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On a recent Friday night -- like most nights when the Houston Aeros play a home game -- the new $235 million Toyota Center downtown can seem like the most expensive mausoleum ever built.
The Aeros spent years as a franchise in the International Hockey League, a league one hockey writer describes as "full of players who were on the downward arc of their career or young players who couldn't quite get over that last hurdle." For the last two years, though, they've been in the American Hockey League, the equivalent of baseball's Triple-A level, one step from the National Hockey League.
The players are talented and hungry and tantalized by how close they are to taking the final jump and getting on the ice with the best players in the world.
So when a pass is intercepted in the Aeros' defensive end on this night, the puck moves crisply to a forward who sprints up the ice. And it's not long before a 200-plus-pound member of the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks moves to cut him off. Flashing in no time to full speed, the Duck lowers a shoulder and drives the Aero into the sideboards, which thud and rattle convincingly.
But the sound echoes off the vast sea of nearly 17,800 empty red seats at the arena, where only a few thousand fans are scattered. The swooshing of skaters and the sharp crack of the puck hitting a stick are easily audible. It's a morgue in here.
The problem isn't the hockey being played; that's quick and fluid. These few fans watch hockey that's surprisingly team-oriented. "Some teams anoint their top three prospects and give them all the ice time in the minors. We don't do that," says Tom Lynn, assistant general manager for the Minnesota Wild, which owns the Aeros. "We play who's playing the best in any given week, and when we need to call up someone, we call up who's playing the best, not who we think is the best prospect."
So it's not only the Aeros' stars -- winger Dan Cavanaugh, center Rickard Wallin from Sweden -- who are oh-so-close to the NHL. It could be two of the lesser lights who are sweating on this Friday night.
It could be winger Chris Bala, born with speed and eager to throw himself into a corner to dig out a puck whenever he gets a shift on the ice. It could be Derek Boogaard, whose six-foot-seven, 250-pound frame makes him a giant in hockey terms, an enforcer who protects his quicker teammates from the other teams' goons.
The two wingers have taken vastly different routes to Houston. Boogaard is a cop's kid who moved constantly through a series of small Canadian towns; always the shy outsider and gawky skater. Bala went to an elite prep school and graduated from Harvard; a smooth-talking, friendly guy who's already had a string of highlight moments.
Fans know Boogaard as the Boogeyman. And the 21-year-old knows that his way to the NHL is through his fists. He's been suspended by other minor leagues; he's had brief celebrity for a crushing ESPN highlight hit; he's the only minor-leaguer featured on www.wildenforcers.com, a Web page for that subculture of hockey fans who revel in fights.
"It's no big secret that I'm not a big goal scorer. I just love to hit guys," the soft-spoken Boogaard says matter-of-factly. "Some guys have it and some don't."
Bala's route to the NHL will be finesse, smarts, and knowing what's expected of him and doing it. "Will I be a big scorer in the NHL? Probably not," says the 25-year-old, whom teammates have nicknamed Harvard. "But a third- or fourth-line guy, a penalty killer? Yeah. I want to be a guy who can fill a role."
Both know their window of opportunity for sticking in the NHL is closing. It's make-or-break time for them and the rest of the Aeros. Their battle for their careers is at full pitch and being played out each week at the Toyota Center.
Not that Houston seems to care much about it.
In 2001, Derek Boogaard found himself in a familiar position: trying to explain, not too articulately, just why he gets in so many fights on the ice.
Playing for the Prince George Cougars in a heated playoff series against the Portland Winter Hawks, Boogaard violated a hockey tradition by slamming the opponent's goalie against the boards. Worse, he did it after the game-ending buzzer had sounded.
Boogaard insisted the game wasn't over, that the goalie had been handling the puck and was a legitimate target, but Western Hockey League officials didn't agree. They suspended Boogaard for seven games. (On the day he came back from the suspension, he would earn a four-day suspension for making an "inappropriate gesture" toward a referee.)
And once again he found that there are hockey guys like him, and there are hockey guys who look condescendingly on the brutes who sully the beautiful, elegant game -- and there's no bridging the gap.
Before the suspension was set, Boogaard was ordered to meet in Calgary with league vice president Richard Doerksen. Boogaard trudged into the office and did little more than listen sullenly to a lecture.
"I didn't know what to do, dealing with guys like that," he says. "He's a little guy and he used to play hockey, but not in my position where you have to fight. Either he'd been too scared or too small to fight. Guys like that don't get it, and it's hard talking to them."
People have never understood. And Boogaard doesn't like to do a lot of explaining, either. He's disconcertingly mellow off the ice, and his most eloquent defense of his play seldom goes beyond a shrug of the shoulders and an acceptance that outsiders will never understand.
Growing up, he says, "Parents would complain to the coaches about me: 'All he does is just take penalties,' they'd say. I would always be physical even if it wasn't fighting guys."
He was the lumbering galoot who found early on that hitting those speedy guys, or taking on the biggest opponents, provided immense satisfaction that erased his frustration at stickhandling or scoring.
His father, who calls himself "one of the grunts" of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police -- the equivalent of a street cop -- was rotated to new assignments every five years. So Derek, who was friendly enough but never a popular glad-hander, would move to hamlets like Saskatoon, Stroud, Herbert and Regina, and go out for the local hockey team.
Kids' hockey in Canada can be a mind-warping mess of cutthroat, constant pressure on not-yet-emotionally-mature boys to succeed. The backstabbing, the complaining, the taunting coaches and whining opponents' parents did something Boogaard thought would never happen: They killed his lifelong love of hockey. He quit at 15.
"I just got sick of it all" is about all he'll say. But he came back for one more year, "just to have fun with it" and play without caring about all the bullshit. Within a few months he got invited to his first professional camp, the local Regina Pats of the WHL.
He didn't make the team, but an amazing growth spurt of almost ten inches in a few months -- he required crutches for a while as his knees struggled to keep up -- and a rediscovered love of the game sharpened his focus for the next year's camp.
He knew the only way he was going to make it in the WHL: On the first shift of the first practice, he "dropped the gloves" and got into a brawl with the Pats' toughest player.
"He went in there and took on their heavyweight guy right away," says his brother Ryan. "Travis Churchman, he was about six-four and 235 pounds, and Derek dropped him three or four times. He got in, like, 12 fights in four scrimmages."
Fighting is just part of the job, Derek says with yet another of the shrugs that are supposed to explain everything.
Sometimes you taunt a guy into fighting; sometimes you pull his jersey or poke him with a stick. "Sometimes you just go up to the other team's guy and say, 'You wanna fight?' " he says. "You don't want to sucker-punch a guy."
He has trained with professional boxer Scott LeDoux, but boxing and hockey fighting are two different things. "In boxing you've got to think a lot more, you've got to be calm and patient and pick your spots," he says. "In hockey you just generally go at it."
About the only major injury he's had was a broken jaw; he hunted the perpetrator down the next season and "I fought him and I beat him pretty good," he says quietly enough.
Even his father, Len, can't figure out what happens with his son.
"Sometimes it's like I don't know him," he says. "He's like a lunatic skating out there, and then off the ice he's just a big teddy bear."
Ryan has a photograph of a brawl Boogaard was in while with the Medicine Hat Tigers. He and Grant McNeill of the Prince Albert Raiders are in classic hockey-fight pose, the left hand grabbing the front of the other one's jersey, the right hand drawn back as far as possible for an almost comically long roundhouse punch.
Both are aware they've left themselves hopelessly open for taking a solid punch -- and Boogaard is grinning. The grin is not in full bloom yet, but it's coming -- unless it gets wiped out by McNeill's punch -- and the illegal smile and the glowing eyes show a guy who wouldn't be doing anything else than what he's doing right now: beating the shit out of someone while getting whomped himself.
Brawling can get a bit gladiatorial in the Dub, as the WHL is known. When Matt Summerfield of the Swift Current Broncos took Boogaard down a peg by whupping him in early 2000, he ripped Boogaard's name off his jersey and threw it into the crowd.
The fights are more theatrical than they are in the NHL, too. A compilation video Boogaard's brother made (complete with "Eye of the Tiger" soundtrack) shows several versions of a quintessential WHL fight: Boogaard and an opponent jaw at each other, back off until they're 20 feet away, and then dramatically throw down their gloves and helmets.
They circle warily and eventually dive in. As many punches miss as land, but as the crowd whoops and the refs watch carefully, moving sticks and gloves out of the way, the players flail away. Fighting on skates is a tough balancing act, so one eventually falls -- 30 seconds is considered a marathon bout -- and the refs then jump in to break it up.
"You always want to get the first two punches in," Boogaard says. "You'll usually do good if you get the first two in, and ummmm that's about it, really. There's not a lot of strategy."
The two fighters usually skate off little the worse for wear. "It gets pretty tiring, actually," he says. "My hand gets banged up during the season pretty good."
When Boogaard was traded from Regina to Prince George, he enhanced his tough reputation. He scored just two goals while racking up 439 penalty minutes.
"I've definitely had my ear open about Boogaard since he was with Prince George," says David Singer, who runs the Web site www.hockeyfights.com, where fans trade videotapes and argue about the game's brawlers. "Quite a lot of fans in Minnesota are looking forward to his arrival."
(Those fans have since been teased further by Boogaard's ESPN highlight two years ago, which actually isn't one of his proudest moments. At a rookie tournament, he went full bore at an opponent against the boards. The guy ducked, and Boogaard shattered the glass and ended up outside the rink.)
But even though he was beginning to attract attention, the move to Prince George took the 16-year-old about 1,000 miles from home. "That was kinda tough," he says. His parents were divorcing; his size made him a target for ridicule; he was rebelling in school.
Teenagers in the WHL live with local residents, who board them in exchange for tickets and some expense money. Boogaard became close to Mike and Caren Tobin, who housed him one summer after Boogaard's teenage anger -- and hefty food bills -- saw him go through four "billets" in less than a year.
"He was gangly and shy as hell, but an honest kid, a really good kid," says Mike Tobin, who still hears from Boogaard regularly. "At that level, if you're not the perfect player that they're grooming, they can play some real head games with you. You can get messed around with."
The mind games can be the refined semi-harassment from coaches that shows up in all sports, but which can be honed to perfection by the fanaticism of Canadian hockey fans. Coaches, knowing it's their stars who will help them advance up the ranks, can use their biggest weapon: cutting off the ice time of lesser players who are equally eager to move up and out.
"I don't think he was really given the opportunity to do something other than be an enforcer," says Doug Lister, who coached Boogaard at Medicine Hat and is now with the Canadian national team. "He was a player whose other skills were overlooked because he's such a big guy Sometimes Canada doesn't do a good job developing the late bloomers."
Tobin and a teammate talked Boogaard out of quitting, although Tobin couldn't convince him to stay in school. "He was a pretty headstrong kid and he didn't like school. It was an authority thing. He was a smart kid, but he hated the educational process," Tobin says.
He's undergoing another kind of educational process now, though.
"You can't have the traditional enforcers of the '70s anymore, the classic tough guy who just went out and just looked for the other tough guy," says Wild assistant general manager Lynn, who drafted Boogaard in 2001. "Derek has done a very good job learning to play and getting the mental aspects of the game, and being physical on top of that."
Boogaard knows he's not Wayne Gretzky reborn. "If it's a 3-2 game, I know I'm not going to be out there," he says. "I'm not an offensive player, and everyone knows that." Boogaard might not even dress for the game if the opposition doesn't have an enforcer.
As for his chances to advance, "I don't think he's a prospect -- he's just a guy to fight and to protect the team's other players on this level," says Kevin Oklobzija of the Hockey News, who's covered the AHL for 19 years.
Lynn, though, thinks he has a chance to make it. But so much depends on circumstances no one can predict, like who gets injured on the parent team.
"It's a crapshoot," says Boogaard's father. "The chances of making it are like winning the lottery. But Derek knows there are no guarantees and he just keeps working hard at it."
