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TV tonight: 'Vampire Diaries,' 'Parks and Recreation'
- %27Vampire Diaries%27 returns after a break
- %27Parks and Recreation%27 is new as well
- Animated %27Archer%27 also is back
The Vampire Diaries |CW, 8 ET/PT
The Vampire Diaries is back from its winter break — bringing Rebekah (Claire Holt) back as well. And as Stefan, Elena and Caroline are about to discover, she's not at all happy. Apparently she has questions about the search for a cure and wants them answered as, one imagines, do some of the show's viewers.
Parks and Recreation |NBC, 8:30 ET/PT
Fresh off her well-received and highly rated appearance at the Golden Globes, Amy Poehler returns to her day job with the winter opener of her boutique sitcom. But where she was the co-host of an alcohol-soaked night out at the Globes, here she's a guest, as Ann (Rashida Jones) throws a bachelorette party for Poehler's Leslie, while Chris (Rob Lowe) throws a party for Ben (Adam Scott). Parks' viewing parties have always tended to be rather sparsely attended, but who knows, maybe a few of Poehler's Globe fans will follow her here.
Archer |FX, 10 ET/PT
One of TV's funniest and most scurrilous cartoons returns, as a wedding-induced case of amnesia has left a confused Archer thinking he's the "Bob" in Fox's Sunday cartoon Bob's Burgers. (If you're wondering why, it's because H. Jon Benjamin provides the voice of both Bob and Archer.) Archer may have temporarily left spying behind, but you'll be happy to know he's just as dangerous — and just as humorously self-absorbed — as a grill cook, And you'll be even happier to know he soon gets back to annoying his co-workers, who must be the most contentious office-mates on TV.


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Last week, while I was home, I got a notice that I had some books from the library that were overdue. This is a chronic problem of mine, remembering to get the books back on time. Of course, these were knitting books. One was a book of stitch patterns, one was Nicky Epstein's book about flowers and one was a book about brioche knitting by Nancy Marchand.
All three books were really good, but they weren't good books to borrow from the library. They are the kind of books you want to keep on your shelf as reference books when you are designing something. I have resolved to buy the Nicky Epstein book for sure. I love flowers, and there were some beauties in that book, both knitted and crocheted. I'd buy the others as well, if I could find them. Maybe they'll show up as used books on Amazon when I have the money to buy them.
However, I came to work today to find two books waiting for me. They must've arrived while I was on furlough. One was a book by Nora J . Bellows about knitting flowers called "Noni Flowers." It is amazingly good. I am going to interview the author tomorrow afternoon, and I'm very excited.
The second book is by Stephanie Japel, a woman whom I've gotten to know slightly through Facebook, and it's called "Mom & Me Knits." It has 20 adorable projects for mothers and daughters, mainly top-down raglan sweaters (my favorite kind!)
In addition to those two books, I have a copy of Nicky Epstein's "Knitting Never Felt So Good" to review because that book is about to be rereleased in paperback. So I have some great stuff coming in the next week or so.
In the meantime, I am plugging away at the Swirl sweater and my current prayer shawl. My stitch counts and Sandra McIver's haven't agreed for several welts now, and I am kind of winging it on my own at the moment on the Swirl sweater. I tried it on at a restaurant last night in front of Lynne Ewen, so I think it's going to come out okay. I hope so. I usually fudge something on a sweater, and it almost always comes out okay.
As I was poking around my study/computer room last night, looking for my yarn winder, I came across a bag of yarn that I had completely forgotten about. I bought it at a clearance sale somewhere because it was a colorway that combined browns, blues and greens and there seemed to be enough for a sweater. Now that I've rediscovered it, I'd really like to do something with it. But after I found it, I wound up the cotton yarn I bought at Down Cellar last week so that I can make a jacket with it. I'm excited about that project, too.
But here's a neat coincidence. That varigated yarn that I found last night? It would probably make a good cardigan with the pointed front panels, something I've been wanting to make for a while. And so I went back and checked my entry from Dec. 20, 2011, "Designs that inspire me," where I listed the 5 sweaters I most wanted to do this year. And guess what! I've already finished 2 of the projects I mentioned in that post, my Driftwood pullover, the Berger de France poncho, and I'm close to finishing the third, the Swirl sweater. And the sweater with the pointed front panels that I listed from Knitscene magazine was designed by Stephanie Japel, the same woman who wrote the "Mom & Me" book that I want to review soon.
So my day has come full circle, with two connections to Nicky Epstein and two to Stephanie Japel. Not sure what that means, but I'll take it. ;D

