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Consider this post part 4 in my How Capitalism Keeps on Winning Series. In this series I examine how parenthood has forced me deeper into consumer culture than I have ever felt comfortable being. I'm not concerned with sweet, Lucy-with-a-lemonade-stand, happy-go-lucky free enterprise, here. No, what I'm talkin' about is LUCY-WANTING-A-CHRISTMAS-TREE-THAT'S-PINK-AND-SHINY capitalism and its ever increasing bullying tactics that push us all towards conspicuous consumption despite our better judgment.
The topic on my plate today:
the corporate branding of babies
(awww, isn't he sweet?)
But first an image from simpler times:
In the mid-1990s, when I first heard about the Munchkin baby bottles that sported the Pepsi logo, I was decidedly ill at ease. Why, on God's green earth, would anyone ever think it a good idea to market bottles for babies with soft drink logos on them? Then I learned that not only did these bottles sell well but also that infants were four times more likely to drink pop from one of these bottles than from a non-branded baby bottle. Given the price of pop relative to milk, it was hardly surprising that some families turned to soda here and there as a substitute for proper nutrition.
Ah, but those were the good ole 1990s. Public outcry forced the manufacturers to stop making the bottles and, now, you're hard pressed to find even an internet image of the wretched things to plop into a blog post.
Oh halcyon days of innocence, how I mourn your passing.
Special Sauce
Flash forward a decade and we are so bloody immersed in consumer culture that we don't even notice its increasing march towards our children. I offer examples:
Exhibit A: My daughter's toothbrushes
Last Christmas, I put a toothbrush in my daughter's stocking. It was an Oral B, Stage 1 toddler toothbrush in a lovely yellow and pink colour scheme. This was her first toothbrush. She was about to embark on an activity that she will perform daily for the rest of her life. In case you haven't noticed already, I'm really big on object symbolism, so this whole toothbrush-in-the-stocking ritual gave me no end of warm fuzzies.
Two months later when I returned to the toothbrush aisle to replace it, everything had changed. Oral B has signed a deal with Disney and all their toddler toothbrushes are now plastered with product placement: Baby Einstein on the brushes for the under 2's and Winnie the Pooh for the 2-4 yr-old set. Because nowhere else in town stocks any alternative to this product, I suck it up every 2-3 months and buy the bloody things. Each night, now, I have to repeatedly tell my daughter to stick the wretched thing back in her mouth and BRUSH HER TEETH WITH IT. As far as she is concerned, the toothbrush is nothing more than a toy. As far as Disney is concerned, it's nothing more than cheap advertising to its most valued demographic.
Exhibit B: My daughter's diapers
The seed for this post was planted back in November. That's when the diaper brand that I had been using suddenly changed. The diapers used to have Snoopy across the top--a recognizable icon, for sure, but not one that is hip with the toddlers of today. In the switch from old to new market ethics, though, this diaper brand replaced Snoopy with some more sinister "Genius Baby" icons. And as if that wasn't bad enough, in their move towards progress the company also turned the world's most perfect disposable diaper into a crap rag that leaked every two hours AND they discontinued selling the diapers in the mega-box size, a size that minimized price and excess packaging. To sum it up, the diapers became more expensive per unit, far worse at doing their job and more insidious when it came to branding my child. I stopped buying them immediately.
But what then were my options? I had already tried and had a terrible experience with cloth diapers when Miss M was younger. The cloth leaked several times a day making the laundry levels (diapers, her clothes, my clothes) unbearable. Sure I could've bought better cloth diapers but I had already invested $150 on the only (and sadly ineffectual) cloth diapers sold locally. To branch out I would've needed to order online, experimenting with different brands and, frankly, with a then five-month-old, I opted for convenience.
Fast forward a year and a half and there I was in a disposable diaper pickle. The only other options available to me at the grocery store were Huggies and Pampers. Yup, that's more branding than you can shake a stick at. Elmo to the left of me, Grover to the right of me, Pooh up the rear. The result? My daughter now knows the names of all the Sesame Street characters and she has never once seen Sesame Street. It sometimes takes three times as long to change her diaper because she wants to play with Grover first OR she wants to wear Ernie when I've already scooped a Cookie Monster from the top of the pile. When we go to Toys'r'Us she points out all the Elmo products by name and loiters around them in a most unnerving way.
But there is hope on the horizon. It won't be long before potty training begins chez Hat. Today I was out and about and noticed a bunch of size two, girl underwear in a discount bin. Calvin Klein underwear. For two year olds. And you know what? I scooped up as much of it as I could. Why? Because aside from the "CK" discretely written across the waistband, these underwear are plain: blue, pink, red and pretty patterned cherries. You see, I'll be damned if I will let Disney or whatever-the-hell-else company hawk its toys on my daughter's crotch. That's my line in the sand, Dora; that's my line in the sand.
Yes, yes, I hear your gentle scolding voices, oh wise mothers of the blogosphere. I hear the accepting mockery of "I told you so" that I know I am sure to hear next fall when I will no doubt confess to you all that "since starting day care my daughter demands Dora on her heiny" and if my daughter wants it loud enough or persistently enough, I will cave faster than the Stay Puffed Marshmallow Man when the streams are crossed.
Exhibit C: My daughter's birthday presents
I recently bought two significant birthday presents for my daughter: a doll house and a table and chairs set. After all my moaning about the Christmas kitchen, I vowed I would stick to wooden toys for her birthday. Phhhft! No one in town carries wooden doll houses (or hardly any other wooden toys whatsoever for that matter). The independent toy store doesn't carry a single doll house. The Toys'r'Us at the mall stocks only two: the Barbie house and the Bratz house. Muttering something about a cold day in hell, I hit the internet and found the perfect (expensive, made with responsible labour practices and constructed of non-toxic materials) wooden doll house online. I ordered it.
I did manage to find one wooden table and chair set in town that wasn't Dora or Thomas branded. When I say one, I mean one. I bought the very last one in the city--and this was a product that wasn't even stocked in the store two weeks earlier. All of which brings me to the cranky conclusion that if I want to walk the straight and narrow as a consumer anxious to protect the environment and keep my child from being branded, I need to order all my products off the internet. In other words, I am forced to sacrifice my equal desire to keep my local economy vibrant.
Rock. [ME] Hard place.
It all makes me so freakin' cranky. Why, oh why, must it be so hard to raise a child without branding her in the process? Why does my desire to do so and to speak about it feel like an act of radicalism when, to me, it just seems like plain, old-fashioned common sense?
The branding of the toys, I can almost live with but marketing toys on diapers and toothbrushes--on the very products she MUST use--should not be legal, IMHO. Given the way things are progressing I can't help but ask, "What's next?" Her food? Will Elmo logos be mini-stickered onto all her fruits and vegetables? Heck why waste money on stickers? Why not just do what the ranchers do and burn or bruise the logo right into the flesh? I realize this sounds ridiculous. It is, but not for the reasons we all think it is. After all, the mega-corps don't really want us eating produce anyway, do they? Nope, they'd rather see us eating refined packaged goods that have a more stable price-point and that mess with our blood sugar levels thus making us always want more, more, more.
The other day a saw a child beat his mother down in the granola bar aisle, insisting on the sugary Tweety Bird granola bars over the cheaper, more nutritional package. And the cereal aisle? It's nothing but a minefield for intrepid toddler-cart pushing parents. So far infant formula and baby food jars are free from Dora's, Elmo's and any Disneyfied Einstein icon but how much longer can this last before there are no more people left who care enough to question it?
And what of our children? Will they grow up to think this kind of branding is nothing but the natural state of things? I want my daughter's first memories of her time on this earth to be of family hugs and story times; of snowmen and imaginative play. I don't want her memories to revolve around which muppet was her preferred piss receptacle.
Please come to mama. Please?


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subset: commoncrawl


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High School Football Game of the Week Preview – Mater Dei Versus Bosse
In order to get their first official win of the season, the Bosse Bulldogs will have to bring their best effort against the undefeated Mater Dei Wildcats.
Let's start by clarifying the term "first official win". The Bulldogs did post a 25-19 win against non-conference opponent Washington in week two but had to forfeit the win due to an ineligible player. So while they physically won a game, in the eyes of Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) officials, their record currently stands at 0-5.
The Bulldogs no longer have last year's multi-threat quarterback, Jalen Pendleton leading the way. Pendleton, also a standout basketball player during his time at Bosse has taken his skills to the hardwood of Southern Illinois University.
The offensive workload now rests on the shoulders of running back, Carrington Crutcher. The 5'9", 195 pound junior ran 23 times for 182 yards and one touchdown during last week's 42-14 loss to Memorial. In order to replicate that effort against the always aggressive Mater Dei defense, the offensive line will have to block effectively and open up running lanes. Never an easy task for any team lining against Wildcats defensive linemen, Ben Polk, Dakota Richardt, Nathan Wright, and Blake Schoettlin.
Minus the offensive and defensive lines, the Bulldogs don't field the biggest team in the area in terms of size. Of the 48-man roster, seven are six feet tall or taller. Mater Dei on the other hand lists 25 out of their 63-man roster at six feet or taller. Bosse will have to rely on its speed and conditioning to keep themselves in the game.
The Wildcats enter the game looking to keep its undefeated streak in tact. The Wildcats were dominant from the start in route to their 45-7 win over the visiting North Huskies last week. Balancing a potent and efficient passing game from Jace Hartz with a strong running attack led by junior Nolan Goebel, along with a stout defensive effort that resulted in one forced fumble and two interceptions (one of which resulted in a touchdown), they proved once again they're ranked number one in Class 2A for a reason.
Ask any Wildcat coach or player and they'll tell you that they take the season one game at a time, as they should. That leaves it up to observes like me to look ahead in the schedule and see that if things play out like I think they will, the October 5th game against what I assume will be a still-undefeated Castle will be a phenomenal game that will leave one team without an undefeated record, and the other with the Southern Indiana Athletic Conference (SIAC) title.
As always, you can catch every snap of Friday night's Mater Dei - Bosse game on Newstalk 1280AM, and online at Newstalk1280.com with pre-game at 6:30 and kickoff at 7:00.


