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anime vs manga
OK can someone please explain to me why when the anime elaborates on something in the manga that we ignore it. I can't see a reason and it drives me batty (Evilpuppy (talk) 22:47, May 9, 2013 (UTC))
How do you get permission to edit an Infobox? --Evilpuppy (talk) 04:55, March 10, 2013 (UTC)
- Depends on which infobox you are trying to edit. Most of them can be edited by anyone.~ UltimateSupreme 05:17, March 10, 2013 (UTC)
- Let me explain, whenever I have tried to edit an infobox I get this message:
You do not have permission to edit this page, for the following reason:
You do not have permission to edit pages in the Infobox namespace.
- so how do you get said permission. --Evilpuppy (talk) 16:27, March 10, 2013 (UTC)
- Some infoboxes require you to be Autoconfirmed first. --Speysider Talk Page | My Image Uploads | Tabber Code | Channel 16:29, March 10, 2013 (UTC)
- In the infobox namespace, all require you to be autoconfirmed.~ UltimateSupreme 16:32, March 10, 2013 (UTC)
this autuconfirm thing sounds like it should happen automatically but it never does. suggestions? (Evilpuppy (talk) 03:46, March 13, 2013 (UTC))
- I think you have to be an editor for like at least 4 days to be Autoconfirmed.--Yomiko-chan (talk) 03:53, March 13, 2013 (UTC)
OK thanks.(Evilpuppy (talk) 03:54, March 13, 2013 (UTC))
- No problem. It got me too.--Yomiko-chan (talk) 03:56, March 13, 2013 (UTC)
Please donot reply to very old topics.~ UltimateSupreme 05:29, March 13, 2013 (UTC)
OK sorry.(Evilpuppy (talk) 05:38, March 13, 2013 (UTC))
Oh and while we are on the topic of Talk Pages; When replying to someone elses message to you, please go to their Talk Page and click on the "Leave Message" button. Then place RE: in front the name of the section. This way they will recieve a message and be able to respond to you more easily than when you respond on your own Talk Page.--Yomiko-chan (talk) 06:33, March 13, 2013 (UTC)
- No problem. It's nice to be of help. XD--Yomiko-chan (talk) 03:57, March 15, 2013 (UTC)
- In addition, when creating a new section for a page, put two = along with a space on the side of the section heading.--Yomiko-chan (talk) 04:17, March 15, 2013 (UTC)
Re: Necklace
As I said in my deletion summary, see the talk page. The community did not feel the article was necessary, hence the deletion. ~SnapperTo 19:13, March 19, 2013 (UTC)
Creating New pages
If you are going to create new pages, you must consider using one of the Forms.~ UltimateSupreme 11:50, March 25, 2013 (UTC)
- ^This. Also, don't speculate on things such as ranks, those come from databooks, so if it's anime-only, it'll probably never have a rank, unless it is so stated in the anime, which is unlikely since no anime-only technique ever had its rank divulged. Omnibender - Talk - Contributions 16:56, March 25, 2013 (UTC)
Jutsu Stubs
Sorry for my late response, but what do you mean by Jutsu stub? Are you talking about adding a Jutsu as a stub or...?--Yomiko-chan (talk) 10:39, March 31, 2013 (UTC)
- I'm talking about adding a Jutsu to some ones Jutsu list that is a stub article. (Evilpuppy (talk) 15
- 11, April 1, 2013 (UTC))
Your edit on the Nature Transformation article
I have no idea how you were able to edit this article, but you kinda messed it up. Undo your edit and just add an internal link to Jiga. Also, the Scorching Heat|灼熱|Shakunetsu translation was correct. Why did you feel the need to change that? General Awesomo 06:39, April 13, 2013 (UTC)
- That was an accident. I'm really sorry if I messed anything up but I didn't know what the original translation was and Undo didn't work. I hoped someone would fix it.
(Evilpuppy (talk) 18:28, April 13, 2013 (UTC))
Jiga is not a Magnet Release user. Please stop adding it to his infobox. Omnibender - Talk - Contributions 13:53, April 25, 2013 (UTC)
- Not the way he does it. The in-universe source of his ability isn't genetic. He says he's able to do it due to high iron ingestion. Omnibender - Talk - Contributions 16:12, April 27, 2013 (UTC)
Less mass spamming please, i'll fill it later. — SimAnt 06:09, June 16, 2013 (UTC)
- Sorry about that. I'm still relatively new here and it sort of freaked me out. please don't suspend me for to long (126.96.36.199 (talk) 06:17, June 16, 2013 (UTC))
- It is fixed, and the block was only for five minutes until you read my message. — SimAnt 06:18, June 16, 2013 (UTC)
Next time, instead of leaving messages for everyone and their mother, you should make a forum, those are more appropriate to get the message out for a greater number of people. Omnibender - Talk - Contributions 15:59, June 16, 2013 (UTC)
- Mouse over the menus at the top of the page. Go over Community, and then Forum. There will be four options. Going to each of those, you'll see the most recently edited topics, and there's a box for you to name a new topic, which is like creating any other article. You make sure you create the topic in the right section. What each section is about can also be found in those pages. Omnibender - Talk - Contributions 18:29, June 16, 2013 (UTC)
your edit
http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Wind_Release:_Rasenshuriken?curid=3185&diff=815045&oldid=812705 what's the reasoning behind it, was it false? I don't feel like rewatching it now to make sure--Elveonora (talk) 20:13, August 16, 2013 (UTC)
It's cool, just leave an edit summary in the future--Elveonora (talk) 12:17, August 17, 2013 (UTC)


text:
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OGC attorneys have special expertise in tax exemption and associated lobbying and political activity restrictions, Church-related social security and pension plan issues, immigration, international aspects of Church interests, education, civil rights, pro-life, and communications. These areas are practiced in the context of church-state relations, and with particular attention to their impact on not-for-profit entities.
OGC assists the USCCB in its legislative activities (by analyzing and drafting legislation, and preparing testimony), and participates in rulemaking and other federal agency proceedings. OGC also represents USCCB in litigation as a party or as amicus curiae and coordinates and supports the efforts of diocesan counsel in matters potentially affecting the Church.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Insider Trading On The IBM Cognos Deal?
from the anyone-from-the-sec-paying-attention? deptTechnology stocks have been getting battered over the last few days, which is why it stood out to folks like Eric Savitz at Barron's that Cognos stock jumped on no particular news last Friday. It was one of very few tech stocks heading up, so it clearly stood out. Since the company had been subject to various acquisition rumors, it wasn't too surprising to hear Monday morning that IBM was buying Cognos for $5 billion -- but it has folks like Savitz wondering if the SEC is on the trail of whoever was clearly trading on that info on Friday.
Filed Under: insider trading, sec
Companies: cognos, ibm


text:
My Farm
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Become an Asterisk Professional
Don't lose the opportunity to become a Digium Certified Asterisk Professional!. This 5-day training will give you the tools you need to design, implement and support Asterisk Systems, the world's most widely used open source Telephony Platform!Asterisk is stable, reliable and in production on thousands of systems worldwide. Asterisk is free to use.


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Political Science
My education in political science at CSU laid the foundation for my career in state government. I initially did not start out majoring in Poli Sci. I took an American Government with Dr. Dimah and was hooked. He had a way of engaging the students and transcending the text into everyday language.
The Poli Sci faculty at CSU helped me develop the following abilities: analysis, problem solving, and effective citizenship. Majoring in political science prepares you for any job that requires political experience, strong research skills and the ability to work well on a team. I would encourage every student to take a few political science courses. In them you learn to more effectively advance your own or your group's interests by developing your ability to identify opportunities to do so and by developing your ability to advocate on their behalf
Kerry Lofton
Office of the Director
Illinois Department of Agriculture
The department offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. Political Science as a discipline seeks to explain the development of political attitudes and behavior, the nature and function of contemporary political institutions, the development and implementation of public policies, and the limits and possibilities of government, both at the national and international levels. Students will learn to critically evaluate public policies and institutions, and are encouraged to become actively involved in the community through internships in government and public law. Areas of emphasis within the major are: American politics and public law; international relations and comparative politics; public administration and public policy; and political theory and methodology. The department also offers a minor sequence in political science for students majoring in other degree programs.
A degree in political science helps prepare students for careers in government, law, campaign management, business, international organizations, and research.
Political Science Faculty:
Philip Aka,, J.D., L.L.M., Ph.D - Temple University; Indiana University College of Law at Indianapolis and Howard University
.Phillip A. Beverly,, Ph.D. - The University of Illinois
Agber Dimah, Ph.D. - Washington State University
Carol Leach, Ph.D. - Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
The department prepares students for careers in government and industry through internship opportunities. Political science students have completed internships in national, state, and local government agencies, state and federal legislators' offices, campaign organizations, and law firms. Students may earn up to twelve credit hours of internship credit in political science; no more than six credit hours may count toward the major.
Pre-Law Studies
Although no specific major is required for law school, political science is the most common major for students attending law school and is strongly recommended, as either a major or minor. The coordinating Pre-Law Advisor at the University, Dr. Carol Leach, is based in The Criminal Justice, Philosophy & Political Science Department.
General Requirements
Admission to the program is contingent upon good academic standing and acceptance by the department. The department will not accept "D" transfer credit in the major and students must achieve a grade of "C" or better in all major courses at Chicago State University . Students must complete 120 semester hours of work: 6 hours in composition; 36 hours in general education (refer to liberal arts curriculum outline) consisting of 18 hours in humanities, 12 hours in natural sciences, 6 hours in mathematics; 42 hours in the major; 21 hours in cognate disciplines selected with the political science advisors' approval; 15 hours of general electives selected with the political science advisors' approval; and passing the examinations on the state and federal constitutions.
Specific Requirements
Required Courses - Please see Chicago State University course catalog.
Required Cognate Courses- 6 Credit Hours
Please see Chicago State University course catalog.
Minor Sequence in Political Science
Recommended Pattern - Please see Chicago State University course catalog.
Assessment in the Political Science Major
The required coursework in the major is designed to provide you with the knowledge and skills necessary to understand the areas of American Politics, Political Theory, International Relations and Comparative Politics, and Public Administration. This should enable you to develop a major program according to your interests and professional needs. Throughout your tenure as a Political Science major, ongoing assessment will be an important component of your studies.
The following are the assessments that are now in effect for all political science majors who enrolled and/or declared their major as Political Science:


text:
Your PTA invites you to join us as we celebrate the new school year!
You bring:
your family and your picnic goodies & gear
We'll bring:
the DJ, a face painter and Mustache Mike's shave ice truck!
We can't wait to see you there!
*FYI: shave ice can be purchased for $3 per person


