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Shop Talk
Retailers, consumers and prices
Check Out Line: Toyland bottomline
Check out earnings in toyland… for one company at least.
Hasbro posted a better-than- expected first-quarter profit on Monday, with sales rising 13 percent. Meanwhile, Mattel had a loss in the first quarter , hurt by legal expenses, higher costs and lower sales of its Fisher-Price products.
Oh, and Barbie is sagging too, with that Mattel doll line posting 12 percent drop in sales in the United States.
Now, it's hard to draw a lot from the first quarter in the toy business. After the holiday season, many people often take a break from buying toys.
But Hasbro had success with its Transformers and Littlest Pet Shop lines.
Mattel is hoping price increases in June will help offset rising costs.
Meanwhile, the competition really heats up again in coming months as the summer movie season hits. Will "Speed Racer" and "Batman: The Dark Knight" win the day for Mattel over Hasbro-linked "Iron Man" and "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull?"
At Mattel, they have to be singing "Go Speed Racer, go!"
Also in the basket:
Reversing Field, Macy's Goes Local (WSJ)
Weak dollar takes toll on European beauty exports (WWD)


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The battle of Cooper's Pond; the two current leaders of the Eastern and Western conferences do battle... And Tampa Bay gets to say goodbye to Teemu Selanne. Join us for tonight's action.
Much of the NHL are on the flip-side orf back-to-back games tonight. Tampa and St. Louis are both in that situation. Both coming off shutouts from the night before. Join us as we chat during this...
Two teams getting stellar goaltending from their netminders face off. Join the conversation on Raw Charge.
The Lightning face the 2012 Stanley Cup Champions in their third game of this seven game homestand. Will the penalty kill be ready? Or we in to see a goalie duel tonight?
The Lightning are in the Windy City tonight for their second game of the season, and we're here on the Raw Charge game thread to discuss things as they happen! Join us!
The season is here, the team is here, and the game is now. 1 of 82 regularly scheduled Game Threads are now open.
Third game in third night.... With a 58=man roster in tow. It's Lindback and Bishop sharing duties in goal for the visitng Lightning
Game night is game thread time at Raw Charge. This story signals the start of the Raw Charge game thread story stream.
The final regularly scheduled* Tampa Bay Lightning road game of the season - can the Lightning take advantage of the Habs playing the flip-side of back-to-back games? Find out!
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Atrium Fashion Hotel
Atrium Fashion Hotel – the member of Mellow Mood Hotels – is a well-designed yet intimate boutique style hotel in the city center of Budapest.
Step into the cosmopolitan oasis and let yourself to be charmed by the perfect mixture of contemporary design and classic Budapest architecture. Discover an impressive hotel that provides an immersive experience unlike any other boutique hotel in Budapest.
Design & Architecture
Atrium Fashion Hotel represents a smart and efficient modern style among the 4 star hotels in the heart of Budapest. The fresh design with funky characteristics enhance the unique fashion hotel experience.
Originally, the hotel was built as a traditional Budapest apartment house on the turn of the century and later renovated from the top to the bottom and refurbished by acclaimed local designers. The classy architecture preserves the atmosphere of the past Budapest whilst the design hallmarks the vibe of the present city.
The unique characteristic of the building is that the rooms are located around an inner courtyard where the breakfast area takes place. The airy courtyard is transformed into a bar during the afternoon where the esteemed guests can start or finish the evening under the starry skylight.


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By William Bowman
The Daily Item
The two faces of Penn State's rebirth in 2012 have been head coach Bill O'Brien and senior linebacker Michael Mauti, who has faced as much adversity as any player on the roster during his time in Happy Valley.
Now Mauti, the unquestioned leader on the field for the Nittany Lions, is facing more. The senior from Louisiana whose father and brother both played for Penn State, injured his knee on Indiana's second possession Saturday on what looked like, on replay, an illegal chop block that was not called. Mauti, who has torn the ACL in both knees during his career at Penn State, was carted off the field and did not return.
O'Brien said he did not have the official diagnosis immediately after the game, but Mauti returned to the sideline in the second half on crutches and the injury did not look good.
"In my career, I've been fortunate enough to be around some special players. I've coached great players, a Hall of Fame quarterback and Mike Mauti is one of the most special guys I've ever been around," said O'Brien. "He embodies what Penn State is all about."
O'Brien gathered the entire team together when Mauti was put on the cart. The coach did not say what he told the players — "It's between the team and I," he said — but when the cart started for the tunnel, senior fullback Michael Zordich ran over for a big handshake.
The coach said he was impressed with the way his team handled Mauti's injury, one that could shake a team when its leader goes down.
"When a guy like that goes down, it can really hurt, but we got a good response," said O'Brien. "We have some veterans on defense and they knew what they had to do."
ON THE FIELD: Selinsgrove graduate Ryan Keiser has played in every game for the Nittany Lions on special teams over the past two seasons, but Saturday the former all-state player got his first significant game action at safety for Penn State.
With started Malcolm Willis nursing a knee injury and not in the lineup, Keiser was the backup at both the free and strong safety spots. He came into the game in the second quarter when Stephen Obeng-Agyapong got banged up. Keiser played the entire series and then played the entire fourth quarter.
Keiser, who entered the game with two tackles this year, had a career-high three stops. One came on a kick return in the third, and the other two came on Indiana's final drive. His final top was a big hit that drew 'oohs' from the crowd when he crushed the Hoosiers' Kofi Hughes on the sideline.
RECORD BREAKER: Matt McGloin continued his assault on the Penn State record books on Saturday and now is in the midst of the most prolific passing season in program history. The former walk-on out of West Scranton hit 22-of-32 passes for 394 yards and four TDs in the rout.
The 394 yards was the second-best total in program history, coming just short of Zach Mill's 399 yards against Iowa in 2002. That gave him 3,070 yards for the season, the second time in program history at Nittany Lions' quarterback surpassed the 3,000-yard mark, breaking Daryll Clark's record of 3,003. Other single season marks McGloin broke on Saturday were completions (251) and attempts (409).
His four TD passes gave him 23 for the season, one shy of Clark's record of 24 set in 2009. They also gave him 45 for his career, moving him into first place in PSU's all-time record book, moving past Clark's total of 43.
McGloin became just the second QB in Penn State history to throw for more than 6,000 career yards. He now has 6,189 yards, trailing only Zack Mills' total of 7,212.
"We found out right away Matt was a competitive kid," said O'Brien. "You could see that football was important to him and you have to have those traits to be a successful quarterback. You need a brain that works fast, be competitive and have a huge desire to win and Matt has all those."
MORE RECORDS: On his first reception of the day, Penn State receiver Allen Robinson broke the Penn State single-season record for catches, surpassing two of the all-time greats in PSU history, O.J. McDuffie and Bobby Engram.
While the catch actually lost yardage, Robinson more than made up for it on his next nine catches.
Robinson, a true sophomore, hauled in 10 passes for a career-high 197 yards and three scores. It was his second 10-catch game of the season and he enters next week's final against Wisconsin with 73 catches for 983 yards and 11 TD catches.
Robinson needs just 17 yards next week to become the third PSU receiver with 1,000-yard receiving in a season and he needs 102 to break Engram's single-season mark of 1,084. His 11 TD catches is two shy of Engram's mark of 13, set in 1993, and he already ranks in the top 10 in program history in career TD grabs.


text:
Mcconnell, Campbell R., Brue, Stanley L., Flynn, Sean Masaki
4 Customer Product Reviews
Edition: 19th Revis
Pub Date: 2010
Publisher: McGraw Hill Higher Education
Mcconnell, Campbell R. is the author of Microeconomics, published 2010 under ISBN 9780077337735 and 0077337735. Seven hundred seventy one Microeconomics textbooks are available for sale on ValoreBooks.com, four hundred forty one used from the cheapest price of $32.59, or buy new starting at $161.24. [read more]
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Microeconomics and it touched on everything that was covered in the lecture.read more
Economics' role in our society. From utility to tariffs, this book has it.
The definitions in the book, as well as the graphs, were most helpful to me because it was very explanatory when trying to understand.read more
If I could change anything about this book it would be how the explained elasticity because I found this a very difficult subject to understand.
I took a one-semester undergraduate course in the introductory of microeconomics.read more
The microeconomics book examination material that is usually taught in a one-semester undergraduate course in the introductory of microeconomics. This aspect of economics deals with the principles of economics that apply to the analysis of the behavior of individual consumers and businesses in the economy. Gives you a understanding of how free markets work, how individual consumers make economic decisions, and how individual firms make decisions to maximize profits. This book was of great use in understanding the basic of microeconomics and the differences of macroeconomics.
the usefulness of the diagrams in helping me learn and compareread more
nothing. This book is perfect for learning. The combination of graphs, explanations, and definitions. It would be better if it was hard cover
Edition: 19th Revisth
Pub Date: 2010
Publisher: McGraw Hill Higher Education
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text: my boyfriend/ex boyfriend has become addicted to pot after our break up a few weeks ago. We were together for two years and since the break up he has been spending all of his time with his friends and has now been stoned for 3 weeks straight. It has become an addiction as after he told me he really wants to stop a few hours earlier i had to hold him back from running to the bong when it was on offer. He wants to stop but he can't and i don't know how to help. This has lead him to drop out of university and he is on the way to becoming a drop kick. This isn't him at all and i want him to realise that he can fix it now before its too late. WHAT DO I DO!!