And even if he doesn't make it, Len Boogaard says, he's already exceeded his family's expectations. "All the kids he grew up with that were more skilled than him -- he's the only one who's gotten this far He's head and shoulders above where we thought he would ever be."
Boogaard lives with his girlfriend, likes watching a lot of movies and The Simpsons, but he loooves hockey. He hopes to coach after his playing days.
Chris Bala has already experienced the magic moment that still eludes Boogaard: He's actually gotten on the ice in an NHL game.
It was just another day in the locker room of the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins in 2002 when Bala's coach broke the news: An Ottawa Senators player had been injured and Bala was getting an emergency call-up.
"It was just unbelievable," Bala says, but in truth he acted with the nonchalance that seems wired into him. "Then I got there; the next day I went to the pregame skate, just tried to make it a regular day, not get too nervous."
His parents, Wayne and Carol, were at home near Philadelphia, and adjusted their itinerary to make that Senators game against the New York Islanders. "He's not one to talk about himself too much," Wayne Bala says of his son. "But I know we were all as excited as you could be that night."
Bala didn't make any noticeable contribution in that first game. "But that didn't matter to me," he says. "Just to be on that stage was enough." Bala soon demonstrated another of his lifelong knacks -- making the most of unexpected opportunities -- when he got an assist a week later in a 4-3 win that clinched a playoff berth for Ottawa.
After six games he was sent back down, but he had, for the moment, made it. "I basically got my feet wet," he says. "But it was great."
Sometimes it's as if he's glided from one such highlight to another, from making a junior team of 17-year-olds that traveled to Japan, to scoring the goal as a freshman that ended a long losing streak for Harvard in Boston's revered Beanpot Tournament, to being named to the AHL all-star team.
Where Boogaard has struggled to adapt to slights real and perceived, Bala has seemingly not encountered any -- or at least any that could dent his rock-solid sense of who he is.
It would be easy to paint him as a rich, anointed golden boy, with the pricey prep school and Ivy League degree. But the truth is that Bala doesn't come from money; it's hockey that has given him his elite credentials.
Wayne Bala was an AT&T salesman who now owns a bar and grill near Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, where son Chris grew up.
Chris had been skating since he was three, inspired by an uncle playing college hockey. But the Philadelphia area is not the hockey hotbed that New England, Minnesota and Michigan are, so that meant long drives and club teams that sometimes weren't all that good.
"We didn't have five rinks within 20 minutes of us like some places, so we'd be driving to New Jersey or Boston or Michigan or Canada," Chris says. "My parents didn't think anything about throwing eight kids in the back of the van and taking off."
His ability to make the most of any chance became apparent early, after he'd been practicing regularly at the rink of the Hill School in nearby Pottstown. The boys-only boarding school of 450 students called him his junior year at Phoenixville, asking him to transfer.
Founded in 1851, the Hill School features alumni who include former secretary of state James Baker, oilman Lamar Hunt and movie director Oliver Stone, who once described the rigorous academic curriculum as "a Japanese samurai training course."
Plenty of big-money East Coast elites attend Hill; those who aren't quickly adapt, and strong bonds are established. Never before in school history had an outsider transferred in and been elected senior class president (or, as it's known at Hill, President of the Sixth Form), but Bala did just that.
"Chris is one of the most disciplined and well-focused and purposeful people I've ever known," says David Daugherty, the Hill School headmaster. "He's fun and has a good sense of humor; he's sociable, but he has always known what he's wanted and gone after it with great focus I don't say this casually, but he is really one of the most outstanding students we've had."
"It pushed me and raised my performance on and off the ice," Bala says. "I just felt comfortable there."
He's always been remarkably self-possessed; he speaks in full paragraphs, sometimes very, very earnestly.
"It's very much been me making my own choices since I was a little kid," he says. "I get a lot of advice from people and I listen to it, but in the end I make my own choice."
One of which still causes his father to wince. Chris had a four-year scholarship offer from Notre Dame and an acceptance letter from Harvard, which offers no athletic scholarships. Tuition at the time was about $40,000 a year.
"He comes in and says he's made a decision on which college he wants to go to," Wayne says. "I'm standing there in the kitchen with my fingers crossed behind me going, 'Please, Notre Dame. Please, Notre Dame.' He says 'Harvard' and my knees buckle."
He had told Chris not to let finances affect his choice. "I said, 'Your mother and I will find a way Don't make a decision based on that, because if you do one day you'll be sitting in your room unhappy and blaming me and your mom.' "
They got some financial help from Harvard. For the rest, Wayne says, "You just mortgage yourself for the next 500 years."
Ronn Tomassoni was Harvard's head coach and recruited Bala. "The first time I saw him I thought he was a big-time player just from his skating ability. He's got a great stride."
Bala had an incredible freshman year. He teamed on a line with Steve Moore, led the Harvard team in goals and scored that winning overtime goal against Boston College in the Beanpot Tournament. Later in the year, against the University of Vermont, Bala tied a school record with four goals in the first period.
"We had a lot of fun at school," says Moore, who played with the NHL's Colorado Avalanche until he recently returned to the minors. "He's a very exciting player with explosive speed and great puck handling. He's very dangerous one-on-one."
The magic of what Bala calls "a whirlwind year" continued when both he and Moore were drafted at the end of their freshman season.
Bala went with his father to Buffalo for the draft. "All these pros were there, all the teams had tables; it was like Christmas morning when you're seven years old," Bala's father says. "We heard his name called but didn't really react, then it hits you -- 'Hey, that was my kid's name.' Talk about chills."
"It felt like I met 100 people in 20 minutes after they said my name; it was just one thing after another," Chris says. "After a while I just felt like leaving just to get a little quiet. But it was great."
Despite being drafted, Bala stayed in school for what turned out to be his toughest experience yet: A wrist injury hobbled his play. He'd planned to make the NHL quickly, but being unable to go full-tilt and make an impression grated on him.
"That was the most frustrating thing, not being 100 percent," he says. "The numbers weren't there for me, and statistics are such a big thing in this game. So there was doubt and worry and whatnot. It was a bad, bad year."
The goal-scoring numbers never really came back for Bala, but he knew he'd never been perceived as a dominant offensive force. So after getting his Harvard degree in government studies, Bala entered the hockey minor leagues ready to hone the penalty-killing and setup skills that might give him a chance at sticking in the NHL.
His brief taste of the big time gives him, he thinks, insight and inspiration now.
"That was an unbelievable experience," he says of the NHL. "The difference up there is not so much in speed, but it's a very mental game up there. They think the game better, they make a better play in a shorter amount of time They also take it a lot more seriously, and that's a pretty good lesson for a young kid to learn."
Bala is overtly personable, ready to chat with fans and good-naturedly take the ribbing when the guy nicknamed "Harvard" is assigned to do the math of splitting the dinner check on the road.
Bala got married over the summer (at the Hill School's chapel) and was planning to play on Ottawa's Binghamton farm team, a two-and-a-half-hour drive from where his new wife got a job teaching second grade. Within days he was traded to the Wild and assigned to Houston; his wife remains in Pennsylvania.
"It's tough, but we don't have any children yet, so we thought if we have to be apart, now's the time to do it," he says. He fills up his off-time playing golf.
For a guy who has much of his life planned out, the uncertainty and lack of control over his destiny can grind on him.
If the NHL players go on strike after this season -- most observers think they will, and it will be a long one -- or if he gets sent down instead of up, Bala says he "would have some serious thinking to do."
At 25, the window might be closing soon. But, he says, "If hockey ended tomorrow for me I'd be okay with it. It's not all that I'm about."
Ultimately, he'd like to teach and coach hockey at the Hill School. He already runs a summer camp there for local kids. "So many people have helped me along the way, I'm just trying to do the same," he says.
Bala's former headmaster lauds him for interests that range beyond the game.
"He wanted to attend a prep school and did; he wanted to graduate from an elite college and did," Daugherty says. "And he wanted to give professional hockey a try and is doing that."
Giving pro hockey a try can be especially tough in a town that hasn't really taken to the sport. The fans who show up are fervent -- there's not only a vast array of Aeros jerseys in the crowd, many of them are plastered with team autographs -- but there just aren't very many of them.
Lynn, the Minnesota Wild's assistant GM, says he still thinks Houston is a viable hockey market. In July, the Wild bought 80 percent of the Aeros from former owner Chuck Watson.
Low turnout in the early season could be a result of the holidays and the obvious focus on the region's dominant sport: football, Lynn says. "But I'm not unhappy with the attendance so far. I think we'll look to the post-Christmas numbers as a better indication of the health of the team."
Organizers plan to add a curtain covering the upper deck to lessen some of the tomblike atmosphere of the Toyota Center.
"We look at it as a 9,800-seat arena," he says. To break even, an AHL game generally needs to draw 4,800 paying customers; the Aeros average 4,354, putting their attendance in the lower half of the league's 28 teams.
Once the NHL either endures or averts the looming strike, many hockey insiders expect a local group to attempt to bring an NHL team here. If Houston does land a franchise, the Wild will relocate the Aeros.
Supporters of a Houston NHL team cite the availability of corporate season-ticket buyers who shun the Aeros, and point to the success of the Stars in Dallas. Skeptics note that the Stars moved to Dallas (from Minnesota) as a ready-made Stanley Cup contender, providing a bandwagon that likely wouldn't occur in Houston. They also say the Rockets, whose NBA championships are not that far in the past, are also struggling mightily to fill the new arena.
At any rate, no NHL team is likely to move here for at least two or three years, Lynn says. So until then it will be the Aeros, and their group of young hopefuls.
"It's not a bad life, playing in the AHL," says Oklobzija. "It's a pretty good way to make a living if you're a decent player." Stars can make six-figure salaries, he says. François Coulombe, who follows the business of hockey for the Web site www.hockeyzoneplus.com, says a mid-level AHL player who's been drafted relatively high probably makes around $70,000 a year. (Boogaard makes $45,000; Bala won't say what he makes.)
Most Aeros players, like Bala and Boogaard, live in Stafford, near the team's practice facility. The days are mostly taken up with hockey, but the airliner travel to away games is not as brutal as the dreary 16-hour bus trips Boogaard cramped his way through in Canada.
Of the 25 players on the Aeros' roster, "three or four maybe" might end up having a long NHL career, says Oklobzija. "It's Triple-A -- a lot of those guys are never going to get out of there."
The Aero players, of course, can't afford to believe that just yet. So they keep plugging away, offering entertaining hockey along the way.
That's what was offered on that recent Friday night at the Toyota Center, when each collision echoed forlornly in the vacant expanse.
The Aeros had an eight-game losing streak hanging over them, but their recently porous defense had transformed itself against the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks. Boogaard got some shifts on the ice and -- jostling, shoving and sticking a stray elbow into anyone who came within reach -- provided solid defense and protection for his teammates, if no thrills. He even avoided getting into any fights.
Actually, it was a victory of sorts just to get a shift or two, since Cincinnati doesn't have the type of enforcer that Boogaard is usually assigned to deal with. "Just the fact I was out there shows [the coach] has trust in me, and that's good," he says.
With the score tied late in the third period, Bala got control of the puck in the Ducks' zone after an errant pass. He raced down the right side, his quickness leaving the Ducks flat-footed.
Teammate Matt Foy and Bala flew into a two-on-one against the Ducks. "I got into their zone, near the top of the circle, thinking I was going to pass it," Bala says. "Then the defenseman played the pass, and it gave me a lane to shoot."
Duck goalie Ilya Bryzgalov blocked the shot, but a still-sprinting Bala pounced on the rebound, poking it by him for the score.
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Three minutes later he got an assist as Foy scored the goal that put the game away.
Boogaard was quietly effective that night; Bala was eye-catchingly brilliant for brief moments.
Which one makes it to the NHL and stays there -- if either of them does -- wasn't decided that night. That will be determined by a lot more games, requiring a lot more effort and sacrifice, always just one step away from the big time.
And it all will be played out, most likely, in front of a lot of empty seats.


