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Mosaic lets students make a mark
Time was up for Friday morning's work on a mosaic mural for Escondido's new high school, but future students Joe Smiljkovich and Mari Pedroza weren't eager to stop.
"I need three more hours," Joe said in response to a teacher bellowing "Two more minutes!"
Heads down over a concrete board base, Mari and Joe continued to assemble an osprey and a whale's spout with tile, stone and glass.
The project for Del Lago Academy is led by Scripps Institution of Oceanography climate-change scientist Tim Lueker. He started over spring break, and Joe had spent three days so far working on it.
"It's fun. And I want to leave my mark on the school," said Joe, 14, an eighth-grader at Bear Valley Middle School. "I can take my grandparents there and say, 'I did that.' "
Dozens of future Del Lago Academy classmates met last week at the old Center City High School, a historical building in downtown Escondido, to work on the 17-foot-by-20-foot mural. The artwork, called "Imagine Your Future," will hang in the career center of Del Lago, which opens in August.
Del Lago Academy — Campus of Applied Science, near Citracado and West Valley parkways, is the Escondido Union High School District's fourth comprehensive campus. The college- and career-preparatory school will serve up to 800 students with a biotechnology and medical sciences focus.
Principal Keith Nuthall said the mural idea emerged from discussions among Del Lago staff about a project that students could work on together before the school opens, "something enduring they could come back to when they're my age and look at." It's also an opportunity for the kids to get to know each other, Nuthall said.
Humanities teacher Mike Newman took charge of the project and was introduced to Lueker through the Escondido Arts Partnership, a nonprofit group of Southern California artists.
Lueker, an Encinitas resident, has been with Scripps since 1983. He's a self-taught mosaic artist who said he found his "inner artist" in 2005 when he took a leave because of funding shortfalls.
He said he always enjoyed outreach and speaking to young people about climate change. Now, he uses mosaics to promote awareness of climate changes that are affecting the oceans and the environment, with a particular focus in his art on coral reefs.
The sea-life-rich reefs are threatened by rising temperatures and carbon dioxide levels in the oceans, he said.
With his coral-reef murals, students "get a sense of the community of the sea. Now with coral reefs in danger, it seems like a really important message to get out to kids."
For Del Lago, he designed a mural with contrasting images of coral reefs — one half shows reefs and sea life thriving because of steps to protect the environment, and the other half shows reefs ailing because of harmful actions. Jellyfish swarm the ailing side, while butterflyfish populate the good side.
"He works with them on the art side and providing information on science, so it's a great fit for our school," said Nuthall, the principal.
Mosaics was new for most of the students, including Mari, 15, a freshman at Escondido High. "I knew a little about climate change, I knew about coral reefs," but she had never worked on a mosaic art.
Wearing safety goggles, the students smashed tiles with hammers or used glass cutters and nippers to break up stone and glass from Lueker's vast, colorful collection of materials. Lueker said he especially likes limestone and travertine "made up of skeletons from the oceans that are millions of years old."
Lueker and the students will continue to work on the mural on Saturdays over the next few months. The goal is to install the mural at Del Lago in August.
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Locke shows benefits from 2012 investment
PITTSBURGH -- By the first week of September of last season, the Pirates' postseason hopes had unraveled into a double-digit deficit in the National League Central. However, with a record of 74-74 as late as Sept 19, the Bucs still had a shot at that elusive winning record.
Fans, thus, were puzzled as Clint Hurdle planted rookies Jeff Locke and Kyle McPherson into his rotation, and for much of September bypassed a couple of veterans (Kevin Correia and Jeff Karstens) who did not figure to be part of the team's 2013 picture.
The Bucs went 2-7 in starts by Locke and McPherson, contributing to their 79-83 finish. That situation has been all but forgotten. But it shouldn't be. Locke serves a reminder every time he takes the mound, as he did Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game series against the Miami Marlins.
Elbow problems and a subsequent Tommy John operation have kept McPherson from profiting form the experience. But Locke has emerged as a surprising young left-handed ace in one of the Majors' top rotations. And much of his development is owed to that 2012 investment, which was by design.
"That was part of the thought," Hurdle said Tuesday, "to get Jeff's feet on the ground, and get him up and running. We had a young pitcher we thought would develop faster if given more reps. We wanted to give him the ball last year, and I do think that gave him the building blocks for everything he's been able to do this year.
"Organizational decisions are sometimes hard to make, and people on the outside don't get what you're doing. More often than not, if you're a fan of the Pirates, you want results now. Sometimes there's patience involved in building things, and we felt we were best served by giving reps to people who could help build this thing forward."


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The career of Guy Servais (Raives) is closely tied to that of Éric Warnauts. Their collaboration started when Warnauts wrote two volumes of 'Paris-Perdu', that were illustrated by Raives in 1985 and 1986. Afterwards, Raives and Warnauts continued their joint oeuvre, both doing artwork and scenarios. They started out this line of work with the series 'Lou Cale' (Ed. du Miroir), followed by several stories for À Suivre ('Congo 40', 'L'Envers des Rêves', 'Lettres d'Outremer'). For Casterman, they created 'Les Suites Vénitiennes' in 1996, followed by 'Un Diamant sous la Lune' in 2002-03. In 1999, Raives and Warnauts teamed up with scenarist Michel Vandam to produce 'Kin' la Belle'. In 2000 they were present at Glénat with 'L'Orfèvre'. Raives is also a colorist, among others on Jean-Claude Servais' 'La Mémoire des Arbres'.
He was one of several artists to make drawings for the "safe sex" promotional book 'Les Aventures de Latex' (FortMedia, 1991).


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I have a web app that stores the locations of farms in West Michigan. You can search for a product (e.g. "broccoli") and it will show you all the farms that grow that product.
Right now I'm using MySQL and using trigonometry to calculate the difference between the user's location and the location of each farm. It's not a bad way to go but it did take some doing.
Another thing I want to do soon is to map out growing seasons for different products for different regions. (For example, I want to show that avocados grow at a certain time of year in California but never Ohio.)
I realize this is an open-ended and possibly naive question, but might it be worth it for me to make the switch to PostgreSQL/PostGIS to take advantage of its spatial capabilities?