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Chalk it up to goulash. A bowl full of my grandmother's simple goodness ignited a passion for spice that never wanes. She peppered chicken or beef with the freshest Hungarian paprika possible. The rusty red powder smelled sweet and tasted lush, nearly intense. A far cry from those cans of bland, pale red dust often used to garnish potato salad.
My mom's mother served chicken goulash and potatoes for special family meals. My dad's mother made it with cubes of beef. Both fussed over the quality of the paprika. Grandpa Kunzer always volunteered to go pick up the paprika. There may have been ulterior motives: Tucked into the large sack of paprika? Fresh sausage and imported beer.
The soup-stew known as goulash, or gulyas, is a pillar of Hungarian cooking, George Lang says in his 1971 cookbook "Cuisine of Hungary." He also shares a surprising fact: A 1969 Gallup poll found goulash to be one of the five most popular meat dishes on the American cooking scene. I suspect most made it with the insipid, stale paprika everyone kept on the shelves for years. Too bad.
My grandparents favored intensely red, sweet paprika imported from Hungary and sold in bulk at their local meat markets. Fresh paprika has a full rich red pepper flavor with almost no heat. Occasionally they'd used half-sharp Hungarian paprika, which proves spicier than the sweet version, adding a nice kick to the pot, which I enjoy immensely.
My grandmother's goulash featured few ingredients: Cut-up chicken, paprika, a little lard, onion and garlic. During gardening season, she added sweet banana peppers. She gave the recipe to my cousin Kathy for a project to commemorate grandma's 90th birthday. All of her grandchildren now have the recipe in a keepsake laminated form. That recipe calls for only 11/2 tablespoons of paprika; today, I double the amount for a richer broth.
Some recipes call for adding wine or beer to their goulash. Gram was very traditional and used only water. I make a light homemade chicken broth from simmering the neck, giblets and wing tips in water. This adds a little more body and flavor. If the final pan juices are too thin, you can remove the chicken and then boil the liquid to reduce it slightly.
Goulash is always a family affair. My sister invites herself to dinner when it's on the menu. Containers of extra go home with the parents. Everyone offers opinions regarding the outcome.
Serve goulash on cool nights with a leafy green salad and plenty of crusty bread. You'll never see paprika in the same light again. You'll seek flavor in every dish. Really.


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Tar Sands: Dark Side of the Boom - Vancouver
BC Wide Speaking Tour on the Impacts of the Tar Sands on Communities in Alberta and BC.
Speakers on the Panel include:
MIKE MERCREDI - Member of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation will be speaking about the front line struggles of the indigenous community in Fort Chipewyan against the tar sands industry, including a plague of tar sands related cancer.
JESSIE KALMAN - Tar Sands Campaigner with the Polaris Institute will speak on the social & environmental impacts of the tar sands.
WILL HORTER (Speaking in Vancouver, Victoria, Comox and Nanaimo) - Executive Director of Dogwood Initiative will speak about the little known support that infrastructure based and proposed in BC provides to current and future tar-sands development.
NESKIE MANUEL (Speaking in Kamloops) - Has been researching and campaigning against development projects in Secwepemc Territory around Kamloops including ski resort development, mining and now a crude oil pipeline from the tar sands.
DUSTIN JOHNSON (Speaking in Kitimat/Terrace)- Tsimshian from the Killerwhale Clan. Former editor of Redwire Magazine, currently coordinates North Coast Enviro Watch, and organizes with a variety of de-colonization groups throughout the occupied territories of the northwest coast.
Please join us for a very important panel about the largest industrial project in history that has been devastating the environment and communities in Alberta and is now extending to communities within BC.
This Tour is being organized, endorsed and supported by the Council of Canadians, the Polaris Institute, Canadian Union of Public Employees BC, the Seirra Club, the Dogwood Initiative, Greenpeace, Check-Your Head, Institute for Citizen Journalism, Tar Sands Free BC, North Coast Enviro Watch, Western Wilderness Committee.
For More Information on the tour please email: email@example.com or call: 604 688 8846
Terrace/Kitimat - Monday November 24th
Location: TBA
Event to start 7 pm
Contact - North Coast Enviro Watch:
email - firstname.lastname@example.com
phone - 250 624 2058
Vancouver - Tuesday, November 25th
Heritage Hall
3102 Main St.
Vancouver, BC
Event to start 7 pm
Contact - Council of Canadians Vancouver Chapter:
email - firstname.lastname@example.com
phone - 604-789-9331.
Kamloops - Thursday, November 27th
Collonade Room
Coast Canadian Inn
339 St. Paul St.
Kamloops, BC
Event to start 7pm
Contact - Council of Canadians Kamloops Chapter:
email - firstname.lastname@example.com
phone - 250-377-0055 / 250-375-2241
Comox/Courtneay - Monday, December 1st
Florence Filberg Conference Hall
411 Anderton,
Courtenay, BC
Event to start 7 pm
Contact - Council of Canadian Comox Valley Chapter:
email - email@example.com
phone - (250) 338-6265
Nanaimo - Tuesday, December 2nd
Vancouver Island University—Nanaimo Campus
Room 109 - Building 356, 900 Fifth Street
Nanaimo, BC
Event to start 1:00pm
Contact - Council of Canadians Nanaimo Chapter:
email - firstname.lastname@example.com
phone - 250-245-2254 / 250-816-6253
Victoria - Wednesday December 3rd
The BCGEU Hall
2994 Douglas Street
Victoria, BC
Event to start 7pm
Contact - Council of Canadians Victoria Chapter:
email - firstname.lastname@example.com
phone - (250) 220-5355
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RCE Launch & Dialogue 2010
A review of our May 2010 event at SFU's Wosk Centre for Dialogue. More...
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Culturally Inclusive Sustainability Education. More...
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British Columbia's Universities and Colleges Respond to the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets Act. More...
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Salem, N.H. — Paul Watson, 53, of Salem, N.H., died peacefully with his wife by his side after a brief battle with cancer. Paul was born February 7,1959. The son of the late Louis and Kathleen (LeBlanc) Watson. Paul lived in Lynn, Mass. for four years before moving to North Salem.
Paul enlisted in the U.S. Navy after graduating from Salem High School. He was trained in the electronic field as a fire control technician serving on the USS America and the USS Richard E. Byrd. During his professional career he was employed by Raytheon, FMI, Lucent Technologies and Draper Labs from 2004 to present.
In 2005, Paul was blessed when his daughter-in-law, Erica Hewitt, moved to Salem with Paul's granddaughter, Shelby. Paul was the happiest when spending time with Shelby, shopping, swimming, playing on the beach and watching her dance recitals. He was very proud of his grandson, Sy. They loved to spend time building with Legos.
Paul was an avid Patriots fan and season ticket holder since 1970. He enjoyed movies, playing guitar, listening to his vast music collection and photography.
He was a gentle man with a big heart. Paul was a generous man who cherished friendships from his past as well as the present. He loved to share stories that brightened the mornings of his co- workers. Paul and Val would like to thank Ralph "Sonny" Anderson for his support, dedication and friendship especially through Paul's illness.
Paul is survived by his loving wife Valerie, son Jonathan Owen, stepchildren Jenna Bennett of Derry, NH and her son Sy, Joseph Bennett, of Salem, NH, Kate Bennett and partner Lyndsey Splaine of Salem, MA.
The family would like to thank Lawrence General Hospital for their excellent care and the Hospice House in Haverhill, for giving Paul and his family dignity and respect.
ARRANGEMENTS: At the request of Paul, there are no formal services. Paul will be cremated with a private celebration of life this summer.
The family suggest that those wishing to make a donation in his memory to contact Merrimack Valley Hospice House, 360 North Ave. Haverhill, MA 01830.


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text:
Thanks to continued support of the Alumni Scholarship Fund, $47,700 was awarded this Spring at the Annual Awards Convocation. Because of alumni generosity, one two-semester room and board, 12 one-semester room and board, and eight $800 cash scholarships were awarded. In addition, the J. Hugh and Martha Wise Scholarship Fund awarded three one-semester room and board scholarships, and two $650 book scholarships. J. Hugh Wise was a 1936 S of O graduate.
Alumni may give to the scholarship fund online (select Alumni Giving, then Alumni Scholarship Fund), complete and mail the scholarship form, or call the Alumni Office at 417-690-2208.
Timothy Church
Recipient of One-Semester Room & Board Scholarship
Hometown: Alton, MO
Work Station: Resident Assistant in Youngman Hall
Major/Minor: Journalism/Media Production
Campus Activities: Rotaract Club, Communication Arts Club, Student Alumni Association
I have been given so many great opportunities at College of the Ozarks. I have professors who really care about their students. I have friends and relationships with some fantastic and wonderful people that I would have never met if it had not been for this college. And because of this college, my leadership skills have grown, and I have become a person that others can respect and trust. Receiving the Alumni Scholarship allowed me to complete an internship last summer. When I graduate, I look forward to coming back for Homecoming and Doc Good Day as an alumnus, and if someday I am as big of a success as I want to be, College of the Ozarks will not be forgotten. I look forward to giving back to this college as much as I can in the future so that students can come here and work for their education just like I did.
Amy Eaton
Recipient of One-Semester Room & Board Scholarship
Hometown: Marionville, MO
Work Station: Sociology Department
Major/Minor: Sociology/Psychology
Campus Activities: Sociology Club President, Rotaract Club, Student Alumni Association
The College has helped me in so many aspects. It gave me the opportunity to graduate from college debt free, taught me what work means, and taught me how to become a better person. I can honestly say College of the Ozarks has changed me for the better in the vocational, Christian, cultural, academic, and patriotic aspects of my life. Being awarded the room and board scholarship, I was able to pursue an internship at Skaggs Hospital. Knowing I did not have to worry about trying to find the funds to pay for an entire semester of school was the biggest blessing I could have received. I was able to complete an internship in my area of my study and still further my education at the College. The Alumni Scholarship was a gift from God to me and my family.
Jonathan Wahl
Recipient of Two-Semester Room & Board Scholarship
Hometown: Springfield, MO
Work Station: Mass Communications Department
Major: Video Production and Journalism
Campus Activities: Student Government, Student Alumni Association, Mass Communications Club, Lambda Pi Eta President, Character Camp Pop Receiving the Alumni Scholarship allowed me to work two internships last summer, where I learned valuable skills for my future career. C of O really has changed my life forever, and has challenged me to strive for greatness. I have learned more about my God and my country. I have been challenged in my classes, and I have been encouraged by friends and teachers. When I graduate, it is my hope to stay involved with the Alumni Association and to help other students receive the same opportunities that I was given.
Lisa Waller
Recipient of Cash Scholarship
Hometown: Baileyville, KS
Work Station: Biology Department
Major: Human and Molecular Biology
Campus Activities: Pre-Med Club President, Biology Club, Sigma Zeta, Pep Band, CCNA, Student Alumni Association
I decided to come to College of the Ozarks for several reasons. 1) I was looking for a private, Christian college where I would be more than just a number on a piece of paper and have the opportunity to grow in my faith. 2) I wanted to pay my own way through school, and I was drawn to the idea of working for my education. 3) My plans after college are to attend medical school, and entering that phase of life without any previous debt would make life much easier. The Alumni Cash Scholarship allowed me to use more time of my summer to gain experience in the medical field shadowing doctors, rather than working to make enough money to pay for both my room and board, as well as my books.


