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Students in grades kindergarten through 12, both from public and private schools, as well as adults affiliated with the schools, and Northern Essex Community College students, are invited to participate in Northern Essex Community College's Fifth Annual Peace Poetry Contest and Reading. Participants may create and submit original poems on the subject of peace.
The deadline for submission is Friday, March 15. Some 80 poems and accompanying artwork will be selected for publication in a small book of poetry to be published later in the spring. In addition, selected entrants will be invited to take part in a poetry reading from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, May 3, in the Hartleb Technology Center on Northern Essex's Haverhill Campus.
Last year's contest, the fourth annual, attracted over 1,000 entries from more than 48 schools. The contest is coordinated by NECC professor of English Dr. Paul G. Saint-Amand, a Vietnam-era veteran who is committed to peace. "As an educator, I want to fuel children's imaginations toward peace," he says. "A lot more has been written about war than about peace."
NECC students are collaborating on the project and have designed posters and award certificates, participated in judging entries and will host the public reading.
Entries can be submitted to email@example.com or NECC Peace Poetry Contest, 100 Elliott St., Spurk 317H, Haverhill, MA 01830-2399.
For additional information contact Saint-Amand at 978-556-3307, firstname.lastname@example.com or visit the webpage at http://www.necc.mass.edu/academics/enrichment/service-learning/peace-poetry/
This contest is sponsored by the NECC Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs, the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences, the English Department and the Service Learning Committee.
With campuses in Haverhill and Lawrence and extension sites in Methuen and Groveland, Northern Essex Community College is a state-assisted college, offering over 70 associate degree and certificate programs as well as hundreds of noncredit courses designed for personal enrichment and career growth. More than 7,400 students are enrolled in credit associate degree and certificate programs on the Haverhill and Lawrence campuses; and another 6,700 take noncredit workforce development and community education classes on campus, and at businesses and community sites across the Merrimack Valley. Northern Essex is the only state college located in the lower Merrimack Valley Region of Massachusetts. For more information, visit the website at www.necc.mass.edu.


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Official Class PhotosOct 12, 2013, 11:30 AM - 12:30 AM
Athletic Hall of Fame Lobby | Stoller Center
Strike a pose!
Alumni who graduated in classes ending with a 3 or 8 are invited to gather together for a class photo!
Volunteers will be walking through Boxer Nation Celebration and the private tailgating areas announcing times for groups to gather for photos.
To view a full schedule of events for Homecoming 2013, please visit pacificu.edu/homecoming.
Questions or requests for assistance can be directed to the Office of Alumni Relations at 503-352-2057 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Posted by Rachael Burbank (email@example.com) on Jul 2, 2013 at 11:02 AM

subset: commoncrawl


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A total of seven teams will compete for the NCGA Team Championship, three from the East, and four from the West. The three eastern teams include Brockport, Cortland, and Ithaca. The four western teams include Wisconsin-Whitewater, defending champion Wisconsin-LaCrosse, Wisconsin-Stout, and host Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
LaCrosse won the title at Springfield College, which hosted the NCGA's last season.
Baglow, a sophomore from Amherst, Mass., will compete in the all-around.
The four others will include Pagella, a senior from Westfield, Mass., in the vault and the floor exercise; Moreck, a senior from Berlin, Md., in the uneven parallel bars; Flynn, a junior from Franklin, Mass. in the vault; and Graziosa, a sophomore from Eastchester, N.Y. in the vault.


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Our original Niko Camera Bag, the Niko Messenger was designed and built for street photographers and videographers who need mobility and quick swing-around access. The interior main compartment is customizable for organizing lenses and gear and the top-loading main compartment holds essentials including windbreaker, keys, phone, and/or wallet.
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CAMERA COMPATIBILITY:While this is not a complete list, these are a few possible combinations of camera equipment for the Niko to pack down. Carry these camera bodies plus a wide-angle lens (e.g. 18-55mm) and still have room for a telephoto lens (e.g. 55-300mm) plus battery packs, cables, and more.
• Canon EOS models 1D X, 1Ds Mark III, 5D Mark II, 5D Mark III, 60D, 6D, 7D, Rebel T1i, Rebel T2i, Rebel T3i, Rebel T4i
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Great camera bag.4/26/13 by DaveI started using this bag a couple of days ago and it has proven itself as the ideal camera bag for my needs. The size is large enough that I can fit my camera in the top pouch, 3 lenses and some accessories inside the bag with more then enough room for additional gear. And my tripod fits nicely strapped on the outside.
The best part for me is that the bag is still compact enough that easily slides around to give me quick access to my camera without having to completely remove the bag.
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Great4/26/13 by JDLThis is a really great camera bag. It has every thing in terms of camera storage that a similar Lowepro might have, except that it is much cooler. The wide shoulder strap really disperses the weight of the gear (DSLR, 2 lenses, tripod, doo-dads).
You might consider a 'top loader' version in the future.
Also I got might at the SF store this weekend (they had 3-4 on hand). The website said out of stock.....I suggest calling your local store to see if they have it.
They did it again...4/26/13 by MikeyThey made a bag that I fell in love with. It was basically Love at first site. The bag is just a little guy but holds everything of mine! No joke! The following isn't a list to show all of the cool cameras I have, but rather a list of all the things I fit inside it, It really held all of these, no joke.
1 Nikon D5000 body.
1 Nikon N80 35mm body.
1 Nikon Speed Light SB-700.
1 Diana Mini camera + Flash.
1 Spinner 360 camera.
1 Nikkor 55-200mm Lens.
1 Nikkor 18-55mm Lens.
5 rolls of 35mm film.
1 Tripod.
and just about every other camera accessory such as remote, lens cleaning kit, diana splitzer...
I'm no serious photographer, I'm pretty amateur, I just love collecting camera's and shooting what I see. This bag allows me to take literally my whole collection where ever I go. It keeps everything neat and safe Just the way camera equipment should be treated. Another silly plus, it fits inside the brigadier bag perfectly for long trips. Thanks Chrome!
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Local columnist
---- — I just turned almost-40. I believe I'll refer to my entire year that way, because this is my last year before that big four-oh.
I think the almost-40 was probably harder than the actual-40 will be to face. The decade birthdays seem like a celebration, where the ones that immediately precede somehow seem like a clanking bell. Or is it just me?
As an almost-40 gift, my family gave me something that makes me happier than just about anything else I can imagine. The boys and I had planned to go to the opening day of our local blueberry patch to attempt to put a sizable dent in our annual 100-pounds-of-blueberries goal. My husband surprised me by taking the morning off work to accompany us. When I say this never happens, I am not exaggerating. My husband works hard and he works long hours, so this was a gift I never expected. He has never seen the boys and me in picking action.
We loaded up the van with every mixing bowl and colander we own, a wagon to pull the aforementioned vessels on the quarter-mile trek to and from the patch from the parking area, hats, water bottles, and a wallet full of cash. Once in the berry patch, we tied buckets at our waists and went to town, proverbially. About 20-minutes later, my eldest emptied his first filled bucket into a colander, much to my husband's surprise. Moments later, my 13-year-old emptied his bucket. A few minutes later, the 11-year-old emptied his, and so on. My husband was flabbergasted by their speed.
We filled everything we had brought to fill (including a three-gallon food safe bucket, an enameled wash pan, four massive mixing bowls, two colanders, and a big Tupperware bowl) and took them to the weigh station to tally up our take. The experience was complete when the man weighing our berries gestured to the boys and me and informed my husband, "These are our champion pickers. I remember the first year they came. They picked till the boys were tired. They slept under that pine tree and your wife just kept picking. We had never had anyone pick 100 pounds in one day before."
Ah. If I'm remembered for one thing in life and berry picking prowess is that thing, I'm a happy girl.
So what do I do with that berry bounty? Aside from the requisite jam, pies, cobblers, crisps and whatnot, I love to make Blueberry Lime Syrup. It's a take on a recipe from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving. Once that syrup is done, we eat it on pancakes, like the book recommends, but we consume even more of it in the form of Blueberry Soda. It's an easy, healthy alternative to bottled sodas.
Important Note: If your blueberries are fresh off of the bush, you may wish to let them age for a few days before attempting the syrup because of the natural pectin in the berries. If you don't wait, you'll get much thicker (and possibly even fully gelled) syrup.
Blueberry Lime Syrup
• 8 c. fresh blueberries (see note, above)
• 6 c. water, divided
• 1 T. lime zest (green part only)
• 3 c. granulated sugar (raw sugar is good here, too)
• ¼ c. lime juice
In a large, stainless steel stockpot, squash the berries just to break them up. You can use a potato masher in the pan to help with the task. Add 2 cups of the water and the lime zest and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Boil the mixture for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat. Line a colander or sieve with two or three layers of cheesecloth and position it over a deep bowl. If you have a super-fine cheesecloth like butter muslin, one layer will suffice. Scoop the boiled blueberry mixture into the cheesecloth and let it drain, undisturbed, for 2 hours. Lay a plate with a little weight on it on top of the blueberry mixture at that point and let it drip for another 15 minutes. Wash out your stock pot to be prepared for the next step.
Stir together the remaining water and the sugar in the clean stockpot and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring just until the sugar is dissolved. Boil it until the mixture reaches 230° F. (You will need to test this temperature with a thermometer as it is higher than the regular boiling point of water. Visually, the mixture may start to look slightly darker and the bubbles should be thicker and slower to pop. This means the concentration of sugar is higher and it is nearing the 'soft ball' stage on a candy thermometer. Do not skip using a thermometer.) When mixture reaches 230° F, stir in the blueberry juice and return to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, remove from the heat, and stir in the lime juice. Ladle the hot syrup into sterilized, prepared pint jars with new two-piece lids, leaving ¼-inch of head-space. Wipe the rims with a cloth dipped in vinegar, fix the lids in place to finger-tip tight, and place in a canner so that the jars are covered with water. Bring to a boil and process them for 10 minutes. When the 10 minutes is up, turn off the heat, remove the lid from the canner, and let the jars rest in the water for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack or a towel lined counter. Cool completely, wipe clean, label and store in a cool, dark place for up to a year.
Once opened, a jar is good for about 3 weeks.
— Gently adapted from The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
Blueberry Lime Soda
• Chilled Blueberry Lime Syrup
• Chilled [plain or berry seltzer water
• Ice
Fill a glass with ice, pour 2-5 tablespoons of the Berry Lime Syrup (to taste) over the ice, and top it off with seltzer. Use a chopstick or a spoon to gently stir and serve immediately.


