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L. Sprague de Camp
|This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2010)
|L. Sprague de Camp
L. Sprague and Catherine Crook de Camp at Nolacon II in 1988
|Lyon Sprague de Camp
November 27, 1907
New York City, New York, USA
|November 6, 2000
(aged 92)
Plano, Texas, USA
|Pen name
|Lyman R. Lyon (one story)[1]
|Novelist, short story author, essayist, historian
|Science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, historical fiction, history
Lyon Sprague de Camp (November 27, 1907 – November 6, 2000) was an American writer of science fiction and fantasy, non-fiction and biography. In a career spanning 60 years, he wrote over 100 books, including novels and notable works of non-fiction, including biographies of other important fantasy authors. He "was widely regarded as an imaginative and innovative writer and was an important figure in the heyday of science fiction, from the late 1930s through the late 1940s."[2]
De Camp was born in New York City, one of three sons of Lyon de Camp and Emma Beatrice Sprague. His maternal grandfather was the accountant, banker, pioneering Volapükist and Civil War veteran Charles Ezra Sprague.[3] De Camp once noted that he rarely used pen-names, "partly because my own true name sounds more like a pseudonym than most pseudonyms do."[4]
An aeronautical engineer by profession, De Camp conducted his undergraduate studies at the California Institute of Technology (where his roommate was at one point noted rocket fuel scientist John Drury Clark), and earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Caltech in Aeronautical Engineering 1930.[5] He earned his Master of Science degree in Engineering from the Stevens Institute of Technology in 1933. De Camp was also a surveyor and an expert in patents.[2]
In 1939, de Camp married Catherine Crook, with whom he collaborated on science fiction and nonfiction beginning in the 1960s.[2]
During World War II, de Camp served as a researcher at the Philadelphia Naval Yard along with his fellow writers Isaac Asimov and Robert A. Heinlein. De Camp eventually rose to the rank of lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy as a reserve officer.
De Camp was a member of the all-male literary and dining club the "Trap Door Spiders" in New York City, which served as the basis of Asimov's fictional group of mystery solvers the "Black Widowers". De Camp himself was the model for the character named "Geoffrey Avalon".[6]
De Camp was a founding member of the Swordsmen and Sorcerers' Guild of America (SAGA), a loosely-knit group of Heroic fantasy writers that was founded during the 1960s and led by Lin Carter, with entry by credentials as a fantasy writer alone.
The de Camps moved to Plano, Texas, in 1989. Sprague de Camp died there on November 6, 2000, seven months after his wife, on what would have been her birthday, just three weeks before his own 93rd birthday. His ashes were inurned, together with hers, in the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
De Camp's personal library of about 1,200 books was acquired for auction by Half Price Books in 2005. The collection included books inscribed by fellow writers, such as Isaac Asimov and Carl Sagan, as well as de Camp himself.[7]
|This section does not cite any references or sources. (April 2013)
De Camp was a materialist who wrote works examining society, history, technology and myth. He published numerous short stories, novels, non-fiction works and poems during his long career.
De Camp had the mind of an educator, and a common theme in many of his works is a corrective impulse regarding similar previous works by other authors. A highly rational and logical thinker, he was frequently disturbed by what he regarded as logical lapses and absurdities in others' writings. Thus, his response to Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court was to write a similar time travel novel (Lest Darkness Fall) in which the method of time travel was rationalized and the hero's technical expertise both set at a believable level and constrained by the technological limitations of the age.
In like fashion, he reimagined space opera and planetary romance in his "Viagens Interplanetarias" series, and the prehistoric precursor civilizations characteristic of much heroic fantasy in his "Pusadian series". When he was not debunking literary conventions he was often explaining them. For example, in the "Harold Shea" stories co-written with his longtime friend Fletcher Pratt (1897–1956), the magical premises of some bodies of myths and legends were accepted but examined and elucidated in terms of their own systems of inherent logic. De Camp's explanatory tendency also carried over into his non-fictional writings.
Science fiction[edit]
De Camp's science fiction is marked by his interests in linguistics, ancient history, and the history and philosophy of science.[8][9][10] His first published story was "The Isolinguals", in the September 1937 issue of Astounding Science Fiction—the last issue edited by F. Orlin Tremaine, prior to the long tenure of John W. Campbell.[1] Most of his early science fiction stories were unrelated to each other, the exceptions being his "Johnny Black" tales about a black bear uplifted to human-level intelligence, and his "Drinkwhiskey Institute" stories, a series of tall tales involving time travel.
De Camp's most highly regarded works[clarification needed] in the genre are his time travel and alternate history stories, including Lest Darkness Fall (1939), "The Wheels of If" (1940), "A Gun for Dinosaur" (1956), "Aristotle and the Gun" (1958), and The Glory That Was (1960) – in the last of which the "time travel" actually turns out to be a tour de force of historical recreation. Lest Darkness Fall, "The Wheels of If" and "Aristotle and the Gun" have been recognized as seminal works in the field of alternate history.[11]
His most extended work was his "Viagens Interplanetarias" series, set in a future where Brazil is the dominant power, particularly a subseries of sword and planet novels set on the planet Krishna, beginning with The Queen of Zamba.[8] His most influential Viagens novel was the non-Krishna work Rogue Queen, a tale of a hive society undermined by interstellar contact, which was one of the earliest science fiction novels to deal with sexual themes.
De Camp wrote a number of lesser-known but nonetheless significant works that explored such topics as racism, which he considered to be more accurately described as ethnocentrism. He pointed out that no scholar comparing the merits of various ethnicities has ever sought to prove that his own ethnicity was inferior to others.[12]
De Camp was best known for his light fantasy, particularly two series written in collaboration with Pratt, the Harold Shea stories (from 1940 et seq.) and "Gavagan's Bar" (from 1950).[1] De Camp and Pratt also wrote some stand-alone novels similar in tone to the Harold Shea stories, of which the most highly regarded is Land of Unreason (1942), and de Camp wrote a few more of this genre on his own.
He was also known for his sword and sorcery, a fantasy genre revived partly by his editorial work on and continuation of Robert E. Howard's "Conan" cycle.[2] He also edited a series of fantasy anthologies credited with helping to spark the renaissance of heroic fantasy in the late 1960s.[13]
De Camp also created three noteworthy sword and sorcery sequences. The "Pusadian series" (from 1951), composed of the novel The Tritonian Ring and several short stories, is set in an antediluvian era similar to Howard's.
More substantial is the "Novarian series" (from 1968), of which the core is the Reluctant King trilogy, beginning with The Goblin Tower, de Camp's most accomplished effort in the genre. The trilogy features the adventurer Jorian, ex-king of Xylar. Jorian's world is an alternate reality to which our own serves as an afterlife. Other novels in the sequence include The Fallible Fiend, a satire told from the point of view of a demon, and The Honorable Barbarian, a follow-up to the trilogy featuring Jorian's brother as the hero.
The Incorporated Knight series comprises some 1970s stories by de Camp and two novels by L. Sprague and Catherine Crook de Camp, The Incorporated Knight (1988) and The Pixilated Peeress (1991).[1] It is set in the medieval era of another alternate world sharing the geography of our own, but in which a Neapolitan empire filled the role of Rome and no universal religion like Christianity ever arose, leaving its nations split among competing pagan sects. The setting is borrowed in part from Mandeville's Travels.
Historical fiction[edit]
De Camp also wrote historical fiction set in the era of classical antiquity from the height of the Persian Empire to the waning of the Hellenistic period. Five novels published by Doubleday from 1958 to 1969[1] form a loosely-connected series based on their common setting and occasional cross references. They were also linked by a common focus on the advancement of scientific knowledge, de Camp's chosen protagonists being explorers, artisans, engineers, innovators and practical philosophers rather than famous names from antiquity, who are relegated to secondary roles. The best known of his historical novels is The Dragon of the Ishtar Gate.
De Camp's first book was Inventions and Their Management, co-written with Alf K. Berle and published by International Textbook Company in 1937: a 733-page book with three-page list of law cases cited.[1][14] He enjoyed debunking doubtful history and pseudoscientific claims about the supernatural. He explained how ancient civilizations produced structures and architecture that many considered to be impossible for them, such as the Pyramids of Ancient Egypt. Works in this area include Lost Continents, Citadels of Mystery, and The Ancient Engineers.