text: This year has seen the comeback of the classic pearl. Once imagined as something you'd find in your granny's jewellery box, the traditional pearl has been reinvented and is now a gemstone that has been used in some of the hottest jewellery collections. Big brands and influential fashion houses have bought Pearls to the forefront of

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U.S. Senate committee OKs tougher restrictions on illegal gun traffickers
WASHINGTON -- The Senate Judiciary Committee approved legislation Thursday toughening laws against people who illegally buy guns for others as lawmakers cast the first votes in Congress to curb firearms since December's horrific shootings at a Connecticut elementary school.
The panel was also debating bills banning assault weapons and high capacity magazines, requiring background checks for nearly all gun purchases, and providing more money for schools to buy video cameras and other safety equipment.
The committee voted 11-7 to approve the measure, which boosted penalties against straw purchases, when people legally buy firearms for criminals or others legally barred from owning one. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, was the only Republican to vote in favor of the measure, whose chief sponsor was the panel's chairman, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.
"We know that many guns used in criminal activities are acquired through straw purchases. We need a meaningful solution to this serious problem," Leahy said.
Though the committee vote was mostly party-line, other Republicans co-sponsored the measure, and others indicated that there might be more GOP support by the time the legislation reaches the full Senate, probably in April.
White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters that the administration favors "tough penalties on gun traffickers and straw purchasers who funnel guns to dangerous criminals."
Even so, evidence was abundant of partisan clashes ahead as the two parties sparred over limiting firearms. Though the panel recessed before voting on the proposed assault weapons ban, but debate on the measure made a party-line vote on it seem likely.
Grassley said everyone wants to prevent more killings like the deaths of 20 first-graders and six staffers at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. But he said gun control does not work and accused Democrats of wanting to "impose more gun restrictions on law-abiding citizens."
All four measures were expected to pass the committee. But their fate when the full Senate considers them, probably in April, is less certain. The trafficking measure by Leahy, D-Vt., was thought to have the best prospects, while the assault weapons ban by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., seemed to have the slimmest chance.
The trafficking bill would create penalties of up to 25 years in prison for people who can legally buy guns, but do so for others who use them in crimes. Today, law enforcement officials prosecute such practices with laws that forbid lying on forms for gun purchases, which are punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Democrats led by Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., had hoped to reach a bipartisan deal on expanding federal background checks with conservative Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla. But on Wednesday, Democrats set aside their efforts to win over Coburn after weeks of talks failed to resolve a dispute over requiring that records of private sales be retained.
Their inability to craft a deal with Coburn was a blow to Democrats because of his solid conservative credentials and "A" rating with the NRA. His support could have meant backing from other Senate Republicans and even moderate Democrats, including several facing 2014 re-election campaigns in GOP-leaning states.
In addition, supporters of curbing guns say the Senate will have to approve legislation with strong bipartisan support to boost their chances of success in the GOP-led House. Republican leaders there have said they won't act until the Senate produces legislation.
Democrats said they would negotiate with other Republicans and would not give up on eventually cutting a deal with Coburn.
"We're confident plenty of senators already understand that this is the sweet spot where good policy and politics meet," said Mark Glaze, director of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a gun-curb group led by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino whose membership includes more than 800 mayors.
Expanding the checks is the cornerstone and most popular part of Obama's effort to rein gun violence. They are now mandated only for sales by the nation's 55,000 federally licensed gun dealers, not for private sales between individuals, like those at gun shows or online.
An Associated-Press-GfK poll in January found 84 percent favored requiring background checks at gun shows. Other proposed gun curbs were supported by just over half the public.
Democrats say background check records, whether kept by the individuals, manufacturers or others, are the only way to ensure that the checks are conducted for private sales. Coburn said such information could help create a federal registry of gun owners -- something that is now illegal and that the White House says would not happen.
Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Mark Kirk, R-Ill., also have been involved in the background check negotiations and said in a joint statement they would continue looking for a compromise with other senators.
"Dr. Coburn is still hopeful they can reach an agreement," Coburn spokesman John Hart said Wednesday.
Lacking agreement with Coburn, Schumer planned to seek a vote by the Judiciary Committee on a bill resembling a measure he initially proposed two years ago. It would require background checks for nearly all gun sales, with narrow exemptions including one for transactions between close relatives. It would also cut federal aid for states that don't send enough mental health records to the federal background check network -- a widespread problem that has fueled critics' complaints that the current system should be fixed before it is expanded.