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About two dozen Minnesota cities and counties whose sales taxes piggyback on the state's would see a gusher of new money if Gov. Mark Dayton's proposed sales tax expansion prevails.
Most of the local taxes are temporary and dedicated to specific purposes, which could mean quicker repayment of public debt on civic centers, airports, stadiums and sewer projects. That would mean the local sales taxes would end sooner. Other cities have more flexibility on how they could spend a windfall from taxes that either never expire or won't for decades.
Several Twin Cities-area counties impose a quarter-cent sales tax to pay for regional mass transit projects, and the amount raised from that would shoot up.
Little attention has been paid to the trickle-down effect of Dayton's sales tax proposal since the Democratic governor released his budget plan last week. Dayton's budget would subject a range of consumer and business services — haircuts, tattoos, legal bills and accountant fees among them — to the tax while lowering the state's overall rate from 6.875 percent to 5.5 percent.
As it is now structured, the local sales taxes would remain at their current rates but apply to everything the state considers taxable.
Early estimates by the Minnesota Department of Revenue provided to the Associated Press show that cities and counties with their own sales taxes could expect to take in 60 percent more than they take in now.
Counties would be in line for $79 million more in 2014; cities with extra sales taxes would gain a combined $60 million.
The actual amount each city or county could expect would vary because consumption of the newly taxed goods or services isn't the same from place to place.
Duluth's 1 percent sales tax could generate an extra $8 million per year, according to a separate House Research estimate.
Mayor Don Ness said it would come at a crucial time, given a recent court loss that deprives the city of $6 million in annual payments from an American Indian band that operates a downtown casino.
"We've been on the razor's edge with our budget for over a decade in the city of Duluth, and while we're getting close to finding stability, we still have a long way to go," he said Monday, Jan. 28.
Ness envisions using the revenue increase to plug the hole from the casino decision and pay off other debt, but he's well aware that the expansion is no sure thing.
St. Paul, which levies a half-cent sales tax, is also taking a wait-and-see mentality. Sixty percent of those proceeds go for neighborhood or cultural development, with the rest used to repay debt from the city's convention center.
"Any assistance we can get to … help further our economic development is good for us," said Joe Campbell, communications director for Mayor Chris Coleman.
According to House researchers, the $16.4 million St. Paul's 0.5 percent sales tax brought in 2011 would have grown by $10.2 million had the changes already been in place.
One of Minnesota's most lucrative local sales taxes is the 0.15 percent imposed in Hennepin County to pay construction bonds for the new Twins ballpark. In 2011, the tax brought in $31 million, a slice of which the county was allowed to use on libraries and youth recreation fields. If the expanded base had been in place that year, House researchers estimate it would have meant almost $20 million more. The tax is due to expire once the Target Field borrowing is paid off.
Hennepin County Board Chairman Mike Opat said the faster repayment would mean less in interest costs on bonds that had a 30-year lifespan when they were sold in 2007.
"We would turn off that tax. There are very narrow uses for that tax, and it's not the desire of the county board to leave that on," he said.
In 1971, the Legislature prohibited new or increased local sales taxes as a way to centralize collections and reduce disparities that reward cities with the most political clout. But it wasn't long before cities started pressing legislators for exemptions, with some success. Most were enacted only after local voters approved them. Three new sales taxes kicked in last year — in Fergus Falls, Hutchinson and Lanesboro.
While most of the taxes initially were connected to a specific capital project, the Legislature conceivably could stretch their purpose and longevity. Dayton's administration was leaving that up to lawmakers, said Janelle Tummel, a Revenue Department spokeswoman.
One wrinkle involves the constitutional amendment voters passed in 2008 to raise the state sales tax for specific programs. That amendment permits lawmakers to shave the tax rate if the sales tax base is expanded — so the revenues match the projected income under the prior arrangement.
The added 0.375 percent tax produces hundreds of millions of dollars per year dedicated to programs protecting drinking water, enhancing wetlands and habitat, boosting the arts and otherwise preserving Minnesota's environmental and cultural legacy. Dayton has recommended slicing the rate connected with the Legacy Amendment to 0.234 percent.
Pioneer Press reporter Frederick Melo contributed to this report.