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Hama ForceFeedback Racing Wheel Download Drivers
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text:
Executing a Global StrategyBy BTM Institute Staff Writer Print
An interview with Kathy Lane CIO of National Grid
From the BTM Institute's Leadership Insights series of articles, Baseline showcases the article "Executing a Global Strategy," which features a one-on-one interview with the CIO of the National Grid, Kathy Lane.
Most large electric and gas utility companies in the United States operate regionally. However, one $16.6 billion utility plans to be a global powerhouse. Founded in 1990, National Grid plc, a U.K.-based utility company, has grown by acquiring local and regional power companies in the United States, primarily in the Northeast. Companies such as New England Power Co. and Massachusetts Electric Company comprise the $8.2 billion National Grid USA, a subsidiary of the U.K. parent. In 2007, National Grid plc made its most aggressive U.S. acquisition by paying $7 billion for KeySpan, a major U.S. gas and electric producer.
When Steve Holliday became the newly appointed chief executive of National Grid plc, he and his team developed a strategy for becoming a global organization and laid the foundation for the changes that needed to be made during this transformation. Holliday saw the opportunities for really driving the scale of the company and for getting the company to operate more efficiently, not just for his functions. A third-party consulting firm made a number of recommendations to help the company drive more value. One included making IT more global.
In 2006, Holliday hired Kathy Lane, the former corporate CIO for Gillette, as National Grid's first corporate CIO. Reporting directly to Holliday, Lane, along with her staff of 1,200 employees and hundreds of third-party supplementary consultants, has undertaken the challenge of changing IT from a regional structure based on the business units to one that can support the company's international growth through acquisitions.
Recently, the BTM Institute sat down with Kathy Lane to discuss the key tasks required to lay a new IT foundation. Here's what she had to say:
Q. Where does National Grid have a strong competitive edge?
We have a unique corporate strategy for the utility industry. We've taken a page out of the playbook of other industries and other companies. Some of these things have been in place for some time. After we complete the transformation of National Grid, we'll have global scale, efficient processes and a nice platform for growth.
Q. What were some of the first tasks you had to accomplish?
My initial task included looking at what things we could manage the same way. For example, we needed to leverage most of our infrastructure globally, as well as to manage it globally. We started to lay the foundation for a standard global architecture team, a computing team and a networking team. We also wanted to have standard core applications. For example, we devised a single team to run one version of e-mail for the enterprise. We set up a production support team to carry out the economic and best practices for how we support our applications globally.
Next, we looked at how we wanted to drive some functional enterprise capabilities around program management, vendor management and resource management. We put in a central structure. We lined up to support our business units. As the business units become more global, the IT teams that support those business units will mirror that structure.
Q. What has been the biggest challenge that you've faced at National Grid?
We're a young, ambitious company. Our CEO is a visionary and very dynamic leader who wants to make this an excellent enterprise. We're going through some growing pains. Having been a CIO for several large organizations, I constantly have to make sure we're doing things at the right pace. That has been an interesting challenge.
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text:
A few days ago a League of Legends champion, named Fiora, got leaked onto a respected League of Legends' fansite. Accompanying the flood of information was a picture of Fiora herself who seemed...oddly familiar. On the left of the photo above we can see Fiora, the Grand Duelist, and on the right we have Nika "Nikasaur" Harper, a Community Coordinator at Riot Games (the developer of League of Legends). I'm not just seeing things, right? One seems to have been inspired by another.
Nikasaur also hosts the "Summoner Showcase", a series of videos done by Riot featuring fan artwork. As a result she's been one of the most visible members of the Riot team and one who may go from just being seen on the screen to being playable. They're both white, yes, they're both female, yes, but the real kicker is the hair. The comb over to one side paired with the purpleish hair makes it an easy comparison to draw. Is it possible? Could Riot's design team have decided to try and immortalize Nikasaur? Or did she take them all out in a high stakes card game?
Note that Fiora has not yet been confirmed by Riot.
This is the next League of Legends Champion - Fiora [State of the League]


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UniversalNewsletter is a very clean and modern business oriented HTML email newsletter template. Neutral and simple look is a great starting point to build your own email campaign.
- Clean, minimal design
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- Inline CSS Code


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Smurf War is hell, judging from this graphic-novel pitch for a brutally violent Smurf epic. Read why Brainy is an evil sonofabitch, and Smurfette is doomed. Meanwhile, the actor portraying the live-action movie's Gargamel speaks: Was Azrael cut?
While searching for a better brand of Smurf movies than the live-action version currently being filming in NY's Central Park, we discovered illustrator Marcelo Braga's Smurf Wars graphic novel pitch and concept art...
Here's the plot pitch from his site:
The story starts after the Smurfs' invasion of Gargamel's Castle. They finally captured and killed him, as well as his cat Azrael. As a trophy, the cat's preserved body was put at the center of the village's main square, as a reminder of Dark Times forever gone, or so they thought...
There was a period of peace and prosperity, everything went well until a disease took over the weakened body of Papa Smurf. Shortly before he died, Papa asked Hefty, the strongest Smurf, to take care of his children in the hopes that they never suffer from the lack of anything in his absence. Hefty, now living with Smurfette, his fiance, accepted this responsibility and, even with very little experience, lead his people with great wisdom. What he didn't know was that envy was always growing in the heart of Brainy Smurf. He, with his thick glasses, and enormous intelligence was the new leader's adviser and suffered deeply by the unrequited love of the only girl in the tribe: Smurfette. Also, he felt that he should be the new leader. After all he was the smartest Smurf and second-in-command behind Papa Smurf.
Jealous and envious, Brainy breaks away from Hefty and starts to preach a new ideal for his brothers: a Democracy! Educated and persuasive, he convince nearly half of the village with his revolutionary ideas. The Smurfs are now divided into two groups: those who support the Hefty centralized regime, and those who defend the democratic ideals of Brainy. Gradually, that which was only a debate heated on ideologies becomes a serious conflict. With tensions running high, a Civil War is declared and Brainy and his followers are expelled from the village and forced to live in the forest. Exiled, humiliated and angry, Brainy plots his revenge against Hefty. Knowing that Hefty and Smurfette had never had sex because they are not married, he orders a surprise attack at the village under a cold and rainy night.
Silently sneaking into town from the other side, Brainy enters Smurfette's tent, but she doesn't recognize him. Without his glasses and with a fake heart tattoo in his arm, he looks exactly like Hefty. Smurfette realizes something is wrong since the battle is raging outside of the tent, but her lover simply stands there, starring at her.
If you want to know how violently it all ends — and I think we all unfortunately know where this dismal tale is heading — check out Braga's site Disburros. Warning: Not for the weak of heart or mind.
In other smurf news Hank Azaria, who is playing the live action version of the sorcerer Gargamel, spoke to MTV about his role, the costume, and his cat Azrael, who is thankfully coming with him. The story takes place when the Smurfs stumble into our world, followed by the evil Gargamel who only wants to cook them for dinner — and they all wind up smack dab in Central Park. Here's what Azaria had to say:
As he explains, he's gone bald for the part. But we're still not sure what he'll look like without the hair and nose — so here's a really awful Gargamel picture I doctored over Azaria's face.
Photo via Getty Images Entertainment By: Alberto E. Rodriguez


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Tue 05
Hello again
This is what happens when your computer dies: you stop updating your web site. But I do have some new goodies: Syrup Extras! If you've read the book and want to take a look behind the scenes, check this out.
Everyone else, read the book first. You should be ashamed.


text:
May 21, 2006
Latest HairStyle
Think Extraordinary | 4:33 AM | Cool Stuffs, Funny Stuffs |
2 comments:
- golfwidow on 1:03 PM said...
Oh, that's bizarre.
- Lydia Netzer on 7:26 PM said...
That's the back of his head. ;D Freaky!!
Post a Comment
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text:
PHOENIX–(BUSINESS WIRE)–June 25, 2014–
WebPT, the leading web-based electronic medical record (EMR) solution for rehabilitation therapists, today announced it has received a significant investment from Battery Ventures. WebPT intends to use the new capital to accelerate growth.
Founded by Brad and Heidi Jannenga in 2006, WebPT is the leader in the rehab-EMR industry. The company's innovative technology has been adopted by more than 35,000 therapists and 6,000 clinics in the US and Canada, and WebPT has consistently increased in revenue, while continuing to gain market share. It was recently named to the Inc. 500 list of the nation's fastest growing companies.
"Battery Ventures has an outstanding track record investing in growth companies and helping them achieve success. We are thrilled to partner with such an experienced investor as we continue to aggressively grow our business," said WebPT CEO Paul Winandy. "We're at the cutting edge of healthcare technology and this infusion of capital will allow us to keep innovating in the physical therapy space."
WebPT is strategically leading the rehab industry into the digital age, enabling fast, secure, paperless documentation. Having created a sophisticated, industry-specific platform, WebPT is fundamentally changing the way rehab therapists manage the day-to-day operations of their clinics. In addition to offering defensible, compliant and intuitive documentation, the web-based application provides physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists with intelligent business reporting, interactive and organized scheduling, and integrated billing.
"WebPT is pioneering a new way for rehab therapists to manage their business operations, while saving them time and money," said Chelsea Stoner, Battery Ventures General Partner, who specializes in investments in software and healthcare technology and is joining the WebPT board. "As the electronic medical records industry is continuing its explosive growth, WebPT, with its advanced technology and innovative leadership team, has carved out a unique position in the market. We look forward to helping the company continue to achieve success and solidify their position as the leader in this sector."
WebPT founders Brad and Heidi Jannenga will remain in key leadership positions. Heidi, an experienced physical therapist and multi-clinic site director, joined forces with Brad, a seasoned technologist and award-winning entrepreneur, to start the company after recognizing a need for a robust, industry-specific EMR platform. Today, as President and Chief Technology Officer at WebPT, Brad leads all aspects of company's technology, while Heidi guides the product strategy and oversees the WebPT brand vision as the company's Chief Operating Officer.
About WebPT
With more than 35,000 members and 6,000 clinics, WebPT is the leading electronic medical record (EMR) solution for physical, occupational, and speech therapists. Headquartered in the historic Warehouse District in downtown Phoenix, WebPT has been recognized for a unique company culture, commitment to success, and explosive growth. In 2013, Inc. Magazine named WebPT one of the nation's 500 fastest growing privately held companies. To learn more, visit www.WebPT.com and follow the company on Twitter @webpt.
About Battery Ventures
Battery invests in cutting-edge, category-defining businesses in markets including software and services, Web infrastructure, e-commerce, digital media and industrial technologies. Founded in 1983, the firm backs companies at stages ranging from seed to buyout and invests globally from offices in Boston, Silicon Valley and Israel. To learn more, visit www.battery.com and follow the firm on Twitter @BatteryVentures.
Mark Kats, 866-221-1870 X311