Some others of his many and wide-ranging nonfiction works were The Great Monkey Trial (about the Scopes Trial), The Ragged Edge of Science, Energy and Power, The Heroic Age of American Invention, The Day of the Dinosaur (which argued, among other things, that evolution took hold after Darwin because of the Victorian interest spurred by recently popularized dinosaur remains, corresponding to legends of dragons), and The Evolution of Naval Weapons (a U.S. government textbook).
De Camp's pioneering biographies of fantasy writers were many short articles and full-length studies of Robert E. Howard and H. P. Lovecraft, the first major independent biographies of both writers. His "warts and all" approach to his subjects has been branded by some fans as unflattering and unbalanced. For instance, Mark Finn, author of Blood & Thunder: The Life & Art of Robert E. Howard, contends that de Camp deliberately framed his questions in regard to Howard to elicit answers matching his Freudian theories about him.[15]
Awards and honors[edit]
De Camp and Willy Ley won the 1953 International Fantasy Award for nonfiction recognizing their study of geographical myths, Lands Beyond (Rinehart, 1952).[8][16] De Camp was a guest of honor at the 1966 World Science Fiction Convention[2] and was named the third Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy, after Tolkien and Fritz Leiber, at the 1976 convention.[16] The Science Fiction Writers of America made him its fourth SFWA Grand Master in 1979[17] and he won the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 1984,[16] a Special Achievement Sidewise Award for Alternate History in 1996, citing "seminal works in the field",[11] and the Hugo Award for Nonfiction in 1997 for his autobiography, Time and Chance.[2][16]
In popular culture[edit]
L. Sprague de Camp has been depicted in fictional works by a number of other authors. Randall Garrett conflated him with J.R.R. Tolkien's Gandalf in the character of the magician "Sir Lyon Gandolphus Gray" in his Lord Darcy series. He was the model for the "Geoffrey Avalon" character in Isaac Asimov's fictional group of mystery solvers the "Black Widowers".[6] He also appears without fictional disguise in S. M. Stirling's 2008 alternate history novel In the Courts of the Crimson Kings and Paul Malmont's 2011 historical novel The Astounding, the Amazing, and the Unknown.
Selected works[edit]
This selection is limited to books.
Science fiction[edit]
- Lest Darkness Fall (1939) - an early alternate history novel that helped define the genre and remains in print after more than 70 years.
- The Wheels of If and Other Science Fiction (1948) - early collection of de Camp's short fiction, including "The Wheels of If"
- Genus Homo (1950) (with P. Schuyler Miller) - first science fiction novel de Camp had a hand in, possibly the earliest work of fiction dealing with the "Planet of the Apes" theme
- The Hand of Zei (1950) - the best of the early Krishna novels
- Rogue Queen (1951) - one of the earliest science fiction novels to deal with sexual themes
- The Continent Makers and Other Tales of the Viagens (1953) - collection of most of the shorter works in the Viagens Interplanetarias series
- The Virgin of Zesh (1953) - Krishna novel noted for the early use (for science fiction) of a strong female protagonist and a possible influence on Daniel Keyes's Flowers for Algernon
- The Glory That Was (1960) - a tour de force incorporating most of de Camp's major interests into one work
- A Gun for Dinosaur and Other Imaginative Tales (1963) - collection of some of the best of de Camp's early fiction, including "A Gun for Dinosaur" and "Aristotle and the Gun"
- The Best of L. Sprague de Camp (1978) - a mid-career review collecting de Camp's best short works
- The Incomplete Enchanter (1941) (with Fletcher Pratt) - first of the de Camp/Pratt collaborations, including the earliest Harold Shea stories
- Land of Unreason (1942) (with Fletcher Pratt) - best of the non-series de Camp/Pratt collaborations
- The Undesired Princess (1951) - earliest of de Camp's major fantasies not written in collaboration with Pratt; set in an Aristotelian universe
- Tales from Gavagan's Bar (1953, exp. 1978) (with Fletcher Pratt) - collected edition of de Camp and Pratt's second major fantasy series
- The Tritonian Ring and Other Pusadian Tales (1953) - collection of the earlier works in the Pusadian series, including The Tritonian Ring
- Tales of Conan (1955) (with Robert E. Howard) - collection containing the first of de Camp's "posthumous collaborations" with Howard, marking the beginning of his successful promotion of Howard's "Conan the Barbarian" character
- Conan the Adventurer (1966) (with Robert E. Howard) - collection inaugurating the paperback Conan series, which ensured the success of the character and defined it for a generation
- The Goblin Tower (1968) - first of the Novarian series
- The Fallible Fiend (1973) - offbeat entry in the Novarian series presenting a satirical look at humanity through the eyes of a demon
- The Dragon of the Ishtar Gate (1961) - the first (chronologically) of de Camp's historical novels
- Swords and Sorcery (1963) - pioneering sword and sorcery anthology, the first ever published
- Inventions and Their Management (1937; vt. Inventions, Patents, and Their Management (1959)) (with Alf K. Berle) - de Camp's first work of nonfiction[1][14]
- Lands Beyond (1952) (with Willy Ley) - a comprehensive survey of geographical myths
- Science-Fiction Handbook (1953 (revised 1975, with Catherine Crook de Camp)) - an influential early writers' guide
- Lost Continents; the Atlantis Theme in History, Science, and Literature (1954) - the title says it all
- The Ancient Engineers (1963) - an exhaustive account of practical science through the ages prior to the modern era
- The Great Monkey Trial (1968) - the definitive popular account of the Scopes Trial
- Lovecraft: a Biography (1975) - the first major biography of H. P. Lovecraft
- Literary Swordsmen and Sorcerers (1976) - a major contribution to the historical study of modern fantasy authors
- Dark Valley Destiny: the Life of Robert E. Howard (1983) (with Catherine Crook de Camp and Jane Whittington Griffin) - the first major biography of Robert E. Howard
- The Ape-Man Within (1995) - Explores how human evolution of aggression and competition affected our historical and social development.
- Time and Chance: an Autobiography (1996) - winner of the 1997 Hugo Award for Best Non-Fiction Book
See also[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g L. Sprague de Camp at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database (ISFDB). Retrieved 2013-04-12. Select a title to see its linked publication history and general information. Select a particular edition (title) for more data at that level, such as a front cover image or linked contents.
- ^ a b c d e f "L. S. de Camp, 92, Author Of Over 100 Fantasy Novels." Obituary in The New York Times, November 11, 2000, p. C16.
- ^ De Camp, L. Sprague. "Talking to Ghosts". The New York Times, April 7, 1985, p. SM38.
- ^ De Camp, L. Sprague. Science-Fiction Handbook (New York: Hermitage Press, 1953), p. 177.
- ^ "Caltech Commencement Program". Caltech Campus Publications (Caltech). June 13, 1930. Retrieved 2013-03-29.
- ^ a b Asimov, Isaac. I. Asimov: a Memoir (New York, Doubleday, 1994), chapter 120 "The Trap Door Spiders".
- ^ Weeks, Jerome. "De Camp library for sale ". The Dallas Morning News, October 24, 2005, p. 3G.
- ^ a b c Power, Colleen. "DeCamp, L. (Lyon) Sprague". Reader's Guide to Twentieth-Century Science Fiction (Chicago, American Library Association, 1989), pp. 170-74.
- ^ Laughlin, Charlotte, and Levack, Daniel J. H. De Camp: An L. Sprague de Camp Bibliography. San Francisco, Underwood/Miller, 1983, page 192.
- ^ Knight, David, ed. First Flight: Maiden Voyages in Space and Time, New York, Lancer Books, 1963, p. 9.
- ^ a b "Past Winners and Finalists". Sidewise Awards for Alternate History (uchronia.net). Retrieved 2013-04-23. This was a Special Achievement award "for seminal works in the field" among the first annual Sidewise Awards in 1996 (generally recognizing 1995 publications).
- ^ De Camp, L. Sprague. "The Breeds of Man", Analog Science Fiction and Science Fact, April 1976.
- ^ Stableford, Brian M. "L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt". Supernatural Fiction Writers: Fantasy and Horror, ed. Everett F. Bleiler (New York, Scribner, 1985), vol. 2, p. 929.
- ^ a b "Inventions and their management" (first edition). Library of Congress Catalog Record. Retrieved 2013-04-12.
- ^ Murphy, Brian. "Blood & Thunder: The Life & Art of Robert E. Howard: A review". October 16, 2008.
- ^ a b c d "de Camp, L. Sprague". The Locus Index to SF Awards: Index of Literary Nominees. Locus Publications. Retrieved 2013-04-02.
- ^ "Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master". Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA). Retrieved 2013-04-02.
Listen to[edit]
- A Gun for Dinosaur on X Minus One, NBC radio, 1956
External links[edit]
- L. Sprague de Camp at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- Fletcher Pratt at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- sprague de camp: The Fan Site
- Yahoo Discussion Group for de Camp fans
- 1907 births
- 2000 deaths
- American fantasy writers
- American science fiction writers
- American historical novelists
- 20th-century American novelists
- American short story writers
- Writers of historical fiction set in Antiquity
- L. Sprague de Camp
- SFWA Grand Masters
- People from New York City
- Alternate history writers
- Sidewise Award winners
- United States Navy officers
- Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
- American skeptics
- Science fiction critics
- California Institute of Technology alumni
- Stevens Institute of Technology alumni
- Worldcon Guests of Honor
- Fellows of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry


