaghetti western mix, but referencing the title to the whole Django thing is kinda lame (especially for german speaking people, this gag is seriously old). let's hope they find someone fresh and comparable to a young Woody Strode as the lead (and Fred Williamson better have an awesome cameo!). also I guess Morricone is pretty much a done deal. edge | April 30, 2011 11:11 AM i'll bet Keith Carradine plays the plantation owner Brad Milne | April 30, 2011 10:43 AM So much for the film being called the southern. KT | April 30, 2011 10:31 AM I want Will Smith. Yeah, I know, I know, but I want him in the role.

I’ve been listening to the repeat broadcast of the Howard Stern Show, recorded live in New York as the 9/11 events unfolded. It’s been a transporting experience. The anger, bewilderment, confusion and fear are all there. I was at our house in Montecito, California when it happened. My sister Jan called right after the first tower was hit, and we watched the rest on TV. Then I switched to the radio and blogged a number of posts through the day. Here they are (in reverse chronological order): The deepest human substance A time for love and mourning What’s the commercial model for your toilet? Your light socket? Your floors? Because smart people don’t always do that Blogging was young then. There was no Twitter, no Facebook. Yet blogging felt, and was, far more social — at least for me — than anything else we’ve seen since. Some thoughts, ten years later: - Yes, everything changed that day. - We did go to war, as I expected we would, given the president we had and the mood of the country after being attacked. But the war, billed as one against “terrorism,” has been one of “regime change” in two countries. Since then other regimes have changed that needed changing, without our intervention, and at approximately zero $ cost to the U.S. - The cost of going to war has been many $trillions, and has nearly (or perhaps actually) bankrupted the country. There was a rope-a-dope strategy behind the attack, and we took the bait. - The U.S. hasn’t been attacked in the same way again, and for that I am grateful. - The results of the War on Terrorism are debatable, although they are not much debated. - The motivations for the attacks on the U.S., besides “they hate us and our way of life” and similar staples of talk radio, have not been visited at much depth, at least by sources the American people pay much attention to. That anybody might have a legitimate gripe against the U.S. is a question no politician wants to ask. And not many ordinary citizens, either. - Many young men and women in my extended family have served in these wars. I am proud of them. I also wish they hadn’t needed to go. - The peace movement, in which I played a small part during the Vietnam War, is now dormant. Almost nobody questions the need for war now. - The hate we felt for Al Qaeda, the self-appointed enemy that attacked on 9/11, has since shifted to each other. I’ve been alive for a long time, and I can’t remember any period, including the Vietnam War, when it has been harder for political opponents to listen to each other, much less understand what the other is saying. Ad hominem arguments rule. - One reason for our uncompromising political posturing and rhetoric is the loss of the moderate center that was held in place by the mainstream media, and especially by the evening network news. Even as late as 2001, we turned en mass to network TV and newspapers for reporting and analysis that at least tried to be unbiased, accountable and responsible to the whole country and not just to partisan factions. Now even CNN looks like an informercial to me. I can’t shake the feeling that, in ways we don’t want to admit, the terrorists have won something. 9/11 gave us fear, and the will to attack. It changed our hearts and minds. When I look back on human history, starting with our diaspora out of Africa only a few dozen millennia ago, I see persisting through it all a will to kill and dominate that is hardly diminished by civilization. We have hated and killed The Other for the duration. For all its many virtues, our species remains a violent and homicidal one. We’ve killed others who looked or spoke differently than we do. We’ve killed for land and religion and resources, which included each other, whom we often kidnapped and made into slaves. Even in our own country we killed each other by the dozens of thousands, over differing notions of freedom. (The Civil War is only two generations back on my father’s side. One great aunt, whom I remember well, was twelve years old when Lincoln was shot, and told stories about it. She was born when slavery was still more than legal in the U.S.) How many people have died because of 9/11, since that day? Have their deaths been worthwhile? Have they bought peace, really? Will anything, ever? I have my doubts, and those started ten years ago today. [Later...] Deaths in the War on Terror, according to Wikipedia, as of today: - Iraq: 62,570 to 1,124,000 - Afghanistan: between 10,960 and 49,600 - Pakistan: between 1467 and 2334 - Somalia: 7,000+ And then, Total American casualties from the War on Terror (this includes fighting throughout the world): Draw, or re-draw, your own conclusions. I still don’t have any. Or many. The older I get, the less certain I am of my own opinions, especially about War, the reasoning methods for which which seem to be hard-coded into human nature. In my heart I’m still a pacifist, but in my mind I’m not so sure. Here’s what I wrote in Deliberate Explosive Devices last year:video. Still true. Bonus link from Euan Semple. - - There has been cultural progress since 9/11. One example that speaks to me personally is the integration of gay men and women into the mainstream — in politics, marriage, family structures, the military, professional life. So there is hope for a better, more just, and less violent future. What strikes me reading this list ten years on is that we still are looking for a commercial model for the Internet, rather than accepting that culture doesn’t come wrapped in plastic cases from Disney. - Here’s what *I* blogged that day: Hear, hear, I have been avoiding all the coverage of the 10th anniversary since I can’t imagine the mainstream media – nor most of the alternative channels – adding anything meaningful. As an Australian even the emotional impact of the attack is only second-hand (at best). Intellectually I can understand the effect it must have had but the reaction has caused many more problems than it solved. Treating terrorism as a criminal matter (as was done by most other countries that were attacked afterward) seems to be more effective than giving the bad guys credibility by calling them ‘the enemy’. Relevant to this (though I could not, of course, have known it when I wrote the essay) is that for the past 10 years, TSA’s official “threat level” has never gone below “orange.” TSA has, of course, an interest in keeping it that way because — at least in their minds — it gives them and some of their more absurd rules a raison d’être. The best comment on 9/11 I’ve read to date in terms of matching my feelings about what’s happened was this post on SlashDot a crime? Alas, we are still attacking ourselves, our citizens, and our fundamental rights 10 years later. See, for example, - - I remember I’d just come home from the university that day. I turned on my TV and saw the 1st WTC tower on fire then the 1st seconds I heard that an airplane crashed in it. In the beginning I started thinking that it was a new action movie, but after 1 minute I started feeling sadness and fear and after the 2nd plane as you mentioned Doc the will to fight back. That was not a movie, that was a reality. I realized that those terrible things were going to change the world. I believe 1 day the humanity and common sense are going to be among human, not the animal instincts to be dominant like the #1 rase or #1 religion or whatever. WE ARE PEOPLE! Thanks for the post Doc. God bless. Alex.

Rio Acai Bowl Epidemic Strikes Apple A Day But this is a different incarnation of the berry. Frozen, unprocessed acai from a company called Nativo is the base of a dish that defies classification. (Our best attempt is to call it a frozen fruit pudding.) The other ingredients are simply bananas and apple juice. It's blended in a food processor, served in a huge bowl, and topped with banana slices for $10 a pop. Granola is a usual add-on, and costs just a dollar. It's common to eat acai this way in Rio de Janeiro, according to Mario Levinsohn, a native of Brazil who studies economics here in Miami. He was at the Apple A Day counter eating his first of three huge bowls of the stuff when I walked in. Three! At his elbows were two friends, both of whom were also indulging in Rio bowls. "I love the taste. This is the traditional way we have acai in Rio," Levinsohn said. "I've eaten this every day ever since I was a little boy." "It's got eight times the antioxidant properties of blueberries," his friend chimed in between spoonfuls. The superfruit does have rich amino acid and fatty acid profiles, and is said to offer a host of health benefits, including the ones mentioned at the top of this article. Apple A Day started getting Nativo's pure, raw acai product and offering the Rio acai bowl about three months ago. Employees say they can't keep the stuff in stock. "A lot of Brazilians come in and have it every day, but then they tell their co-workers, and they start coming in too. That's why I call it the epidemic," said Apple A Day employee Alejandro Llamozas, who also says he eats a bowl daily. "You start to feel bad if you don't have it," he said, although he denied that the dish bore any similarity to crack cocaine. Based on my own very unscientific research, I would have to agree that lust for these cold, gelatinous purple bowls seems to be viral. When I spoke to a few South Beach dwelling acquaintances about them after my visit to Apple A Day, an uncannily large portion of them had either already been in for one or had heard about them. So is it really that spectacular? Obviously, I had to find out firsthand. First, I was surprised to find that it wasn't very sweet. It had a creamy texture and a pleasant, mild taste. The granola and banana topping made the food seem more dessert-like, but if I were to order it again, I think I would forgo the granola (even though it was delicious) to avoid the added fat and sugar and reap the unadulterated health benefits. It may have been a psychosomatic response, but I will say that I felt an energy lift after I finished my bowl. I thought the portion size was generous, and found it surprising that Levinsohn could sit and literally eat bowl after bowl of the stuff. The staff at Apple A Day informed me that three was his usual daily intake. I guess it's a Brazilian thing, and an expensive one at that. At the rate he's eating, he's spending $900 a month on the beloved Brazilian breakfast food. You can get a supersized superfruit bowl of your own for $10 at Apple A Day, if you're willing to risk acquiring a healthy but potentially costly new addiction. The shop also sells packets of the frozen acai puree for $6.49 in case you'd rather use it to make smoothies at home. Follow Short Order on Facebook and Twitter @Short_Order.