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Environmental Responsibility Is Everyone's Business
Mike Sommers, president & CEO of the American Petroleum Institute discusses the new oil and gas environmental partnership.
Mike Sommers, president & CEO of the American Petroleum Institute discusses the new oil and gas environmental partnership.
As Republicans in Georgia pleaded Tuesday with President Trump to stop making baseless claims about the election being stolen from him, GOP leaders in Washington remained silent about the avalanche of lies, conspiracy theories and open threats of violence made by the president's allies.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said, Suzette Penton "has tire tracks on her body" after being run over by a van filled with the four teenage suspects.
Seattles is preparing to slash the city's police budget just as homicides in the city climb to their highest level in more than a decade.Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan is set to sign a city budget that includes an 18 percent cut to the Seattle Police Department, a move that comes after police reform activists demanded the police budget be reduced by half. Calls for police reform have abounded in cities across the country since May, when George Floyd died at the hands of police in Minneapolis.The city council voted last week to slash about $69 million in funding for officer training, salaries and overtime, and get rid of vacant positions in the police department as well as transfer parking officers, mental health workers, and 911 dispatchers out of the department. The goal is to ultimately reinvest in alternatives to police in situations such as mental health crises.Meanwhile, Seattle had seen 55 murders this year as of Monday, the highest level since at least 2008, the last year of data available. The troubled city is also suffering a spike in violent crime, with 8,418 burglary incidents, up from to 7,634 last year, according to police.The mayor, a Democrat, said last week that she believes the city is "laying the groundwork to make systemic and lasting changes to policing.""We have rightly put forward a plan that seeks to ensure SPD has enough officers to meet 911 response and investigative needs throughout the city, while acknowledging and addressing the disproportionate impacts policing has had on communities of color, particularly Black communities," Durkan said in a statement.Police Chief Carmen Best resigned over the summer amid disagreements with the city council over the cuts to the police budget.In June, rioters claimed and barricaded off several blocks in the city's downtown Capitol Hill neighborhood, calling it the "Capitol Hill Occupied Protest" zone, or CHOP, after police abandoned their East Precinct to vandals and arsonists. Police agreed not to respond to calls from within the "autonomous zone" unless they were life-threatening.Later that month, however, Durkan, who previously predicted the autonomous zone would usher in a "summer of love" and said her decision to withdraw police from the area reflected her "trust" in protesters, announced the city would begin dismantling the zone, citing incidents of violence. A shooting inside the zone left a 19-year-old dead and another critically injured. Police said they were met by a violent crowd that blocked their access to the victims.
Republicans attempting to undo President-elect Joe Biden's victory in Pennsylvania asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday to take up their lawsuit, three days after it was thrown out by the highest court in the battleground state. In the request to the U.S. Supreme Court, Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly of northwestern Pennsylvania and the other plaintiffs are asking the court to prevent the state from certifying any contests from the Nov. 3 election, and undo any certifications already made, such as Biden's victory. Biden beat President Donald Trump by more than 80,000 votes in Pennsylvania, a state Trump had won in 2016.
A team of Trump-adjacent lawyers are turning on the electoral process as a whole.Sidney Powell, a former lawyer for the Trump campaign who has since been disavowed, and high-profile lawyer Lin Wood, along with a bunch of other people falsely alleging the whole 2020 election was rigged, gathered Wednesday in Georgia for a so-called "Stop the Steal" rally. There, they brought up some old favorite Trump rally chants and election conspiracy theories, though with a decidedly non-GOP-approved twist.With Trump campaign flags flying, the scantily masked crowd was reminiscent of a rally for the outgoing president. But the "lock him up" chants at this rally were actually targeted at Brian Kemp, Georgia's Republican governor. Wood initiated the chants, calling for a protest outside Kemp's house and his resignation because he hasn't moved to overturn President-elect Joe Biden's win in the state.Powell added to that, calling for ballots that are signed and marked with a thumbprint -- an idea that doesn't jibe with the secret ballots mandated in Georgia and most of the U.S. "I would encourage all Georgians to make it known that you will not vote at all unless your vote is secure," Powell added, essentially advocating for a boycott of the January runoffs that will decide control of the Senate. And when Rep. Vernon Jones (R-Ga.) tried to butt in and encourage people to turn out, Wood jumped back in, telling everyone to stay home until Trump is given the win and even suggesting Trump should split from the GOP altogether.If all that wasn't enough, someone brought a literal pitchfork to the event. > Someone at the rally literally carrying a pitchfork. pic.twitter.com/y4lteN9Xwn> > -- Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) December 2, 2020More stories from theweek.com Our parents warned us the internet would break our brains. It broke theirs instead. The naked corruption of Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue Trump gives 45-minute speech about voter fraud — which 1 analyst says he'd be making in court if it had any merit
From a private island to a tiny Vermont tree houseOriginally Appeared on Architectural Digest
For more than a year, an 80-year-old Hialeah woman refused to tell her daughter that she was being forcibly raped by her daughter's ex-husband, according to police.
By the end of February, 100 million Americans could be vaccinated, Operation Warp Speed's Moncef Slaoui predicted.
Police in Stockholm are investigating a woman in her 70s suspected of having kept her son locked up — reportedly for 28 years — in an apartment south of the Swedish capital, investigators said Tuesday. Prosecutor Emma Olsson, who heads the preliminary investigation, said the woman who was held on suspicion of unlawful deprivation of liberty and grievous bodily harm. Olsson said the 41-year-old son was found by a relative who then alerted authorities.
Retired Gen. Michael Flynn is fresh off a presidential pardon and ready to get back into some trouble.President Trump pardoned his short-lived national security adviser last week, after Flynn had previously pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with a Russian ambassador. Flynn has since been sharing dubious allegations of voter fraud, and on Wednesday, boosted a message telling Trump to take some radical actions to stop it.In a full-page Washington Times ad from something called the We the People Convention, Ohio Tea Party leader Tom Zawistowski tries to draw a comparison between Lincoln trying to save the union in 1863 and Trump trying to claw back the 2020 election, using some disputed facts along the way. Zawistowski alleges a lot of similarities between the two times, from "Democrat/Socialist federal officials plotting to finish gutting the U.S. Constitution" to big tech "actively censoring free speech and promoting leftist propaganda." So to counter that, the We the People Convention suggests Trump "declare limited Martial Law to temporarily suspend the Constitution" in order to hold a presidential election re-vote overseen by the military.> Big pro-authoritarian energy in Trumpland today:> > The president's (recently pardoned) former national security adviser, Mike Flynn, shared a message encouraging President Trump to "temporarily suspend the Constitution," impose martial law and "silence the destructive media." pic.twitter.com/cQh0wl7oWw> > — Brad Heath (@bradheath) December 2, 2020Flynn shared the ad on Twitter on Wednesday, seemingly trying to encourage a bunch of Fox News hosts and QAnon supporters to share it. It's just one of many disputed facts and allegations about the election that are apparently flowing through the mind of the man who used to oversee America's national security.More stories from theweek.com Our parents warned us the internet would break our brains. It broke theirs instead. The naked corruption of Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue Trump gives 45-minute speech about voter fraud — which 1 analyst says he'd be making in court if it had any merit
