text:
CLOVER — The Clover High School freshman charged with attempted murder slammed his victim to the floor of a school hallway and kept hitting him, sending the boy to the hospital, according to an arrest warrant.
Arkiva Rashon AJ Hunter, 16, was released from jail on a $15,000 bond, authorities said Wednesday.
Deputies went to Clover High School at about 8:15 a.m. Tuesday after an altercation between two students, York County Sheriffs Office spokesman Trent Faris said.
Detectives were still investigating the attack on Wednesday, Faris said, adding that the victim, a junior, was unaware of the approaching attack.
The assault was described as premeditated in a sheriffs office incident report, which indicated that several students recorded the attack.
At one point during the attack, the warrant states, Hunter picked up the 16-year-old victim and slammed his head onto the concrete floor. Hunter then continued hitting the boy in the head afterward with his fist, causing great bodily injury, which was life threatening.
No weapons were used.
The victim was taken by ambulance to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. His condition was not available Wednesday, but Faris said deputies last noted Tuesday that he was awake and able to speak.
Deputies took Hunter into custody and filed charges against him Tuesday.
Hunter will be tried in General Sessions Court as an adult because the attempted murder charge carries a sentence of more than 15 years in prison and is considered a serious offense, said 16th Circuit Deputy Solicitor Willy Thompson.
A relative at Hunters house Wednesday afternoon said he was not there.
Clover school officials have refused to answer questions about the attack which was witnessed by other students other than to say that classes were not disrupted.
Parents received no information about the attack from the district until about noon Wednesday some 28 hours after the attack.
The first official notification to parents came in a statement from Clover High Principal Mark Hopkins, distributed by email and social media.
There is a great deal of misinformation and rumor circulating in conversations both online and offline, Hopkins wrote. I want you to know the injured student is recovering and that the sheriff's office is coordinating the investigation into the altercation.
He then encouraged thoughts for the families before encouraging the Blue Eagle community to focus on exams, graduation and the high character we have come to know and expect from each of our students.
Rachel Southmayd contributed.


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Three excellent options - Plant Trees and Double or receive up to FIVE times Your Donation in Dining Rewards!
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subset: commoncrawl


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With summer coming to a close and the possibility of an NHL lockout looming, the gears are starting to turn again on AHL hockey talk in St. John's. There's still plenty of uncertainty regarding rosters and such, but at least now we have one thing set in stone: the schedule.
The AHL released it's full schedule last week, and, being a team on the island of Newfoundland, the IceCaps' will often be one of the most interesting. Weekend home dates and long road swings littered the schedule last season, and this new schedule will see much of the same.
I've flicked through the schedule and pinpointed a few match-ups of particular interest to myself as a fan, as well as some low points or games we may shrug at. Feel free to leave your own thoughts in the comments.
There isn't much difference from last year's campaign, but there are a few tweaks.
The best
- The IceCaps open the home schedule against the Adirondack Phantoms, a team we haven't even watched before here at Mile One. It will be the first time they meet.
- There's a nice four game home set against the Monarchs (divisional opponent) and the Marlies over the first two weekends in January, no weeknight games in between.
- Schedulers didn't give St. John's a full month without hockey like they did last season. I almost forgot we had a team by the end of February, 2012.
- The end of the home schedule is pretty incredible with four of six games against Toronto and WBS, two teams the crowd will really go crazy over.
The rest
- The IceCaps have two sets against Portland that are mid-week; one at the beginning of the schedule (October) and one at the end (April). This caught my eye mainly because I distinctly remember watching Pirates-IceCaps in a weekday set last year and it was a dead atmosphere at Mile One. But hey, we can't have ALL weekends, as nice as that would be.
- Hamilton are in town for a weekday pair in November. Tough luck for Habs fans from elsewhere in the province.
- Talk about Christmas Holidays: No IceCaps in town from December 12 (against Hershey) until returning January 4 (against Manchester). It's a long break from hockey at Mile One, but at least it isn't in the second half of the season.
The IceCaps' schedule is quite different from other teams', but what else would we expect? If you look through the whole thing, it's full of weird gaps at home, and they cruise through games on the road. It comes with being out of the way.
Scheduling didn't seem to hurt the Caps much last year, but there were a few who suggested Mile One was becoming an easy place to play for visiting teams. We'll see how it shakes out this year and perhaps look into it a little further with a bigger sample size.
Email email@example.com and follow on twitter @SJ_IceCaps and @rfan_3


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Buy tickets early and online for the best prices!
Seating options for individuals and groups interested in premier hospitality and views of the on-field action.
Don't miss out on these special Cleveland Indians ticket offers for the 2014 season!
Preview the view from any section at Progressive Field in 3D.
Progressive Field has a variety of seating areas that cater to different group sizes and events.
Tribe Rewards allows Season Ticket Holders to earn points just for being a Season Ticket Holder.


text:
NY Aquarium Open Water Swim
From Openwaterpedia
It is one of America's Top 100 Open Water Swims.
This includes providing regular group swims at Brighton Beach & Coney Island from April to November and helping maintain/improve the water quality in New York City. As several members are experienced, long distance swimmers, CIBBOWS provides guidance and resources on training for swims across the English Channel, Manhattan Island Marathon Swim (MIMS), Long Island Sound, Catalina Channel and other challenging races.
CIBBOWS offers three main activities: Group swims for the public, which are free; swim races for the public and club members; and water quality projects related to improving New York City's beaches, rivers and harbor.
NY Aquarium Open Water Swim Series
CIBBOWS organizes the NY Aquarium Open Water Swim Series that includes the 2 Bridges Swim Under the Walkway, a 2.5 km and 5 km swim in June, 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim, an 8-day stage swim down the Hudson River in June, Grimaldo's Mile in July, and the Aquarium 1 Mile, 5K & 10K in September.
1 mile, 5 km, 10 km
City Coney Island Pier, Brighton Beach
State/County/Province New York
Country USA
Region Americas
Email http://www.cibbows.org/races/
Event Information
Month: June
Event Date: 8 September 2012
Website: Coney Island Aquarium Triple Dip Swim
Class: Amateur
Wetsuit: Yes
Charity: No
External Links
- CIBBOWS website
- NY Aquarium Swim Series
- Aerial Photography of CIBBOWS Events
- CIBBOWS Race Schedule
- List Of Marathon Swims Around The World
- Marathon Swimming
- World Open Water Swimming Association
- Open Water Swimming website
- Daily News of Open Water Swimming
- International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame


text:
Cellar/Tasting Notes Yellow-gold hue. Delicate floral aromas with grainy notes and heat. Light-bodied, very smooth and clean, with a touch of astringency on the finish betraying the grain character.
Cellar/Tasting Notes The age of the Knappogue Castle vintage malts has been sneaking up in the last few years since Bushmills took over the supply contract (early Knappogues were from Cooley). Here, finally, Knappogue has cast off its vintage and replaced it with a 12yo age statement. This Knappogue has beeen bottled..