Few weeks ago, I release the version 1.3 of the LINQ to SharePoint DSL Extension. In this version, I introduced a new feature to generate automatically a repository layer pattern from a LINQ to SharePoint data model. You can find 3 tutorials about this feature in my previous post: This generator is only a T4 file (TT), and this file can generate automatically in Visual Studio some code. It means that it's really easy to implement your own generator in your projects. If you do that, you can generate anything that you want from a LINQ to SharePoint data model. Your model (l2sp) file could be the input of some code generation. For the next versions, I'm thinking about new TT items to add in the project, like for example a "Repository light pattern" (same pattern but without the helpers methods). If this post, I will try to explain you how to develop your own code generator from a LINQ to SharePoint data model. Please note that this tutorial is not about the basics of the T4 programmation, if you don't know this technology or if you need more information about it, you can read the MSDN section about Code Generation and T4 Text Templates. First, you need to understand that all the objects that you manage in your model (lists, content types, enumerations, mapped properties, etc.) are constructed as an object model. It means that you can load in objects an existing data model contained in a L2SP file. In a TT file in Visual Studio, it's really easy thanks to the "DSL directive processor". For example, create a new LINQ to SharePoint data model in your project if you don't have it (read this tutorial if you need to know how to do that). Now add a new TT file in a Visual Studio 2010 project (right click on the project name, Add and Add new item) : Click on the Add button. A new T4 file is created with the following content: <#@ template debug="false" hostspecific="false" language="C#" #> <#@ output extension=".txt" #> You can remark that this text template will generate a text file as output, and that this generated file is attached with your generator: Now erase all the content of your tt file, and replace it by this new'" #> Change the value of the "filename=" attribute by the relative path from this file to the l2sp schema that you want to use. Be sure that the path to this file is good, and save your TT file. If the generation is succedded, now the text file has been replaced by a C# file: Now you are ready to generate what you want from this model. Indeed, the line containing the reference to the L2SP file automatically loaded the content to tranform it in objects in the current context In fact, the collection is already loaded in your TT context, and you can browse the model elements through the "this.Linq2spModel.Elements" property. For example, if you want to write in your CS file all the lists contained in a LINQ to SharePoint Data Model, you can write the following'" #> //This text is generated from a custom TT file//This text contains all the list of the l2sp input file:<#foreach (BaseMappingElement element in this.Linq2spModel.Elements){ if (element is List) { List list = element as List; string listName = list.Name; string sharePointListName = list.MappedListName;#>//Detected list entity called '<#=listName#>' mapped to the SharePoint list '<#=sharePointListName#>' <# }}#> For my model, the result of this template file is: To conclude, it's easy to implement some generators from an input LINQ to SharePoint model. This tip can help you to generate anything you want from elements contained in a schema. A complete class documentation about the object model of the L2SP content will be available online soon. If you want to write some useful generators and share it with the community, please send it to me, I could be interested to redistribute it by default with the extension.

: RT @ChrisBaker1337: Has the world's most complex math problem been solved? The proofs are so bizarre & complex that no one can verify it. h… - PLOS Staff Blogs PLOS Blogs Network - All Models Are Wrong - At the Interface - Body Politic - CitizenSci - DNA Science Blog - Gobbledygook - Integrative Paleontologists - Mind the Brain - MIT SciWrite - Neuroanthropology - NeuroTribes - Obesity Panacea - Public Health - Sci-Ed - The Gleaming Retort - The Guest Blog - The Panic Virus - The Student Blog - This May Hurt a Bit - Tooth and Claw - Translational Global Health - Wonderland - Work In Progress PLOS Archived Blogs Latest Network Posts - Opportunistic pathogens evolve mostly harmlessly in healthy humans in EveryONE - Open for microbiology: PLOS Biology at ASM 2013 in PLOS Biologue - Reconnecting with Food. Essential for our health. in Translational Global Health - This Week in PLOS NTDs and PLOS Pathogens: Targeting Schistosome Receptors; the Secret Life of Glycoproteins; New Strategies Against TB; RRV Viral Entry Mediation in Rhesus Monkeys; and More in Speaking of Medicine - Botanical Beauty – Art – Forms – in – Nature in At the Interface - Mind the Brain Podcast Episode 01 - The Neuroscience of Art, Beauty, and Aesthetics in Mind the Brain - Why Measure Coverage of MNCH? in Speaking of Medicine - A Little Girl With Giant Axons, a Deranged Cytoskeleton, and Someday Gene Therapy in DNA Science Blog - The Many Faces of Success in Citizen Science in CitizenSci - PLOS ONE Goes to the Mile-High City for ASM 2013 in EveryONE TagsAfrica Andrew Wakefield antiretroviral treatment AskEveryONE author spotlight cancer citizen science clinical trials developing world Editorial Manager FAQ Featured Image Functionality global health health health information health policy HIV HIV/AIDS malaria maternal health Media Mental Health MIT MMR MSF neglected tropical diseases open access orcid pharmaceutical industry PLoS ONE PLoS ONE Video Shorts Policy public health Question reference management Research highlights sanitation science science communication science education The Panic Virus tuberculosis twitter water Archives You may also be interested in: Click to read more about the PLOS Text Mining Collection

Romney defends wealth, Santorum touts conservatism TRAVERSE CITY, Michigan (Reuters) – In a tight race to win the Michigan primary, Republican White House hopeful Mitt Romney strongly defended his wealth on Sunday and challenged voters to support someone else if they did not like his success. Romney is worth an estimated $250 million and has been accused of being out of touch with most Americans’ economic struggles. Romney, Santorum battle for support in tight Michigan race TROY, Michigan (Reuters) –. Why Romney’s parents are buried in Brighton, Michigan. In Michigan, Santorum feels heat from within DETROIT (Reuters) –. Mitt Romney in search of more Mitts at Mitt restaurant MOUNT CLEMENS, Michigan (Reuters) –. Romney says he is ‘only chance’ to defeat Obama DETROIT, Feb 24 (Reuters) – Mitt Romney on Friday declared himself the Republican presidential candidate with “the only chance” to defeat President Barack Obama as he seized on signs that rival Rick Santorum’s grip on Michigan appears to be slipping. Romney vowed to bring fundamental change to rebuild the U.S. economy with fiscally conservative policies, a message he hopes will help him make a comeback in the hard-hit state where he was born and where Santorum is threatening to score an upset. Romney edges back into White House race, assails Santorum MILFORD, Michigan (Reuters) – Republican. Romney clawing his way back in Republican race MESA, Arizona (Reuters) – Mitt. Santorum at center stage in Arizona Republican debate MESA, Arizona (Reuters) – Rivals heaped criticism on surprise front-runner Rick Santorum in a debate among U.S. Republican presidential candidates on Wednesday, hoping to stall his surge at a pivotal period in the 2012 campaign. Mitt Romney and libertarian congressman Ron Paul tried to raise doubts about Santorum and questioned his fiscal conservative credentials based on his time in the U.S. Congress when he was an easy backer of government spending projects deemed wasteful by critics. Santorum at center stage in crucial Arizona debate MESA, Arizona (Reuters) – Rick Santorum finally got his chance at center stage in a debate of Republican presidential candidates on Wednesday that represented the best chance to address large numbers of voters before a pivotal period in the 2012 campaign. Santorum, surging in opinion polls, was likely to face tough questions over his strong conservative views on social issues as he and rivals Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul began the debate sponsored by CNN.

The BBC's tawdry Jubilee coverage was the inevitable result of our increasingly infantile culture How are we to understand the colossal tawdriness of the BBC’s coverage of the river pageant? It must be seen against the backdrop of a national and general infantilisation of our culture. The rot starts at the junior school. The child is driven there because of our hysterical obsession with paedophiles. There is not the same programme of competitive sports and field trips as in the past – partly because the very idea of competition contravenes the prevailing ideology, but also because the absurd and tyrannical health and safety regulations discourage school trips for fear the teachers will be sued in case of accident. The emotional nurturing of our children has been ruined too. The teacher is not allowed to chastise them to deter persistent naughtiness. He dare not suggest that there is an objective difference between right and wrong – because, “everyone must be free to make up their (sic) own mind”. What mind? Worse, he can’t hug them and cuddle them when they’re upset or sad. I was at a livery dinner with a bright young head of sport in a prep school and he said restrictions on teachers now make effective teaching of contact sports all but impossible. He said, “when teaching how to tell the time, the answer to the question, ‘what time is it when the big hand is on the little hand?’ is ‘it’s time to arrest the maths teacher’.” What chance for our children in a society that has wilfully demoralised and infantilised itself? Fifteen years ago, Digby Anderson and I produced a volume of essays on the sentimentalisation of society. We got death-threats. I wanted to follow this up with another book on the infantilisation of society. For one reason and another we didn’t get round to it and now I think I have missed the boat. Things are too far gone. The culture we inhabit and promote is both babyish and narcissistic. Listen on the bus or train to anyone under the age of twenty-five: “It’s like, I was like…I went, like… Like, I was, like.” I thought I’d seen everything. Then I came across Facebook. Grown men and women, professional people in their 20s and 30s make electronic images of themselves and declare to anyone who cares to switch on their laptop that their chief interest is “partying and fun things.” They advertise that their status is that they are “currently in a relationship.” Then they display mugshots of their friends like some bizarre catalogue of an institution for the criminally insane. People who display this combination of self-regard and baby-talk ought to be sectioned. That’s the lot of us, actually,