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½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Peel garlic cloves and cut into small pieces. With the tip of a sharp knife make slits in the pork loin. Stick the garlic pieces into the slits.
3. In a small bowl mix the pepper, Mrs. Dash seasoning, and dried thyme. Rub the mixture over the pork loin.
4. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the oil then sear the meat on all sides until browned, about 5-8 minutes.
5. Place pork loin in a roasting pan and cook for 1 hour or until the thermometer reads at least 145 degrees.
6. Remove roast from pan. Let roast sit for 10 minutes.
For the sauce: In a small bowl mix the apple cider with the cornstarch. Add the onion to the sauté pan that was used to brown the pork and cook for 2 minutes until slightly browned. Add the apple cider mixture, cranberries, and spices to the pan and simmer, stirring for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens and the cranberries begin to split. Serve with the sliced roast pork.
Nutritional Information per serving:
Calories: 168 Carbohydrates: 9 g
Total Fat: 7 g Cholesterol: 73 mg
Saturated Fat: 1 g Dietary Fiber: 0 g
Sodium: 62 mg Protein: 23 g
Parmesan Brown Rice Pilaf (Serves 6)

subset: commoncrawl


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May 22, 2008
Dear Members of the SMU Community:
S. Leon Bennett
It is with deep gratitude for his outstanding service that I announce the retirement of S. Leon Bennett, General Counsel, Vice President for Legal Affairs and Government Relations, and Secretary to the Board of Trustees. Leon will be working on special projects for SMU during the summer and fall, and his retirement will be effective at the end of the calendar year.
For 25 years, Leon has led SMUs Office of Legal Affairs during a time in which legal issues affecting colleges and universities have grown in number and complexity. Typically working behind the scenes, he has handled challenging and sensitive issues with professionalism, discretion and wisdom. As Secretary to the Board of Trustees, he has supported the work of the Board through its restructuring in the late 1980s and continued refinements for greater organizational efficiency.
As the University has worked to implement its Centennial Master Plan for campus development, Leon has been instrumental in facilitating SMUs acquisition of nearby property, working closely with the cities of University Park, Highland Park and Dallas on development issues. He has built important relationships as well with the Texas legislature, the U.S. Congress and government agencies on public policy issues affecting higher education in general and SMU in particular. Most recently, he played a critical role in preparations and negotiations for the George W. Bush Presidential Library, helping to craft the detailed and historic documents of SMUs agreement with the Bush Foundation.
In all areas of his leadership, Leons primary concern has been representing the Universitys best interests. Looking at the span of his service – from 1983 to the present – it is not difficult to imagine the range of activity, adaptations, growth and challenges that SMU has experienced. Leon has been there every step of the way as attorney, vice president, corporate officer and trusted colleague.
I know you will join me in thanking Leon and wishing him well.
R. Gerald Turner
SMU President
# # #


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For cruise passengers arriving in Civitavecchia with only a single day to see the beautiful city of Rome and what it has to offer - this privately guided fully narrated shore excursion is the best option. The day trip to Rome includes a dedicated personal tour guide to show you all of Rome's highlights as well as ensuring you make it back to the cruise ship at the end of the day. And by booking ahead, you won't waste any time waiting in line! Vatican Museums and Colosseum pre-booked skip the line entrance tickets are included in the tour cost.
Meet your private air-conditioned vehicle at the entrance to Civitavecchia port and transfer directly to Rome's religious core, a tiny country all in itself - the Vatican City. Your private guide will greet you as soon as you arrive in Rome and you'll be skipping the line into the Vatican Museums in no time! The guide will introduce you to some of the most precious and famous art in the world, as well as the must-see Sistine Chapel. Next, take a peek into St. Peter's Basilica (you'll skip the line here too!) to see, Michelangelo's Pieta, as well as St. Peter's Square.
Be whisked away to the heart of historic Rome for a lunch break at a traditional Roman restaurant we can recommend, or wherever your taste buds lead you! Your private, dedicated guide will be at your side for the entire day to answer all your questions, provide you with the best advice, and take you to all of the most important fountains, piazzas and monuments which include the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps and much more.
No trip to Rome is complete without a stop at the Colosseum. Skip the long queues yet again and explore the interiors and bloody history of this infamous monument! Enjoy being comfortably transferred back to Civitavecchia in time the catch your ship.
Please list any special interests you have (art, architecture, history, culture) at time of booking to alert our guide, so that he or she can better prepare for your private tour.
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By Staff
New Castle News
Christina Noble was crowned 2013 Homecoming queen Friday.
She is a daughter of Richard and Amy Noble.
Christina is a four-year letter-winner in volleyball, and a three-year letterwinner in basketball and track.
She is president of student council and served as co-chair of the 2012 PASC conference.
She also is president of National Honor Society, as well as a member of SAVE4, Teenettes, French Club, Peer Leadership, Extreme Leadership, Physics Club, Prom Committee and AP World History Club.
She plans to attend a four-year college to major in political science.


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Working as a money manager encompasses many capacities from research and analysis to risk management to marketing. Asset managers monitor news on their investments and potential investments and must be ready to react and adjust their portfolio. Thus, asset managers must be decisive and confident with risk-taking. Asset managers often have analysts to assist them, but must have the ability to synthesize information from various sources and draw conclusions. Money managers rely on economic theory as well as probability and math in their decision making on a daily basis. Managers should also be able to clearly articulate their views to colleagues and clients (investors) and potential clients. I enjoyed all facets of the investments process. My education prepared me well to perform many of the expected tasks. However, the level of stress in dealing with time-sensitive information was uncomfortable for me. Managers can be required to take large amounts of risk in short periods of time. As a money manager, your portfolio performance is calculated constantly and one must be comfortable with such evaluations.
I am a calligrapher. My business has taken many forms from designing envelopes for invitations to creating personal stationery and note pads. I loved learning the art. I began by learning 4 basic, traditional styles. Calligraphy, like many art forms, is in the hands and mind of the artist. I enjoy modifying styles to suit the aesthetics of my projects. I enjoy new creations much more than repeatedly addressing envelopes so I have taken my business in that direction. I design stationary and notepads with literary quotes and alphabetic initials. I print many copies, package them at home and sell them locally. Calligraphy is a beautiful ancient art form that I love to practice and share.
Caregivers are natural generators for positive energy. They thrive in social settings, especially when cultivating creativity. Expression and originality are important to the Caregiver—they are fascinated with the designs of life and love to share their findings with other people. Their attention is captivated by the oddities around them. The Caregiver's empathetic and sensitive nature makes them natural people-persons.


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ATLANTA - A new report estimates that half the meat and poultry sold in the supermarket may be tainted with the staph germ.
That estimate is based on 136 samples of beef, chicken, pork and turkey purchased from grocery stores in Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Flagstaff, Ariz. and Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
"Staph is probably already on the meat," said University of Washington food safety expert Charles Easterberg. "The question is how do we make it so it's not drug resistant?"
Easterberg believes what we're feeding the livestock is feeding the problem. By injecting the animals with growth hormones and giving them continued doses of antibiotics, they've developed a drug resistant strain of Staph.
Researchers found more than half contained Staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria that can make people sick. Worse, half of those contaminated samples had a form of the bacteria resistant to at least three kinds of antibiotics.
"Our bodies can have a hard time defeating them, especially if no drugs are working," said Easterberg.
Proper cooking should kill the germs. But the report suggests that consumers should be careful to wash their hands and take other steps not to spread bacteria during food preparation.
The nonprofit Translational Genomics Research Institute in Arizona did the work.