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While reading some blogs today, I ran into a quote on Rachel Held Evans blog which has encouraged me to open my heart on the matter of doubt and Christianity.
It was a quote from Tim Keller:
"A faith without some doubts is like a human body without any antibodies in it. People who blithely go through life too busy or indifferent to ask hard questions about why they believe as they do will find themselves defenseless against either the experience of tragedy or the probing questions of a smart skeptic. A person's faith can collapse almost overnight if she has failed over the years to listen to her own doubts, which should only be discarded after long reflection. Believers should acknowledge and wrestle with doubts —not only their own but their friends' and neighbors."
Unfortunately, for many Christians and church leaders, doubt is something simply to be conquered. It is something to be beaten as an addict beats the very thing that controls him. For many it's like this…if we head down that road, we're sure to be enticed by the all-encompassing logical process of understanding all too much for our own good. So what becomes of us? Do we put our heads in the sand and ignore the ache forming on the edges of our mind, trying to numb our problematic noggin with an overindulgence in church activity? For many that is the solution. If we ignore it, maybe it will go away.
Doubt is a lonely road to travel in the church. I mean really, who can you tell? What kind of advice are they going to give you that will make you feel better? They'll probably load you up with platitudes like, "you just have to believe" or "faith is about believing even when you don't understand". While these statements are undeniably true, they don't usually help an ounce in a crisis of faith. I recently had one guy try to encourage me with his story. It was extremely fresh for him, but actually made me laugh out loud, especially after it went on for about ten minutes. I managed to cover my laughter with an appropriate comment and tied it back into his story. I think I had more doubts after I talked to him than I had before.
So here it is…
I deal with doubt.
In fact, I have dealt with doubt lately more than ever before. Yes, I've been a pastor for 13 years. Yes, I've been a Christian for 33 years. But never before have I dealt with the onslaught of doubt that I've been dealing with lately.
The source of this doubt, this faith crisis, is not sin. It is not laziness. It's not even rebellion in my heart. It comes from one thing…revelation of truth. I know that sounds rediculous, but let me explain. I grew up planted in a garden of impenetrable pentecostal theology, reinforced the fencing at a local pentecostal bible college and enjoyed a careful diet of food grown only in my own truth garden. At the same time, as an extreme charismatic I was taught to not over think things and to just embrace whatever the Spirit was doing.
My world started unravelling as God began undoing theology that was so central to my very belief system. For a while I embraced the new understanding I had of God's word, but who could I talk to about it? Nobody was on the same page, in fact most people would have considered me a heretic if I'd shared what I now believe to be true about God. Most denominations (yes I realize this is a very big generalization) are only interested in convincing you that their theological stance is right. They usually stop discovery at some point and start to put up fences, drawing lines in the biblical landscape of truth in order to resist heresy and maintain order.
Doubt is difficult for the church to deal with because it flies in the face of a faith culture. Jesus was hard on those who faltered. He said things like, "you of little faith" and "where is your faith"? The difference is that those whom Jesus rebuked for their doubt had just witnessed incredible miracles and were on the verge of becoming recipients of miracles themselves. His rebuke was reinforced with proof! The only logical argument involved was of the "seeing is believing" type.
As I question my Christianity and my understanding of the word and my understanding of what God is really like and whether or not I believe in Him or even if I want to believe in Him, there is one glaring problem. What do I do with my experience? I can explain God away all I want with logical arguments and reasoning, but what do I do with the things that my eyes have seen and the imprint of His presence on my life. Bill Johnson says, "The person with an experience is never at the mercy of a person with an argument."
Through my doubt, I have learned to be open to new ways of looking at things. Doubt has opened the door for God to reveal truth that was missing from my knowledge base.
God is not locked into our understanding of His word.
God has never been about us understanding every theological argument in scripture. I'm not against an understanding of who God is and developing personal theology, in fact I see more and more value in it as I've come to discover truth about God that I hadn't previously seen in scripture. But the ultimate truth is that He has only ever been about two things…
YOU and ME.
So my advice…relax and stop taking yourself so seriously. Leave that up to God. He's pretty serious about us.
Some final thoughts:
I think as a church, we could do a way better job of working through doubt. Doubt is a reality, but doubt doesn't have to be lonely.
Pain and doubt usually go hand in hand, and when we are asking the age-old question, "where is God when I really need Him?"…that is the moment we most need a friend who will not judge us and will refrain from Christian clichés.
Do you have an experience you can share?
Are you walking through some doubt right now?
What are the questions you deal with?


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As part of Ivy Tech Community College's ongoing effort to safeguard students, faculty and staff, the College has implemented an emergency communications system. Ivy Tech Alert allows students, faculty and staff to receive time-sensitive emergency messages in the form of e-mail and text messages.
Everyone who has an e-mail address is eligible to receive emergency alerts. In order to also receive text message alerts, members of the College will be asked to provide phone contact information. There is no charge for this service, other than any charges you may incur from your cell phone carrier.
While participation in the e-mail and text messaging notification is optional, enrollment is strongly encouraged. The information you supply is considered confidential and will not be shared or used for other purposes. You will only be contacted through the system in the event of a campus closing and/or emergency.
For First Time Users: Set up is easy!
Already have an account? Manage your account.


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June 3, 1941: The Portales Daily News reported that Will Bates of Pep had become a father — for the 19th time. Lloyd Travis Bates was born May 26.
Portales past: June 3, 1941
Portales Past: May 28, 1950
May 28, 1950: The Roosevelt County community of Lingo was home to 188 registered voters, up from 185 in 1948, County Clerk B.A. Cook reported. Registered voters in Elida had dropped from 735 to 505 in the past two years.
Portales Past: May 27, 1955
May 27, 1955: News from Causey, as reported in The Portales Valley News: "Ben Fuller's well is not finished yet. Buster Blakey's wasn't any good. I haven't heard how Fletcher Judah's pumped out. We all hope that these irrigation wells turn out good," Sue Duncan reported.
Portales Past: May 20, 1960
May 20, 1960: Rural residents were being invaded by Miller moths. Residents reported they were leaving lights and television sets off at night in efforts to keep the Millers away.
Portales Past: May 2, 1910
May 2, 1910: The Roosevelt County Herald reported Portales was installing "a very comprehensive system of water works, sewers and electric lights," and also working to build cement walks. Another city need was for more trees, which would "doubtless be fixed as soon as the city is able to supply water."
Police Blotter —
April 20 At 3:30 p.m. a caller reported an accident involving a pickup and an SUV, which had rolled over. Officers were dispatched. At 4 p.m. an Eastern New Mexico University police officer requested backup at the 1300 block of West First, as subjects were throwing beer bottles at the officer. At 6:17 p.m. a […]
Portales Past: April 14, 1910
April 14, 1910: Portales Sanitarium reported it was equipped to give Turkish baths, shower baths and plunge baths — all capable of stimulating the nervous system to ward off all forms of rheumatism, nervous diseases and kidney ills.
Portales Past: April 5, 1945
April 5, 1945: Sgt. Joseph W. Copeland of Causey had been awarded a Silver Star for voluntarily subjecting himself to a concentration of German artillery fire, The Portales Daily News reported. Copeland was wounded in the leg, the story reported, during construction of a road block.
Portales Past: March 8, 1960
March 8, 1960: The Portales News-Tribune reported on two lost dogs. Jane Lee's "small, brown dog" would answer to the name of "Mim" if located. The Rev. Grady McCullough was looking for a "fuzzy puppy" the paper said he "claims is a cross between a Chihuahua and a collie." The front-page story provided phone numbers […]
Feb. 8, 1976
Three building permits totaling $39,790 were applied for during the month of January in the City of Portales, the Portales News-Tribune reported.


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AutoPager 0.8.0.10
by Wind Li
AutoPager automatically loads next pages when you reach the end of a page. It works on a ton of sites,Google,Yahoo..
It works well with most other add-ons adblock plus, WOT and most of the greasemonkey scripts.
You can also try AutoPagerLite.
This add-on is not compatible with your version of SeaMonkey because of the following:


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GARDENDALE — A teenager has been arrested on charges of stealing a school bus.
The Gardendale Police Department arrested Michael Belcher, 18, of Gardendale on charges of theft of property first degree. Belcher allegedly took a school bus that was parked on the grounds of Gardendale High School, according to Gardendale Police Lt. Bryan Lynch.
Belcher was transferred to the Jefferson County Jail with a bond of $17,000.


text: Hey, hey there! Do you know I never knew this piece was called a Pie safe before I started blogging. {it is called a pie safe right?} that is what someone referred to it once as is. I just knew I liked it a lot and my dear husband bought it for me ... [ Read More ]


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Free Shipping on All Orders 1-866-764-1801
Damn man, sorry to hear that. Hope your wife pulls through ok, she will be in my thoughts and prayers. Life has been pretty tough on my end too, going through a tough time in my marriage as well, not looking good but hey things could always be worse. Keep your head up man, and stay in touch.
How's things going? Boy, my life has been hell the last month and a half. Found out my wife is dying of cancer. So, I've been the primary care giver. Hardest thing I ever had to go through. She probably won't make it through the end of the month.