text:
Kidney stones form when a change occurs in the normal balance of water, salts, minerals, and other things found in urine. The most common cause of kidney stones is not drinking enough water. Try to drink enough water to keep your urine clear (about 8 to 10 glasses of water a day). Some people are more likely to get kidney stones because of a medical condition or family history. Kidney stones may also be an inherited disease. If other people in your family have had kidney stones, you may have them too.
What are the symptoms?
Kidney stones often cause no pain while they are in the kidneys, but they can cause sudden, severe pain as they travel from the kidneys to the bladder. Call a doctor right away if you think you have kidney stones. Watch for severe pain in your side, belly, or groin or for urine that looks pink or red. You may also feel sick to your stomach (nausea) and may vomit.
How are kidney stones diagnosed?
You may first find out that you have kidney stones when you see your doctor or go to an emergency room with pain in your belly or side. Your doctor will ask you questions about your pain and lifestyle. He or she will examine you and may do imaging tests such as X-rays to look at your kidneys and urinary tract. You may need more tests if you have more than one stone or have a family history of stones. To find out the cause of your kidney stones, your doctor may order a blood test and ask you to collect your urine for 24 hours. This can help your doctor find out if you are likely to have more stones in the future. Kidney stones may not cause any pain. If this is the case, you may learn you have them when your doctor finds them during a test for another disease.
How are they treated?
For most stones, your doctor will suggest you take care of yourself at home. You may need to take pain medicine. You'll need to drink enough water and other fluids so you don't get dehydrated. Your doctor may give you a medicine to help the stone pass. If a stone is too large to pass on its own, or if it gets stuck in the urinary tract, you may need more treatment. About 1 or 2 out of every 10 kidney stones need more than home treatment.
The most common medical treatment is extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). ESWL uses shock waves to break a kidney stone into small pieces. The bits can pass out of your body in your urine. Other times, a doctor will need to remove the stone or place a small flexible plastic tube (called a stent) in the ureter to keep it open while stones pass.


text:
Episcleritis is inflammation of the tissue lying between the sclera and the conjunctiva.
Episcleritis occurs in young adults and affects women more often than men. Usually, the inflammation affects only a small patch of the eyeball and causes a red, and sometimes slightly yellow, raised area. Symptoms include eye tenderness and irritation, with slightly increased watering of the eye and mildly increased sensitivity to bright light. The condition is not usually a sign of any other disease and tends to disappear and may recur. The diagnosis is based on the symptoms and on the appearance of the eye.
Treatment is often unnecessary. Eye drops that constrict blood vessels in the eye, such as tetrahydrozoline Some Trade Names
, can improve the appearance of the eyes but are not necessary. To shorten an attack, corticosteroid eye drops or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug taken by mouth can be used.
Last full review/revision November 2012 by Melvin I. Roat, MD, FACS
Buy the Book
Mobile Versions
Allergic Conjunctivitis