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By Bryan Fischer
Follow me on Twitter: @BryanJFischer, on Facebook at "Focal Point"
I had the privilege of interviewing Sen. Rand Paul on my Focal Point program on Wednesday, January 30 (which you can see and hear here.)
My takeaway from my conversation with the junior senator from Kentucky is that he ought to be on the shortlist for 2016 but not at the top.
Now there is no question he's running for the presidency. The staff member with whom I corresponded in preparation for the interview had an email address @randpaul2016.com. So he's in. The question for conservatives is simple: is he the guy?
When Sen. Paul talks about a "libertarian-conservative" blend, and talks about the need for the GOP to "evolve" and "adapt" that understandably sends shivers down the spine of true conservatives who see conservatives principles as timeless, principles which do not stand in need of evolution or adaptation. They are fine just as they are, and need only to be articulated and implemented.
Going into the interview, I had five questions in my mind with regard to Sen. Paul and 2016. Three of my questions were answered to my satisfaction and two were not.
First, there is no question that his bonafides with regard to the sanctity of human life are solid. He spoke at the March for Life this year, and would have last year had he not gotten tangled up with the chuckleheads at the TSA.
Second, he is an unapologetic fiscal conservative. He will not vote for an increase in the debt ceiling without a balanced budget amendment attached. And he agreed with me that all we need to do to balance the budget is simply refuse to raise the debt ceiling. If Congress doesn't do that, we'll have a balanced budget by the end of that day.
Third, he is a true friend of Israel. His trip to Israel solidified his position with regard to Israel's security, and he famously said on his return that "an attack on Israel is an attack on the United States." And he proposed withholding our F-16s from the Islamist government of Egypt in part because of the threat that represents to Israel's security. So no worries there.
But I've got problems with him on marriage and immigration. With regard to marriage, he's solid on protecting the right of states to deal with this issue without federal interference, and supports Kentucky's marriage amendment. But he was quite elusive and even evasive on support for the provision in DOMA that defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman for federal purposes.
Conservatives are going to need to press him hard on this issue between now and the official start of the campaign. If the federal government is going to pay people, and provide benefits to their spouses, then it must have a definition of marriage to identify those who are eligible for those benefits. This is quickly becoming an issue with regard to benefits in the military, and has implications for many other issues such as the performing of same-sex wedding ceremonies on military facilities.
We, in fact, are ultimately in need of a federal marriage amendment to establish uniform policy for the United States. Inter-state divorce and custody issues are becoming thorny and complicated with the patchwork of state policies that are currently in place.
A constitutional amendment is, of course, the ultimate expression of state sovereignty, since the Constitution cannot be amended unless at least 37 states agree. But Sen. Paul apparently wants to keep the federal government out of the marriage debate altogether. This is a recipe for chaos and confusion and the further crumbling of the institution of the family in America.
Last, Sen. Paul believes in amnesty. To be sure, he believes in amnesty only after Congress has voted for up to five consecutive years that the border is secure, based on reports from an independent inspector general, not administration lackeys. This makes his position far less objectionable than the one Sen. Rubio and the Amnesty Eight are flacking for.
But once Sen. Paul's threshold has been reached, he is apparently prepared to grant instant legalization to every illegal alien in the land.
This is a serious departure from the standard conservative principle of respect for and adherence to the rule of law. No responsible conservative immigration policy can grant such a massive waiver on such a fundamental principle. His view on this is libertarian, not conservative.
(As an aside, we can reform immigration immediately by requiring E-Verify for every job and every welfare benefit. If illegals can't get work and can't get taxpayer-funded benefits, they will self-repatriate. From their homeland, they can start the same process that every one of our one million annual legal immigrants must follow.)
I personally will be unable to support Sen. Paul's presidential ambitions until he supports the man-woman definition of marriage for federal purposes, and until he changes his position on amnesty for illegal aliens.
Thus Sen. Paul grades out at three stars out of five, maybe three and a half if you give him points for believing in state sovereignty on marriage. It's not enough to boost him to the top of the list, but it's enough to put him in the top tier.
(Unless otherwise noted, the opinions expressed are the author's and do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Family Association or American Family Radio.)


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The Huffington Post | By Kia Makarechi Posted: 04/16/2012 8:04 am Updated: 04/16/2012 2:06 pm
Well, that was uncomfortable. Despite supposedly having been dead for over 15 years, Tupac Shakur joined Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg on the main stage at Coachella late Sunday night.
An all-too-realistic hologram of the late rapper rolled through "2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted" and other hits in the California desert. Even more unnervingly, he started his mini-set by shouting out "Coachella" by name.
UPDATE: He Has a Twitter Account:
So many digital haters. Only Tron can judge me.— Hologram Tupac (@HologramTupac) April 16, 2012
Snoop and Dre were also joined by Eminem, who performed "I Need a Doctor" and "Forgot About Dre" with his mentor. He also ripped through "Till I Collapse." 50 Cent, Wiz Khalifa and newcomer Kendrick Lamar also made appearances, as the night proved to be a celebration of rap's heavy hitters, old-school classics and almost-old school hits ("In Da Club," anyone?).
Undoubtedly, however, it was Tupac's hologram who stole the show. Twitter was set ablaze by the performance, with musicians like Rihanna and Questlove expressing their amazement with the technology:
#TupacBACK #unbelievable #IWASTHERE #STORY4myGrandKidz— Rihanna (@rihanna) April 16, 2012
That Pac Hologram haunted me in my sleep. Rest In Peace 2pac.......#OkIWill!!!!!!!!!!— Questo of The Roots (@questlove) April 16, 2012
Take a look at the Tupac performance and let us know what you think in the comments. Would you pay money to see an all-hologram Tupac concert?
WATCH: Tupac Hologram at Coachella
Also on HuffPost:
Coachella 2012: Snoop Dogg Resurrects Tupac Shakur Via ...
Tupac & Nate Dogg Are Playing Coachella as Holograms - Music ...
2Pac on stage at coachella right now.
Tupac Coachella 2012 - YouTube
Tupac Performs at Coachella 2012! (Video) | Vibe
Coachella 2012: Snoop Dogg Resurrects Tupac Shakur Via Hologram (Video)
Tupac Shakur to reportedly play Coachella -- as a hologram
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Coachella 2012 Sunday RPM Preview: Avicii Vs. Tupac, Justice, Modeselektor & More
50 Cent Makes Early Coachella Exit For Filming


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Jamaican shrimp dipUser Submitted Recipe
1/2 lb shrimp
8oz. cream cheese
2 tbsp mayo
4 tbsp softened butter
1/4 tsp granulated onion
1/4 tsp granulated garlic
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp fresh minced parsley
1 tbsp chopped green onions
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp spicy Jamaican jerk barbecue sauce (Walkerswood is good)
Crackers or vegetable sticks
Mince the shrimp in your food processor. Set aside.
Blend cream cheese in your Cuisinart stand mixer until soft. Then add butter and mayonnaise. Mix well.
Add all remaining ingredients, except for the 1/4 cup barbecue sauce.
Line a small bowl with plastic wrap, and then fill with dip. Place in the fridge, until firm.
Once firm, invert over onto serving plate and pour the 1/4 cup barbecue sauce over molded dip.
Serve with crackers or vegetable sticks


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Random Tuesday Twins Thoughts and Tidbits
by, 02-21-2012 at 09:07 AM (602 Views)
This is a regular weekly feature on my blog originally posted there this morning, and partially reposted here
Here is this week's installment (The spring training edition) :
- Looks like one of the new Twins' players will be a daddy again, for the 4th time
- Interesting news from the Twins' Blogosphere. The 4 bloggers (John Bonnes, Parker Hagaman, Nick Nelson and Seth Stohs - alphabetically) who were part of Twinscentric, desided to discolve their individual blogs and start Twins Dailywhich is a Twins' community that includes for a lot of interaction and has a forum that everyone can post after they register. If anyone remembers the good old Strib blogs before the changes a couple years ago, with 3-400 comments and discussion, this has the potential to be a place like that (and also bury the readership numbers of the now for pay Star Tribune.) So go and have a look! My best wishes to Seth, Nick, Parker and John with their endeavor.
- This blog post by Jon Marthaler over at Twinkie Town is worth reading. With Spring Training starting, he reiterates The Good Things of Baseball
- I think that Joe Mauer will have a monster Spring and will continue with a monster season. He sounds like he is a man on a mission. Interesting piece here in the News-Press, the local Fort Myers newspaper. Bookmark that site, btw if remotely interested in Spring Training and the Fort Myers Miracle. Also, check this tweet by Trevor Plouffe about Joe Mauer. I think that it is about time that the heart of the Twins' lineup has a new nickname; and I am talking about the number two to five hitters (Jamey Carroll, Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Josh Willingham) : the killer J's. And they better live up to it
To continue, please go here.
- From the Health Report Deapartment: Good signs of the Spring Training so far: Jason Marquis threw 48 pitches and Joel Zumaya 40 in their first bullpens Sunday. Both were hurt with broken bones last season. Luke Hughes saw another doctor and he will be ready to start taking batting practice soon. On the other hand, sounds like the pollen count or dust count or something is way up there, because both Danny Valencia and Aaron Bates have been suffering with allegies And to make things worse, Brian Dozier cut his left hand so he is limited. Details of how or how bad are unknown.