An Alabama soldier was charged with reckless murder after allegedly forcing his girlfriend's unruly 5-year-old son to get out of a car at night along a road where the boy was hit and killed by another vehicle, authorities said.
Senator Ron Johnson pushed back Wednesday against allegations that he has admitted privately that Joe Biden won the presidential election but refuses to do so publicly due to political concerns, saying his statements have always been consistent.Mark Becker, former chairman for the Brown County Republican Party, wrote an op-ed published Wednesday in the The Bulwark claiming that Johnson admitted that Biden won during a private phone call last month, but said he would not say as much publicly because it would be "political suicide.""Senator Johnson knows that Joe Biden won a free and fair election," Becker wrote. "He is refusing to admit it publicly and stoking conspiracies that undermine our democracy solely because it would be 'political suicide' to oppose Trump. I find this unconscionable."Becker said the "war that leaders of the GOP such as Senator Johnson are waging on the very foundations of our democracy" spurred his decision to publish details about his November 14 phone call with the Wisconsin Republican senator.Johnson dismissed the op-ed's accusations against him on Wednesday, saying the article "should be viewed as the political hit piece it is, and simply ignored.""I have been very consistent in both public and private statements that I believe there are way too many irregularities and suspect issues that need to be fully investigated and publicly vetted before a final result is determined and a peaceful transition of power takes place," Johnson said in a statement emailed to National Review.On Tuesday, shortly after Attorney General William Barr said the Justice Department has not found evidence of voter fraud widespread enough to change the outcome of this year's presidential election, Johnson called on Barr to "show everybody" his evidence that no mass voter fraud occurred, saying there are "enough suspicions" and "irregularities" to warrant questions about the process.Meanwhile, a growing group of GOP senators is calling on President Trump to concede the election as his legal team fails to produce evidence of widespread fraud and runs out of legal avenues to challenge the vote tallies.Becker, who has been vocal in his opposition to Trump over the past four years, says he endorsed and campaigned for Johnson's unsuccessful opponent, Democrat Russ Feingold, during their 2016 Senate race in Wisconsin.
A man is facing charges including murder and attempted murder, after Broward Sheriff's Office detectives say he broke into a home on Thanksgiving Day, choked and battered one victim and killed another.
He is the first to be arrested under a controversial anti-conversion law passed last month.
Juan Williams, normally a mild mannered liberal co-host on 'The Five,' finally had enough on Wednesday's show.
Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Mark Milley, speaking during a Brookings Institution event Wednesday, said that, after nearly 20 years in Afghanistan the U.S. has "achieved a modicum of success" with its military operations in the country. That's true, he argued, despite a current "state of strategic stalemate" and the inability to defeat the Taliban militarily.The comments, which come as the military looks to execute President Trump's partial troop withdrawal order, sparked a backlash, with critics suggesting -- some more explicitly -- that a "modicum" is a fairly paltry amount of success to earn for such a high cost> CJCS Gen. Milley, asked about Afghanistan withdrawal, says 20 years of constant U.S. effort has produced a "modicum" of success. > > Quite the optimist.> > -- Brian Everstine (@beverstine) December 2, 2020> Milley, on the state of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan: > > "We believe now that after 20 years, two decades of consistent effort, that we he have achieved a modicum of success."> > More than 775,000 service members have deployed to Afghanistan. Nearly 2,400 dead, and 20K wounded.> > -- Dan Lamothe (@DanLamothe) December 2, 2020Others added that Milley's analysis of the situation, even if it's interpreted as defeatist, still downplays the reality on the ground over the last two decades. > Some people will give Milley some credit here. Oh he's telling the truth. No. It's been an abject failure. By every metric. Especially when most of the metrics are currently classified. They don't usually do that when they are successful.> > -- Paul Szoldra (@PaulSzoldra) December 2, 2020More stories from theweek.com Our parents warned us the internet would break our brains. It broke theirs instead. The naked corruption of Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue Trump gives 45-minute speech about voter fraud — which 1 analyst says he'd be making in court if it had any merit
BEN-GURION INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Israel (AP) — Hundreds of Ethiopian immigrants arrived on Thursday to a festive ceremony at Israel's international airport, as the government took a step toward carrying out its pledge to reunite hundreds of families split between the two countries. Many were dressed in traditional Ethiopian robes, and many women held babies in their arms.
Six years after the alleged incident, one woman is taking a prominent TV star to court.
The Trump presidency ended in the parking lot of a landscaping company next to an adult bookstore. Richard Hall was there
President-elect Joe Biden has made it clear he believes he can reach the other side of the aisle during his presidency. His first priority, he told The New York Times' Thomas Friedman, will be to push a major pandemic relief package through Congress, even before he gets into office. But that may be difficult while Republicans hold the Senate, which will be the case unless both Democratic candidates win their respective George Senate runoffs.Biden, though, is optimistic, for two reasons. On the one hand, he thinks he has a solid enough working relationship with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to get deals done, citing his days in the Senate and as vice president as precedent. "Let me put it this way," he told Friedman. "There are a number of things that when McConnell controlled the Senate that people said couldn't get done, and I was able to get them done with [him]. I was able to get them to, you know, raise taxes on the wealthy. I think there are trade-offs, that not all compromise is walking away from principle. He knows me. I know him. I don't ask him to embarrass himself to make a deal."But the president-elect also doesn't think holding the majority means McConnell will have all the leverage. If the GOP stymies a relief bill just to prevent his administration from notching a win, Biden said, that could lead to trouble for the party at the voting booth in the 2022 midterms. Biden argued that layoffs, shuttered business, vaccine distribution issues, and bankrupt states will make it challenging for Republican lawmakers to block legislation for too long. Read more at The New York Times.More stories from theweek.com Our parents warned us the internet would break our brains. It broke theirs instead. The naked corruption of Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue Trump gives 45-minute speech about voter fraud — which 1 analyst says he'd be making in court if it had any merit