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2007 Postseason WNIT Bracket in PDF Format
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March 13, 2007
The Schedule
Game No. 32
Thursday, March 15, 2007 at 7:00 p.m.
UC Santa Barbara Gauchos at University of San Diego Toreros
Jenny Craig Pavilion (5,100)
Postseason Streak Continues
While the UC Santa Barbara women's basketball team just missed claiming a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row, the Gauchos will make a 12th consecutive postseason appearance after earning an automatic bid into the 48-team Women's National Invitation Tournament field. UCSB will open WNIT play on Thursday, March 15 at the University of San Diego (21-8 overall). Tip-off is slated for 7:00 p.m. in USD's Jenny Craig Pavilion. The winner of the Gaucho-Torero showdown advances to play at Oregon in the second round, which runs from March 16-19. A date for that game has not been determined. Santa Barbara's string of postseason appearances began with a WNIT berth in 1996, followed by nine straight trips to the Big Dance before the Gauchos qualified for the WNIT again in 2006.
The Gaucho Record
The Gauchos enter the WNIT with an overall record of 18-13 after defeating Cal State Fullerton 57-52 last Friday in the Big West Conference Tournament Semifinals only to fall to UC Riverside 70-67 in the title game for the second year in a row Saturday. UCSB finished second in the league standings at 10-4 and failed to capture the Big West's No. 1 seed for the first time since the 1994-95 season. Saturday marked Santa Barbara's 11th consecutive appearance in the conference championship. The Gauchos, who have not dropped consecutive games since Dec. 20 and 28, were a very impressive 9-3 in true road games during the regular season.
UCSB on the Air & Web
The UCSB-USD clash will be broadcast live on KIST 1340 AM in Santa Barbara. Steve Wendt is in his third year as the play-by-play voice of the Gauchos and will have the call alongside former Los Angeles Laker and UCSB star Don Ford, who will handle the color commentary. Broadcasts begin 15 minutes prior to tip-off with the "Gaucho Pregame Show". Fans can also catch all games live via the internet by going to www.ucsbgauchos.com and purchasing the "UCSB All-Access Pass". With this option hoops fans can enjoy live audio and video from the comfort of their homes courtesy of CSTV.
Santa Barbara in the WNIT
The Gauchos will make their second consecutive appearance in the Postseason Women's National Invitation Tournament and third overall Thursday against the Toreros. Last season UCSB drew Fresno State in the Preliminary Round and lost a 78-59 decision to the Bulldogs despite 12 points and eight rebounds from Whitney Warren. The Gauchos first appearance in the Postseason WNIT came in 1996 when it was an eight-team event held in Amarillo, Texas. UCSB suffered a 77-73 overtime loss to LSU before rebounding with victories over Western Kentucky (77-61) and Illinois State (69-68) to win the consolation bracket. Santa Barbara has also enjoyed success in its two Preseason WNIT appearances, advancing to the championship game in 2000 and semifinals in 2003; both of those tournaments featured 16-team fields. Santa Barbara posted a convincing 82-44 victory over San Diego in the Preseason WNIT opening round in 2003 in the Thunderdome.
Gauchos Come Up Short In Big West Title Game, 70-67
UC Riverside's Seyram Gbewonyo scored a game-high 23 points and Kemie Nkele added 18 to lead the Highlanders to a 70-67 victory over UCSB in the Big West Conference Tournament Championship at the Anaheim Convention Center Arena March 10. The loss marked the Gauchos' second consecutive defeat at the hands of the Highlanders in the conference title game and fifth straight overall. Jenna Green scored 21 points on 6-for-9 shooting from the floor to lead four Gauchos in double figures. Chisa Ononiwu scored 15 on 4-of-7 three-point shooting, while Jordan Franey scored 11 and LaShay Fears added 10. With Santa Barbara holding a 64-62 lead, Gbewonyo drained her fourth three of the afternoon to give the Highlanders a 65-64 advantage with 2:36 left. Roney Friend's layup with 1:06 seconds remaining gave the Highlanders a three-point cushion, but Franey connected on a three with 44 seconds left to even the score at 67-67. UCR would respond again with Gbewonyo connecting from the right wing to give the Highlanders the lead for good, 69-67. After a Santa Barbara time out, Ononiwu got a great look from the right corner, but the shot missed too far to the left and Riverside held on for its second-ever BWT title. UCR shot 49.1%, including 63.6% (7-11) from beyond the arc, which was the third-highest total in the history of the Big West Tournament. UCSB shot 39.3% and made 9-of-20 from three-point range. The Highlanders led for a total of 43 seconds before Gbewonyo's triple with 2:36 remaining.
Probable Starters - Notes
3 Chisa Ononiwu Jr. G - Scored 15 points on 4-of-7 3-pt shooting vs. Riverside last week.
5 Jessica Wilson Jr. G - Averaged nine rebounds and seven assists in two tourney games.
40 LaShay Fears So. G - Went 4-for-9 with 10 points in season-high 37 minutes vs. UCR.
2 Whitney Warren So. F - Third on the squad shooting 45% in 2006-07.
33 Jenna Green Jr. C - Made 11-of-14 shots and finished with 27 points in win over CSUF.
Probable Reserves - Notes
14 Jordan Franey Fr. G - Leads Gauchos with 42 three-pointers made in 2006-07.
21 Meagan Williams Fr. G - Was 1-for-2 for two points against Titans and Highlanders.
12 Ariana Gnekow Fr. G/F - Played a total of one minute during the Big West Tournament.
25 Jessica Goble Fr. C - Appeared just once in UCSB's last seven contests.
55 Ashley Hall Fr. F - Grabbed one rebound in last appearance at Northridge March 3.
11 Sha'Rae Gibbons So. G - Scored for the first time since Dec. 9 in one minute vs. CSUN.
Mr. 500
Mark French returned to his alma mater at the start of the 1987-88 season and women's basketball at UC Santa Barbara has never been the same. Now in his 20th season as head coach of the Gauchos, French has had an immensely successful career, posting a record of 414-191 (.684) while at UCSB and an overall mark of 512-305 (.627). Since the 1991-92 season, French's Gauchos have won 12 Big West Conference titles and advanced to 11 NCAA Tournaments, including five second rounds and a Sweet 16 appearance, as well as two WNITs. Individually, French has earned an unprecedented seven Big West Coach of the Year honors, while in 2002-03 he was named WBCA District 8 Coach of the Year and a finalist for the Naismith National Coach of the Year award. He is the dean of Big West coaches, with nine more years of experience in the league than any of his current counterparts. 2006-07 has been a year of milestones thus far, as French collected his 400th win at UCSB when the Gauchos defeated Pepperdine 78-67 Dec. 18. Less than three weeks later, he added another notch on his belt, winning his 500th career game as a head coach with UCSB's victory over Long Beach State Jan. 4.
Three Gauchos Earn All-Conference Honors
After finishing second in the Big West Conference standings, the UC Santa Barbara women's basketball team had three players selected to all-conference teams on Monday, March 5. Earning a spot on the first team for the second year in a row was junior center Jenna Green. The San Jose, Calif. native was the only player to start all 29 games for UCSB during the regular season and scored in double figures in all but four contests in 2006-07. Green led the conference shooting 53% from the field, while her per game average of 16 points ranked fourth and paced the Gauchos. She was also second among Big West shot blockers averaging 1.7 per night and seventh in rebounding at 7.2. Secondly, junior guard Jessica Wilson was named Second Team All-Big West again this season after leading the conference in assists at 4.5 per game. The native of Sacramento, Calif., who was second on the team in scoring (13.4) and rebounding (6.7), also averaged 1.96 steals per contest, the fourth highest in the league, and ranked seventh in the Big West shooting 44.7% from the floor. Wilson scored in double-digits 20 times during the regular season, with three performances of 20 or more. Lastly, Jordan Franey was named the Big West Freshman of the Year after earning a spot on the all-freshman squad. The 6'0" forward shined from behind the three-point arc, ranking in the top 10 in the conference in three-point shooting percentage (.333) and three-pointers made (1.34).
There's No Place Like the Road?
While the Santa Barbara coaching staff and a number of the Gaucho faithful would have rather had a home game in the first round of the WNIT, its not a bad thing for UCSB to hitting the road for a third consecutive week. As strange as it is to say this, the Gauchos have been a far better team on the road this season than at home. After finishing a respectable 10-3 in the T-Dome in 2005-06, the Gauchos were just 8-9 in Santa Barbara during the regular season this year, the team's worst performance at home since the 1987-88 campaign (Mark French's first season as head coach). On the bright side, the Gauchos have been spectacular on the road, posting an impressive 9-3 mark after finishing just 5-10 away from home a year ago. UCSB's three road losses are the fewest since the 2001-02 squad -- a team that went 26-6 overall and finished a perfect 16-0 in Big West play -- also lost three. The Gauchos are 1-1 after playing their first two neutral site contests last week in the Big West Tournament.
Scouting the Toreros
UCSB opens WNIT play against the University of San Diego in a first round contest Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. UCSB and USD have met a total of seven times with the Gauchos holding a 5-2 record in the all-time series. In the last meeting between the two schools, Santa Barbara posted a convincing 82-44 victory over San Diego in the Preseason WNIT Nov. 15, 2003 in the Thunderdome. Kristen Mann led the way with 15 points and eight rebounds. The Toreros were 5-1 against the Big West Conference this season, posting victories over Cal State Northridge (95-77), UC Riverside (68-53), Pacific (72-67), Cal Poly (74-69), and Cal State Fullerton (47-36), and losing to Long Beach State (53-37).
San Diego enters Thursday's matchup coming off the most successful season in program history, finishing 21-8 overall and second in the West Coast Conference for the first time ever at 10-4. Despite the Toreros' best start as a Division I program -- winning their first six games of the year -- and first 20-win season, San Diego was upset by the University of San Francisco 80-69 in the first round of the WCC Tournament March 1. The Toreros claimed an automatic WNIT bid by virtue of their second-place finish in the regular season standings just like the Gauchos. USD shoots 40.8% from the field, while their opposition has shot 39.6% in 29 games this season. 6'5" senior center Amber Sprague leads the team averaging 14.8 points per game to go with a team-high 8.0 rebounds, 58 blocks, and a 45.4% mark from the floor. Sophomore guard Kelly Winther is second averaging 11.0 points and leads San Diego with 36 three-pointers made, while junior Amanda Rego has put up an average of 9.1 points and dished out a team-best 7.7 assists per game. USD has lost three of its last four and owns an impressive 13-4 (76.5%) record at the Jenny Craig Pavilion.
Green Machine
After leading all scorers with 27 points in UCSB's semifinal win over Cal State Fullerton and then scoring a team-high 21 in the loss to UC Riverside in the Big West Tournament championship last week, junior center Jenna Green now has 10 performances with 20 or more points this season. She also tallied seven rebounds in each game and the 27-point effort was two shy of her career-best set Feb. 17 against Cal Poly. Green leads UCSB averaging 16.5 points and 7.2 rebounds and has recorded a team-high 51 blocked shots in 2006-07. The San Jose, Calif. native also leads the squad shooting 54.3% from the floor and has scored in double-figures in all but four games this season. She is second on the squad in minutes played, averaging 31 per contest. As far as Big West statistics go, Green led the conference in field goal percentage, ranked second in scoring and blocks, and eighth in rebounding. The junior currently ranks 18th on the UCSB all-time scoring charts with 1,122 career points and is 33 points shy of Jess Hansen (1993-2003) in the 17th spot.
Sharing the Wealth
Even though she struggled shooting the ball during the Big West Tournament, making just 2-of-11 shots in both games against the Titans and Highlanders, junior guard Jessica Wilson was extremely effective in other areas of the game. The Sacramento, Calif. native finished two points and one assists shy of a first-career triple-double in the win over Fullerton, tallying eight points, a game-high 13 rebounds, and nine assists. She then had five rebounds, four assists, and four steals in Saturday's loss to Riverside. Despite two of her poorer performances scoring-wise, Wilson has scored in double figures in 20 of the 28 games she has played in in 2006-07. The Big West's assist leader at 4.62 per night, Wilson also owns the conference's best single game performance this season with 12 vs. Pacific Jan. 27. Wilson ranked fourth in the league in steals, averaging 1.97 per game, ninth in field goal percentage (.428), 11th in rebounding (6.8), and 12th in scoring (13.0). As far as the team goes, Wilson is second in scoring and rebounding and leads the squad in steals. She has made 36.2% (25-69) of her threes and shot 43% this season.
There is no question that junior guard Chisa Ononiwu has given the Gauchos a lift the last 22 games. A very reliable third scoring option, Ononiwu has scored in double figures in 16 of her 22 games since becoming eligible Dec. 18, including the last four after scoring less than 10 in four out of five from Feb. 8-24. Despite playing with a facial mask after suffering a broken nose in practice two weeks ago, Ononiwu had an excellent showing at her first Big West Tournament last week. She went 5-for-11 with 12 points, six rebounds, and three assists in the win over the Titans and made 4-of-7 shots from distance (5-of-14 overall) for 15 points to go with five boards in the narrow loss to the Highlanders. The Houston, Tex. native is third on the team averaging 12.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per night. Ononiwu is second in field goal percentage (46.3%) and three-point shooting (38.5%). The Gauchos are 15-7 (.682) with Ononiwu in the lineup this season, compared to a mark of just 3-6 (.333) without her.
Point Taken
Sophomore point guard LaShay Fears enters Thursday's contest averaging 9.2 points per game and is second on the squad with 40 three-pointers made. Fears leads the team and ranked sixth in the Big West averaging 33.8 minutes per game in 2006-07 and is second dishing out over three assists. Fears has scored in double figures a total of 11 times this season -- including four of the last five -- and the Gauchos have a 7-4 record in those games. The Palmdale, Calif. native was just 1-for-4 from the field with three points in Friday's win over Cal State Fullerton, but responded with 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting, with four assists, three rebounds, and a steal in Saturday's defeat at the hands of UC RIverside.
UCSB Lands Three Prized Recruits
On Wednesday, November 8, UCSB announced the signing of three high school seniors to National Letters of Intent during this year's early signing period. Ashlee Brown, a 6'0" forward from Good Year, Ariz., a 5'11" guard Courtney Collishaw of Visalia, Calif., and Margaret Johnson, a 5'11" forward from Lake Oswego, Ore. will join the Gauchos next season as true freshmen. Brown was named to the 2005-06 Arizona Tribune First Team and garnered First Team All-Fiesta Region accolades after averaging 21 points, 16 rebounds, five steals, four assists, and three blocked shots per game as a junior at Chandler High School. Collishaw signs with UCSB after earning Cal-Hi Sports All-State Junior Second Team honors at Redwood High School. She was named to the CIF Central Section First Team after scoring 22.6 points per game a year ago. Johnson enters her final season at Lake Oswego High School having guided the team to a second place league finish in 2006 at 10-4 and an 18-8 overall record. In 2007-08 Santa Barbara will also gain the services of 5'10" guard Lauren Pedersen, a junior transfer from UCLA. A native of Brea, Calif., she played two seasons with the Bruins, averaging 2.5 points and 1.6 rebounds in 54 career games while making 11 starts during that span. Pedersen will have two years of eligibility at UCSB starting next season.
Another Streak Falls
2005-06 was a very disappointing year by UCSB standards. Finishing just 16-14 last season and losing in the WNIT Preliminary Round, Coach French and the Gauchos had a number of streaks broken and entered 2006-07 hungry to reestablish them. Unfortunately, Santa Barbara has fallen short in pursuit of a number of those goals. After UCSB saw its streak of nine consecutive Big West Tournament titles come to a crashing halt with a narrow loss to UC Riverside in the title game a year ago, the Gauchos finished second in the league standings this season at 10-4 and did not capture the No. 1 seed in the Big West tourney for the first time since 1994-95. With its bid for a 12th consecutive Big West regular season title denied, the Gauchos advanced to an 11th straight conference title game, but fell to the Highlanders yet again. Santa Barbara has now lost two consecutive automatic bids into the NCAA Tournament field of 65 at the hands of Riverside.
O'Bryan, Thomas Leave UCSB
On October 17, head coach Mark French announced that two key players would not be with the Gauchos in 2006-07. Guard Erin O'Bryan and forward Shantel Thomas both left the program citing personal reasons. O'Bryan, who appeared in 27 games for UCSB last season, averaging 6.9 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists, will not be back for her senior season. Thomas, on the other hand, is expected to return at some point, provided she maintains her eligibility. The Sacramento, Calif. native appeared in 25 games as a true freshman in 2005-06, averaging 2.5 ppg and 2.6 rpg in 11.2 minutes per contest.
Another Blow...
Less than a month later, the coaching staff was dealt more bad news when the decision was made that Kat Suderman will redshirt in 2006-07. The San Luis Obispo, Calif. native will be inactive this season as she rehabilitates from a knee surgery she had last spring. Suderman was one of only two players to appear in all 30 games last season, starting eight games for UCSB. She posted career-highs averaging 6.2 points and 6.1 rebounds in 21.2 minutes per game. Over the past two seasons, Suderman has appeared in a combined 56 games, more than any other Gaucho over that span.
Looking Ahead
As mentioned above, should the Gauchos defeat San Diego, the University of Oregon awaits in the WNIT Second Round. UCSB would play the Ducks in Eugene, Ore. either Saturday, March 17 or Sunday March 18. A game time has yet to be determined.