subset: commoncrawl


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- Home
Welcome to the Mountain-Prairie Region
The Mountain-Prairie Region consists of 8 states in the heart of the American west including Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.
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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a long tradition of scientific excellence and always uses the best-available science to inform its work to conserve fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitat for the benefit of the American public.
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National Wildlife Refuges
Where Wildlife Comes First
Created in 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt, today's National Wildlife Refuge System protects habitats and wildlife across the country, from the Alaskan tundra to subtropical wetlands. Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Refuge System's 560-plus refuges cover more than 150 million acres and protect nearly 1,400 species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and fish.
While national wildlife refuges were created to protect wildlife, they are for people too. Refuges are ideal places for people of all ages to explore and connect with the natural world. We invite you to learn more about and visit the national wildlife refuges and wetland management districts in Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.
- Visit a Refuge or District
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Ecological Services
The Mountain-Prairie Region's Office of Ecological Services (ES) works to restore and protect healthy populations of fish, wildlife, and plants and the environments upon which they depend. Using the best available science, ES personnel work with Federal, State, Tribal, local, and non-profit stakeholders, as well as private land owners, to avoid, minimize, and mitigate threats to our Nation's natural resources.
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Migratory Birds
Providing leadership in the conservation of migratory bird habitat through partnerships, grants, and outreach for present and future generations. The Migratory Bird Program is responsible for maintaining healthy migratory bird populations for the benefit of the American people.
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Fish and Aquatic Conservation
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Fish and Aquatic Conservation Program in the Mountain-Prairie Region helps conserve, protect, and enhance aquatic resources and provides economically valuable recreational fishing to anglers across the country. The program comprises 12 National Fish Hatcheries.
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Law enforcement is essential to virtually every aspect of wildlife conservation. The Office of Law Enforcement contributes to Service efforts to manage ecosystems, save endangered species, conserve migratory birds, preserve wildlife habitat, restore fisheries, combat invasive species, and promote international wildlife conservation.
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External Affairs
External Affairs staff in the Mountain-Prairie Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provides support to the regional office and field stations to communicate and facilitate information about the Service's programs to the public, media, Congress, Tribes, partners, and other stakeholders in the 8-state region.
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Partners for Fish & Wildlife (PFW)
Background and History of PFW | Partners for Fish and Wildlife Act | Role of PFW in the Service | Support for PFW from Other Groups | Participating Landowners | Contact Us | Open / Close All
Colorado Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program »
Kansas Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program »
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Nebraska Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program »
North Dakota Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program »
South Dakota Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program »
Utah Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program »
Wyoming Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program »
Partners for Fish and Wildlife evolved from early-1970's concerns about low waterfowl breeding populations and annual production in the north-central United States and southern prairie Canada. A formal attempt to define the waterfowl recruitment problem and consider solutions occurred at a meeting called by the Province of Manitoba in January 1974. Following that meeting, a committee led by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources developed a course of action.
A pilot program, the Mid-continent Waterfowl Management Unit, was established in western Minnesota. A steering committee of the Wildlife Management Institute, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service guided the effort.
The "Mid-Continent Project" had Four Goals:
- Protect existing wetland habitat in private ownership
- Create and/or restore wetland habitat on private land
- Establish upland nesting cover on private land
- Improve wetland and upland habitat on public land
Management activities were designed and field tested from 1978 through 1987 in a three county pilot area. In 1987, the "mid-continent project" was expanded by the Fish and Wildlife Service into an operational private lands habitat program (Partners for Wildlife) for application in every state.
The Region 6 Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program started in North Dakota in 1987 and has been expanded to all other Region 6 states since then. Partners for Fish and Wildlife's focus goes beyond waterfowl habitat.
Partners for Fish and Wildlife National Brochure
Mountain-Prairie Region PFW Strategic Plan, 2017-2021 »
Mountain-Prairie Region PFW Strategic Plan Summary, 2017-2021 »
Partners for Fish and Wildlife Act »
The Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program is a voluntary, landowner friendly, and results oriented approach to private lands fish and wildlife conservation that is proving its worth in all aspects of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's mission. For instance:
National Wildlife Refuge System
The Partners Program is recognized as having a positive impact on the Service's National Wildlife Refuge System. The Program focuses on habitat projects within watersheds of National Wildlife Refuges and Waterfowl Production Areas, thereby amplifying refuge habitat benefits.
North American Waterfowl Management Plan
North American Waterfowl Management Plan logoThe Partners Program got its start assisting with the implementation of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. Today, the Partners Program continues to strongly support these efforts through wetland restoration and other habitat enhancement needs on private lands.
Contributing to the North American Waterfowl Management Plan
North American Bird Conservation Initiative
The Partners Program works with all the bird conservation initiatives, to assist with integrated bird conservation, by providing private landowners with technical and financial assistance to maintain or restore priority habitats.
North American Bird Conservation Initiative
Fisheries Program
The Partners Program addresses habitat enhancement and restoration needs for riverine, stream, riparian, grassland, and forest habitat in support of the Service's Fisheries Program.
Conserving America's Fisheries
Endangered Species Habitat Recovery
The Partners Program is recognized as an important habitat-based tool in endangered species recovery efforts. Through partnerships with private landowners, critical habitat for endangered species has been restored through the technical and financial assistance provided through the Partners Program.
Duck Stamps
Short-term private land agreements, easements, and fee-title acquisition are all part of an integrated habitat protection program. In many cases, short-term Partners Program agreements lead the way to permanent habitat protection with Duck Stamp funds.
Working with Native Americans
The Partners Program addresses the Service's Native American trust responsibilities by actively pursuing stream, riparian, wetland, and grassland restoration projects with numerous tribal entities in Region 6.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has "trust responsibility" to assist trabal entities in managing fish and wildlife resources on their reservations. This includes offering support to restore and enhance reservation fish and wildlife habitats.
Partners for Fish and Wildlife has taken trust responsibility seriously. Biologists are currently working with tribal governments, members, and landowners on reservations in Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. A significant, but intangible, value of this effort is renewed trust between tribes and the Service.
"In working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe can truly say that it has been a pleasure. This partnership . . . has proven itself to be very good for all parties involved. It is our sincere hope that the tribe and Fish and Wildlife may continue in this outstanding relationship for many years to come."
Gregg J. Bourland
Tribal Chairman
Support for PFW from Other Groups »
State, federal, tribal, and private conservation organizations use Partners for Fish and Wildlife to achieve common habitat objectives. Partners' support will remain high as long as high quality habitat projects are produced with a minimum of red tape and delay.
"Partners for Wildlife has been heralded as one of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's most accepted programs. It has turned adversaries into cooperators."
Matthew B. Connolly, Jr.
Former Executive Vice President
Ducks Unlimited, Inc.
"(Partners for Wildlife) does not increase federal land ownership, regulations or condemnations. It is one of the tools required for biodiversity and ecosystem management, in which agencies recognize their stake in the treatment of resources outside the boundaries of federal ownership, and which hinges on the cooperation among federal, state, local, and private interests in the management of ecosystems."
Jean Hocker, President
Land Trust Alliance
Washington, D.C.
"(The) Farm Bureau wants to conserve true functioning wetlands and Partners for Wildlife is a program that accomplishes this. The beauty of the program is that people go into it for all the right reasons. They want to leave a legacy to their children or grandchildren or enjoy the aesthetic values associated with wetlands. The fact that private landowners control their property is one of the true benefits of the program."
Mark Maslyn
Deputy Executive Director
Environment/Labor/Natural Resources
American Farm Bureau
Washington, D.C.
The Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program is a voluntary private lands habitat restoration program. It is a cost-share program, rather than a grants program. Therefore, there is no request for proposals and the landowner does not need to fill out a grant application to receive financial or technical assistance on their ranch or farm.
Within the Mountain-Prairie Region, the Partners program works with hundreds of private landowners to develop projects that benefit fish and wildlife species, while also helping ranchers increase their bottom-line. The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) can help improve grasslands, restore water quality, and reduce invasive species that compete with range production and health. This becomes a win-win for both the rancher and Service.
Regional Staff
Heather Johnson
Regional Partners for Fish and Wildlife Chief
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
134 Union Blvd., Suite 300
Lakewood, CO 80228
(303) 236-4316 office | (303) 594-8780 cell
State Coordinators
Dominic Barrett | Colorado
Colorado PFW Program
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
134 Union Blvd., Suite 400
Lakewood, CO 80228
(303) 236-4341
Mike Disney | Kansas
Kansas PFW Program
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
2609 Anderson Ave
Manhattan, KS 66502
(785) 539-3474 ext. 107
Greg Neudecker | Montana
Montana PFW Program
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
P.O. Box 66
Ovando, MT 59854
Kenny Dinan | Nebraska
Nebraska PFW Program
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
9325 South Alda Road
Wood River, NE 68883
308-382-6468 ext. 214
Scott McLeod | North Dakota
North Dakota PFW Program
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
3425 Miriam Ave.
Bismarck, ND 58501
Kurt Forman | South Dakota
South Dakota PFW Program
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
530 B Third Avenue
P.O. Box 247
Brookings, SD 57006
Karl Fleming | Utah
Utah PFW Program
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
2155 West Forest Street
Brigham City, UT 84302
Mark Hogan | Wyoming
Wyoming PFW Program
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
170 North First Street
Lander, WY 82520
Department of the Interior
About the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service


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LONDON, Aug. 15 (UPI) -- The British government is called on to "pull the plug" on fracking and adopt an energy policy more focused on renewable energy, Friends of Earth said.
Energy company Cuadrilla Resources has faced nearly two weeks of protests against its preliminary oil exploration campaign in Balcombe, a city in West Sussex near the southeast coast. Opposition groups suspect the effort could be a prelude to a broader hydraulic fracturing operation.
The BBC reported Wednesday the company doesn't expect the site to go into full-scale production. Friends of Earth campaign director Andrew Pendleton said Wednesday the company bowed to local opposition.
"Communities don't want to see their quality of life and local environment threatened by fracking and are rightly skeptical about claims it will lead to cheaper fuel bills," he said in a statement.
British Prime Minister David Cameron has come out in support of hydraulic fracturing, a drilling technology helping with oil and natural gas production gains in the United States. Critics of the practice, dubbed fracking, worry it could cause groundwater contamination.
"The government should pull the plug on fracking and create an energy policy that generates jobs and tackles climate change by developing Britain's massive renewable energy potential," Pendleton said.


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One of the most loved recollections of my adolescence was investing energy with my grandparents and today I feel so appreciative to God for that. Not just I got the chance to play diversions with them yet I additionally got the chance to hear new sleep time stories consistently.
Just when minimal ones invest energy with their grandmom and grandad, they will become acquainted with that they go about as a referee, push cradles, supporters, watchman and foundations of the family. The bond that grandparents have with their grandchildren is a unique passionate bond, which is one of its kind. The help that our folks get from grandparents now and again goes unnoticed and in some cases neglected also.
Along these lines, on the off chance that you are living a long way from your folks as a result of work or different reasons and your children by one means or another don't inspire time to bond with their grandparents. At that point following are the tips how you can help your kiddiewinks in keeping up a sound long-remove association with their granddad and grandma.
We should get to them one by one.
1) Make your visits visit
On the off chance that you are living in a similar city, at that point ensure that you take your kids to visit their grandmom and grandad all the more frequently and in the event that you live in some other city or nation at that point intend to visit them amid summer breaks or amid long ends of the week. Other than this, you can likewise urge their grandparents to design visits or for a long remain at your place.
2) Technology makes keeping in contact less demanding
With the progression of innovation staying in contact has turned out to be simple. You can make your children FaceTime, Skype or Video call with their grandmom and grandad by settling specific days and time in seven days so kids have a comment forward to. Other than these, children can trade messages, pictures, voice notes (counting sleep time stories and rhymes) or messages with their grandmother and grandpa.
3) Surprise them when they wouldn't dare hoping anymore
Grandparents love spoiling their grandchildren. Each time they go to visit them, they make a point to astonish them with endowments. What you can do diverse is as opposed to gifting them on the standard event, astound them by sending endowments through sends un-sporadically. Top gifting choices are sending treats, their most loved device, a collection of pictures or it can essentially be a letter. Thusly they will feel more associated and adored.
4) More one-on-one correspondence
Whenever grandchildren or grandparents visit, at that point support your child investing one-on-one energy with grandmother in the kitchen by helping her while she is setting up some family formula, as this will enable the discussion to stream all the more uninhibitedly.
Other than this requesting that granddad read stories will prompt some important discussion here and there edifying.
5) Friendly Relationship
Grandparents go about as an extension between the guardians and children. Guardians have such a large amount of the weight of doing everything and influencing children to pick up everything splendidly. The weight of being the best guardians begins from influencing their children to figure out how to talk, walk, carry on, and so on. As grandparents, you can instruct your grandchildren with no weight of being impeccable at child rearing. Thusly you can go about as their companion and guide them the correct path with each correct advance for example, in their leisure activities, encourages them how to confront the opposition and how to be certain.