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Pet Grooming for Dogs and Cats
At South Bend Animal Hospital, we offer grooming as one of our services for your dog or cat. Dogs and cats can get dirty and their fur can get matted. We have terrific groomers who love to make your pet look, feel and smell their best. A well groomed pet is a healthier and happier pet.
Our groomers are pet care professionals who understand that each pet and breed has different grooming requirements. We will be happy to discuss the best ways to achieve a healthy and comfortable coat for your pet.
In addition to maintaining a healthy coat, your pet's hair and nails should be trimmed on a regular basis. Trimming your pet's hair and nails is an important part of a hygiene routine that not only helps your pet stay in top shape, but also contributes to its overall good health.
Our Professional Groomers offer:
- Clip, Trim & Style
- Breed Specific Cuts
- Brush Out
- Shampoo
- Conditioning
- Nail Trims
- Ear Cleaning
We require that all pets who come in for a groom are up-to-date with the bordetella, DHLPP, and Rabies Vaccine.
Please call (574) 232-1459 to book your pet's grooming today. We'll be happy to answer all your questions to ensure that your pet's grooming experience turns out just as you imagined.


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Chef Marlene Moore and Jackie Steed with Habitat for Humanity drop by the KCAL9 studio to give a glimpse of what you can expect at the 11th annual Pechanga Microbrew Fest & Chili Cookoff on Saturday, June 15.
What To Expect At the Pechanga Microbrew Fest & Chili Cookoff
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SoCal Family Feeds Strangers For ThanksgivingThe Frazier family spent the week cooking meals for those who need them.


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One of the Simanim or symbols used on the Jewish New year of Rosh Hashanah is a specific type of squash or gourd – known in this context as either "qara" or "kera" or "k'ra" or "kra" in Hebrew and Aramaic, this type of squash is otherwise known as spaghetti squash or calabash. Pumpkin, another type of squash, may also be used but traditionally many Sephardic or Syrian Jews prefer cooking spaghetti squash in a thick sugar syrup known as "shira". For as long as I can remember, my mother, and then later on when I got married, my mother in law cooked up this pot of sweet golden threads known as "sillet"(pictured above in between the date and the apple).
As kids we knew that we would have rather be munching on Ring Dings and Devil Dogs, but as we grew up, we appreciated this once a year traditional treat for a sweet New Year.
Recipe for Sweet Spagetti Squash "Hillu"- Syrian Style Simanim for Rosh Hashanah
- 1 spaghetti squash
Puncture with a knife in several places. Place in a large pot with water. Boil for 25-40 minutes.
Remove from hot water and immerse in cold water to stop cooking.
Cut in half and remove seeds. Some people cook bizzer from these seeds. Here's a quick "How to Roast Your Own Pumkin Seeds" link.
Make sweet "shira" syrup:
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup of water
- dash of lemon juice
- Boil water with sugar and lemon juice 30 minutes till thick and syrupy.
- Shred squash till spagetti like. Drain in a colander. Add squash to shira syrup mixture and simmer and stir occasionally. Refigerate. My mother in law freezes it in a Tuperware. Stays nicely in the fridge. May sprinkle with pistachio nuts before serving.


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French budget tries to turn page but growth weak
PARIS (AP) — The French government has declared the economic crisis over and is promising its new budget will bring growth and jobs. But experts are criticizing the proposals, saying they could derail the nascent recovery.
In a budget unveiled Wednesday, the government said it would cut the deficit by nearly 18 billion euros ($24 billion), 14.8 billion euros of which will come from spending cuts, the rest from taxes. The bill budgets 379.9 billion euros in spending for 2014.
The government has promised the measures will re-energize the economy by reducing the money spent on retirement and health benefits and by offering companies a tax credit if they hire. But taxpayers are grumbling about even the modest tax increase, and economists are split on the merits of cutting spending now, when the recovery is still weak.
"Purchasing power is our preoccupation," Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici told French television on the eve of the budget unveiling, calling it a budget for growth and employment.
Much of the criticism of the budget, however, was that it is in fact likely to hurt household spending.
Though the government argues the budget provides relief for lower income households, economists note that the tax credit meant to boost hiring at companies is being paid for largely by a hike to the sales tax. That directly takes money out of the pockets of shoppers of all incomes.
In terms of reducing the deficit, the budget is part of Paris' belated effort to fall in line with the rest of Europe's focus on cutting state spending. When counting items not included in the budget, France's public spending accounts for a stunning 57 percent of the country's 2 trillion-euro ($2.7 trillion) gross domestic product.
The slow approach is typical of Francois Hollande's tenure. The French president is famous for trying not to be famous. His most notable domestic policy so far, the creation of a 75 percent tax for millionaires, was rejected by a court and amended and reduced to the point that it lost much of its shock value. It was written into the new budget as a 50 percent tax paid by employers on all remuneration above 1 million euros.
The delays in reforms have drawn a critical eye from the European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, and Germany, which led the push for austerity in Europe. While the Commission has softened its stance somewhat — notably giving France more time to reduce its deficit — the re-election of German Chancellor Angela Merkel this weekend was an endorsement of her tough line.
But the new budget is also coming under fire in some quarters for cutting too much since lower spending will hurt growth in the short term, just as the country is emerging from recession and with unemployment at 11 percent.
The economy grew 0.5 percent in the second quarter after contracting for two quarters. The figure, which could be revised as early as Friday, was stronger than expected, but experts warn it may have overstated the country's economic health.
Eric Heyer, an economist with the French Observatory for Economic Forecasts, says the economy remains in trouble and so spending cuts are still not advisable.
He estimates that spending cuts and tax increases — both in France and around Europe — will shave 1.3 percent off France's economic growth next year. Still, the observatory's forecast is among the most positive at a 1.3 percent increase in GDP. The consensus is somewhere just below 1 percent; the French government built its budget around a 0.9 percent estimate.
Heyer cautions that a return to growth doesn't mean France is rebounding.
"We can't talk about a recovery as long as economic growth is around 1 percent," he said. "Since today, we produce less than five years ago, we are still in recession. That's the real definition of a recession."
"The real rebound will be when we have a production level well above 2007 and when the economy has started to create jobs again. That's not in the government's scenario."
Jacob Kirkegaard, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington, notes France has escaped the financial crisis without the explosions of unemployment and deep recessions seen in Southern Europe. But that also means it no longer has the motivation to make the real, deep reforms it also avoided.
"There's never going to be a hard landing. ... It's going to be a gradual underperformance," not only compared with Germany but also with traditionally weaker countries like Spain and Italy, he said.


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ST. PAUL, Minn.—Minnesota's health insurance exchange is teaming up with grocery store chain Cub Foods to spread the word about enrolling in insurance coverage.
Shoppers at Cub's dozens of Minnesota locations will find consumer brochures and fact sheets for MNsure in store pharmacies. The brochures are available in four languages: English, Spanish, Hmong and Somali.
MNsure.org is the consumer portal for comparing and shopping for insurance plans under the new federal health law. The brochures include contact information, plan benefits and cost-saving methods.
MNsure's director of marketing says the outreach through Cub stores is one way the agency can reach Minnesotans in their neighborhoods. She says Cub pharmacies are a natural place to connect with people in need of health care information.
Cub is a subsidiary of Eden Prairie-based grocery retailer SuperValu.