text:
The New Orleans Saints are trying to add talent as well as some much needed size at the cornerback position.
Nnamdi Asomugha's visit with Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, and only Rob Ryan, raises a lot of questions.
Kristian Garic of wwl radio knows a guy who says that the Saints have agreed to terms with special teams ace Courtney Roby.
According to a source, free agent cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha will visit the Saints today.
Albert Breer reported via Twitter that TE Kellen Davis visited the Saints on his free agency world tour.
Reports are that Victor Butler is interested in the Saints, and that the Saints are interested in Victor Butler. So why hasn't he become the next Saints free agent signing yet?
Cornerbacks, offensive tackles, backup quarterbacks...Oh my! Ralph, Kevin and Andrew talk about all things Saints free agency on this week's podcast.
The New Orleans Saints locked in cornerback Keenan Lewis Thursday in free agency. There are others who could be joining the Black and Gold next.
Keep track of every roster move the Saints make during NFL free agency 2013 right here.
The New Orleans Saints land their first free agent of the year by signing the top-level cornerback to a five-year deal.
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What was the EXACT date that electric working started on the entire section? I can only find "June 1988"
Did it open all at once or were electric locos working on part of the electrified area before it was opened throughout?
Martin Baumann
As no one else seems to be able to answer this question, I beleive the electrification was completed in 2 stages with Palmerston North to Taumarunui being completed in 1988 and the remainder to Te Rapa in 1989 but I do not know the exact dates.
Slightly off topic but was there ever an intention to link Palmerston North with the 25kv overhead and to have dual voltage locos? It just seems a shame to have two disconnected sections of electrification.
Yeah there was, but the technology was too expensive at the time...Also the then Labour government thought the project was a massive folly and simply couldn't cancel it as too much progress was made.
There is Japanese technology availiable and a locomotive of dual voltage exists. It would be more a strain on the DC line as even all three Ea locos running at once can tax the network somewhat.
I,d be more inclined to link the NIMT to the new Auckland network more than anything. Now there's a folly if one!
Of note buried deep in the Auckland plan is a proposal to electrify as far as Pukekohe in the first 10 years.
As for duala system locomotives with 3 phase drives this is simple and all the standard European designs are capable of being produced in any combination of the standard electrification systems. However for Wellington it is the capabiltiy of the overhead to deliver enough amps that will be the limiting factor.
Official opening was over the whole electrified section on 24 June 1988.
Observer 194 (Winter 1988) says:
Power was switched on for the firs time on 2 March 1987, between Palmerston North and Bunnythorpe, and trial running began between Palmerston North and Marton from 19 May. Energisation of the overhead proceeded in stages, and the last section, Te Awamutu to Te Rapa was switched on from 9 May 1988. The entire system was officially launched on 24 June by the Minister of Railways, Mr Prebble ...
There is also this note under the heading "Class 30 Electrics":
... the first train to be hauled southwards out of Taumarunui by a class 30 electric locomotive was express goods No. 639 on Wednesday 2 March 1988. The locomotives on this occasion were 30059 and DX5039. The first Class 30-hauled train into Taumarunui was Auckland-bound express goods 668 on Thursday 3 March with 30088 and DX5026.
Rails magazine had these reports:
Jan 88: Marton-Taihape energised on 27 October 1987
Mar 88: Taihape-Taumaruni energised 11 January 1988
Jun 88: Electrification will be officially opened June 24. Official train to run Palmerston North to Hamilton .. the first passenger train to be hauled by a Class 30. Meanwhile power was to be turned on over the final Taumaunui-Te Rapa section ... on 9 May, with full commercial operation starting about the end of last month. [May].
I can't find any reference to any actual date of the "full commerical operation".
I seem to recall it was approved in 1979-80 and then started in 1984. It is my understanding that Prebble pretty much bagged Think Big, the electrification project and rail in general on his opening speech.
Every time I'm in in that part of the country I have to say I am pretty impressed by the catenary. Though I've never seen an EF loco in action
Interesting that the electrification came on stream just as NZR was winding itself down...
The 'Ef' class have a distinctive aureal sound as they whistle past...Equipped with ditch lights long before it became Rail Standard in NZ because of their quiet nature, also a higher pitch horn exclusive to the class gives you notice when these massive locos are around.
A quick reminder that Gunzel Quarterly aka NZ Railfan June 2011 edition does have a long winded artical by Karl Morris regarding the Japanese EH500 class dual voltage locomotives, their adaptation to NZs loading gauge and how it would be easy to extend the DC line up to Palmerston North...
I hav't seen the June issue yet but will be interested in what Karl says. Basicaly with modern 3 phase drives there is little extra required to make them dual voltage and as such any loco that fits the NZ loading guage should be easily produced in a dual volt version. However I still believe the capability of the Wellington overhead to deliver enough amps will be the limiting factor.
Major work would be needed for the Wellington Dc lines...But really easy to do. At the moment the three EO class locos in operation cope but they do have to be carefull since the lines were downrated after the EW class finished in the 1980s.
I'm not so sure about the easy to do bit not to mention the cost.
Of course another option would be that when replacing the Ganz EMU's in about 15 years time build the replacements as Dual system and re-energise the overhead north of a change over point between Porirua and Paramata at 25kv ac (11kv if the insulators on this section have not all been replaced with 25kv capable insulators). This means that the high current draw required to lift freight over the Pukerua Bay hill will no longer be a problem and it is possible to limit the current draw to match the 1500v dc system for the remainder of the route into Wellington. Closing the gap to Palmerston North at 25kv ac will be considerably cheaper than at 1500v dc.
Err... although you are talking about 15 years in the future, I doubt that GWRC factored this into the massive Matangi unit order?
Bringing the Ac lines down to Levin or Otaki would be a better fit as the Dc line would still have passenger growth potential north from current Waikanae.
Had've NZGR gone with Dc for the NIMT way back in 1956, then we wouldn't be talking about this...Diesel was suppose to be a stop gap measure, with the mighty EE Df and DG classes leading the way...but then along came that famous first batch of EMD road switchers from America and the rest was history.
Err... although you are talking about 15 years in the future, I doubt that GWRC factored this into the massive Matangi unit order?
Bringing the Ac lines down to Levin or Otaki would be a better fit as the Dc line would still have passenger growth potential north from current Waikanae.
Had've NZGR gone with Dc for the NIMT way back in 1956, then we wouldn't be talking about this...Diesel was suppose to be a stop gap measure, with the mighty EE Df and DG classes leading the way...but then along came that famous first batch of EMD road switchers from America and the rest was history.
No problem with the Matangi's if you convert the line north of Porirua as the matangi's can still be used Wellington to Porirua and all other lines. Having a changeover at Levin or Otaki is of course another option that also makes more sense these days than Palmertson North.
Of note the Dc electrification plan was already ditched in favour the 11kv Ac system as used in Sweden, Germany etc before 1956. The cost of providing all those substations for 1500v dc being the killer. Of course in many ways with 25 kv technology just evolving at the time the delay has been for the better in the end.
Politically, Wellington wouldn't stomach the idea of duel volt units after shelling out $$$ for the Matangi's. The idea of linking the two networks is for Locomotives that could run Ac/Dc.
There was never any intention to operate EMUs...But extending the Dc line to Levin, although as expensive as bringing the Ac line south, seens a logical compromise. By 2020 the EF class will just be past 'middle age' and as their components become hard to obtain (a problem already - typical Buy British trap) then with the Auckland network linked to Te Rapa, a new fleet is feasable.
One of the problems is that when the Ganz EMU's are replaced a further round of beafing up the electric supply will be required. By simply restricting the Matangi's to part of the network it then becomes possible to move the substations from the part that they will not run on the beaf up the supply elswhere. The additional cost of building dual voltage emu's will be largely repaid by the reduced costs in providing for the Dc network power upgrade. I don't see that as being a problem politically. It just requires thinking ahead.
I thought one of the benefits of 1500VDC was that its relatively easy to upgrade. ie if you want to run high HP, just plug in another rectiformer or 10 along the route.
Anyway why worry about the southern end when you havn't done the Nth end. Once a spark can arrive at Auckland, then figure out something for the Wellie end.
I agree that the northern end will need to be sorted before any prospect of filling in the gap in the wires at the southern end of the NIMT, but by planning ahead the costs will be reduced when it is decided to tackle the job of stringing wires south of Palmerston North.
Increasing the current carried in the overhead for either sysyem is relatively simple whilst you remain within the ability of the overhead to deliver the amps to the trains pantograph. With the Dc system as you say you simply create an extra supply point between 2 existing substations. With the Ac system you can often get away with even less, simply increasing the weight of the conductors supplying the existing substations and adding an extra transformer and smeg switch gear. This normally works out cheaper than creating a completly new substation.
The problem as I see it with the Wellington 1500 V dc system is that I do not believe the current overhead can deliver sufficient amps to a single freight train to climb the banks each side of Pukerua Bay at an acceptable speed.
The problem as I see it with the Wellington 1500 V dc system is that I do not believe the current overhead can deliver sufficient amps to a single freight train to climb the banks each side of Pukerua Bay at an acceptable speed.
Karl Morris did say that 'EH' class would simply blow the system apart and that's what would require a beefy upgrade.
Would agree with the common theme here, close the obviously potential gap between Te Rapa and Auckland first!
Its the logical thing to do.
Electrification of the NIMT almost came 30 years earlier
One of the most interesting stories to
emerge along the path to the electrification
of the North Island Main Trunk Line was
the failed attempt to introduce it more
than 30 years earlier.
In 1949, the General Manager of the
Railways Department, F W Aicken
advocated electrification of the entire
line, according to Wikipedia, in spite of
protests from his engineering staff.
Following the Second World War railway
services suffered from skill, locomotive
and coal shortages. Aicken believed
electrification could relieve the coal
situation and prevent high expenditure
on imported fuels.
Aicken sent a technical mission of
four senior officers overseas in March
1949, and travelled overseas himself
to negotiate a tentative contract with
a British construction company. The
Chief Mechanical Engineer and Chief
Accountant specified and costed the
system and Aicken was able to complete
a substantial report justifying the
NIMT electrification and submit it to
the Government.
Staff from New Zealand Treasury, the
Public Works Department and two expertsfrom Sweden commented on the proposal
and in December 1950 the Government
granted approval in principle. However,
Aicken fell out with the then National
Government, and retired as General
Manager in July 1951.
With the change in regime the
electrification proposal disappeared.
A Royal Commission on Railways
established following Aicken's tenure,
rejected the proposal.
Aicken's successor, H.C. Lusty,
terminated the tentative consultancy
contract and ordered DA class dieselelectric
A key assumption of Aicken's report was
that traffic on the NIMT would grow by
50 percent from 1948 to 1961. Since a
diesel-electric locomotive was in fact
a travelling power station, the savings
through electrification compared to
diesel could be regarded as the difference
between the cost of buying bulk electrical
energy generated substantially from
New Zealand resources and the cost of
generating electricity in small plant using
imported diesel fuel – although there was
also significant expenditure on traction
overhead and other new capital works to
take into account.
The 411 kilometre section between
Palmerston North and Hamilton was
electrified at 25 kV 50 Hz AC and opened
in June 1988. The project was essentially
a response to the oil price shocks of the
1970s and early 1980s. An overall cost in
excess of $100 million had been projected
but the final cost was about $250 million.
A significant proportion of this sum paid
for civil works on realignment of the rail
corridor and improved signalling.
The economic benefits of the project were
reduced by the fall of the price of oil in
the later 1980s and the deregulation of
land transport, which removed the longdistance
monopoly NZR held when the
cost benefit report was written. However
Electrification's advantages were reflected
in the economic evaluation in the report,
which showed a rate of return of 18
percent. Sensitivity analysis showed that
this high rate of return gave the project
robustness against lower traffic volumes
than expected.
NIMT electrification milestone reached this week
As KiwiRail engineers work on the
electrification of the Auckland rail
network, the business paused this
week to remember a milestone in the
electrification of the North Island Main
Trunk Line.
On March 2, 25 years ago, a ninekilometre
section of line between
Palmerston North and Bunnythorpe was
electrified – the first section of Trunk to
be energised.
Electrification of the North Island Main
Trunk Line between Palmerston North
and Hamilton was one of the "Think
Big" projects, introduced as a response
to the second oil price shock in the
early 1980s.
A number of KiwiRail engineers and
staff members worked on the project,
including Palmerston North's Dave
Coleman and Wellington's Allan Neilson.
Today, Dave Coleman is a traction
trainer passing his knowledge and skills
on to others, At the time, he was the
local traction manager responsible for
the building and commissioning of the
sub-stations along the route and was part of the team that carried out the final
inspection of the overhead wires prior to
acceptance from the contractor.
"It was one of the big moments in my
career. It was such a large project," he said.
Twenty-five years ago, Allan Neilson
was a senior engineer working on the
signalling associated with the project.
Today he's KiwiRail's Manager Traction
and Electrical Engineering.
"It was a major milestone in the careers
of the people involved," he says. "It
was a huge, exciting project. It dwarfed
anything of the kind done before that."
Allan Neilson says the experience gained
on the North Island Main Trunk has been
valuable as the business works through the
electrification of the Auckland network.
Although contractors did the physical
work of erecting the traction poles and
wiring, the then New Zealand Rail
handled all the issues associated with
There were obvious ones like signalling,
sub-stations, earthing and bonding, and
electrical protection for property and
structures. But there were less obvious, but equally important issues, like educating
people about the presence of high voltage
wiring along the rail network.
"We did a lot of work on making the
general public and different groups that
cross the network, aware of the dangers
that electrification brought with it.
"We've also been fortunate enough to
retain a lot of the skill and knowledge that
was developed at the time," he says.
Dave Coleman remembers the mid 1980s
as a time when staffing levels were being
reduced. The practical effect of this
was turning people who had worked in
some other rail discipline, into traction
systems staff.
It also meant having to make do with
a minimum of equipment and very
basic facilities.
"I had a group due to start work in
Hamilton on a Monday morning at
7.30," he said. "I told Head Office they
didn't have a vehicle, didn't have any tools
and they didn't have a depot.
"I managed to get a second-hand truck
and an old building for a depot that was
falling down."
When you look at the map of the North
Island, the sections of line not electrified look
small, particularly as the electrified Auckland
and Wellington networks stretch southwards
and northwards respectively.
The point is not lost on advocates for the use of
renewable energy who argue for the complete
electrification of the line.
Work done back in 2008 provides useful
perspective to this argument. It concluded that
to justify electrification, a route should be all
or most of the following: at or near capacity,
densely trafficked, steeply graded, involve
a long tunnel or be adjacent to an existing
electrified route.
The routes to meet these criteria were
Westfield-Te Rapa, Hamilton-Mt Maunganui
and Otira-Arthur's Pass. The first two (in
practical terms one Westfield-Mt Maunganui
route) meet the density and adjacency criteria
while Otira-Arthur's Pass meets the grade and
tunnel test. This is deviating from the North Island Main
Trunk, but given the density of traffic between
Auckland and Mt Maunganui, it would make
no sense to electrify simply to Hamilton.
Another consideration is the incompatabilty
between the Wellington network extending as
far as Waikanae and the Trunk at Palmerston
The cost estimate at the time for the two
most likely routes was in the vicinity of $900
million – undoubtedly more at today's prices.
Obviously the lion's share would be taken by
the Westfield-Mt Mauganui route.
The conclusion reached was that money on
this scale could be spent on other projects
which provided significant gains in transit
time, capacity and reliability rather than on
Of course, as the NIMT electrification project
itself demonstrated, we don't know what's
around the corner. One of the reasons why it
got the green light originally was the impact on
the country of rising oil prices.
There are plenty of analysts thirty years later
who have predicted the end of peak oil. But
for a rail industry that always has to make the
best of a tight budget, today's realities are more
urgent than tomorrow's possibilities.
Extension of electrification should remain an
option but ultimately it ranks as a distant priority.
Kevin Ramshaw
Express Editor
I'm shaking my head over some of the above posts talking about extending electrification on the NIMT and buying dual-voltage locomotives and even multiple units.
In hindsight it seems to me as though electrification of the NIMT was not the best investment of NZ's money. And I would expect getting the line Dieselised again would be considered before they ever thought of extending the electrification.
Dual-voltage locomotives (like Electro-Diesel locomotives) are expensive and only a niche best-solution. There is nothing wrong with the current arrangement of switching locomotives at Te Rapa and Palmerston North and there's not likely to be anything wrong in the foreseeable future.
So what would even be the advantage (if any) of extending the electrification to Auckland? I'd be surprised if the electric supply on the NIMT and the electric supply currently being installed in Auckland have the same power ratings. You might want to investigate it the EF locomotives could even use the future Auckland network before you start forming strong opinions.
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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Five elementary school students and a woman have been taken to hospitals after two Blount County school buses and a car collided on a bridge in Knoxville.
WBIR-TV reported the children were taken to Children's Hospital for observation and the 20-year-old woman, who was the driver of the car, was listed in stable condition at University of Tennessee Medical Center.
Police said two buses were carrying students from Carpenters Elementary School to the Knoxville Civic Auditorium for a ballet performance.
Officers cited bus driver Joseph Hackney of Blount County for careless driving and expired license tags. Police said Hackney's bus didn't slow as the bus in front of him encountered traffic on Alcoa Highway. Hackney's bus sideswiped the lead bus and then swerved into the path of the car.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Other U.S. Flags
Nyl-Glo U.S. Auto Flag with Fringe-12 in. X 18 in.$18.4012 in. X 18 in. Nyl-Glo U.S. Auto Flag with Gold Fringe. Replacement Flag for auto brackets. Learn More
Nyl-Glo-U.S. Auto Flag with Fringe-8 in. X 12 in.$16.90Sewn stripes, embroidered stars and Gold Fringe. Replacement Flag for auto brackets. Learn More
Nyl-Glo U.S. Garden Flag-12 in. X 18 in.$14.90Sewn stripes and embroidered stars. Finished with a Flagpole sleeve to fit standard garden bracket. Bracket sold separately. Learn More
U. S. Car Window Flag-11 in. x 14 in. Polyester American Flag$14.80Mounted on 21 inch heavy duty car window mount. Double-sided. Flags are packed in boxes of six, boxes not broken. Price shown is for each flag. Learn More