Impressions, Jane Smiley, John Green, Lurlene McDaniel, Personal, Series, The Fault in our Stars, Thesis, Young Adult Dear Kelsey, When I was writing my thesis, I was obsessed with reading lists of “Books that Changed the World” in an effort to find some solid idea of why fiction matters. And that’s not to suggest that literature demands justification or that it needs some larger function in order to be important. I think questions like “So what are you doing with your English major” can be profoundly thoughtless because simply in the asking, they devalue knowledge as a pursuit. I did not need to go into publishing because I was an English major; studying something that was important and meaningful to me was (and should be) enough. So my thesis was never intended to be defensive—I did not want justify the discipline or the time I devoted (and still devote) to reading; I was just curious why. Why did reading become one of the biggest factors in the person I am and am still becoming? What drew me to books, rather than movies or sports or theater? And obviously, these are not really the kinds of questions one can definitively answer—and certainly not in a way that makes a tenable argument. But I still wondered, and still spent the time I should have spent researching on this nebulous and quixotic side quest. So when the books and articles about “Literature that Changed the World” would always include books like Mein Kampf and On the Origin of Species (which, yes, obviously changed the world) it was not really what I was looking for. In the first place, they weren’t fiction. Even though I enjoy nonfiction (I’m working at an academic publisher, for goodness sake!), I would never suggest that nonfiction is as important to me as novels. And in the second place, I wanted something more individualized; not sweeping books that changed scientific study and the actions of nations, but the books that—in Jane Smiley’s terms—shift one’s perspective. As you know, I ended up reshaping my project entirely. Frustrated by my lack of answers (and the growing insistence of my thesis advisor) I stopped looking for the nagging whys or hows, but instead to way these books make people reach out, build communities, and connect with each other. This turned into an extended study on blogging, vlogging, forums, tumblr, fanfiction, and general expressions of fandom (Of which this blog is a direct result). But despite my interest in the subject and participation in these communities, I never really developed a conclusion that satisfied me—probably because I was not-so-stealthily trying to use these public venues to find the original answers I’d been looking for. Anyway, I gave blood today, and as I was sitting in the chair waiting in horrified anxiety to be stuck with a needle (it’s never all that bad, but I will never stop freaking out about it), it finally hit me that although what I was looking for was about books, I would never find the answers in them. I am terrified of needles, hate even the thought of pain, and yet every 6 weeks I’ll volunteer for both. And its not because I like to face my fears or because giving blood gives me a warm charitable sensation. It’s because I have to. It’s for Hazel Grace Lancaster and Augustus Waters. For Jenny Crawford, Lacey Duval, Amanda Burdick, and Katie O’Rourke. It’s because I read a lot of books growing up and they shaped me into someone who remembers crying in my bed about the death of a fictional someone that may as well have been someone real. According to the Red Cross posters, donated blood can save 1-3 lives. Maybe that fact alone would have been enough for me to donate, but when I lean back in those chairs and nervously eye the needle about to puncture my skin, I can say with 100% certainty that I’m never thinking about statistics. Books can change the world. And not just in the sweeping way of history and monumental change, but in the tiny shifts of perspective that allow me, every 6 weeks, to face down a hollow needle. Love, Kelsey said: Love this post. You’re right: novels affect us more than we realize and all those little shifts in outlook have the ability to change our values and actions just as much as “The Origin of Species.” Why oh why hasn’t there been a study done on the influence of pleasure reading on values, brain patterns, and actions? I want to see that. Maggie said: …I tried! Jenny said: Mags you inspired me to give blood today but my iron was to low! I tried for you! Love Jenny Maggie said: Jenny, that’s awesome!! Even if you are (like our entire family) a little bit anemic You can always try again though! Or move to a high elevation. Apparently, lack of oxygen makes your body create more red blood cells. And more red blood cells = more iron. …Strictly unbiasedly, I would suggest the second one. I bet we could find a place for you to stay

In the Books | by Pat team sets the foundation." -- Charlie Weis, signing day, 2-1-06 Links 'o plenty about the newest recruiting class -- the first batch of players where Charlie had a full year to work the recruiting trail: • the Official ND Press Release(So good, I'll link it again -- the press conference is an especially good read.) • Charlie Weis Press Conference Transcript (and podcast) • the South Bend Tribune - ND Recruit Profiles • Irish Eyes: Offensive Signees and Defensive Signees • Irish Illustrated: Irish Sign Top 10 Class • Blue & Gold Illustrated: Class of 2006 What we said then. Here's the breakdown of the offensive and defensive players, complete with links back to the BGS posts we wrote when they verbally committed. Offense QB - Zach Frazer, Demetrius Jones RB - James Aldridge, Munir Prince, Luke Schmidt WR - Barry Gallup, Richard Jackson, Robby Parris, George West TE - Konrad Reuland OL - Matt Carufel, Eric Olsen, Chris Stewart, Bartley Webb, Dan Wenger, Sam Young Defense DE - John Ryan, Kallen Wade DT - Paddy Mullen LB - Morrice Richardson, Toryan Smith CB - Raeshon McNeil, Darrin Walls S - Sergio Brown, Leonard Gordon, Jashaad Gaines K - Ryan Burkhart Also, take a look back at Travels With Charlie, the whirlwind recruiting trip last winter that really got the ball rolling. Teammates. Notre Dame has 3 pairs of high school teammates making their way to South Bend this year. Munir Prince and Paddy Mullen both hail from DeSmet in Missouri. Dan Wenger and Sam Young both are St. Thomas Aquinas students in Fort Lauderdale, FL. And Robby Parris and John Ryan are both enrolled at St. Ignatius in Cleveland, OH. Related. Sergio Brown is from the same high school as Illinois basketball player Dee Brown and Michigan State basketball player Shannon Brown, but isn't related to either. However, he is a cousin of newly committed Irish basketball recruit Jonathan Peoples. Nicknames. The South Bend Tribune once again lists any nicknames a recruit might have. Here's James Aldridge explaining his nickname, Moose. "Ever since I started football, I've been known as 'Moose. I think it's because I'm such an aggressive runner. I can run around you, but I also don't mind dropping a shoulder, either." Others are a bit more of an inside joke, like Darrin "Teets" Walls or Kallen "I-Robot" Wade. Matt Carufel is..."Matt." Bonus Babies. So those were the official football scholarship members of the incoming class. However, it appears that Notre Dame will also be bringing in three athletes with the distinction of "preferred walk-on". They'll be under scholarship for another sport, but be allowed to practice with the football team. (However, if they ever get into a game, their scholarship will transfer to the football team and count towards the 85 total team scholarship limit.) The most notable recruit in this situation is lacrosse player and tight end prospect Will Yeatman. Here's the story we wrote about him when he committted. There are two signing periods in lacrosse and Yeatman did not sign in the early one, so he has not officially signed a letter of intent yet (which is why Weis alluded to Yeatman in his press conference, but could not officially talk about him.) BGS sez...We conducted a little email roundtable about this recruiting class over the past couple of days. Everyone to a man agrees that this is a fantastic class, both in terms of quality and depth. It's an important class, too, in terms of immediate impact: a couple of these guys might start right away, and as for the rest we're filling major holes in the depth chart, and we'll have better talent and better numbers in case disaster strikes. Even at defensive tackle, where we missed on our biggest recruit (Gerald McCoy, who opted to stay in-state and go to Oklahoma), we have some numbers there (Mullen and possibly Ryan), so it's not an unmitigated vacuum like the '01 class, where we missed on Shaun Cody and had almost nothing to fall back on. Some more chatter from the peanut gallery... Biggest get. Teds: James Aldridge. Aldridge is precisely the sort of "football-first" recruit that ND has consistently missed out on over the past decade, and landing him early in the process -- and beating Carroll and SC to the punch to do so -- certainly turned some heads both within and outside the program and represented a harbinger of things to come. Symbolic of ND's return to the plateau of truly elite programs on the recruiting front. Sean: Six offensive linemen. Regardless of who we have at the skill positions, none of it would matter without these six guys. O-line had reached a crisis stage and Charlie got the depth chart replenished in one fell swoop. Pat: also Aldridge. After failing to sign a single running back last year -- and when's the last time you can remember ND doing that? -- Weis needed to land a good one and it certainly sounds like he did with Aldridge. The fact that he's already enrolled and working out with the team means he may even get to see some carries in the fall. As good as Darius Walker is on his own, it's always better when a team has a stable of fresh legs to wear down opposing defenses. Mike: Darrin Walls. Prior to his injury, he was widely considered the top corner in the country. Jay: Sam Young. He's the best player in the class, the best at his position in the country, it came all the way down to the last week, and he picked ND over Southern Cal on national TV. In addition to his being a blue chip talent, his signing was a fantastic way to wrap up the class and springboard us into next year. Biggest miss. Gerald McCoy, in a landslide. Class Sleeper. Mike: Morrice Richardson. I seem to remember Richardson posting the fastest shuttle time at the Athens, GA Nike camp. The kind of quickness, coupled with his size, could give us some nice versatility that our linebackers have often lacked. Pat: Luke Schmidt. For all the press Aldridge gets (just look at my "Biggest Get") people tend to forget that it was Schmidt, not Aldridge that won the Gatorade player of the year award in Indiana. Seeing as how Weis loves versatile players, I'm sure he's going to find all kinds of uses for a fullback with tight end size: blocking for Aldridge, lining up behind Schwapp on the goaline, catching screens and bearing down on 5'8" corners. I expect Schmidt to be a vital piece of the ND offense in the coming years. Sean: Robby Parris. Jeff Samardzija 2.0. Teds: Kallen Wade. Lots of good candidates here, but Wade seems like the sort of player for whom an early commitment, natural athletic ability and positional need may conspire to thrust him into the spotlight as an unexpected gem sooner rather than later. Comparisons between Wade and Justin Tuck have some merit. Feel free to add your own 2¢. (By the way, extra-special thanks to Jimmy who put together the opening banner for this post. Bonus points if you can name each player from their picture in the montage.) |