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Chocolate Dream Bars11 Reviews 2 Pics
"Marshmallows and semi-sweet chocolate make these yummy bars a dream come true."
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Adjust Servings
Original recipe yields 12 servings
- In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, beating well after each addition.
- Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and chopped nuts. Stir into egg mixture until well combined. Spread mixture in bottom of greased 3.5 L (13 x 9 inch) pan.
- Bake at 180 degrees C (350 degrees F) 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle marshmallows evenly over layer in pan. Bake an additional 3 minutes. Let cool.
- In small saucepan, combine chocolate chips and peanut butter. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted. Stir in cereal and spread mixture evenly on top of cooled marshmallow layer. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm. Cut into bars.
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Reviews (11)Rate This Recipe
These bars are fantastic!!!! My son said they are his new favorite bar cookie and my daughter who refuses to eat pecans was hearing all the rave comments about them, gave in and tried one and low and behold she loved it!!! How can you not love choc,peanut butter and rice Krispie's and marshmallows!!!! Made them for part of my Christmas cookie collection and they freeze very well. Will make more often since they were a smash hit. I did add a bit more marshmallow's to make sure the bottom crust was completely covered, no bare spots and left in a little longer than 3 min. keep watch on them while heating. They should get puffed. Try these they are a real treat!! Thanks so much for posting the recipe!!
These are soooo DELISH!! I made them twice last week! Once for my coworkers and once for my family.. Nothing but great reviews! Even people that aren't fond of marshmellows liked them a lot!
Judy Cowan
Let me start my review by saying while all the ingredients of this bar (minus the bottom) taste yummy on thier own, I wasn't impressed with the outcome. It sounds yummy and decadent, but they didn't come together and blend well together (tastewise). Maybe because of the layering, because we all know, take the bottom away and they are a peanutbutter rice kripspie treat dipped in chocolate and what's not good about that?? But those would have been better than these bars. Didn't like the bottoms at all. I'm still giving them 3 stars because they are edible... just not a recipe that I will be making again. My husband and 2 boys agree that they were nothing special. :/
Similar Recipes
KELLOGG'S* RICE KRISPIES* Peanut Butter Balls
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Chocolate Caramel Squares
KELLOGG'S* RICE KRISPIES* White Chocolate Cranberry Crisp Bars
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Crispix* Krispies* Original Mix
Amount Per Serving (12 total)
- Calories
- 429 cal
- 21%
- Fat
- 26.8 g
- 41%
- Carbs
- 43.7 g
- 14%
- Protein
- 9.2 g
- 18%
- Cholesterol
- 51 mg
- 17%
- Sodium
- 256 mg
- 10%
Based on a 2,000 calorie diet
previous recipe:
KELLOGG'S* RICE KRISPIES* Crystallized Ginger Biscotti
next recipe:
KELLOGG'S* RICE KRISPIES* Peanut Butter Balls


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High Speed Internet Modem CableNEW
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The Belkin High Speed Modem Cable is guaranteed to give you the fastest Internet access possible with data transmission speeds of up to 100Mbps. Our High Speed Modem Cable features Signal Exact Twist® technology, Category 5 cable construction and 24K Gold Plated contacts, which allows your modem to achieve maximum performance. When compared to regular phone cables, our Internet Modem Cable delivers a signal 10 times faster and stronger than the standard cable.


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UPDATE 9:45 a.m. Sunday: Flash flood warnings issued by the National Weather Service in Santa Clara County.
According to the warning issued by the weather service, "runoff from heavy rainfall will cause localized flooding of small creeks and streams as well as roadways, underpasses and other low-lying spots."
PG& E reports minor, and one major, power outages in the following areas of Silicon Valley:
Campbell: 2 outages affecting 44 customers
Cupertino: 1 outages affecting 1 customer
Los Altos: 3 outages affecting 14 customers
Los Gatos: 4 outages affecting 223 customers
Mountain View: 6 outages affecting 6 customers
UPDATE 1 P.M. Saturday: PG&E reports minor power outages in the following areas of Silicon Valley at this hour:
Mountain View: 2 outages affecting 2 customers
Los Gatos: 2 outages in the Lexington Hills affecting 1 customer and 1 outage in town
UPDATE 12 NOON Saturday: The series of storms that began soaking the area Wednesday evening will continue through Sunday with another big downpour coming in Saturday evening, said National Weather Service hydrologist Mark Strudley
The system's last storm came in Thursday night and intensified on Friday and tonight's storm will pound the North Bay and the Santa Cruz Mountains heavely, Strudley added.
Big precipitation numbers are expected in the Santa Lucia area in Big Sur and the Monterey County Mountains and similar or bigger rainfall totals are anticipated as those from Thursday's system, Strudley said. "A lot of these creeks and rivers that responded to Thursday's storm, will respond even more strongly to tonight's system. There are a couple of big rivers that will flood, such as Russian River."
Fortunately, no rivers or creeks in the Santa Clara County or Monterey area are expected to overflow, he said. Streams in these areas could flash flood, but Strudley had no predictions as to which ones might.
In the past 24 hours, the Los Gatos Lexington Reservoir area had received 1.18 inches of rain, with a total of 6.34 inches recorded in the past 96 hours.
The Soquel area had seen 2.48 inches of rain in the last four days and .59 in the last 24 hours.
Santa Cruz's city proper, near Capitola, had received .4 to .5 inches in the last 24 hours.
In the Saratoga Mountains, just west of city proper, 1½ inches of precipitation had fallen, but moving down to the valley the rain total for the past 24 hours dropped to .51 inches.
The Mountain View, Cupertino and Sunnyvale areas had seen anywhere between .1 to .3 inches, but moving up into the area's mountains, in the Stevens Creek area above Cupertino, 1.39 inches had been recorded in the past 24 hours.
The Los Altos hilly areas to the west of city proper had seen .52 to .54 inches of rain in the same time frame.
UPDATE 1:00 p.m. Friday
As a persistent storm continues to soak Silicon Valley, the National Weather Service says the heaviest rainfall in the region has been recorded in the North Bay.
In the past 24 hours, parts of Sonoma County saw more than 7.5 inches of rain while the Santa Cruz Mountains were deluged with 7 inches. Rainfall in the past day was recorded at 4.33 inches in Calistoga.
The storm system was moving southeast through the Bay Area late this morning and is expected to soak the entire region for the rest of the day, forecaster Diana Henderson said.
Very minor outages are being reported in the area. In the Santa Cruz Mountains, the outage in Ben Lomond has been reduced from over 1000 customers to a current estimate of 340.
UPDATE 10:45 a.m. Friday:
PG&E is reporting some minor power outages in the following areas of Silicon Valley at this hour:
Saratoga: 6 outages affecting 18 customers
Campbell: 2 outages affecting 13 customers
Los Gatos: 7 outages affecting 12 customers
The largest outage in the area is in Ben Lomond, where over 1000 customers have been without power since 9:23 a.m. Friday.
A total of about 4,600 PG&E customers in the Bay Area are without power this morning because of storm-related outages, a utility spokesman said.
The storm had caused outages to nearly 16,000 Bay Area PG&E customers at its peak overnight, according to PG&E.
UPDATE 10 a.m. Friday: The recent storm system that's been pounding the area since Thursday evening is due to a cold front that hit the North Bay last night, with the brunt of it having passed through the Bay Area and is now headed to Santa Cruz, Monterey and south Santa Clara County area, said National Weather Service meteorologist Diana Henderson.
So far the system has dumped in the past 24 hours 6½ inches of rain in the Lexington Reservoir area of Los Gatos, about 1½ inches in South County in the Morgan Hill area, 1⅓ inches in Palo Alto and 1 inch in Moffet Field in Mountain View.
Henderson said most of the rain falls in the hills rather than in the flat lands, which explains the low numbers for Moffet Field, the North Bay and San Jose. "As it moves south it will affect the Monterey area."
A flash flood advisory remains in effect in the area to warn residents that "it's raining a lot. There might be some street flooding," Henderson said. "It's going to be a bit dicey on the highways. There might be ponding water here and there and street flooding in the urban areas."
Those who live up in the mountains should keep an eye on nearby streams due to rapid water rise, Henderson said.
Residents can pick up free sandbags
PG&E has these tips on the storm and outages.
UPDATE 4:45 p.m. Thursday
While all power service in Silicon Valley has now been restored, the expected onslaught of rain and wind from a second storm to move through the area in two days has caused the National Weather Service to issue a flash flood watch beginning at 7 p.m. tonight for the Peninsula and Santa Cruz Mountains. Several inches of rain is expected to fall in those areas.
The watch is set to remain in place through Friday afternoon.
Friday morning several severe weather advisories will be issued throughout the region.
Starting at 8 a.m. a wind advisory will be in place for strong and gusty winds blowing through with the potential to knock down trees and power
lines. The advisory is expected to expire at 2 p.m. Friday.
UPDATE 2:30 p.m. Thursday
The Community Services Agency in Mountain View lost power briefly in the morning due to a downed power line, confirmed its Executive Director Tom Myers.
UPDATE 10:00 a.m. Thursday
Downed trees have left about 20 PG&E customers in Saratoga without power since just before 10:00 p.m. last night. The company expects to restore that service before 2:00 p.m. today. And about a dozen customers are without service in Cupertino. Otherwise, all power has been restored throughout the rest of the Valley.
Rain is likely this afternoon in our area, according to the National Weather Service, as a front moves down the coastline from the north. Rain is likely to continue this evening, as winds will begin to pick up in strength, a precursor to Friday, when a third storm with gusty winds and heavy rainfall is expected.
A high surf advisory over on the coast is in effect from 9 a.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Saturday.
UPDATE 5:30 p.m. Wednesday
PG&E crews have made significant progress in restoring power for hundreds of Silicon Valley businesses and residents tonight.
As of 5:30 p.m., there remained two notable outages. In Mountain View, a new outage that began shortly before 4:00 p.m. has 98 customers without power. In Los Gatos, 96 remain with no power. All but 11 customers in Saratoga now have power restored, and everyone in Campbell has the lights back on.
Ben Lomand and Boulder Creek have about 200 outages respectively.
UPDATE 3:30 p.m.
The National Weather Service just released information indicating the strongest winds encountered today in the Bay Area were right here in Santa Clara County, including a 75 mph gust at a location in Los Gatos. A chart is attached to this article. In addition, the NWS is now predicting our area will have somewhere between two to four inches of rain before the end of the rainy period on Monday.
Meantime, the Boulder Creek power outage has grown, with more than 2,000 PG&E customers powerless. 218 are still without power in Saratoga, and 110 in Los Gatos. In Campbell, power is back on for all but two customers.
UPDATE 2:15 p.m.
According to PG&E, some 218 customers remain without power at this hour in Saratoga. 45 have no power in Campbell, 120 in Los Gatos. Twenty customers remain without power in Mountain View. Very minor outages exist in Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, and Cupertino.
The largest power outage in our area is up in the Santa Cruz mountains - in Boulder Creek - where over 1000 PG&E customers have no power.
UPDATE 12:38 p.m.
PG&E is reporting four outages in Campbell affecting 43 customers as of 12:24 p.m. this afternoon. Crews are assessing the outage. No estimate for when services will be restored yet.
UPDATE 12:00 p.m.
PG&E is reporting a power outage in Saratoga affecting 204 customers as of 11:45 a.m. this morning. Crews on the scene estimate they will have service restored by 2:15 p.m.
The outage in Mountain View has now been resolved for all but 20 customers.
UPDATE 11:25 a.m.
PG&E is reporting eight power outages in Mountain View affecting 164 customers as of 10:47 a.m. this morning. There is no estimated time for restoration of service at this time.
An unusually heavy rain storm began to move through the area Wednesday morning, slowing commuters on their way to school and work, causing traffic accidents, and creating power outages in some parts of the Bay Area.
Parts of Union City and San Francisco were without power. Inbound flights to San Francisco International Airport were delayed by as many as three and a half hours, duty manager Nancie Parker said.
According to the National Weather Service, a high wind warning is in effect until 11 a.m. Thunderstorms and rain can be expected this morning.
Southeast winds are likely to be between 30 and 45 mph with gusts around 60 mph.
By this evening, mostly cloudy skies and showers are expected. Rain and heavy winds are again likely Thursday.
-Bay City News contributed to this report.