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Sometimes you just can't finish. You desperately want to, and you try 'til your eyes roll back in your skull, but there's a point you know it's just not going to happen. Then shame sets in, and you wonder if you should admit it or just go ahead and fake it with a gratuitous, "wow, that was really great."
I'm talking about books, you perverts.
When I was young, I felt it was my duty to finish any book I started reading. It didn't matter how boring I found the story or how uninspiring the characters. I had to keep going. I owed it to myself, my parents, my library, the author….well, I wasn't actually sure who I owed it to, but I knew failing to finish a book was a failure of the highest magnitude.
I'll never forget the first book I gave up on. It was about ten years ago, and no, I won't name it here. I will say it was a popular bestseller that just didn't make my toes curl. I felt bad about that. Other people were panting with ecstasy over this book. Why couldn't I?
But there was something liberating about that first unfinished book. Since then, I'm not ashamed to admit I've given up on dozens of books. I'll usually try for at least 50 pages, but if I'm not feeling the love, I don't feel the need to keep going.
And yes, I've been known to fake it. Come on, we've all done it to spare the ego of the person breathlessly waving the tattered paperback and gushing, "I know you'll love it, it's my favorite book in the world."
Sometimes that noncommittal murmur of shared pleasure is all it takes to get the person off your back.
I guess the reason I'm thinking about this is that I did it again yesterday. I didn't hate the book, and I probably could have kept going, but why should I? I didn't like the characters, the plot was sluggish, the dialogue stilted, and my to-be-read pile is teaming with other books I'd much rather read.
But I'll admit there's still a little guilt involved. Maybe it's that the book is in the romance genre, so there's a slim chance I might someday be asked about it. Do I fake it? Or do I perform the, "it's not you, it's me" dance and blame my own lack of response instead of the author's failure to stimulate me?
What do you do in these situations? Do you ever give up on books when they fail to rub you the right way? Please share!
Oh, and congratulations to Judy, Judy, Judy for winning a signed copy of Making Waves in Tuesday's Fake Q&A contest. Her answer made me laugh, plus I figure the use of multiples in her name should counter-balance the bad climax karma I've generated by talking so much about faking this week. Judy, Judy, Judy (yes, yes, yes!) send your snail mail address to me at tawnafenske at yahoo dot com and I'll hook you up with that signed copy.


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Week Three. The Wall. We warned you that Week Three would be the hardest. The novelty of Drynuary definitely wears off by now, boredom creeps in with a vengeance, and somehow you have to negotiate the interminable two weeks between the NFL conference championships and the Super Bowl without your favorite pastime. It certainly doesn't help that someone threw a holiday weekend into the mix (offer not valid in Arizona).
Week Three is like the second act of a movie: it's long, it's full of subplots, it exists just to set up the denouement, and you have to go to the bathroom. All you really want is for Luke to slamdunk those damn proton torpedoes so you can go get a beer with Chewie.
But, you will prevail! After all, we're more than halfway home.
On Mental Stunts
Jolie: I hate Week Three. Just want to get that out of the way. I hate it for a few reasons: by Week Three I've generally run out of tasks in need of doing around the house (I generally run out of WD-40 around the same time); I've grown bored of tea and tired of not meeting up with friends for after-work drinks. Week Three is when I have to pull the worst mental stunt of the month on myself. I'm not quite ready to talk about that yet though, and I know you have a mental stunt of your own to share. So while you're doing that I'll prepare myself for what I know I have to do.
John: Week Three sucks out loud. However, I've found that it's easier to break up painful endurance events like Drynuary into manageable chunks so that I'm not overwhelmed and discouraged by the daunting monolith of an entire month away from the bar rail. So I break it into, say, weeks or thirds or something similar to give myself smaller, achievable goals that add up to one big Drynuary when all is said and done. Much like when I used to run (LOL!). I'd break a three-mile run into individual miles or perhaps 10-minute chunks, then break those segments down further into things as discrete as the next block or stoplight or tree or round of barfing. Complete enough segments, and your sense of accomplishment could propel you further.
In this way, Day 10 of Drynuary was a neat milestone, because it's double-digits and roughly a third of the way home, and you have a good chunk of actual progress in the bank to fortify yourself in the coming days. After a while, you've banked enough progress that it becomes a motivation in and of itself: I've come this far, it would be a shame to quit now and squander everything I've earned up to this point. You don't want the winning streak to end. (Enough sports metaphors for ya?)
This is one of the reasons that we do weekly installments for Drynuary. We want to be a resource for people throughout the month, give folks something to look forward to, perhaps, and provide some new insight on the dreary topic of Drynuary each week. Unlike—ahem—other Johnny-Come-Latelys who just drop a flaming bag of listicle tagged "Drynuary" at your front door at the beginning of the month, ring the doorbell and run. We're in it for the long haul. With you.
On Staying Strong in Week Three
Jolie: Like John said, we're in it for the long haul and we're here for you. Which means that I have no choice but to tell you about the worst mental-stunt portion of Drynuary.
Week Three is when you have to start telling yourself that while Drynuary may not feel that great, failing at Drynuary will feel way, way, way worse.
I know. I KNOW! It's utterly ghastly. It's so smarmy and smug and not even in the Scoccan sense. It's like having your naggiest relative rattling around in your head, wagging a finger at you. But it's also very true and the thing you have to hold onto throughout Week Three if you're going to make it. It's too easy to throw in the towel and tell yourself that two weeks off the drink was a feat, which: Sure it was! Pat yourself on the back for that!
The thing is though … you didn't sign on for two dry weeks. You signed on for a month. Don't blow it—you'll feel like a chump if you do.
John: Exactly! I don't even find that to be a terrible mental stunt (like the "winning streak" analogy). A terrible mental stunt would be lapsing now and convincing yourself it didn't count. Week Three is full of lifeboat-ethics decisions like that. You're bored as hell with Drynuary (and club soda) at this point. So whatever mental gymnastics you have to pull off to make it through the week are A-OK. Week Three is when you're coasting on willpower fumes. Light at the end of the tunnel is the reward in Week Four.
That said, Week Three's not all sackcloth and ashes. (Wow, between the sports and religious metaphors, wonder if ESPN is hiring?) As we've advocated, Drynuary is about trying new things in place of your old habits. New activities, new pastimes, new distractions, new recipes, all of which are useful year-round. So when's the last time you cooked a simple, yet authentic, Puerto Rican meal? Oh? Well, there's no time like the present. If you can get your hands on some green plantains, you're halfway Boricua like me. Sourcing the plantains alone is worth it for the burning of crucial Drynuary time.
Jolie: It is true that Week Three isn't all sackcloth and ashes. (It's also true that the thought of working for ESPN might be the thing that sends me straight to the bottom of a bottle. And this is coming from someone who has survived stints at Sports Illustrated, FoxSports, and, well, Deadspin.)
It's also true (and exceedingly annoying) that focusing on the positive is another one of those mental tricks that will help get you through the doldrums of Week Three.
John: Clinging to the benefits is a terrifically useful device for getting through Week Three. In keeping with the theme, I'm feeling like my clothes fit better, I've got more legs for playing hockey (and I suck, so this difference is negligible and only important to me), and I'm sleeping more soundly. Like, drooling-on-the-pillow. Aside from the increase in zombie-apocalypse dreams, it's a welcome change with a kid on the way. Waking up always sucks, but I feel more well rested now.
In contrast, I did notice someone on Twitter say that they weren't sleeping that well. I wonder how widespread that is. (Tell us in the comments!) Perhaps it's just the body adjusting to the new regimen. I've always heard that drunk sleep isn't good sleep, and it seems like that's because while booze helps you fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply, it actually interrupts the cycles of REM sleep resulting in restless sleep:
"The latest research, published in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, shows that while a nightcap may get you to doze off, you're more likely to wake up during the night and may not feel as rested following your sleep."
Again, my recent Drynuary experience seems to support this: I'm not having any problems falling asleep, and I'm waking up smack in the middle of stress dreams where I'm pissed off about saving my daughter from drowning because I keep forgetting that my phone is in my pocket. REM sleep!
Jolie: I'm not seeing an improvement in sleep quality this go-round, though in years past I have, but I also suffer from that middle-of-the-night insomnia thing. Which I guess I now know isn't tied to alcohol consumption, so there's that?
However, for the first time in my personal Drynuary history I do notice that my skin is much brighter and rosier. As in years past, my mood is vastly more stable. And I've certainly lost weight—but I am on a severely calorie-restricted diet in addition to not being on the sauce, so.
All in all, this Drynuary has been surprisingly not terrible. Maybe the third time is truly the charm?
John: You'll be celebrating ten years of Drynuary in no time.
I'm Going A Month Without Booze For Some Reason. Join Me?
The Month Without Booze Is A Week Old. I'm Great! How Are You?
Jolie Kerr is the author of the upcoming book My Boyfriend Barfed In My Handbag … And Other Things You Can't Ask Martha (Plume, February 25, 2014); more of her natterings can be found on Twitter, Kinja, and Tumblr.
John Ore's writing has appeared on The Awl, The Hairpin, and The Billfold. You can also follow him on Twitter and Kinja if that's your thing.