Programs:. “Blue Ocean Fellows will boost our ability to be a thought-leading group, small in size and big in influence,” says Institute founder, Carl Safina. Working independently but inter-dependently as well, Blue Ocean Fellows will create articles, opinion pieces, videos, tutorials and other materials, greatly expanding our reach. We’re very excited to welcome our first three Blue Ocean Fellows: author and essayist Paul Greenberg and shark experts Dr. Demian Chapman and Debra Abercrombie. Paul Greenberg is the author of the James Beard Award-winning New York Times bestseller Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food and other books, and a regular contributor to the New York Times Magazine, New York Times Sunday Book Review and the New York Times Opinion page. He has also written for National Geographic, GQ, The Times of London, Vogue and many other publications. In the last five years, he has been both a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellow and a W. K. Kellogg Foundation Food and Society Policy Fellow.A guest and commentator on national public radio programs including “Fresh Air” and “All Things Considered,” Mr. Greenberg is also a fiction writer. His 2002 novel, Leaving Katya, was a Barnes & Noble “Discover Great New Writers” selection. Greenberg lectures widely on issues of ocean sustainability at diverse venues including the United States Supreme Court, Monterey Bay Aquarium and Culinary Institute of America. He has lectured and reported extensively overseas, with assignments in Russia, Ukraine, France, the Caucasus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, the West Bank/Gaza, and many other global locations. His book, Four Fish, has been translated into Spanish, Italian, German and Korean, and is soon to be published in Greek, Russian and Mandarin. Dr. Demian Chapman takes a DNA sample from a nearly 15-foot blunt nose, six-gill shark in the Bahamas. Photo by Sean Williams, Cape Eleuthera Institute. Dr. Demian Chapman is a shark geneticist helping small, island nations strengthen their ability to identify illegal shark fishing and enforce recently established shark sanctuaries. As a Fellow, Chapman will co-author influential articles, videos and blogs with Safina to establish better support for shark conservation worldwide. Chapman’s research expertise lies in molecular biology and telemetry tracking, which he integrates to address research questions about how sharks and rays reproduce and disperse. He is investigating how shark reproduction and movements impact population dynamics, genetic diversity and geographic structure and the implications for conservation. Dr. Chapman is the author of numerous peer-reviewed scientific research articles, and currently manages field research projects on sharks in Belize, the Bahamas, New Zealand and Florida. Chapman’s DNA lab is located near the Blue Ocean Institute office on Long Island, NY, in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University. Debra Abercrombie tags, measures and takes samples from a female bull shark. Photo by Sean Williams, Cape Eleuthera Institute. Debra Abercrombie is a marine biologist and shark expert, Debra is one of the discoverers of the fact that Chinese trade names for shark fins have high concordance with particular species. This means that visual fin identification is possible, even for threatened and endangered shark species. Abercrombie worked with the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement to genetically identify fins from prohibited shark species that were confiscated from commercial fishing operations in the Atlantic Ocean. She has published peer-reviewed papers on the genetic identification of CITES listed and proposed shark species (white shark, hammerheads) and the global fiind trade in leading journals such as Conservation Biology and Conservation Genetics. Blue Ocean Fellows – Publications Select Blue Ocean Fellows’ work includes: Paul Greenberg: “An Oyster in the Storm” – The New York Times. October 2012 Greenberg & Safina: “An Improvable Feast” - The New York Times. December 2012 Chapman, Abercrombie & Safina: “Sharks Cross Fin-ish Line at CITES and A New Era Begins.” March 2013 Chapman, Abercrombie, Safina, et al: “Give Read more

Make a Difference This is the good news — it’s not too late to save the oceans. There are constructive and very real things that you can do to be part of the solution. Here are 15 ways to make a difference. Maybe you have other ideas? Please share. 15 WAYS TO SAVE THE OCEANS 4. Be an Ocean Advocate 10. Eat Sustainable Seafood 11. Choose Sustainable Seafood 1. Head for the Beach Spending time in, on or near the ocean is a great way to gain the inspiration that will ultimately fuel your actions. Get to know this world of vitality, mystery, remarkable beauty, and untold promise. Tell everyone about your love of the oceans. Don’t be shy. Personal testimonials — maybe your first ocean visit or a memorable sailing trip — can be extremely powerful and a motivation to others. Tell people in your social circles, places of worship, schools, and neighborhoods what’s going on with the oceans. It is a direct and satisfying way to inspire others. A great way to save the oceans is to directly support organizations like Blue Ocean who have made it their business to understand current issues and promote solutions. At Blue Ocean Institute, a contribution of any size is greatly appreciated. We are a small yet influential group and your gift goes a long way toward saving the ocean. Using science, art, and literature we seek to inspire a deeper connection with nature in everyone touched by an ocean. Your donation helps us show how nature, community, the economy, and prospects for peace are all intertwined. 4. Be an Ocean Advocate Show your support of efforts big and small, regional to international, to expand marine reserves that protect valuable and threatened marine species and habitats. Support oceans by learning about related issues, too, like offshore drilling, fisheries management, mercury pollution, wetlands, coastal development, runoff, and marine debris. Be aware of key issues so you can be an informed spokesperson for the seas. Climate change spells big trouble for ocean life. One of the most important steps you can take is to support clean energy initiatives in your community, region and nation. The measures that need to be taken now to protect the seas and the people who depend on them, depend on you. Back to Top Significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions is vital to preserving the life support systems of our planet. This challenge requires action at the individual, community, national, and international levels–we can all play a role. Take steps to curb your own carbon footprint: make your home more energy efficient, turn off lights when you leave a room, adjust your thermostat, support the smart grid, unplug your appliances when not in use, ride your bike, drive an electric car or a highly fuel efficient car, support clean energy businesses, and encourage action by your local community, religious group, and schools. There are several organizations with scientifically sound, trusted information about climate change and how we can each make a difference. Here’s a recommended handful: 350.org, Earth Lab, Union of Concerned Scientists, Energy Star, Pew Center Keep up with the issues. Use Social Media to follow Blue Ocean, Carl Safina and other ocean leaders. Here’s a great start: Follow Carl’s Blog and on Twitter and Facebook. Follow Blue Ocean on Twitter and Facebook. Set up Google Alerts for the issues that mean the most to you and keep up with the news and scientific updates surrounding current ocean challenges. Beach clean ups are a good way to get to know your coastal community (or nearest shore), keep garbage out of the ocean and prevent it from re-entering the sea. Clean ups are also a great way to introduce kids to the concept that all drains lead to the ocean. Back to Top 9. Limit Your Plastic Limit your use of plastic – there are so many reasons why! Creating new plastic requires the use of fossil fuels. Every year tens of thousands of seabirds, sea turtles, and marine mammals drown or starve due to entanglement in marine debris, over half of which is from plastic. Once in the ocean, it is hard to clean up plastic waste. The North Pacific gyre, a whirlpool of debris, is estimated to be twice the size of the continental United States. It is best to stop it at the source—demand less and less will be produced. You can start by bringing your own bag to the grocery store, use a refillable water bottle, and purchase foods with minimal packaging. Also, ensure proper disposal of wastes including nets and fishing line and support proper waste management practices on land. 10. Choose Sustainable Seafood Make educated choices when dining in restaurants. More and more chefs are concerned about the seafood they serve. Support these chefs by frequenting restaurants who offer sustainable seafood on their menu. See our fish consumption guidelines and get educated about which fish are from sustainable sources. 11. Buy Sustainable Seafood Buy sustainable seafood and make your choice as local as possible. (This reduces the carbon footprint of shipping and packaging your seafood). Ask your local fish monger where the fish or shellfish come from, how it was caught, and what species it is. To ensure your seafood purchase is sustainable, use Blue Ocean Institute’s online guide. Get involved with management of marine areas in your area. Visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and connect with your local fisheries management council. Council sites will provide information about upcoming council meetings and other events in your area. Avoid buying pet food that contains fish meal and insist that land-based animals like swine be fed land-grown food. The pet food industry uses about 10 percent of the global supply of forage fish. The swine industry consumes 24 percent of fish meal and oil, and the poultry industry takes as much as 22 percent. The removal of vast quantities of wild forage fish, such as sardines and anchovies, threatens to starve whales, seals, cod and tuna. All drains lead to the sea. Think twice before using fertilizer and insecticide on your lawn and garden, stop washing your car on the street, be careful what you put down any drain and don’t litter. Preventing chemicals, plastics and pollutants from going into the sea is much easier than getting them back out. Support organic farming and local farms that do not use chemicals. When on the water, treat it well. If you decide to take a cruise ship vacation, do some research to find the most ocean-friendly cruise line. Be a responsible boater, surfer, canoeist, kayaker, stand up paddle boarder, etc. Never throw anything overboard, and be aware and protective of the marine creatures in the waters around you. For more ways to help the oceans, check out Blue Frontier’s “50 Ways to Save the Oceans”. Let’s hear from you: What do you think? Do you know other ways to save the oceans?