text:
Once again, a hack-job on a political story made a politician on "the right" look stupid. It is not the media's purpose to give the public a stilted impression of politicians they don't support. Yet, MSNBC, once again, attempted to sway public perception of a political candidate in a negative direction. Whether or not they meant to do it is not the issue. The issue is that they clearly did it.
On MSNBC's "Way Too Early with Willie Geist" program, an edited film of Mitt Romney was broadcast which truncated part of his remarks. Conveniently for the network's political persuasion, the truncation made Romney look technologically ignorant.
Romney made remarks about a visit to the Wawa Convenience Store during a Cornwall, Pennsylvania stop along his campaign trail. In full context, Romney was comparing the private business sector and the public sector. He was discussing bureaucracy via regulated paperwork which is required of the government.
Romney said: "I was at WaWa's. I went in to order a sandwich. You press a little touchtone keypad. You touch this… touch this… go pay the cashier. There's your sandwich. It's amazing. People in the private sector have learned how to compete. It's time to bring some competition to the federal government."
The MSNBC retread of the story on "Andrea Mitchell Reports" MSNBC program later in the day conveniently cut the Romney story off with the phrase: "It's amazing!"
Naturally, without the rest of the quotation from Romney, he sounds like a techno-idiot who is amazed that you can actually touch a button on a screen to order a sandwich. While that may have been a big revelation to someone who did it for the first time twenty – or more – years ago, it's quite commonplace in 2012.
The presentation of the story intentionally erased the content of Romney's message. If MSNBC doesn't want Romney's message to be broadcast, they should air something else. But airing a shortened version of a story that horrendously alters the content to make him look imbecilic is totally dishonest and not acceptable.
The subtle Romney insult was quickly noticed and reported upon by a fellow-conservative blogger who calls himself Sooper Mexican. His accurate appraisal of the Romney insult went viral.
Naturally, after the blow-up, MSNBC, via Mitchell, aired the entire content of the Romney appearance. Too little and too late, one might say, for those who only saw the initial broadcast. Mitchell's attitudinal broadcast was hardly an apology either. It was more in the sense of saying something like: since the right is complaining, we have to air this story honestly this time.
Airing such altered versions of stories is no less than slanderous, and news agencies ought to be held accountable for their reporting more than they are in such situations. It's so easy for a news outlet to say, it was unintentional – it was a mistake – we didn't mean it – after getting called out on such a dishonest occurrence.
A healthy monetary fine and even some staff firings are what would finally stop these dishonest broadcasts by people in the news business who just can't refrain from throwing their political prejudice into the stories they broadcast.
Adding more concern to the situation was MSNBC's delayed reaction to the truncated news story on Romney. At approximately 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, a spokesperson at MSNBC emailed the following: "MSNBC did not edit anything out of order or out of sequence and at no time did we intend to deceive our viewers."
Truth be told, nobody said they edited anything out of order or out of sequence. What they knowingly did was drop the end of a story which blatantly told a different story than what had actually occurred. If they misleadingly report a story and expect viewers not be believe that they're trying to deceive them, they must think their viewers are awfully stupid. Obviously, they're not.
About Scott Paulson
Scott Paulson writes political commentary for Examiner.com and teaches English at a community college in the Chicago area. The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of CBS Local.


text:
Aesop Rock has started skateboarding again. Nearly every day, he hits up the skate park, working to get his skills back up.
Skating and drawing (which he's been doing more of, too) were his big passions before his hobby of making rap songs turned into a paying gig that turned into an accidental, 20-year long career, taking him from making beats in his bedroom to playing for crowds thousands deep. Going back to them just shy of 40-years old isn't some kind of regressive midlife crisis move, though. It's more like a way to help process everything that's happened in his life over the past couple decades, and maybe to figure out the person he's become. That's also what he's trying to do with his seventh solo album, The Impossible Kid.


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A Utah dad made a "small" change to teach his daughter a big lesson about modesty.
Fed up with his daughter's love for short denim shorts, Scott Mackintosh, a father of seven from Salt Lake City, left the house for a family outing in a pair of very short shorts after the teenager refused to change into something more modest.
"I heard my wife ask our daughter if she would please change into some longer shorts before leaving. She said 'NO!'" MacKintosh wrote on his wife's blog. "Instead of turning her response and disrespectful attitude into a major battle, I decided to make a 'small' statement on how her short-shorts maybe aren't as 'cute' as she thinks!"
U.S. & World
MacKintosh took a pair of old jeans and cut them so short that the whites of the pockets were hanging out. At first, his daughter did not notice his new look. When she did, she played it off like she didn't care, he said.
The father talked to NBC's Mike Taibbi about his agenda behind the shorn jeans.
"I was absolutely going for shock value and a little bit of embarassment," he said in a segment that appeared on the Today show.
The embarrassment finally sank in when the family stopped for milkshakes and she refused to leave the car.
"We went in, but she stayed in the car. She had had enough and did not want to go through any further embarrassment," he wrote.
MacKintosh's wife and other kids, however, were not daunted by his fashion statement. Photos that they snapped went viral after they posted it online, prompting MacKintosh to write about the full story on his wife's blog.