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New York Times Reporter Again Advocates for Illegals Cowering in the 'Shadows'
Other than "climate change," no issue brings out the New York Times' liberal bias more than illegal immigration. Thursday Times reporter Fernanda Santos piled on the pro-illegal immigrant tropes in her story from Phoenix, "In Arizona, Immigrants Make Plans In Shadows." Santos claims an Arizona law "seeks to push illegal immigrants out of the state by making it hard for them to go about their lives and earn a living." The paper has used that sympathetic description in several purportedly objective news stories about illegal immigrants.
Another beloved Times cliche: "shadows." The Times loves to call up the image of illegal immigrants cowering "in the shadows" -- the phrase has cropped up in several news stories, though it doesn't seem to jive with the massive pro-amnesty street demonstrations put on my immigrant supporters (and the photos of illegals that constantly grace the paper, like the one below).
The rest of Santos's story is similarly by the numbers.
Miguel Guerra has a wife, three children and a house. He has a car, but no driver's license. He has business cards, but no immigration papers. He got into the habit of keeping his cellphone close when he drives so he can quickly call a cousin, the only legal resident among his relatives in the United States, in case he gets pulled over.
If he does not call again within an hour, he said, the cousin knows to look for him at the county jail.
Mr. Guerra, 36, moved here 13 years ago, before Arizona made illegal immigrants a target, turning once mundane tasks like driving to the grocery into a roll of the dice. Protesting the state's strict immigration laws "hasn't changed anything," he said, so one recent evening he took a more pragmatic approach. He filled out an affidavit designating his cousin to care for his children, his money, his house and everything else he owns should he be arrested.
The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments next week challenging the most controversial sections of an Arizona immigration law, known as SB 1070, which seeks to push illegal immigrants out of the state by making it hard for them to go about their lives and earn a living. Lower courts have prevented many of the most controversial provisions from taking effect, but that has not stopped a chill from seeping into the bones of the state's immigrants.
"Preparing for the worst is our best defense these days," Mr. Guerra said.
Here and elsewhere in Maricopa County, where one in three residents is Hispanic, illegal immigrants -- interviewed at car washes, outside dollar stores, in schools and at the offices of a grass-roots organization called Puente, where Mr. Guerra and others worked on their affidavits -- seemed almost indifferent to how the Supreme Court will rule on the constitutionality of the law. Having lived through years of relentless enforcement of the state's anti-illegal-immigration measures by the hard-line sheriff, Joe Arpaio, they feel little can make life harder than it already is.


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Sorry, Larry Page. Steve Jobs Really Wanted to Destroy Android
Steve Jobs passed into legend a little more than six months ago. Now it seems the arguments over his intentions for Apple are just getting started.
In the Jobs-approved biography by Walter Isaacson, the Apple founder is seen railing against Android toward the end of his life. Insisting that Google stole its look and feel from the iPhone's iOS, Jobs vowed to declare "thermonuclear war" on Android. That's quite an image.
Recently, Google CEO Larry Page has tried to play down that comment. In an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, released Wednesday, Page said he thought Jobs's attacks were "for show," adding that "it's useful for them to feel like they have an obvious competitor and to rally around that."
Isaacson has fired back. In a Q&A session following his lecture at the historic Royal Institute in London, the biographer and former TIME editor insists that Jobs's genuine passion on this topic was not to be underestimated.
"Our lawsuit is saying, 'Google, you f___ing ripped off the iPhone, wholesale ripped us off.' Grand theft," Jobs told Isaacson in the book. "Make no mistake. They want to kill the iPhone. We won't let them."
He would not be swayed, not even by settlements. "It wasn't a matter of money," Isaacson explained. "He said: 'You can't pay me off, I'm here to destroy you.'"
What Page was actually trying to focus on in the Bloomberg interview was the fact that Jobs spent so much time with him toward the end, mentoring the young founder and CEO.
How, therefore, could their companies be anything but the best of friends?
Enter the Gates
But Page clearly hasn't read the parts of the biography pertaining to another Jobs rival: Bill Gates.
The Microsoft founder could also be smiling and shaking Jobs's hand one minute, and be the target of his fury over Windows "theft" the next.
That was part of Jobs' genius, and also his weakness. He could be best friends with his worst enemies. (See also: Sculley, John.)
I'm not saying that Jobs railed at Page about Android in person the way he fumed about Windows. He was older, and wiser, and was clearly fond of the younger man, a prodigal genius with a killer product.
But Jobs's fondness for Gates stayed as solid as his lifelong hatred of Windows. Clearly, he was capable of mentoring Page and plotting corporate strategy to destroy Android at the same time.
What's the Beef?
Did Jobs have anything like a point?
Yes, from his perspective. Not at all, from Page's.
Jobs was firm in his belief that Eric Schmidt — then Google CEO — had sat through Apple's board presentations on the development of the iPhone, and been inspired to create a competitor. More than inspired, Jobs said.
Android was launched a year after the first iPhone. Schmidt left the Apple board a year after that, citing conflicts of interest between the companies. Jobs never stopped being furious with him.
To Googlers, the anger seems odd. After all, the search giant acquired Android Inc. in 2005, two years before the iPhone launch. At the time, it was known that both Google and Apple had strong interests in the mobile space.
But Jobs won that race with the iPhone, by a year. He basked in glory as the world went wild for it.
And then he saw suspiciously similar handsets with suspiciously similar operating systems, all of which were driven by a company run by a guy sitting on his board. Who knew a lot about the design of the product early in its life.
Even the most placid of CEOs might go thermonuclear in those circumstances. And Jobs — well, once he started a vendetta, the biography makes clear, it took a lot to make him stop.
He buried the hatchet with Windows, at least in a business sense, a mere 12 years after that feud started. But that was 1997, he had just returned to Apple, and the company was on life support.
Going by that reckoning, the earliest Page could have expected Jobs to quit his "thermonuclear war" on Android would be sometime in 2020.
What would that war have meant, in practice? A bunch more lawsuits, possibly. Ever more aggressive acquisitions and patents, very likely. Jobs focusing his genius design mind on making sure each iPhone iteration blew every Android handset out of the water, most definitely.
It would never have been for show. Never just to rally the troops. Given his obsession, Jobs's strong distaste for the design of Android would have been the supercharged energy cell inside him. Had he lived, it never would have died.
Perhaps — depending on how Tim Cook steers the good ship Apple — it hasn't.


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Comic Images just released a new line of Star Wars plush dolls, but with really big and ugly noggins. Standing proud at 7 inches, the considerably sized plushies are a cheap $12.99, and so far Yoda and Vader are ready to ship—perfect for those of you who want to unwrap them right away and get down to some Force-powered head butting.
Chewbacca and the always-anonymous Stormtroopers are due out this month. The dolls can be picked up at Entertainment Earth.
Product Page [Entertainment Earth]