Wed, Jul 23 2008 9:05 pm | Empire of Dirt Wrap-up Gallery Here’s one last photo gallery of images from the week in and around the contest. Enjoy… 2008 Empire of Dirt Final Results Bohan stole the show and was crowned the first-ever Empire of Dirt winner. Photo: Mulligan Results: 1. Corey Bohan 2. Gary Young 3. Dane Searls 4. Kye Forte An epic contest has come to a close, and the finals were nothing short of amazing and climatic. After 16 riders went through two finals runs, the four riders to transfer to the “Super Final” were Kye Forte, Dane Searls, Corey Bohan, and Gary Young. The one lap, no crap Super Final saw Kye go first. Kye’s run consisted of a 360 drop-in to start, followed by a turndown, table, 360 x-up, a 360 turndown, a tailwhip and a one-footed table in the dirt half, a table out of one of the curved walls, and a flair on the quarter. Kye had some trouble towards the end of his run and placed fourth. Dane was second to go and he dropped in with a one-footed x-up. The rest of his run consisted of a one-footed table, a 360, a no-hander-to-x-up, a tire grab-to-tailwhip, an x-up, an alley-oop table, a no-footed can-can over the spine, an alley-oop x-up on the quarter, a lookback, a tailwhip, a 360 tailwhip, and an x-up-to-table on the last hip. Dane’s strong last section placed him in third. Corey Bohan skipped the drop-in, but brought it on the top section with a tailwhip, an opposite tailwhip, a 360 nosedive, an x-up, a flair in the dirt half (the only person to do that), a sweet nac-nac on the second dirt pipe hit, an insane no-footed can-can out of the first curved wallride, a cannonball over the spine, a one-footed table, a one-handed table, a nothing, a no-footed can-can tailwhip, and a seatgrab Indian air over the last hip. With a huge variety of tricks, a strong start-to-finish run, and style for miles, Corey’s run was good enough to beat out Gary’s for the win. Gary’s Super Final run also started off without a trick on the drop-in, but quickly got heated with a 360, an opposite 360, a turndown, and a huge 360 double tailwhip. Gary’s feet blew off of the three-double whip, but he managed to keep it together and fire into the dirt half with an alley-oop lookback and a no-hander. Gary threw an ultra smooth 270 out of the first curved wallride, and after railing through the curved wall section, he blasted a one-footed table over the spine. Not slowing down, a 270 off the quarter hip was followed by a nosewheelie down the the ledge, and a 50/50-to-grizz air off the doubles rail. A euro table on the last hip ended his run, but all said, it wasn’t enough for the win. Hopefully you were able to watch it live via the Internet as it truly was an amazing contest. I’ll be posting one final photo gallery of photos from the event soon. Thanks go out to Kye Forte, his brothers Leo and Toby, the course building crew, and Red Bull for a brilliant contest. This one will go down in the history books, for sure. Check back soon for more photos… Scroll down to see earlier posts and photo galleries… 2008 Red Bull Empire of Dirt Qualifying Results Today started off with a little rain and some wind, so there were some slight delays, but despite a mix of everything—rain, sunshine, wind, and clouds—qualifying went off without much of a problem. In practice, Leo Forte and Scott Edgworth had a bad collision, which took out Scott and sent Leo to the hospital for most of the day. Against all odds, Leo came back in time to throw down one run (cold turkey), and rode well enough to make it into the finals. His brother Kye, Mr. Empire of Dirt himself, qualified first with a mix of big air, great variations, smooth riding, and sweet style. The top 16 will compete tomorrow in the finals, with four moving on to the super finals with one run each determining the winner. Below are today’s qualifying results. Check back soon for final results and more photos, and don’t forget to check out the live video streaming (click the link on our homepage to see all the action). Kye Forte; first place qualifier. Photo: Mulligan 2008 Empire of Dirt Qualifying Results (Top 16 Transfer To Finals) 1. Kye Forte 91.60 2. Gary Young 90.00 3. Dane Searls 89.40 4. Chris Doyle 89.00 5. Corey Bohan 88.20 6. Alistair Whitton 87.80 7. Josh Stead 84.20 8. Bas Keep 84.20 9. Liam Eltham 83.60 10. Clint Reynolds 83.40 11. Ben Hennon 83.40 12. Leo Forte 82.40 13. Brian Foster 82.20 14. Sergio Layos 82.00 15. Brian Hunt 82.00 16. Darin Read 82.00 17. Arrash Saidi 81.00 18. Taj Mihelich 79.80 19. Patrick Guimez 79.40 20. Brian Yeagle 78.80 21. Martin Tambling 78.00 22. Heath Pinter 78.00 23. Paul Kintner 77.60 24. Francisco Palomo 77.60 25. Matt Priest 71.80 26. Tobias Wicke 69.40 27. Toby Forte 66.80 28. Ruben Alcantara 65.40 29. Javier Ortega 63.00 30. Tony Cardona 62.20 31. Robin Fenlon 62.00 32. Russel Ward 61.40 33. Jon Taylor 61.20 Today was the second day of practice here in England for the 2008 Empire of Dirt contest. Most of the day saw heavy gusts and steady wind, so there wasn’t as much going down as yesterday’s session. A little sheltered from the wind, the middle section of the course saw the most action—typically from the dirt half to the quarter. After today’s practice everyone went to the local trails (Decoy) and some heavy riding was logged in. Lots of tricks and style for hours. I’ll be posting a gallery from the Decoy jam shortly. Tomorrow is qualifying, so stay tuned. For now, here are some photos from today’s practice with a few randoms thrown in… The 2008 Empire of Dirt contest has kicked off in Newton Abbot, England, and although today was only the first day of practice, the riding was going off. The variety of riders that are here and the diversity of style amongst them is as good as it gets. The course is like nothing else ever built and the riders are absolutely loving it—nothing but smiles all around. Here are two photo galleries, one consisting of course photos and the other is action from the day. Take a walk from top to bottom to see every obstacle and section, then see what the boys were throwing down on their first day of riding. TAGS: 2008 Red Bull Empire Of Dirt, Red Bull Empire Of Dirt

Straight Dope Message Board > Main > General Questions > Poker strategy PDA View Full Version : Poker strategy pkbites 03-25-2003, 04:36 AM Only being a casual player of poker (5 card draw) I did not know what strategy to use when I was dealt a great hand right off the bat (straight). Any advice in this situation? scm1001 03-25-2003, 05:04 AM definitely a GD question. It will depend on your opponents, whether it is a limit or no limit game, how good your hand is and your previous history. If they are betting strongly, you can pretend to be weak and just going along for the ride. If they are tight bettors, a small bet might be the best way to get them along. If you have been bluffing a lot and they know it, a big bet might lead them to think you are bluffing again. If your hand is only moderately strong and unlikely to improve (say 3 or a kind) then I bet as strong as possible to try and knock out as many freeloaders as possible who might fluke a better hand. And poker being what it is, what will work one time will go down badly the next. pkbites 03-25-2003, 05:09 AM But I was dealt a straight. How are the other players going to react when I refuse to take any new cards. What kind of bluff can I use to fake them out. I see another player not take a single new card i worry he has a royal flush to tell you the truth. What to do, what to do???:confused: brainfizz 03-25-2003, 05:49 AM Ok... If you have been dealt a straight, full house or a flush, then bet very high, but... do it slyly. Pick up your hand, look at everyone else, wait a little, look at everyone else again, look at the pot, then bet whatever the limit is. Basically, you've just got to pretend to be bluffing. If you've been dealt four of a kind, then you have a much easier time of it, because most people will assume that if you only change one card, then you have 4 cards of a straight or a flush, or have 2 pairs. If you bet reasonably low in the first round of betting, then increase it slightly in the second until people start passing, then bump it up to max, then you should get the biggest rewards. If you've been dealt three of a kind, then when you change 2 cards, people will assume you're either keeping a pair and a high card, or a three of a kind, or bluffing and hoping for a reward on the draw so there's not that much you can do. It all depends on so many factors : how many people are playing, how good they are, what other people are drawing, etc, etc. I'm not really a 5 card draw fan myself, I prefer 7 card stud or 7 card river, since there's a lot more skill in figuring out what people have and making people believe you have something that you do not. pulykamell 03-25-2003, 06:05 AM Well, pk, it definitely is a very tough call. Just think of the underlying psychology. If you have a reputation for being very conservative, never bluffing, and then all of a sudden you start betting high, well, folks are apt to fold. Or if you don't take any cards on the draw, the other card players can only assume one of two things: you're bluffing the heck out of them or you've got a monster hand. They're gonna venture a guess based on your poker playing personality. If you want to have fun, try it some time. It sounds to me like you don't bluff too often. Next game, try betting low-to-moderate, take no cards, and then bet higher. See how many people keep the nerve to stay in. It all comes down to how people analyze you. But to directly address the OP, when I play and get dealt a decent hand, I start the betting relatively hard. Not hard enough so most will drop out, but hard enough that people may suspect I'm bluffing and will stay in just to call my bluff. Then again, when I play, I do occassionally throw a couple games early on with high initial bets, so people do stay in and realize that early high bets are not unusual for me even with a weak hand. vBulletin® v3.7.3, Copyright ©2000-2013, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