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DTP Connectivity Project Committers Meeting Minutes: January 8, 2007
← Back to DTP Connectivity Project Committers' Meeting Page
- Thanks for the hard work on 1.0
- DTP 1.0 Retrospective
- The PMC is looking for feedback regarding the 1.0 release, processes, etc. to the PMC. More details can be found here.
- Please provide any feedback specific to connectivity directly to Rob (he's got thick skin, so you don't need to pull any punches ;-))
- Maintenance Releases for 0.9 and 1.0
- Please let Rob or the PMC know if there are any critical defects which you feel must be fixed in either the 0.9 or 1.0 releases (anything that can't wait until the Europa release).
- There is a probability that many products/projects will pick up DTP through WTP. We should make sure a communications channel is in place with WTP to ensure any maintenance issues are managed proactively.
- Linda is currently coordinating a 1.0 ODA issue directly with the PMC.
- Project goals for Europa release
- Please communicate to Rob any connectivity specific project goals you would like to see for the Europa release.
- We will discuss project specific goals during next week's committers' meeting.
- Europa DTP JDK Compatibility
- We need direction from the PMC regarding the supported JDK versions for the Europa release.
- Any direct dependency on EMF 2.3 infers a dependency on JDK 1.5.
- Linda will be addressing this at the PMC level.
- SQM Database Recognition Framework
- Discussed issues specific to dbdefinition/model/loader resolution for specific DB vendor/version combinations
- Need a comprehensive solution for database recognition and dbdefinition/model/loader resolution
Action Items
- Team: Provide any feedback regarding DTP 1.0 development process, etc. to PMC and/or Rob.
- Team: Communicate any need for 0.9 or 1.0 maintenance relases to PMC and/or Rob. (Linda is currently working a 1.0 issue with the PMC.)
- Rob: Notify PMC of possible need to coordinate maintenance releases with WTP.
- Team: Communicate project specific goals/areas of focus to Rob by the end of the week.
- Linda: Work with PMC to clarify Europa DTP JDK compatibility requirements.
- Rob Cernich
- Brian Fitzpatrick
- Larry Dunnel
- Linda Chan


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Berkshire Pork Boneless Smoked Ham, Half
Product Actions
Berkshire pork, also known as Kurobuta pork, makes the best ham. Uncured, fully-cooked, and ready-to-eat, our ham is naturally smoked over applewood without nitrates, nitrites, phosphates, or artificial fillers, and is seasoned with sea salt and raw cane sugar. The Berkshire hogs are raised on pasture, with no antibiotics or hormones, by a cooperative of small farms dedicated to humane and sustainable methods.
*Servings based on 8oz per person.
- Exceptionally tender, well-marbled style of pork Berkshire-breed pigs raised on pasture
- No antibiotics or hormones* from birth
- Handcrafted ham, smoked over real applewood
- Uncured - no nitrates, nitrites or phosphates
- No artificial ingredients, colorings or preservatives
- Fully-cooked and ready-to-eat
- Gluten-free
- Product of USA
- For best taste on fresh products, use or freeze within 3-5 days of receipt; for frozen products, use within 1-2 days after thawing
*USDA regulations prohibit the use of hormones in pork
Cooking & Serving
Since it's fully cooked, ham can be served cold, at room temperature, or heated, with or without glaze.
To heat, first, bring the ham up to room temperature. We recommend removing it from the fridge at least an hour before you plan on heating it. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Place the ham on a rack in a heavy-bottomed roasting pan. Pour ¼ to ½ inch of water, or liquid of your choice, to the pan.
Place a sheet of parchment paper over the ham then cover tightly with aluminum foil. Heat in the oven until the internal temperature reaches about 140 degrees (about 10 minutes per pound of ham). An oven-safe probe thermometer works well for this - poke it into the thickest part of the ham without touching the bone. Heating time will vary depending on your oven and size of the ham.
Remove the ham from the oven and allow it to rest for a few minutes, tented with foil. As long as you keep your eye on it, this is a safe way to heat the ham without drying it out.
For added flavor and moisture protection, you can apply a glaze during the last 30 minutes of heating time. Ariane, D'Artagnan's founder, suggests a simple mixture of one part soy sauce to one part honey, but don't be afraid to get creative. A balanced glaze will contain a sweet element like honey, brown sugar, apricot preserves or pure maple syrup and a savory or acidic element such as mustard, soy sauce, vinegar or even your favorite Bourbon.
Perfect for a special occasion, or just a weekend dinner (think leftovers). Fully cooked, it can be sliced cold for sandwiches or salads, shredded and stirred into grits, or tossed in a jambalaya.


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1 syllable
- bop, bopp, chop, chopp, cop, copp, crop, cropp, dopp, drop, flop, glop, gropp, hop, hopp, hoppe, jopp, klopp, knop, knopp, kopp, koppe, kropp, lop, lopp, mop, op, opp, paap, paape, plop, pop, popp, poppe, prop, propp, raap, ropp, schaap, schopp, schoppe, schropp, shop, shoppe, skop, slop, sop, sopp, stop, swap, swapp, top, topp, tropp, tschopp, wop, yopp
2 syllables
- atop, nonstop
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Tag Archives: Racists
Trump Is Going Full Hitler
Posted on February 3, 2017 by davidtkukulkan
Donald Trump, Donald Trump, Donald Trump! If you say his name three times in a mirror he'll call you a loser on Twitter. His ubiquitous presence in the news is hard to escape, but escaping is the last thing we … Continue reading →
Posted in Political | Tagged Adolf Hitler, Alt Right, Authoritarian, Authoritarianism, Autocracy, Breitbart, Executive Branch, Fascism, Martial Law, Muslim Ban, Nazi, Neo Nazi, Power Grabs, President, President Trump, Racism, Racists, Republicans, Resist, Steve Bannon | Leave a comment


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1M1 Records
Film Soundtrack CDs
Specialising in Australian Soundtrack Recordings
This soundtrack release is a manufactured CDR. Although it is not replicated, this is a legally licensed and manufactured CD, to which all international copyrights law apply. It is illegal to copy, dub or replicate this CD in any manner or fomat without the express permission of the copyright owner, 1M1 Records.
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Faculty Research Page
Greg Barton
Class of '36 Endowed Chair and Professor of Immunology and PathogenesisLab Homepage: http://www.thebartonlab.com/
Research Interests
Our group studies innate immunity with the goal of understanding strategies of pathogen recognition and self/non-self discrimination. The innate immune system represents the ideal vehicle to pursue these questions because it has evolved under constant selective pressure from microbial pathogens. While adaptive immunity utilizes millions of clonally expressed receptors, the innate immune system uses an alternative strategy: a limited number of receptors with fixed specificities that are expressed non-clonally. The benefit of this strategy is speed; the cost is that the system is critically dependent on the selection of appropriate microbial targets. If the target is easily mutated, then the immune response will fail. If the target is not unique to microbes, then the immune response may attack the host. The solutions to this problem represent a fascinating set of compromises by both the host and microbes. We believe that studying this balance between innate immunity and microbial pathogens will reveal critical balance points in self/non-self discrimination with fundamental implications for our understanding of mammalian immunity. To tackle these issues the lab focuses on the function and regulation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs). TLRs are the prototypical innate immune receptor family. They participate in innate immunity, adaptive immunity, and, in some instances, autoimmunity. This central role makes TLRs an ideal system to address the conceptual issues discussed above.
Current Projects
The lab works in a number of areas, all focused on aspects of innate immunity:
- The function, signal transduction pathways, and regulation of innate immune receptors.
- The role of innate immune receptors in autoimmune disease.
- Strategies of pathogen recognition by innate immune receptors.
- Coevolution of host-pathogen interactions.
- Intestinal immunity
Selected Publications
Lee BL, Moon JE, Shu JH, Yuan L, Newman ZR, Schekman R, Barton GM. UNC93B1 mediates differential trafficking of endosomal TLRs. eLife (2013) 2:e00291.
Arpaia N and Barton GM. The impact of Toll-like receptors on bacterial virulence strategies. Current Opinion in Microbiology (2013) 16:17-22.
Arpaia N and Barton GM. Toll-like receptors: key players in antiviral immunity. Current Opinion in Virology (2012) 1:447-454.
*Chiang CY, *Engel A, *Opaluch AM, Ramos I, Maestre AM, Secundino I, De Jesus PD, Nguyen QT, Welch G, Bonamy GM, Miraglia LJ, Orth AP, Nizet V, Fernandez-Sesma A, Zhou Y, Barton GM, Chanda SK. Cofactors required for TLR7- and TLR9-dependent innate immune responses. Cell Host Microbe (2012) 11:306-318. *These authors contributed equally.
Mouchess ML, Arpaia N, Souza G, Barbalat R, Ewald SE, Lau L, Barton GM. Transmembrane mutations in Toll-like Receptor 9 bypass the requirement for ectodomain proteolysis and induce fatal inflammation. Immunity, (2011) 35:1-12.
Pezda AC, Penn A, Barton GM, Coscoy L. Suppression of TLR9 immunostimulatory motifs in the genome of a gammaherpesvirus. J Immunol. (2011) 187:887-96.
Ewald SE, Engel A, Lee J, Wang M, Bogyo M, Barton GM. Nucleic acid recognition by Toll-like receptors is coupled to stepwise processing by cathepsins and asparagine endopeptidase. Journal of Experimental Medicine (2011) 208:643-651.
Arpaia N, Godec J, Lau L, Sivick KE, McLaughlin LM, Jones MB, Dracheva T, Peterson SN, Monack DM, Barton GM. TLR signaling is required for virulence of an intracellular pathogen. Cell (2011) 144:675-688. [PMID: 21376231].
Ewald S and Barton GM. Nucleic acid sensing Toll-like receptors in autoimmunity. Current Opinion in Immunology (2011) 23:3-9. [PMID: 21146971]
*Barbalat R, *Ewald SE, *Mouchess ML, Barton GM. Nucleic acid recognition by the innate immune system. Annual Review of Immunology, Vol. 29 (2011). *These authors contributed equally. [PMID: 21219183]
Barbalat R, Lau L, Locksley RM, and Barton GM. Toll-like receptor 2 on inflammatory monocytes induces type I interferon in response to viral but not bacterial ligands. Nature Immunology (2009) 10:1200-1207. [PMID: 19801985]
Barton GM & Kagan JC. A cell biological view of Toll-like receptor function: regulation through compartmentalization. Nature Reviews Immunology (2009) 9:535-542. [PMID: 19556980]
Ewald SE, Lee BL, Lau L, Wickliffe KE, Shi G-P, Chapman HA, and Barton GM. The ectodomain of Toll-like receptor 9 is cleaved to generate a functional receptor. Nature (2008) 456:658-662. [PMID: 18820679]
Barton GM. A Calculated Response: Control of Inflammation by the Innate Immune System. The Journal of Clinical Investigation (2008) 118:413-420. [PMID: 18246191]
Photo Credit: Mark Hanson of Mark Joseph Studios
Last Updated 2013-08-26


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The greatest joke ever played on mankind.
"Let's all be careful out there!"
|Kihei, Hawaii
|Whitefish, Montana
|Bloomington, Minnesota
|Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria
|Republic of Korea
|Ocean Grove, Victoria
Select the map you would like to view using the menus below
The greatest joke ever played on mankind.
I Love Hearing Your "Talk Story".
Bored? Wanna watch a movie? Then check out my other blog, HOME THEATER CENTER
Those who fail to learn history correctly--
Why they are simply doomed.