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It is a highly-successful, long-standing, March fundraiser.
Each year, this exciting trip through cowboy culture generates thousands of much-needed dollars to benefit the children of Cal Farley's Boys Ranch.
The ultimate goal of the event is to glorify God and celebrate the achievements of Farley – an American professional wrestler and businessman who has been called "America's Greatest Foster Father."
Plus? There are testicles involved.
Sunday, March 10, marks the debut of the 21st-Annual Texas Testicle Festival. Organizers say area residents would be nuts if they didn't come out to have a ball.
The event at the Cherokee County Show Barn, 611 SE Loop 456, in Jacksonville, starts with a church service at 10:30 a.m. March 10.
The food there can't be beat, organizers said. There will be generous helpings of calf testicles – otherwise known as "calf fries" – in addition to fried fish, brisket, and pork.
This event ultimately uses the symbol of the gonad – otherwise known as the reproductive organ, chicken nugget, stone or teste – as a bully pulpit to attract the attention of area residents for an exceptional cause.
But the ultimate goal is to glorify the almighty "by reaching our community teaching and expanding the word of God" as well as celebrating Farley's achievements," organizers said.
Despite its testicularly-centered business model, the event is designed to provide fun for the entire family with superlative gospel music and an enlightening "Cowboy Church" service.
Hundreds are expected to attend the TTF, which will include a live auction benefiting Cal Farley's Boys Ranch and a team roping benefiting the local Junior Livestock Show.
The TTF is held the second Sunday of March every year.
It's not just a lukewarm festival. Area residents Linda and Roy Yates have gone as far as to say involvement in TTF changed their lives.
"We got involved helping people and found a cowboy church where we serve our Lord," the couple said in their TTF website statement.
After the church service and gospel music begins at 10:30 a.m., there will be a 12:30 p.m. auction and lunch chock full of the aforementioned dishes.
Residents are urged to bring a covered dish – and not to forget that daylight savings time begins that day at 2 a.m. (Turn your clocks ahead one hour).
Farley, incidentally, has a fascinating story. He once was a small boy from the north known by his friends as "shrimp" because of his small stature. He was also well-known for his passion for wrestling, baseball, and general sports.
While serving during World War I, Farley taught groups of 11- and 12-year-old German boys how to play sports. He later moved to Amarillo, met and married his wife Mimi, and commenced teaching Panhandle children how to play baseball.
To help children with dismal home situations, Farley founded America's first boys ranch, which is funded completely on donations – meaning the more money that is generated by donations, the better for the children.
Farley also founded Girlstown USA.
The festival is proof "that when you allow God to take charge of something that seems to be so small and irrelevant. Amazing Things Can Happen!" TTF member Brandi Bannister said in a comment posted on the website.
To inquire further, contact Patti Holman, 903-586-4450; Brandy Bannister, 903-571-1005; Linda Yates, 903-284-8373 (or email email@example.com); or John and Judy Barber, 903-586-8174.
You'd be NUTS not to attend
The annual Texas Testicle Festival helps raise charity money while patrons glorify God, appreciate Cal Farley – and, generally, have a ball!
It is a highly-successful, long-standing, March fundraiser.
Body found in bed of truck
Authorities on late Wednesday had not confirmed the identity of a body found in the back of a pickup truck near Reklaw on Tuesday.Continued ...
According to a press release from the New Summerfield Police Department, officials received a report of an abandoned 2001 Ford pickup Tuesday that was located on a parcel of land in rural Cherokee County.
- JEDCO names new president
- JISD sets public hearing for proposed $45M budget
- Public health department extends hours to help parents get students vaccinated
- Proposed budget 'virtually identical' to 2013 budget
- Body found in bed of truck
- Bullard's Greene collects 2 hit in Pensacola loss
- Fightin' Indians' new district stacked with quality
- Trio of former local prep standouts playing for top 10 D-II schools
- High school volleyballers to hit ground running Monday
- McCown says he likes direction Tampa Bay is heading in


text:
Gross Domestic Product in Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Rental and Leasing
The Statistical Abstract files are distributed by the US Census Department as Microsoft Excel files. These files have data mixed with notes and references, multiple tables per sheet, and, worst of all, the table headers are not easily matched to their rows and columns.
A few files had extraneous characters in the title. These were corrected to be consistent. A few files have a sheet of crufty gibberish in the first slot. The sheet order was shuffled but no data were changed.
The tables that were changed (this is table 1132):
0166 0257 0362 0429 0445 0446 0459 0461 0462 0464 0465 0466 0467 0469 0479 0480 0481 0482 0483 0484 0485 0486 0487 0559 0628 0629 1144 1227 1231
This dataset consists of a table of 37 rows and 10 columns.
In billions of dollars, except percent. Represents value added by industry. For definition of gross domestic product and explanation of chained dollars, see text, Section 13, Income. Based on North American Industry Classification System 1997; see text, Section 15, Business
- Chained (2000) dollar series are calculated as the product of the chain-type quantity
index and the 2000 current-dollar value of the corresponding series, divided by 100.
Because the formula for the chain-type quantity indexes uses weights of more
than one period, the corresponding chained-dollar estimates are usually not additive.
Public Domain (Government Work)
This dataset was prepared by the government and is therefore in the public domain. There are no restrictions upon its use.


text:
To the Editor:
Cumberland Times-News
After reading the newspaper and watching the news this past week, I felt the need to express myself about a couple subjects that I had seen.
First of all, I find it interesting that President Obama can assure health care for everyone by taking more money from those who have worked for it and re-distributing it to those who haven't.
He cannot, however, assure our safety by keeping Muslim terrorists out of our country, even though our government was warned about these particular terrorists by Russia — a country that at one time was bent on our destruction.
I'm not exactly sure where our dear President stands on every issue, but I am certain of two things. He is a socialist and a Muslim sympathizer. Let him prove me wrong on either count.
Secondly, I find it interesting that Gov. Martin O'Malley seems intent on taking guns from the hands of law abiding citizens in Maryland and raising taxes to the point where the middle class must now scrape to survive.
He cannot, however, prevent an incarcerated Baltimore gang leader from fathering children with the very women who are in charge of guarding this man ("Jail contraband plot brings 25 indictments," April 24 Times-News, Page 1B). One of the female correctional officers was impregnated by said gang leader not once, but twice.
Mr. Governor, there is an old saying that goes something like this: "Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." I believe we all know who should be ashamed in this situation.
Randall P. Haines
Wiley Ford, W.Va.


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---- — Tax-Aide program delayed due to fiscal-cliff issues
PLATTSBURGH — The Tax-Aide program, which provides free electronic-filing assistance to low- and middle-income taxpayers for their 2012 tax returns, has delayed the start of services.
Because of delays connected with the fiscal-cliff, the Internal Revenue Service is not yet able to accept submissions, according to local Tax-Aide Coordinator Kaye Curry. The program, which sets up at the Clinton County Senior Citizens Center, 5139 North Catherine St., Plattsburgh, had been due to open Jan. 22.
"Our start date is now (Jan.) 28th or 30th," she said.
Register for
dissolution vote Saturday
KEESEVILLE — The Village of Keeseville will hold Voter Registration Day on Saturday, Jan. 12 from noon to 5 p.m. at the Village Office, 58 Liberty St. for residents who are not registered to vote and want to vote in the upcoming special election on dissolution of the village. The vote will be held on Jan. 22.
Chazy Decoration Contest winners
CHAZY — The Town of Chazy has revealed the winners of this year's Decoration Contest.
First place in the Residential category goes to Randy and Bonnie Stromback, 561 Slosson Road, West Chazy, who will receive $75 donated by Riley Ford.
Second-place goes to William and Beth Groshans, 1816 Miner Farm Road, Sciota, $25 donated by Duprey Feeds; and third place, Yvonne Ladue 126 Washington Ave., Chazy, $25 donated by Chazy Redemption Center.
Best Christmas Tree: Chazy Lions Club (Stewart's in Chazy), $25 donated by Samples Lawn & Garden.
Best Business Decorations: Hairstyles Unlimited and Cattle Barn Pub & Grill, $25 each, donated by Guma's Restaurant.
All winners may pick up envelopes at the Chazy Town Office.
NCCC Board Trustees to hear reports
SARANAC LAKE — The North Country Community College Board of Trustees will hold its regular monthly meeting at noon Tuesday, Jan. 15, in the board room, HH-135, on the Saranac Lake campus, 23 Santanoni Ave.
Agenda items are expected to include administrative reports, personnel and a financial update.
An executive session will be called.
Board meetings are open to the public.
Saranac Lake
School Board
agenda planned
SARANAC LAKE — Saranac Lake Central School Board will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 16, at the Petrova Library.
Agenda items include a presentation of elementary math and English results, health services, New York State School Boards Association policy and regular reports.
The meeting is open to all.
Lake Placid
School Board
meeting planned
LAKE PLACID — The Lake Placid Central School Board will meet Tuesday, Jan. 15, at the Administrative Services Center, 50 Cummings Road, Lake Placid.
The meeting starts with a work session at 6, followed by the regular meeting at 7. Both are open to the public.