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Standard Leather
Chromium free and in stock at Herman Miller, standard leather is a winner for most. Direct from Austria with a soft matte feel, this is the most popular leather used on Herman Miller upholstered items. It has a faint embossed grain pattern and little shine.
Open Line Leather
This Austrian leather is essentially the same as the standard leather, but is available in a wider array of colors. It also has a light embossed grain and is matte in finish.
MCL Leather
Italian by birth, MCL has a soft hand and natural touch with great performance - and it's easy on the earth. It will show more wrinkles over time and wear well. Avoid high-wear applications that require high cleanability and those which expose the leather to direct sunlight. It has a medium grain and shine and is a nice upgrade from the standard leather for the price.
Dream Cow Leather
A gentle European full grain aniline-dyed cowhide with a calfskin feel, this leather is soft and comes in many great colors to accent your decor. Dream cow is very popular; it has a natural grain and medium shine and is similar to Royal Hide without the price.
Metallic Dream Cow Leather
Metallic is right. This leather is infused with metals and soft shine - on cowhide for huge versatility. Features offbeat, moody colors with a shimmer to them.
All Grain Leather
European full grain aniline-dyed cowhide, All Grain is the easy choice for high-traffic areas with its thicker, more durable finish. It has a high shine with a very thick, grainy feel.
Royal Hide Leather
This versatile leather is the most beautiful of its kind. Offers a huge color range. It will develop a rich patina over time, making it a great heirloom and eliminating the need for reupholstery. Medium grain and medium shine.
At A Glance: With its emphasis on beautiful materials and simplified forms, the Eames leather sofa exemplifies the best in modern furniture design. Its angled profile and clean lines showcase a harmonious combination of rich walnut, soft leather and polished aluminum. Equally fitting for the contemporary home or office, it's a luxurious place to settle back and relax.The Eames sofa was the last piece of furniture produced by the Eames Office, which completed the design after Charles Eames died in 1978. It went into production in 1984 and has been manufactured by Herman Miller ever since.Charles and Ray Eames designed the sofa to complement their plush soft pad chairs and the sleek chaise. It stands as a graceful reminder of the honest genius of Charles and Ray Eames. See the entire Herman Miller Sofa collection. What's To Like: Our first opportunity to sit on the Eames Sofa was notable for several reasons. First: we had never sat on a sofa that was so refined, so beautifully proportioned. Second: it's a leather sofa, and we didn't slide off! The Eames Sofa is angled so that the sitter comfortably slides back into a supported position with weight distributed between the back and seat. Third: you'd never be able to tell that the sofa's foam is only 2" thick. It feels like you're sitting on a cloud. And Fourth: just the act of sitting on such a nice sofa, with the knowledge that it was worth a lot of money and was made so intentionally, put us in the mood for a glass of wine and a good book. What's Not to Like: Well, we'd be silly if we didn't acknowledge that the Eames Sofa is an expensive piece of furniture. That, and the fact that your grandmother might find it hard to get out of the sitting pocket created by the sofa's backward tilt, are the only things we can think of that can be negatives. The Bottom Line: The Eames Sofa is beautiful, richly appointed, and an icon of the mid-century modern era. It's immediately recognizable for the enduring quality of its design, and will be an heirloom-quality feature anywhere you put it. Not only that, but the Eames Sofa is full-blown comfortable. It's easy to find recognizable designs that aren't comfortable - but this one was obviously designed by its future users with beauty and comfort in mind. Details:
Leather Options:
The Herman Miller Eames Sofa is also known by the following manufacturer Item Numbers: ES108, ES108OT, ES108OU.
Smart Furniture is a certified retailer of Herman Miller products.
Herman Miller is an industry leader in the integration of cutting edge technology to furniture and other household items to make everyday life more comfortable, convenient, and stylish. Herman Miller stands out at the forefront of such fields as ergonomic technologies, environmentally friendly manufacturing processes, and customizable furniture items.
In addition to producing some of the most outstanding office furniture in the world, Herman Miller has also taken on the responsibility of manufacturing some of the most celebrated furniture designs by some of the world's most famous designs. These "modern classics" include works by Charles and Ray Eames, George Nelson, and Isamu Noguchi. Herman Miller celebrates these famous mid-century designers' works through its extraordinarily precise manufacturing techniques and industry-leading green production processes.
Herman Miller is a global company with operations, sales offices, dealers, and licensees in more than 40 countries in North America, Asia/Pacific, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, serving customers virtually anywhere in the world. Herman Miller is headquartered in Zeeland, Michigan, while manufacturing facilities are located in the U.S., China, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
Free White Glove (for residential destinations within the contiguous U.S. only)
Service includes delivery of high value, large, extremely heavy and or extremely fragile items. Delivery is made to your room of choice and includes unpacking, 15-30 minutes of light assembly and debris removal. Deliveries are generally made within 3-10 days from the time your order ships, and occur Monday through Friday. After hours and weekend deliveries can also be arranged upon request. Day and time specific delivery appointments are required, and someone must be present to receive the order.
The Eames Sofa comes with a 5-year manufacturer's warranty.Do you have specific questions about what's covered under Herman Miller's warranty for this product? Give our sales team a call at 888-467-6278 to get your questions answered.Did you purchase a piece of Herman Miller furniture that's not working as expected? Send an email to email@example.com or contact our customer service department at 888-762-7841, and we'll take care of you. We usually ask for a photo or video of the warranty issue that you're experiencing, so if you want to expedite the warranty claim process, you can e-mail us with those attachments, and we'll jump on filing the claim for you right away


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|Bus Trips Set For Men's Soccer Games
WILMINGTON, North Carolina – Wilmington Bus Tours and Cape Fear Limo have teamed up to offer bus trips to a pair of upcoming UNCW men's soccer games.
The first trip to the UNCW-Duke game on Tuesday, Oct. 1, in Durham is scheduled to depart from the Trask Coliseum parking lot at 2 p.m. The Seahawks and Blue Devils will battle at 7 p.m. at Koskinen Stadium.
The second trip is set for the UNCW-North Carolina game on Oct. 22. The departure time will once again be 2 p.m. for the 7 p.m. start.
The cost of each trip is $38 and includes round trip transportation and game admission. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the UNCW programs.
To reserve a seat, visit WilmingtonBusTours.com or call Douglas Shaw at 910-619-1777.


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Doll Face is what the closest of Kayla Collins's friends call her, but that hasn't freed her from the burden of working for her daily bread, or ice cream. "I've worked at ice cream shops since I was 14," she says, which has given her certain insights into what her customers prefer. "I'm sure men had fantasies about their little Friendly's waitress," she says. "Now I'm going to confirm them all." The 21-year-old aspiring property flipper moved to California after three years at Penn State. "I'll probably finish school out here because I love the beach and always wanted to live in California," says Kayla, who grew up in Pennsylvania farm country. "Everybody wore cowboy hats and drove pickup trucks to school." A good student and a cheerleader, Kayla also danced for 11 years – tap, jazz, hip-hop and some ballet. "Everybody seems amazed by my flexibility. I can put my feet completely over my head, no problem." As you take a moment to file that image away forever in your long-term memory, let's recap: blonde, beautiful, smart, whipped-cream enthusiast and flexible marvel. No wonder Playmate scout extraordinaire Holly Madison encouraged Miss August to try out. "I added her as a friend on MySpace, and she sent me a message," says Kayla. "I just wanted to come out and meet her, and it turned into taking some Polaroids, doing a test shoot and taping an episode of The Girls Next Door. I wrote in my friend's school yearbook, 'You'll see me in the pages of Playboy.' It's really cool because I'm living out my dream." Kayla had modeled previously but never posed nude until now. "I look better naked than in lingerie," she says. Her boyfriend would surely agree...if she had one. "I'd love to be in a relationship. There are so many guys in L.A., but where are the good ones? I haven't found my soul mate yet, but I think there is one person you're supposed to be with. I'm a hopeless romantic."
PlaymatesPlaymatesLet's Be Cops Red Band Trailer with Kayla Collins and Jake Johnson
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Spherical Harmonic Lighting
Spherical Harmonics(SH) functions are a set of orthogonal basis functions defined in spherical coordinates using imaginary numbers. In this post, we use the following conversion between spherical and cartesian coordinates:
Since we are dealing with real value functions, we only need to deal with real spherical harmonics functions which in the form of:
The index l of the SH function is called the band index which is an integer >= 0 and index m is an integer with range -l<=m<=l , so there will be (2l + 1) functions in a given band. You may refer to the Appendix A2 of Stupid Spherical Harmonics(SH) Trick to look up the evaluated value of the SH basis function for a pair of (l, m).
The linear combination of SH basis functions with scalar values can be used to approximate a function as below:
With an approximation up to band l = n - 1, which n×n coefficients are needed.
So the remaining problem to approximate a function is to compute the coefficient c which can be solved either analytically or numerically by Monte Carlo Integration.
For shading lambert diffuse surface without shadow, we can simplify the rendering equation into:
To solve this integral, we can project the functions L(x, ω) and max(N.ω, 0) into SH functions using Monte Carlo Integration, then by the property 2 described above, the integral equals to dot product of the SH coefficients of the 2 SH projected functions.
Zonal Harmonics
If a SH projected function is rotational symmetric about a fixed axis, it is called Zonal Harmonics(ZH). If this axis is the z-axis, this will make the ZH function only depends on θ, which will result in only one non-zero coefficient in each band with m= 0. Then rotation of the ZH function can be greatly simplified. When the ZH function is rotated to a new axis d, the coefficients of the rotated SH function will equals to:
,which is faster than the general SH rotation. The ZH function is well suit to approximate the function max(N.ω, 0) in the above diffuse surface rendering equation since the SH projected L(x, ω) is usually done in world space while the shading surface can be re-oriented to the same space to perform lighting calculation.
WebGL Demo
Here is a webGL demo (which need a webGL enabled browser such as Chrome) using the cube map below as light source and projected to SH function using Monte Carlo Integration.
Both the white and the blue color on the model is reflected from the sun and the blue sky using SH coefficients generated from the cube map and the ZH coefficients projected from max(N.ω, 0) which rotated to world space according the surface normal. The approximation is done up to band l=2. You can drag in the viewport to rotate the camera. Below is a screen shot of the demo:
The source code of the webGL can be downloaded here.
SH functions can be used to approximate the rendering equation with only a few coefficients and a simple dot product to evaluate lighting during run time. But it also has its disadvantage while SH can only approximate low frequency function as it needs large number of bands to represent high frequency details.
[1] Spherical Harmonics Lighting: The Gritty Details: http://www.research.scea.com/gdc2003/spherical-harmonic-lighting.pdf
[2] Stupid Spherical Harmonics(SH) Trick: http://www.ppsloan.org/publications/StupidSH36.pdf
[3] Physically Based Rendering: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0123750792/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=012553180X&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=09AG8FQQWKJHC2AEFPD1
[4] Sky box texture downloaded from: http://www.codemonsters.de/home/content.php?show=cubemaps