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ricochet wrote:Happy birthday!
Post pictures.
michelle wrote:Dear roadkill (now thats an oxymoron). It is F###**g freezing in Guildford this time of year so when i say pyjamas i mean PYJAMAS. Probably not the photo you had in mind. My little sister on the other hand seems to be impervious to the cold and is planning on the negligee look so with her permission i might post you a shot of her if someone tells me how to post a photo. My brothers got himself a pair of Jim Beam Pyjamas and even in PJ's hes a mean lookin dude so i wouldnt be a messin' with his little sister.
michelle wrote:
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MADRID (Reuters) - A former JPMorgan Chase executive accused of helping to hide trading losses in a $6.2 billion financial scandal at the bank rejected on Friday a U.S. extradition request, which will now rest in the hands of courts in his native Spain.
Javier Martin-Artajo, who oversaw another ex-JPMorgan trader nicknamed the "London Whale" for his large bets on derivatives markets, was indicted by a U.S. grand jury in September over his role in the losses while he worked for the bank in London.
After handing himself in to Spanish police at the end of August, Martin-Artajo on Friday told Spain's High Court he was opposed to extradition, a court source said, though judges can still decide to send him to face charges.
"He said that in any case the alleged events took place in the United Kingdom, and not in the United States," the court source said.
Martin-Artajo, wearing an open-necked shirt and dark suit and who appeared relaxed after the hearing, waving to media, also asked the judge to request more information from the United States, the court source said.
His legal team, law firm Cortes Abogados in Madrid and Lista Cannon from Norton Rose Fulbright in London, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The scandal knocked the reputation of America's biggest bank and has so far cost JPMorgan $920 million in penalties from U.S. and British regulators. It still faces criminal investigations, and last year's losses also hurt the standing of JPMorgan Chief Executive Jamie Dimon, who once dismissed the debacle as a "tempest in a teapot".
Martin-Artajo is the most senior figure charged over JPMorgan's trading losses.
Along with a junior colleague, Frenchman Julien Grout, he has been accused of hiding hundreds of millions of dollars of losses within JPMorgan's chief investment office, by marking positions in a credit derivatives portfolio at inflated prices.
Bruno Iksil, the "Whale" he supervised and who executed the trades at the heart of the losses, has not been charged with any wrongdoing and is cooperating with prosecutors.
A home and relatives in Spain helped Martin-Artajo avoid jail time after his arrest, as it prompted the judge to decide he was not a flight risk and grant him a conditional release.
Martin-Artajo, whose great-uncle was former Spanish leader Francisco Franco's foreign minister after the Second World War, handed himself in after police approached his family.
He also has a home in London and a cottage in an exclusive countryside enclave.
While Spain, according to its extradition treaty with the United States, is not obliged to hand over its citizens, extradition lawyers believe there is a chance Martin-Artajo could be sent there, as the alleged offences are also punishable in Spain.
A judge in Spain's High Court must now decide whether to request the extra information from the United States or not. After this, the case could be elevated to another panel of judges who will examine the extradition request.
Additional reporting by Clare Hutchison in London; Editing by Julien Toyer and Mark Potter


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First Niagara Donates $500,000 in Computer Equipment
CFC's Largest Donation of In-kind Equipment
First Niagara Financial Group donated $500,000 worth of "gently used" computers and related equipment to a local nonprofit agency that seeks to put computers in classrooms and provides computer training for at-risk children in Buffalo.
The in-kind donation of at least 6,600 pieces of equipment marks the largest single gift in the 15-year history of Computers For Children, the bank and the agency announced Tuesday. The donation includes 2,200 computers, 2,200 monitors and 2,200 keyboards that had been collected by Buffalo-based First Niagara in recent years through a series of acquisitions.
"This is more than just a donation," said Christine Carr, executive director of Computers For Children. "This is a true partnership for the greater good. With this contribution, the programs we will be able to complete for the educational future of our children and our community are significant."
The bank also recycled about 100,000 pounds of computer equipment considered unusable and gave the $14,000 in proceeds to the agency as an additional donation.
"We had the computers and other equipment and Computers For Children had the need, so it was a perfect fit," said Elizabeth Gurney, executive director of the First Niagara Foundation.
Bank officials said the donation could be the start of a regular pipeline, since First Niagara has more unneeded computers and equipment in its facilities, and is always upgrading and replacing what it does use.
"This is new territory for us," Gurney said. "Banks basically have money and people. We don't really have a product or much else to give away. … We haven't had much experience in providing gifts in-kind."
Steven J. Harvey, president of the agency's board and executive director of the Western New York Consortium of Higher Education, said, "It's also a great example of how the business community in Buffalo is coming forward and working more and more with schools and community agencies … because it truly does take a community to raise a child and to prepare them for their careers."
Founded in 1997, Computers For Children was the first nonprofit in the state and only the second in the nation to focus on erasing the digital divide in schools. It works mostly with needy inner-city Buffalo schools, charter schools such as Tapestry and Global Concepts, Catholic schools and other private schools to provide them with computer equipment. It has donated 15,000 computers since its inception – 12,000 to the Buffalo Public Schools – and says that it has reached more than 91,000 students.
It also has a retail store to sell low-cost, refurbished computers through Goodwill Industries, the Buffalo City Mission and at its offices in the Larkin Center of Commerce, with proceeds benefiting the agency and its partners.
Additionally, it runs KidCo, a technology and computer skills training program, to teach students of various ages how to build, refurbish, use and even dismantle computers.
The agency also has a large summer technology camp, Summer TechMasters Academy, which has enrolled more than 350 students ages 10 to 15 since its 2010 launch. And its middle school program also offers a robotic component to teach science, technology, engineering and math skills, as well as software training.


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Cynthiara Alona, or virgin birth July 7, 1985 is better known as Alona Cynthiara. Alona started her career when she was 17 years old to be a model and star ad a bank product. From there, his name began to be known as a model, and began to receive advertising offers, such as Jamu Nyonya Meneer.
In 2005, thanks to an offer from Japanese magazines and Singapore face began to be known more widely. Not only look sexy, in international magazines, Alona who also works as a DJ and presenter, able to appear hot. Initially these photos only for personal consumption, but in the end even published in the magazine. Alona quite disappointed, even as his photographs, he was expelled from rumah.Alona who also had a model cover of Her World magazine.
In addition to the commercials and model, Cynthiara Alona also starred in several soap operas, such as: CAT WOMEN-INDONESIA, pintu Hidayah, cinta FITRI, CINDERELLA, SUJUDKU, and Cinta ABG.
Success in the world of soap operas, Cynthiara venturing into acting, you name it I'll see the "kutunggu Jandamu" (2008), Drop Out (2008), Satan budeg (2008), and mejeng cinta (2011) are some of the movies he has played.
Additionally Cynthiara Actress Alona wants to develop its wings in the entertainment world even wider. Alona will soon open artist management business. Businesses that are named Alona Musicenter Indonesia (AMI) was released on January 7, 2011. Talent management is not just a movie star or a sitcom manage alone, but all areas of entertainment.


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June Surprise
In mid-June of 2012 the Ministry of Families called looking for a place for 8 special needs kids that were in another Home that was being closed. Desiring to be helpful, we agreed. The next day we met the Ministry of Families at the other Home only to find that there were 15 kids instead of 8. With much help we loaded them up to make the trip to our Home where they were to stay with us for a week until they could be transferred to another Home in Chinandega.
It was amazing to see what God did in the following days. We had absolutely no experience working with children with severe needs, we had no room to put them and we didn't have enough staff to care for them. So all of our staff and many of the girls in the Home all chipped in to help feed, bathe and care for the girls. We borrowed one of the dorm rooms from our mission's Bible Institute for more bed space for our girls and best of all, God sent a team of twelve from Ft. Smith, AR to help for the week. They thought they were there to do some painting and some activities with our girls, but God used them greatly to step in and help us in our time of need.
Twelve days later, ten of the children were transferred to another Home in Managua. We are still waiting for two of the young men to be transferred and three will be staying with us permanently. God always takes us to places where we need to depend on Him. He certainly did that with us.


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February 28, 2013 - 5:42am
What to do with durum semolina flour
Hey, All,
OK so in my last flour delivery, I got a 20kg bag of Durum Semolina flour by mistake. My supplier said to just keep it at no charge. Fine, but what the heck am I going to do with it???
I only use this stuff to make pasta at home. 20Kg is waaaay more pasta than I want or need. I was about to just chuck it out when I thought of you guys/girls. Any ideas??
Thanks and Cheers


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Words by Mr Peter Henderson
With the party season in full swing, the chance of an overnight liaison increases. To ensure you emerge from your next romantic stopover fresh and ready to face the day ahead, we've offered a few suggestions on what to throw into your bag if you think a night away might be on the cards. After all, a little forward planning never hurt anyone...
Of course it's equally possible that she will come back to yours. In this case, being a gentleman, you will have a stylish, warm coat at hand that is long enough to cover her evening outfit. Lend it to her for the taxi home (which of course you should pay for).