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When the blackout occurred, I had plenty of water, a working landline, two cell phones that never lost power, 24-hour Internet access, a fully-operating electric stove, and cable TV. That is because I was in Tokyo.
The only New Yorkers I could bond with, though, were the CNN anchors on my TV as they beamed me images of Avenue A and gave accounts of the bonfire in Tompkins Square Park just steps from my apartment.
It was somehow instructive to be on another continent, another culture -- a place where, on June 22, there had been a "voluntary blackout." It was called Candle Night, and its purpose was to get people thinking about energy conservation, among other things. (It is sponsored by an environmental organization called the Sloth Club) As part of this event, major tourist sites such as Tokyo Tower and Himeji Castle were left in the dark, on purpose.
Over the summer in Tokyo, amid earthquakes and typhoons, there were also fears of power failure, especially, according to the Japan Times, because of safety inspections that required the closure of 17 nuclear power generators.
But, following the blackout in New York on August 14th, Japanese utility companies were quick to reassure Tokyoites that a major power failure would never happen in Japan. This, the newspaper Asahi Shimbun told their readers, is due to differences in Japanese power grids and rerouting capabilities. Not everybody in Japan is so confident, though, especially one of the major train companies, which operates at full capacity every day.
Calling New York, But Not Getting an Answer
Despite all of my technology, it was impossible to contact anyone in New York. Landlines rang and rang with no answer due to overloaded telecom networks, despite Verizon's extensive back-up systems which insure that hospitals, essential services and 911 are operating during emergencies. Payphones continued to work for those patient enough to stand in line (scroll down to the fourth photo).
Most of us prefer the convenience of cordless phones ("Can I call you back? I'm in the shower right now.") forgetting that they won't work without electricity. Some have even abandoned landlines all together preferring to pay only one bill, for their cell phone. But, for the most part, cell phones from the top six carriers were unreliable through Friday morning. Verizon Wireless reported getting four times their usual traffic. Cell phone towers require electricity and have only three to six hours of back-up batteries.
This is the second time that cell phone networks have faltered in the face of an emergency. The first was during 9/11 when the Internet became the most reliable communication network. Unlike 9/11 however, the Internet was of no use in the blackout because most people couldn't connect to it without a computer. However, BlackBerry e-mail pagers did work because they rely on an older type of network technology.
If there was any time to be low-tech, it was during the Blackout of 2003. New Yorkers quickly learned the value of having at least one battery-operated radio, flashlight, plug-in phone.
Blackout Blogs
Many New York blogs covered the blackout with photos. Some of these include Gothamist, CamWorld, Capn Design, Satan's Laundromat, and those by John Wehr, Andrew Raff, Jesse Chan-Norris, Adam Fields, and Robert Spychala's SnapLog. The Fray, and many other blogs, are collecting stories Blackout 2003 from their readers.
To follow up on the bonding theme, online community Craigslist New York received almost thirty postings about "missed connections" during the blackout - personal ads resulting from the many close encounters in the dark. But are you sure you want to meet someone you only saw in the dim beam of your flashlight???
Another Plea for .NYC
The city has only until August 25 to file comments that could result in ownership of the Internet domain name .NYC. If secured, this new name could replace .COM, .GOV or .ORG in New York City-related organizations and businesses. For a brief background on this issue as of March 2002 see "The Battle for .NYC."
Proponents of this plan argue that the city could gain marketing power, increase revenue and improve the quality of life in New York if the .NYC name were secured. Queens Community Board 3 has been backing this issue since April 2001 when it passed an Internet Empowerment Resolution requesting that the city obtain .NYC. However, those opposed disagree with the concept that a city government should be able profit from the licensing of Internet domain names such as hotels.nyc or restaurants.nyc.
In order to make .NYC a reality, lawmakers need to file comments with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. Further attention and support from Mayor Bloomberg, Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications Chief Gino Menchini, City Council Technology in Government Committee Chair Gale Brewer and Commission on Public Information and Communication Chair Betsy Gotbaum and others is needed.
Laura Forlano is a doctoral student studying communication technology policy at Columbia University.


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When Kristine and I recently saw an episode of "The Tudors" on Showtime, we turned to the Family Forest® as a program.
In this application we used the Family Forest® not so much as a program in the software sense; it is similar to a digital version of a program one buys at a baseball game or receives at a Broadway Show. We use it to learn more about the characters, who they were and how they fit into the actual unfolding of history, so we receive more enjoyment from the performance.
Most of the key characters from "The Tudors" are already very extensively lineage-linked in the Family Forest®. This means they are connected to generation-by-generation lines of descent leading into the future, and/or generation-by-generation lines of ancestral pathways leading for a number of centuries into the past. Some of them are connected through family ties to hundreds of thousands of individual relatives from their future and their past.
We focused on a downstream view (from the past moving toward the future) of the father of the famous Anne Boleyn, Sir Thomas Boleyn Earl of Wiltshire and Ormond see what resulted from his life over the following centuries. A few mouse-clicks in the Family Forest® produce surprising counterintuitive results.
Although he was a relatively minor player in the court of King Henry VIII (other than being his father-in-law), his descendants spread far and wide over the centuries. Some became heir to the British throne, some settled in places like Fairmont, WV and Elkader, IA and Paris, AR, and some appear on TV.
Prince William and Prince Harry are descended from Sir Thomas Boleyn via their mother, Princess Diana, and via their paternal grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. Their new step-mother, the Duchess of Cornwall, and their aunt, Sarah Ferguson, are also both descended from Sir Thomas Boleyn.
A number of Pocahontas' descendants are also descended from Sir Thomas Boleyn, as are the children of Charles Lindberg, Governor Howard Dean, and President Teddy Roosevelt.
The founder of the great oil enterprise that eventually became Exxon, John Davison Rockefeller, Sr. is descended from Sir Thomas Boleyn, and so are Hollywood performers such as Rachel Ward of "The Thorn Birds" and Cary Elwes.
Whenever you are watching an episode of "The Tudors" on Showtime, I hope you will remember this post about just one of the many characters, and consider the very likely possibility that one or more of your own ancestors are being portrayed on the show.


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Our website is currently undergoing maintenance to upgrade certain features. This may result in the website not displaying correctly in your browser and certain actions performed in the client area taking longer than usual to complete. We expect to complete the maintenance within the next few days, but please be patient in the meantime. If you ... Davamını oxu »
We would like to notify you that we have planned scheduled maintenance on our domain registration service. Scheduled start time: Sunday 17th March 2019 at 01:30 am UTC Duration: 60 minutes Affected services: Domain Lookup Calls will fail Domain Provisioning calls (register and transfer) will fail Domain renewal actions will be queued ... Davamını oxu »
We are currently experiencing connectivity issues with the .NL registry which is preventing new .NL domain registrations from going through. We are working with the .NL registry to solve the issue. In the meantime, any customers who have put through orders for .NL domains will see their domain stuck in a pending state until the issue is ... Davamını oxu »


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Action Plan for Energy-Efficient Housing in the UNECE Region (2010)
This Action Plan provides a framework for the member States of the region to raise energy efficiency in the housing sector and thus enable them to more effectively address environmental and economic challenges and meet social needs. The Action Plan lists a range of measures aimed at removing barriers to energy efficiency and progressively moving towards a low-energy and ultimately zero-energy and carbon neutral housing sector.
Symbol No. ECE/HBP/164
Languages: E;R


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Yesterday was snow day #1 and also Jake's 33rd birthday. It was so fun that he was off of school & could be home for his birthday. What a treat! We didn't have any snow. It started to rain mid-afternoon and then it turned into sleet. By 5 pm the roads were starting to get icy.
Today is snow day #2. We woke up to this!
And yes, we were outside before 8am! Lily was so excited. I wish I would have video-ed her initial reaction when I had her come look out the window.
We don't really have snow clothes here. They are hard to find and not worth purchasing when we only get snow once every few years. Our last real snow was HERE.
We layered up (tights, socks, pants...shirt, sweatshirt, coat, raincoat...hats, gloves & boots). It worked, plus the girls don't stay out super long. They get cold quickly.
We use beach toys for snow toys. Jake even used our boogie board as a sled.
Our Mickey Mouse snowman, complete with seashell eyes & buttons.
Snow day #3 tomorrow (due to icy roads).