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An independent investigation into former City of Rockville employees' claims of harassment and discrimination by supervisors found "no unlawful conduct," the city said in a news release late Wednesday.
The in May to conduct the internal review of the city's personnel policies and procedures after The Sentinel newspaper published a series of articles detailing complaints by former employees. A former city building inspector told The Sentinel that the city had become "a toxic environment" in which to work.
Former city employees said managers were required to change performance evaluations, supervisors made racist comments and, in one case, an employee's medical history was openly discussed, The Sentinel reported.
The City Council received a briefing on the firm's findings and recommendations in a closed session on Tuesday evening at City Hall.
"Saul Ewing identified no unlawful conduct," the city's release said. "Based on the internal review, Saul Ewing has recommended improvements to communication between management and staff and to the City's human resources processes. The firm found that no one person, department or policy was at the root of the complaints."
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The firm's recommendations included:
- An affirmation from human resources staff and all city supervisors that all personnel information remains confidential.
- The purchase of human resources information systems software to track and monitor employee complaints, grievances and evaluations.
- Clarification and refinement of employee performance evaluation policies and procedures, including implementing an electronic performance evaluation system.
- An update of the city's Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual.
- Improved training on personnel policies and procedures to ensure consistent interpretation and application.
Rockville is unlikely to release additional information about the investigation to the public. In announcing the probe's conclusion, city officials defended its confidentiality.
"The final report is confidential as it contains personnel information which cannot be made public," the release said.
Saul Ewing's initial contract for the investigation ran through Aug. 15 and was for up to $90,000. On Aug. 6, the council approved an additional $100,000 for the investigation and extended Saul Ewing's contract through Oct. 31, The Sentinel reported. Saul Ewing later requested an extension on the completion date, The Sentinel reported.
The city worked with Saul Ewing to solicit input from city employees, mailing information about the probe to employees' homes. The city also established a confidential telephone hotline for scheduling confidential in-person interviews with investigators "at confidential locations in and around Rockville," the release said.
Interviewees included employees from seven city departments across all levels of city government, the release said.
"I am very grateful to those individuals who came forward to share their concerns with the investigators," Mayor Phyllis Marcuccio said in the release. "It is because of their trust in our process that we can now move forward under our new city manager with a list of recommendations and changes that will return our city to the superior place to work we know it should be."
Barbara Matthews, a former Takoma Park city manager who took over as Rockville's city manager on Oct. 1, welcomed the recommendations.
"The City of Rockville is a community service organization, and our employees are our most valuable asset," Matthews said in the release. "The findings outlined in the Saul Ewing report provide the city with the opportunity to strengthen its work environment, in order to better support the members of our workforce as well as the community we serve."
Matthews said the report "comes at an opportune time as I begin the recruitment process for a new Director of Human Resources. The report recommendations will be helpful in identifying the priority issues that the new Director of Human Resources will need to address in order to implement the necessary organizational changes."
Carlos Vargas resigned as the city's human resources director, effective June 1. Marcuccio and the City Council were made aware of Vargas' resignation in an email on June 2, the day after Vargas' final day on the job.
At the time, Marcuccio said Vargas had "a lot of history" and could be able provide details about how city employees were treated. It is unclear whether investigators interviewed Vargas.
Read more Rockville Patch coverage of the investigation:
- Sentinel: Outside Investigators to Probe City Employees' Claims
- Saul Ewing to Probe Former City Employees' Claims
- Mayor: Former HR Director 'Has a Lot of History'
- Contract Offers Glimpse Into Probe of Former City Employees' Claims


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Wine in reusable growlers? Oregon Senate says cheers
Mar 29, 2013
By JONATHAN J. COOPER
Of the Associated Press
SALEM — Fans of Oregon craft beer can bring a reusable container known as a "growler" to their local brewery and fill up, and the Oregon wine industry wants in on that kind of trade.
The state Senate raised a glass to the idea Thursday, voting unanimously to let wineries, restaurants, grocery stores and wine shops dispense wine in consumer-supplied growlers of up to two gallons. The measure now goes to Gov. John Kitzhaber.
Winemakers say they're always looking for new ways to market the products of a growing Oregon business, adding that growlers save a lot of glass and cork.
"It is really environmentally friendly, and it's also promoting wine as a daily commodity that can be enjoyed with meals and shouldn't be thought of as something extraordinarily special every time," said Wynne Peterson-Nedry, the second-generation winemaker at Chehalem Winery in Newberg.
Chehalem already offers growler fills at its tasting room. The legislation will allow its customers to fill their growlers at restaurants and grocery stores, Peterson-Nedry said.
Oregon has about 900 vineyards, according to the Oregon Winegrowers Association. Many are small operations that have trouble competing for limited space on store shelves, said Sen. Lee Beyer, D-Springfield. The measure would give the small local businesses another way to get their wine in front of consumers.
"It allows the small wineries to get equal standing with some of their larger brethren from outside the state," Beyer said.
Some wineries already distribute wine in kegs, which restaurants use to sell by the glass.
The legislation would require the wine to be dispensed by someone with a valid service license from the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. As with beer growlers, the wine container will have to be securely covered before it's returned to the customer.
A spokeswoman for Kitzhaber, Amy Wojcicki, said the governor will sign the bill, and it will take effect immediately. That will happen in time for winemakers to promote growlers during Oregon Wine Month in May, said Dan Jarman, a lobbyist for the Oregon Winegrowers Association, in testimony submitted to legislative committees.
The bill is HB 2443. Contact or follow AP writer Jonathan J. Cooper at http://twitter.com/jjcooper .
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Birds and Mammals
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Crab, Icriocarcinus xestos, Cretaceous, Point Loma Formation
Fossil Insects and Crustaceans
Little black ants have invaded my kitchen again. As they march along in a straight line, it would take little imagination to see them as cars on a highway in the country, as observed from high up in an airplane. They won't find anything to eat on the clean countertop, even though they're very persistent. As I sit down to write on this warm first evening of fall, I can hear the dreamy chorus of crickets outside my screen door. If I were in a hot, wooded area of the country, at the right time in their life cycle, it would be cicadas making the sound, but it would be a louder, tenser sound like some kind of electrical device resonating without end. On the east coast, it would not be a symphony of sound outside, but a of show of light, with fireflies flickering on and off among the trees and bushes.
These are the insects. Ants, flies, termites, cockroaches, lady bugs, and bees are just a few examples of the largest class of animals on the planet. Insects make up more than 75% of all known animal species with some 950,000 different kinds. The insects are one class, Class Insecta, within the Phylum Arthropoda. Also in this phylum are the crustaceans, in the Class Malacostraca. This class includes crabs, shrimp, and lobsters (three of my favorite sea foods), barnacles, and a number of other less familiar forms. One other arthropod class is the Arachnida, including spiders, scorpions, and ticks. Other arthropod classes include horseshoe crabs, centipedes, and millipedes.
If you observe a crab walking among the rocks, you can see the obvious resemblance to the closely related insect. Like insects, crabs have jointed legs; insects have three pairs of legs, whereas crabs have five pairs of legs. The jointed legs of crustaceans and insects are one of the principal characteristics of the arthropods. It is this characteristic that gives this phylum the name. Arthro means "joint," and pod means "foot." Thus, arthropods are the phylum of joint-legged animals. These unique appendages are enclosed in the exoskeleton, another important characteristic of Phylum Arthropoda. This outer crusty shell, which provides support for the soft internal body, is compared to the armored knights of medieval times. This is the perfect comparison, but it is doubtful that the knights of old ever moved with the grace and speed of arthropods such as centipedes and scorpions.
Arthropods were among the first animals on Earth and existed long before the dinosaurs and primitive mammals, more than 400 million years ago. Most arthropods today are very small; few are over several inches long. In prehistoric times however, some fossil species were giants. The largest insect known was a prehistoric dragonfly, Meganeura monyi, with a wingspan of up to 75 cm long which lived during the Permian Period about 280 million years ago. This giant dragonfly was found in the 1880s in Stephanian Coal Measures, a historically famous area of Commentry, France. A giant scorpion, Pulmonoscorpius kirktonensis, 70 cm in length, known from the East Kirkton Limestone of Scotland, lived during the early Carboniferous, around 320 million years ago. This giant scorpion was small, however, by comparison to its relative, the sea scorpion, Euypteurus remipes, which lived during the Silurian Period about 420 million years ago and grew to two meters long—as big as a full grown human! The giant sea scorpions were the largest arthropods that ever lived. This arthropod monster is known from the Bertie Dolostone, a limestone deposit from New York State, including the Niagara Escarpment.
No, the San Diego Natural History Museum does't have any fossil remains of giant scorpions, giant dragonflies, or sea scorpions in any of our collections. But our invertebrate fossil collections do include the remains of insects from two famous fossil deposits: the Green River Formation of Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah, and the Florissant Fossil Beds of Colorado. Each of these collections in our Museum includes a specimen of a beautifully preserved fossil fly. Both of these locations are Eocene-aged deposits that were formed at the bottom of ancient lakes, and both are famous for their fossil remains of tropical and temperate insects, plants, fish, and other vertebrates. The oldest known bat was found in the Green River Formation, and fossil tree trunks have been found in the Florissant Beds, including the fossil tree stump which is on display in Disneyland in California.
We have not found any identifiable remains of insects in San Diego County. This is because the conditions for preservation of fossil insects did not exist in our region during prehistoric times. Ideal conditions for the preservation of insects as fossils include being embedded in amber or buried in fine sediments in calm bodies of water such as lakes. Neither of these conditions occurred to a significant degree in the region surrounding present-day San Diego.
By contrast, we do have a number of species of fossil crustaceans in our paleontology collection. They were abundant because the ocean bottom environment was the most common environment in our region during most of the time periods from which we find fossils—the Cenozoic Era, Eocene Epoch, Pliocene Epoch, and the Pleistocene Epoch. It was the combination of the common presence of crustaceans and the ideal conditions for their preservation that resulted in the fossilization of these species.
As a result, we have large parts of the bodies of crabs and hermit crabs, along with smaller pieces like claw and leg segments, from these and other species from the Pliocene, 2 to 5 million years ago, and numerous, nearly complete bodies from two crab species, and parts of ghost shrimp from the Cretaceous, 90 to 70 million years ago, are also part of our collection. Several species of well-preserved crustacean fossils have been found in material from the Eocene, about 45 million years ago, including a type of stone crab, swimmer crabs, three species of ghost shrimps, a comb-like leg segment of a mantis shrimp, and small, nearly whole mantis shrimps. Within the last three years, a half dozen new species and genera were described from Eocene fossil crustaceans recovered in the field by our PaleoServices staff from various projects in San Diego County. The crustacean fossils from our area are a valuable scientific resource, and will enable us to learn even more about the fascinating arthropods and the kinds of environmental conditions they once lived in.
As I conclude this article, I think about getting some sleep and wonder what should I have for dinner tomorrow. For some reason, shrimp and crab pasta sounds really good…
To learn more about Eocene crustaceans, see the article on the Museum website about a fascinating new ghost shrimp found by paleontology field collectors a few years ago.