Day Two, Meeting with Thieves. It rained. We stood waiting in the drizzle in a park behind some kiddie carnival rides, pretty certain they wouldn’t show up. I mean, it’s crazy to think a pickpocket will keep an appointment anyway. Let alone in the rain. We waited half an hour. But—we had arrived half an hour early. Here’s where I shouldn’t say more. Just…stay tuned! The feature film will be out in about a year! [Actually, on December 2, 2011 on the National Geographic Channel, 8pm] But c’mon… you’ll have forgotten in a year, right? Or maybe you’ll see the film anyway, even if I kill the suspense. I can tell you… Ed showed up first. Frank zipped up on his motorcycle moments later, and Marc came from somewhere. All prompt. We needed the thieves to sign releases before our production company could film them. Ed had questions. We squabbled in the rain until until someone herded us under the trees where it was dryer. Our big cameras moved in and circled the group. A few men wandered in from the street, obvious friends and partners of the pickpockets. A full hour of heated philosophizing: Why do you want to see demonstrations? Why do you want to know these things? What you do on stage is totally different from what we do in the street. What we do is not something to be proud of. Finally, an agreement is reached and releases are signed. They are “anonymous releases,” meaning that we’ll have to blur their faces. That’s such a shame. These are expressive men, with eyes you’d want to see. The rain stops and the demonstrations begin. The men had brought their tools: floppy messenger bags, a shopping bag. jackets, caps, and sunglasses. We had brought a man in a suit as a volunteer victim. Frank, Marc, and Ed position our victim next to a lamp post and tell him to pretend he’s on a bus. Then they take their places like dancers in a ballet, without words. Instantly and automatically, the three men position themselves around him. Their pal Clay appears and joins in. The victim is jostled a little, and we are allowed a glimpse of what the men would usually hide: Frank’s hand in the victim’s breast pocket. We see Frank’s hand drop and the wallet fall into a shopping bag that Clay holds low. None of the men look at what they’re doing. It’s all by rote and intuition. The men split and disperse in four directions. Applause. All our film crew are beaming, thrilled on so many levels. They’ve never associated with pickpockets. They’ve never seen how a steal is done by professional criminals. They got the demo on camera. And they’re a little queasy to find that they’re amused by the technical skills of thieves. It’s not just their technical skills, though. It’s their cooperation, their exuberance, their humanness. They’ve become the opposite of cold and faceless. Is it okay to enjoy this? Everyone’s high-fiving and thumbs-upping. The pride of the men is rewarded with amazement and glee. The thieves are so darn likable. Can we let ourselves actually like them? Should we pretend to ourselves that we’re just pretending to like them? The director wants another take and the team is happy to repeat the scene. They’re having fun and tickled by the director’s call: Aaaaaand… action! Van Royko, our director of photography, shows the last take on a monitor. Pickpocket crew and film crew crowd in to watch. There are more demonstrations: how to get money out of a wallet without removing the wallet from the pocket, how to get cash out of a pouch under trousers, how much harder it is to get a wallet out of the back pocket of jeans if the wallet is jammed in sideways. For fun, Bob steals a belt. We see the lightbulb go on over Frank. Moneybelts! “Teach me that trick!” he says, “Please!” We didn’t mean to give him new ideas. Laughing, Bob and I imagine puzzled police officer, suddenly taking reports of stolen belts all across town. We continue for hours. The conversation is animated. It’s like a party without the cocktails. Michele is translating, recording sound, and watching his monitor levels all at the same time, while smiling. We have two other translators, and everyone’s talking at once. Our poor director has to yell for silence more than action. It’s past 7:00 by the time we all leave the park. I wonder what the pickpockets tell their wives when they return home without cash. We made a movie! We laughed and had fun with foreigners! Yeah, right. Part one of this story. — Next installment. This is Part 10 9/20/10 and soon thereafter password-protected at the request of the producer.

CTFU - being around my dads side of the family makes me realize my dad isnt shit, but eh what can i say? still my dad i stll love em though blaaaaaaaaaahhh i miss tumblr i miss internet its been awhile this brings me to my next point you know i was pissed! i still had my hair braided and in that damn cap! here i was looking a hot damn mess in this damn video because of my sister smdh excuse my hair :) please and thanks soooooo let me just give yinz guys the basic! my mom is old (who cares) she has four kids that are older than me Boy #1, Boy #2, Girl #1, and Girl #2 then ten years later (1991) she had me! Audrey Amy :) (then there were some adopted kids that were thrown into the mix but thats neither here or there) anyways I am VERY close to Girl #2, I use to always say Girl #1 was my favorite sister but as I have gotten older Girl #2 been the one that has been looking out for me like crazy! So Girl #1 always says how shes jealous of our sisterly-relationship but #PAUSE GIRL #1 IS SOOOOO FUCKING ANTI-SOCIAL SHE NEVER WANTS TO STAY LONG AT FAMILY FUNCTIONS AND BLAH BLAH BLAH. Anyways this brings me to some of my points of why I really dont fuck with my sister Girl #1 : - I hate riding with her to places! Especially family functions because I for one think family IS VERY VERY VERY important and besides I love spending time with my damn family! But anyways if I pick her up and have her ride with me she always want to leave a hour after we get there WTF!? So I have to WASTE my gas and take your ass all the way home! & she dont live on the Northside like the rest of us…NO she lives on the West fucking side! So now I have to drive 15 minutes to take your ass home and then 15 minutes back to the function!? AND THEN WANTS TO HAVE THEE AUDACITY TO TEXT ME HOW EVERYTHING WENT… bitchgirl BYE - nexxttt I ask her to do something for me and she’ll be like ok sure whatever I’ll do it! BUT A HOUR LATER, always calls my mom and talks to her then decides she doesnt want to do it! WTF hoe, get your shit together man! That shit pisses me the fuck off…if there is one thing that gets under my DAMN SKIN its telling me you gon do something then dont do that shit like bitch wtf dont even say you gon do it! Say some shit like “maybe” or “we’ll see” I mean yeah i”ll be pissed but I wont be as pissed as you telling me you gon do some shit then you dont it! And her reasons be some bull shit ass reasons also! Like one time she stood me up for a date! A damn date!? A DAMN NIGGA! I hope he had some good dick too bitch because I dont get stood up especially not by no damn family member! A fucking SIBLING at that! Whatever happened to morals and stuff! Like “chicks BEFORE dicks” “sisters BEFORE the misters” “bros BEFORE hoes” like wtf! You wonder why you dont have friends and why your always bored! Have some damn standards! - Now this brings me to my last point today then im done venting! Im going home today my mom was going to pick me up…you know what Ima just make a video Theme Chunk 5, by Max davis.

A Camping Spree with Mr Magee by Chris Van Dusen A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen Ages: 4-8 Topics: Camping, wildlife, adventure Cheerful Mr. Magee and his little dog Dee, pack up the camper and "hit the road" for a camping trip in the mountains. "There's nothing like camping," a jubilant Magee tells Dee: The views are fantastic! There's hardly a sound. Aside from the wildlife, there's no one around" Their campsite certainly offers a spectacularly colorful sunset view, and the companions enjoy a happy evening cooking hotdogs and marshmallows over a campfire and enjoying the serene view of the surrounding mountains, brook, and waterfall. It's soon time for bed and, while the duo snuggle down in carefree repose, they are visited by a large bear with poor eyesight, but a good nose for marshmallows. In his quest for sweets, the bear manages to unhitch the camper and send it rollin' down the mountain and straight into the brook, Dee and Magee both started to quiver, As faster and faster they headed downriver. But just when they thought they'd fall over the edge... Their camper got stuck on a rock at the ledge. So there they were, stranded, Magee and his pup, On the top of the waterfall, fifty feet up! Luckily for the camping pals, the nearsighted bear comes to the rescue, mistaking the hitch for ...no, no...I'm not going to give away the creative resolution of this entertaining story! This is one of those rare children's books that is as appealing to the adults reading aloud as it is for the excited children listening to the story. As you can tell from the quote above, this book has a wonderful read aloud pace, magically reminiscent of Clement Moore's The Night Before Christmas, yet decidedly modern and tongue-in-cheek, with a dash of superhero hyperbole. These elements also translate to Van Dusen's vivid gouache illustrations. Magee's world, rendered in 50s retro style, has an ordered and idyllic brightness to it, from Magee's perfectly trimmed and mowed backyard and spotless camper to the symmetrically consistent fir trees of the wilderness. All the illustrations convey a buoyant optimism and symmetry, even in the most dire circumstances (as the duo float down the river and end up looking over the waterfall, their hair stands on end reflecting the shape of the fir trees around them). Magee's thick glasses, plaid shirt, and sneakers suggest a nerdy character, but when the situation knocks a golden hair or two out of place, the glasses seem Clark Kentish, a superficial geeky detail covering a noble interior. Dee is the perfect wordless companion. His long ears speak for him: they fly behind him with carefree aplomb as the couple drive out in the convertible, stand up on end in the more nail-biting moments, and gently hang by his side when all is serene. The illustrations include wonderful details - a very-surprised raccoon watching the camper hit the water, the spilled salt and pepper and cheesy placemats in the rescued camper - and grandiose, brilliant landscapes that really draw the reader in with amazement. This lively and funny story conveys a rare enthusiasm and will bring wide-eyed excitement and twinkling eyes to both girls and boys, before returning them to a perfectly ordered world. So if you're looking for that perfect gift, I suggest A Camping Spree with Mr Magee and Van Dusen's other wonderful books. Chris Van Dusen also wrote and illustrated two other wonderful books, Down to the Sea with Mr Magee