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Checking in on… the Big EastPosted by jstevrtc on January 15th, 2010
Rob Dauster of Ballin Is a Habit is the RTC correspondent for the Big East Conference.
Let me paint you a picture.
Pitt is loaded. They have the Big East player in the post, an all-conference 20 PPG scorer on the wing, and a senior leader at the point running the show. They have depth, balance, quality role players, and one of the most unappreciated coaches in the game.
That was last season.
This season its a different story.
DeJuan Blair is gone. Sam Young is gone. Levance Fields is gone.
Before the season started, the consensus seemed to be that with those three went Pitt's hopes of an NCAA Tournament trip. Nothing the Panthers did before the start of Big East play changed that assumption. Not coming back from a 13 point second half deficit against Wofford. Not an ugly, two overtime win over Duquesne. Not the 47 points they scored against New Hampshire. Not the loss to Indiana in Madison Square Garden.
But there's something we didn't take into consideration.
Jamie Dixon isn't like most coaches.
Jamie Dixon doesn't rely on talent to win. He doesn't need a roster full of McDonald's all-Americans. In fact, when Dixon brought freshman Dante Taylor into the program, he was Pitt's first McDonald's all-american since Bobby Martin and Brian Shorter joined the Panthers in 1987.
What we ignored was the fact that Dixon develops players. He grooms the kids that are overlooked by other programs to fit his system. Like Keith Benjamin and Ronald Ramon and Tyrell Biggs and even Levance Fields and Sam Young before them, guys like Ashton Gibbs, Brad Wanamaker, and Gary McGhee bided their time last year. They played their limited minutes while practicing every day against some of the best players in the country, while learning how to defend, execute, and carry themselves like Big East champions.
Now that Jermaine Dixon and Gilbert Brown are back in the rotation, now that this Pitt team is finally complete, we are finally seeing just how good the Panthers are; just how good of a program and system that Jamie Dixon runs.
Pitt's team is built on toughness, defense, and execution on both sides of the ball. While we pointed out in the preseason that the Panthers had flaws this year — they don't have any sure-fire lottery picks, they don't have a dynamic playmaker at the point, they don't have anyone that can go out and get you 25 points on a given night — what we didn't point out was that they have a group of kids that bought into what Dixon was selling.
Like every team in Dixon's tenure, this year's Panthers defend. They rebound. They get seemingly every loose ball. They run their offense until they get an open look or a lane to the rim. They hit big shots. They demonstrate the physical toughness and the mental make-up required to compete with more talented teams, and to beat them on the road.
And they have just enough natural talent to get by.
How about a 4-0 start in the Big East.
Three of those wins came on the road — in Syracuse, in Cincinnati, and in Hartford. All three are difficult places to play, and all three were NCAA tournament caliber teams.
When playing the cream of the Big East crop, there will be few games where the Panthers will be considered the more talented team on the floor even with their run the last two weeks. But rest assured, the Panthers will come away with more than their share of wins.
If the Big East was a car show, Jamie Dixon would be me and Pitt would be my 1995 Honda Accord. While the Jags breakdown, and the Lambo's get speeding tickets, and the Corvette's are traded in for newer models, and the Hummers guzzle gas, my Accord keeps getting the job done. The paint may be chipped on the side, the AC may be broken, there may be four blown out speakers that are useless because I don't have a CD player and the radio antenna was ripped off, but you better believe that Accord gets me where I need to go and gets me there on time, all on 30 miles-per-gallon.
And while Pitt may not be the most aesthetically pleasing basketball team to watch, Dixon keeps steering this team right where it wants to be.
Atop the Big East standings.
Other notes from this week
- I think it is safe to say we have the choke of the year, possibly in the country. Up 50-48 with 15 seconds left, Cinci's Rashad Bishop took the ball out of bounds under St. John's basket. He thought he had Deonta Vaughn open deep, but pulled a Pennington and underthrew the baseball pass. It was picked off by Dwight "Buckets" Hardy, who was fouled, making both free throws. With the game now tied and just 8.5 seconds on the clock, Lance Stephenson threw an inbounds pass away, which was stolen by Hardy who, again, knocked down two free throws. Vaughn missed a three at the buzzer that would have won it as the Bearcats snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
- Speaking of "Buckets" Hardy, one thing I've noticed in watching, and attending, a lot of these games is the number of fantastic nicknames in this conference. You know about Lance "Born Ready" Stephenson, but how about Jamine "Greedy" Peterson of Providence, Stanley "Sticks" Robinson of UConn, Robert "Sticks" Mitchell of Seton Hall, or Darryl "Truck" Bryant of West Virginia. I know there are more out there, as well.
- Pitt wasn't the only team getting to 100% as the season progressed. Villanova has now played six games with Reggie Redding, who has been exactly what we expected – 10.7 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.8 SPG. Take away a two points/seven turnover debacle in Monday's yuck-fest against Louisville, and those numbers are much more impressive. Nova also got Mouph Yarou back. Yarou had been out with Hepatitis B, but came back on Jan. 6th against DePaul. While his numbers have been less than stellar as he works his way into the rotation, what has impressed about Yarou is his conditioning (Wright is on record saying Yarou is in better-than-expected shape). If Yarou can provide some strength on the glass and on defense, he could end up being a very nice complement to Antonio Pena. All of a sudden, with these two in the line-up, Villanova got a lot more physical.
- Samardo Samuels was a monster against Villanova. He finished with 21 points and seven boards, hitting every shot he took (4-4 from the floor, 13-13 from the line) and blocking four shots. The problem? Louisville was too concerned about shooting threes to consistently get Samuels the touches he deserved in the paint. The Cardinals will be at their best when they play inside-out, because if Samuels is scoring and defenses are helping down on him (which will more often than not be the case), it will get the Louisville guards better looks on the perimeter.
CO-PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Scottie Reynolds, Villanova, and Austin Freeman, Georgetown
Georgetown was dead in the water against UConn. The Huskies had absolutely imposed their will on this game, forcing Georgetown into turnovers and poor shot selection while making it a glorified pick-up game. In other words, they were playing Husky basketball. In Jim Calhoun's words, it was UConn's best half of the season. But during the break, Georgetown regrouped and came out more focused on the offensive end. They started to run their offense, to work through their sets, and as a result got much better looks at the rim. It just so happened the majority of those looks came with the ball in Austin Freeman's hands. Freeman would go on to score 28 of his career-high 33 points in the second half (his previous career high was 21). For the week, Freeman averaged 23.0 PPG as the Hoyas went 2-1.
Scottie Reynolds, on the other hand, solidified himself among the best player's in the country with the most efficient display of clutch shooting I've ever seen. Villanova, down 17 points at one time in a first half that saw them turn the ball over 17 times, turned the tables on Louisville in the second 20 minutes, and Reynolds was the reason why. He scored 30 second half points, 36 on the game, while shooting just 9-10 from the floor, 13-17 from the line, and making all five attempts from three. For the week, the Wildcats went 3-0, and Reynolds averaged 24.0 PPG in the three games.
TEAM OF THE WEEK: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Clearly, the team of the week was Pitt, but seeing as I've already wasted the majority of this column on the Panthers, I'm giving the Irish the nod. All-in-all, the Irish are not a bad team. They have the most productive player in the conference in Luke Harangody. They have two solid shooters/scoring options on the perimeter in Tim Abromaitis and Psycho-B Ben Hansbrough. They have a veteran point guard in Tory Jackson. They have some talent coming off the bench. But what the Irish didn't have was a win to justify their record. They got that on Saturday, as they hit their first nine shots and opened up a 25-4 lead on West Virginia before the Mountaineers decided to start playing. While Notre Dame wasted away just about all of that cushion when WVU got hot (they hit 9-19 from deep in the second half), Harangody scored a big bucket with three minutes left to answer a Dalton Pepper three and put the Irish back up, 69-66. After getting some key stops down the stretch, the Irish can now add claim a resume win.
1. Villanova: 15-1, 4-0
Last Week: 1/6 vs. DePaul 99-72, 1/9 vs. Marquette 78-76, 1/11 @ Louisville 92-84
Next Week: 1/17 vs. Georgetown
2. Pittsburgh: 14-2, 4-0
Last Week: 1/13 @ UConn 67-57
Next Week: 1/16 vs. Louisville
3. Syracuse: 16-1, 3-1
Last Week: 1/6 vs. Memphis 74-57, 1/10 vs. South Florida 82-65, 1/13 @ Rutgers 81-65
Next Week: 1/16 @ West Virginia, 1/18 @ Notre Dame
4. Georgetown: 13-2, 4-1
Last Week: 1/6 @ Marquette 59-62, 1/9 vs. UConn 72-69, 1/14 vs. Seton Hall 85-73
Next Week: 1/17 @ Villanova
5. West Virginia: 13-2, 4-1
Last Week: 1/6 vs. Rutgers 86-52, 1/9 @ Notre Dame 68-70, 1/13 @ South Florida 69-50
Next Week: 1/16 vs. Syracuse
6. Connecticut: 11-5, 2-3
Last Week: 1/6 vs. Seton Hall 71-63, 1/9 @ Georgetown 69-72, 1/13 vs. Pitt 57-67
Next Week: 1/17 @ Michigan
7. Louisville: 12-5, 3-1
Last Week: 1/6 @ Providence 92-70, 1/9 vs. St. John's 75-68, 1/11 vs. Villanova 84-92
Next Week: 1/16 @ Pitt
8. Notre Dame: 14-3, 3-1
Last Week: 1/9 vs. West Virginia 70-68
Next Week: 1/16 @ Cincinnati, 1/18 vs. Syracuse
9. Marquette: 10-6, 1-3
Last Week: 1/6 vs. Marquette 62-59, 1/9 @ Villanova 76-78
Next Week: 1/17 vs. Providence
10. Cincinnati: 11-6, 2-3
Last Week: 1/6 vs. Cal St. Bakersfield 87-58, 1/9 @ Seton Hall 76-83, 1/13 @ St. John's 50-52
Next Week: 1/16 vs. Notre Dame
11. Providence: 11-6, 3-2
Last Week: 1/6 vs. Louisville 70-92, 1/9 vs. Rutgers 94-81, 1/14 @ DePaul 79-62
Next Week: 1/17 @ Marquette
12. St. John's: 11-5, 1-3
Last Week: 1/9 @ Louisville 68-75, 1/13 vs. Cincinnati 52-50
Next Week: 1/17 vs. DePaul
13. Seton Hall: 10-6, 1-4
Last Week: 1/6 @ UConn 63-71, 1/9 vs. Cincinnati 83-76, 1/14 @ Georgetown 73-85
Next Week: N/A
14. South Florida: 10-6, 0-4
Last Week: 1/10 @ Syracuse 65-82, 1/13 vs. West Virginia 50-69
Next Week: 1/16 vs. Rutgers
15. Rutgers: 9-7, 0-4
Last Week: 1/6 @ West Virginia 52-86, 1/9 @ Providence 81-94, 1/13 vs. Syracuse 65-81
Next Week: 1/16 @ South Florida
16. DePaul: 7-9, 0-4
Last Week: 1/6 @ Villanova 72-99, 1/14 vs. Providence 62-79
Next Week: 1/17 @ St. John's


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Bulgaria´s economic growth is forecast to remain robust in 2018 and 2019, as household spending is spurred by wage growth and an improving labour market.
Political situation
Head of state: President Rumen Radev (since January 2017)
Head of government: Prime Minister Boyko Borisov (since May 2017)
Population: 7.0 million
Some political instability remains
After the snap elections held in March 2017 Boyko Borisov from the centre-right GERB party became Prime Minister for the third time. He heads a coalition government of GERB and the nationalist "United Patriots" party, with just a slim majority in parliament (122 of 240 seats).
The snap elections became necessary as the previous government under Borisov had resigned after Rumen Radev, a socialist–backed pro-Russian won the November 2016 presidential elections.
Political discontent remains high, especially over the slow progress in combating graft and corruption and social welfare issues. While the incumbent government pursues a pro-EU policy, the socialist party and President Radev favour closer political and economic relations with Russia.
Economic situation
Solid growth expected in 2018 and 2019
Economic growth has accelerated since 2015, driven primarily by stronger exports and growing private consumption. GDP is forecast to remain robust in 2018, as household spending is spurred by wage growth and an improving labour market (unemployment is expected to decrease to about 5.5% in 2018). At the same time, exports continue to be driven by increased eurozone demand, and investments (including EU-financed infrastructure projects) picked up again. Economic expansion is forecast to lose some momentum in 2019, but to remain strong at above 3%. Both private consumption and investment growth are expected to slow down next year.
After a surplus in 2017, the fiscal balance is expected to turn to a modest deficit in 2018 and 2019. Public debt remains sustainable (at 24% of GDP in 2019).
After a banking crisis in 2014 the sector has made big improvements, with the IMF's 2016 banking sector assessment and a stress test made by the Central Bank showing that the sector is well-capitalised and more resilient to shocks. However, more than 10% of total loans are still non-performing, which continues to be a threat to bank profitability.
Bulgaria's monetary policy framework is strong with a solid commitment to its currency board arrangement (the lev is pegged to the euro), which supports foreign investor confidence. However, this arrangement limits Bulgaria's ability to combat external imbalances. The peg is maintainable due to large international reserves (more than nine months of import cover) and current account surpluses.
Political instability remains an issue for Bulgaria´s long-term economic growth prospects, while corruption and red tape still hamper the business environment. The high level of emigration (about one million Bulgarians live abroad) and a shrinking and ageing population (the United Nations expect that Bulgaria's population will decrease from 7 million to 5.2 million by 2050) add to the woes of the labour market and reduce the potential for long-term growth.