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Community News Network
VIDEO: Toddler held at knifepoint in Walmart, police shoot suspect
Surveillance video shows a toddler being held at knifepoint in Walmart. The incident ended with police shooting the incoherent suspect at point-blank range.
- Community News Network
Medical marijuana opponents' most powerful argument is at odds with a mountain of research
Opponents of marijuana legalization are rapidly losing the battle for hearts and minds. Simply put, the public understands that however you measure the consequences of marijuana use, the drug is significantly less harmful to users and society than tobacco or alcohol.
Obama had crush on First Lady of Rock
Linda Ronstadt remained composed as she walked up to claim her National Medal of Arts at a White House ceremony Monday afternoon.
Can black women have it all?
In a powerful new essay for the National Journal, my friend Michel Martin makes a compelling case for why we need to continue the having-it-all conversation.
Redskins not the only nickname to cause a stir
Daniel Snyder has come under fire for refusing to change the mascot of his NFL team, the Washington Redskins. The Redskins, however, are far from being the only controversial mascot in sports history. Here is a sampling of athletic teams from all areas of the sports world that were outside the norm.
'Rebel' mascot rising from the dead
Students and alumni from a Richmond, Va.-area high school are seeking to revive the school's historic mascot, a Confederate soldier known as the "Rebel Man," spurring debate about the appropriateness of public school connections to the Civil War and its icons.
Stranger's generosity stuns Ohio veteran
Vietnam War veteran David A. Tobias was overwhelmed recently when a fellow customer at an OfficeMax store near Ashtabula, Ohio paid for a computer he was purchasing.
Llama on the loose corralled in Missouri town
A llama on the lam cruised Main Street Tuesday before it mistook a resident's fenced backyard for a place to grab a meal and freshen up.
Airman laid to rest back home in Indiana six decades after death
The mystery of what happened to a military transport plane that disappeared in the fall of 1952 into an Alaskan glacier was solved two years ago when a helicopter crew spotted the wreckage. But it took another two years to retrieve the remains of Airman Howard Miller and 16 other servicemen passengers. Saturday, Miller was laid to rest in his hometown of Elwood, Ind., with full military honors. Hundreds turned out for the funeral and burial services.
New York to offer free lunch to all middle-school students
New York's $75 billion spending plan for the fiscal year that began last week includes the first step toward offering free lunch for all 1.1 million students, expanding a program now reserved only for the city's poorest children.
VIDEO: Pilot buys pizzas for storm-delayed travelers
A Frontier Airlines pilot went above and beyond the call of duty when a recent flight from Washington, D.C. to Denver was diverted to Cheyenne, Wyoming due to bad weather.
- More Community News Network Headlines
- Medical marijuana opponents' most powerful argument is at odds with a mountain of research


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Taylor Swift is one of my inspirations! She is my Hero. My life would suck without her.
Taylor Swift taught me to be Fearless and that letting go of something that means so much to you is Fearless! She showed me that I should embrace myself if I am different. Taylor Swift is like a ray of sunshine, She has such a beautiful heart. She is more than Enchanting!
I love the Hunger Games and I have an obsession with it. I am currently reading the trilogy and I have fallen in love with it. :)
I love her so much!
:3 Look at that beautiful smile.
My Randomness.
Thank You All For Viewing my Profile. Talk to you soon. Toodles. xx
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Hello,I'm Vanessa and I think Taylor swift is the best
The first song I heard from her was Love story
I love strawberries and my favorite animal is rabbits because I've
got two.My favorite movie is the hunger games
I wood love too see valentines day,I've seen the trailer
My favorite album of Taylor swift is speak now
I really hope you want to be my friend :-)
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Harper: Hampton must react to first defeat
8:00am Friday 2nd November 2012 in Sport By Stuart Amos
On target: Hampton Malvin Kamara celebrates scoring the only goal in Saturday's 1-0 FA Trophy win over Three Bridges, but the cheers turned to tears on Monday
Hampton & Richmond Borough boss Mark Harper has demanded his players turn a negative into a positive after suffering a first league defeat of the campaign on Monday night.
An 89th minute Richard Jolly strike saw Wealdstone beat the Beavers 3-2, despite Joel Ledgister and Tom Hickey giving their side a 2-0 half-time advantage.
Hampton, missing groin strain victim Darren Powell in defence, conceded the same number of goals on Monday night as they had in their previous three games.
But they remain top of the Ryman Premier League table and Harper, who expects Powell to be fit for this weekend's visit to East Thurrock United, wants it to stay that way.
"This week will be a massive test of character for our boys," he said.
"We've lost our first league game and I want to see a positive reaction.
"We played our best 45 minutes of football this season in the first half and probably our worst 45 minutes in the second half.
"Credit to Wealdstone though. They played well and Richard Jolly has made a career out of scoring those goals."
Saturday's 1-0 FA Trophy triumph over Three Bridges featured a cameo from new signing Tresor Kandol after his international clearance was fast-tracked by the Spanish Football Federation.
"We need to get him fit quickly and hopefully we'll see the best of him soon," added Harper.


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By Tim Graham
On his underappreciated Sully on Sports blog, Buffalo News columnist Jerry Sullivan wrote about Buffalo Bills center Eric Wood's incendiary comments regarding the Toronto series.
Wood fielded questions at his locker stall today and didn't retreat from blunt statements made on 97 Rock's "Norton in the Morning" the day after the Seattle Seahawks bludgeoned the Bills in the Rogers Centre.
Wood said on the show he thought the Toronto series was "a joke," that "nobody wants to play there" and that he hoped "we don't renew it."
"I wrote and deleted about three tweets during the game, kind of using that 10-second rule," Wood said today. "It was probably for the best. It kind of ticked me off. The way I look at it was, last week we were still in the [playoff] hunt, and we've got a team traveling from the West Coast and we make them real comfortable. They get on a plane to play in Toronto, in a dome, without much crowd noise."
Sully has been of the opinion that playing in Toronto not only forfeits home-field advantage, but also is worse than a road game because there isn't any negative energy to feed off of. Wood agreed.
"You provide comfort that shouldn't happen when you travel to Buffalo," Wood said. "You should have a cold, uncomfortable feeling when people come in. That's our advantage. We go up in that dome and we let them feel really comfortable."
Check out Sully's blog entry for more quotes about the Toronto series and Wood's prospects for returning this week from a left knee injury.