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It's often been repeated in years past - by me, even - that there's an old legend about Kentucky's name coming from a Native American word for "dark and bloody ground". The legend, of course, isn't true - but hey, it's always been a useful meme, because Native Americans did use that specific phrase to describe this area.
We still don't really know for certain where the word "Kentucky" comes from. George Rogers Clark said it came from a Native American word meaning "river of blood". That's pretty awesome, but really, there's no reason not to make the more logical assumption that it comes from the Mohawk word Kentah-Ke, meaning "meadow".
But that doesn't mean we have to abandon the "dark and bloody ground" concept, not by any stretch. The term really was applied by Native Americans to describe the territory that would become Transylvania, and then eventually our modern-day Commonwealth of Kentucky. In Steven A. Channing's Kentucky: A Bicentennial History:
When representatives of the Transylvania Land Company
signed the Treaty of Sycamore Shoals in 1775, Chief Dragging Canoe of the Cherokee said they had secured "a dark and bloody ground."
Why dark and bloody, exactly? Well, it's complicated. Northern and southern tribes, such as the Cherokee and Shawnee, had been fighting over the land for as long as either side could remember. But the curious thing is, they weren't fighting for it for the purpose of living there. They wanted the land strictly for its qualities as a superb hunting ground, but one that spooked all concerned (perhaps it was, even then, teeming with Devil Deer.) There was something about this land, even in ancient times, that early man seemed fearful of.
And it seems to go back to early, early man, ones that even predate our own Native Americans.
In his 1806 book Travels In America, Thomas Ashe writes of his experiences with a vast network of huge open-room caverns originally discovered in 1783 beneath the city of Lexington, containing exotic artifacts, a stone altar for sacrifices, human skulls and bones piled high, and mummified remains.
These mummies were very strange looking, of unusually tall stature, and had red hair. The local native Americans claimed that these were the remnants of an ancient race predating their own; one that died out long ago and about which they knew very little.
Respected historian George W. Ranck, writing in 1872, also discussed this "lost city" buried beneath Lexington, and Don Edwards, writing a century later in the Lexington Herald-Leader, noted that when construction workers were preparing to build one of the downtown hotels, they took many more core drillings of the ground than usual - just to be sure they weren't building atop one of the legendary giant caverns.
Lexington isn't the only place that strange Kentucky mummies have been found. Check your copy of Weird Kentucky for information on the mummies discovered in Mammoth Cave - mummies that continue to confound our current ethnological paradigm.
And in 1792, General John Payne made a strange discovery while building his house in the tiny town of Augusta, KY, 63 miles North of Lexington. Payne's firsthand account is related in Historical Sketches of Kentucky by Lewis Collins:
"The bottom on which Augusta is situated is a large burying ground of the ancients...They have been found in great numbers, and of all sizes, everywhere between the mouths of Bracken and Locust Creeks, a distance of about a mile and a half. From the cellar under my dwelling, 60 by 70 feet, over a hundred and ten skeletons were taken. I measured them by skulls, and there might have been more, whose skulls had crumbled into dust...The skeletons were of all sizes, from seven feet to infant.
David Kilgour (who was a tall and very large man) passed our village at the time I was excavating my cellar, and we took him down and applied a thigh bone to his. The man, if well-proportioned, must have been 10 to 12 inches taller than Kilgour, and the lower jaw bone would slip on over his, skin and all. Who were they? How came their bones here?
When I was in the army, I inquired of old Crane, a Wyandot and of Anglerson, a Delaware, both intelligent old chiefs, and they could give me no information in reference to these remains of antiquity. Some of the largest trees of the forest were growing over the remains when the land was cleared in 1792."
A few years later, on December 21, 1806, the town of Augusta, KY was visited by Harman Blennerhassett, lawyer, occultist, and member of the Illuminati. Was he aware of the ancient underground civilization in the region?
Blennerhassett was born on October 8, 1764 in Ireland and moved to the USA with his wife, where they settled on Blennerhassett Island on the Ohio River. Blennerhassett was a friend and colleague of Adam Weishaupt, and a member of his Order of the Illuminati, reaching the level of Illuminatus Magus. He was also a friend of Vice President Aaron Burr, with whom he, some allege, engaged in a conspiracy to, among other things, remove President Thomas Jefferson from power. The plot was discovered, and Blennerhassett's secret camp at Marietta was destroyed on December 19, 1806.
Blennerhassett fled with about 50 of his fellow initiates, leaving his wife, his sons and the rest of his guerrilla troops behind. But here's what has always puzzled me: instead of making a direct exit, Blennerhassett risked making a mysterious side trip to Augusta, KY, arriving on the day of the solstice. Given his penchant for mystical folderol, it seems clear to me that there must have been some occult significance to his visit to Augusta. But what? We may never know.
That Blennerhassett was interested in Kentucky's forgotten ancient civilization is a distinct possibility, however. And did the Marquis de Lafayette have similar thoughts in mind when he toured America with an eye for ancient burial mounds and significance found in calendar dates?
(By the way, I originally wrote an essay on these subjects on my old, now defunct, original version of the UnK site, and much of that material was cut and pasted with some unwelcome alterations and reprinted on other sites with credit given not to me but someone else. So here on this Halloween, I hereby declare the Curse of Grillo's Grandfather and will also mention that I have some excellent attorneys.)
And then there's The Kentucky Anomaly, which is something I ran across accidentally while combing through a mind-numbing quantity of old NASA technical reports. NASA subsequently pulled the report from the URL at which it had previously occupied, and replaced it with something else. But the original report had spoken of "a very prominent magnetic anomaly measured by MAGSAT over the eastern mid-continent of the United States was inferred to have a source region beneath Kentucky and Tennessee. Prominent aeromagnetic and gravity anomalies are also associated with the inferred source region."
Gravity anomalies. Caused by something beneath Kentucky. Seriously. Now that's news! Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find out much else about this so-called "Kentucky Anomaly". What does it all mean? Dunno. I'm working on it. But if, as NASA says, this thing goes back to Pre-Cambrian times, consider that this could be the smoking gun as to why this territory has had a palpably weird vibe for as long as humans have dwelt on its soil.
On the other hand, the Ohio River along Kentucky's upper border also seems to be a source-point for spookiness, from the burial mounds of the Ashland area where Charles Manson grew up, to the aforementioned Augusta, to the anomalous Welsh-speaking people that implausibly turned up in the area that would later become Louisville (Again, consult your copy of Weird Kentucky.)
The mysterious and awe-inspiring Great Serpent Mound is just on the other side of the river in Ohio, but definitely related to all this other ancient activity in the Kentucky/Ohio Valley region. The tribes involved have been alternately theorized to be the Hopewell, the Fort Ancient, the Adena, and a prehistoric precursor of the Allegheny tribe known as the Tallagewi. Still others contend that it all goes back even further, to lost cultures about whom we know absolutely nothing.
Of the Great Serpent Mound, Wikipedia has this to say:
The mound is located on a plateau with a unique cryptoexplosion structure that contains faulted and folded bedrock, usually produced either by a meteorite or a volcanic explosion.
Determining exactly what formed the Serpent Mound Cryptoexplosion Structure is a problem that geologists continue to debate. Two main solutions have been offered. Some geologists think the structure is a meteorite or asteroid crater. Others suggest that the structure was caused by forces from inside the earth, probably an explosive eruption of gases derived from a deep magma source in the basement rocks.
A similar anomaly exists at Jeptha Knob in Clayvillage, KY (Shelby County). Jeptha Knob was originally thought to be a cryptovolcanic structure but now is considered to be the site where a massive asteroid struck the Earth 425 million years ago.
One could go quite mad studying all the puzzling evidence - and some have.
This Halloween, my fellow Kentuckians, count yourself lucky to be living in one of our country's most interesting states - but also consider that "may you live in an interesting state" could be an equally effective variant of the Chinese curse "may you live in interesting times."
There's yet another proposed meaning for the word Kentucky - some say it comes from a Wyandot word meaning "Land of Tomorrow". Though not as plausible as some of the ones we addressed at the outset, I just like the sound of it, and the implication it carries - that as interesting as Kentucky is now, it's going to get even more interesting in the future...