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KALKASKA — Down two at halftime, Kingsley took control in the final 16 minutes to beat Kalkaska 55-41 in a nonconference girls basketball game.
Autumn Goggin and Andrea Lee scored 15 points apiece for the Stags. Lee had 11 of her points in the decisive second half. Kelli Guy netted 16 for Kalkaska.
Kingsley is now 9-2 overall on the season. Kalkaska is 5-3.
See Wednesday's Record-Eagle or visit Record-Eagle.com for complete story.


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Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-Westchester/Rockland) today announced FEMA issued major disaster declarations (MDD) for Westchester and Rockland Counties. The major disaster declaration makes both counties eligible for both public and individual assistance.
"This is an important step as it gives residents and local leaders confidence that federal aid will be available to help recover from this disaster," said Lowey. "The top priorities now are speeding the pace of power restoration to both Westchester and Rockland Counties; and easing the gasoline shortage, particularly for emergency vehicles."
Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY-17) said the declaration allows businesses, individuals and local governments to apply for FEMA aid. In addition, a waiver allows applications to be processed immediately.
Engel said, "President Obama called on the federal agencies to forego red tape and help as fast as possible. I am pleased to see FEMA doing just that, helping these counties recover from another destructive storm."
FEMA staff toured both counties and saw first-hand the flooding and damage to buildings and infrastructure. Engel said the two counties' preliminary damage assessment (PDA) reports made it clear the stricken counties needed FEMA aid. New York, Nassau, and Suffolk were included in the original major disaster declaration.