text: Castillo de Baños from £10.35 to £13.70 Per unit Contact Us Book It Images Map Rallies Rally Info (2013-14 Winter season) - Rally Stewards will be Fred and Jo Smith • Approximately 50 rally pitches (subject to demand); located near the main facilites and allocated by the rally stewards • Minimum stay three nights during the rally period • Evening activities will be held in the rally room, with daytime activities near the rally tent (weather permitting) • Typical rally activities (subject to demand) may include escorted walks, boules, horseshoes, crafts, whist, games sessions, quizzes, barbecues, walks to local places and hostelries. Popular features of this rally have been the economical meals in the site restaurant, tapas outings to local English-speaking bars, and the availability of good value coach excursions to the extraordinary natural and cultural sites in the region. Rally Tips This is a small, friendly rally where as usual you have the freedom to partake in all, some or none of the organised activities as you wish. There is much to see and do either through organised coach trips, your own transport, or using the local buses which stop adjacent to the site. Rally Date: 15 01 2014 - 31 03 2014 We recommend that you book your entire rally stay as early as possible. Overview Located in an amazing region, rich in places to visit. Rally Dates 15 Jan - 31 Mar 2014 (Members only) This small, pretty, verdant site, much loved by members for its welcoming, friendly and relaxing atmosphere, is set among mimosa, pepper, palm and eucalyptus trees on the Costa Tropical, and separated from the seafront by a gated bamboo windbreak. Castillo de Baños is popular with those who want a break from big resorts and a taste of the authentic, rustic Andalucía, with many members staying for two months or longer, but the site is also convenient for breaking the journey between Mediterranean and Portuguese destinations. A coastal bus service passing the site offers links further afield, and while some of the mountain roads may be challenging in a motorhome there are many others that are less demanding. Most walking and cycling routes locally are reasonably strenuous hill routes, and you should be prepared to use your own car or motorhome for shopping and to get out and about, in order to get the most out of this hugely rewarding area. During the rally and subject to demand there are economically priced coach trips to some wonderful regional attractions, which may include the world class historic jewels of the Alhambra Palace in Granada or Cordoba's stunning Mesquite. (Please remember that pets are not allowed on coaches or on public transport.) You may have heard of the intensive greenhouse horticulture en route to this delightful site, but immediately around Castillo de Baños this is minimal, while members who return year after year comment that the advantages of the area far outweigh any visual impact encountered further afield. Many of the best parts of beautiful Andalucía – an amazing region, rich in places to visit – are within easy day-trip reach, including not just Málaga and Granada, but also Almería, the mountains of the Sierra Nevada National Park, the Sierra de la Contraviesa and hills of the Alpujarras, the Sierra de Tejeda National Reserve, and the many coastal towns and villages both inland and on the coast between here and Almería and Málaga. Location Close to the small town of La Mamola and near to the coast road, lying alongside a small, narrow, rock / grey sand seafront with direct access through a gate La Mamola centre 1.5 miles, Castello de Ferro five miles, Motril 18 miles, Almería 52 miles, Granada 60 miles, Málaga 78 miles Information Dogs allowed Gas barbecues permitted on pitches Communal barbecue area Maximum unit length 8.5m Minimum stay three nights during rally Run by Sonia Peña for owner Álvaro Garcia Local bus services 500 metres, to Motril, Almería and Granada. Site Accessibility Dedicated accessible facilities - One cubicle accessed direct from outside by key, with toilet, shower and washbasin, at wash block. Ramp to wash block. Ramp to reception. Small ramp to bar/restaurant and shop. Terrain throughout the long, thin site is very gently sloping towards the seafront, with tarmac roadways and grassy/earthy pitches. No wheelchair access to rally function room, which is down a flight of stairs. Contact us for further information. Reviews There are currently no reviews for this Site. Why not be the first? Leave a Review Facilities Castillo de Baños has the following facilities on or around the site. All pitches about 70m2, with 5A or 10A electricity, most with grey water drainage Older style central wash block with: hot and cold water to showers; hot water to some wash basins, washing-up and laundry sinks; one chemical disposal point Sports facilities on site include an outdoor swimming pool (unheated, opening subject to weather), fishing from the seafront Site shop open seven days a week, includes fresh bread Wi-Fi over whole site; free in bar. Shared water tap between each two pitches Two washing machines and one drier Restaurant/bar Well stocked small supermarket (400m) in village, very popular with members. Other shops, bank, cash machines and pharmacy in La Mamola; supermarkets in Castell de Ferro; hypermarket in Motril. Outdoor exercise machines in village Pricing Sites often charge for an additional vehicle, including a car towed by a motorhome. You should also expect to pay extra for pets and awnings. We only charge you for extra equipment if the site charges us. Solo campers may be entitled to reduced pitch fees on some sites. Please proceed to book in order to find the latest prices, availability, or if you are looking to start your stay within less than 2 weeks please call us. More information on pricing can be found here.


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Meet Wilbur!
Wilbur is a medium-sized, adult male Beagle mix currently residing at the Cherokee County Animal Shelter. Wilbur has been vaccinated, tested for heartworm and given an initial flea and tick preventative. Once Wilbur is adopted, he will be neutered and microchipped.
To adopt Wilbur, contact the Cherokee County Animal Shelter at 770-345-7270 ext. 2 or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com


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The Los Angeles City Council voted 13-2 Wednesday to ban pet stores from selling dogs, cats and rabbits purchased from commercial breeders.
People can still purchase pets directly from breeders, just not in stores, which will be able to obtain non-breeder stock from the city's animal shelters or humane societies registered with the city's Department of Animal Services.
City Councilmen Bill Rosendahl and Mitchell Englander cast the dissenting votes.
City Councilman Paul Koretz introduced the measure earlier this year with the intention of shutting down puppy and kitten mills and reducing the tens of thousands of euthanizations performed on unclaimed animals each year. The city euthanized more than 21,000 dogs, cats and rabbits in each of the last two fiscal years—about 37 percent of the animals impounded.
In a Patch poll, 63 percent of voters approved of the ban while 30 percent disapproved, saying rescue pets need a home but there shouldn't a ban against buying animals from commercial breeders in pet stores.
Pet shops and other retailers will have six months before the law goes into effect. The penalty for violating the ban will start at $250 for a first offense and goes up to $1,000 for a third strike.
Companion Animal Protection Society West Coast Director Carole Raphaelle Davis said the law would help end "the blood money contracts between puppy mill owners who abuse animals and L.A. pet retailers."
"We are relieved that finally, the cries of L.A.'s shelter animals have been heard. Puppy mills and cruel pet factories will fade into history at last," Davis said.


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) - Jabil Circuit /quotes/zigman/128454/delayed/quotes/nls/jbl JBL -0.65% on Wednesday reported a fiscal first-quarter profit of $105.8 million, or 51 cents a share, compared with a profit of $112.9 million, or 54 cents a share for the year-earlier period. Revenue was $4.64 billion, up from $4.33 billion. Adjusted profit was 61 cents a share. Analysts polled by FactSet on average were expecting a profit of 56 cents a share, on revenue of $4.41 billion. Shares of Jabil were up more than 6% in after-hours trading.
Want to see how this story relates to your watchlist?
Just add items to create a watchlist now:
- XJabil Circuit Inc. (JBL)


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Conversations with a Twitter Feed: @the_ironsheik
The Iron Sheik trash-tweets his foes.
(Source: youtube.com)
The CollegeHumor Staff Blog is the official Tumblr of CollegeHumor.com's staff. Here you can find regular updates from some folks with way too much time on their hands, plus the best and newest pictures, original comedy, links, articles and videos from CollegeHumor.com.
Send us all the funny! Submit stuff to CH's Tumblr


text:
Pet Keepsake Memorial Boxes
"Memories to last a lifetime."
Perfect for displaying pets' photos and protecting cherished keepsakes.
Rotating Box has slots for 4 photos.
Color may vary.
Toys not included.
Customers Ratings and Reviews
|Overall Rating :
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers
Sort Reviews :
Newest |
Oldest |
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|Read More Reviews


text:
I'd like to welcome all my readers to the Invoicing Software blog! The invoicing software blog will be bringing you information about invoicing systems, their implementation, how to choose one and how to get the most out of yours. What is invoicing software? Invoicing software usually requires some form of purchase, download and installation. Along […]
Posts Tagged 'download'
Welcome to the invoicing software blog!
Posted by BillingBlog on January 4th, 2014


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Church rejected God
Congratulations to the Rev. David Walls for taking a stand. Even though the behaviors stated in the article are not my business, we commend his biblical stand and stepping down because of his refusal to allow a Muslim mosque leader to perform during a Veterans Day concert.
Shame on his church for coming against him on this matter. It is probably good for him to go as it seems they are satisfied with a "watered down gospel." And the ones that agreed with him on this controversy should go with him.
A church is to support their pastor. Remember, pastor, they have not rejected you, they have rejected God.
Curt Cherry
Traverse City
There is no collusion
Recently I was at a local gas station getting a coffee and the lady behind the counter was on the phone. She hung up and apologized for taking so long. She said that it was her boss and that if I needed gas, that I should get it soon, because the price was going up at some point that day. I asked her when and how much and she said she was "waiting" for the gas station across the street and it would "match" their price.
The next time gas stations blame oil prices, refinery shutdowns, or hurricanes, just take a look across the street and tell yourself their is no collusion.
Frank Banks