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Beat the Streak Report: Tuesday, Aug. 11
Today's recommended picks
Jason Kubel, OF, Twins
.455 AVG (5-for-11) lifetime vs. Royals starter Kyle Davies
Hanley Ramirez, SS, Marlins
.421 AVG (8-for-19) lifetime vs. Astros starter Roy Oswalt
Orlando Cabrera, SS, Twins
.369 AVG (31-for-84) during 19-G hitting streak
BTS all-time leader: Michael Karatzia, 49
MLB all-time leader: Joe DiMaggio, 56
Yesterday's results
Thanks to a 1-for-4 effort from Ichiro Suzuki, eggman3131 pushed his BTS-leading streak to 40 games yesterday.
eggman3131 is the 22nd player to reach that plateau in the game's history, and the third in 2009. By correctly picking a player to get a hit in each of the next six days, he'll bypass Tanner Nielsen for the high mark this season.
But the leader's ascent to the top of the charts hasn't caused the rest of the field to give up. hammanm extended his own impressive streak to 35 games with a 2-for-5 performance from Jacoby Ellsbury, while samolina55 and Sun_Tenshi also went with Ichiro to extend their respective streaks to 34 and 32 games. sagtraf2 held onto fifth place, at 31 games, following a 1-for-4 showing from Nick Markakis.
Yesterday's Top 5 most selected players
1. Ichiro Suzuki (SEA): 23.9%, 1-for-4
2. Miguel Cabrera (DET): 6.1%, 0-for-2
3. Hanley Ramirez (FLA): 5.5%, 2-for-5
4. Albert Pujols (STL): 5.3%, 1-for-3
5. Jacoby Ellsbury (BOS): 4.4%, 2-for-5
18 Comments
Check Floyd's Stats since all star break. Lefties cannot touch him. Ichiro stuck out twice yesterday. Ichiro is merely a good hittter at night games. His stats are skewed because he is a mad man during day. Yesterday's Ichiro pickers really lucked out.
Yes, lucked out. Despite the fact that Ichiro is the most reliable hitter in the league, is batting about .340 against righties and about .363 in the last 30 days, and has also dominated Gavin Floyd in the past. Really lucky.
Oh, and there's also the fact that he's hit over .400 at home and just came off of a 23 game home hitting streak.
Ichiro is a great pick during the day but at night it's a different story. I go deeper than that though and there is a pick for today that is going to be a great pick. I'm at 7 with this name but I need to keep this going. Cabrera's hitting streak is going to end tonight or in the next few days.
Dragbunt's Great Experiment – Day #2
As a critic of the "Kings at the Plate" daily advice, I've decided that if you can't beat them you should join them!"
I've got a two game streak going now. My pick of the day will come from the "Kings at the Plate" players only. I'm going with Orlando Cabrera for Tuesday 8/11.
Reasoning: Jason Kubel may not play and could pinch hit as he did on Sunday. Hanley Ramirez faces Ray Oswalt, a tough pitcher. Orlando Cabrera is on a hot streak, game is in Minnesota, he bats second and Davies, the Royals pitcher, should get ?rocked? by the hard hitting Twins line up.
Monday Results: All 3 ?Kings at the Plate? players got hits. I had Ichirio.
If I was you I would pick Hanley for one reason. Oswalt is just coming back and Hanley hits him well and he also hits righthanders well so that would be my pick but I won't make you change if you don't want to.
how many in a row do you need before it will actually show your rank on the leaderboard (not 10000+). I'm at 13 and it still says 10000+.
As I opined last week when the leader picked Jeter against Halladay and went down, I don't know why you would want to go against a pitcher whose stuff can (on any given day) be as good as anyone. In 3 of his last 5 starts before his last game (where he lasted 1 and 2/3 innings before injury) he allowed 4 hits in a complete game win, 3 hits in 8 innings, and a complete game 2-hitter. Why would you want to risk a 40-game streak to go up against a guy like that? Even with Ramirez' good lifetime numbers against Oswalt, it seems to be like quite a risk. We shall see…
Ramirez is 0 for 1 so far.
@titantron, check Ichiro's #s for day and night games whether at home or away. At night time, he is just a good hitter. You're looking at combined stats. Its really night and day.
Hanley is a lazy man's pick for the day. He is the King at the Plate and he hits Oswalt well.
I think there is a decent chance that he won't hit tonight. That is most you gonna get with Ramirez though as he is been hitting very well.
Since all star break, he is hitting .257 at home and .297 at night. Not the best box to be in. Also, Oswalt has been pitching very well lately, especially to righties.
But you got to take a chance. There is no perfect fit.
Guys – Thanks for all the opinions on my pick today. They are all appreciated. Hanley Ramirez and Orlando Cabrera both have hits tonight. The Twins game is indoors so it won't be rained out! My "Kings at the Plate" streak is now at 3!
I noticed that no one gave a thumbs up to Jason Kubel.
entel – Your thinking is exactly the same as mine on this great pitcher Oswalt v. hot hitter Ramirez choice.
I'm glad I switched tonight. I first had Miguel Cabrera but noticed his numbers in Fenway so switched to Mauer and my streak is now at 8.
Vinny – I agree Miguel Cabrera has too may o – ofer games in my humble opinion to be picked on a regular basis.
How about that Kevin Youkilis – get hit by a pitch and charges the mound in the 1st inning. Gets tossed from the game and the HBP does not count as an offical at bat. He goes 0 -0. The baseball gods are on the side of all those who picked Youkilis today.
Vinny – Take a hard look ar Ichirio on Wed vs. Mark Buehrle.
Buehrle has been terrible in his 3 starts since the perfect game. Game in in Seattle, Ichirio hits Buehrle well, Lefty batter v. Righty pitcher too.
I'm staying away from Ichiro for a few days dragbunt. I agree but I have somebody who destroys lefties for tomorrow.
I meant to say to dragbunt that I agree about Buehrle. He has been getting killed but I'm staying away from Ichiro for a few days since he killed me on Saturday.
Just commenting on Ichiro day vs night… I agree this year he is hitting alot better during the day.. but over his career its meant nothing… hes basically batting the exact same.. I took Jeter today vs Ricky Romero… was looking at Brian Roberts and Ichiro vs Buerhle.. but i trust Jeter is the best of the 3… hes been hitting as good as it gets the past 7 days.. unfortuantely he just got hit by a pitch in the 1st vs the Jays..
well im not a happy camper right now.
i was logging on to make a change of pick yesterday when my power went out and it didnt come back on for 90 minutes, AFTER the 7pm eastern games had started.
Damn tree trimming company was cutting some limbs off a tree and one of the limbs found the power line.
i was going to pick matt holliday, too
Dragbunt's Great Experiment – Day #3
As a critic of the "Kings at the Plate" daily advice, I've decided that if you can't beat them you should join them!"
I've got a three game streak going now. My pick of the day will come from the "Kings at the Plate" players only. I'm going with Cristian Guzman.
Orlando Cabrera is 4 ? 14 v. Brian Bannister, not so good.
Ichirio ? Tough to go against Ichirio. Mark Buehrle, a lefty, has struggled in his last 3 starts but my last streak ended when I picked Ichirio vs. a lefty. So I?m going to pass on Ichirio today.
Cristian Guzman ? A switch hitter who has been hot lately. Derek Lowe is a solid pitcher but does give up a lot of hits. Will Guzman play? I?ve got my fingers crossed.
Guzman was put on waivers a few days ago(?) What was that about?
Tuesday?s Results: All 3 ?Kings at the Plate? players got hits. I had Orlando Cabrera(1-4).
Kings at the Plate choices are now 6 for 6 in the two days of my experiment.
Good Luck to all today!


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Time for a Fiction in 58.
A cold wind bounces a soda cup down the block, mostly empty but for the ones who live on the street.
No one notices the cup, or the couple, huddled invisible in a bus shelter.
She cries softly into a dirty sleeve as he pats her back rhythmically.
It's not so much the homelessness, but the stigma attached.
Monday's Fiction in 58
Labels: creative writing, fiction, Fiction in 58, micro-fiction, prompts
1 comments:
- Janet Jarrell said...
I saw this today - incredible when someone writes my own thoughts.


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With Edinburgh International Festival's much-anticipated summer programme being launched on Wednesday and the first Fringe tickets already on sale, March is the time when the buzz of Edinburgh's summer festivals really kicks off.
But there's a new festival in town which is getting the tongues of arts enthusiasts wagging: the Festival of Erotic Arts (FEA).
Running for three days in June, FEA is the first of its kind in Scotland and follows a growing number of cities who have begun hosting such festivals in recent years; Seattle's Festival of Erotic Art is now in its tenth year, and attracts over 10,000 visitors, while similar events take place annually in Paris, Berlin and New York among others.
As with any new and controversial event, FEA's programme announcement sparked furore over the weekend, with both the city council and the Church of Scotland voicing concerns over the potential risks posed to vulnerable women and the impact advertising could have on children.
But rather than reinforcing and perpetuating clichés, the festival's organisers, Itsy Live Events, promise to give a platform to erotic art in all its forms, as well as creating a place for art and performances not otherwise seen in mainstream venues.
Events are typical of any other arts festival; exhibitions and talks include Erotic: Surreal and Abstract and A Spoken History of the Erotic Arts. The innocently named Arts & Crafts Fair is being plugged as "a one-of-a-kind sexy fair" with everything from books to accessories to clothes being sold by craftmakers and artists alike.
For those keen to dip their toe into the erotic water, there's a beginner's workshop in Japanese style bondage, which involves decorative ties with ropes. Run by a bondage professional, the ticket price includes a goody bag with lesson sheets, 15 metres of rope, and an all-important pair of safety scissors.
Despite being a short, weekend festival, many of the names involved in the FEA are the crème de la crème of the UK's fetish scene. London-based Torture Garden's fetish, burlesque and body art club nights for "alternative arty weirdos" are the biggest in the world, with previous visitors including Marilyn Manson, Dita Von Teese and Jean Paul Gaultier. A debate on the nature of human sexuality will be hosted by award nominated cabaret act, ArtWank, while internationally bestselling author and blogger extraordinaire, Zoe Margolis, will be giving a Q&A on the art of sex blogging.
With Margolis a regular contributor to The Guardian and The Observer, the FEA is going out of its way to make sure this festival is taken seriously. Describing it as "a sleaze-free celebration of a thriving art form", there's an undeniable absence of smut in the way it's being marketed – and if nothing else, it's good advertising for Itsy Live Events' other specialist service, "reputation management".