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The following continues the new serialized tale from Ari Marmell—author of Agents of Artifice. Be sure to check back each week for the next chapter in this ongoing tale of Ravenloft!
While the majority of the details portrayed over the course of Chapters One through Three are purely fictionalized, the background circumstances are, alas, entirely factual.
On July 15, 1099, the "pilgrims" of the First Crusade—led by, among others, the Duke Godefroy de Bouillon of France—collapsed portions of the defensive walls of Jerusalem, putting an end to the siege of the city. The next twenty-four hours were among the bloodiest in the history of the Crusades, as seemingly-maddened knights and soldiers slaughtered an enormous portion of the Holy City's population: Muslims, Jews, and even some Christians; men, women, and children. Nobody was spared the violence and anger of the crusaders; and while historical accounts claiming the soldiers waded in blood up to their ankles are almost certainly exaggerations, they still represent a chilling view of what happened that day.
This is not fiction, much as we might wish it were. This is history.
And if there are Dark Powers, scouring the many worlds for those "worthy" of their embrace, surely such horrors committed in the name of God would be exactly what they sought.
The noise of the common room was not actually deafening. Not really.
But magnified through the lens of Diederic's growing impatience and clinging frustration, the clattering of dishes, the clinking of mugs, the stomping of feet, the incessant buzz of conversation punctuated by the sharp braying of drunken laughter, all intertwined to form an inharmonious din of maddening proportions. And so he hunched over an isolated table, the smell of sodden sawdust clogging his nose. He nursed the finest ale his meager pouch could afford—coincidentally, also the cheapest swill the establishment had to offer—and gritted his teeth against the urge to rise up and strike down everyone around him until the afternoon descended into blessed silence.
Whatever the roadside inn's name, Diederic didn't know it. The old wooden shingle outside boasted the faded image of shattering pottery. "The Broken Pot," maybe? "The Drunken Potter"? "The Place Where the Guests Drink the Remnants of a Shattered Chamber Pot and Pay for the Privilege?" He'd not bothered to ask. But then, neither did he know the name of the town, and he cared about that even less. They all looked so much alike that they'd blended together in his mind until he felt trapped in a waking nightmare of endless repetition, a play put on for his benefit in which each scene made use of the same characters on the same stage.
Here he had sat, day after monotonous day, in a roadside inn whose name he could not be bothered to learn, in a town whose only claim to importance was its position along one of Malosia's major highways. He sat, and he waited for fate—or God, or the Scions, or whomever else—to throw him the one bit of luck he needed.
And that someone, whomever it was be praised, finally did.
Diederic had lost track of how long he had waited. He knew it to be longer than a week, and to be only a few days shy of costing him his final coin. But on that day, as afternoon reluctantly gave way to evening, over a dozen men tromped through the door of the tavern, the dirt and dust of the road shaking from their boots to merge with the sawdust scattered across the floor.
The common room held its collective breath; the patrons did not cease talking so much as the words snagged roughly against their tongues. Wine and ale sloshed across tables and chairs as shaking hands made clumsy attempts to set down their mugs. Every eye in the room focused on the bright scarlet mantles in which the newcomers were clad.
And Diederic, who had suffered long in the chambers of Perdition Hill, who had ended many a Redbreast's life, and who was now doubtless considered a fugitive to be apprehended on sight, could not have been happier. Indeed, he nearly shed tears of relief as the soldiers filed in, so grateful was he that the waiting was over.
He hung his head low over his mug and tried to look as nervous, but otherwise inconspicuous, as everyone else. The odds that these men knew his description well enough to recognize him by sight, unarmored and enjoying an ale in some roadside inn, were slim indeed, but best not to draw attention. He watched nonchalantly as a single man, doubtless the column's commanding officer, stepped from the crowd and approached the obsequious innkeep. In a matter of moments, coins and keys exchanged hands, and the Redbreasts annexed the largest tables for their own use. The officer himself, however, and one of his men, moved not to join the others, but instead disappeared back into the gently falling night.
Diederic felt the urge to cheer, so excited had he become. Could he believe, after all that had happened, that he might be so lucky now? He had been certain that a division of Redbreasts would pass through this town at some point. But he'd anticipated that his greatest difficulty would come in luring one or two of them from the others. Now? Now they had given themselves to him!
Nodding in casual greeting, a nod that one or two soldiers returned and the others dismissively ignored, Diederic rose—slowly, calmly, though his heart beat fast within his chest—and stepped through the front door.
The evening had yet to develop that growing quiet that is, as much as failing light, the true mark of night's arrival. The street outside was filled with horseflesh, stomping hooves, and whickering voices as the overworked stable boy fought to manage a dozen chargers at once. The sudden smell of horsehair and manure was overpowering, a sharp contrast to the sawdust and alcohol Diederic had inhaled for days on end. Farther from the inn, the streets were filled with vendors hawking one more sale before closing up shop, and workmen hurrying home for a well-earned meal and a cool mug of relaxation. And among them, vanishing into the din and the dark, a pair of Redbreasts whose plans were soon to take an unexpected turn.
Diederic panicked, afraid that he had lost them already. But no, they had merely stopped a moment to relieve the young man of a pair of horses. Diederic saw them mount up, sliding into sight above the milling beasts. Utterly unaware of Diederic's presence, dismissing him as some unimportant townsman if they noticed him at all, they rode toward the center of town, the second soldier several paces behind his officer.
Both wore a hauberk of chain beneath his crimson mantle, a shield slung over his shoulder, a sword or an axe at his belt. Diederic wore no armor, for he could not have passed unnoticed if he had, and carried only Leona's heavy dagger.
It would do.
Following them was a simple matter, despite his lack of a mount. Among the crowds of folks returning home for the night, or moving goods about in preparation for tomorrow's business, a mounted man could move little faster than one afoot. In fact, Diederic could think of no reason the two Redbreasts had bothered to go mounted on their errand, unless perhaps they wished to present as official and officious an image as possible. All it truly accomplished was to make them that much easier to spot amid the throng.
When they halted before a large estate, one of the oldest and most impressive in the village, Diederic's suspicions about their motives were confirmed. While the officer remained mounted, projecting an aura of regal authority, the other Redbreast slid from his saddle and approached the property's iron fence. At the gate, he tugged twice upon a hanging rope, and stepped back to wait.
A thin, balding fellow in black vest and trousers appeared from the house, a heavy candelabra in his hand. He strode toward the gate, formally but swiftly, a tousle-haired youth struggling to keep pace behind him.
From hiding, Diederic could not hear their precise words, but he recognized the same tone mastered by household servants in every land across every world. The gate squeaked as it opened, inspiring the older man to give the younger a swat across the back of the head and point angrily at the hinges. The officer dismounted and followed the manservant inside, while the soldier accompanied the boy and the horses, to the rear of the house.
As soon as all were out of sight, Diederic moved. The gate had latched behind the Redbreasts, but the fence was not all that imposing an obstacle. A running jump, a solid grip, and a faint grunt were all it took for Diederic to gain the other side.
The grasses of the estate were thick, but even in the fading twilight Diederic could see patches of brown where they had begun to fail. It was the same for the garden alongside the main house, which consisted largely of soil and twisting stems and few blossoms of any note. It smelled of dirt rather than flowers.
It seemed the estate, if not the town as a whole, was suffering just as nearly every community Diederic had come across had begun to suffer.
And then he was behind the house and through the open door of the stables. Bits of straw crunched under his boots as he ran, and two figures on each side of a great brown charger—one in armor, the other wielding a large brush—began to turn.
Diederic slammed into the Redbreast without slowing, hurtling him into one of the stable's wooden columns. He felt the man's breath explode across his face, but even half-stunned, the soldier's hand dropped toward the axe at his side. Swiftly Diederic spun him about and smashed his face into the wood. The nose-guard on the helm took the brunt of the impact, but it was enough to immobilize the soldier for an instant. Diederic knocked the man's head forward, exposing the back of his neck beneath the helm, and shoved the dagger up into the Redbreast's skull. The horse whinnied faintly at the sudden scent of blood, but calmed down swiftly in such peaceful, homey environs.
The stable boy stood frozen, the brush clasped uselessly in his hand, and stared with jaws agape at the sudden violence. Diederic yanked the dagger free with a teeth-grinding screech, calmly walked around the horse, and floored the young man with a vicious uppercut. He'd hurt when he woke—a lot, possibly sporting a broken jaw—but at least he would awaken.
Diederic returned to study the corpse. Again he considered the shield with some amount of longing, and again the nigh-constant burn in his wrist convinced him against it. He bent low long enough to lift the soldier's coin purse, and to slide the fellow's axe from the loop at his belt. Even under the circumstances, he grinned in grim amusement as he hefted the weapon: just how many axes had he gone through this year, anyway? The smile faded rapidly, however, and Diederic was once again on the move.
He halted once, at the stable's entrance, glancing back over his shoulder. The posture of the fallen soldier, slumped forward, the wound in the back of his skull beneath the helm…. Something about it rang familiar, plucked and tickled at unpleasant memories.
When it failed to come to him after a moment, however, he shrugged and put it aside, to concentrate on more pressing matters.
He heard the manservant's footsteps well before the front door opened in response to his heavy knock. "Now, Timothy," the old man was saying, berating, even as the door crept open, "I told you to bring the good knight in by the back—"
Diederic kneed him in the stomach to silence him, brought a heavy fist down on the back of his head to finish the task, and the old servant joined the younger in unconsciousness. The knight listened intently for a moment, alert for any disturbance, then continued inside.
The house boasted the painted but peeling walls, the flattened carpeting, the polished brass fixtures, and the old paintings in newer frames that were all the hallmarks of a family accustomed to wealth and refusing to allow the neighbors to see that that wealth had begun to fade.
He found them in a sitting room which the family doubtless called a library, owing to the single shelf with perhaps half a dozen dusty tomes. A middle-aged man and his slightly younger wife—both carrying more weight than was good for them—sat in lushly upholstered chairs, while the Inquisition officer made a polite show of wandering about the room, commenting on this prize or that.
Pressed tight to the wall in the hall outside, Diederic peered through the open doorway and struck when the Redbreast drew near. Had his intent this time been to kill, the man would have died barely having seen his attacker. Instead, Diederic wielded the axe with the blade turned out, striking with the back of the heavy steel like a hammer. The officer fell with an agonized cry as his kneecap gave way.
Diederic kicked him once in the head for good measure—the man had removed his helm upon entering as a sign of respect—and then spun to face the terrified couple, pointing with his empty hand.
"You! In the corner, now, the both of you. And if I hear either of you so much as draw breath to scream for help, you both die."
They obeyed, pressing themselves tight into the corner as though hoping to escape through the very walls; a faint whimpering was their only sound.
Diederic knelt beside the fallen officer, placing the blade of his axe on the back of the man's neck.
"The practice of witchcraft in the region," he breathed. "Where is its heart?"
"No… no organized witchcraft here," the man coughed. "Merely a few isolated practitioners, vile men and women who—" His sentence ended in a gurgle as Diederic yanked his head up by the hair.
"I don't want to hear the Church-approved answer," he growled. "You're a soldier, and as a soldier assigned to this region, you've been there. You've felt it: the eyes of the enemy on you, the lurking danger that threatens your men. I want to know where!"
"Why… why do you—"
"Never you mind why. Just answer me."
Silence for a breath, two. Then, "Parsimol. Been there… five or six times, and we've never found a single witch. But still we hear tales, and… and there's something about that place that sets me, my men, even the horses on edge. That's where you want. Parsimol."
Diederic nodded, his expression hard. Grimly, he raised his axe.
It had come from the woman in the corner. Her husband turned white, held out a shaking hand to beseech his wife to silence.
"Please," she begged, voice trembling. "He's answered your questions. We need him alive, please. We've got… we've got our own witch, you see." Tears rolled down her cheeks. "If you kill him, we've no one to turn to."
Diederic blinked once, twice, then shrugged. He brought the axe down, but again with the blade turned aside. The officer might not awaken for days—might not be the same for long after that—but he would live.
The couple he left tied back to back, lashed to a table so they could not crawl from the room. Eventually they would free themselves, or one of the servants would awaken, but either way he had the time he needed.
The hardest part was walking past the Redbreasts in the inn's common room as though nothing had happened. Thank Jesu he'd remembered to hide the axe in a tree outside, where he could retrieve it later! He didn't think any of them would have recognized it, but again, it was hardly a chance worth taking. He climbed the rickety wooden stairs and threw open the door to his rented room. He would need but a few moments to pack, and should be a good distance from town before the soldiers learned that anything was amiss.
The voice, when it came, sounded from the doorway behind him as he slid his hauberk, muffled by a layer of blanket, into his heavy pouch.
"I greet you again, Diederic de Wyndt."
His hands slowed, but Diederic neither ceased his packing nor turned to face the door. "When you claimed we would meet again," he said to the wall before him, "I rather assumed you meant it would be years."
"And yet."
She stepped through the door, allowing it to drift shut behind her, and seated herself in the room's only chair. Diederic finally deigned to look up at his guest. She had changed notably, for all that a mere half season had passed since he'd last laid eyes upon her. Her skin was healthier, darker after exposure to the sun, and her black hair hung in tight braids past her shoulders. She was clad in thick black trousers that disappeared into ankle-high boots, and a white tunic of a far more flattering fit than either her prison robes or stolen Inquisition garb. Diederic could also not help but note that she carried a walking staff, its head heavily gnarled and weighted, and wore at her waist a wicked dagger curved as the crescent moon.
"So what brings you here, Violca Hanza? I doubt very much this is a coincidence."
"There are none, where the Vistani are concerned, giorgio. Indeed, I was looking for you. There is much we must discuss."
"Is there, now? We'll have to do so on the road, then. In just a few more hours, this village is going to be a very dangerous place to be me. I'm heading to—"
Diederic hurled his pack to the floor with an angry clatter. "God damn it, woman! I've spent the better part of a month learning that name, and only finally heard it uttered an hour gone! The time I've lost… all because you had to run off in the night like someone's illicit lover!"
Violca slid to her feet, her voice frosty. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry, Lord Diederic. I'll try so very hard to keep your vendetta in the forefront of my mind, the very next time I'm tempted to 'run off' and try to find family I haven't seen in half a year, and who have every reason to think me dead."
"I… well, obviously, you had to…. That is—"
"And your gods and mine must forgive my stupidity, in having forgotten that my Sight, a legacy of my people's most sacred beliefs, exists solely for the convenience of any giorgio to pass me by."
"Now that's not fair! I—"
"And of course, if I had given you the name a month ago, you'd have just accepted it on faith, without taking the time to hunt down someone who could confirm that information?"
"Maybe, but it wouldn't have taken me as long," Diederic grumbled. It was a feeble objection, and they both knew it.
"All right," he offered finally, choking on each syllable, "I apologize. It was an inappropriate outburst."
"Yes." Violca allowed some of the ice to thaw from her words. "And as it happens, also misplaced. It was no vision that told me of Parsimol, Diederic, but rather information gained by others of the Hanza during my imprisonment. Had I not gone to them first, I couldn't have provided it to you."
"I see." He remained silent a long moment, shamefacedly gathering the goods that had spilled from his pack when it struck the floor. Finally, he said, "If, ah, I may ask, Violca… since you obviously found your family, why are you here?"
"Because your lack of manners, Diederic, doesn't make you any less pivotal to what is happening in Malosia. And as I said, there is much we must discuss."
Diederic nodded, hefting his pack over his shoulder. "Then let's be off."
"Giorgio?" He was halfway out the door when her call drew him back. He turned his head, questioning.
"As it is apparently just the two of us this time, I feel compelled to warn you that I sleep with this blade in easy reach." She patted the crescent blade hanging at her belt. "And it is very, very sharp."
Diederic snorted. "I'm after a far more important prize on this journey than your virtue, Violca."
"To you, perhaps." And then she was past him, staff in hand, her footsteps sounding already on the rickety stairs.
Despite the darkness of a night sky obscured by clouds, with nary a moon or star to be seen, they traveled by torchlight for hours before stopping to make cold camp. Diederic leaned back against the trunk of a young tree bedecked with as many crows as it had leaves. Ignoring the occasional caw and call from above, he flicked a curious ant from his shoulder and offered his companion a strip of dried meat.
"And where did you come up with traveling monies, Diederic?" she asked teasingly, accepting the proffered morsel.
"Here and about. Scavenged, mostly."
"Only from those who wished me harm first."
Silence once more. Then, just as Diederic opened his mouth to demand some answers, "Tell me of the last month, Diederic. How did you learn you needed to travel to Parsimol?"
The knight sighed. "I traveled Malosia's roads for weeks after leaving Birne, visiting many towns. Only the smaller communities, mind. Nowhere large enough it might host its own Redbreast garrison. Most were equally grim. No matter that we're now in the midst of spring, I saw fields standing half empty, or sprouting only tufts of sickly crops, and scrawny cattle chewing on meager grasses. And of course, most placed the blame on the same source."
"Just so. A very few others placed the blame instead—in frightened whispers, and only after I bought them many drinks—on the Inquisition itself, for taking too many of their young for them to adequately work the fields."
Violca frowned. "But surely if every village suffers the same way, the blame lies on drought, or a blight among the crops?"
"Maybe, but it's not every village. Thrice, I came across communities where the crops grew high, the grasses green, the cows and sheep fat. And I avoided them."
"Because I already know from whence their good fortune comes," Diederic hissed, thinking darkly of Birne, "and what sorts of payment they offer for it. I needed those who could tell me of witches, but were not witches themselves. So any village so obviously devoted to the black magics was off limits."
Violca nodded even as she wrapped her blanket more tightly around her, shutting out the chilly night air. "That was why you waited where I found you. You knew that a village on the main road, so near Caercaelum, would have to host a Redbreast patrol sooner or later."
"Exactly." Diederic sketched idly in the dust with a stick. "I needed to be able to confront one or two, away from their division, away from their home base.
"I knew I was close, Violca. In every village I visited, the folk were convinced they suffered worse than any other. But also in every village, rumors and travelers' tales suggested that certain other folk suffered almost as badly. I found enough overlap in those rumors to lead me to this general vicinity."
"Hardly an unqualified success, Diederic. There are over a dozen towns within a few days' travel."
"Precisely. Thus, I had to wait until I could question a Redbreast officer, find out where they focused their attentions. It was just tonight I found the opportunity."
He did not tell her that he knew where to focus his search not just from his weeks of investigation, but also due to Leona's parting words. So far she had not asked what had occurred in Birne, and he had no intention of raising the topic himself.
They slept the night undisturbed, though Diederic thought he heard a small group of horses galloping along the road around midnight. The riders must be about vital business to risk such speed in the dark, and he suspected the Inquisition officer and his dead lieutenant had been discovered. He took time the following morning to shave the wild growth of beard, trusting to the Vistana's hands those areas he could not shave by feel, for he lacked anything resembling a mirror. That and a change of clothes should protect him from discovery, at least by any casual inspection.
A quick breakfast—one bearing a strong similarity to dinner of the previous night—and they were off. Diederic set a punishing pace, but Violca showed no difficulty in keeping up. The morning grew warm, albeit not terribly so; the occasional drop of rain, too sporadic and light even to be called a shower, provided additional relief.
They were just passing someone's long-abandoned field, an old and ragged scarecrow the only sign it had ever been cultivated, when Violca drew to a halt. "Diederic…."
The knight followed her gaze to the glossy black bird perched atop the scarecrow's shoulder and chuckled softly. "Not very effective, is it?" he asked.
"No, you don't understand. That crow was in the tree above our camp last night. It's been following us."
Diederic turned a bemused smirk upon the Vistana. "Violca, really. I know this place has its quirks and its dangers, but I hardly think—"
"No, clearly you don't! Damn it, Diederic, either you trust my Sight or you do not, but make up your mind! It's not just the future that I See, or the world of the spirit. Sometimes it is merely the tiny details that escape everyone else. And I tell you, that crow was watching us last night, and it watches us now, and it is the same one!"
"If you say so." His expression skeptical, Diederic knelt and scooped up an apricot-sized stone from the side of the road. He hefted it once, twice, and then hurled it with bone-crushing force at the feathered creature.
With a furious squawk and a frantic flutter, the crow took to the air, letting the stone thump harmlessly from the scarecrow's burlap face—a puff of dust the only damage dealt. Diederic opened his mouth, preparing to comment on the bird's speed, when the sky went dark.
From all around they came, diving from the branches of every tree, arcing upward like arrows from the high grasses of the field. Their calls were deafening, and the thunder of a thousand wings buffeted the travelers as fiercely as any storm. The air grew thick and difficult to breathe, heavy with dander, loose feathers, and the stench of waste formed largely of carrion. Diederic and Violca fell back before them, their hands raised in feeble defense of exposed eyes and tender faces. Wings bludgeoned, beaks and talons tore, and around chain armor and heavy clothes, the pair bled from a score of tiny wounds.
Even as the knight and the Vistana collapsed to their knees, the darkness lifted and the sun shone down. The crows were gone as swiftly as they had appeared, leaving behind only a smattering of feathers and thick splotches of guano to prove they had ever been. And with them had vanished the bird that had first drawn Violca's attention.
"Perhaps one day," Violca croaked, "you might learn to trust my instincts."
She stood shakily and began to gather leaves and grass to clean her various wounds. She halted and turned as Diederic lunged out to grab her wrist tight. "I think," he said, wincing in pain as he spoke, "that I have been very patient up to now. But I feel the time has come for you to tell me what it is you came to tell me."
Violca yanked her arm from his grip. "The next time you touch me, giorgio, it will either be to pull me from harm's way, or to put you in it!" She looked down at her handful of leaves and sighed. "But you are right," she admitted. "Come."
They stepped from the road, and she began to point out which grasses and herbs he should pluck as they spoke. "Malosia is unique among the lands of the Mists," she began, her voice slipping into a storyteller's cadence. "Oh, yes, Diederic. There are other domains; Malosia is but one of many. But Diederic, it is empty."
The knight could only frown. "Empty? I've seen several thousands of—"
"Not empty of people, giorgio. Empty of soul.
"Every domain has one true lord, Diederic. Some hold titles as you understand them—king, duke, count—while others are as anonymous as you or I. But each is bound to the land in a way that even we Vistani do not truly comprehend. All are men and women of evil, cruelty, violence, or pride—or so our own experience tells us, though we have not dealt with some as frequently or as thoroughly as others. And all, we believe, are prisoners, for the Mists offer no boon without a heavy price. Powerful as they may be in their own domains, they are powerless to ever leave—and believe you me, many have tried."
Again, Diederic could not help but feel that it sounded a very great deal like some form of Purgatory, or perhaps an obscure layer of Hell. But he found the notion bothered him less than once it had. He had his own punishment, his own vengeance, to mete out. All other judges be damned!
"And who…." He winced at the sting of Violca's ministrations. "Who is Malosia's lord?"
"That's just it, Diederic. That is why Malosia stands as such a mystery to the Vistani, why it appears empty to our Sight. It has none." She shook her head. "Oh, Pontiff Cornelis might rule the Church, and potent witches command the cabals, but none boast the power of a true lord. Never before have any of us seen the like."
But Diederic felt the memory of Violca's vision in Perdition Hill like a hammer to his skull, and he knew. "Lambrecht!" His voice emerged as a serpent's hiss. "The land shapes itself to Lambrecht's vision! That's why the witches of Birne found their powers waning!"
Violca raised an eyebrow at the reference, but again refrained from asking.
"Malosia may have no lord yet," he continued, "but Lambrecht can only be steps away!"
The Vistana nodded. "That is… certainly possible. And it is why I've come to aid you."
"I appreciate that, of course, but I'm not certain I understand."
"The Laginate Cabal, Diederic. They draw their power from the same source as Lambrecht himself. They have the missing pages of the Grimoire."
Diederic's eyes grew wide. "But… the Grimoire was scribed in my own world!"
"Indeed. I've no idea how it could have happened, but it is that connection that may prove your salvation. If I can get my hands on their pages of the Grimoire, Diederic, my people can use its spiritual link to your world to find you a pathway back through the Mists.
"We can lead you home."
Home…. The notion had not so much as crossed his mind, never even occurred to him. Whether these "lands of the Mists" were a Purgatory or not, he had simply assumed himself dead, or as good as dead, where his home was concerned. The thought that all he knew might not be lost to him was as stunning as a thunderbolt.
He let none of this show upon his face, let Violca see no sign of his growing excitement. Home…. Yes, he would go home, now that he knew it to be possible. But he would not go home defeated, and he would not go home alone….
As Diederic had anticipated, Parsimol resembled a dozen other communities through which he'd traveled. Larger than Birne, it boasted primitive fortification: an old abatis of felled trees and sharpened branches circled most of the town. Portions of the wall had begun to rot or boasted large gaps where a trunk had gone missing, and nobody seemed in any rush to shore it up. Roofs of thatch and clay shingles peeked up over the wall, as though checking to see if it were safe. In the distance, some several hundred yards through the thick trees beyond the town, an old, decrepit tower emerged shyly from the foliage. Few details were visible from afar, but it was an angular, blocky sort of thing, very much unlike the cupolas and cylindrical towers of modern Church construction.
Ari Marmell was born in New York, moved to Houston when he was a year old, moved to Austin when he was 27, but has spent most of his life living in other worlds through a combination of writing and roleplaying games. He has been writing more or less constantly for the last dozen years, though he has only been paid for it the past five. He is the author of multiple roleplaying game supplements including work on Dungeons & Dragons. Ari lives in Austin with his wife, George, and two cats.
Look for Agents of Artifice, the new novel from Ari Marmell -- out now!