- Jim at the Travis McGee Reader attended the Iowa Straw poll and has a series of posts on the topic written in his inimitable style. I was somewhat disappointed to see no photographs of actual straws. - Santa Rosa, CA PD SWAT sets up a little display for the kiddies at a neighborhood festival, including a couple of firearms on the junk-on-the-bunk table. Said kiddies are allowed (under supervision) to touch. The Eloi at the local newspaper issue a Code Brown PSH Alert. Good thing the Army recruiters didn't set up a booth; those guys bring 240 Bravos and grenade launchers. Wednesday, August 17, 2011 Tab Clearing... 17 comments: You simply couldn't pay me enough to live in CA. TJ: Ditto. I escaped way back in '78, never been back, never will. cap'n chumbucket That big earthquake can't happen soon enough in CA. Sorry for all who live there and/or love the place, but it's past time for the failed state to sink. Family day in my National Guard armored unit had kids crawling through M1's, riding M113's through the woods, handling 120mm mortars, and Mk19's. Obviously ammo never left the arms lockers. When I was in JROTC in high school, some soldiers brought two humvees for us to check out. One had a TOW mounted and the other a M-60. If the SWAT display gave them a Code Brown, I can only imagine what that would have done. "But police and event organizers defended the display as a successful community outreach effort that is in line with the department's efforts to demystify law enforcement generally and its SWAT team in particular.“ Demystify, yes. Acculturate, yes. Guns are cool, but it used to be that the primary tool of the policeman was a set of handcuffs. There are still officers who somehow used to get the job done with a revolver. When they arm them, clothe them, and equip them like the army, people think of them like an occupying army. I would think that Officer Friendly would serve the purpose of community outreach far better. Remember, we want these kids to be willing to help or at least be willing to talk to the police one day should the need arise. SWAT does not equal Jedi. "The police is the public and the public is the police." Besides I bet that sniper scope is hard to use while laying down automatic fire. If only it had one of those shoulder things that goes up... -8notch 8notch, ""The police is the public and the public is the police."" Damn right. I have a dot-sighted carbine to defend myself, why can't Officer Friendly? That works both ways, you know. No particular order: Jim at TMcGR gets it! Yay Ron Paul! I think the police should be issued nerf bats and whistles, and otherwise be allowed to arm themselves just like regular civilians---to include suppressed SBRs with happy switches! And dot sights! I like that the Eloi who freaked out is named Attila Nagy. I really like that. That article has nearly every square for my "Reporter writing about guns" bingo card. Holy crap. City councilwoman was "devastated" to see a (little brown) child touch a gun. However, she seems undevastated by the fact that "The police presence was welcomed by residents, some of whom were concerned about attending an evening event in their park, said Oscar Chavez, executive director of Community Action Partnership". I thought it was interesting that the reporter called it a "fully-automatic assault rifle but couldn't resist labeling the optic a "sniper scope". If your only tool is hyperbole I guess all articles look like a good place to write it.. If SOMEBODY would give the writers and others like him a REAL JOB, perhaps there would be no need for a "code Brown" at this event. Sigh. Ulises from CA Thanks for the lnk, Tam, and as to: >>>I was somewhat disappointed to see no photographs of actual straws.<<< There were no actual straws present, but hayseed was plentiful. :) OMG, it's a FULLY AUTOMATIC ASSAULT RIFLE with a SNIPER SCOPE being handled by (gasp) a child! Gosh it's good to be so ignorant of the things you fear the most. Gee, I guess no one gave any thought to the fact that handling all that cool cop gear might just persuade some of those kids to go down a different path, like maybe aspiring to be a police officer instead of a gang-banger...just sayin'. Thank God when we do these sort of events in Oklahoma no one cares or pays much attention to us letting the kiddies handle the gear, since it's pretty much just like the rifle they have at home ;) I distinctly recall the Army visit to my small southern university in 1977. They brought an Apache attack helicopter, and let us students climb in and handle the knobs. The young officer showing it off said to me as I climbed in, "If you get it started you can fly it." Frustratingly complex was the instrument panel, and I suspect he had pulled a fuse or two just to be safe. I remembered that officer very clearly some years later, the first time I played with a flight simulator in an Apple-based Indiana Jones game. I bet they don't say things like that too often now. Sort of on-topic: what's the breakdown of the team you use to clear a tab, and do you toss flash-bang or a propane tank wrapped in detcord into the tab before you go in?

I have a hard time remembering what happened if I don’t write it down like……..see? That was too long. Immediately. I must write it down. Immediately. Let me try to recreate our weekend from the little memory I still possess…… Tim and I had a jam packed few days, complete with lots of snow (somewhere around eight inches in total when everything was all said and done) and a dual-driveway-shoveling effort at 5:30 am on Saturday. Why so early? Tim had a haircut scheduled in the morning and we had to get the fresh powder off of the driveway before we left. It makes shoveling somucheasier when you don’t have to deal with tire tracks. Just FYI. Anyhow, as soon as we got home, we hopped on Skype (OMG. WHY HAVE WE NEVER USED THIS?!) for the “virtual” baby shower. It was super fun and kind of like watching a sitcom at times, since it was just the two of us watching a whole bunch of people do all kinds of things at my mom’s house – some of the commotion directed at us, some not. Also? Lots of movement and talking = choppy connection and trying to understand what someone said sometimes was…..challenging – to say the least. I definitely, however, didn’t miss anyone – everyone – asking about the name for the sprout. No one really knew how the whole gift giving thing was supposed to work, so some people had shipped us gifts (that have not come, yet) and some people brought gifts to my mom’s…..that they then had to open for us so we could see what it was. I’m positive no one went into that shower thinking they’d have to open their own gift. Pair that with never-ending mimosas (for them…not me) and you get lots of women dancing in front of the camera all, “I woooonnnndeeeeeer what this isssss?……” as they ripped open their own wrapping. The whole thing was so comical, I don’t even remember anything we got other than a swaddle thing and a monkey with a tail you pull to play lullabies…good thing my mom took pictures and is making a list because I’d be up a creek without a rattle (ha…) without that. Yesterday? Yesterday was Sunday! Also known as baby sprout’s nursery furniture pick up day! One of Tim’s work peeps offered to help us – and bring their truck – to get the boxes home and upstairs. Good thing, too, because there was no way Tim and I would have been able to fit the boxes in our car and there was absolutely zero possibility for Tim to haul either box upstairs by himself. I mean, I’m not supposed to lift anything over 25 pounds…or is it 20 pounds?….and each box weighed over 100. Even if I only did 50% of the work – and I’m not great at math but I’m pretty sure that’d still be too, um, heavy. On Saturday night, I made him (the worker peep) chocolate chip cookies, all wrapped up with a pretty bow (for serious), as a thank you. After Tim’s worker peep left the house, crib and dresser upstairs safe and sound, Tim got a text on his work phone from his son all, “Tim…this is worker peeps son. My dad is driving and we just wanted to tell you that the cookies are delicious!“ Happy dance! Then? Tim couldn’t wait to rip open the boxes and get to work. I know I’ve said this before but if there is any kind of project to be done, it doesn’t sit around in this house. Noooooooooo. Tim has this wiring in his brain that says DO IT NOW. (I totally shouldn’t complain…it’s usually the opposite, right?) So, by the end of last night, Maddie and Lexi had checked out the boxes for any kind of suspicious material (they didn’t find any) And we had a mostly complete – minus decorations and a mattress…and crib sheets…and a glider-rocker… – nursery! I know it looks black but it’s really espresso. Just thought you should know. Loooove the new baby furniture!! I still contend – you need to come decorate my house, baby room or no baby room. Deal?? Can we make a barter arrangement? You can totally be our fourth – long-lost – sister?? Oh freak I love it!!! I love the virtual baby shower thing too. How fun! Also, I would haev leant you my truck and my fiance..duh…. Co-worker peep……I think my cat is even preturbed by that. Looking good, my friend. And I concur, decorate my house too! Yay! So cute! And how fun that you got a virtual shower (including the tipsy ladies). That’s hilarious!! you totally forgot the cousin and aunt who came to you from Florida via brother Jeff’s facetime…via skype 1. Furniture = awesome. 2. It looks cold outside.