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UNICS Kazan comes off a strong 2018-19 season, in which the team was very competitive on all fronts. UNICS had a near-perfect 7DAYS EuroCup Regular Season and finished first in its group with a 9-1 record. The club went on to rank first in its Top 16 group, too, only losing on the road against Morabanc Andorra for a 5-1 record. UNICS had the home-court advantage in its quarterfinal series against Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar and made the most out of it, winning Game 1 by 20 points, 86-66, and registering a 69-65 victory in Game 3 to advance to the semifinals. Eventual champion Valencia Basket stood in its way to further success, sweeping UNICS with two narrow wins - 69-64 in Spain, 73-79 in Kazan. Errick McCollum was chosen to the All-EuroCup First Team and Pierria Henry earned Regular Season MVP and All-EuroCup Second Team honors. UNICS did well in the VTB United League regular season, beating mighty CSKA Moscow twice and ranking second with a 21-5 record. UNICS swept Kalev Cramo in the quarterfinals, but fell at the hands of Khimki Moscow Region in the semifinals. UNICS won Game 1, 96-91, but Khimki, led by Alexey Shved, won the next three games to qualify to the finals.
In just over a quarter-century of existence, UNICS Kazan has firmly entrenched itself as a European power. Founded in 1991, UNICS became the perfect ambassador for the sports-crazy Republic of Tatarstan in the Russian Federation. The club reached the Russian League finals in 2001 and 2002, the year in which it also made it to the Saporta Cup semifinals. Its hard work paid off in 2003 when UNICS edged CSKA Moscow in overtime to lift the Russian Cup. In 2004, Kazan was home to the FIBA Europe League final four and UNICS made the most of it by downing Maroussi to win its first continental title. UNICS made its ULEB Cup debut in the 2005-06 season and reached the semifinals the following year before losing against Real Madrid. UNICS also reached the 2008 ULEB Cup Final Eight. Everything clicked in the 2010-11 EuroCup as UNICS thrashed Cedevita Zagreb in the semifinals and bested Cajasol Sevilla in the championship game to take the crown. Marko Popovic amassed 18 points and 11 assists to earn Finals MVP honors. UNICS made its EuroLeague debut a successful one in the 2011-12 campaign by going all the way to the playoffs and returned to the EuroCup a year later, but lost to Valencia in the quarterfinals and finished that season with a 10-4 record. The team made up for that early exit the next season; UNICS reached the EuroCup Finals sporting a 20-2 record, which helped Andrew Goudelock earn EuroCup MVP honors and Andrea Trinchieri to be chosen as the EuroCup Coach of the Year. However, Valencia again stopped UNICS's march to the title. UNICS bounced back by lifting the Russian Cup trophy and reaching the VTB United League semifinals. The 2014-15 season saw UNICS back in the EuroLeague. After it narrowly missed reaching the Top 16 despite a historic win over eventual champ Real Madrid in the Spanish capital, Keith Langford and co. made another deep EuroCup run and reached the semifinals, though a Spanish side was again its kryptonite; Herbalife Gran Canaria swept their two-game series. UNICS made it to the VTB League finals in the 2015-16 season, which allowed the club to return to the EuroLeague. UNICS missed the EuroLeague Playoffs in the 2016-17 season, but Langford managed to claim his second Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy. In the last two campaigns, UNICS made it to the VTB League semifinals and the EuroCup playoffs twice, advancing to the semifinals last season. Quino Colom earned 2017-18 All-EuroCup First Team honors, Errick McCollum made it to the 2018-19 All-EuroCup First Team and Pierria Henry was the 2018-19 Regular Season MVP. Back in the 7DAYS EuroCup for 2019-20, expect UNICS to be a top contender to lift the trophy.


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I have to tell you...this activity was a BIG hit in our house. They had this acitivy out over and over again this past week. So I hope your kids enjoy it as much as me.
What you will need:
1) A bamboo mat
2) These printouts (available as a free download from Kelly's Kindergarten.)
3) A magnifying glass
1) Print out the game cards and boards on thick card stock.
2) Cut out the individual game cards (miniture pictures). Do not cut the game board (large pictures).
3) Laminate everything. ;)
Present the game card on a tray. I put the game cards in a nice glass dish and the magnifying glass in a small wooden box.
Roll out a bamboo place mat and lay the game card on the place mat. The child will then use the magnifying glass to view the miniature pieces and then match them up to their larger sized pictures on the game board.
For more science, math, and montessori activities, check out:


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51 's
Hand Beaded Native American Style Bracelet in White, Red, and Green
Check out now. Fast, Easy, Secure Checkout.
Primary Material: Size eleven glass seed beads, Nymo thread, silver plated medium lobster clasp, silver plated 7mm jump rings.
Size: Made to Measure
Pattern: Geometric
Color: White
Thanks for your Christmas earring-they added to my festivity mood! Also, thanks for the Indian Nation postcard-very interesting.
Received my products, have to say they are great. thanks so much
My two daughters are going to love these bracelets! Just their style, and the perfect size - thank you for shipping them so fast and packaging them so all I have to do is wrap them and put them under the Christmas tree!
Thank you for visiting my store. If you need help with anything, please click on the button to send me a message. Have a great day! Rhi :)
After 2 weeks your items will automatically renewed for another 60 days and $0.23 per item will be added to your billing ledger.
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The encaustic medium is magical, vibrant and translucent. My creative muse guides, inspires and feeds my soul through this medium, mixed media and collage. Blessing me with endless moments of creative joy and harmony...providing those ahhaa moments about life. Join me on this creative journey, spend some time reading my musings about this life, the blessed other souls that come into contact with mine, however brief or often, that can leave everlasting imprints on our journey....perhaps our lives might share some similarities, bringing us closer and more connected...and less isolated.
"I suppose there is one friend in the life of each of us who seems not a separate person, however dear and beloved, but an expansion, an interpretation, of one's self, the very meaning of one's soul." ~ Edith Wharton
Here's to finding those expansive moments.....
Thursday, April 24, 2008
More Encaustic Work from Students
Suzanne's Piece
Posted by Supria Karmakar at 10:29 PM
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SUMMER SWEAT: If you've ever been in Palm Springs in the middle of July, you've likely been familiar with the concept of perspiration. Yep, the city brims with marvelous misting devices and glimmery swimming pools and rooms so air-conditioned you'd think that Frosty the Snowman himself was manning the temperature controls. (Or would that be "snowmanning"?) But at some point you have to go outside, often in the afternoon, often when it is 103, 104 degrees out, and, yep, those ol' beads of perspiration make their summertime cameo. There is a novel way to address this, beyond the restaurant misters and swimming pools, and it is changing elevation, and changing it rather quickly. In the desert resorts area, that means one thing: The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. This '60s-cool marvel of engineering zips riders from the desert basin up the side of San Jacinto in mere minutes, where a "14,000-acre pristine forest" awaits. It's pretty darn alpine-y, and a bit discombobulating, to go from cacti to pine in under the time it takes to watch a sitcom. But the tram is famously straight up -- or steep, more accurate -- meaning you pass a lot of zones in a short span of time. Want to keep the tram in your summer cool-off quiver, desert dwellers? The annual summer pass is now here.
WHAT THAT MEANS: Pass holders may ride the tram any time between May 1 and the end of August. Price? It's 70 bucks for adults, and that includes unlimited rides and a 10% discount at the Pine Cafe and Peaks Restaurant at the top (that's the one that boasts the view of all of Palm Springs and beyond). It's a novel way to cool down, and one that requires a few hours, but the pace of Palm Springs slows down a bit in the summer, anyway. Will you ever go back to misters and air-conditioning, once you've let Mother Nature and elevation cool you off? Well, probably, but the idea of an inexpensive mountain getaway, in the sizzle of summer, is a good one.