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Resident says townspeople assume Aaron Hernandez is guilty
- Patriots Aaron Hernandez has been questioned by police in connection with a homicide
- Investigators have also searched his home on several occasions
- Neighbors say Hernandez is a nice guy who buys ice cream with the kids
NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH, Mass. – The scene on Ronald C. Meyers Drive in Westwood Estates was like any played out in scores of neighborhoods across the country on any given Thursday afternoon. A group of kids playing roller hockey in a driveway. A small black-and-white dog rolling on a front yard. Some younger kids chasing each other on another lawn. Parents pushing strollers. A school bus dropping kids off after school. Even the ice cream truck came by.
But the dozens of satellite TV trucks and cars lining the street and the scores of media staked out in an undeveloped lot across from No. 22 belied the normalcy. A near-constant stream of vehicles filled the street. A couple of kids on bikes rode up and down the street, calling out the various states represented by the license plates – Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine, New York. People who didn't seem to be from the neighborhood walked by to see what was going on.
All this, even though the subject of all the attention had not been home for several hours.
Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, the subject of a homicide investigation, left his large grey-shingled home with a three-car garage shortly after 11 a.m. on Thursday in a white Audi SUV. He was followed by media helicopters as he drove to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, and then later to Boston, probably to meet with his lawyer. In between was a stop at a gas station, where he was approached by several members of the media but did not make a comment.
Meanwhile, Hernandez appeared to be falling deeper and deeper into the investigation. The Boston Globe reported Friday that police have surveillance videos that show Hernandez with victim Odin Lloyd, 27, on the morning police say Lloyd was shot multiple times and left in an undeveloped industrial park at the end of a dirt road less than a mile from Hernandez's home.
ABC News has reported that persons with knowledge of the investigation have said Hernandez destroyed his cell phone and surveillance videos from the cameras at his home, and that his home was cleaned hours after police believe Odin was killed.
The Globe reported a police source who said Lloyd was killed where the body was found.
Steve Varney, a long-time resident of North Attleboro, knew Hernandez lived in town, but until Thursday afternoon had no idea where. So, he set out on his Keeway moped to find out.
"It's a circus," he said. "When I was riding up here, I did not expect to see all these cars. And then when I see all the cameras lined up, there's got to be about 30. It's just wow."
Varney, though, said he feels like most people in town.
"They just, for the most part, are getting a big kick out of it," he said. "But they don't seem to be backing him up, that's for sure. From what I've heard, they just assume he's guilty. And it's just another circus with the NFL."
Hernandez is not the first Patriots player to live in the neighborhood. One resident said Ty Warren, Deion Branch and Richard Seymour have all been neighbors. Hernandez bought the home from Warren.
"This is what I call the quietest street in America," said a resident of Ronald C. Meyers Drive and father of two, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the case. "But it just feels like the innocence is gone a little bit. A lot of these guys, that's why they move here because of what this neighborhood offers. It's families. It's kids. The ice cream man comes by and it's the biggest thrill of the day.
"My oldest, he's 14. The first thing he said was he doesn't want anything bad to happen. And when you hear something like that, it's hard to explain. And (Hernandez is) a kid himself.
"Honestly, he's great because he's like any other neighbor. Waves and says hi. I say hi. He just moved in. He's always cordial. My little one goes out to get ice cream. He comes out and gets ice cream, too. And they talk about which ice cream they like the best. That's like any neighbor. It's no different."
But this week it certainly has been.
"I left at 4:30 this morning for work. What you see is what I left with," the resident said.
And it's been like this since Monday, when news broke of the investigation and authorities' interest in Hernandez.
"I think waking up at 5 or 6 in the morning and hearing helicopters over your house is not something that you're used to," said the neighbor, who has lived in the area for just over four years.
Varney, meanwhile, awaits movement in the case.
"It's really too bad if he is guilty, if he's part of it, it's really too bad, because everybody loved him -- the Patriots and partly him. But what are you gonna do?" he said.
What is Varney going to do? He described himself as a "big time" Patriots fan. Does this affect his feelings for the team?
"Not at all," he said with a laugh. "Just win, baby."


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How-to videos on building six-pack abs weren't around 380 million years ago, but that didn't stop a certain species of fish from developing them.
A team of international scientists discovered a scary-looking, shark-like fossilized fish with abdominal muscles, uncovering the rare find in the photo above in the remote region of Kimberley in Western Australia, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.
They are the oldest preserved muscles ever found, according to the NewScientist, which is calling them the world's first abs.
Paleontologists from Australia, France, and Sweden made the discovery in rocks on the Gogo Formation, where more than 50 species of fish fossils have been found.
"We didn't expect these fish to have abdominal muscles; they're the abs that people have," Finders University paleontologist John Long told ABC. "Sharks don't have them, nor do any other living fish, but all living four-legged animals do have them, such as reptiles, mammals, and birds."
Kate Trinajstic of Curtin University in Perth, Australia, told New Scientist, "We were stunned to find that our ancient fossil fishes had abs."
The paleontologists told ABC that it was rare for the soft tissue in the placoderm fossils to be so well-preserved, and it allowed them to map the muscular structure of the fish.
Placoderms were jawed fish featuring armor covering their heads and parts of their bodies, and most were carnivores.
"Some were quite scary, big-time predators," Per Ahlberg of Uppsala University in Sweden told New Scientist. One was known as Dunkleosteus and grew to 33 feet long.
The one you see at the top lived 380 million years ago, or long before the invention of Bowflex.
Hat tip to Outside.
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!