text:
Matthew Bieniek
Cumberland Times-News
CUMBERLAND — A hearing on the county's septic tiers turned into an extensive discussion on the proposed Terrapin Run development in eastern Allegany County. Among those speaking during the hearing was Richard Hall, secretary of the Maryland Department of Planning.
"Our only issue here is Terrapin Run," Hall said, saying the rest of the county's map was fine and in accordance with state law. "We want to work with you on that," Hall said. However, the state and county are looking at things somewhat differently, and then there's the developer.
Attorney Robert Paye represents the developer of Terrapin Run, and he thinks the state is usurping local authority.
"You're not bound by those comments," Paye said of comments by the state planning department about septic limits for Terrapin Run. "The power still lies with the elected county commissioners and that's where it belongs."
The state, county and developer continue to wrangle over the future of the development and the land involved. A lawsuit was temporarily settled, but the two-year window to work out a final decision will end in September. Initially, the development was planned for 4,300 homes near the Green Ridge State Forest.
Terrapin Run was planned to be set on 935 acres in eastern Allegany County by Terrapin Run LLC.
The MDP is not happy with the county's tier map, which chooses areas for development and conservation in four tiers. The tiers vary in whether sewer service and septic systems are required or allowed.
Terrapin Run has been designated as a Tier II subdivision on county planning maps for years, Commissioner Bill Valentine said. That means the subdivision would not have sewer service, but could be built using wells and septics systems to handle water and waste needs.
The MDP specifically took issue with Terrapin Run's designation and required the county to hold Monday's hearing, which occurred at the county office complex.
The MDP said Terrapin Run doesn't qualify as a Tier II subdivision and must be designated Tier IV for conservation, which would not allow for development.
Developer Michael Carnock has said he'd be willing to hear an offer from the state for a purchase of the property. While Tier 4 does allow for minor subdivisions on spetic systems, it requires a special exemption.
Paye said it was wrong for the state planners to offer comment when they had signed the agreement to end the lawsuit.
Because Terrapin Run was in a locally designated growth area, the tier limits should not apply as the state was trying to impose them, Paye said.
"Urban land use controls are being imposed on rural counties," Paye said. "We all know how desperate we are in Allegany County for that (economic development)."
County Attorney Bill Rudd said the state is slowing down a possible resolution to the whole issue.
"The state is dragging its feet on the appraisal ... there has to be an appraisal,"
Before the state can consider buying the property, change in the tier map would lower the value of Carnock's property, Valentine said.
Angela Patterson, a county land use and planning engineer, also said the county has applied to the state for an exemption from the tier maps for Tier IV areas in the county.
Contact Matthew Bieniek at email@example.com.


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WILSONVILLE, Ore. -- A confessed Oregon killer's sentence will be changed 20 years after he was ordered to spend the rest of his life in prison.
Todd Davilla, who is now 37, was 16 when he murdered Lisa Flormoe in a Wilsonville home. The teenage honor student tried to rape 22-year-old Flormoe and stabbed her 15 times.
Davilla was originally prosecuted as an adult. An appeals court later ruled that the proper guidelines were not followed.
A judge on Thursday ruled the state did not prove its case and a resentencing was set for November 26. Judge Eve Miller gave no indication of how long a new sentence could be.
He pleaded guilty to the murder in 1992 and was originally sentenced to life. But that sentence has been disputed for 20 years and his sixth re-sentencing hearing began Tuesday morning.
"The wound just keeps getting ripped open. We're trying to heal and it's just been really difficult," said Lorna Flormoe, the victim's sister.
Witnesses, including Flormoe's fiancé, testified during a hearing last month.


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July 31, 2014
Stay up-to-date with KAKE News:
February 4, 2013
Oklahoma State freshman Marcus Smart has been named the Big 12 Conference Player of the week.
The conference announced the selection of Smart on Monday after he helped OSU to two wins last week.
Smart had 21 points and seven assists in a win over Iowa State and followed that with 25 points in an 85-80 upset win over then-No. 2 Kansas.


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Jason Evangelho, Contributor
I provide honest reviews and opinions on the bleeding edge of tech
The dust is settling on today's expected announcement by Apple of an iPad mini, a downsized 7.9″ sibling of the 100-million selling iPad product line. While the announcement itself came as little surprise, it was the technical specifications of the device that may have shaken the Apple faithful, and left Android fans rejoicing. Here are five compelling reasons you should hold off buying this new slice of Apple hardware.
Apple's hardware engineers get all the credit in the world; the iPad mini is a thin, beautiful piece of kit. However, the company was eager to draw direct, wholly unflattering comparisons to the Google Nexus 7. I have some comparisons of my own to share.
Visit the official iPad Mini product page, and you'll see it touted as being "Every Inch An iPad." Unfortunately the 7.9″ screen's 1024 x 768 resolution is identical to the iPad 2 — a device now two generations old following Apple's unveiling of a fourth-generation iPad today. (The iPad 3 boasts a Retina display of 2048 x 1536.)
Google's Nexus 7 Android tablet has 1280 x 800 resolution in a 7" screen. Notably, the Nexus 7 display packs in 216 PPI (pixels-per-inch) compared to the iPad Mini's 163 PPI. I find it baffling that Apple is aggressively pushing their Retina technology (and rightly so), while simultaneously producing what is clearly an inferior display experience for their iPad mini. Newcomers to the iPad will not be impressed, and existing iPad owners will be underwhelmed should they choose to purchase the iPad Mini as a second device.
Oh, even Amazon's Kindle Fire HD has a better resolution.
Arguably, $299 would have been the sweet spot. The actual MSRP of $329, however, is Apple asking the usual premium price — but this time for an inferior product. Google's Nexus 7 is priced at $249 for the 16GB model, and the search giant includes a $25 Google Play Store voucher. Add to this a noisy rumor mill pointing to an imminent price drop on the Nexus 7, and you have a clearer picture of why Apple was deriding its closest competitor at today's keynote.
It used to be enough for Apple to pull back the curtain on a new product, inspire oohs and ahhhs, and watch the pre-orders roll in. Now the competition is so fierce that they've subjected themselves to dirty marketing.
Apple has now demonstrated they have no qualms about introducing a new revision of their products every six months. Much to the chagrin of new iPad 3 owners, Apple has seemingly reduced their yearly iterative cycle to a six-month one. With the 4th generation iPad available next month, it's nothing less than a slap in the face to Apple loyalists. We should expect a similar treatment of the iPad Mini. By summer 2013, expect Apple to roll out an iPad Mini 2 with a Retina display and a more competitive pricetag.
I'd be kinder to Apple if the hardware inside the iPad mini matched the hype they're trying to generate. Again, crucial to the pricing discussion is Apple's inclusion of their dual-core A5 chip. This is the same chip powering the iPad 2 – a device now two generations old — and the iPod Touch. Furthermore, Apple's A5X chip found in iPad 3 (aka "New iPad") has a quad-core graphics processor compared to the A5's dual-core graphics processor.
Google's Nexus 7 manages extraordinary battery life even with the inclusion of NVIDIA's Tegra 3 processor, which beats the A5 chip handily in GeekBench tests, and destroys it in raw graphical processing power. Again, something Apple neglected to point out in their comparisons.
Look, I acknowledge that Android is a splintered platform, but don't expect Amazon and Google to give up the fight so easily. Both companies will continue to iterate on their respective signature tablets, and they will do so with extremely aggressive pricing. But it's actually Microsoft's Windows 8 that may throw a curve ball into this tablet game. We've seen a myriad of companies (like Dell and Asus) debut inspired tablet/ultrabook convertibles based around Windows 8.
The "RT" variant of that operating system (ARM-processor powered) is perfect for tablets 7 inches and larger. It's only a matter of time before hardware manufacturers release 7″ Windows 8 RT tablets. In fact, if Microsoft's in-house Surface finds a decent audience, we may even see smaller tablets coming from Redmond in the near future.
Here's the bottom line: Apple is a brilliant technology company. Some may call them a lifestyle company. The iPad (revolutionary when it was released) deserves every bit of praise and success it has garnered thus far. But today, Apple didn't debut an innovative product. Today they debuted a clone which is inferior to the vast majority of products it's attempting to copy.
For more on Apple's latest release, read:
Apple Delivers 'Little More' News: iPad Mini, New Macs
iPad Mini: The Best Outcome Of A Worst-Kept Secret
Are You Annoyed That Your iPad 3 Is Now Obsolete?
*Disclaimer: Readers will find that I have an Asus Transformer Prime Android tablet and an iPad 3 in my office. The Android tablet is a dust magnet, while I use my iPad religiously. Just something to consider before commenting…
Pretty much made the same points on my own tech blog, other than the 5mp camera the iPad mini offers no reason to get one over the Google Nexus 7 unless you are a die hard for the iTunes app store ecosphere which is still better than Androids market as far as # of quality apps/games.
The price should have been lower to be an effective competitor as well, and rumors have it the Google Nexus 7 32GB version will be $249 very soon.
Justin, you are wrong so please update your blog.
I hate iTunes so I jailbroke my iPad and plan to do the same with the mini. My two Android tabs blow….big time. There is ZERO support and updates on those things.
I'm sure the Nexus will be better in a couple years but I still have a bad taste in my mouth after spending so much for crap. I will have to see a year or two of updates (to the actual devices by the manufacturers, not just to the Android OS where the manufacturers turn the other way).
For me it was the Amazon Instant Video environment. NO SUPPORT on Android except Fire devices, and better support on iPad than on Fire. I buy the majority of my media from Amazon, not Apple or the Play Store, so iPad mini is really a no-brainer for me. I've owned five 7″ Android tablets, including the vaunted Nexus 7, and they are all lacking.
The disclaimer says it all. As attached as I was to my iPod Touch 4, the iPod Touch 5 at a hundred more offers 4 times the storage space (32gb) plus twice the thinness, lightness and speed, making it an irresistible purchase, a steal! If a 4″ iPod out-strips, out-performs every 6″ tablet on the market, and is a screaming bargain at $300, I've got to see an Apple 8″ tablet for $50 more as another clearcut victory for Apple. Resolution specs mean nothing on screens this small. Performance plus size is all!
Apple's promotions–mangling "fun," showing countless expensive Touches bouncing merrily on the ground, are an insult to the product and its customers. The "new, colorful" hand-strap is a joke or worse: an accident waiting to happen. The company makes marketing mistakes in proportion to its products–at least since the departure of S. Jobs.
your premise is flawed. It assumes a $300 ipod is a "screaming bargin" You see you could buy any number of phones off contract for $300 that are as good or better than an ipod…….
This article is complete rubbish. According to the author, the iPad mini should have offered:
- A 1080p display
- A sub-$300 price point
- A5X chip at the minimum
- Dual boot to Windows RT
Oh, yeah, let's not forget that he thinks Apple has this great conspiracy to make their products useless almost immediately because they *gasp* refresh their products yearly. The iPad 3 refresh was a one-off event, obviously, so that they could phase in Lightning. Meanwhile, the competition offers a new flavor of the week….weekly.
The resolution is what it is for the sake of a coherent app ecosystem, and you know it. iOS's strength lies is the abundance of well-tailored applications, and introducing yet another resolution makes that much work for developers, and impedes the ability to get timely updates and new apps.
Furthermore, resolution is but one of many metrics for gauging a screen's performance. There's brightness, black levels, accurate color reproduction, battery efficiency, separation distance between the glass and the LCD, and on, and on. You are clueless if you think that consumers are going to gripe about this screen en masse.
This is either shamless clickbait, or it's the your attempt to support a short position. Clearly you're sour because your iPad 3 is no longer the latest and greatest, but you're clueless if you don't think that this is THE must-have product for Holiday 2012. They will sell about 40 of these for anyone else's Windows 8 tablet entrant.
My point is that your expectations (aka the 5 failings that caused you to write this article, most likely well in advance of today's announcement) are completely out of whack.
A yearly refresh cycle is a bad thing? Samsung et al. iterate devices at least quarterly. We've seen that Apple is EXTREMELY profitable with this type of strategy. What are you suggesting? 2-yr refresh cycle? That they never refresh anything, so that it's never obsolete?
It has last-gen hardware? Let's see if that makes any difference in real-world use, before stating it so matter-of-factly. The Nexus 7 lags/hangs up/crashes much more regularly than the iPad 2. Trust me, I have both.
Perhaps the most baffling is your mention of the price being too high, and then in the same article, talking about Windows 8. You are grossly misinformed, if you think that ANY Windows 8 tablet maker will be able to hit a $329 price point any time soon. On the Android side, note that the Nexus 7 with 16GB is $250, not $199.
Also, it's not just hot sales that make Apple so valuable, it's customer satisfaction and the associated buyer loyalty. Windows 8 has been a complete clusterf*** thus far. Normal people simply can't figure it out without getting extremely frustrated. The iPad Mini will be as much of a crowd-pleaser as any current Apple device. It will continue Apple's reign as the industry gold standard for customer satisfaction.
A yearly refresh cycle for a premium product isn't necessarily a bad thing. A 6 month refresh cycle for a premium product is.
Samsung products are following the ~1 year refresh cycle for products. They have slightly different products for different companies (T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, etc.) that aren't necessarily announced at the same time; maybe this is why you think there's "a new one every week." It's also possible that because the Android network is so much larger than Apple, you lump them all in together–and forget that HTC is a very different company than Samsung is a very different company than Google is very different than Asus.
If you enjoy paying full-price for a car that's 2-years old, that's your prerogative. I won't. I also won't pay full price for a 2-year old iPad that will be replaced sometime in the next 6-12 months.
How is it a step back?
Just as powerful as the iPad 2.
More portable/lighter.
Better Camera
Better wireless abilities in both wifi and cellular.
All for $70 less money
At the same time they increased their high end iPad with dramatically more power.
Sounds like a leap forward, not a step back.