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What do gangsters and ballerinas have in common? A deadly drive, according to the latest dance thriller Black Swan.
Black Swan is a movie about the ballet in the same way The Godfather is a film about the family business. Like Francis Ford Coppola's tragic tale of Michael Corleone's descent into slaughter, Darren Aronofsky's seemingly arthouse film about ballet is a movie about what drives the American family business—ambition—and about the biblical costs we pay in pursuit of dreams of success.
Aronofsky's deeply unsettling melodrama about the slow, shattering self-destruction of a young ballerina who dreams of dancing the lead role in Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake highlights the staggering costs of the single-minded pursuit of success so widely admired and encouraged by American audiences and parents.
After years of dancing small parts in a Lincoln Center ballet company, Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) is cast to play both the virtuous White Swan and her evil doppelgänger sister in what is to be a radical and visceral reworking of Tchaikovsky's masterpiece.
But Thomas (Vincent Cassel), the company's artistic director, complains that Nina's technical perfection as a dancer is matched with an emotional sterility that renders her Black Swan flat and sexless. So he badgers and berates her, trying to provoke dark and sexual passions that will electrify her performance; and when this fails he threatens her with a competitor, Lily (Mila Kunis), whose lusty earthiness makes her the perfect opponent to Nina's frigid innocence.
And this threat drives Nina towards madness, pushing her back into self-destructive cutting and bulimic vomiting, and inflaming paranoid and violent delusions. In spite of her technical perfection and staggering commitment, Nina is a frail child, an innocent preteen trapped in the emaciated body of a woman.
Like a stunted fairy princess, she lives in a small, cramped apartment with her sweetly protective and savagely domineering mother, Erica (Barbara Hershey), and has no emotional or sexual life of her own. Compared with Lily, who radiates a wild and experienced sensuality, Nina is a hothouse flower that has never blossomed.
Thomas believes Nina's frigidity and sexual innocence is the stumbling block that keeps her from being a great dancer, and he sets her up against both Lily and his former lead dancer Beth (Winona Ryder), women whose passion and sexuality flame out in distinctively uncontrolled ways.
In Aronofsky's film Nina's innocence is indeed the problem, but not in the way Thomas imagines. For while the movie presents Nina as a fragile innocent let loose among a host of vicious competitors, and while Nina, Erica, and Thomas conspire to protect this fiction in a variety of different ways, the truth is that no one succeeds in the ruthless competition of professional ballet without a steel core of ambition that would hold up the Brooklyn Bridge. A delicate flower cannot withstand the emotional and physical agony that make up the daily routine of professional ballet, tolerate the rejection, or succeed against a firestorm of competitors hungry to steal your shoes and role. Wilting wallflowers are not handed lead roles or an armful of roses.
Frail Nina dreams of replacing (and killing) Beth and is ready to let loose the same violence on Lily and any other competitor. She fantasizes about breaking out of the pack and climbing to the top, where she will have her own star, dressing room, and throne. She is as nakedly ambitious as Michael Corleone, and—like him—as unconscious of that ambition. Compared to her, Lily and Beth are a lackluster pair of Survivor wannabes.
But Nina must hide this ambition from herself, masking a ruthless and competitive spirit behind a veil of childlike innocence, the same way Corleone spends the first half of The Godfather telling himself and his fiancé that he is not like his murderous and criminal family. The second half proves that his ambition and violence exceeds that of his father or brother.
As we get to know Nina we discover that her memory and self-image are not so reliable. She is capable of more than she thinks. And when Erica protests that she only wants what is good for her little girl, we catch a glimpse of a steely Nina who knows the lie of such protests and possesses an ambition that will leave her keeper in the dust.
Thomas thinks Nina cannot dance the Black Swan because of her emotional and sexual innocence, but Aronofsky hints she will dance a savage performance because her innocence masks a ruthless ambition she cannot acknowledge, an ambition that drives her to endure and embrace unimaginable suffering. Unfortunately, this innocence also masks and justifies a madness that is ultimately self-destructive.
The emotional and physical violence unleashed in Black Swan is like the bloodbath at the end of The Godfather. In both films a veil of innocence masks the ambition of the protagonists, an ambition that turns to wrath when challenged or frustrated.
Both Nina and Michael are desperate to hide their unsavory ambition and to deny responsibility for the carnage it leaves in its wake. Michael orders brutal murders under the sacramental cover of his child's baptism, while Nina convinces herself and others that she lacks the passion to play the very creature she has needed to be all along just to get this role.
Some suggest Aronofsky's film uncovers the awful price we pay for perfection. But even more, Black Swan has taken a long, hard look at that most American of passions—ambition—and uncovered the way we try to hide and mask the naked violence of that ambition in something pretty, sweet, and innocent. Nina is a young Michael Corleone in a tutu, dressed up as a lovely ballerina, and wearing the makeup of an ingénue; but in the end she is still Michael Corleone, and ambition is still murder.
This article appeared in the April 2011 issue of U.S. Catholic (Vol. 76, No. 4, pages 40-41).
Image: Darren Thompson


text: Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the conclusion of a regional visit his government would help Cuba's state oil company develop offshore reserves. Putin met in Havana with Cuban President Raul Castro during a tour of Latin American countries. Putin said Russian oil company Rosneft would help its counterparts at state-owned Cubapetroleo develop offshore Cuban reserves. "Developing new blocks on Cuba's offshore shelf is (expected) in the very near future," the Russian president said Sunday. Cuba has limited proven reserves of its own and relies on imports from Latin American countries to meet its energy demands. Cuba had weighed joint partnerships with its Russian counterparts as recently as 2012. Cuba aims to cut the amount of oil it imports from Venezuela through development of its own offshore reserves. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that, as of 2009, Cuba had less than 1 billion barrels of oil reserves.