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Mayor: Name school for teacher in Newtown massacre
Victoria Soto killed while protecting students at Sandy Hook
The mayor of a town near Newtown, Conn., proposed Monday naming a school after Victoria Soto, a teacher who was killed in last month's elementary school massacre and hailed as a hero.
Soto, a 27-year-old resident of Stratford, was killed as she tried to shield her students from the gunman inside Sandy Hook Elementary School. The shooter killed 20 children and six women at the school on Dec. 14 before committing suicide.
"In the days since the tragedy in Sandy Hook, the stories of bravery and heroism by Stratford's own Victoria Soto have been both heart-wrenching and abundant," Stratford Mayor John Harkins said. "She gave her life protecting children, and we must make sure her sacrifice is never forgotten."
Some of the children from Soto's classroom escaped harm, and there have been reports that Soto hid some of her students from the approaching gunman.
Harkins said he had met with Soto's family and discussed how the town could honor her memory.
Construction is scheduled next summer on a new school in Stratford, and Harkins said he wants it named for Soto. The name must be approved by the town council, which is expected to take up the matter at a Jan. 14 meeting.
A petition also has been started to rename a street in Stratford after Soto, and members of her 2003 Stratford High School class have started a scholarship fund in her name.


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SEOUL — THE FERRY PITCHED AND ROCKED in the dark waters of the Tsushima Strait. Foamy white caps spun off the tops of waves outside as attendants rushed wobbly-legged around the cabin, passing out sick-bags left and right to passengers appearing in need. The engine of the hydrofoil shuddered to a stop and then started again as the captain negotiated the rollers. An older, heavyset woman stumbled to the back row looking pale and queasy before she was escorted to first class to lay down on top of a blanket. I looked across the aisle at Janice; her eyes were shut tight and her hand cupped around her lips. Things were not looking good.
It was an unfitting end to what had been a calm, even enlightening trip to the southwest of Japan. Our initial voyage to Fukuoka from the South Korean port city of Busan had been smooth: we knocked out soon after we hit the seats, thanks to the Dramamine. Since then we had rocketed to Kyoto aboard the Shinkansen Hikari bullet train, meandered peacefully from temple to temple and soaked in the public baths of our ryokan. We had strolled the Blade Runner landscape of Osaka, ate tacoyaki along its famed Dotonbori and watched the last sunset of 2008 from the top floor of the Umeda Sky Building.
Our journey (what I say was "Honeymoon Part I," with promises that "Part II" will involve beaches and hammocks) also gave me the opportunity I had been craving to evaluate the raft of changes that have taken place in my life. Looking back on the past six months I saw transformations in myself with which I am uncomfortable, mostly relating to my attitudes towards work and my ambitions as a writer and to how I've (not) settled myself in Seoul. But orienting oneself on the map is only the first step; the next is determining the heading.
One of my major regrets is allowing my posts to this blog to become so infrequent. I feel confident that the quality of content still maintains a high standard, but I aim to make the site flower over the next few months to the tune of my new mantra: substance first, then style. Expect to see more, if not truly daily, writing here in the near future — beginning with a thorough travelogue of my adventures in Japan and unfolding into what I hope will be an insightful look at the complex nation in which I now reside.
I wrote when I moved here that this site would not become a Korea blog, a vague term I used to encompass the lot of blogs run by expats here: those both shallow and incisive, aimed at keeping in touch with family back home, venting about the maddening aspects of this society or following and dissecting its news. While I still aim to keep The Daily Transit cosmopolitan and travel-oriented, it seems foolish to avoid publishing my observations or leave unexplored issues into which I now have a unique window.
Cheers to you readers who have stuck with me and best wishes in the New Year. Stay tuned for the full chronicle of our Japan journey, and safe travels.


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EK-FC7970 - Acetal+EN (Nickel)
Financing Available
Split the purchase amount of 500 EUR/AUD/USD or more in up to 3 interest-free monthly payments with Splitit.
EK-FC7970 is a high performance full-cover water block for AMD reference design Radeon HD 7970 and -7950 graphics card. Please check our Cooling Configurator online compatibility system for detailed compatibility list!
This water block directly cools the GPU, RAM as well as VRM (voltage regulation module) as water flows directly over these critical areas thus allowing the graphics card and it's VRM to remain stable under high overclocks. EK-FC7970 water block also features a very high flow design therefore it can be easily used in liquid cooling systems using weaker water pumps.
Base is made of electroless nickel (EN) plated electrolytic copper while the top is made of quality POM Acetal material. The sealing is performed by quality rubber washers. Screw-in brass standoffs are pre-installed and allow for safe, painless installation procedure. Block is mounted with enclosed M3x4 DIN7985 screws.
EKWB recommends the purchase of aesthetic retention backplate (EK-FC7970 Backplate - Black) which improves the looks of your graphics cards and also provide some passive cooling to the VRM section.
EKWB also offers a single-slot I/O bracket which frees adjacent PCI/PCIe expansion slot. The bracket is available as an optional add-on and can be purchased through EKWB webshop.
G1/4" threaded fittings can be used on both side of the water block (on copper and plastic) and 2 plugs (EK-Plug G1/4) are enclosed!
Up to four EK-FC7970 series water block can be interconnected with EK-FC Bridge & Link system. The correct connection link for this water block is EK-FC Link R48x0/58x0.
- EK-FC7970 series water block
- mounting mechanism with screw-in brass standoffs
- thermal pads
Please note: Thermal paste is not included and needs to be purchased separately. EKWB recommends Gelid GC-Extreme for best performance.
Made in Slovenia - Europe!
- Due to superior nickel plating method and corrosion resistance, the waterblock may loose brightness over time and become of a bit duller tone.
- Due to immense variety of fittings/barbs available on market and no prescribed standards, we guarantee compatibility only for connectors bought from our web site.
Additional Info
|Material / Design / Color option
|Nickel Acetal
|Chip Manufacturer
|AMD Radeon


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Jean-Louis Michon was a traditionalist French scholar who specialized in Islam in North Africa, Islamic art, and Sufism. His works include Le Soufi marrocain Ahmad Ibn 'Ajiba and L'Autobiographie (Fahrasa) du Soufi marrocain Ahmad Ibn 'Ajiba (1747-1809). He wrote numerous articles appearing in several languages, and translated the Holy Koran into French.
How to link to a specific film clip:
How to link to all clips by one person:


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Orca Agate Palms are On Sale
Regular price
Amphibole Quartz (aka Angel Phantom Quartz) helps to create balance in our lives, as well as to contact our Spirit Guides, Angels, and Ancestors. Amphibole Quartz has a lovely vibration that will help you to reach the higher realms in meditation. It is also helpful for astral travel, lucid dreaming, and for communication with our Higher Self.
Amphibole Quartz Crystals have inclusions, mostly consisting of (yellow) Limonite, (red) Hematite (white) Kaolinite, and (pink) Lithium. The minerals in the Amphibole group may also occur as stones in their own right... including Actinolite, Riebeckite, Limonite, Tremolite, Hematite, Caolinite, Winchite, Hornblende and Richterite.
Angel Phantom Quartz works best at the non-physical level of being. Clear Quartz has been used in meditation, spiritual development and healing. Angel Phantom Quartz helps one to recognize the origin of dis-ease. Amphibole Quartz crystals are multi-talented with having so many inclusions threaded in and throughout them. These crystals bring peace, harmony and serenity through surety. They breed a strong sense of confidence within oneself – confidence in ones decisions, confidence to take on the unknown and new projects.
Hematite has been used in the treatment of leg cramps, blood disorders, nervous disorders, insomnia, and may assist with correcting spinal alignment and healing fractures. It also keeps one grounded while providing the raw energy and drive to move forward – no matter what obstacles may be thrown up in your path.
The yellow Limonite radiates self worth, joy and provides an abundance of personal energy that bursts forth – inspiring both the self and others around you. The pink Lithium provides the energy of Love, empathy for others – and keeps one focused on the all important core values of giving, integrity and selfless light work for the betterment of all. Limonite has been used in the treatment of skeletal system, to ameliorate dehydration, and to assist in the assimilation of iron and calcium. Limonite has also been used to dispel fever and to treat both the liver and the jaundiced conditions produced by disorders of the liver.
The Limonite aspect also offers excellent crystal protection properties, and the white Kaolinite gives one the intuition to know when to use the protective qualities – thus avoiding unnecessary knee jerk reactions, unwarranted paranoia and fear based decisions.
The Kaolinite channels in Crown Chakra energy providing inspiration and connection with the Angelic realm – funneling pure white light into everything that one does. Kaolinite can be used in the treatment to eliminate excess cholesterol, to bring a smoothness and flow to ones skin, in the treatment of disorders of the ears, tear ducts, digestion, intestines and as an anointing elixir when one is in the state of disease.
Most have clear areas, and these aid you to find clarity in your communication with the higher realms. The phantoms that you can see are caused by inclusions of many different types of minerals, and these minerals also add to the vibration of individual stones.
These amphiboles are from Brazil. The vibration of the stones vary slightly from each other, depending on the color. Regardless of the color there is a lovely flow of peaceful energy that is emitted by these stones, as they embody potent energies to contact the angelic realms.
Amphibole Quartz is very, very effective when working with lung related issues – especially in elixir form. This crystal is a very serious cleanser – of pollutants, toxicity and negative thought patterns. It is a manifestation crystal extraordinaire.
Amphibole Quartz is an exceptional crystal to use for lucid dreaming, especially when used in conjunction with an elixir made from the same crystal. Place the crystal beside your bed head or under your pillow and prepare to have peaceful, restful sleep with very informative dreams!
This listing is for the crystal shown. There are no substitutions.
Weight: 50 grams (1.75 oz)
Measures: 2" x 1.25" x 1.5"


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Any way you look at it, it's going to be an emotional season for the Newmarket High School boys basketball team. There's no way around it.
The Mules opened their season last Friday with a convincing win at Portsmouth Christian Academy. But the junior varsity and varsity benches no doubt felt a little emptier without the familiar presence of Robert "Bert" McGloughlin Sr.
Bert, a popular Newmarket JV coach and varsity assistant since 2002, died on March 5 from complications after having open heart surgery. He was 44.
This year's Newmarket team has dedicated the season in Bert's memory.
"We actually had a meeting this year, a sleepover in the gym," said senior guard Christian Hawkins. "We talked about dedicating the season to Coach. It was hard after he died to come out and play in a playoff game."
Bert's death came on the eve of Newmarket's semifinal game against Littleton at Plymouth State University. They lost, 68-61. Bert's son Robert Jr. was on the team.
"All the years I've been coaching, I've never been more proud of a team than I was that night at Plymouth State," said Newmarket coach Jamie Hayes, a close friend of Bert's.
"He wasn't just a coach," said Christian Filion, a player on last year's team. "He was a dad to me, a teacher, a mentor. It was hard for everyone."
Robert Jr. spoke emotionally about his dad last spring. "My dad wouldn't want us to lay down and feel sorry (for ourselves). He'd want us to go out and give it our best shot; try our hardest to win. Don't play feeling sorry and sad. Play with that pride. My dad had Newmarket pride and so much of it. He just wanted everyone to succeed."
Moving forward hasn't been easy, certainly for Hayes who grew up with Bert.
"My dad coached him," he said. "His dad coached me. We had a great working relationship, as well as a great friendship."
Hayes mentioned watching game tape from last season last week and seeing Bert sitting next to him on the bench.
"It was a little difficult for me for a couple of minutes," Hayes said.
Newmarket almost didn't get Bert as a JV coach, according to his stepson, Ryan Norton. It was the beginning of the 2002-03 basketball season and Ryan was a freshman on the JV team. As Norton recalled, the coach showed up for the first day of practice, but never came back.
"The varsity coach at the time said if we don't have a JV coach there will be no team," Norton said. "(Bert) was like, 'we can't have that.' He said he'd do it."
Norton, 24, is a 2006 Newmarket graduate, who still lives in Newmarket with his family. Like Bert, Norton has taken an interest in coaching. He coaches freshman baseball at Winnacunnet High School where he applies some of the same coaching techniques he learned from Bert.
"He was somebody who cared so much about everyone else succeeding," Norton said. "He wanted to see progress. He didn't care if you went 0-16 as long as you played better. I'm taking the same approach. You want to see signs of improvement, but the record doesn't matter. It was about progress, more than winning, especially at the sub-varsity level."
It's an approach that served Bert well, coaching the right way, working effectively off Hayes as the head coach.
"You get up suddenly and he's there coaching and he's right next to you," Hayes said last week about watching game film before the season opener. "And you think we're not going to have that when we go out Friday night. The guys are doing a good job staying focused."
Former Newmarket player and 2007 graduate Andrew Kongmany is the new JV coach, taking over for a man he once played for. In a way, Kongmany has been groomed for the position.
"He helped Bert coach the last three years," Hayes said. "He was going to UNH and helping when he was home at times. … He's doing a really good job The guys know him. The guys like him. He knows our system. If Bert could have hand-picked his replacement it would have been Andrew."
Hayes paused and then added: "Bert told me in a couple of years (Andrew's) going to be ready. If he's ready and wants to do it, I'll just be your assistant. He did kind of hand pick him. You don't always have the opportunity to do that. I think Bert would really be proud of the person we put in his position."
Newmarket has had some very good success the past five years. Five trips to at least the semifinals, and two championship appearances. The only thing missing is a championship. It could happen this season with a talented senior-laden team.
"We wish he was here," Hayes added. "Eventually we're going to win a championship here. We hoped that he would be here to see it and be able to celebrate it with us. It's been difficult."
So the Mules move forward, eyeing a long season and a potential run to the championship in March. Bert will be there in the back of everyone's minds.
"It's going to be a bittersweet year," Hayes added. "You dedicate the season, but I'd rather have him here with us."
Mike Whaley is the Sports Editor for Foster's Daily Democrat and the Rochester Times. He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.