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A mother of a little girl featured on a 2011 episode of Toddlers & Tiaras—in which she padded the 4-year-old's bra and rear end for a Dolly Parton routine—might lose custody of her daughter over the televised stage costume. Bill Verst has petitioned the court in Campbell County, Kentucky for full custody of his daughter, Mady Verst, accusing the child's mother, Lindsay Jackson, of exploitation.
And it doesn't look good for Jackson. A court-appointed psychologist wrote a 3,000-word report condemning the Mady's participation in pageants, specifically citing the Dolly Parton costume and photos of the little girl dressed as a "sexy police officer."
Jackson says:
I never intended for it to be a negative costume—it was costume designed to represent our state. Dolly's from Tennessee, so that's what I did. As far as the police outfit goes, it's nothing more than a pair of shorts and a shirt that says, 'Bad cop, no donut' on the back. You can buy it for retail as a Halloween costume – and it's more revealing than what Madisyn was wearing. That outfit was never intended on being sexualized.
The "bad cop, no donut" costume is actually popular in the child pageant circuit and has been seen on a different child on a different episode of Toddlers & Tiaras in the past. (More on that in a bit.)
And while Jackson's defense is that what she did was "not illegal," her case looks grim. "Nine times out of ten, judges will use the [court-ordered psychologist's] report verbatim," Beverly Hills-based attorney Evan T. Sussman told Fox News. Additionally, her daughter landed on the cover of People last year with the unflattering headline "Gone Too Far?"
However, the judge does have other factors to consider, like how the child's father, Bill Verst is a convicted felon who is currently on probation for a DUI and child endangerment. The case is important though, as it could set a precedent that participating in child beauty pageants equates to being an unfit parent. Proceedings resume on August 31.
In March of this year, June Shannon, mother of breakout star Alana Thompson (aka Honey Boo Boo)—who scored her own spinoff on TLC—was investigated by CPS, with the agency citing an episode of T&T aired in which Shannon gave her daughter a combination of an energy drink and Mountain Dew, that she called "go go juice," to help keep her energized for the pageant. (The case was eventually thrown out of court.)
Actually, it's surprising that it's taken this long for custody to be at stake or for CPS to look into any of the families from the show. Audiences have been enraged, during the show's three-year history, over some of the parenting techniques of pageant moms. Here's a very brief rundown:
The aforementioned "sexy police officer" costume was worn by a 4-year-old on a 2009 episode of the show. Unlike Jackson, however, this child's mother actually did recognize the sexual nature of the "bad cop, no donut" joke on the jacket, and even went so far as to spell it out for the television audience (donut = vagina) in a move that seemed even more misguided than the costume itself.
Of course there is the infamous Pretty Woman routine in which a mother dressed her 3-year-old up as a hooker, modeled after Julia Roberts' street-walking scene.
Who could forget the Madonna cone bra (you know, the one she wore while simulating masturbation during the Blonde Ambition tour)?
There's also the mom who got breast implants to learn more about pageants (???) that allowed her daughter to dance on a table top at a NYC nightclub to LMFAO's "Sexy and I Know It."
See also:
Teeth bleaching for a 5-year-old.
Eyebrow waxing for a 5-year-old.
Crotch shots of a 3-year-old.
Diets for an 8-year-old.
Maddy Verst's Padded Bra On 'Toddlers & Tiaras' Might Cause Her Mother To Lose Custody [HuffPo]
'Toddlers & Tiaras' mom could lose custody of daughter because she puts her in pageants [Fox News]
Convicted Felon Father to Toddlers & Tiaras Mom: You're Not a Good Parent [Gawker]
4-Year-Old Wears Fake Tits & Ass For Pageant Routine [Jezebel]


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Just five years ago, Fish Fry Lake was dying. The groundwater flowing into the lake situated 30 miles northeast of Billings, Montana, contained high levels of nitrogen and phosphorous, common ingredients in agricultural fertilisers and animal waste. The nitrogen and phosphorus had fostered an overgrowth of algae, which covered the lake and blocked sunlight from penetrating the surface. The deep water was a dead zone, devoid of oxygen and home to very little aquatic life.
The solution was as simple as it was improbable: cover rafts with plants, and set them afloat in the lake. Within a year-and-a-half, the algal blooms were gone. Water clarity improved. Oxygen levels rose. Today, the lake is home to a thriving community of fish, including black crappie, yellow perch and Yellowstone cutthroat trout.
The story of Fish Fry Lake demonstrates the power of mimicking wetlands to clean up dirty waterways. Wetlands are sometimes called nature's own water purifiers: as dirty water moves through a sprawling marsh, the bacteria that cling to wetland plants, timber, rocks, and other debris consume and process some common water pollutants. Other contaminants get trapped in the mud and muck. As result of these and other processes, the water that eventually flows out of a wetland is much cleaner than the stream that came trickling in.
By creating floating treatment wetlands out of small, human-engineered rafts of vegetation, researchers and entrepreneurs hope to provide these same ecological services to small, polluted bodies of water that may be far from a natural marsh. "BioHaven floating islands are concentrated wetland systems that are essentially biomimicking nature's wetland effect," says Bruce Kania, the founder and research director of Floating Island International, the company behind the Fish Fry Lake rafts.
Cleansing power
To construct a BioHaven island, the company starts with layers of mesh made from recycled plastic. They assemble this mesh into a floating raft – which can be as small as a home aquarium or nearly as large as a football field – and top it with soil and plants. They launch the island into a lake, pond, stream, or lagoon, anchoring it in place. Over time, the plants' roots grow into and through the raft's porous matrix, descending into the water below. At the same time, bacteria colonise the island, assembling into sticky, slimy sheets called biofilm that coat the floating matrix and the suspended plant roots.
This bacterial biofilm is the secret to a floating island's cleansing power. Overgrowth of algae from nitrogen and phosphorus pollution can cause several problems, preventing sunlight from reaching subaquatic plants and starving a body of water of the oxygen needed to sustain fish populations and other animal life. A dead zone, like the one is Fish Fry Lake, is often the ultimate result. The biofilm bacteria consume nitrogen and phosphorous, however, and as polluted water flows through and around a floating island, the bacteria converts these contaminants into less harmful substances. Though the bacteria do the brunt of the work, the plant roots suspended from the floating island also play their part, absorbing some of the nitrogen and phosphorous through their roots.
In Fish Fry Lake, for instance, Floating Island International deployed several islands, which together covered almost 2% of the lake's 6.5-acre (2.6-hectare) surface area. Over the course of four years, the islands helped reduce nitrogen concentrations by 95% and phosphorus concentrations by nearly 40%. Today, levels of dissolved oxygen are sixty times what they once were.
Clearer, cleaner, healthier
The system also mechanically filters out other pollutants, like metals and particulates. "The sticky biofilm essentially keeps the water clear because all the suspended solids tend to bond to it," says Kania. Floating Island International, which has deployed more than 4,400 of their artificial wetland systems worldwide, has documented this effect in multiple case studies. For example, the concentrations of suspended solids, copper, lead, zinc, and oil and grease fell dramatically after a floating island was installed in a stormwater pond in Montana. Controlled laboratory studies and research by scientists not affiliated with the company have also found that floating treatment wetlands can reduce the levels of many common water pollutants.
Some scientists are now exploring how to optimise the design of floating islands – probing, for instance, which plants do the best job of removing pollutants. Gary Burtle, an aquaculture specialist at the University of Georgia, thinks we can get even more out of these artificial wetlands by seeding the rafts with plants that are of commercial value, such as lettuces and herbs. Burtle is screening a number of potential plant candidates – if he finds one that grows well on a floating island, we may soon see constructed wetland systems that "give us a little bit more return", he says, producing saleable crops while purifying the water.
Meanwhile, the removal of contaminants not only improves the water itself, but also helps to foster a healthier ecosystem. Clearer water allows light to penetrate deeper, encouraging the growth of various aquatic plants, which produce oxygen and become part of the food chain, supporting larger populations of fish and other animals. "You end up with a waterway that can be abundant," Kania says, "that can be verdant even at depth." The organic debris that attaches itself to the underside of a floating island also becomes a source of food for fish and other aquatic organisms, and the island itself provides new habitat for birds.
"The concept of how to get back to a healthy waterway," Kania says, "is very simple: nature's wetland effect." All we have to do is simulate it.
If you would like to comment on this article or anything else you have seen on Future, head over to our Facebook page or message us on Twitter.


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Best Band in Corpse Paint
Black Trinity
Right up there with the bullet belt and the spiked codpiece, corpse paint is among heavy metal's most kick-ass conceits. When dudes slather their faces in ghastly black-and-white makeup, making themselves look like a cross between King Diamond and a disgruntled rodeo clown, you know they mean business. And so it is with Black Trinity, Cleveland's finest black-metal band. Groups of this ilk are rare in the U.S., as this is a genre dominated by Scandinavians. But with icy vocal shrieks, wicked blast beats, and a super-sized guitarist who looks like he could be hell's bouncer, Black Trinity get a big thumbs-up from Beelzebub and his longhaired disciples.
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The University of Houston (UH) is a melting pot of cultures, nationalities and ethnicities – spanning from its leadership to its faculty, staff and students. Later this month, UH System Chancellor and President Renu Khator will join international students and faculty from India in sharing a piece of India's culture with the rest of the campus community. The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and the Consulate General of India, Houston, bring the work of internationally acclaimed dancer and choreographer Tanusree Shankar to UH. The free show is at 8 p.m., March 18 at Cullen Performance Hall and is open to the public. General seating is available on a first-come,first-serve basis. Attendees are requested to bring photo identification.
Shankar is recognized for her work that creates original contemporary performances that maintain the grace of traditional Indian dance. Shankar and her Company are visiting the United States for 'maximum INDIA' festival currently playing to audiences at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.
According to a press release issued by Consulate General of India, Houston, "the Consulate deeply appreciates the support of Chancellor and President Renu Khator and her colleagues, and volunteers of the Graduate Indian Students' Organisation (GISO) at UH in organizing this performance."
Khator, a member of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Global Advisory Council on Overseas Indians, will serve as the guest of honor for the performance. UH students from the GISO, a student group created to help Indian students attending UH, are volunteering to make the night a success. GISO began with only 20 members and has grown to more than 1,300.
"This shows the growth of Indian student population at UH," said Avinash Ranganath, "Today we celebrate almost all Indian festivals on campus, organize many Indian cultural events, and I am happy to say that UH has given everything we need."
Sanjiv Arora, Consul General of India and his team have been actively engaged with UH administrators and faculty, with a view to further expand UH's collaborations with counterpart institutions in India. They also have an active interaction and cooperation with GISO.
Recognized as the second-most ethnically diverse major research university in the United States, UH's Indian population has grown by more than 50 percent during the past five years. India was the top nation of origin among UH's international students in fall 2010. The 797 students made up 24 percent of the UH international student population – which hail from 126 countries – and 2 percent of all students. More than 1,300 students from India are enrolled at the University of Houston system's four universities.
"I came to Houston in August 2009, and I have had a wonderful experience," said Avinash Ranganath. "A few months from now I will be graduating, and that will be the proudest moment of my life; however, I will really miss the two years I have spent here."
In his final semester abroad, Avinash said he is excited to share a bit of culture from half a world away with his fellow Cougars. He said he hopes the entire campus will take the opportunity to experience the Tanusree Shankar Dance Company.
"As the president of an Indian student organization, I have had the chance to interact with other student organization from different countries. This is when we understand how UH has given the opportunity to all communities to express themselves."
According to the press release of Consulate General of India, Houston, bringing the Tanusree Shankar Dance Company to Houston will "further enrich the cultural diversity of the city of Houston and further strengthen India-US friendship."
The group's travel to Houston is being facilitated through Consulate General of India, Houston.
|Tansusree Shankar Dance Company Performance
Free Performance, Open to the Public
Hosted by ICCR and Consulate General of India, Houston
|Friday, March 18, 8 p.m.
University of Houston Cullen Performance Hall, Take Entrance 1 off Calhoun Rd. and University Dr.,
Parking is available at the Welcome Center & Parking Garage, Located at the corner of Calhoun Rd. and University Dr.
About the University of Houston
The University of Houston is a comprehensive national research institution serving the globally competitive Houston and Gulf Coast Region by providing world-class faculty, experiential learning and strategic industry partnerships. UH serves more than 38,500 students in the nation's fourth-largest city, located in the most ethnically and culturally diverse region of the country.
For more information about UH visit the university's Newsroom at www.uh.edu/admin/media/newsroom