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Results 1 to 3 of 3
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- Dec 2004
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- Arlington, Texas, United States
- Posts
- 35,422
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OnStar Mobile App for iPhone and Android - What do you think?
Who's got the OnStar app loaded into their smartphone?
GM just announced the OnStar app has been downloaded by over 1.3 million people in the last few months and they expect even more as they just relased a new version that will cover more models for 2010.
OnStar today added 14 Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles from 2010 that allow users to download vehicle data and more to their mobile devices.
The expanded list of 2010 model year vehicles includes the Cadillac DTS, Escalade, Escalade ESV and Escalade EXT; the Buick Enclave and Lucerne; the GMC Acadia, Yukon, and Yukon XL; and Chevrolet Avalanche, Impala, Suburban, Tahoe and Traverse.
OnStar customers are increasingly using their smart phones to remotely check fuel levels and tire pressure, start their vehicles and make sure doors are locked via OnStar's mobile app, according to data released today from the company. Drivers of the Chevrolet Cruze and Silverado use the app most frequently.
I'm not sure what it's called on iPhone, but for the Android it's called OnStar Mylink from OnStar, LLC.
---------- Post added at 11:31 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:59 AM ----------
Like I said, I'm driving a 2011 Chevy Traverse right now and I just got the app loaded and it's AWESOME. Very cool to see this stuff. I think I'm going to shoot a video and get this up online today or tomorrow.
Right now I am looking at:
This is pretty cool, it's got three left-right scroll screens, I've broken then down into each "page" here.
Tank Level: 34%
Fuel Left: 7 Gals (how cool is that??? Ever wondered "How many galons left?")
Fuel Range: XX (maybe I have to run it some more to calculate - I just reset this I think)
Remaining Oil Life: 88%
Lifetime stats (at bottom)
MPG: xx (probably has to calibrate) Miles: 583
Tire Pressure: (all four tires with an image)
FRONT Driver/Pass: 34 psi / 36 psi
REAR Driver/Pass: 34 psi / 35 psi
Onstar Hands-Free Calling
Phone Number: (inbound number I guess?) 817-xxx-xxxx
Minutes Left: 1
Expiration: 4/30/11
The second icon to select is the "remote options" and they're pretty much what you would expect.
Lock / Unlock icons: Does just what it says. You can be anywhere though and hit the remote lock/unlock, so if your wife locks her keys in the car, she can get ahold of you and you can remote unlock the car from your phone.
Remote Start / Cancel Start: This is great because you can be ANYWHERE, not just in range from your remote itself. I can be in the office in the heat of summer and have the car start and be cooled down by the time I get out to it. haha.
This area gives the phone numbers to connect into the advisors, roadside assistance and more.
This just gives the status of your currest vehicle options.
Update to come later.
10 Chevy Traverse LT AWD
02 Chevy Trailblazer LS (110K+ miles - loaded except for 4WD - WRECKED!)
99 Chevy Cavalier LS (105K+ miles - commuter car)
78 Chevy Suburban Silverado (454, 3/4 ton)
62 GMC 3/4 ton Pickup (350 police interceptor)
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Courtesy MHR at SSC:
Met 3 location: 200 SE 2 Street, Miami.
Met 3 is now under construction as of December 2012. The project will include a ground floor Whole Foods Market in an 11 story pedestal, with 17 floors of 462 rental apartments above.
Suffolk Construction, the general contractor on the project, expects to complete the Whole Foods by the end of 2013, with the residential tower slated for completion the following year, according to MDM.
Courtesy MHR at SSC:
Courtesy Miami1:
The owner of Met 2 (metlife insurance company), has executed a lease which gives them the right to use up to 750 spaces in the new Met 3 parking garage.
They also have bought the rights to purchase Met 3 after it is completed.
Construction set to start for Met 3 project in downtown Miami
South Florida Business Journal by Oscar Pedro Musibay, Reporter
Date: Friday, February 24, 2012, 9:56am EST
Excitement is growing in downtown Miami as construction crews prep the ground for a complex that will house Whole Foods Market, the first major supermarket to be located in the area.
The popular upscale grocery store will be located on the ground floor of the Met 3 apartment building at 200 S.E. Second St., whose building site currently resembles an empty swimming pool.
Eventually, the Whole Foods will sit on a parking pedestal with rental apartments on top, fulfilling the third major piece of developer MDM Group's four-part project. Equity Residential (NYSE: EQR) has a contract on the air rights …
Updated renderings for Met 3 and Met Square.
Met 3:
Met Square – Silverspot movie theater:
Looks like the plans may have been changed yet again for Met 3 and Met Square…. Met SQ might be getting a resi tower on top.
Good News!!! Maybe MDM Group is realising how hot the residential market is getting in Downtown. That is why I don't understand why they can't build Met 3 higher, offer it as rentals, and when the market improves convert it to condos…
Be advised that these are very rough sketches – you will not like the rendering because they are not completed designs
I like it. It's taller than Met 3!
miami1, post: 757, member: 20 wrote: It's taller than Met 3!
That isn't saying much.
Yeah, they basically chopped the original Met 3 in half, one part on top of Whole Foods and put the other half on top of Met Square!!!
It is possible that it is just a placeholder…. or they are only permitted a certain amount of units under their MUSP.
I Can't wait for this.
Has the placement of the tower on Met Square been approved yet?
They should not need to get new approval, as long as they stay within the general parameters of the original major use special permit.
Supposedly there are some problems with construction…
The last I heard the didn't have the equity for the rental portion of the project.
UMdev, post: 1320, member: 80 wrote: The last I heard the didn't have the equity for the rental portion of the project.
Welcome to the forum.
Not sure who you mean by 'they'. The air rights were supposed to be sold to Equity Residential on top of either Met Sq or Met 3.
I was referring to the equity as in capital or money. In order to build you have to have financing (debt) and capital (equity). So say you are building a $100m project and the most a bank will loan you is 60%, then you have to have the other 40% in cash (equity). From what I heard the group putting up that equity for the residential portion backed out. They were still going to go forward with the Whole Foods and garage with the ideal that they would find a new equity partner or iron out and issues later.
I don't know if that's true, that just what I've heard.
To clarify, there is a company called 'Equity Residential' (NYSE listed, Sam Zell vehicle) that was in talks to buy the air rights and build the residential portion.
MDM moves forward with market and garage, rental tower out
MDM Development is working to begin vertical construction on the parking pedestal with a Whole Foods Market on the ground floor at its downtown Miami site. But the planned rental tower above it is on hold.
MDM had been negotiating with Equity Residential to build more than 400 apartments as part of the third phase of its Metropolitan Miami project, dubbed Met 3. But that deal is not going forward, according to sources.
MDM would only comment on what it will build.
"We are moving forward with construction of the much-anticipated Whole Foods Market and accompanying parking pedestal with the Met 3 site. Regarding future development on the Met 3 site, we will continue to evaluate all our options as we move forward with the ongoing development of Metropolitan Miami as a whole," MDM VP Tim Weller said.
Metropolitan Miami, at 200 S.E. Second St., is slated to have a 37,000-square-foot Whole Foods on the ground floor, topped by 10 levels of parking.MDM expects that the supermarket would be open by the fourth quarter of 2013.
When the construction permit for the garage was finally issued a few months ago, the notes stated that they are required to have archaeological monitoring.
There still is no major construction activity at the site.
This is the site of an Indian burial grounds, so it would not surprise me if some people were claiming that the land is cursed.
Looks like they have now cleared up the liens that were placed on the property.
As a resident of the Epic Hotel and Residences, I can see the lot for Met Square undergoing some construction and excavating. Only a partial of the lot is currently being excavated which seems odd unless it's in phases???
Daniel, post: 2332, member: 319 wrote: As a resident of the Epic Hotel and Residences, I can see the lot for Met Square undergoing some construction and excavating. Only a partial of the lot is currently being excavated which seems odd unless it's in phases???
I believe the only permit that they currently have is for tree removal.
The plan for Met SQ was to stagger the construction so that it starts six months after Met 3 since they will share parking.
There is now a permit pending for archaeological excavation – which could indicate that they found some type of native burial ground at the site. This could potentially delay the project for some time.
Just to clarify, that archeological permit is for Met Square, not Met 3?
langbro, post: 2497, member: 2 wrote: There is now a permit pending for archaeological excavation – which could indicate that they found some type of native burial ground at the site. This could potentially delay the project for some time.
Sean, post: 2501, member: 42 wrote: Just to clarify, that archeological permit is for Met Square, not Met 3?
I think so – but not sure.
Machines back on the Met III site with the gate open yesterday. Also saw some large pipes that I don't think we're there before.
northwestern, post: 2612, member: 343 wrote: Machines back on the Met III site with the gate open yesterday. Also saw some large pipes that I don't think we're there before.
very possible that they are finally moving
the architect released these last week
Full construction finally underway.
Driving pilings:
langbro, post: 2758, member: 2 wrote: Full construction finally underway.
Driving pilings:
They posted a $31.5 million performance bond a few weeks ago. The NCO has been filed and construction is now underway.
Here is a copy of the new lease for Whole Foods at Met 3.
Just signed a few weeks ago
20 year lease with up to 30 additional years as an option.
New lease permits restaurant use at Met Square
Also, the developer of Met 3 received a $44 million loan from MetLife insurance company on November 16th.
Ok the address listed for the Met 3 site is wrong. SFBJ has it wrong too. It's actually 250 SE 3rd Ave Miami, FL 33131. That other addy lands you on Biscayne BLVD.
Sean, post: 3332, member: 42 wrote: Ok the address listed for the Met 3 site is wrong. SFBJ has it wrong too. It's actually 250 SE 3rd Ave Miami, FL 33131. That other addy lands you on Biscayne BLVD.
The address listed in the first post is actually correct – google that has it wrong.
sandman, post: 3333, member: 1 wrote: The address listed in the first post is actually correct – google that has it wrong.
An application was submitted this week to install construction cranes at the Met 3 site.
The cranes are to be installed up to a maximum height of 423 feet.
Are they building the residential portion now? Two anonymous commenters on Curbed said they were.
This would seem to indicate that they intend to build it, but I have not heard yet if they have a financing deal for the resi portion.
I walked by on foot, which that by itself was quite daunting sheesh, and had the balls to ask one of the construction workers whats the deal. He told me pretty much the same scenario with Env mary brickell…build the supermarket and garage first with ground floor retail, and leave the foundation for a residential tower for the future
Metro Atlantic, post: 3485, member: 282 wrote: I wonder what made them back out on the apartments. The residential market has a high demand for rental apartments, especially in Downtown. It would have been really successful. Unless they're waiting in hopes of reviving the old Met 3 with the condos. Met 3 is a vicious cycle of back and forth.
When Equity Residential purchased Archstone they decided to pull out of all the their new developments in South Florida to focus elsewhere. It had nothing to do with the actual Met 3 project.
It is a bit more complicated than that. There is some bad blood between the owner and EQR – there was a lawsuit which has since been resolved.
More details: The construction permit which has been issued for Met 3 is a phased permit which will allow them to build a 349′ residential tower with 462 units.
They have applied for a construction permit at Met Square but it has not been grated yet.
It would be great to have a residential tower there, there are not enough all rental luxury buildings
Looked outside my window this morning and it looks like the construction crane is going up!
Yes….via @cerverare
In the first post, there was word from the contractor said that the pedestal/Whole Foods portion should be complete by the end of 2013. Is this estimate still reasonable? It seems to be taking quite a long time to complete the foundation work and they haven't even started to go vertical yet…Or is it a quick process to build up once the foundation is in place?