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Malt chocolate cheesecake
This crowd-pleasing dessert is made ahead, so all you have to do on the night is take it out of the fridge and bask in the glory
Nutrition and extra info
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal782
- fat60g
- saturates33g
- carbs53g
- sugars46g
- fibre1g
- protein9g
- salt1.01g
- 200g malted milk biscuit, crushed to crumbs
- 100g salted butter, melted
- 5 tbsp caster sugar
- 2 x 300g tubs full fat soft cheese (we used Philadelphia; if you use soft or cream cheese from a deli counter the cheesecake might not set)
- 300ml pot double cream
- 300g white chocolate, melted
White chocolatewhy-t chok-lit
To purists, this is not chocolate because it is made only from the fat or butter of the cacao…
- 200g bar milk chocolate, melted
Milk chocolatemill-k chok-lit
Milk chocolate is classically made from dark chocolate of low cocoa solid content and a higher…
- 2 tbsp malt or Horlicks powder
- 37g bag white Maltesers
Line base and sides of a deep, 22-23cm loose-bottomed round tin with baking parchment. Mix the biscuits, melted butter and 2 tbsp of the sugar, then press into base. Chill while you make the filling.
Divide cream cheese and cream evenly between 2 bowls. Add the white chocolate to one, and the milk chocolate, malt and remaining 3 tbsp sugar to the other. Beat each with an electric whisk until smooth.
Spread the milk chocolate mixture evenly in the tin. Wipe round the edge to give a smooth edge. Spoon the white chocolate mix over the top and gently smooth. Decorate with Maltesers and chill for at least 5 hrs until firm.


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Dog food reviews
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Innova Large Breed Senior (archived)
Date of last review
Sun January 8, 2006
Recommended By
Average Price
Average Rating
100% of reviewers
None indicated
None indicated
Feeding guideline:
A 50lb dog should be fed 3.2 Cups - 306.75 g, 1,069.33 Kcal/day
Calorie Content:
3,486 kcal/kg (86 g = 1 cup)
330 kcal/cup (3.0 oz = 1 cup)
Turkey, chicken, chicken meal, barley, brown rice, potatoes, rice, chicken fat, citric acid, natural flavors, flaxseed meal, herring oil, sunflower oil, apples, carrots, cottage cheese, alfalfa sprouts, egg, garlic, potassium chloride, ascorbic acid, chicory root extract, beta carotene, glucosamine hydrochloride, vitamin E supplement, rosemary extract, calcium carbonate, choline chloride, direct-fed microbials, vitamins/minerals
Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein (min) 26 %
Crude Fat (min) 10 %
Crude Fiber (max) 3 %
Moisture (max) 10 %
Linoleic Acid (Omega-6 Fatty Acid) (min) 2 %
Calcium (min) 1.1 %
Phosphorus (min) 0.85 %
Vitamin E (min) 300 IU/kg
Vitamin C (min) 500 mg/kg
Omega-3 Fatty Acids (min) 0.2 %
Glucosamine (min) 600 mg/kg
Chondroitin Sulfate (min) 500 mg/kg
Total Microorganisms (min) 90,000,000 CFU/lb
Typical analysis:
Moisture 7.22 %
Protein 27.2 %
Fat 11.1 %
Linoleic Acid 1.83 %
Omega 3 0.26 %
Arachidonic Acid 0.05 %
Carbohydrates 48.77 %
Fiber 1.86 %
Ash 5.04 %
Calcium 1.02 %
Phosphorous 0.86 %
Magnesium 0.12 %
Sodium 0.21 %
Potassium 0.72 %
Chloride 0.24 %
Iron 252 mg/kg
Zinc 253 mg/kg
Copper 23 mg/kg
Iodine 2.4 mg/kg
Manganese 38 mg/kg
Selenium 0.37 mg/kg
Arginine 1.85 %
Histidine 0.44 %
Isoleucine 0.84 %
Leucine 0.35 %
Lysine 1.58 %
Methionine 0.56 %
Met-Cysteine 0.84 %
Phenylalanine 1.02 %
Phe-Tyrosine 1.77 %
Threonine 0.94 %
Tryptophan 0.22 %
Valine 1.12 %
Taurine 1000 mg/kg
Choline 1917 mg/kg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 4.96 mg/kg
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 5.44 mg/kg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 45.3 mg/kg
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) 3.76 mg/kg
Folic Acid 3.31 mg/kg
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) 18.33 mg/kg
Biotin 0.76 mg/kg
Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin) 870 ug/kg
Vitamin A 20157 IU/kg
Vitamin C 526 mg/kg
Vitamin D 1999 IU/kg
Vitamin E 350 IU/kg
Vitamin K 289 ug/kg
Glucosamine 679 mg/kg
Glucosamine 64 mg/cup
Chondroitin Sulfate 555 mg/kg
Chondroitin Sulfate 52 mg/cup
ME 3557 kcal/kg
ME 330 kcal/cup
Nutritional Adequacy
Innova Large Breed Senior Dog Food has been formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance. This product is intended for mature large breed dogs of 5 years of age or older. It is NOT intended for growing puppies or dogs under 2 years of age.
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Registered: October 2005
Posts: 3953
Review Date:
Sun January 8, 2006
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First three ingredients are named meat products, uses good quality ingredients throughout.
The first three ingredients in this food are all named meat products. The first two of these are meat inclusive of water content (about 80%) and once that is removed it is likely that these ingredients would be more accurately placed somewhat further down the ingredient list (ingredients are listed in order of weight). However, since they are followed by a meat meal ingredient, we can have confidence in the level of meat content of the food. There is a further meat ingredient 10th on the list, but this is too far down to make up a substantive portion of the food. It is herring, a good natural source of Omega essential fatty acids.
The main grains are barley and rice. Both are whole grains and good quality sources of carbohydrates and additional protein. Potatoes are likewise a good quality carbohydrate source. The food contains a range of fruits and vegetables, as well as whole eggs. Sunflower oil is a good quality source of linoleic acid.
Overall, this is a very good quality food with a good amount of meat and that uses high quality ingredients throughout. The food contains no fillers, grain fragments, or other nasties that commonly cause problems for dogs.
This is an excellent senior dog food - this food is lower in fat than most, but unlike some lower quality foods around, it does not lower the calorie content of the food by removing all the meat and nutritious bits.
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Earn $1000's daily! Its the perfect combination. No one suspects a jogger of criminality. I can run right up to someone, take their wallet, and cleanly run away without anyone blinking an eye. (more…)
Posts Tagged 'sports'
Mogging: mugging while jogging, a new sport!July 31, 2009
Tags:comedy, comical, crime, criminality, criminals, earn, earning, exercise, exercises, fanny packs, fun, funny, health, healthy, humor, humorous, humour, humourous, jail, job, jobs, jog, jogging, joke, jokes, laugh, laughing, loosing weight, making money, marathon, marathons, money, mug, mugged, mugging, nylon, public, public safety, run, running, safety, sidewalks, spandex, sport, sports, staying healthy, steal, stealing, stolen, theft, thefts, weight loss, work, work out, working, working out
Posted in health, humour | 7 Comments »


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Production Engine Remanufacturing Expertise, Experience. Efficiency and Excellence!
We value our contacts. We firmly believe in collaborative, expansive networking and global sourcing for quality custom, OEM reliable, affordable products and services that meet and exceed consumer expectations.
We value every client and enquiry. We leave no stone unturned in the automotive industry and after-market, remanufacturing processes to find you what you need, when you need it, delivering quality, power, affordability and customer satisfaction.
We value and ascribe to quality processes refined and re-defined, (to our own gold standards), upholding, and constantly improving is our goal. We are committed to finding you engine and automotive products, services, alternative, specialty, performance solutions that work.
We envision, pursue and commit to environmental benefits of using rebuilt motor vehicle parts, extending vehicle life and pride us in the art and science our precision automotive products and services provide. Sustainable development is a priority, a passion and ongoing pursuit!
We promote the value of rebuilt and remanufactured engines, and other automotive products, minimizing the impact on the environment (our legacy and our future), supporting the business growth, innovations and successes of our industry, underpinning accountable business practice, service and performance excellence for generations to come.
FACT: According to reliable industry sources, an auto part or accessory, is sold every two seconds around the globe, utilizing and catering to a ever-expanding global market place and diverse customer base.
We enjoy providing solutions, alternatives, answers and advisory consultative services, quality automotive product offerings and the like to myriads of customers-for-life.
We believe in innovation and forward-thinking. The collaborative sharing of ideas and experiences, conducive and contributing to the advancement and improvement of the overall industry, across provider boundaries and thriving global marketplace, forms the core motivation of our business activity.
We are actively engaged in the engine remanufacturing business and proud of our reputation as a reliable and pro-active market participant. Our state-of-the-art methods and procedures followed and necessary to efficiently supply, produce and/or source remanufactured products, which are equal or superior to their original in quality and performance, our dedicated undertaking.
We look forward to making your acquaintance and assisting you with your request.
Our Marine And Automotive Engines are Built To Last! 100,000 Mile / 7- Year Warranty Engines that blow you away! Compare our product listings, sourcing options and more details. Visit us today at http://www.hiperformer.com/ - our virtual doorstep, browse at your leisure and send us your comments, suggestions and feedback. We look forward to hearing from you!