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Every parent and educator will welcome the blend of multicultural tales, biographies, universal spirituality, and original fun adventures of children who could live on your street. Expansive, respectful, real, and warm with kindness, these stories offer possibilities for life to children and adults who feel in their heart that they belong to a larger reality.read more
In this video, you'll be introduced to several children, learn about their dreams, and be inspired by their spirit. Join us as we follow these children and others over the course of the next year. You'll see children take their first sip of clean water, go to school for the first time, and finally grow healthy.read more
Ultimately, Tension in the Tank is about faith that is relevant, secure and ever-evolving. It is a guidebook for building meaningful relationships with Spirit, self and each other. Radically open to possibility and wonder, Tension in the Tank offers the opportunity and challenge to live our faith in such a way that the walls between us come down and we become pursuers and enactors of universal justice.read more
For deeper love we spread the bread
I won't be full till all are fed
Till every soul has home and bed
The rest of us can't move ahead
Watch mountain shadows run
Allelujia! Amen!
Clouds gilded by the sun
Allelujia! Amen!
Hear tumbling water sing
Birds calling on the wing
Do the right thing, do the right thing, do it all the time, do it all the time. Make yourself right, never mind them. Don't you know you're not the only one suffering. I hear a higher calling, better here than there I guess so long.read more
To hold a bloom of California buckwheat in the palm of your hand is to admire an infinity of heavens. Each little round flower is a mass of tinier flowers, their delicate pink stamens pointing out in every direction of the universe. The tough stems of the plant, with their little spiky leaves, stay green even now during one of the worst droughts in memory. Hiking on the flanks of Boney Mountain in the Santa Monica range a week ago, in an area ravaged by wildfire, I stopped to gaze at a buckwheat bush and congratulate it on its survival.read more
The Manger Square Bethlehem "Peace / Love All" image was a Project Peace On Earth (PPOE) peace initiative which took place on December 24, 2012.read more
SAMSARA is a Sanskrit word that means "the ever turning wheel of life" and is the point of departure for the filmmakers as they search for the elusive current of interconnection that runs through our lives. Filmed over a period of almost five years in twenty-five countries, SAMSARA transports us to sacred grounds, disaster zones, industrial sites, and natural wonders. By dispensing with dialogue and descriptive text, SAMSARA subverts our expectations of a traditional documentary, instead encouraging our own inner interpretations inspired by images and music that infuses the ancient with the modern.read more
With each generation, the popularity of religious conservatism has declined. Forty-seven percent of the Silent Generation (ages 66 to 88) are religious conservatives, compared with 34 percent of Baby Boomers, 23 percent of Gen Xers and 17 percent of Millennials.read more
This incredible short film shares an Indigenous Native American Prophecy that links all of life and the future of our planet.read more
Today we examine "Progressive" Christianity. In particular, what is "Progressive Christianity"? Including what that term is most widely understood to mean today, how that label is evolving, and how we can still build a community around it. As well as what it might imply to situate one's self amongst "Progressive Christians" in today's growing post-modern context. We will also be exploring whether there can be any "hope" in progressive ideas about Christianity. As well as why it can be nice to have progressive communities around to help facilitate conversation with others of similar mind, background, and experience.read more
We are here to praise and enjoy God with body and soul, mind and heart, with song and word, with hands and feet.
We are here to give because of the abundance God has given us, to share with each other, and to receive, because God has created us to depend on each other.
We are here to celebrate the differences that otherwise might divide us: differences of age, of body, of culture, of opinion, of ability, of religious conviction.
We are here to put things in perspective: to celebrate what matters, to laugh about things we take too seriously, to cry about things that truly touch our hearts.
So may it be this morning: Amen!
In A Joyful Path, Year Two, we focus on some of the main tenets of Progressive Christianity and Spirituality, giving our children the foundation they need to walk the path of Jesus in today's world. It has stories and affirmations written to help children clarify their own personal beliefs while staying open to the wisdom of other traditions.read more
Oh, when we think in depth on the reality
Of life emerging everywhere on earth,
We share the restlessness and rich vitality
With creatures in our home of noble birth.
We are one with the creatures,
One with the plants,
One with the life of Earth.
Each tuft of desert grass
God gives a separate place
Profligate with space
That pilgrim feet may pass.
Each river, mountain, flower and tree
Are part of life's rich tapestry
All sharing in our joyous celebration
But nature we can never own
The earth is only ours on loan


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Mineral Wells Index
— By CHRIS AGEE
While much of the focus of Poison Prevention Week is on adolescents, animals also face elevated risks associated with household poisons.
According to Dr. Jacqueline Talley of Pet Western Animal Hospital, the biggest threat to pets might sound familiar.
"The most common pet poisons or toxins is administration of human medicine," she said. "The other would be rodenticide."
Anticoagulant medications are especially dangerous to animals, she said, as are a number of other household products.
"There are a lot of common household plants, insect sprays, antifreeze," she said, explaining several other items have been found to be dangerous to pets in recent years.
"Some of the newest ones are onions, grapes and raisins," she said. "A big one which has been relatively new is xylitol," which is an artificial sweetener often found in sugarless chewing gum.
"The new generation of poison is not safe for animals either," Talley warned.
Should a pet owner believe an animal has ingested a potential poison, she encouraged him or her to have the ingredient available and call a pet poison control hotline.
The Pet Poison Helpline released a list of guidelines for keeping pets safe, explaining more than 90 percent of all calls received last year concerned dogs. Nearly half of the calls involved a dog ingesting human medication.
The hotline is available 24 hours a day at 1 (800) 213-6680.


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Herald Staff Report
Clinton senior Jeremy Peters, who had the second-highest punt total in the Mississippi Athletic Conference, shared first-team all-conference honors with the leader in that category when the league announced its honor teams today.
Peters and John Hardiek of Davenport West shared the first-team honors.
Peters was the lone River King to make the first team.
Fellow seniors Ryan Driscoll, Jacob Judd and Cody Collender were second-team picks. Junior Dustin Caldwell was placed on the third team at running back, and honorable-mention accolades went to seniors Jacob Oldaker and Tyler Thacker and junior Alex Caldwell.
Peters punted 46 times for a 27.7-yard average. He also made 12 of 18 point-after-touchdown kicks and connected on 2 of 5 field goal tries. Hardiek averaged 40.6 yards on 48 punts.
Judd was placed on the second team on both the offensive and defensive lines, while Oldaker was honorable mention on both sides, too. Judd finished with 30 tackles, while Oldaker had 28.
Driscoll had a team-high 106 carries for 442 yards to earn second-team honors at running back. Dustin Caldwell added 284 yards on 61 carries and caught eight passes for 67 yards.
Collender was named second team at defensive back. He was second on the team with 49 tackles and had one interception. He also caught seven passes for 129 yards and rushed 23 times for 93 yards.
Thacker, an honorable-mention pick at wideout, was Clinton's top receiver with 10 catches for 242 yards. Alex Caldwell, who was honorable mention at defensive back, led Clinton with 55 tackles, including a team-high 49 solos.
Davenport Central's Zach Minch, who rushed for 1,946 yards and 21 touchdowns was named Offensive Player of the Year. Defensive Player of the Year honors went to Cole Picchiotti of league champion Pleasant Valley. He led the league with 116 tackles.
Minch was joined in the first-team backfield by Bettendorf's Alex Hernandez, Burlington's Matt Seabold and Pleasant Valley's LJ Redmond. Hernandez and Seabold both were 1,000-yard rushers. Muscatine's Jon Crowe, who completed 196 of 266 passes for 2,849 yards, was the first-team quarterback, and his tight end and three of his receivers also earned first-team honors. They were four of the league's top five receivers, combining for 165 catches for 2,535 yards.
Rusty VanWetzinga of Pleasant Valley was named Coach of the Year.
First team
Quarterback — Jon Crowe, sr. (Muscatine). Running backs — Alex Hernandez, sr. (Bettendorf); Matt Seabold, sr. (Burlington); Zach Minch, sr. (Davenport Central); LJ Redmond, sr. (Pleasant Valley). Tight end — Luke Rauenbuehler, sr. (Muscatine). Wideouts — Tyler Lloyd, sr. (Muscatine); Drake Kulick, sr. (Muscatine); Jake Shoultz, sr. (Muscatine). Linemen — Sean Easler, sr. (Davenport Assumption); Chris Smull, sr. (Muscatine); Justin Kreiter, sr. (North Scott); Landon Carney, jr. (Pleasant Valley); Nathaniel Scott, jr. (Pleasant Valley). Kicker — Sam Martin, sr. (Pleasant Valley).
Linemen — Tyler Ramker, sr. (Davenport Assumption); Savion Coleman, sr. (Bettendorf); Zack Clements, sr. (Muscatine); Devin Daily, sr. (Pleasant Valley); Colin Blaske, sr. (Pleasant Valley). Linebackers — Matt Seabold, sr. (Burlington); Max Weber, sr. (Muscatine); Drake Kulick, sr. (Muscatine); Cole Picchiotti, sr. (Pleasant Valley). Secondary — Jake Gervase, jr. (Davenport Assumption); Nick Schebler, sr. (Davenport Assumption); Jake Schoultz, sr. (Muscatine); Josh Cobler, sr. (Pleasant Valley); John Syverud, sr. (Pleasant Valley). Punters — Jeremy Peters, sr. (Clinton); John Hardiek, sr. (Davenport West).
Second team
Quarterback — Randy Schmidt, sr. (North Scott). Running backs — James Hua, jr. (Davenport Assumption); Ryan Driscoll, sr. (Clinton); Deontrez Overstreet, jr. (Davenport West); Dustin Beswick, sr. (Pleasant Valley). Tight end — Drake Grenier, sr. (Davenport Assumption). Wideouts — Nick Schebler, sr. (Davenport Assumption); Quilin Johnson, jr. (Davenport North); Conor Bryant, sr. (Pleasant Valley). Linemen — Jacob Hayes, sr. (Bettendorf); Taylor Robbins, sr. (Bettendorf); Jacob Judd, sr. (Clinton); Alex Schultz, sr. (Davenport Central); Andrew Oswald, sr. (Pleasant Valley). Kicker — Gauge Pender, sr. (Burlington).
Linemen — Hunter Williams, jr. (Davenport Assumption); Blake Crutcher, sr. (Bettendorf); Jacob Judd, sr. (Clinton); Tucker Snider, sr. (Muscatine); Kaedin Holst, sr. (North Scott). Linebackers — Zach Adrian, jr. (Davenport Assumption); Sam Ambrose, jr. (Bettendorf); Justin Kreiter, sr. (North Scott); Dallas Carter, sr. (Pleasant Valley). Secondary — Colin Gould, sr. (Davenport Assumption); Cody Collender, sr. (Clinton); Austin Moss, jr. (Muscatine); Brady Verbrugge, sr. (North Scott); Thomas Adams, sr. (Pleasant Valley). Punter — Randy Schmidt, sr. (North Scott).
Third team
Quarterbacks — Jake Gervase, jr. (Davenport Assumption); Brady Letney, jr. (Pleasant Valley). Running backs — Nick Schebler, sr. (Davenport Assumption); Dustin Caldwell, jr. (Clinton); Josh Limkeman, sr. (North Scott); Nick Slavens, jr. (Pleasant Valley). Tight end — Kris Klabunde, sr. (Bettendorf). Wideouts — Nick Heimendinger, sr. (Bettendorf); Ricky Grimes, so. (North Scott); Jon Rus, sr. (North Scott); AJ Smith, sr. (Pleasant Valley). Linemen — Hunter Williams, jr. (Davenport Assumption); Raekwon Jefferson, jr. (Bettendorf); Zach Bartling, sr. (Muscatine); Chris Boer, sr. (North Scott); Jordan Peters, sr. (Pleasant Valley); Tyler Zerbonia, jr. (Pleasant Valley).
Linemen — Sean Easler, sr. (Davenport Assumption); Matt Albert, jr. (Bettendorf); Jacob Light, sr. (Davenport Central); Cegan Long, sr. (North Scott); Cody Soultz, sr. (Pleasant Valley); Daquan Terry, sr. (Pleasant Valley). Linebackers — Nick Georgian, sr. (Davenport Assumption); Mitch Valentine, sr. (Davenport North); Colin Kreiter, so. (North Scott); Grant Milam, sr. (Pleasant Valley). Secondary — Peter Doyle, sr. (Davenport Assumption); Tristan O'brien, jr. (Bettendorf); Peter Goeckner, sr. (Burlington); Joey Faison, sr. (Davenport Central); Dylan Beyhl, sr. (Davenport North); Caleb Burt, sr. (North Scott). Punter — Conor Bryant, sr. (Pleasant Valley).
Honorable mention
Running backs — Kahlil McMeans, sr. (Davenport Assumption); Chance Carmen, sr. (Burlington); Brandon Infiesto, jr. (Pleasant Valley). Tight ends — Jacob Borcher, sr. (Davenport North); Seth Skahill, sr. (Pleasant Valley). Wideouts — Colin Gould, sr. (Davenport Assumption); Michael Knouse, sr. (Davenport Assumption); Maiique Hudson, sr. (Bettendorf); Tyler Thacker, sr. (Clinton); Noah Gumpert, sr. (North Scott). Linemen — Mason Owens, sr. (Davenport Assumption); Tyler Ramker, sr. (Davenport Assumption); Jake Turner, jr. (Davenport Assumption); Kyle Smith, jr. (Bettendorf); Jacob Oldaker, sr. (Clinton); Logan Burke, sr. (Davenport Central); Thomas Corbin, jr. (Davenport Central); Matt Heeren, sr. (Davenport West); George Campbell, jr. (Davenport West); Tyler Brooks, sr. (Muscatine); Dexter Golinghorst, sr. (North Scott); Kane Johnson, so. (North Scott); Brady Hardeman, sr. (North Scott).
Linemen — Max Owens, sr. (Davenport Assumption); Drake Grenier, sr. (Davenport Assumption); Joe McGovern, sr. (Bettendorf); Antone Swayzer, jr. (Burlington); Dilan Beaird, sr. (Burlington); Jacob Oldaker, sr. (Clinton); Chanslor Nicholson, sr. (Davenport Central); Tomas Gutierrez, sr. (Davenport West); Korie Gafeller, sr. (Muscatine); Nathan Pauli, jr. (North Scott); Mitch Hughes, sr. (North Scott); Cesar Garcia, sr. (Muscatine). Linebackers — Chase Hager, so. (Davenport Assumption); Cassin Wolfe, so. (Bettendorf); David Smith, so. (Bettendorf); Chance Carman, sr. (Burlington); Derek Elmore, sr. (Burlington); Jacob Behrendt, jr. (Davenport Central); Joe Pancratz, sr. (North Scott); Anthony Lampmann, sr. (Pleasant Valley). Secondary — Kolton O'Day, jr. (Davenport Assumption); Jordan Bonner-Lowery, sr. (Bettendorf); Malique Hudson, sr. (Bettendorf); Mark Wells, jr. (Bettendorf); Mauricio Cardenas, jr. (Burlington); Alex Caldwell, jr. (Clinton); Rodric Jackson, sr. (Davenport Central); Brady Shively, sr. (North Scott); Tanner Carpenter, sr. (Pleasant Valley). Punters — Jake Gervase, jr. (Davenport Assumption); Tyler Lloyd, sr. (Muscatine).