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Revenue at Pennsylvania's 11 casinos in July was up slightly over the same month last year, according to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
The Sands Casino in Bethlehem was the state's highest-grossing gaming hall with $12.4 million in July.
With an average of 1,037 tables in daily operation statewide during July, gross revenue from the play of all table games was $56,482,941. That amount was 1.8% higher than in July 2011, when revenue totaled $55,475,411 with an average of 911 tables operating on a daily basis.
The board noted, as it did when July slot revenue figures were released earlier this month, that the July 2011 figure included a fifth full weekend (Friday through Sunday) of business compared with just four full weekends in July of this year.
Even with the gross revenue increase, the board reported that the $7,485,074 in tax revenue generated for the Commonwealth's General Fund from table games this July was 4 percent lower than tax revenue from July of last year. The Board explained that in addition to the extra weekend in 2011, the tax revenue decrease can also be attributed to the first month of a planned reduction in the state tax rate for table games from 14 percent to 12 percent.
Under amendments to the PA Race Horse Development and Gaming Act that permitted the addition of table games at Commonwealth casinos, the tax rate is reduced 2 percentage points on the two-year anniversary date of the commencement of table games operations. This means that the nine casinos that began table games operations in July 2010 saw a reduction in their tax rate this July.
SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia (table games operation commenced Sept. 23, 2010) and Valley Forge Casino Resort (table games operation commenced March 31, 2012) will continue to be taxed at a 14 percent rate until their two-year period is up.
In addition, table games contributed tax revenue to the Local Share Fund of $1,129,659 during July. That tax rate remains at 2 percent.