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On the Water: The Waters Are Teeming
Sunday was Oct. 9, but it felt like Aug. 9. The parking lot at Montauk Point State Park was full. Fishing boats were spread out on the tide line like stepping stones leading all the way to Block Island.
Between a line of surfcasters standing shoulder to shoulder like medieval archers and a fleet of small boats with light-tackle and fly-casting archers of their own, an acre of feeding striped bass boiled and frothed. The afternoon light made the short-lived, airborne escapes of their bay-anchovy prey appear like showers of gold coins.
These were not small bass. They were 28 to 36-inch-long stripers by the thousand with nary a bluefish among them, and they had been making their same awe-inspiring appearence every day for a week.
A strange calm seemed to settle on the point despite the vast numbers of fish and fishermen. Two surfcasters from New Jersey sat in the late afternoon sun, one holding a Heineken. They leaned against a large boulder beside their surfcasting rods. A fat striper lay between them. Not 30 yards away, the distance of an easy cast, big bass boiled. The men were not alone. Dozens of casters stood around, spent from reeling and satisfied to just watch one of nature's most inspiring displays.
"Does it get any better than this?" one of the men asked.
"The fish could be bigger," his friend answered before both men laughed at such audacity.
Large schools of pure striped bass began rounding Montauk Point on the tide last Wednesday. High water brought them to within casting range every day. At first, the larger fish were taking bucktails. Red pork rind seemed the color of choice to dress the lure. As the days passed, it seemed like new varieties of prey made the choice of lure more difficult. Whatever the lure, it would have been difficult not to catch a fish.
Boating anglers were similarly blessed. The Star Island Yacht Club's annual striped bass tournament drew 77 boats. The winning bass, angled by Bob Sztorc from the boat Caprice, weighed in at 46.6 pounds. Rick Gulia on a Mako 23 caught a 43-pounder for second place, and Bob Maier on the Elizabeth boated a 42.2-pound striped bass for third. It was Rick Gulia again who reeled in the winning bluefish, a 13.3-pound chopper.
A 49.07-poiund striper was weighed in at Star Island Yacht Club on Monday morning.
Striped bass were not alone enjoying what must have been the huge numbers of small prey species massing around Montauk Point. "You could walk on the false albacore," Harvey Bennett of the Tackle Shop in Amagansett reported. He said schools of falsies were found deep into Gardiner's Bay as well. And of surfcasting, Bennett said, "Everybody's in Montauk. There's nobody here," he said, meaning the south-facing beaches of Amagansett and East Hampton. "It's empty, but with bass. We've got a few bluefish up here on the sand beaches."
Big porgies are found around Gardiner's Island, and blackfish season is on. The Viking Fleet of party boats will begin sailing combination black seabass and blackfish (tautog) trips tomorrow. The trips will leave at 3 a.m. and return at 6 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Wednesdays through October.
The weather has been suitable for offshore fishing as well. The West Lake Marina reported one boat steamed all the way to West Atlantis Canyon and was rewarded with 20 yellowfin tuna in the 68 to 90-pound range.
The fall hunting season got under way on Oct. 1. That was the date for the start of the bow hunting season for deer. It will run through Dec. 31. Saturday marks the start of the hunting season for sea ducks (scoters, eiders, and long-tailed ducks formerly called oldsquaw). The bag limit is seven sea ducks per day per hunter. Woodcock hunting also started on Oct. 1 and runs through Nov. 17.
The season for small game, which includes pheasant, rabbit, and squirrel, will start on Nov. 1. Pheasant hunters may keep four per day, cocks only, through Dec. 31. Cottontail rabbit hunters may hunt through Feb. 29.
Puddle ducks, mallards, black duck, wood duck, pintails, redheads, scaup, and canvasback become fair game next month.
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Stranger Than Fiction?
While I've always been amazed at the level of intelligence most of the Homestead critters have demonstrated from time to time, the claim has never been made that they could actually read.
However, after writing last week of the possibility that the "girls" (hens-Fuzzy, Blackie, and Anita) might start laying eggs this winter since they now have the late and lovely SnowWhite Goose's nightlight for heat, we have found four nice eggs on four consecutive days in their pen.
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More Than 90,000 Music Videos are Coming to Xbox Music
Get ready to start using your Xbox One as your very own personal music video device, because Xbox Music is rolling out 92,000 music videos.
According to the Xbox Wire, whenever you do anything with Xbox Music, like add a new playlist, create a Radio stream or play a song from your personal collection, a music video will automatically play in HD on your TV. Well, this will only happen if that track happens to have a corresponding music video, but that's still a pretty cool feature.
In order to get them to play, you have to find your playlist, say the command "Xbox Play" and then watch as the videos appear on the screen. It's just that easy. You can log on to the Xbox Music app on your Xbox One now to view all of the music videos.


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New Car Review Video
2014 Infiniti Q50: 5 Reasons to Buy
We know that the all-new 2014 Infiniti Q50 is Infiniti's latest midsize luxury sedan, but it really reminds us of the original 4-door sports car: the Nissan Maxima from the early '90s, an aggressively styled sedan with a snarling V6 and a little 4DSC (4-door sports car) sticker on the window. No, the V6-powered Q50 doesn't have a sticker, but Infiniti is owned by Nissan, and you can definitely feel the spiritual connection. The Q50 loves to run, and when you consider all of its other strengths, this Infiniti might be the best sport sedan for the money.
Dynamic Styling
If you ask us, the Q50 is the hottest Infiniti sedan yet. It practically looks like a superhero with those bulging fenders and taut proportions, but it also runs with plenty of class. If you're tired of the same old German sport sedans, the Q50's head-turning style is a refreshing change. It also elevates the Q50 above the outgoing G37, in our opinion, matching the visual refinement of Audi, BMW and Mercedes.
Absolute Power
Downsizing is trendy right now, but the Q50 hasn't heard the news. There's a 3.7-liter V6 under the hood, and it pumps out an epic 328 horsepower. Zero to 60? Try 5-and-a-half seconds; that really is sports-car territory. And whenever you roll on the throttle at speed, the Q50 leaps forward with authority. This car has some motor, and it's not afraid to show it.
Dual Displays
Inside, the Q50's defining feature is the dual-screen layout on the dashboard. With an 8-inch screen on top and a 7-in touchscreen below it, there's room for every imaginable technology feature. Highlights include navigation, smartphone integration and even iPad-like icons for intuitive operation. No one will accuse the Q50 of being behind the times.
Generous Back Seat
Unlike certain German rivals we could name, the Q50 is a true midsize car, meaning the back seat has plenty of room for 6-footers, but here's the thing: The Q50 never actually feels big from behind the wheel. It just offers adult-sized space all around when you need it, i.e., the folks in front will never have to slide up to accommodate the folks in back. That's the kind of luxury you can really appreciate.
Sharp Handling
You'll feel the Q50's sports-car soul every time you take a corner. In fact, the Q50 shares its platform with the iconic 370Z, so it literally is a sports car with extra doors. Not that you plan to drive your Q like a Z, but hey, it's always nice to have the option. The Q50 has more capability than most drivers will ever need, and that's a selling point in itself.
AutoTrader Says
The 2014 Infiniti Q50 is the car we've been waiting for Infiniti to build. With killer looks, great performance and just-right dimensions, it ticks all the boxes. You have to see it for yourself.


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VIDEO: New Indiana Pacers swingman Glenn Robinson III leads the top 10 dunks from Summer League
Durant's health on the mind in OKC | Robinson III goes home with Pacers | Melo ready for USA Basketball minicamp | Pressure is on Jazz's Burke
No. 1: Durant's health on the mind in OKC — The obvious and most intriguing storyline in Oklahoma City remains Kevin Durant's health and availability for the start of training camp with the Thunder. Sure, there's a new coach (Billy Donovan), the starting lineup to sort out and several other items of note. But it's all about Durant right now, as members of the staff at the Oklahoman discuss (Blogtable style) here:
Darnell Mayberry (beat writer): Who will be the starting shooting guard and center. We grew accustomed to Scott Brooks' way of doing things after seven seasons. His starting lineup was incredibly consistent and as a result became unbelievably predictable. But with first-year coach Billy Donovan we have no idea which direction the Thunder will go at shooting guard and center. Most assume Steven Adams will start. But who knows? And there's not even educated guesses at this point about the starting shooting guard. With the Thunder set to return with the deepest team it's ever had, the decisions Donovan makes regarding his first five will be what intrigues me most.
Anthony Slater (beat writer): The starting lineup and, more specifically, Andre Roberson's role. Regardless of who starts at center, Adams and Kanter will play a ton. But if someone — Dion Waiters, Anthony Morrow — usurps Roberson it may slice him from the rotation entirely. That could potentially free up some early opportunity for Cam Payne to get a test run or some intriguingly tall and lengthy units with Kyle Singler at the two. Shooting guard is the spot to watch.
Jenni Carlson (columnist): The health of the masses. Obviously, Kevin Durant is at the top of the list, but so many guys had so many issues that I'll be curious to see how all of them look. You never anticipate lingering issues with procedures such as knee scopes, but you never know until you see. And of course, where Durant is in his recovery is paramount. The video evidence circulating out there on the interwebs is encouraging, but I'm sure everyone would like to see it with their own eyes.
Berry Tramel (columnist): Kevin Durant's health. The Kanter/Adams minutes breakdown won't be known until the real games begin. But we can see Durant's progress from the foot problems in the exhibitions. If he's healthy, the world is a bright and wondrous place. If he's still hobbled, gloom, despair and agony on us all.
No. 2: Robinson III goes home with Pacers — Who says you can't go home, or at least close to it? Glenn Robinson III, the former Michigan star and son of former NBA star Glenn Robinson, is headed back to his native Indiana on a three-year deal with the Pacers. Robinson III gives the Pacers an athletic swingman that fits perfectly with the up-tempo style Pacers boss Larry Bird wants his team to play going forward. Robinson III also pushes the Pacers' roster to the 15-player limit allowed. Nat Newell of the Indianapolis Star has more:
Can't wait to continue my journey in the NBA with the Indiana Pacers," he tweeted, "couldn't be more excited to play at home!! #OverlyDedicated"
Robinson, 21, left the University of Michigan after his sophomore season and was selected 40th by Minnesota in the 2014 draft. It's a three-year deal, his agents Austin Brown and Aaron Mintz told Yahoo Sports.
Robinson gives the Pacers 15 players under contract, the maximum they can keep during the regular season.
He fits the team's plan to play faster and acquire more versatile players, providing depth on the wing. However, he averaged just 2.1 points in 35 games as rookie playing for two of the league's worst teams in Philadelphia and Minnesota.
More curious is the move leaves Indiana with one player who has regularly played point guard in the NBA, George Hill. They will almost certainly bring additional point guards to training camp, but the team would have to release a player currently under contract to keep one. Expect Monta Ellis and Rodney Stuckey to serve as the team's backup point guards. Second-round draft pick Joe Young could also see time at the point.
Robinson averaged 13.1 points and 4.4 rebounds as a sophomore at Michigan. Minnesota waived him during the season, Philadelphia picked him up but made him a free agent when it declined to make him a qualifying offer.
No. 3: Melo ready for USA Basketball minicamp — Count Carmelo Anthony among the NBA stars who plan to attend USA Basketball's minicamp in Las Vegas next week as they begin preparations for the next year of competition. The New York Knicks' star is not cleared for full involvement after February surgery, but he plans on being there alongside the rest of the stars in the program, writes Mitch Abramson of the New York Daily News:
In a sign that Carmelo Anthony should be ready for the start of training camp, the Knicks' $124 million man plans to attend a USA Basketball minicamp in Las Vegas from Aug. 11-13 as part of the build-up for the 2016 Summer Games in Brazil.
Next month's event will serve as a "reunion" for former players who have played in the USA Basketball system, with non-contact workouts on the docket, culminating with a sort of all-star game featuring the top players, according to ESPN.com.
However, since Anthony is still recuperating from February's surgery on his left knee to repair a torn patellar tendon, he's not expected to participate in all the activities.
The Knicks told the Daily News in an email on Friday they are OK with his involvement in the minicamp. Anthony was given a timeline of 4-to-6 months to return from surgery.
While he is back to doing basketball activities such as shooting, Anthony is still not at full strength.
USA Basketball hasn't finalized its list of camp invitees but expects a number of key players to attend even if they are injured as a way for the organization to get a sense of who wants to go for gold next summer, ESPN.com said.
"I think it's important for those who want to continue with us and be under consideration for '16 to be with us in Las Vegas for a couple days," USAB managing director Jerry Colangelo told ESPN.com. "It's going to be low key. Light workouts, no contact and then play an all-star game. No concern about competitiveness. We're not evaluating anyone."
No. 4: Pressure is on Jazz's Burke — It's one thing to make it to the NBA, be you a lottery pick, an undrafted free agent or anything between. It's another altogether to thrive in the NBA, as Utah point guard and former college player of the year Trey Burke is finding out during his journey. Changes in the coaching ranks and philosophy, not to mention personnel, have put Burke squarely in the crosshairs for a Jazz team eyeing a move up the ranks in the rugged Western Conference. That makes his upcoming and third NBA season Burke's most pressure-packed, to date. Kincade Upstill of The Deseret News provides some insight into Burke's struggles:
Since being drafted by the Jazz, Burke's jump shot has only made a few appearances. After his rookie season, he averaged 41 percent from 2-point range and a very unimpressive 33 percent from behind the arc. He was given a pass on his poor shooting as a rookie who needed to adjust to the NBA game; plus head coach Ty Corbin wasn't known for development then and was let go shortly after the season's end.
Then came in new head coach Quin Snyder, a former point guard who is known for player development. Former Jazz man Demarre Carroll credits Snyder with helping him improve his game and his jumper. The Jazz also hired Patrick Beilein, son of John Beilein, who was Burke's college coach. Beilein was brought in as the Jazz's shot doctor. The 2014-15 season seemed like it would be a brighter year for Burke.
But his poor shooting only got worse. Burke's 3-point shot dropped to 31 percent. His 2-point shot also fell to 40 percent. Why has Burke struggled so much with his jump shot that has been a hindrance to his career? In college, Burke's shot was pretty good, averaging almost 37 percent from three and 50 percent from two. Every indication is that he's a hard worker and puts in the time to improve.
An article in Grantland by Kirk Goldsberry named Burke one of the league's least-efficient shooters. One of the main reasons Burke's percentage is so low is his inability to finish at the rim. Goldsberry wrote, "The Jazz have one of the least effective finishing guards in the league: When Burke attacks the rim, opposing interior defenders morph into [Rudy] Gobert." Burke averaged only 42 percent at the rim last season. But Goldsberry does give some hope for Burke, citing "[Steph] Curry, who was really bad near the rim earlier in his career, only to turn into a very good close-range finisher." Curry has become arguably the best shooter in the league.
It shouldn't be expected that Burke will turn into Curry, but improvement can be made. Curry struggled his first three seasons in the league around the hoop but has figured it out. Burke and Snyder worked hard on a running floater last summer (that Jazz play-by-play announcer Craig Bolerjack mentions each time it's used) to help him be more efficient around the rim; so far Burke has struggled with the new shot.
Let's break down Burke's shooting numbers: In catch-and-shoot situations, he averaged 46 percent from two and 35 percent from three, which are very solid numbers; but on pull-up jumpers he only shot 40 percent from two and 18 percent from three. The highest percentage of his shots comes from pull-up jumpers that require playing one on one, which is not his strength. If the Jazz can get Burke to become more of a spot-up shooter and less of a creator, then he might become a great role player for the Jazz. Burke has been an alpha dog his whole career, and switching to a role player could be a challenge and a blow to his ego.
SOME RANDOM HEADLINES: No offense to Gregg Popovich, but Richie Adubato recognized Becky Hammon's coaching potential long before she led the Spurs to the title at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas … A silver medal at the Pan-Am Games is not a setback for the movement that is Canadian basketball … As much as they love the NBA Summer League, plenty of folks in Las Vegas want "their own" team …