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Back Roads Austin Coupons
Find the latest Back Roads Austin coupons and deals
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Excerpt: Hamilton Jordan on the 1980 Kennedy Challenge
This excerpt features Hamilton Jordan, White House chief of staff in the Carter administration, on Ted Kennedy's challenge to President Carter in the 1980 Democratic Primary. He contends it was a primary reason for Carter's loss to Ronald Reagan. Excerpt taken from the November 6, 1981 interview, a part of the Jimmy Carter Oral History Project.
Read the full Hamilton Jordan interview here.


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July 30, 2014
Posted Friday, July 20, 2012 --- 6:40 a.m.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A change in vehicle titles is effective at the end of July in Wisconsin.
Any vehicle title with a lien will go straight to the lien holder rather than the vehicle owner. The state Division of Motor Vehicles says the lien holder will choose whether they want to receive either a paper or electronic title. The title change was passed by the Legislature last year as part of the state budget.
DMV vehicle services director Mitchell Warren says people will be able to sell their vehicles even if they still have a lien, but they'll have to contact the lien holder so the title can be delivered. And, they would still need to pay off the vehicle loan.
The State Journal (http://bit.ly/MMgUbz ) says Wisconsin is the 38th state in the country to become a title-to-lien holder state.
Information from: Wisconsin State Journal, http://www.madison.com/wsj
Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.


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The Community Benefits Mission of Baystate Health is to:
This is consistent with our corporate charitable mission, which is to improve the health of the people in our communities every day, with quality and compassion.
At Baystate Health, we understand that good health transcends medicine. For each of us, and our communities, health is a complex sum of genetics, environment, opportunity, and life choices. That is why our commitment to improving the health of our communities extends beyond the walls of our hospitals and into the homes, schools and neighborhoods of the communities we serve.
Baystate Health is committed to creating healthier communities. Maintaining and enhancing trusting partnerships within the community furthers our commitment to improving the lives of the most vulnerable members of our community. We extend the traditional definition of "health" to include economic opportunity, affordable housing, education, safe neighborhoods, the arts, and supporting and valuing diversity – all elements that enable families and communities to thrive.
In keeping with this commitment to improve health, Baystate Health provides many valuable services, resources, programs and financial support – beyond the walls of the hospitals and into the communities and homes of the people we serve; including various community benefit programs, sponsorships of more than 200 non-profit community organizations and events and involvement of Baystate leadership with over 70 community boards that align with the mission of Baystate Health.
Baystate Health includes three not-for-profit hospitals that have a responsibility to respond to health care needs unsupported by government programs. In exchange for this responsibility, Baystate qualifies for tax-exempt status under §501(c)(3). However, providing hospital care alone is not enough to qualify for tax-exempt status. Hospitals also must operate in the public interest and provide community benefit programs.
More information about Baystate's community programs....