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text:
Home > News & Events > Special Alerts
Special Alerts
Citizens Union Bank of Shelbyville, Shelbyville, Kentucky, has contacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to report that counterfeit official checks bearing the institution's name are in circulation.
The counterfeit items display the routing number 011007092, which is assigned to Boston Safe Deposit & Trust Company, Boston, Massachusetts. The bank issues official checks through Moneygram Payment Systems, Inc., Minneapolis Minnesota, payable through Boston Safe Deposit & Trust Company.
The counterfeit items are markedly dissimilar to authentic official checks. The counterfeit items display the following security statement embedded within the top border: "THIS CHECK IS VOID WITHOUT A RED & BLUE BORDER AND BACKGROUND PLUS A KNIGHT & FINGERPRINT WATERMARK ON THE BACK - HOLD AT AN ANGLE TO VIEW." The following security statements appear along the bottom border: "ABSENCE OF PINK U.S. PATENT NUMBERS UNDER SIGNATURE INDICATES CHECK IS FRAUDULENT. PATENT NUMBERS ARE PRINTED WITH HEAT SENSITIVE INK & WILL DISAPPEAR WHEN BLOWING OR RUBBING." The statement "SIGNATURE AREA CONTAINS A KNIGHT & FINGERPRINT CHECK WORDING" appears beneath the signature line in the lower-right corner. The counterfeit items are blue and pink and have blue borders with rounded corners.
Authentic checks display a metallic hologram in the top-center area. The following security statements appear below the top border: "THIS DOCUMENT HAS AN ARTIFICIAL WATERMARK PRINTED ON THE BACK. THE FRONT OF THE DOCUMENT HAS A MICRO-PRINT SIGNATURE LINE AND HOLOGRAM. ABSENCE OF THESE FEATURES WILL INDICATE A COPY." A picture of a cartoon character bear is to the right of the bank's name in the top-left corner. The checks are green and have green borders with square corners.
Copies of a counterfeit item and an authentic check (VOID) are attached for your review. Be aware that the appearance of counterfeit items can be modified and that additional variations may be presented.
Any information you have concerning this matter should be brought to the attention of:
Toni Druin
Information about counterfeit items, cyber-fraud incidents and other fraudulent activity may be forwarded to the FDIC's Cyber-Fraud and Financial Crimes Section, 550 17th Street, N.W., Room F- 4004, Washington, D.C. 20429, or transmitted electronically to email@example.com. Questions related to federal deposit insurance or consumer issues should be submitted to the FDIC using an online form that can be accessed at http://www2.fdic.gov/starsmail/index.asp.
For your reference, FDIC Special Alerts may be accessed from the FDIC's website at www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2007/index.html. To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts through e-mail, please visit www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.
Attachment (not available electronically)
NOTE: As a security precaution, the FDIC does not post to its Web site electronic images of fraudulent items or authentic checks that have been counterfeited. This is to avoid attempts by others to use these instruments to facilitate additional fraud. Financial institutions can view images of the fraudulent items and authentic checks (marked as VOID) using the FDIC's free, secure Web site, FDICconnect. (See more information about FDICconnect at http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/financial/2006/fil06032.html.) Printed copies of each Special Alert and its attachment(s) may also be obtained from the FDIC's Public Information Center (telephone: 1-877-275-3342 or 703-562-2200; fax: 703-562-2296; or e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com).
Distribution: FDIC-Supervised Banks (Commercial and Savings)
|Last Updated 10/16/2007


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UTICA — The Clinton Community College women's basketball team stayed with second-ranked Onondaga Community College in the first half Saturday.
The Cougars, however, went cold from the field in the second half and dropped a 73-57 decision in the Division III, Region III Tournament semifinals.
The Lazers held a 36-33 lead at the half before outscoring the Cougars, 37-24, after intermission.
"We played a great first half," said Clinton coach Donna Dixon. "We came out with a lot of energy and did a great job stopping their transition game.
"But we couldn't buy a basket in the second half. They could shoot the three and moved the ball very well. They're pretty quick and spread us out. We just had one of those halves — if we had stayed hot we could have stayed with them."
Jenna Johnson hit five 3-pointers while finishing with 19 points for the Lazers. Lauren Roy added 12 points, Nacirema Mann 11 and both Kayla Kibling and Kaitlynne Knapp 10 apiece.
Katrina Garrand poured in a game-high 25 points for the Cougars and added seven rebounds, seven assists and four steals. Emily Decker followed with 17 points and seven rebounds. Alisha Ducatte scored nine points and Ruth Paul added eight rebounds.
"We had a great season," said Dixon. "It was disappointing to lose, but I couldn't be prouder of these girls. They started a little slow, but finished really strong. We got great leadership from our sophomores and it really showed in the second half of the season.
"I couldn't be happier."
Yesterday, the sixth-seeded Cougars eliminated third-seeded Herkimer Community College in the quarterfinals.
The Cougars ended the season with a 16-10 overall record and Saturday's game may have been the final one for Dixon as coach
of the team.
"I told the girls that I'm going out and I wanted to go out with them," said Dixon. "I have mixed feelings and the future is up in the air. We'll see."
Onondaga 73, Clinton 57
Clinton (57)
Garrand 9-4-25, Gates 1-0-3, Ducatte 4-0-9, E. Decker 7-3-17, Paul 1-0-2, Barber 0-0-0, J. Decker 0-0-0, Agoney 0-0-0. Totals 22-7-57.
Onondaga (73)
Mann 5-1-11, Thompkins 0-0-0, Johnson 7-0-19, Roy 4-2-12, Crowell 1-0-3, Taylor 2-0-5, Louis 1-1-3, Davis 0-0-0, Kibling 4-0-10, Cooper 0-0-0, Marcely 0-0-0, Dungey -0-0-0, Jones 0-0-0, Knapp 5-0-10. Totals 29-4-73.
3-point goals: Clinton (5): Garrand 3; Gates; Ducatte. Onondaga (11): Johnson 5; Roy 2; Kibling 2; Crowell; Taylor.
Halftime: Onondaga, 36-33.