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Yoko Ichino
Born in Los Angeles, Yoko studied with renowned ballerina Mia Slavenska and began her professional career in 1972 when she joined Joffrey Ballet II as an Apprentice. What followed was a career that spanned three decades. Yoko has danced with the Joffrey Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, National Ballet of Canada and Ballett der Deutsche Oper Berlin, as well as appearing as a Guest Artist for over 22 companies across the world. She has partnered some of ballet's greatest dancers including the world famous Rudolph Nuryev.
Yoko began teaching as a teenager and has since then continued to develop her gift for teaching with dance companies across the world including Ballet de Monte Carlo, Stuttgart Ballet and Nederlands Dans Theater. From 1995 to 2001 Yoko worked with her husband David Nixon to set up BalletMet Dance Academy in Ohio.


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Now onto the post.
how to enjoy playing WoW - part 2
|Keep it simple
Log on – log off
Try this: log in to WoW with something you want to do, something discrete with a fixed end point. If you're levelling it could be gaining a level, if you're PVPing it could be doing one BG (okay, maybe two), if you're PVEing it could be doing an instance. Once you've completed this task hearth back to the inn and log out from WoW. Now, go do something else. You've had a nice time playing the game and stopped playing before you get frustrated and begin trolling /2. Playing this game in short bursts keeps it, and you, fresh.
Don't be leet
You want a miserable time? Then focus totally on one element of the game for an entire xPac (ie, raid progression or dare I say it… gold making. No wait, I don't dare ; ) The cutting edge in this game is where the hardcore meme says you need to be. Leet also comes with a social obligation – if your leet mates are doing something you will have to as well. Before you know it your time is not your own and the time you spend is based upon someone else's "WoW view", not yours. I'm not saying don't do hard things (see post tomorrow) but whilst hard can be fun don't burn your precious time for leetness unless you're really enjoying yourself.
Keep it simple
Do one thing at a time. I'm levelling my priest at the moment and it's a bunch of fun. I love learning the new skill, both the getting of it and the exercising of it. Doing one thing and focussing on it provides a beginning, middle and end to a process. Flipping from toon to toon is not restful and will likely decrease your enjoyment.
Last part of this post incoming tomorrow folks.
Stay liquid,


text:
Bob Egelko
January 30, 2014
The U.S. Department of Labor says it is investigating the Oakland Raiders' treatment of the Raiderettes, after one of its cheerleaders accused the team in a lawsuit of failing to pay minimum wages and illegally saddling the squad with fines and travel expenses.
Jose Carnevali, spokesman for the Labor Department's regional office in San Francisco, confirmed the investigation Wednesday and said it concerned "the team's cheerleader squad," and not merely the individual who filed the suit last week.
"Because this is currently an open case, the department cannot provide further information about the case at this moment," he said.
The cheerleader, Lacy T., filed her suit in Alameda County Superior Court as a proposed class action on behalf of the 40 Raiderettes and other members of the squad over the past four years. Her lawyer, Sharon Vinick, said Thursday that she was encouraged by the federal government's prompt action.
"I would hope that the Department of Labor would be looking at teams across the NFL," Vinick said. Similar allegations of low wages and unpaid expenses have been made against several other National Football League teams, but Lacy T. is the first to file suit.
The Raiders did not respond to a request for comment.
The Labor Department has the authority to assess penalties against employers for violating the federal government's $7.25-an-hour minimum wage law and other labor laws. It can order an employer to pay its workers twice the amount of wages that were illegally withheld.
In August, the San Francisco Giants paid $544,000 in back wages to 74 employees after a Labor Department investigation found wage violations over a three-year period. The department has also announced an investigation into the use of unpaid interns by the Giants and a second major league baseball team, the Miami Marlins.
Employers facing a Labor Department investigation have a strong incentive to reach a settlement for back-wage payments, particularly an image-conscious employer like a pro sports team, said Ken Jacobs, chairman of the Center for Labor Research and Education at UC Berkeley.
"This doesn't reflect well," he said. "I can imagine that this would be something (the Raiders) would want to resolve. … If this practice is common for the other teams, you might very well see other investigations."
The Raiders pay their cheerleaders $1,250 for a season of 10 home games. Lacy T.'s lawsuit said their wages amount to less than $5 an hour – below the state's $8 minimum wage – counting the hours of unpaid work they are required to perform at rehearsals, 10 charity events per season and the team's annual swimsuit calendar photo session.
The suit also accused the Raiders of violating California law by requiring the Raiderettes to pay all costs of travel, team-mandated cosmetics and other items; by fining them for such offenses as bringing the wrong pom-poms to practice; by withholding their pay until the end of the season instead of paying them at least twice a month; and by prohibiting them, in their work contracts, from discussing their pay with each other.
Lacy T., 28, of Alameda said she is a "stay-at-home mom" who joined the Raiderettes in 2013 after two years with the Golden State Warriors' dance team, which paid its members for all work hours and expenses. The lawsuit withholds her last name in accord with a Raiders' security policy.


text:
VANCOUVER - The female victim seriously injured in a drive-by shooting early Sunday evening was Mia Deakin, daughter of Jody Claman, one of the stars of the reality TV show Real Housewives of Vancouver, according to news reports.
Both CKNW and Global news are reporting they have confirmed it was Deakin.
VIEW MORE PHOTOS HERE, or if you're using a mobile app, tap the story image and swipe.
Vancouver police refused to confirm Deakin's identity on Monday, but a spokesman said a 28-year-old woman was hit in the shoulder while a 27-year-old man who was with her received minor injuries.
The shooting happened Sunday evening at about 7 p.m. at the Chevron near the intersection of E. Hastings Street and Vernon Drive, said Sgt. Randy Fincham. The woman and man were standing outside their vehicle when someone in a grey or silver SUV pulled up and started firing, he said.
Fincham said the shooting "was not random," but he declined to speculate about the target or the motive.
Global cited an anonymous source who reportedly said the man, not Deakin, was believed to be the intended target.
Fincham said the woman underwent surgery for her injury and was in stable condition on Monday.
Deakin was a routine guest on "Real Housewives of Vancouver," which chronicled the daily lives of a group of wealthy socialites, which often descended into gossiping and arguments.
Lark Productions, which produced the show, released a brief statement expressing its concern for Deakin but offering no details about what happened.
"We are sorry to hear the news of the events of last night," said the statement, released Monday.
"We wish Mia a very speedy recovery and our thoughts are with the Claman family at this time."
The show ran for two seasons on Slice.
Shaw Media, which owns Slice, announced last year that the show would not be returning for a third season as the company considered potential changes to the cast or location.
Fincham said the 27-year-old man who was with the woman fled the scene and was later located by police and taken to hospital. He had an outstanding warrant for driving while prohibited, said Fincham.
"He was cleared medically, released from the hospital and arrested by police," said Fincham.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Vancouver police robbery/assault unit at 604-717-2541 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
The shooting comes less than 24 hours after a 33-year-old man was gunned down at a house on Gladstone Street Saturday night.
with files from the Canadian Press
VIEW MORE PHOTOS HERE, or if you're using a mobile app, tap the story image and swipe.