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Today, July 11, is National Collector Car Appreciation Day across the U.S. That means...
Kia Design earns kudos
There's nothing that excites and invigorates like a killer concept unveiled amid fanfare at an auto show. Kia definitely did that and more with the Track'ster this week in Chicago.
The Windy City show was a bit of a snoozer, but for the second time in three years, Kia rose to the task and brought a cool concept to tout its design potential. In 2010, it was the Ray, a plug-in sports car with futuristic styling—that got nowhere near production.
That doesn't matter. People see design and they are attracted or aroused. Or appalled and put off. But it's supposed to make an impression.
Mission accomplished this year with the Track'ster, a 250-hp, all-wheel-drive sports version of the Soul. With a stretched platform and semirealistic styling, this concept would be a smart way to freshen the Soul lineup. The concept also had orange carbon-fiber trim and 19-inch performance tires.
Rolling it out with a M�tley Cr�e cover band, smoke and special effects only helped with the attitude. As chief designer Tom Kearns put it, "The Track'ster is the heavy-metal version."
There's nothing wrong with creating chutzpah and grabbing attention. Kia is still a bit of an underdog brand, though like sister company Hyundai, its products have come a long way and are competitive in many segments. Why not use thought-provoking styling to get people thinking? It's sort of like running the spread offense in football. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but it's always interesting.
For Kia, there's style and substance, as sales grew a stunning 36 percent last year to 485,492 units.
Design has become a priority for company under Peter Schreyer, the longtime Audi style guru who oversees design for Kia. The company's cars tend to look a touch sportier than their swoopy, curvy Hyundai counterparts, and the "Tiger" grille has been a minimalistic though authoritative feature. Throw in sleek sides with subtle flares, wide stances and blinged-out wheels, and Kias suddenly have a bit of gravitas.
Photo by Greg Migliore
Rock out: Kia rolled out the Track'ster concept with a heavy-metal cover band and lots of lights and smoke.
Rock out: Kia rolled out the Track'ster concept with a heavy-metal cover band and lots of lights and smoke.
I witnessed this firsthand by test-driving the Optima hybrid last summer. Mind you, this one was black and had impressive 17-inch wheels, but it drew plenty of admiring stares that hybrids seldom warrant.
Schreyer put it best at the Autoweek Design Forum, saying, "Each of us remember circumstances of our lives that were strongly connected with the car."
That wasn't true for Kias in the past. It is now.
Follow Autoweek news editor Greg Migliore on Twitter at @gregmigliore.
Get more car news, reviews and opinion every day: Sign up to have the Autoweek Daily Drive delivered right to your inbox.


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Local News
Local Sports
Early Childhood Screening
Published on Wednesday, 30 November -0001 00:00
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Early Childhood Screening is mandatory prior to enrollment in public school. The purpose of the screening is to identify early health or developmental needs. Kimball Public Schools is performing early childhood screening on Friday, April 1. Children must be at least 3 years old by the date of screening. If you have a child between the ages of 3 and 5 who has not been screened, please call the elementary school to schedule a screening appointment. If you have not been contacted, or you are new to the Kimball School District, please call the elementary school at 398-5425, ext. 205, to talk to Becca Morgan, the school nurse and early childhood screening coordinator.
Desktop version


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The Integer Group
Creative Freelancers
The Integer Group is looking for creative freelance talent! If you are skilled in Design, Art Direction, 3-D Design, Copy Writing, or Production (or, even better, more than one of these), we want to hear from you!
Please send a link to your portfolio, hourly rate, availability and contact information to firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Mom loved lamb. We would go to one of her favorite restaurants called Joe's, when I was a kid in Upstate NY, The East side of Utica, that made fabulous grilled lamb chops and they would be piled so high on the plate I just couldn't believe the meat we would get for around $15.00.There must have been 35 chops on that plate. Amazing taste.
I just love the mediteranean flavors. I love leg of lamb and make that for many holidays. This is an inbetween treat for me. We wanted something to snack on and loving lamb as we all do in this house, I decided lets toss in a few spices with the lamb that we love so much and make them like meatballs. I was really surprised how much we all loved them.
Oh and how great they smell while they were frying...the aroma made my mouth water for them, and of course since I didn't wait for them to cool off, I now have a blister on the roof of my mouth, I hate when I do that!!! Too impatient to wait.
Once the spices and bread are mixed all together, just shape and fry.
I grow all my herbs right in the front of my house all in separate pots, the mints are my favorite, I grow several flavors, this is regular mint, I even love the smell it leaves on my hands after picked....
1/2 teaspoon each cayenne pepper,black pepper, garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano, parsley, minced garlic, salt, rosemary and allspice
2 tablespoons chopped mint
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 egg
3/4 cup Italian flavored bread crumbs
1 lb ground lamb
olive oil to fry in
Mix raw ground lamb meat with spices, egg, bread crumbs add tomato paste mix together well.
Shape into rounds or patties and fry in a small amount of olive oil till cooked through and nicely browned. Serve with mint jelly or even cucumber sauce. You can also put these in traditional pasta sauce in place of meatballs....


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Serious Eats - seriouseats.com
Oven Spotting!
It's unofficial Oven Envy Day on Slice!
Slice contributor Caleb Schiff's oven has arrived in Flagstaff. If you haven't been following along, you can catch up on his mini-series, Building a Pizzeria. Pizzicletta will be opening in late June.
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Your comment has been accepted
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The Gloucester Daily Times aims to be accurate. If you are aware of a factual error in a story, please call Times Editor Ray Lamont at 978-283-7000, ext. 3438
A story in Tuesday's edition of the Times incorrectly stated the numbers of voters against article 10 at the Essex Annual Town Meeting. At the meeting, 194 voters were in support of the article and 67 were against it.