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Microsoft officially launched its Windows Phone 8 operating system with built-in NFC support Monday, with the first phones supporting the platform shipping this week.
U.S.-based Broadcom did not mention NFC in its recent conference call with analysts following release of its second quarter results, in which it announced cuts to its global workforce of 20% by exiting the baseband mobile processor business.
Transport for London today announced it would launch acceptance for open-loop bank cards and other contactless payment on its heavily traveled London Underground and other modes of transit in September, while the UK's largest mobile operator, EE, announced customers could begin to tap their NFC phones to pay fares at the same time.
Visa Inc. announced Thursday it would launch a tokenization service in September, as part of what it calls its Visa Digital Solutions "suite of offerings."
NXP Semiconductors said sales in its emerging ID business–mainly made up of its NFC chips–increased by 22% in the second quarter, compared with the first quarter, and CEO Richard Clemmer insisted the chip maker's secure element business would continue to remain a strong contributor.
Westpac New Zealand has announced a small trial of host-card emulation-based payments, with plans to introduce the technology to customers early next year.
Taiwanese mobile operators have sold a combined 4.2 million NFC-enabled phones and hope to launch their joint TSM platform by the end of the year.
Germany's third largest mobile operator, E-Plus, has launched NFC payments with a prepaid wallet card, joining other German telcos, which have also launched prepaid payments applications on their SIM cards.
Australia's largest credit union, CUA, is the first financial institution in Asia-Pacific to commercially launch mobile payments using host-card emulation, announcing the move today in Australia.
Payment network China UnionPay and China-based handset maker ZTE have disclosed an agreement to enable contactless payment on embedded chips in two of ZTE's latest high-end Android phones.
As the Hungarian Mobile Wallet Association prepares to enable its members to commercially launch NFC mobile payments, it has released the results of its 12-month NFC payments and loyalty pilot along with a survey of users.
Swiss telco Swisscom has launched an NFC mobile wallet app called Tapit, with the country's two other major telcos expected to follow later in 2014.
France-based telco Orange and Air France, along with airline industry and information technology services provider SITA have launched a trial of an NFC boarding pass application for the airline's route from Toulouse to Paris, and SITA is also piloting Bluetooth low energy beacons at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.


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Buy 3 Tires, Get the 4th Tire Free Plus 15% Off Tires
Receive 15% off select tires when scheduled for installation on PepBoys.com and installation is completed between 7/25/14 through 8/3/14 Use promotional code TIRES15 at checkout to receive discount OR click here to print this in store coupon and present at time of installation. Cannot be combined with any other offer, coupon or rebate. Valid on select in stock tires only, those tires for which discount is available will be identified in search results, all other tires and special order tires are excluded from this offer. Requires purchase of road hazard warranty and tire installation package which includes valve stems or TPMS reseal kit and balancing.
Flats are no fun but don't let one overwhelm you.
First, determine how seriously your tire has been damaged. Many punctures can be repaired. In cases where there is damage to the tire's sidewall it will have to be replaced as a repair cannot be performed without high risk of damage to the internal structure of the tire.
Repairing a tire with minor damage requires dismounting the tire and patching it from the inside.
Caution:Tire changing can be dangerous and should be done by trained personnel using proper tools and procedures.
Best left to the professionals at Pep Boys
Best left to the professionals at Pep Boys
*There may be a fee for re-balancing the repaired tire or the prorated new tire.


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By Rachel Petersen
Staff Writer
McALESTER —
An Arpelar man was recently accused of eluding and using his vehicle to assault local police.
Gerald Thomas Scott, 31, was charged Dec. 31 in Pittsburg County District Court with felony assault on a police officer with a dangerous weapon, felony assault and battery on a police officer with a dangerous weapon and felony eluding a police officer.
According to court records, McAlester police officer Chris Troussell was engaged in a vehicle pursuit at approximately 2:35 a.m. on Dec. 30.
"During this pursuit we were traveling north bound on 6th Street from Seminole and (McAlester police) officer Preston Rodgers set a road block up on 6th Street just south of Wyandotte," the affidavit states. "Gerald Scott swerved his vehicle at Officer Rodgers causing (him) to have to take evasive action.
"The pursuit went to (U.S.) Highway 69 and then north. (McAlester police) officer Ken Bethune was attempting to pass Scott to get far enough ahead to set up stop sticks," the affidavit continues. "We were north bound on (U.S.) Highway 69 almost at Mt. Moriah Road when Officer Bethune made this attempt. Gerald Scott swerved at Officer Bethune's car, making contact with Officer Bethune's car."
Scott was arrested and transported to the Pittsburg County jail, where he remains in custody in lieu of a $150,000 bond. He was unavailable for comment at presstime today.
If convicted, Scott is facing life imprisonment. He is due back in court Jan. 10 at 9 a.m. to face charges.
Contact Rachel Petersen at firstname.lastname@example.com.
For more on this story, see the print or electronic editions of the McAlester News-Capital. Click here for print edition home delivery or click here to see the Smart Edition for your computer, tablet, e-reader or smart phone.