text:
Two middle school teachers from Florida, Judy and Barnard Lorence, should be back in their classrooms getting ready for a new school year, but there's no chance of that now.
A moped accident has left Mr. Lorence brain-damaged and lying in a bed at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston. He can't speak more than a few words, and he cannot move either his legs or his left arm. Sometimes he doesn't even recognize his wife.
It was 44 days ago that the Lorences caught a ferry to Oak Bluffs and walked the gauntlet of moped rental shops on Circuit avenue extension. They rented one to share, Mr. Lorence driving and Mrs. Lorence holding on behind him.
A few hours later, at about 2 p.m., they were heading down the Edgartown-West Tisbury Road near Oyster Pond Road when a Buick sideswiped the moped and sent both of them flying.
When they landed, Mrs. Lorence, who is 35, had a bad case of road rash, but her husband, whom she calls Barney, was not so fortunate. Like his wife, he was wearing a helmet, but he suffered a serious blow to his head and face.
When emergency medical crews arrived, it was an immediate priority one. Mr. Lorence, who is 60, was rushed first to the Martha's Vineyard Hospital and then by helicopter to a Boston hospital.
"From the very beginning, this has been very traumatic," his wife said in a telephone interview Wednesday. "He was life-flighted off, and I was stranded on the Island by myself."
The couple's seven-year-old daughter had stayed back in Milford with Mrs. Lorence's parents. "A wonderful social worker at the hospital took the ferry with me to meet my father and my sister at Woods Hole," Mrs. Lorence said. "We drove up to the hospital, and we were told there was very little hope."
But Mr. Lorence held on, in intensive care, in critical condition. For the next two weeks, he was in a semi-comatose state, Mrs. Lorence said.
"This has turned our lives upside down," she said. "There is so much of the unknown, and doctors can't tell you what's going to happen because they don't know."
On August 2, Mr. Lorence was transferred from Brigham and Women's Hospital to Spaulding. The littlest signs are seen as improvement.
"He's still on a feeding tube and on a catheter. He's just now moving his left arm a little," she said. "If you ask him, he can somewhat clap with his right arm. Sometimes he'll know who we are. I say, 'I'm Judy,' and then he shakes his head."
The two have been married 11 years. Their daughter, Dynelle, goes to the hospital with her mother just about every day. They stay with Mrs. Lorence's parents, commuting to the city. Dynelle's school in Jensen Beach has sent up the year's second grade curriculum, and her mother plans to homeschool her.
"We're living out of place, and we're living in the unknown," Mrs. Lorence said. "Even with recovery, this is just the beginning of a very long process that could last even until old age sets in."
Mr. Lorence has already undergone surgery to repair three fractured bones on the left side of his face. More surgery is expected to repair damage to his right knee. The medical bills, Mrs. Lorence said, are "unbelievable."
Mixed with her shock is a dose of anger.
"We had no idea about the controversy around mopeds until we got to the hospital and heard from people," she said. "They need to put something in place to make tourists know and be aware of the controversy and the dangers. They need to address it specifically, so tourists know how people on the Vineyard feel about people on mopeds."
Mrs. Lorence said she and her husband also had no idea that just five days earlier, a young woman named Kate Dunnet Miller was killed in a moped accident in Oak Bluffs.
The Lorences rented their moped from Two Wheel Traveler, a dealership right near the Strand Theatre whose owner, Francis Alarie 3rd, has been outspoken about efforts by dealers to improve safety and training.
Even though the two would share one moped, it was only the driver who received any training. "They had Barney drive around the block, and that was it," said Mrs. Lorence.
When asked what kind of footwear they had on, Mrs. Lorence said her husband was wearing sneakers, and she was wearing sandals. Town bylaws forbid dealers from renting to people wearing sandals, but the regulation is rarely obeyed or enforced. Only in recent weeks, in the aftermath of the fatal crash and Mr. Lorence's accident, have Oak Bluffs selectmen pushed for better enforcement.
Meanwhile, the driver of the car who hit the Lorences back in July, 75-year-old Mary Larsen of Chilmark, was found responsible of improper passing and fined $50. The charge of negligent operation was dropped by the prosecution.
The Lorences have hired an attorney, Bryson Cloon of Kansas. He said Mrs. Larsen's insurance had very low coverage. Mrs. Lorence said she's too overwhelmed to think about any legal action now.
What troubles her most is the thought that the husband she knew might not ever be the same person again. "He's very outgoing and very likeable," she said. "When people meet him, it doesn't take long for people to click with him."
A computer executive for many years, he was most recently information systems manager at Digital Corporation before downsizing made him think about doing something else, like using that teaching degree he had. "He felt he had a calling for it," his wife said. So for the last six years, he's taught. The subject he teaches is geography. Mrs. Lorence teaches math.
"He has a strong faith, and this will help pull him through, to accept what's going on and to try and deal with it," his wife said. "He's very caring, and he has a daughter who needs him. He loves reading to her, going biking with her. To think that would be taken away would be devastating."


text:
MIAMI — The giant, blue eyeball that washed up on a South Florida beach likely came from a swordfish, wildlife officials said Monday.
Based on its color, size and structure, along with the presence of bone around it, experts believe the eye came from a swordfish, according to statement from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
"Based on straight-line cuts visible around the eye, we believe it was removed by a fisherman and discarded," said Joan Herrera, curator of collections at the commission's Research Institute in St. Petersburg. Swordfish are commonly fished in the Florida Straits offshore of south Florida at this time of year.
Genetic testing will be done to confirm the identification.
A man found the softball-size eye on Wednesday while taking a morning stroll along Pompano Beach just north of Fort Lauderdale, creating a buzz on the Internet. Those in the marine biology community were making their own predictions: that it came from a deep sea squid based on the eyeball's lens and pupil, or from a swordfish.
The highly migratory fish can be found from the surface to as deep as 2,000 feet. Swordfish in the Atlantic can reach a maximum size of over 1,100 pounds, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Swordfish feed on a wide variety of fish and invertebrates.
(MORE: Destination Guide: Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)


text:
Cutty's Week Day 1: The Roast Beef 1,000
A different sandwich profiled every single day.
Welcome to Cutty's Week! Every day this week, we'll be writing about a sandwich from Cutty's, one of our favorite sandwich shops in Boston. Proprietor and chef Charles Kelsey has been kind enough to donate the recipes for his one-of-a-kind creations.
Get the Recipe
It makes up half of the shop's sales (to keep up with demand, Kelsey roasts 200 pounds of beef every week). It brings customers in from Worcester. It's widely considered the best roast beef sandwich in town—and Boston is a roast beef sandwich kinda town.
"It's a freakin' Big Mac without the lettuce," Kelsey says, who, after more than a year and a half in business, still seems to be gawking at its popularity.
Maybe that's because, as sandwiches concepts go, roast beef is pretty standard.
However, this version is anything but. Kelsey starts by giving a whole beef chuck roll an overnight dry cure with a "secret spice rub," then slow-roasts it in a low oven until it reaches a perfect rosy hue from edge to center.
From there, it's all about layering—a crucial consideration in well-crafted sandwiches, and part of what makes this version the best around. Kelsey slices the beef ultra-thin so that it eats nice and tender; piles it high on a black-pepper brioche bun from Iggy's; and crowns it with sharp cheddar cheese (sliced equally thin), horseradish-spiked Thousand Island, and—packed onto the top where they'll stay crisp—a handful of sweet, oniony fried shallots.
284 Washington Street, Brookline, MA 02445 (map) 617-505-1844; www.cuttyfoods.com
Get the Recipe
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


text:
The hotel Panorama has operated as a naturist hotel from 2010.
Hotel Panorama is located in the beautiful verdant area of Vassilikos. Vassilikos is a charming village untouched by tourism, but with every convenience possible (super market, tavernas etc), undoubtedly one of the prettiest places on Zakynthos.
It is situated in the heart of the National Marine Park of Zakynthos island, where the protecting Caretta-Caretta sea turtles nest their eggs. With respect to our environment we offer our guests pleasant, relaxing holiday.
Hotel Panorama is a friendly Greek family run hotel with a pool and carefully tended gardens amongst palm trees, banana trees, lemon trees and colorful flowers in a 12 acres property.
Probably Poochi, the hotel dog/receptionist will be the first to greet you and the one who will say goodbye when you'll leave.
Tasty, Greek traditional dishes are served at your table every evening.
This is truly a place for a peaceful, laid back and stress-free holiday, but also with modern facilities such as wireless internet access, air conditioning and satellite TV.