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Beautyblender Sponge Reviews
The Most Beautiful, Easy Way to BlendI never thought I'd see the day when I would spend twenty dollars for a makeup sponge. But after all of the talk, all of the ads, and all of the hype about the one from Beautyblender,® I caved and handed over my debit card with an audible gulp and a large helping of guilt. I shouldn't have felt so bad--this sponge is very different from most, well worth my splurge! It is completely latex- and ...read moreallergy-free. The design is ergonomic, with a tiny end so that you can work any and all cosmetics right up into the corner of the eye area with no problem. The bottom is more bulbous, for larger areas. This sponge is to be used damp for best results. One of the interesting aspects is that it doubles in size when completely wet, but it will shrink back to its original dimensions when dry. Use this to keep foundation from looking cakey. It works miracles to set a great powder (like "Make Up For Ever's HD" version) over a concealed blemish or discoloration to keep it disguised. Try using it with eye shadow for dramatic results (never thought of using a sponge with eye shadow, did you?). The longer I have it, the more uses I find. This will last for about four months with proper care; you do not need to purchase the cleanser from this company, as it's pricey. A gentle liquid like baby shampoo will clean it well so that bacteria does not cause contamination. What a find! — 1 year, 3 months agoGigiSD | 1102 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 7 of 8 people said helpful
Love the Natural Finish this GivesI debated getting the Beauty Blender for such a long time, despite the major hype that surrounds it just because it seems like a glorified makeup sponge. I also don't like that Beauty Blender tries to push its own (expensive) cleaning solution. I finally bit the bullet and bought the Beauty Blender but did not get their stupid cleaning solution. I clean my blender using normal baby shampoo and ...read morewater. Despite my skepticism, I have been thoroughly impressed by this tool! It is easy to use once you get used to it, and it makes each foundation look so smooth and flawless on the skin. I love using this with my heavier foundations because it prevents foundations from looking in any way cakey or heavy. This is probably because you are supposed to use the sponge damp. The dampness helps dissolve and distribute liquid makeup so nicely. What I don't like is that even after one use, your beauty blender gets stained and looks grimey. Even after you wash it, it doesn't look like new again. There is also no real easy way to store this sponge. Beauty Blender recommends using the original packaging to stand the sponge up, but who the heck wants to keep cheap looking plastic packaging on their vanity?! I worry about this collecting bacteria and at $20 a sponge, these are not cheap to replace. This is why I had to dock some stars. I am willing to invest money in quality makeup brushes because I know that when cared for, they could last a lifetime. The Beauty Blender will not last a lifetime, no matter what you do. It is an innovative product, but its price is too steep, in my opinion, for a sponge that needs to be replaced on a somewhat regular basis. Still, I will enjoy using this sponge and keep it as sanitary as possible. If you have issues getting foundation to apply evenly and aren't pinching pennies, give this a shot. — 1 year, 3 months agoHeathRene | 274 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 3 of 3 people said helpful
Flawless Foundation Application!!!Absolutely incredible! Just wet it, squeeze out the water, then add foundation to sponge and apply to face! Makes your makeup look utterly flawless, gives skin a perfect glow, and gives a nice dewy luminous appearance. Use for that perfect sexy sultry skin look. — 2 years, 12 months agoCliniqueLover | 297 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 16 of 18 people said helpful
pleasently surprised!I had heard many good things about this sponge but was weary to pay $20 for a sponge....well I did and I think it was one of my better choices cuz I LOVE it! — 5 years, 11 months agoKikikins625 | 457 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 6 of 9 people said helpful
Seriously Not worth it!!Okay so I bought this product over a year ago, and I keep trying to go back and use it, but honestly I don't see the big hype or benefits about this. I mean it's pricier than other sponges and the cover girl one works just as good and a brush would get the same job done if you want to buy a Mac one. Also I don't even need foundation so I just use a tinted moisturizer and I've tried using this th...read moreing and it soaks my tint up completely... I get a better result with using my own hand like it's just a cream smoothing on. This is a fad and NOT worth the price.. Wish I could say different because I hate wasting my money on worthless things.. — 2 years, 3 months agoLani702 | 115 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 0 of 4 people said helpful
I prefer a brushI don't get this. I apply my liquid foundation with a brush, and for me that is the best thing. I don't know if I'm doing it wrong, but I can't seem to get a good face out of this. I'm sure if this was the first thing you have ever used to apply your foundation this would be amazing, but as for me I prefer a brush. — 5 years, 3 months agoleelu | 354 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 4 of 6 people said helpful
You've Never Blended Like This BeforeI purchased a Beautyblender sponge after reading a favourable review in a magazine. I wanted to try this egg-shaped sponge and see for myself how this worked. I am SO glad I did. This blends better than any other makeup sponge I have tried. It fits well in my hand and is so easy to use. Perfect for blending under jawline, around the nose, eyes and evening out any tell-tale makeup lines. Works grea...read moret with foundation or concealer. Can be used damp or dry. I bought a set of two (well worth it) and then another one. They last for a long time with proper cleansing. I will never use any other makeup sponge. — 5 years, 11 months agoEireItalia | 277 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 3 of 3 people said helpful
Natural wonderI have always sworn by the notion that fingers are the best tool for applying foundation . Yet after reading the great reviews for this product, I decided to try it when I found it at Sephora at a decent price. It is a great product for liquid or cream foundation. If you dampen the sponge and dab it on, you are rewarded with a smooth and natural looking finish. Not cake your overly made up looking...read more. It is a bit pricey however, but given how often I use it and the foundation that I am saving by using this has made it worth it. — 3 months agocoinma | 152 reviews
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Gives Flawless Foundation Look!I was hesitant on buying this because of the price. Finally, I just bought it in hopes it would live up to the hype. Not only did I fall head over heels in love, it exceeded my expectations. It gives a flawless finish, you can build up coverage you prefer. It blends so well and really gets everywhere on your face. Its super soft and when wet it expands to a nice size sponge. If you're questioning whether or not to purchase one, I say go for it! — 6 months, 1 week agoBrookeSS | 38 reviews
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The little pink egg is the best!I know, I know, it took me way too long to try out this makeup sponge applicator but now that I have, I am hooked! It provides light, flawless coverage for an even and natural look. Beautyblender is made from a latex-free, anti microbial foam to help fight bacteria and sensitive enough for those with allergies. It is washable, reusable, recyclable, can be used with all types of makeup, you can ...read moreuse it damp or dry and it's sooo cute! What more could you ask from a makeup sponge? I highly recommend you buy this NOW if you do not already own one, or two! — 6 months, 3 weeks agoProductFanatic | 47 reviews
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My Reasons for Reporting This