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Warner Brothers Thinks What People REALLY Want In A Streaming Service Is Something That Costs More But Offers Less
from the artificial-scarcity-meets-artificial-infinity dept
Warner Brothers, one of the many studios to sign on to the rightfully-maligned Ultraviolet "service," and tireless proponent of lengthy arbitrary blackout periods, has decided to leap ungracefully into the streaming business with Warner Archive Instant.
Now, Warner Archive Instant isn't necessarily meant to be a Netflix killer. (Or even to take out the severely wounded Hulu.) It's way too niche for that. But it's unclear exactly what perceived gap in the market Warner is hoping to fill (other than a gap of its own creation). Here's a few of the underwhelming details.
Warner Archive Instant [is] a service that streams vintage films and shows from the vast Warner Bros. catalog. It's an offshoot of the existing Warner Archive DVD and Blu-ray site, but the digital selection is unfortunately rather limited — there are only 123 distinct titles available as of now. While most of these aren't typically found through other outlets, it's still a pretty small selection, particularly for the $9.99 monthly fee associated with the service. Warner says that it'll be constantly adding and rotating new content in and out, but for now it's not the most robust offering around.This certainly sounds like a studio-directed effort. More expensive with less selection! That's what people are looking for in a streaming service! Warner, despite dipping a toe into the Stream, seems to be relying on artificial scarcity to drive subscriptions. Many of the movies and shows it offers on Archive Instant aren't available through other streaming services or retailers. So, if you're absolutely dying to watch selected episodes from seasons 2 & 3 (but not the entire seasons, mind you) of 77 Sunset Strip (or late-80s insta-classic Disorderlies) and have nothing better to do with a ten-spot, Warner Archive is tailored precisely for you.
Of course, this being a studio effort, there are a whole lot of caveats to the severely limited, expensive, streaming service -- many that you won't find hampering cheaper services with more titles.
For instance, if you want true HD, you have a single option: Roku box to TV. That's it. Hi-def streaming for PC and Mac is not supported "at this time." Also not supported: smart TVs, networked Blu-Ray players, Wii/Xbox/PS3 or mobile devices. Here's more good news: the service can only be utilized on one device at a time.
This service is far too limited and far too expensive to appeal to about 99% of everybody. Perhaps several months down the road when Warner adds more (and it will need to add a lot) content, it might be tempting. But even with additional content, it will still be nothing more than yet another streaming service competing for market share in an overcrowded field.
Warner is making a couple of mistakes here (at least). The first is arbitrarily locking up certain content solely to "create" a market for the shackled products. The second mistake is assuming people are clamoring for a fragmented streaming market. Most people are satisfied with one or two services and very occasionally use others to fill in the gap. What they're not interested in is creating yet another account, setting up yet another device and adding yet another line item to the debit side of their bank accounts in order to access limited niche content. (And even the "niche" part can be argued. The titles available are hit-and-miss -- a collection of true classics mixed with below average films, accompanied by a bizarre selection of TV shows, some of which are represented as "best of" sets, rather than the entire season[s]. Archive Instant seems to have been set up by a faulty database query, rather than curated with the classic movie fan in mind.)
At the end of the day, though, Warner will still be able to say it tried. When the MPAA presents its anti-piracy legislation suggestions, it will point to this (and Ultraviolet) as evidence of the studios' willingness to meet
Filed Under: limited selection, movies, streaming, streaming services, warner archive instant
Companies: warner bros.


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As seen in Newsweek.
We all have a right to the pursuit of happiness—but could we actually be happier if we gave that whole thing up?
This surprising new book from Zen teacher, psychoanalyst, and critical favorite Barry Magid inspires us—in gentle and winking prose—to move on and make peace with the perfection of the way things actually are, including ourselves.
Magid invites us to consider that our "pursuit of happiness" may actually be a source of our suffering. He takes an unusual look at our "secret practices"—what we're really doing when we say we're meditating-like trying to feel calmer, or more compassionate, or even "enlightened" (whatever we imagine that means!). He also uncovers our "curative fantasies" about spiritual practice—those ideas that we can somehow fix all the messy human things about ourselves that we imagine are bad or wrong or unacceptable. In doing so, he helps us look squarely at-and avoid-such pitfalls. Along the way, Magid lays out a rich roadmap of the new "psychological-minded Zen"—a Zen that includes our entire life, our entire personality—as pioneered by his teacher, bestselling author Charlotte Joko Beck.


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What would you do if you walked into a bar on Shabbat and saw your rabbi sitting at one of the tables? Eli Freedman, an assistant rabbi at Rodeph Shalom, will be doing just that on June 8 as he discusses the finer points of beer in the Talmud as part of a free Philly Beer Week event.
What would you do if you walked into a bar on Shabbat and saw your rabbi sitting at one of the tables?
Members of Rodeph Shalom would most likely offer to buy their rabbi, Eli Freedman, a pint of his favorite West Coast IPA as he discusses the finer points of beer in the Talmud.
Freedman will be holding court at Fergie's Pub in Center City on June 8 at 3 p.m. as part of a free Philly Beer Week event, "A Rabbi, A Priest and a Minister Walk into a Bar …" Alongside him will be Washington, D.C.-based Rev. Bryan Berghoef and Father Kirk Belenbach, rector at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church in Roxborough. The three will discuss, as Freedman puts it, "the work we have done around beer and religion."
In Freedman's case, that amounts to quite a bit. In addition to his standard rabbinical duties, he helps preside (along with lay leader Matthew Wander) over the synagogue's Men's Club homebrewing efforts. The group has already created in-house favorites like the RS Trippel, a Belgian-style beer named for Rodeph Shalom's three rabbis, and The Weissen, a German wheat beer named after a member.
Freedman, a 32-year-old Boston native, manages to mix in education with the fermentation.
"When you're brewing," he explains, "there's a 45-minute window where you're just sitting there while the pot is boiling. All you can do is just sit and wait; there's not much else you can do. I figured we could use that time, so I created a text sheet with quotes from the Talmud — all about beer. There's almost nothing in the Torah about beer but in the Talmud there is so, so much about beer."
One more nugget of Talmudic wisdom that should make local beer fans happy: According to Freedman, the Talmud states that if you're in a place where people drink beer more than wine, then beer can be used for Kiddush on Friday nights.
One of Rabbi Freedman's Talmudic excerpts tailor-made for Philly Beer Week:
Shabbat 139b: One may brew beer on the [intermediate days of a] Festival when it is required for the Festival, but if not required for the Festival it is forbidden: [this applies to] both barley beer and date beer.