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Day 6 is here already! I hope you're enjoying the blog train and taking advantage of the great sales! For my blog gift, everyday I am giving you part of this great Party Pack, made with "It's a Wrap". Print everything out and you'll be ready for a Christmas party!
To make the party even more fun, pick up "It's a Wrap" for 40% off, and make an album of your Christmas fun!
Everything else in my store is also 40%-50% off, so hurry in!
Today's freebie (2 items each day from set below)
Sorry, this link has expired.
This link will be available for 24 hours. Sorry, I am unable to send download links if you miss it. You can purchase this in my store after the blog train is over.
Be sure to stop by these other blogs for more free stuff!!
Amanda Thorderson http://flamingo-amanda.blogspot.com/
Barb Speck http://www.barbspeck.blogspot.com
DeDe Smith http://www.designzbydede.com
Diana Burton http://www.dbdesigns.digitalscrapbookpages.com/
Juliana Gordon http://www.julianagordon.com/
Kathryn Estry http://kathrynsdigitaldesigns.blogspot.com/
Lifesong Kreations http://lifesongkreations.com
Maddy Fernandez http://oilnwine.blogspot.com
Paula Yagisawa http://designsbydreamerpaula.blogspot.com/
Rose.li http://roseliscrap.com/blog
Sarah Meyer http://blog.sarahbdesigns.net
Scrap4Brains http://scrap4brains.blogspot.com/
Silvia Romeo http://www.silviaromeo.blogspot.com/


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Beat the Streak: Weekend, April 10-12
Today's recommended picks
Chipper Jones, 3B, Braves
.399 home batting average in '08
Torii Hunter, OF, Angels
7-for-16 (.438 AVG) since '04 vs. Red Sox starter Tim Wakefield
Chase Utley, 2B, Phillies
6-for-13 vs. (.462 AVG) vs. Rockies starter Jason Marquis
Saturday's recommended picks
Orlando Cabrera, SS, Athletics
15-for-30 (.500 AVG) lifetime vs. Mariners starter Felix Hernandez
Hanley Ramirez, SS, Marlins
5-for-11 (.455 AVG) lifetime vs. Mets starter Livan Hernandez
Edwin Encarnacion, 3B, Reds
12-for-30 (.400 AVG) lifetime vs. Pirates starter Paul Maholm
Sunday's recommended picks
Jorge Posada, C, Yankees
6-for-12 (.500 AVG) since '04 vs. Royals starter Gil Meche
Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Red Sox
7-for-18 career (.389 AVG) vs. Angels starter Joe Saunders
Chipper Jones, 3B, Braves
12-for-21 (.571 AVG) lifetime vs. Nationals starter Scott Olsen
BTS all-time leader: Michael Karatzia, 49
MLB all-time leader: Joe DiMaggio, 56
Yesterday's Top 5 most selected players
1. Albert Pujols (STL): 11.5%, 1-for-4
2. Derek Jeter (NYY): 9.5%, 0-for-4
3. Jacoby Ellsbury (BOS): 6.3%, 1-for-4
4. Jose Reyes (NYM): 4.6%, 2-for-5
5. Grady Sizemore (CLE): 4.1%, 2-for-5
8 Comments
This game is great – it would be a notch tougher if it was a one player a streak contest. For example, you can only use a player once in your current streak- What'd yuall think of that?
Until somebody wins with the way it is I don't think it needs to be made any harder.
i agree it's hard enough this way but, i agree with spindoc it might be interesting
Does anyone play the HR streak as well? It doesn't seem to work right, I picked Pujols for yesterday and he hit 2 HR, shows my streak at 0 though. Also many people on the leaderboard picked players that did not homer, but it shows them with active streaks. This is very frustrating, is the system messed up for the HR streak?
Does anyone play the HR streak as well? It doesn't seem to work right, I picked Pujols for yesterday and he hit 2 HR, shows my streak at 0 though. Also many people on the leaderboard picked players that did not homer, but it shows them with active streaks. This is very frustrating, is the system messed up for the HR streak?
the survivor is the same way, its showing that people who picked Texas on Saturday still have current win streaks going
Come on mlb.com survivor and HR Streak are both messed up. Please fix these both. It's extremely frustrating. You have to know that everyone is upset. (PS i went with Aramis Ramirez for HR yesterday, which was right, but didn't get credit for it and I picked the Braves and got a loss even though they won!) Fix this please!!!!!!!!!!!
The HR streak and MLB.com Survivor standings are both lagging by 1 or more days. However, your own personal stats are correct.
If you look on the "Player Select" screen, the current streak, longest streak, and curent leader stats are all incorrect, but if you click on "Results," you will notice that that information is correct.
So if you were to win, you would still win. However, I agree that it is quite annoying to have a comprehensive standings system available and then have it be completely useless due to incorrect information.


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Legal woes continue to haunt Curt Schilling, the former Boston Red Sox player who attempted to bring the game industry to Rhode Island with 38 Studios…only to watch it collapse after the release of their first game.
It has been announced that the RIEDC, or the Rhode Island Economic Development Committee, is suing the former ballplayer and his fellow former studio executives over the unpaid $75 million load.
The filed complaint can be read in full below…
A Message from Governor Lincoln Chafee, Chairman of the RIEDC Board of Directors:
"As you know, in the past I have raised many concerns regarding the 38 Studios deal. When it became clear that the company would not survive, I publicly stated my commitment to you that my primary goal would be to do everything within my power to protect the taxpayers of Rhode Island. I will work to minimize any loss of your hard earned taxpayer dollars.
With that goal guiding us, we engaged Max Wistow, a seasoned attorney with decades of experience in complex litigation matters, including financial restitution and settlements.
Over the past four months, Mr. Wistow and his team have thoroughly examined the 38 Studios situation and the state's position.
In executive session of the Economic Development Corporation Board, we received an extensive briefing from Mr. Wistow on his findings. In that meeting, the Board voted without opposition to authorize legal action.
This vote was not taken lightly, and it was taken with the clear goal of protecting the taxpayers of Rhode Island.
The 38 Studios saga has understandably generated a great deal of attention from the media and the public at large. I know, therefore, that there will be pressure to discuss the complaint. However, neither I, nor the other members of the EDC Board, nor the attorneys representing the EDC in this matter will be able to do so. Further discussion of the complaint could jeopardize this process and endanger our ability to recoup taxpayer losses. The complaint on its own contains a great deal of important and illuminating information on how this deal unfolded.
Litigation is often long and tedious. The filing of this complaint is only the beginning. I know therefore there still will be many unanswered questions as the legal process continues and if and when other information comes to light it will be appropriately addressed.
My message to Rhode Islanders is this: I know that you work hard for your paychecks, and for your tax dollars to be squandered is unacceptable. The Board's legal action was taken to rectify a grave injustice put upon the people of Rhode Island. You have my commitment that I will continue fighting to protect the interest of all Rhode Islanders every day that I am Governor."
This does not bode well…we'll try to have updates soon.


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Three sentenced in mob bookmaking case
One is a longtime mob associate, another is a custodian for the Stamford school system -- the third is a Stamford restaurateur.
All three men were recently sentenced for their bookmaking roles in a multi-million dollar gambling operation run by members of the Gambino Crime Family in Fairfield County.
U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant sentenced Anthony "Skinny" Santoro, 49, of Staten Island, N.Y., who federal authorities say is a longtime associate of the Bonnano Crime Family to eight months in prison and ordered him to forfeit $25,000 to the government.
She sent Michael "Peewee" Vitti, 33, of Stamford, a custodial engineer for the Stamford Board of Education, to prison for 10 months and ordered him to forfeit $100,000.
Finally, Bryant sentenced Daniel "Dannyboy" DeGruttola, 33, also of Stamford, who owns the Brickhouse Bar & Grill, Bedford Street, to three months of home confinement and forfeiture of $100,000. All three previously pleaded guilty to operating an illegal gambling business which carries a maximum five-year federal prison term.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen charged that the trio worked for a gambling operation that took in $1.69 million from October 2010 to June 2011. The prosecutor said the operation is headed by Dean DePreta, 45, of Stamford, a reputed Gambino associate and his longtime friend, Richard Uva, 44, of Trumbull.
Their operation included street bookies, an internet gambling website in Costa Rica, and three gambling houses in Stamford and Hamden, according to court documents. Both DePreta and Uva have pleaded innocent to charges and are awaiting trial.
Chen said Santoro is a longtime associate of Vito Badamo, a made member of the Bonnano Crime Family. The two were arrested, convicted and incarcerated following a 1995 attempted New York warehouse break-in with the intention of stealing several pounds of cocaine. The break-in was interrupted by police and a shoot out occurred in which one of the pair's accomplices was killed, court documents show.
In this case, Chen charged that DePreta and Uva refused to pay off $28,000 in winnings to Santoro's gamblers because they believed he was manipulating wagers. Chen said they turned over money only after Santoro "enlisted the assistance of his superiors in the Bonnano Family."
The prosecutor said Vitti's gamblers lost about $310,000, and DeGruttola's lost $220,000 to DePreta's operation from the fall of 2010 to the spring of 2011.
In a Jan. 29, 2011, telephone call recorded by the FBI, DeGruttola complained to Uva of some gamblers who couldn't pay.
Uva told him to get their names "because they might be guys you can control...You know what I'm saying?"
He continued: "You gotta make sure they know they can't do that."