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News and information from Patch and your neighbors about schools in your towns. Flag as Inappropriate
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State Releases Student Growth Data for Districts and Schools
4.0, Way to Go: Area Students Honored at North Georgia
Students Miss the Mark in Georgia EOC Math Tests
M. Stone July 3, 2014 at 08:28 am
From personal experience in the Cobb Co. schools, I'd say the problems in the area of math might be…Read More due to teachers not effective in explaining the concepts, teachers not effective in maintaining discipline or quiet in the classrooms while teaching and testing are going on, and teachers absent for long periods resulting in substitutes who don't understand the math or how to teach it. I know the schools and teachers are all trying hard, but these factors I list seem chronic to me. I hope they can be addressed.
Baileyspet July 3, 2014 at 09:34 am
Oh now we must not demean the sacred Decatur Schools. Ask any high paid administrator and they will…Read More tell you how excellent our schools are no matter what the test scores show.
John Galt July 3, 2014 at 01:29 pm
Government schools, and what do we spend on them? Ask big Frank what the problem is.
New Law, New Vaccines Required for Rising Seventh-Graders
Brent Seeger July 1, 2014 at 08:53 am
We will all need vaccines when Obama allows our country to overrun by filth carrying every disease…Read More know to man and then some. Its the end of America as we know it.
Just Say'n July 1, 2014 at 12:44 pm
So Why won't the Republican Congress pass immigration legislation? Obama is trying to deal with the…Read More Bush laws re: illegal children crossing the boarder.
Brent Seeger July 1, 2014 at 03:15 pm
We dont want more immigrants. We need real Americans to have jobs and all they need first. These…Read More other people need to go back home and fix their own countries.
Gwinnett Schools Surpass State Averages in CRCT Scores
Joan Lloyd June 26, 2014 at 07:33 pm
Top Notch school District......Please keep them out of South Gwinnett High. My daughter and her…Read More friends complain about their academic standards not matching that of the District. They are quick to suspend for rude behaviors, (and that is fine) but the academics need to catch up with this rest of the county. Please look into this matter when you get a chance. CONGRATULATIONS GWINNETT!!!!!
Georgia Gwinnett College Accreditation Reaffirmed by Schools Commission
GCPS TV Celebrates Recent EMMY and TELLY Awards
Gene Taylor Named Principal at Sweetwater Middle School
Gwinnett County Students Earn Dean's List at Georgia Tech
GGC Biology Professor Wins Lifetime Achievement Award
Gwinnett School Board Expects Millage Rate to Stay the Same
Gwinnett County Grads from Valdosta State Announced
Gwinnett County Students Earn Degrees at Georgia Tech
83 Gwinnett Students Earn Degrees at Georgia College
Fat Kids and School Lunches: What You Said
Rae Anne Resident June 2, 2014 at 09:35 am
Only a grate fool wood let they kids eat food from school. make they lunchers youselves. it aint…Read More rockem science.
Solange Kincaid June 2, 2014 at 01:45 pm
When did a school lunch become such a primary event in a students' life? A home-served dinner should…Read More be the primary meal event where the kiddies share daily events and nosh on the freshly prepared healthy foods selected by the nurturing adult in the home. School lunches should provide the kiddies with quick energy and inexpensive staples like mac 'n cheese, fries, chocolate milk, and ice cream. Volunteer in an Arlington public school cafeteria and see for yourself the food that is trashed daily that could probably alleviate the starving masses in India and Nigeria for a day! Kids also feel stigmatized by signing in with a school ID that designates free lunch recipients whereas the other kids produce the cash. School-provided breakfasts also rely on bagels and buns - all prone to add to obesity. Parents who don't take the time to provide breakfast to a kid are worthless.
Charlene Culpepper June 9, 2014 at 04:37 pm
I am 65 yrs old and remember eating in the school cafeteria for many years. The food was so so but…Read More it was also a break from the old standby of PB&J or bologna sandwiches that was standard lunch fare in our household. My folks mixed it up but we also paid per day for every lunch we ate at school.. There is no right or wrong way to do this.. Make lunches at school cheaper or better tasting... My grand kids simply don't eat if the cafeteria serves crappy tasting food or if they don't like what I make for them at home.. Ergo, they don't eat anything from 7:30 in the morning when they have breakfast until at least 3:30 in the afternoon when they come home starving... I'm pretty sure most kids are like that since mom and dad are not there to insure that they eat.. Kids will be kids...
How Far Did Georgia Student Go in Spelling Bee?
Georgia Student Advances in National Spelling Bee
Al R. May 31, 2014 at 03:49 am
This comment is very unfair to white and black kids. There are many, many hard-working white and…Read More black kids out there. Besides, kids who win spelling bees aren't necessarily the same ones who run companies and governments--that's far more about people skills. Actually, I feel sorry for a lot of these kids who make it to the National Spelling Bee. Are they participating just because they find it fun, or because their parents are forcing them to spend hours and hours for years memorizing words they'll never use in real life (and depriving them of a normal childhood in the process)?? The kids themselves are wonderful, and I wish them all the best, but I have to question the "drill sergeant" parenting that usually seems to be behind all these contests. I had a good friend in college who was born in India. Both she and her sister became valedictorians at their U.S. high school, but their parents were pushing them hard every step of the way. Her mother (who was abusive) controlled her like a 6-year-old, even when she was in college. She had to call her mother every night around 9 p.m., she couldn't date, etc. Because of all the parental pressure, though, she did very poorly on the MCAT, and never was able to become a doctor like she had dreamed. Even sadder, my friend became a very bitter person and basically ended up just like her mother. Anyway, my point is that behind many of these high-achieving youngsters are pushy, abusive parents, and I'm very concerned about the emotional well-being of these fine kids.
Lone Stranger June 2, 2014 at 01:47 pm
Hey Al. Let me set you straight. White and black kids should be head and shoulders above these kids…Read More but they are all too lazy, spoiled, or just plain stupid to get to work. This is by and large a direct reflection on their parents who are all a bunch of candy a$$es who never worked a day in their lives and are all worthless and weak. Sorry pal but its time for straight talk and any white kid or black kid whining is just a big waste.
Lone Stranger June 2, 2014 at 01:48 pm
Gee Al. I suppose you want to powder these little peoples behinds? Please get out of your mothers…Read More basement and start paying your own bills. Parenting in this country is a joke.
Lilburn National Merit Scholar Headed to Vanderbilt
Two Georgia Students to Compete in National Spelling Bee This Week
Donna May 28, 2014 at 11:25 am
Good luck, guys!
David Brown May 28, 2014 at 11:34 am
It does appear that Asian-American and Indian-American students invariably do well in academic…Read More contests. It is cultural. They expect their children to excel. The same cannot apparently be said of some other cultures. Just my opinion.
Lone Stranger May 28, 2014 at 03:27 pm
Well it seems that lazy white loafer kids whose idiot parents have spoiled them and black hip…Read More hoppers have all failed to make the grade. Take a good look at these kids. They will be your bosses in about 10 years.
Are College Degrees Worthless?
Dawn Urbanek June 10, 2014 at 10:01 pm
We have to make people aware that our State is run by public employee Unions and we need court cases…Read More like today which ruled that the California Teacher Tenure rules are unconstitutional so that we can change laws and vote people out of office who do not represent the interests of the public who pay the taxes.
Spencer James July 11, 2014 at 04:19 pm
Something that is interesting to note is that high school grads are going to four year universities…Read More and studying subject that isn't marketable. While on the other hand you have people getting vocational training at vocational schools that essentially guarantees them a job out of school that will make them 'x' amount of money. So it isn't that college degrees are worthless, some are. It is also said that sometimes trade school is the right choice! Spencer James |  http://www.newmexicodentalassisting.com/home.html
Spencer James July 11, 2014 at 04:20 pm
Something that is interesting to note is that high school grads are going to four year universities…Read More and studying subject that isn't marketable. While on the other hand you have people getting vocational training at vocational schools that essentially guarantees them a job out of school that will make them 'x' amount of money. So it isn't that college degrees are worthless, some are. It is also said that sometimes trade school is the right choice! Spencer James | http://www.newmexicodentalassisting.com
Graduation 2014: Gwinnett County Commencement Schedule
Gwinnett Teachers, Staff to Receive Salary Adjustments
17 Gwinnett County Seniors Earn 2014 Georgia Scholar Titles
Young Gwinnett Scientists, Engineers Prepare for International Fair
15 Seniors From Gwinnett Schools Earn Full Ride in College
Bomb Threat Forces Evacuation at Berkmar High School
Gwinnett School of Math, Science & Tech No. 3 in Rankings of Best U.S. High Schools
Report: 2 Brookwood High Students Cheated on AP Tests
Octo Slash April 17, 2014 at 08:44 am
Cheaters are scum.
Stanton Parish April 18, 2014 at 11:33 am
Amy, please know the facts before trying to make an argument. "...because Gwinnett county…Read More schools have kept this hush hush ... protect their precious Brookwood ...downplaying the situation." Yes, they are downplaying the situation. Wouldn't you? If the media were to get hold of these two childrens' names, they would lose a significant part of their futures. It's not about protecting a reputation for themselves as much as protecting the students. "I understand that two were arrested, probably for breaking into the classroom and that there were about 10 involved" Nobody was arrested. The students entered through unlocked doors so there was no "breaking." There were only three involved as far as the investigation goes- only two of the cases were severe. "I heard that one of the two was slotted to be valedictorian." This is false. "This was a huge scheme with texting and sharing of those photos." How would you know? "I guess Brookwood's brightest aren't that smart." At least they know not to falsify on a public website. I am not defending their actions- they were unjustified and ridiculously foolish to do what they did. Nonetheless, these were mistakes. Hopefully they will learn from them.


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In the early 1950s, the town of Drummond, Mont., boasted busy bus and railroad stations, 11 bars, three grocery stores and 14 gas stations. Now, you can count what's left on one hand. The ranching families that persist are resilient and dogged, and this book of large-format black-and-white photographs with accompanying interviews grows on you: You want Drummond to survive.
Photographer-interviewer Jill Brody relished
getting to know the people of Drummond: "While most Americans have
what we call a 'lifestyle,' " she says, "these people
have a life." Brody says that though she expected people to wallow
in self-pity, nobody obliged. Sixth-generation rancher Jan Manley
is an example: "I was always treated equal when my husband was
alive," she tells us. "But since my husband's died, I have
found out that women are very definitely not equal. To have a woman
in agriculture try and go and borrow money from a bank, for
instance — impossible situation. You just can't do it."
And she's adamant about outsiders. "No one tells me —
especially a man — what I can do with my land. It's
mine, and I'm smart enough to know how to preserve it, how to
keep our creeks and meadows and things like that clean. Ranchers
are probably the best environmentalists there are. ... So for
environmentalists and people who want to tell us how to live our
lives, there is no access across this ranch."
Brody says
she never pushed the question of survival too hard, though
she's aware that everyone thinks about it. "So what if some
folks are actually still living what appear to be mythical lives in
the mythical West?" she asks. She might also have asked why it is
that so many people still want to live on the land, just like
Topic: Culture & Communities Department: Book Reviews
Down — but far from out — in Drummond
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By Ryan Richardson
Globe Staff Writer
JOPLIN, Mo. —
When Roger Allen returned to what was left of his house at 2314 Virginia St. after the May 22, 2011, tornado, he didn't notice the 6-foot pole sticking out of the massive elm tree in his yard.
His focus was on the devastation that his neighbors and his community had suffered. It wasn't until a few weeks later that he realized the pole sticking out of his 80-year-old elm was slowly becoming a landmark. On Saturday, that landmark came down as Allen prepares to break ground on his home Monday.
For Allen, it is a bittersweet moment.
"It was the only big tree left, and there it was with this big heavy pole sticking out of it," Allen said. "It was healthy before and I wanted to save it, make it the centerpiece of my yard, but the damage was too much and it had to go."
The elm was twisted almost 180 degrees counterclockwise, with the three-fourths-inch pole going through the center. The roof from someone's garage was wrapped around the trunk. Allen estimates that roughly 300 people came by and took pictures during the cleanup.
"People wanted to see this tree," Allen said. "It survived when nothing on this block did. There weren't trees left after that storm, and here is this giant tree standing among them."
Allen was not in his home when the tornado touched down. He had found safety at his mother's house, near the former St. John's Regional Medical Center with his sister and niece. He had just got the door shut when the tornado ripped through the house.
"I could hear the glass cracking and I got the door shut as I heard the furniture being thrown around," Allen said. "We got lucky; someone was watching out for us."
Working his way back through the six blocks to his house, he was directing people he found to the Taco Bell on Main Street because he saw people already gathering in the parking lot.
"I had to help people and make sure people were OK," Allen said. "I couldn't find where I lived because everything was different and I just kept finding people who needed help. I thought it was just a few blocks, and maybe the police and paramedics would be there shortly. We had no idea that it went through the whole town."
During the months that followed, Allen spent a lot of time with charities that came to the area to assist. A locksmith by trade, Allen did not charge anyone during that time. Instead, he directed people needing help to the charities that helped him.
"I wanted to let them know that there were people out there who could help." Allen said. "Rebuild Joplin, Compassion in Action, Convoy of Hope, Catholic Charities ... There are so many out there that helped us. Losing a house didn't get to me. Seeing those people who came out to help is what got to me."
Allen will salvage the pole to put in his new home.
"I kept the plaques people left, and I will keep the pole," Allen said. "If I can display it somehow, I will. It's not going anywhere."