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REM Therapist / Cutting Stool (with Backrest) - Buffalo
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Deliberately simple, this versatile stool is ideal for larger salons where seating is needed and is moved regularly. Equally, the modern design makes this seat ideal for smaller space salons where the addition of a fixed position chair is not an option. The Therapist is a simple, versatile stool that is ideal for beauty salons where seating is required. It comes with standard five star base on castors.
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Collections Online
Montcalm and Wolfe, original manuscript, pages 282-286 (part II)
To order an image, navigate to the full
display and click "request this image"
on the blue toolbar.
In the manuscript of Montcalm and Wolfe displayed here, Francis Parkman describes the climax of the epic struggle between the French and English for possession of Canada at the Battle of Quebec on 13 September 1759.
The Battle for Quebec
For more than two months, a British army under the command of James Wolfe had laid siege to Quebec. The French commander, the Marquis de Montcalm, had successfully thrown back every attempt to take the city and time was running out for the British. The fierce Canadian winter was on its way. Wolfe decided to take one last gamble and move up the river and land behind the French (see an online presentation of a map of the battlefield. Within a few hours, several thousand British troops were standing on the Plains of Abraham, an open field outside of the fortress city. Montcalm decided to abandon the safety of Quebec's walls and meet Wolfe in battle. Here Parkman describes the crisis of the battle that ended with the death of both commanders, and ultimately decided the fate of North America.
Francis Parkman
Born into a prominent New England family, Francis Parkman (1823-1893) was one of America's most distinguished historians (see online presentation). Parkman suffered from chronic ill health, but he was determined never to give in and he constantly sought physical challenges. After graduating from Harvard College, he and his cousin Quincy Adams Shaw traveled on a hunting expedition to the far west. He published his experiences as The California and Oregon Trail in 1849.
Francis Parkman was fascinated by the history of France in North America. Despite his poor health he traveled extensively in North America and Europe to visit archives and historic sites. Most of the research materials gathered by Parkman are located today at the Massachusetts Historical Society. Between 1865 and 1892 Parkman published his nine-volume study, France and England in North America including the two volumes of Montcalm and Wolfe (1884), the most famous works in the series.
Although Parkman has been criticized for his bias towards the English and his unflattering descriptions of native people, his work remains extremely important. He wrote in the tradition of the romantic narrative, and his passion for collecting documents and visiting the actual sites of historic events stands today as a model for historical research.
Lecture and booksigning on 24 February
On Thursday, 24 February, at 5:30 P.M., William M. Fowler, Jr., the director of the Massachusetts Historical Society, will address an afternoon meeting of the Society on the subject of his new book: Empires at War: The French and Indian War and the Struggle for North America, 1754-1763, published by Walker Books. There will be a reception before the meeting at 5:00 P.M. Mr. Fowler will sign copies of his book after the lecture and meeting. If you are interested in attending, please call the reservation line at: (617) 646 0560.
Suggestions for further research
Fowler, William M. Empires at War: The French and Indian War and the Struggle for North America, 1754-1763. New York: Walker and Company, 2005.
Parkman, Francis. Montcalm and Wolfe. New York: Modern Library, 1999.
For the history of Canada, two extremely valuable websites are: Library and Archives Canada
CyberMuse (Search here for Benjamin West's famous painting, "The Death of General Wolfe" in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Canada)


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So yes…I admit that I like to spend my time off wandering cemeteries. While this may sound strange to some, every true genealogist can relate to this obsession. Today we explored the Fairmount Cemetery in Libertytown, MD. It is a well-kept cemetery with attractive iron gates at the entrance.
As we walked around something caught my eye. It was a tombstone carved from a large gray stone. It marked the grave of Howard S. Thomas, born in Hanover, York County, Pennsylvania in 1860 who passed away in 1943. It is the only stone of its kind in the cemetery; and displays primitive qualities given the year of death. As you can see in the photo to the left, the top of the stone has a carved hand with the index finger pointing downward. The epitaph reads "RETURNED TO MOTHER EARTH". I began wondering who this person was; and why such why he had such an unusual stone.
I went home and started researching. Through the 1870 census records I verified that he was indeed born in the Hanover Borough of York County, PA. He was the son of Emanuel and Sarah A. His father was a carriage maker, his mother keeping house, and he had three brothers and four sisters. The 1880 census revealed that Howard S. Thomas was still residing in Pennsylvania, 20 years of age, and working as an apprentice stonecutter. His father was a retired gentleman, and his brother Jacob's profession was listed as a dentist and another bother Edward a cigar maker.
In doing further research I stumbled upon one of his siblings obituary: Miss Cora Ellen Thomas, a dwarf, daughter of Mrs. Sarah A. Thomas, died Thursday evening at 4:30 o'clock, at the home of her mother, on York Street, of a complication of diseases from which she had been suffering for the past few weeks. She was aged 37 years, 3 months and 13 days. Miss Thomas measured only 37½ inches in height and 30 inches around the waist. When she was three years old, she suffered with blood poisoning, and since that time had not grown. She usually enjoyed good health and weighed 44½ pounds. She retained childish manners all her life, the development of her mind stopping with the end of the growth of her body. She is survived by her mother, three brothers and three sisters, George W. Thomas, of East Middle Street, Dr. J. A. Thomas, of Reading, Howard S. Thomas, of Libertytown, Md., Mrs. William Strayer, of Aaneoka, Minnesota, Mrs. Emory Swartz, of York Street, and Mrs. William H. Melhorn, of McAllister Street.The funeral will take place on Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock at the house. Rev. M. J. Roth, pastor of the Trinity Reformed Church, officiating, assisted by Rev. G. H. Reeser, of Emmanuel's Reformed Church. Interment at Mt. Olivet Cemetery.Hanover Herald – Saturday, December 02, 1899
While searching The Frederick News newspaper I found and article from 1895 that stated, Miss Emma Thomas of Liberty is visiting her parents, Mr. & Mrs. James Baltzell of the same place. In 1900 Howard and his wife Emma K. (born 1864 – MD). are residing in Libertytown, MD. The census records indicate they were married in 1882. They have two children that are listed as Harrie B. and Frankie. His occupation is listed as a marble cutter. The 1910 census still find them residing in Libertytown, MD, his sons apparently gone off on their own, but a little surprise. They have a grandson living with them who is two years old and is named, Howard F. Thomas, most likely after his grandfather. Howard is still working as a stone cutter in a Marble Shop.
The 1920's find Howard and Emma living together in Libertytown, no longer is he a stonecutter, he is now listed as a barber! I began searching the newspapers for an obituary when I found an article that explained everything. Howard Thomas had been preparing for his demise for over thirty years leaving detailed instructions for his funeral. It states that Howard built his own casket as well as carving his very own tombstone. He proudly displayed his casket in his barbershop for all patrons to see. I am not related to this family, but hopefully they will enjoy the article. Another genealogy COLD CASE mystery solved.


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Wednesday, February 22
Good morning, TexMessagers. Happy Washington's Birthday? (It's his 280th.) Guess which Texas politician has a lengthy spread in the most recent edition of "The New Yorker?"
In the latest edition of The New Yorker, Ron Paul is given the full New Yorker.
The magazine dedicates more than 5,600 words (and one comic) to the libertarian-leaning representative from Texas. We learn, at length, about his politics, his life story, his strongly held opinions and his future plans.
The article is full of colorful description and anecdotes about Paul's experiences, political and otherwise.
Presidential campaign watch
Every morning, we share some headlines from 2012 presidential campaign.
★ Texas House Speaker Joe Straus endorses Mitt Romney
★ Small Texas donors fuel Gingrich campaign after Perry endorsement
★ Ron Paul ad questions Rick Santorum's (fiscal) conservative credentials
★ Poll: Santorum surges to lead in Texas with help of former Perry, Cain backers
This week's reader poll
Results of last week's poll
Tweets of the Day
Our popular "Tweets of the Day" feature has moved. You will now be able to read "Tweets of the Day" as a stand-alone feature every afternoon on Texas on the Potomac.
Reader Comment of the Day
In response to our Texas on the Potomac article "TexMessage: PolitiFact goes after MSNBC's liberal hosts–again" reader "Txloanguy" wrote in the comments forum:
"Go after MSNBC? What, did they poll BOTH viewers?"
Texas Watch
TxPotomac lets you know what stories to look out for later this week.
★ Wednesday, Feb. 22. GOP Debate in Arizona hosted by CNN
Tomorrow and beyond:
★ Tuesday, Feb. 28. 'Fiscal 2013 Budget: Interior' will be hosted by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The full-court hearing will take place at 10 a.m. in the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
★ Tuesday, Feb. 28. Arizona primary/Michigan primary
★ Thursday, March 1. GOP Debate in Georgia hosted by CNN
★ Saturday, March 3. Washington Caucus
★ Monday, March 5. GOP Debate in Simi Valley, Calif.
★ Tuesday, March 6. Massachusetts primary, Ohio primary, Oklahoma primary, Tennessee primary, Vermont primary, Virginia primary, Georgia primary, North Dakota caucus, Alaska caucus, Idaho caucus Wyoming caucus begins (ends Saturday, March 10)
★ Saturday, March 10. U.S. Virgin Islands caucus, Kansas caucus, Wyoming caucus ends
★ Tuesday, March 13. Alabama primary, Mississippi caucus, American Samoa caucus, Hawaii caucus
★ Saturday, March 17. Missouri caucus
★ Sunday, March 18. Puerto Rico caucus
★ Monday, March 19. GOP Debate in Portland, Ore.
★ Tuesday, March 20. Illinois primary
★ Saturday, March 24. Louisiana primary
★ Saturday, March 24. Rick Perry at the Gridiron Club for the 127th annual dinner
Today in Texas History
On this date in 1819, the Adams-Onis Treaty was signed. Among the provisions of the treaty, the United States relinquished claims to Texas. More>>>