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Golf course reclaim "lost" land
Reclaim--To make suitable for cultivation or habitation-- This definition aptly, if only generally, describes the process by which increasing numbers of golf courses come into being. Of course, it says nothing of the complexity of the reclamation process or the fact that the term describes a great variety of projects. Golf courses have been constructed over abandoned mines, quarries, landfills and hazardous-waste sites spoiled by all manner of contaminants.
The current trend started as a few projects that demonstrated how, with proper engineering and construction, sites that nobody wanted could become parks, golf courses or other recreation facilities--tangible community assets. Such endeavors seem to be can't-lose projects that satisfy almost everyone (or at least don't offend anyone). That's why the number of reclamation projects involving golf courses continues to increase.
That doesn't mean reclamation projects have no drawbacks. They can be quite expensive and require unique engineering and design expertise. In a few cases, their primary impetus has been that they simply are the least costly solution to cleaning up a contaminated site. But that's exactly what makes these projects so important--they don't just create new golf courses, they solve problems, too. A closer look at a few such projects illustrates the challenges and successes of these courses.
Industrial sites turned recreational * Old Works Golf Course. Anaconda, Mont., had been the home of a copper-smelting facility operated by Anaconda Mining Co. since 1884. Atlantic Richfield Co.--the petroleum firm better known as ARCO--purchased Anaconda Mining in 1977 and subsequently closed the smelting plant. Unfortunately, ARCO was left with an environmental nightmare and an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandate to do something about it: either remove the material and fence the site in perpetuity or else devise another plan for coping with the spoiled site. Working with members of the local community, ARCO settled on a plan that eventually resulted in Old Works Golf Course, which opened in 1997 with much fanfare.
Nicklaus Design worked with Roe & Son Construction (Big Timber, Mont.) to develop the course. ARCO bankrolled the effort and then turned the facility over to the community of Anaconda. The EPA had its ever-watchful eye on the project--a designated Superfund site--and the ultimate cost was about $11 million for the course itself and another $30 million for additional cleanup. Although this is a far higher cost than a typical golf course, it is considerably less than the $65 million ARCO estimates it would have cost just to remove the waste and fence the site. Plus, according to Sandy Stash, ARCO's Montana facilities manager, "What we saved in lawyer's fees paid for the golf course." The result is a real benefit to the community, not a just an unusable, fenced-off piece of land.
The plan included extensive measures to minimize the threat of water contamination--a factor in all developments but especially critical in reclamation projects. At Old Works, waste material (crushed rock with high copper and zinc content) was consolidated, the course contoured and, finally, capped with a layer of limestone and 16 inches of soil. An extensive drainage system prevents excess water from leaching through the metal-laden material. To ensure the site is functioning as planned, water quality is monitored continually, and all future earth-moving activity must accommodate the soil cap that covers the mining material. That means that even tree planting must accommodate the integrity of the cap: any material removed from a planting hole must be replaced in its original position.
The legacy of Anaconda Mining is not all bad. Recognizing the historic appeal of the mining operation, Nicklaus incorporated many old relics into the course's layout (see photo, page 17). Plus, the bunkers hold not white sand, but slag--a dark-colored byproduct of the smelting process--giving the course a unique look. Players even report that the slag is a bit more forgiving to hit from than sand!
Researchers are watching Old Works closely to track future performance, but so far, it is a success story--for golf, the environment and the community of Anaconda--that's worth emulating.
Non-hazardous landfills * Industry Hills. Perhaps more than any other site of its kind, Industry Hills is noted as a reclamation success story. Located in the City of Industry, Calif. (in the heart of the Los Angeles metropolis), Industry Hills overlies a former municipal landfill that closed in 1969. Work on the reclamation project began in 1976. This 600-acre facility is much more than a golf course and includes tennis, swimming and equestrian facilities, as well as a hotel and conference center. In spite of its relatively old age, Industry Hills continues to be an example of how to doit right.
Landfills are hazardous waste sites. Therefore, like other sites so designated, an essential part of any plan to develop a landfill site is to prevent water from leaching through the waste and into ground water. A clay cap over the top of the waste is the typical solution. At Industry Hills, the cap is 10 to 15 feet thick, thanks to the movement of more than 5 million cubic yards of fill. This allowed contouring to proceed with confidence that adequate thickness remained afterward and minimized the problems of other landfill courses with thinner caps. For example, some have had to cope with garbage that worked its way to the surface. But, as you'll see, more serious problems can result from a thin cap.
At all landfill sites, certain inevitable processes demand attention. For example, ground settling has been significant at Industry Hills. The results range from broken irrigation lines to more serious consequences, such as one green that literally cracked in half (see photo, above). According to Kent Davidson, Industry Hills' superintendent of 13 years, "The site continues to settle but to a lesser degree than when it first opened. We now have fewer surface depressions and broken PVC pipes. However, I expect that settlement will continue indefinitely."
Another unavoidable consequence of using landfill sites is landfill gas (LFG). Composed of carbon dioxide, methane and other gases, LFG is the inevitable by-product of the decomposition of landfill waste. At Industry Hills, a system of wells (perforated pipe sunk into the ground) and piping divert LFG to vents which, at times, can be lit to burn off the gas. All reclaimed landfill sites now use such a system. However, the Industry Hills plan went one step further and used the LFG to run boilers. These provide heat and power to various facilities at Industry Hills, including the hotel and conference center. Methane generation is declining now (as expected), forcing Industry Hills to rely more on outside energy to satisfy its needs. But using LFG has resulted in substantial savings.
Even if a landfill site does not use its methane for power or heat, it must deal with it. Without some way to divert LFG, it seeps toward the surface, finding its way into the root zone. The main problem with methane is not that it is directly toxic. Rather, it displaces oxygen, causing anaerobic soil conditions. Landfill courses without LFG-collection systems and those with thin caps have had serious LFG problems. But, even with an extensive system such as the one at Industry Hills, LFG still can be troublesome. Davidson was even forced to replace some greens as the turf died out. The replacement greens were underlined with plastic to prevent re-occurrence of the problem (see photo, above left). According to Davidson, "SCS Field Services (Long Beach, Calif.) routinely monitors for surface gas emissions. In two instances, migration into the root zone has required installation of new recovery wells and expansion of the collection system."
These problems are minor compared to the overall success at Industry Hills, however. Its two 18-hole courses, Zaharias and Eisenhower, each see about 60,000 rounds each year, and the other recreational facilities are a valuable resource for the surrounding community. Plus, its contributions to the environment do not stop at reclaiming a landfill. Industry Hills uses effluent water for all of its irrigation. It also participates in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program.
Not surprising for such a large facility, a crew of about 60 people is required to keep the landscape and courses in top shape. Satsuma Landscaping (for which Davidson works) maintains all the grounds, including the golf courses. Pamela Pavela, the superintendent in charge of landscaping, puts an ornamental finish on a landscape whose sophistication goes much deeper than its superficial beauty.
Industry Hills, rightfully so, is touted as a model for others planning similar undertakings, such as another landfill site slated for development in West Covina, literally within eyeshot of Industry Hills. Some of the experiences gained here will be used in planning this new 18-hole facility.
The quandry of quarries and mines * Black Diamond Ranch. Abandoned quarries are increasingly popular sites for golf courses. Such sites typically have little worth once their value as quarries is depleted. However, in spite of the construction obstacles they may impose, their topography often makes them attractive golf-course sites--at least from a designer's perspective. Developer Stan Olson turned one such quarry into a course that's gaining recognition as both a spectacular Tom Fazio design and an environmental success story.
Black Diamond Ranch (Lecanto, Fla.) is a former limestone quarry that produced gravel and lime for concrete and agriculture. Several large, open pits punctuated a landscape that otherwise was composed of trees and rolling terrain. The pits presented challenges but also opportunities. Tom Marzolf, a senior designer with Fazio Golf Course Designers Inc., notes, "When we went out to this site the first time, we thought, 'Wow! Imagine what we could do with this!' [The most damaged part of the property] ended up becoming the focal point of the golf course."
Protecting water quality was a priority at Black Diamond because one of the deeper quarries (about 90 feet deep) had penetrated an aquifer used for drinking water. As Marzolf explains, "If we decided to put golf into this quarry, we would have to protect the lake throughout the construction process so that no damage would be done to the ground water. We buffered the golf holes from the banks of the lake by putting in linear waste bunkers. We also installed grass catchment areas that would act as dry ponds. We piped all [the drainage from] the golf holes--into the dry pond areas, which would act as a filter. The runoff water would dissipate rather than feeding into the lake.
"Just by diverting water and shaping the holes to protect the lake, we were able to use the quarry and get some spectacular golf holes. Some of the cliffs are 60 to 80 feet tall. It's dramatic golf--it was a great use of this land. In the process of building a golf course we were able to clean up an abandoned mine site and protect the long-term integrity of the aquifer."
According to Marzolf, Black Diamond was one of the first successful golf courses on a quarry site. Now, people are searching for such sites. "This has started a trend of people actually looking for abandoned mines for new golf courses," he states proudly.
* Heritage Bluffs. A different sort of quarry existed in Channahon, Ill., near Chicago. There, an old sand-and-gravel pit has become Heritage Bluffs Public Golf Club. The Channahon Park District operates Heritage Bluffs, and the Director of Parks and Recreation Chuck Szoke is understandably proud of the positive reviews his course is receiving. As importantly, Heritage Bluffs' turned an eyesore into a beautiful course and did so in an environmentally sound and efficient manner. "In addition to the attractiveness of the mined areas for the golf-course design, the site contained wooded areas, wetlands and topography that gave the site great potential. The course design, by Dick Nugent Associates (Long Grove, Ill.), fit the course to these natural features, rather than trying to fight them or force a design onto the land.
"The Wadsworth Golf Construction Co. (Plainfield, Ill.) did an outstanding job of maximizing [on-site] resources," continues Szoke. "The project balanced perfectly; all necessary fill material, clay to line the lakes and black dirt for topsoiling, originated on site. The spoil piles were largely left intact as course features to define and separate fairways."
Sandy and gravelly soils are common in the Channahon area (which is why several pits still operate nearby). "We are somewhat used to working with them," says Szoke. Still, the lack of water-holding capacity means irrigation has to be "carefully monitored. On the plus side, drainage after rainfall is excellent."
* The Pete Dye Golf Course. Yet another type of mine site recently has been converted to golf. Having worked with several other reclaimed sites, including Blackwolf Run and the soon-to-open Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wis., noted designer Pete Dye recently oversaw the completion of the Pete Dye Golf Course, in Bridgeport, W.V.
This abandoned coal mine required extensive work to mitigate the damage wrought by the old operation. "It was a big area that they had mined before the government required restoration. There were humongous piles of what they call 'coal gob.' It's worthless stuff--It's an awful, oily material."
Something had to be done with the coal gob, and the solution was entombment. The goal was to prevent water from leaching through, picking up hazardous material and then contaminating surface or ground water. Dye summarizes the process: "You use a gravel bed and tiling around the outside [of the gob piles] so water flows around, then you use a heavy layer of clay over that, set all the material [gob] on it, and then wrap the clay around it like a blanket, creating a big mound. It'll be there 8 billion years," Dye jokes. "When someone in the future finds one of those hills, they'll wonder 'What in the world is this mound doing here?' It took 16 years to get that site cleaned up. The golf course only encompasses about 160 or 180 acres, but we cleaned up close to 500 or 600 acres in that area."
This is similar to the process used at Old Works, and at Blackwolf Run (also a Dye design), where foundry waste was entombed using gravel, tiling, clay and 30-mil plastic. Strolling down the fairways on this highly regarded course, you'd never suspect what lay beneath the turf.
Volcanoes? * Three Rivers Golf Course. As these case studies illustrate, reclamation can take many forms. But here's one for the books. It occurred in Kelso, Wash., near Mount St. Helens. This infamous volcano erupted in 1980, dumping ash and other volcanic material over enormous swaths of land. Subsequent rainfall washed much of it into rivers, disrupting drainage and threatening large areas with flooding. The Army Corp of Engineers responded by dredging the Cowlitz River, among others, to improve its flow.
The dredging operation left huge piles of material next to the Cowlitz, including a tract previously designated for what would become Three Rivers Golf Course. Designer Damien Pascuzzo, of Graves and Pascuzzo (Walnut Creek, Calif., and Bend, Ore.), describes the scene: "They started stockpiling the material on the site, and the drifts were enormous. They had 30- and 40-foot drifts throughout the site."
However, in an extraordinary stroke of luck, what at first seemed like a serious problem turned out to be a blessing in disguise. To determine if this material would make good fill, Pascuzzo continues, "Bob Graves [also of Graves and Pascuzzo] sent it off to have it analyzed, and it turns out that the particle size was very similar to a straight sand material, with very uniform particle size and the right amount of percolation and water retention to grow turfgrass, even on greens." In fact, it was so superior to the existing soil, the design firm decided to use the volcanic dredgings to contour the entire course, including greens and tees.
One of the peculiar characteristics of this dredged volcanic material is that its particle size is so uniform. The material spewed by Mount St. Helens consisted of everything from extremely fine ash to boulders, and it all washed into area rivers. However, just like the process that allows a simple "jar test" to determine soil texture proportions, the largest material that washed into the rivers settled out first, the finest material carried farthest and everything else in between graded out progressively according to size. Three Rivers Golf Course just happened to be along a stretch of the Cowlitz where this high-quality sand had settled out.
Yet another potential problem was turned into good fortune. As time passed and the Corp continued to dredge, Graves was becoming concerned about how long the operation would last. After several months of communicating with the Corp, an agreement was finally reached: The Corp could continue to dredge and dump material on the Three Rivers site for as long as necessary, but it also would grade the site for the golf course when it was done dredging. The Corp kept its word, and the sand is as deep as 34 feet in some places (see photo, below). Even bunkers were constructed with it. And so far, the turf at Three Rivers is performing nicely.
Although few courses have luck such as Three Rivers, most courses on reclaimed land don't have particularly unique maintenance challenges either. As noted, however, ongoing monitoring--such as for methane or water quality--often is a necessity, and ground settling is a fact of life atop landfills. However, proper design and construction that accommodates the existing situation typically results in adequate conditions for typical golf-course turf maintenance.
Even though reclamation projects tend to require large, complicated engineering schemes, the growing number of designers, builders and specialists with such experience makes them less experimental and more routine. Chad Ritterbusch, communications manager for the American Society of Golf Course Architects, estimates that a majority of their members now have some experience with reclaimed land. And, notes Ritterbusch, "It's critical to get someone who's done it before."
Unfortunately, the EPA and other agencies charged with overseeing and permitting projects do not grant any special favors to golf-course reclamation developments. Pete Dye, who has experienced this firsthand, remarks, "Once you take [a site] over, it's your obligation to clean it up, and they [EPA] are going to tell you how." Nevertheless, increasing expertise of designers and builders, plus the regrettable--but real--pressure against golf-course development on unspoiled land, ensures that the number of courses on reclaimed land should continue to grow. Of course, as Black Diamond Ranch demonstrated, some reclaimed quarries actually are prized as course sites because of their topography. Regardless of the site, nearly everyone agrees the results are worth the effort.
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