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So much for those concerns about Ron Rivera's job security.
A day that started with questions about the status of the third-year coach ended with the most lopsided victory in Panthers' history – a 38-0 victory against the New York Giants that gave the Panthers a needed jolt headed into the bye week.
Quarterback Cam Newton accounted for four touchdowns and the Panthers tied a franchise record with seven sacks in a dismantling of a Giants team that beat Carolina 36-7 in Charlotte last year.
It was the largest margin of victory in the Panthers' 19-year history and their first shutout since a 34-0 blanking of Kansas City in 2008, which had been their largest winning margin.
It was the worst loss for the Giants (0-3) in 10 seasons under coach Tom Coughlin.
The Panthers (1-2) are off until an Oct.6 game at Arizona.
After losing to Seattle and Buffalo by a total of six points, a loss Sunday would have made for a miserable bye week for the organization – or, for Rivera, maybe worse.
"It makes life a lot easier. It really does," Rivera said. "This has been tough. The first two weeks have been disappointing. I know that. I know there were things we could have done better. We could have coached better and given our guys better opportunities to win."
The sixth shutout in club history was remarkable given the makeup of the secondary. The Panthers were missing five injured defensive backs, including three starters.
Their starters Sunday included an undrafted rookie (strong safety Robert Lester), a cornerback they cut two weeks ago (Drayton Florence) and a natural strong safety (Mike Mitchell) playing free safety.
The Panthers dropped seven in coverage to help the secondary and relied on their front four to put pressure on Giants quarterback Eli Manning, who was sacked seven times and knocked down on a handful of other plays.
The seven sacks tied a franchise mark set six previous times, mostly recently in a loss last season in Atlanta.
"They didn't put their secondary out there on an island much and were able to get great pressure with just bringing four guys, and that's tough," Manning said. "When you can drop seven guys and rush four and get pressure, it's going to make it hard for any offense to have a successful passing game."
The Panthers sacked Manning six times in the first half, including three by defensive end Greg Hardy. The defensive line had one sack the first two weeks against mobile quarterbacks Russell Wilson and EJ Manuel.
Hardy, who repeatedly beat Giants left tackle Will Beatty around the edge, said it was a relief to face a pocket passer.
"Eli is really, really slippery. But it's a big deal when you come off a (Wilson) and Buffalo, with the type of quarterback that they have, that's mobile," Hardy said. "You get a guy that's actually back there and wants to throw the ball, it's relieving as a pass-rusher to say the least."
The constant pressure helped the Panthers bolt to a 17-0 halftime lead and a 163-18 advantage in total yardage. The Giants' 18 first-half yards were the second-fewest allowed in a half by the Panthers in team history.
"I like our front four against anybody," said Florence, who rejoined the team Wednesday after being part of the final roster cuts. "Any time you can get a quarterback like Eli looking at the pressure instead of looking downfield, that's big. Some of those were coverage sacks. Some of those were guys up front just beating their guys."
The patchwork secondary held Manning to 119 yards and a 49.0 passer rating, and forced three turnovers. Undrafted rookies Melvin White and Lester were responsible for all of the takeaways.
In addition to the pass rush, the Panthers' zone read also made a reappearance.
Newton (seven carries for 45 yards, one touchdown) and running back DeAngelo Williams (23-120) had season highs in rushing, and Newton passed for 223 yards and three scores. Newton threw touchdown passes of 16 and 20 yards to Brandon LaFell, and hit Ted Ginn on a 47-yarder for the Panthers' final score.
Newton was on the sideline for the last two series while backup Derek Anderson finished it out.
"I told a couple guys in the locker room, we were past due for a win like this," Newton said. "A win like this boosts our ego, but not in a negative way. It just gives us the swagger we will need continuously to go."
Veteran left tackle Jordan Gross said it was a big win on many levels.
"It might silence a little bit of the murmurs out there about our organization. It gives us players a ton of confidence and validity to what we've been doing," Gross said. "We believe that we're a good team and we haven't been able to get the fruits of our labor the first two weeks. To be able to come out and get a 38-point win against the Giants, who did almost the exact opposite to us last year, really means a lot."
Hardy, who fell a half-sack short of tying teammate Charles Johnson's single-game record, said Rivera never made Sunday's game about himself.
"We've got a real elegant, players' coach. He wasn't really worried about anything as far as himself. He basically came out and said, 'Hey, (forget) me. I'm here for you guys. We're going to win because we're a team, not because of any of that,'" Hardy said.
"It's amazing how you can come out and trust a guy. He gives you something like that, it makes you want to play 10 times harder."
Person: 704-358-5123; Twitter: @josephperson


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Sports Editor
Wes Reynolds
Adair held off Salina at home Tuesday 68-62 to move to 13-7.
Salina led the first three quarters, and although Adair emerged the victor, Salina senior Cale Backward stole the show with eight three-pointers.
A one-point Salina lead after one turned into a six-point margin at the half.
Adair wasn't without contributions from downtown; Brady Bradbury dropped two and Greg Oxford, four.
Backward left the game in the third with an ankle injury but later returned briefly in the fourth (long enough to strike again from long range).
Adair and Salina put on a three-point shooting clinic in the final period.
Wildcats Kyle Johnson and Mark Cowan drained two three's apiece.
Bradbury and Oxford combined for three treys.
Ultimately, Adair tipped the scales by way of free throws. The Warriors attempted 28 from the charity stripe, while Salina shot only four.
Adair Head Coach Travis Cannady attributes consecutive stops late to the victory.
"Cale had a great game," Cannady said. "That kid is one heck of a shooter. I challenged Brady at halftime to defend better. Cale kept shooting well, but he didn't have as many easy looks."
Adair 12 11 17 29 68
Salina 13 16 17 16 62
Adair: Bradbury 24, McCollum 20, Fleming 17, Eastin 4, Eby 3.
Salina: Backward 31, Cowan 16, Johnson 8, Burgess 4, Proctor 2, Wade 1.


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The Dolan's Christmas decorations are so elaborate that Patrick Dolan finally bought a second electric service so they could run the washing machine and microwave at the same time as the nativity scene and the singing Santa.
"I used to always love helping my dad put up my Christmas decorations," Patrick said. "When I got old enough to stand on the ladder, I just started putting lights up myself."
This year, the Dolan family is hoping to turn Patrick's engineering prowess and holiday spirit into a $100,000 donation to the Affton School District through Patch's Deck the House Contest.
Last year, the Dolan's house won fifth place in the annual contest, which lets readers vote for their favorite home holiday light display.
And fifth place just isn't good enough for the Dolans.
"We're going to kill it this year," Denise, Patrick's wife, said. "To hand $100,000 to the schools would just be…"
"…phenomenal," Patrick said, finishing her sentence and matching her hopeful expression. Maureen, the Dolan's 9-year-old, attends Gotsch Intermediate School. "If we win this, it's not what we did. It's what the community did. All we did was put up some lights."
The Dolans take the job of earning votes very seriously. Patrick added 5,000 lights this year, drawing a total of more than 100 amps of power. Denise posts on Facebook constantly and has reached out to all her social networks, asking friends to vote for what Affton has come to call "the house with all the lights."
"People know the house," Denise said, laughing at the understatement.
At the heart of their efforts is Affton, the small, tight-knit, charitable community they call home and the school district that will educate all three of their daughters.
"This is about this community," Denise said. "Put Affton on the map."
For rules and more information on the Patch Deck the House contest, go to the official site.
To vote for the Dolans, go to this page, click the Vote button and follow the instructions.
- Affton Makes 'Deck The House' Top 24! Vote now!
- Community Pulls for Dolans in Deck the House Contest
- Dolans House Gets 5th in Patch Deck the House Contest!