SEATTLE -- The Mariners continued to shore up their pitching staff Saturday, signing left-handed reliever Oliver Perez to a one-year deal shortly after he'd hit free agency. Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reported the deal is for $1.5 million, with another potential $600,000 in performance bonuses. Perez is the second pitcher re-signed by the club, after starter Hisashi Iwakuma received a two-year. Perez, 31, was one of the better comeback stories in baseball last year, resurrecting his Major League career as a reliever two years after being released by the Mets with $12 million still on his contract. He posted a 2.12 ERA in 33 appearances with the Mariners after being called up in midseason from Triple-A Tacoma. Perez posted the ninth-lowest ERA by an American League reliever with a minimum of 30 appearances after joining the team on June 16. He had a stretch of 20 consecutive appearances from July 13 to Sept. 14 without allowing a run, tied for the fourth-longest streak in club history. pitched in the Nationals' Minor League system in 2011 and then found new life as a reliever in the Mexican Winter Leagues, where the Mariners saw his renewed fastball and gave him a shot on a Minor League deal that paid $750,000. He wound up establishing himself as a solid member of Seattle's bullpen in the second half, allowing just seven runs and 27 hits in 29 2/3 innings with 10 walks and 24 strikeouts. Perez combined with Rule 5 reliever Lucas Luetge and converted starter Charlie Furbush to give manager Eric Wedge three solid left-handers out of his bullpen even after Sherrill was lost for the season after pitching just two games. The 10-year Major League veteran previously pitched as a starter with the Padres, Pirates and Mets. He has a career record of 59-72 with a 4.57 ERA and was a 15-game winner for the Mets in 2007, but struggled badly after signing a three-year, $36 million deal with the Mets in 2009. He seems to have found a new niche now in relief. "I felt pretty good this year," Perez told MLB.com at the season's conclusion. "This was kind of a new role for me, but I would like to be a reliever again because normally you get the chance to pitch every day. I can be a starter again, but right now I feel good in the bullpen." With Perez's signing, the Mariners' 40-man roster now stands at 36. Greg Johns is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregJohnsMLB as well as his Mariners Musings blog. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Pollock not intimidated by outfield depth Prospect likely to begin season at Reno, just a phone call away from big leagues SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- When thinking of the crowded D-backs outfield and which player in the organization suffers the most from it, Gerardo Parra is typically the first guy to come to mind. But for Parra, being the fourth outfielder still means receiving consistent playing time in the big leagues. Being slotted as the fifth or sixth outfielder, however, is another story. That's A.J. Pollock's role coming into camp, despite being ranked as the club's No. 8 prospect by MLB.com. With Parra backing up Jason Kubel, Adam Eaton and Cody Ross, and with Eric Hinske available as an emergency outfielder, Pollock's chances of making the 25-man Opening Day roster are pretty slim, barring injury. So does the 25-year-old get frustrated with the lack of opportunity, even though he's a well thought of prospect? Not really. He embraces the competition. "You never want anything handed to you, so it's a good thing we have so many quality players," he said. "It's always good to have depth and you never know when it'll be your turn. We all work great together and we're all competing. I like it." Last season, Pollock got his beak wet in the Majors, as the D-backs called him up to the big leagues five separate times throughout the year, twice for just a single day. He made his debut on April 18 and finished the season batting .247 with eight runs and eight RBIs in 81 at-bats. The short stints with Arizona gave Pollock a good sense of the atmosphere and competition level, but not being able to stick around for any lengthy period of time didn't let him fully adjust. At Triple-A Reno, he played every day, but during his time with the D-backs, he found himself in the unfamiliar situation of only being used sparingly. "It's part of the game. I knew if I got up, that was my role," Pollock said. "You just have to make it work. You can either say it's real hard or you can try to work with it and compete every day. For me, though, meeting the guys and just getting comfortable up there was the biggest thing." Drafted in the first round out of Notre Dame in 2009, Pollock made a quick ascension through the D-backs' farm system. In each of his last two Minor League campaigns, he has hit above .300 with his most productive year coming last season when he posted a .369 on-base percentage at Reno, which won a league championship. "It was fun. I had a great time with those guys," he said. "Things worked out down there and to finish what we started, it was great. Everyone was on the same page, everyone was working toward the same thing, which was making the players better and winning games." Manager Kirk Gibson has liked Pollock since the first time he saw him. So much so that he has even reached out to one of his old college coaches at Notre Dame, Graham Sikes, who now coaches Gibson's son at Michigan State. "I've talked with him a lot about A.J.," Gibson said. "A.J. is a guy whose thought process is similar to Goldy [Paul Goldschmidt]. He's curious about a lot of different things, he wants you to point out something when you see it. Some guys, you have to develop a relationship with before they take it the right way, but A.J. is certainly a guy who will listen." So far this spring, Pollock has a .278 on-base percentage in 16 at-bats, but he isn't concerned with his production just yet. He's more worried about getting back into a rhythm at the plate. "I'm getting everything in order right now. You kind of have a check list you go through," he said. "As a hitter, it's hard to fully focus on results from the start. You just want to make sure you're seeing pitches well, your timing is good and everything feels right up there. Hopefully, I'll be peaking toward the end of spring so I can flow right into the season." Whether that means beginning 2013 in Reno again, Pollock isn't sure, but according to his manager, the outfielder won't be far off the club's radar regardless of where he is. "He's right there, so if nobody gets hurt and somebody goes to the Minor Leagues, they are right there," Gibson said. "He's just a solid ballplayer, what doesn't he do well?" Tyler Emerick is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Who knew that Italian ciao was a variation of schiavo "(I am your) servant" from medieval Latin sclavus "slave". slave was borrowed from Old French esclave, which is related to the Latin sclavus. The Latin word was borrowed into English as Slav. Further etymology of sclavus is uncertain. In my previous post I write that Slav and slave seem to be derived from Proto-Slavic *slovo "word" or *slava "fame, glory" but I think I was wrong. The OED says Old Slavic Slovēne is supposed to be derived from slovo, but is it really? The whole thing is a bit of a muddle. 10 comments: I'd love to know the etymology of "slave" as well but it looks like time has erased many leads. It really is an interesting muddle. Similar story in Swedish. The greetings `tja' or `tjena' is an abbreviation of `tjenare' which is a variant of `tjänare’in the phrase ‘Jag förbliver Eder ödmjukaste tjänare’ (I remain your most humble servant). What makes you doubt the origin from *slovo "word" or *slava "fame, glory" ? be_slayed: just because I haven't seen any clear statement to this effect. All the OED says is that Slovēne "is supposed to be derived from the stem of slovo word, sloviti to speak." I think you guys are on the right track. I never understood why the derivation of Common Slavic (CS) Slovēne from *k'lew- 'hear' was considered controversial. It seems the IE verb *klew- (attested in CS sly- > Proto-CS *ślū) is the origin of all the words in question: CS *slovo 'word' > Proto-CS *ślavam CS *slava 'fame' > Proto-CS *ślāvā cf. Indic śravas Greek klewos CS *slověne 'Slavs (pl)' > Proto-CS *ślavēnai (?) CS *slavitь 'glorifies' > Proto-CS *ślāviti =(?) Indic śrāvayati It seems IE *e, inasmuch as it ever existed, must've merged with Proto-CS *a before labials sometime long ago. Is it a question of which word exactly *slověne is derived from? Would that have archeaological implications? I'm wondering if the vowel lengths point to the answer. Input welcome. Ciao! Hermeneuo: "It seems IE *e, inasmuch as it ever existed, [...]" ?? Oh, I had assumed that to have phonemic status a sound had to appear in minimal pairs (e.g. bat : bet). I haven't seen any examples of PIE *o and *e being in phonemic opposition. I'd appreciate any thoughts on whether they are distinct phonemes. According to Fortson in Indo-European Language and Culture, *e and *o are distinct phonemes. I think I found a minimal pair in *krét-u-s "insight, intelligence", and the genitive form *krót-u-s. Great find. I think it's an example of IE apophony (cf Fortson 4.12; 4.16). The classic 'proof' of *e≠*o also involves apophony: Indic cakram=*kʷekʷlos=Greek kyklos, yet I fail to see what this actually proves beyond च≠क. As with the etymology of *slovene, on the surface *e:*o is an inconsequential chicken-and-egg trifle, yet entire 'historical narratives' might indeed hinge upon it. Interesting stuff, thanks for bringing it up. Yes *krét-u-s / *krót-u-s is apophony, but it's still a minimal pair, isn't it?

How Damaged Are N.F.L. Players’ Brains? Virginia Hughes of The New Yorker interviews Dr. John Hart, Jr. about the latest BrainHealth research involving former NFL players.Continue Reading Virginia Hughes of The New Yorker interviews Dr. John Hart, Jr. about the latest BrainHealth research involving former NFL players.Continue Reading Dr. Chapman discusses her upcoming TED talk. By: Sandra Bond Chapman, Ph.D. Carol Cavazos interviewed BrainHealth researchers about their take on the president's $100 million brain mapping plan.Continue Reading Make a real difference by taking part in unique brain studies designed to investigate all aspects of the brain – across ages, disorders, and conditions. Discover how.Continue Reading The Center seeks exemplary student research scientists - including the most promising postdoctoral students. Find out how you can join the team.Continue Reading Eric Nestler, M.D., Ph.D.Scientific Advisory Board Member Dr. Eric Nestler is the Nash Family Professor of Neuroscience at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, where he serves as Chair of the Department of Neuroscience and Director of the Friedman Brain Institute. He is a member of the Center for BrainHealth's scientific advisory board.View Full Profile At BrainHealth, Sarah works closely with researchers on drafting research proposals to garner funds from various agencies as well as audits funds once awarded.View Full Profile Dr. Didehbani conducts clinical research as a part of the BrainHealth Institute for Athletes team and administers neuropsychological assessments with professional athletes involved in the study. Dr. Didehbani, a liscensed psychologist, is also trained to conduct the repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation intervention as part of BrainHealth's research with service members returning from war.View Full Profile Jennifer Zientz, M.S., CCC/SLPHead of Clinical Services Jennifer Zientz, head of clinical services at the Center for BrainHealth, studies healthy aging across generations.View Full Profile Watch and share Dr. Chapman's 10-minute TEDx Talk at TEDxRockCreekPark. The Reprogramming the Human Brain Symposium, an annual research and treatment conference organized in part by the Center for BrainHealth, will concentrate this year on the cognitive neuroscience of decision-making and addiction. BrainHealth's Dr. Chapman shares how science shows single-tasking makes you smarter and boosts brainpower. KERA's Lauren Silverman covers Center for BrainHealth's May 7, Boosting Brain Performance lecture featuring Daryl Johnston, Dr. John Hart, Brad Sham and Cooper Gardiner. The discussion covers concussion myths and facts as well as the changing rules and culture surrounding head injuries. Jake Schick, part of the Warrior Training Team at the Brain Performance Institute at Center for BrainHealth, talks to Jane McGarry on Good Morning Texas about his experience in the Marines and the circumstances that have shaped his hopeful future as well as his desire to help others.