text:
As the official celebrations and the unofficial commemorations of the centenary of the First World War continue, many personal accounts, poems and novels written about this period have been published or republished. One novel, not yet republished, is Return of the Brute, written by Liam O'Flaherty. David Trotter, in The Cambridge Companion to The Literature of the First World War, argues that, unlike most British war novels, it was written by an author of proletarian origin. Whilst O'Flaherty was Irish, Trotter is right in considering Return of the Brute to be a British war novel. It is based upon the author's experiences fighting in the British army on the western front. The novel "intended to do justice to the brute's point of view" [1], where the "brute" stands for working-class soldiers. If so, the "brute" refers to atomised, alienated and demoralised workers, brutalised by life on the western front.
Continue reading "BEFORE AND AFTER THE 'RETURN OF THE BRUTE'"


text:
9-10mm White Freshwater Pearl Necklace AASKU:
Our checkout system is not working. If you see an item you wish to purchase, please email us the SKU number to firstname.lastname@example.com. We will reply with the proper information and you can purchase it thru Amazon.
- 9-10mm White Freshwater Pearl Necklace AA
- Luster: excellent
- Blemishes: clean surface of 95% or better
- Shape: round
- Color: white
- Stringing: double knotted onto fine silk thread
- Length: 18"
- Clasp: 14kt yellow gold fishhook
Measurements may vary slightly from the listed dimensions
We Also Recommend


text:
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This special promotion is available In-store only. For more information please contact the spa or visit the spa and a Spa Associate will be happy to help you.
*LIMITED TIME OFFER. Free Promotional one-hour Massage or Facial gift card with purchase of one-hour spa gift card or spa package at guest pricing. Limit 2 per customer. Not valid with purchase of cash denomination or waxing gift cards. Not valid towards introductory offers. Not valid online. Promotional gift card valid at issuing location only and expires one year from issue. Rates and services may vary by location. Sessions include time for consultation and dressing. Offers may not be combined. Independently Owned & Operated. ©2020 Hand & Stone Corp. Franchises Available.
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text:
C Programming/Error handling
C does not provide direct support for error handling (also known as exception handling). By convention, the programmer is expected to prevent errors from occurring in the first place, and test return values from functions. For example, -1 and NULL are used in several functions such as socket() (Unix socket programming) or malloc() respectively to indicate problems that the programmer should be aware about. In a worst case scenario where there is an unavoidable error and no way to recover from it, a C programmer usually tries to log the error and "gracefully" terminate the program.
There is an external variable called "errno", accessible by the programs after including <errno.h> - that file comes from the definition of the possible errors that can occur in some Operating Systems (e.g. Linux - in this case, the definition is in include/asm-generic/errno.h) when programs ask for resources. Such variable indexes error descriptions accessible by the function 'strerror( errno )'.
The following code tests the return value from the library function malloc to see if dynamic memory allocation completed properly:
#include <stdio.h> /* perror */
#include <errno.h> /* errno */
#include <stdlib.h> /* malloc, free, exit */
int main(void)
/* Pointer to char, requesting dynamic allocation of 2,000,000,000
* storage elements (declared as an integer constant of type
* unsigned long int). (If your system has less than 2 GB of memory
* available, then this call to malloc will fail.)
char *ptr = malloc(2000000000UL);
if (ptr == NULL) {
perror("malloc failed");
/* here you might want to exit the program or compensate
for that you don't have 2GB available
} else {
/* The rest of the code hereafter can assume that 2,000,000,000
* chars were successfully allocated...
exit(EXIT_SUCCESS); /* exiting program */
The code snippet above shows the use of the return value of the library function malloc to check for errors. Many library functions have return values that flag errors, and thus should be checked by the astute programmer. In the snippet above, a NULL pointer returned from malloc signals an error in allocation, so the program exits. In more complicated implementations, the program might try to handle the error and try to recover from the failed memory allocation.
Preventing divide by zero errorsEdit
A common pitfall made by C programmers is not checking if a divisor is zero before a division command. The following code will produce a runtime error and in most cases, exit.
int dividend = 50;
int divisor = 0;
int quotient;
quotient = (dividend/divisor); /* This will produce a runtime error! */
In ordinary arithmetic division by zero is undefined. Because of this, you must check or make sure that a divisor is never zero. Alternatively, for *nix processes, you can stop the OS from terminating your process by blocking the SIGFPE signal.
The code below fixes this by checking if the divisor is zero before dividing.
#include <stdio.h> /* for fprintf and stderr */
#include <stdlib.h> /* for exit */
int main( void )
int dividend = 50;
int divisor = 0;
int quotient;
if (divisor == 0) {
/* Example handling of this error. Writing a message to stderr, and
* exiting with failure.
fprintf(stderr, "Division by zero! Aborting...\n");
exit(EXIT_FAILURE); /* indicate failure.*/
quotient = dividend / divisor;
exit(EXIT_SUCCESS); /* indicate success.*/
In some cases, the environment may respond to a programming error in C by raising a signal. Signals are events raised by the host environment or operating system to indicate that a specific error or critical event has occurred (e.g. a division by zero, interrupt, and so on.) However, these signals are not meant to be used as a means of error catching; they usually indicate a critical event that will interfere with normal program flow.
To handle signals, a program needs to use the signal.h header file. A signal handler will need to be defined, and the signal() function is then called to allow the given signal to be handled. Some signals that are raised to an exception within your code (e.g. a division by zero) are unlikely to allow your program to recover. These signal handlers will be required to instead ensure that some resources are properly cleaned up before the program terminates.
This example creates a signal handler and raises the signal:
#include <signal.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
static void catch_function(int signal) {
puts("Interactive attention signal caught.");
int main(void) {
if (signal(SIGINT, catch_function) == SIG_ERR) {
fputs("An error occurred while setting a signal handler.\n", stderr);
return EXIT_FAILURE;
puts("Raising the interactive attention signal.");
if (raise(SIGINT) != 0) {
fputs("Error raising the signal.\n", stderr);
return EXIT_FAILURE;
return 0;
The setjmp function can be used to emulate the exception handling feature of other programming languages. The first call to setjmp provides a reference point to returning to a given function, and is valid as long as the function containing setjmp() doesn't return or exit. A call to longjmp causes the execution to return to the point of the associated setjmp call.
#include <stdio.h>
#include <setjmp.h>
jmp_buf test1;
void tryjump()
longjmp(test1, 3);
int main (void)
if (setjmp(test1)==0) {
printf ("setjmp() returned 0.");
} else {
printf ("setjmp returned from a longjmp function call.");
The values of non-volatile variables may be corrupted when setjmp returns from a longjmp call.
While setjmp() and longjmp() may be used for error handling, it is generally preferred to use the return value of a function to indicate an error, if possible.


text:
Whoever fraudulently or wrongfully affixes or impresses the seal of any department or agency of the United States, to or upon any certificate, instrument, commission, document, or paper or with knowledge of its fraudulent character, with wrongful or fraudulent intent, uses, buys, procures, sells, or transfers to another any such certificate, instrument, commission, document, or paper, to which or upon which said seal has been so fraudulently affixed or impressed, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
18 U.S. Code § 1017 - Government seals wrongfully used and instruments wrongfully sealed
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 753; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 130 (June 15, 1917, ch. 30, title X, § 1, 40 Stat. 227).
To clarify scope of section and in view of definition of department or agency in section 6 of this title, words "department or agency" were substituted for "executive department, or of any bureau, commission, or office".
Slight verbal changes were also made.
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted "fined under this title" for "fined not more than $5,000".
{'misc': '', 'cleanpath': '/uscode/text/18/1017', 'headtext': ' Government seals wrongfully used and instruments wrongfully sealed', 'cfr_titles': [{'title': '36', 'parts': [{'part': '701', 'cleanpath': '/cfr/text/36/part-701', 'headtext': 'PROCEDURES AND SERVICES'}, {'part': '1200', 'cleanpath': '/cfr/text/36/part-1200', 'headtext': 'OFFICIAL SEALS'}]}, {'title': '45', 'parts': [{'part': '2540', 'cleanpath': '/cfr/text/45/part-2540', 'headtext': 'GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS'}]}], 'section': '1017'}


text:
Well, I'm all for abit of change but not only is the new Topshop.com a massive copy of AllSaints.com (in design, layout, font, colour palette etc…) they've obviously not even proofed their website before launching it to LIVE. I had a massive ROFL at the copycat website this morning when I saw the blurb above and just had to share! I have a massive bug bear with spelling and mistakes!
Basically, when you click on NEW IN>SHOES it brings up the above page…. only the text is supposed to be for a Shorts category, not Shoes. But hold on, that's not even the cherry on the cake! The cherry comes in the form of the blurb being, apparently, meant for TOPMAN.COM!
I wonder how long it is before they notice their #TopshopFail?