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The Santa Brand: How Does Santa Stack Up Against The Pillsbury Dough Boy?
An Entrepreneur's Guide to Getting Noticed in a Noisy Marketplace
My daughter, the one I affectionately call Daughter Number 2, recently challenged herself to participate in a high school Debate Tournament, following in her mother's footsteps. The topic? Be It Resolved that Santa Claus is a Dangerous Concept Which Should be Abolished. So, 6 AM, the morning of the debate, I'm surfing the net for stories of bank robberies and kidnappings by men in Santa suits. It didn't take long before I got sidetracked onto something even better― a bunch of articles on The Santa Brand. (Let the kid do her own research!)
Gotta admit, it never occurred to me before, but Mr. Claus fits most of the criteria I set out in my upcoming book "Step Into The Spotlight! -'Cause ALL Business is Show Business!" (Publication Date: April 2008), criteria for developing a dynamic business persona using showbiz techniques.
In show business, actors, directors and playwrights spend a lot of time on character development. In business, we call this building a brand. A business persona, just like a character in a play, needs a unique look (white beard, rosy cheeks, an enlarged perimeter), a unique costume (Red Suit, much better for branding than Banker Blue), a unique name (Santa Claus), a clearly defined personality (Jollier than the Jolly Green Giant), a strong philosophy (You gotta be nice, not naughty) and the guy's gotta know his lines and stick to the script ("Ho, Ho, Ho!").
Santa does all that. And the guy's consistent. You never see him in a blue Hawaiian shirt, even if he's hanging out at the Honolulu Hilton in December. Try leaving your scarf or gloves or umbrella at a Chamber of Commerce Networking Breakfast. Would everyone immediately know to whom it belonged? They would if you forgot your red velvet hat with a dangling white pom-pom!
The Pillsbury Dough Boy, The Maytag Repairman and The Man from Glad also each have a consistent look and OK, the Dough Boy is irresistible. But none of these characters have the emotional connection with their audience that Santa has. And it doesn't matter how many times you've seen Santa's show, you'll be sitting in the front row again next December. The Maytag and Glad guys stand for dependability, but Santa's not only dependable, he stands for hope as well, ask any kid on December 24.
Speaking of kids, why is it that we let our kids sit on the laps of strange men in department stores? Why is it that year after year, chubby red suited guys get away with "naughty" deeds like robbing banks and kidnapping kids? Why? Because Santa is such a strong brand that not only kids, but adults, lower their guard and trust the guy. We even leave the guy milk and cookies by the fireplace and encourage him to break into the house when we're all asleep. Even the Grinch Who Stole Christmas eventually succumbed to his charm as did the journalist who wrote "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus". What does he stand for? Goodness and kindness and "pull out your wallet".
Santa even knows how to work publicity. Many would disagree, but my philosophy has always been that it's hard to burst onto the scene if you've been hanging around on stage all along! Santa doesn't try to get ink 365 days a year. He lets Cupid have Valentine's Day, lets the chicks and bunnies arm wrestle over Easter, leaves Thanksgiving to the turkeys and only then, bursts onto the scene after the stuffing's been stuffed away.
But we're talking business. You're probably thinking, "Yeah Tsufit, but can the guy make money?" Yah Man! Actors are always asking their director "What's my motivation?" and the classic joke answer is "To get paid". Santa knows how to bring in the bucks as well as the next guy, better even. But there's one question nobody seems to be asking. Who's he making money for?
The major downside of the Santa Brand is that, unlike the Pillsbury Dough Boy or the Man from Glad or the Maytag Repairman, Santa will work for anyone. (You'd never catch the Maytag guy hawking computers on the side.)
I recently snuck out of a marketing seminar to visit the Coca Cola Museum in Atlanta and learned that although the Claus-ster's been around for ages, Coke gave the guy his current look, Coca Cola Red suit and all, way back in the 1930′s and put him to work selling The Real Thing. But like Kleenex became just another tissue and Zipper became just another fastener, Generic Red Suit Santa started raking it in for anyone who wanted a piece of the action.
It's nice that he lends his name to charity and stands on street corners pulling in bowls of dollars for the Salvation Army and unwrapped new toys for unfortunate kids. But that's where I'd draw the line if he were my brand. In Showbiz, unique characters are the show's best currency. If the character of Ugly Betty started showing up on Grey's Anatomy and The Gilmore Girls and Desperate Housewives, it wouldn't be long before she'd lose her draw.
The lesson here? Develop a clear living breathing persona for your business, but make sure it's your brand, one that has a unique look, philosophy and connection with the crowd so people will pull out their wallets for you too. Before you know it, you'll be rolling in more dough than the Doughboy!
TSUFIT is a coach specializing in helping entrepreneurs & keynote speakers & authors captivate their audiences. To receive all the articles in this series, enter your name at http://www.secretsfromthespotlight.com More info on TSUFIT at www.followthatdream.ca © TSUFIT 2007


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Cigar Cases: Traditional and Modern Styles Featuring Andre Garcia
Each cigar is a story. We learn the details of the tale as we smoke, but when selecting a case we are the writers of the story. We pick a case that reflects us and through its use, people discover more about us. Are you modern, traditional, or a little bit of both?


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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Shaq Goodwin helped make sure the outcome for Memphis and Tigers coach Josh Pastner was different than the first matchup this season against Oklahoma State.
Goodwin had 17 points, Joe Jackson hit four key free throws late and No. 21 Memphis beat No. 5 Oklahoma State 73-68 Sunday night in the championship game of the Old Spice Classic.
"Of course we wanted it for him," Goodwin said. "I hate to say that we wanted to prove people wrong, but it just felt good to give my head coach a top-five win. It just feels good when you make him feel good."
Memphis (5-1) held Oklahoma State preseason All-American Marcus Smart to 12 points. Smart, who played with virus-like stomach symptoms, went 4 for 13 from the field and had five turnovers.
"That's definitely not an excuse," Smart said. "They did an excellent job executing their scouting report. I couldn't find a groove out there."
In the earlier meeting this season between the Top 25 teams on Nov. 19, Oklahoma State (7-1) won handily over Memphis, getting 39 points from Smart in a 101-80 victory.
"I'm not a revenge guy," Pastner said. "I'm not like an ill-will guy. I think when you hold things in, things come out sideways. I talked to our guys about that. We needed to have course correction, and we corrected some of the course."
Smart turned the ball over with Oklahoma State trailing by one with 11 seconds left, and fouled Jackson, who made two free throws to make it 71-68.
Oklahoma State's bid to tie it ended when Smart had another turnover in the final seconds and Jackson connected on two more free throws.
"They deserved to win, we didn't deserve to win," Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford said. "We just weren't ourselves. Not taking anything away from Memphis at all, but we were our own worst enemy on a lot of occasions. I'm a little surprised that it was even, as bad as we played, as close as it was. Give Memphis credit, they were a very determined basketball team."
Chris Crawford scored on a layup and later added a free throw to put Memphis up 69-64 with 2 1/2 minutes left. Smart, who missed 9 of his first 11 shots, had consecutive baskets that pulled the Cowboys within 69-68 with 2 minutes to play.
Crawford finished with 16 points, while Jackson had 11.
Michael Dixon Jr. hit a jumper and 3-pointer as Memphis went ahead 56-52 with 8 minutes remaining.
Memphis scored the first seven points in the second half, including a 3-point play by Goodwin, to cut its deficit to 42-39.
After Memphis' Geron Johnson was given a technical foul, Phil Forte made two free throws and added a 3-pointer to make it 47-39.
Forte had nine of 19 points as Oklahoma overcame a six-point deficit to take a 42-32 lead at halftime. Smart had two of his five points during the opening 20 minutes on a layup and Brian Williams had a rebound basket during the final minute to give the Cowboys a 10-point advantage.
Oklahoma State saw comfortable leads disappear in both of its two previous games at the tourney. The Cowboys let a 23-point halftime lead dwindle to four with 3 minutes to play before beating Purdue 97-87 Thursday, and then escaped with a 69-67 victory over Butler one day later after taking a 44-30 halftime advantage.
Goodwin scored 11 first-half points, including a jumper that put Memphis up 21-15 10 minutes into the game.
Memphis hands OSU first defeat of the season
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Shaq Goodwin helped make sure the outcome for Memphis and Tigers coach Josh Pastner was different than the first matchup this season against Oklahoma State.
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George Wilson Park
Mishawaka, Indiana 1 course · 18 holes Driving directions
Course reviews
Most votes | Newest first | Oldest first
+2 votes Scott White › September 27, 2010
Other than a stretch of yawn inducing deuce holes (10-13) on the back 9 this place has a great variety and is just a lot of fun to play. Elevation is great, especially when considering he surrounding area is pretty flat. Holes 16-18 are great and end your round on a high note. $2 to get in the park and play. Water and bathrooms are onsite. Play speed golf for a really good workout here.
+0 votes Michael Sizemore › October 30, 2010
+0 votes Joshua K › April 15, 2011
George is a course with a great variety and a chance to use a lot of different shots. I like the course more than any course I play because I like the crazy variety. It is far easier than the listed par but shooting everything in 3's makes a more challenging par.
+0 votes Aaron Witt › May 12, 2011
+0 votes Mike Groothuis › July 20, 2011
Course was in moderate condition. Some missing signs, and some terrible erosion around the tee pads. But well kept and mowed.
+0 votes christopher P › March 27, 2012
great course, layouts awesome, scenery is awesome for the area, A frame is pretty cool, easy course, fun
+0 votes Nathan Mollema › April 5, 2012
The one and only thing I didn't like about this course was there were not any distances on some of the holes
+0 votes Adam Mitchell › June 24, 2012
+0 votes Brad Anderson › August 1, 2012
+0 votes Nick Radecki › August 6, 2012
George Wilson is a nice change of pace if you haven't played it for a while. Last time I played there was a missing basket on hole 3 which was a major disappointment. If I'm paying a couple of bucks I expect there to be 18 baskets. Nice mix of woods and wide open shots throughout. Hole's 9 and 18 give me a semi when I'm on the pad.
+0 votes Tim Hittle › May 9, 2013
trash everywhere, including some of the people. Baskets broken, tee signs are written all over. I don't care about your aces, I care about MINE.