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Arians needs fired, today. I know philly was all over us, but it was the same play calling start to finish. When Ben did have time two or three players were all in the same area.
Where were all the screens today? I hate this friggein guy. Our offense is so predictable. Does Ben have 400 yards passing for the season yet?
Let me go first:
Petition to fire Arians:
No.name.........SA Name.....Home...................Comments.......... ......
1.) Glenn a.k.a Clevestinks Lake County Ohio. Fire the stinking bum


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The upcoming EU wave was basically confirmed as a TRU exclusive this May. Any more word on that a Toy Fair, as to yes, it definitely is or why?
Hasbro would not get into specifics (did Walmart/Target reject them, cut back orders, or what?). All they would say on the subject is due to declining demand on the Legacy stuff (and that's retail demand, not necesarily consumer demand), TRU is getting the EU wave, then on-line.
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The Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Train Collection
On30 scale train set inspired by the holiday special. Holiday trims, lights, Rudolph® characters. FREE 16-piece track, power pack with collection.
Train cars are On30 scale, run on HO track; track measures 38" x 56"
From Hawthorne Village
Important Message: The following items are either missing or need correction.
- Please select at least one item.
For millions of families, it just wouldn't be Christmas without watching the beloved television classic "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer®". Now, let Rudolph and his friends help create a new family tradition with the first-ever Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer electric train collection, complete with sculptural details! The holiday fun begins with Issue One, featuring the impressive steam locomotive and coal tender. Soon, your collection will continue with Issue Two, a classic train car, which includes the FREE 16-piece HO gauge track, and additional Rudolph train cars with sculpted characters and decorations, each a separate issue to follow.‡
Available exclusively from Hawthorne Village, this heartwarming electric train collection is filled with magical holiday accents and sculptural details. You'll love every moment spent watching the classic steam engine with its brightly lit headlamp, chugging around the track and bringing Rudolph and his friends to life in your home. But don't wait! Brisk demand is expected for the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Christmas Town Express, so order now!
- The first-ever illuminated Rudolph® Christmas train collection inspired by the classic holiday television special "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer®," available only from Hawthorne Village
- Included FREE 16-piece HO gauge track with Issue Two and a power pack with Issue Three - together a $100 value
- This Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer collectible Christmas train set is carefully handcrafted with precision detailing and authentic features including a solid metal chassis and steel alloy wheels to bring you years of enjoyment
- Each train car in your collection is richly detailed with holiday decorations and sculptural figurines, including the Abominable Snowmonster and Sam the Snowman
- Figurines are removable, fully sculpted and hand-painted in authentic hues from the TV special
- The 2-6-0 engine headlight really lights up for a fully illuminated display of Rudolph and his friends
- The heirloom-quality On30 scale trains are precisely scaled to run on an HO gauge track
- Certificate of Authenticity
- Individual train cars are On30 scale and run on HO train track, complete oval track measures 38" x 56"; 96.5 cm x 142.2 cm
- Reserve the collectible Rudolph's Christmas Town Express Train Collection from Hawthorne Village in your name so you never risk an increase on the price of other collectibles in this collection
- ‡Each issue will be shipped to you for your review, about one every month or two (pending availability), at the same low issue price and charged to the credit card on which your order was placed. No need to order each one separately
- You may cancel your collection at any time with no obligation
- "Issue One - the steam locomotive and tender" will be followed by "Issue Two - collectible train car with FREE HO gauge track," and additional collectible train cars decorated with sculpted Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer characters as they become available
- Buy This Item Now:
- The Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Train Collection
Exclusive Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer® Collectible Electric Train Collection a Unique Christmas Decoration
- Price:
- s&s◇
- Item no:
- 48175
©2004 Hawthorne Village


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Oh, and I made this vegan so my dear friend Lizzy could eat some while she's dog-sitting this week, while Alex and I escape to New York to relax at my dad's house for a few days.
a double recipe vegan pie crust, or your favorite gluten-free pie crust recipe
3 pounds cherries, washed and pitted (and I would suggest cutting them in half)
4 T cornstarch
3/4 c brown sugar
1 t vanilla
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 c water or juice (like pomegranate)
Preheat the oven to 350. Roll out half the pie crust and line a pie plate with it. Toss the cherries with the cornstarch, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and water or other juice. Let sit for about 10 minutes, while you roll out the top crust for the pie.
Pour the berries into the crust, and weave strips of crust into a lattice. If that's too challenging, or you are feeling lazy, just cover with the top crust and cut a few slits in the top for steam. Place the assembled pie on a cookie sheet (to catch any juice that might overflow), and bake about an hour. If the crust browns too much, cover with foil until the pie is finished cooking.


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A man who was declared suicidal by a New Mexico jail and alleges he was then left to rot in solitary confinement for nearly two years is just one of many former inmates who say they were denied essential mental health services while incarcerated at that detention center, which like others across the country has struggled with how to treat the mentally ill.
Stephen Slevin, 57, made headlines last week when a jury awarded him $22 million after he alleged inhumane treatment in the Dona Ana County Detention Center following his arrest in August 2005 on charges of driving while under the influence and possession of a stolen vehicle.
But a search of Dona Ana County court records reveals the detention center was also hit with a class-action lawsuit six months prior to Slevins', in which 13 former inmates alleged their constitutional rights to mental health care had been "continually and persistently ignored."
The lawsuit was settled in 2010, with a judgment of $400,000 for the plaintiffs and a commitment from the county to change its practices.
According to criminal justice experts, many other jails and prisons have struggled to adequately handle mentally ill inmates. Few areas of the country, they say, have the money and resources and staff to handle such a challenging population.
"The Supreme Court has established that you have a constitutional right to a basic level of adequate health care, which now includes mental health care," Thomas Hafemeister, an associate professor at the University of Virginia School of Law, told msnbc.com. "They've recognized that there tends to be limited resources in this setting. As long as a qualified professional has examined the inmate and exercised his or her judgment as to what needs to be done, that's all that is required."
'Cruel and unusual'
But Hafemeister, who has written about alternatives to the traditional criminal justice system for the mentally ill, explained that the definition of a "qualified professional" is a loose one.
"Some would argue for inmates, all that is required is medication," he said, meaning anyone with a medical degree, from a physician to a psychiatrist, could be considered qualified.
"Often it's very expensive. They're only willing to come in for an hour a week, and they zoom through very quickly. It can be a very cursory examination," Hafemeister said.
Slevin was detained for 22 months, released in June of 2007 without ever having been given a trial. By the time he was freed, he was deemed mentally incompetent, and his charges were dropped.
Slevin claims the only response he got while in Dona Ana Detention Center to his repeated requests for antidepressants was an increase in sedatives. Other mentally ill inmates at Dona Ana, according to the class-action lawsuit, struggled to get adequate care as well. One allegedly was punished by a medical technician, who discontinued his medications for two weeks; others complained of side effects but were not offered alternatives, the suit said.
"A jail like Dona Ana County was trying for years to cut costs, and nothing would force them to spend the money that they're constitutionally required to," Brendan Egan, an attorney who represented the plaintiffs on behalf of the ACLU and is now in private practice, told msnbc.com. "It's cruel and unusual punishment. They weren't willing to put money into it, even though they made money off of this jail. They're paying the price for how they treated people for years."
The primary plaintiff named in that suit, Jaime Bravo, was jailed from April 2007 until February 2008 after a domestic dispute. Bravo had depression, anxiety and acute psychosis, the suit said.
Four times during his detainment, Bravo attempted suicide, and each time he was then put in a padded cell or a restraint cell, said court documents.
"On or about November 15, 2007, Mr. Bravo made a fourth suicide attempt, by cutting his arm with a razor blade, necessitating stitches. DACDC staff placed him in a padded cell as a consequence … On or about November 16, 2007, Mr. Bravo tore out his sutures. DACDC staff placed him in a restraint chair as a consequence."
In jail, mental illness will 'get exponentially worse'
While Dona Ana County was ordered to pay a total of $400,000 to the plaintiffs, a small amount compared to Slevin's judgment, the bigger reward was that the jail changed how it handled mentally ill inmates, Egan said.
The jail renovated an entire section and "turned it into a very humane and real mental health unit," he said. Officials also dedicated beds at a separate mental health hospital staffed by jail guards for the sickest detainees.
"Even if you take someone who has a slight mental illness like depression and you put them in a regular jail, they get worse," Egan said. "[At Dona Ana County], they would just lock them in. They already had issues and you lock them up 22, 23 hours a day – they're going to get exponentially worse."
Just last month, the county approved a $2 million plan for a crisis triage center, which would offer an alternative for mentally ill people other than jail – something Egan believes will help.
"There were no mental health facilities or treatment for homeless people on the street, so you would have people on the street getting arrested basically for being mentally ill," Egan said. "But once they got arrested, the county commissioners didn't provide resources."
According to Fred Osher, director of health systems and services policy at the Council of State Governments Justice Center, people with mental disorders are overrepresented in the mental health system.
"There's a variety of factors that contribute, but one of the research studies... looked at two jails in Maryland and three in New York. Seventeen percent [of inmates] met the criteria for mental illness," he told msnbc.com.
Nationwide, prevalence of severe mental illness among inmates is at least 15 percent, said Richard Bonnie, director of the University of Virginia's Institute of Law, Psychiatry, and Public Policy.
"There are many factors at work here, but many us involved in this field are convinced that diversion from the criminal justice system into mental health services … can alleviate the problem without compromising public safety," he told msnbc.com via email.
Jail diversion options include drug courts, where a substance abuse program is worked out instead of a jail sentencing; mental health courts, where a behavioral contract including drug tests and treatment appointments is drawn up; and sometimes, assignment to a mental health probation officer who is trained to handle mental issues and knows how to direct someone to health services.
"Lots of people have recognized there's this population with severe mental disorders that just isn't going to do well in a prison population," said Hafemeister, from the University of Virginia Law School.
Care doesn't have to cost more
And it doesn't always have to be expensive to divert those with mental issues, added Osher.
"What many systems are coming to realize is if you provide alternatives, then you can reduce length of stay. You can actually have this be a resource-neutral event. It doesn't necessarily require an infusion of dollars," he said. "We're spending tons of money warehousing, having people in a revolving door without producing good outcomes."
He cited Montgomery County, Md. as a successful example.
"They do a really nice job in screening and identifying folks with mental illness and diverting them when possible," he said. The county also tries get to them in psychiatric programs and help them with re-entry into the community, which reduces chances of them returning to jail, and helps them with their medication management as they transition out.
Similar programs are also happening at Alleghany County Jail in Pittsburgh and Miami-Dade, he said. Riker's Island in New York is undergoing a major transformation with their mental health care as well.
"Good things are happening at Riker's because of a settlement. The folks at Rikers with mental illness were ... without any resources to fend for themselves," he said. Baltimore and Memphis jails have also reformed their mental health care after being subject to lawsuits.
Training police officers to recognize mental illness is another key, Osher said, so those who need medical help can hopefully get diverted to emergency rooms or psychiatric centers before they are sent to jails in the first place - but only if that's not where they should be.
"We're not giving people a pass because they have mental illness," Osher said. "We're not being soft on crime. For those individuals that don't pose a public safety risk, there are these alternatives. There are treatments that can be provided."
Editor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly quoted Dr. Fred Osher as saying seventy percent, not seventeen percent, of inmates in a study met the criteria for mental illness.
Previous stories on this subject:
- Man spends 2 years in solitary after DWI arrest
- Letters from solitary confinment reveal DWI man's despair
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News


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No, I'm not talking about McDonalds bags or kitty litter, I'm talking about instance trash. This is actually a bit of a tie-in with Seri's post about apping to a raid guild. It was prompted by problems our guild has faced in the past with new recruits, so I wanted to bring it up. There is more to joining a raid guild than having the gear for the content. Finding the right "fit" is a process, and very open to pitfalls. I think we all have a tendency to just go shopping for a guild at the right level of progression, without thinking first about what sort of raid environment we enjoy. I'm not just talking about the people and vent chatter, I'm also talking about the actual process of raiding. Knowing what you need and want is your responsibility to consider before accepting a guild invite, and should be brought up by you in the interview process. The simplest, and perhaps most telling, would be to ask how the guild handles trash.
Two examples to illustrate what I feel are two ends of a spectrum:
The Meticulous Style
This is many group's default, at least while learning content. Every pull is marked, every tank and CC'er has their target, everyone is careful. There is very little FFA healing, each healer assigned to a specific person or group/party and sticking with it. It's also very much healing by the rules. Lots of cancel-casting, letting hots tick without being overwritten, there's a general focus on doing what is needed and conserving resources. Healing is not a competition, you're doing what is most needed to get the boss down cleanly. This style is very good when things go wrong, there's usually a back-up plan in place. Also, this style is very friendly to low-healer groups. Doing content with fewer than the recommended number of healers pretty much demands this style of gameplay.
The Aggressive Style
This is almost the opposite of Meticulous. It's perhaps best considered a controlled chaos. This is much more common on the instance you've farmed to death and just want to get through as quickly as possible. Tanks fight each other for aggro on multiple targets (Tank A decides he wants all his targets, plus a few of Tank B's) AoE occurs more often than single-target DPS, and beyond assigning tank heal assignments, the rest is FFA healing. Most pulls have a "seat of your pants" feel, and you spend a good deal of the evening riding the line of something going very wrong. This sort of style usually occurs with a very strong, overgeared group. However sloppy it may look, however, it is done by people who know their capability. Tanks will steal targets, but not more than they know they (and their healers) can handle. Healers will cross-heal with abandon, but only as far as they know their mana will stretch.
The Problem
As is probably obvious, problems can occur when someone who is used to raiding with a group who uses one extreme applies to a group who goes the other way. If you were happy with the style of raiding of your previous guild, you need to also ensure your application goes to a guild which follows the same style. (If you're not happy with the style, by all means, find a guild of the opposite style to apply to.)
If you are a meticulous healer, you're healing by-the-books, the right way. Your target is staying up, you're doing everything the right way. However, if you join an aggressive guild, you're either going to be bored (because someone else is always going to have a heal land first, or overwrite your hot) or going to cause red flags with your class lead when WWS reports your effective healing numbers are half that of those who share your spec/assignment.
Conversely, if you're an aggressive healer and join a meticulous guild, you're going to spend your time feeling like you're surrounded by a bunch of slackers. You're not going to want to watch the DPS's health slowly climb as hots tick, you're going to want to give 'em a boost now. You're also likely to cause just as many red flags with your class lead for your flagrant cross-healing. At the end of the day, your healing numbers may blow everyone else out of the water, but you're going to cause people to worry about your conservation and what will happen if things go wrong.
The Solution
Neither healer nor guild in either of my previous examples is wrong, they are only wrong for each other. Where the wrongness occurs is before the first raid, it's in the interview, or even the application. It is the applicant's responsibility to know what their style is, and to find out if that meshes with the guild they are applying to. Guilds also have the responsibility to be open and upfront with what sort of healing environment they will provide.
No guild is going to follow either style 100% of the time, nor are they always going to adhere to the extreme. Most guilds are probably somewhere in the middle. Know where you stand, so when you apply, you know you're not setting yourself up for failure.


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An Adventurous Dogsledding Winter Wedding at Good Times Adventures in Breckenridge, Colorado
The Photogenic Lab
With their love for the freedom of being outdoors, particularly in Colorado, Tuyen Lam (36 and a freelance floral designer) and Simon Chiu (39 and a software developer) didn't want to settle for a classic wedding. Every year, they take an annual snowboarding trip with friends, and three weeks before, decided it was the perfect opportunity to elope in one of their favorite places. The New York City-based couple used Good Times Adventures in Breckenridge, Colorado, to dogsled to and from their ceremony site (Simon's favorite part!), but otherwise stayed in an airBnB with their friends. Tuyen chose to wear a bohemian BHLDN wedding dress with a lace overlay on the top and champagne tulle skirt. She loved how whimsical and carefree it was, plus, she knew it would hold up in the snow. It was even better that it arrived two days after she ordered it! She completed the look with a pair of practical Timberland boots and a purple and gray scarf from Urban Outfitters (which she found two days before they left) for the adventurous winter wedding. Simon wore a three-piece gray suit from SuitSupply in Manhattan, and although the couple didn't tell each other what they were going to wear for the wedding, they ended up matching perfectly. Tuyen and Simon exchanged vows in an open space?among the evergreen trees high in the mountains. "We were surrounded by the openness and trees somewhere that made us both happy and free," Tuyen says. "To incorporate our family who weren't able to attend our last minute elopement, we draped bunting that was made from items of clothing from us, as well as each of our family members." They used a simple purple and gray color palette for their adventurous outdoor winter wedding.
The Photogenic Lab
Good Times Adventures


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Disney Infinity confirmed, coming in June
Disney Infinity has been officially announced, confirming several of the details from earlier leaks. It will be starting to roll out in June.
Disney officially announced Disney Infinity today, confirming several of the details circulating last month. The ambitious game draws together characters from Disney and Pixar, pitching itself as a platform for "play sets" starring the cast of various film properties.
The "Play Set" story modes take you through themed stages to solve puzzles, battle enemies, and explore. You'll collect characters, vehicles, and gadgets to store in your "Toy Box," where you'll customize your own virtual world using Disney icons. You'll also be able to collect character figurines for use in the game, a la Skylanders. The initial roll-out will consist of 40 collectible pieces, 17 figurines, the Disney Infinity base, and discs that interact with characters to grant them unique powers.
The game will initially be available on consoles, and then move into mobile and online devices throughout the rest of the year. It's being handled by Avalanche Software, the company behind Toy Story 3. If you played that game and experienced its own sandbox mode, you probably have the right idea.
"Disney Infinity combines prominent Disney and Pixar characters and scenarios in a way that mimics how kids play in real life," said Avalanche VP John Blackburn, in the announcement. "With our platform's unique gameplay mechanics and innovative approach to user generated content within the 'Toy Box' mode, Disney Infinity will spark imaginations and provide endless hours of fun and creativity."
Steve Watts posted a new article, Disney Infinity confirmed, coming in June.
Disney Infinity has been officially announced, confirming several of the details from earlier leaks. It will be starting to roll out in June.


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Trust me on this one if you haven't found this out for yourself.
Yesterday while lounging by the pool I was complaining about my weight (I'm ridiculous. I know. Weight isn't important. It shouldn't be a focus. Blah, blah, blah).
"I haven't been to the gym once this summer. I'm pretty sure I've gained 5 lbs. I think I have more cellulite than I had before I stopped exercising."
Or course, the answer I was hoping for from my husband was, "what are you talking about? You look great. Fantastic even. You'd never know you've had 5 kids. Don't be silly."
Even if it wasn't true.
What I got was my child pipping in with the truth before my husband had the chance to fib to me.
"Um, mom? I did notice that your legs look a little flabby".
Um, Thank you very little?
See? Lesson learned.
Note to self: If you can't handle the truth, don't ask. Don't fish. Just do something about it.
One of these days, I WILL get back to the gym. In the meantime, I'll be sure to be fully and completely self conscious when I'm in a bathing suit. How's that for the truth?
P.S Don't worry. My daughter assured me today that my legs look less flabby in this bathing suit than the one I was wearing yesterday.
Thanks? I think?
Note to self. THROW out the bathing suit I was wearing yesterday.