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First-Time Home Buyers Missing Out on Housing Recovery
Tougher lending standards squeeze out potential borrowers.
As the housing market continues to show improved signs of strength, many first-time home buyers are failing to benefit from the broader recovery.
The Campbell/Inside Mortgage Finance HousingPulse Tracking Survey, released last week, found that first-time home buyers were purchasing only 34.7 percent of the homes sold in October. That's down from 37.1 percent in September, and is the lowest percentage ever recorded by the survey.
This decline surfaces as purchases of non-distressed homes—houses that are not in foreclosure—have increased dramatically in 2012. The report shows that the vast majority of the homes being sold are regular purchases—accounting for 64.7 percent of all houses sold in October, up from 55.7 percent in February. The increase is a sign of strength in the housing market, as fewer people are buying homes in foreclosure.
But according to the survey, first-time buyers are the only group that has not purchased more non-distressed properties in the last five months. Meanwhile, current homeowners are picking up an increasing number of properties, purchasing 54.4 percent of all homes in October, up from 50 percent in June.
[In Pictures: 10 Ways Your Home Can Pay You Money]
Thomas Popik, research director for Campbell Surveys, says these trends in the disparity of who is purchasing homes are due in part to increasingly tough mortgage standards by banks. But the real obstacle for first-time buyers is the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), according to Popik. At the depths of the housing crisis, the FHA loosened lending standards in an attempt to kick-start a housing recovery. Now that the recovery has begun, standards for FHA mortgages that require a 3.5 percent down payment are tightening.
"The basic problem is that about half of owner-occupant homebuyers rely on low down payment loans. FHA is now under significant financial pressure," Popik says. "They've tightened their underwriting, and weeded out a lot the lenders that have poor lending practices." He adds that, in the process, FHA has restrained access for first-time buyers who can't make the traditional 20 percent down payment.
Lack of access to mortgages for first-time buyers has broad consequences. Without these buyers, the housing recovery will be difficult to sustain. It also robs first-time buyers, many of whom are young (the National Association of Realtors estimates an average age of 31 for first-time buyers) of the opportunity to cash in on the recovery and build wealth.
Behind the FHA's tightening. As the housing market failed to gain traction following the explosion of the real estate bubble, the Obama administration decided to loosen standards for home loans—giving borrowers who would not qualify for a typical bank loan a chance to enter the housing market. At the same time, FHA extended lifelines to underwater homeowners, allowing them to refinance mortgages to keep their homes and avoid foreclosure.
These programs required FHA to take on large amounts of debt, Popik says: "FHA really picked up these low down payment loans in the second half of 2008 and 2009, even going into 2010 and 2011."
To service this debt, FHA had to rely on people who wouldn't have been able to qualify for a traditional loan and people who had homes that were underwater. As payments on these loans have slipped in recent years, FHA now finds itself $16.3 billion short in its insurance fund.
[Read: The Best (and Worst) Real Estate Sectors.]
This has forced FHA to tighten lending standards, limiting loan options for many first-time buyers, says Tim Ralph, portfolio manager and chief operating officer at Biltmore Capital Advisors. FHA is now "looking for three years of steady income, understanding what's outside of your income in terms of debt, and you investment portfolio," Ralph says. "Rates might be at 2.75 percent, but that's not happening for someone with a 650 credit score who can't put 10 percent down. If there's a slight downturn in the housing market, this buyer would be immediately underwater."


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San Bernardino County Sheriff's investigators found charred human remains within the ashes of the torched cabin where fugitive former police officer Christopher Dorner was barricaded.
Cindy Bachman, a spokeswoman for the lead agency in the case, the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department, said authorities will work to identify the remains.
Earlier, Bachman tried to counter widespread reports that a body believed to be Dorner had been recovered from the cabin.
"They believe that there is a body in there, but it is not safe to go inside," she told reporters. She added that officials believed there was still live ammunition in the cabin, which was still smoldering.
CNN and other media quoted numerous sources earlier in the evening as saying authorities had removed a body from the rubble of the fire and identified it as Dorner.
The cabin caught fire after police detonated smoke devices inside the cabin, the source said.
Aerial images showed heavy smoke and flames coming from a structure. The cabin continued to burn for hours after the fire started.
One of the two sheriff's deputies wounded earlier Tuesday in the shootout earlier with the suspect died, San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon told reporters at California's Loma Linda University Medical Center. The other deputy was in surgery "but he should be fine," McMahon said.
The wounded officers were taken to the Loma Linda facility after shots were exchanged with a man at a police roadblock near Big Bear Lake, the sheriff's office said earlier in a statement.
The day's confrontations began when a California Fish and Wildlife officer was driving down a highway near Big Bear and he recognized a man fitting the description of Dorner -- target of a massive manhunt since last week -- driving a vehicle in the other direction. The wildlife officer chased the vehicle and the driver opened fire on the officer before abandoning the truck, a statement from the agency said.
The officer's vehicle was hit numerous times, the statement said. While not specifically referring to the officer involved in the shootout, the statement said the agency's officers "are all safe and accounted for."
Cindy Bachman, a spokeswoman for the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department, said the suspect fled into the woods then into the cabin where he fired at the approaching deputies and holed up though the afternoon, still exchanging gunfire with authorities.
Later as the fire burned, with authorities staying back, she said authorities weren't 100% sure the suspect was still in the cabin.
Authorities have been searching for Dorner since he was named as the suspect in the shooting deaths February 3 of the daughter of his police union representative and her fiance. Police also say he killed one officer in Riverside, California, and wounded two others last Thursday.
The violent spree, authorities say, was part of Dorner's campaign of vigilante justice for what he believes was his unfair termination.
Los Angeles police spokesman Lt. Andy Neiman said Tuesday that the department had received more than 1,000 tips on Dorner's whereabouts. Some of the calls have come from Dorner's acquaintances or people who think they have spotted the fugitive.
The pace of tips being given to investigators increased by 400% after the city of Los Angeles put up a $1 million reward on Sunday for information leading to Dorner's arrest and conviction, Neiman said.
The search for the 270-pound, 6-foot Dorner has focused on the Big Bear Lake area, where authorities say his burning truck was discovered last week.
Over the past two weeks, the search, considered one of the largest in the history of Southern California, has taken authorities from Orange County to the border of Mexico and from Los Angeles to Big Bear Lake.
"Big Bear's still where we're looking right now," Neiman said Tuesday. The search area surrounds where Dorner's burning truck was discovered last Thursday .


text: The pet of the week from Coins 4 Critters is Bella. She is a 1 1/2-year-old Shih Tzu/Maltese mix. Bella is house trained, likes other animals, loves car rides, is playful and wants to please. Bella has been spayed and has been vaccinated, including rabies, and has been dewormed. You can meet Bella and other animals for adoption at Petco, 936 W. Shawnee Bypass or see them online at www.coins4critters.org.


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The Eagle-Tribune
---- — The following items were taken from area police logs for Thursday, Jan. 3:
Arrest: Vicente Castillo, 33, of 113 Berkeley St. in Lawrence, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, Lowell Street, 9:13 a.m.
Crash: Hit and run, Lowell Street, 1:14 p.m.
Theft: Lupine Road, 4:42 p.m.
Crash: Hit and run, Haverhill Street, 6:44 p.m.
Breaking and entering: 198 Essex St., 2:53 a.m.
Larceny: 629 Haverhill St., 9:15 a.m.
Breaking and entering: 56 Sanborn St., 10:47 a.m.
Larceny: 550 Broadway, 11:07 a.m.
Larceny: 1 Broadway, 12:41 pm..
Breaking and entering, motor vehicle: 21 Pleasant St., 12:43 p.m.
Breaking and entering: 430 S. Broadway, home entered through basement, items missing include laptop, gold jewelry, 1:01 p.m.
Drug arrests: Oscar Bernafel Diaz, 28, of 59 Saunders St., #2, distribution of Class A and Class B (cocaine), possession of Class E, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, providing false name to police; Jillian Walkowicz, 23, of 126 Bowden St. #2, possession of Class A and B drugs, operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license, Amie Vieira, 29, of 45C Pelham St., Methuen, possession of class A and B drugs, fugitive from justice, operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license; bust took place at Morton and Haverhill streets, 1:13 p.m.
Breaking and entering: 56 Sanborn St., 2:27 p.m.
Arrest: Anilton Almedia, 30, of 140 Myrtle St., #1, charged with assault and battery on a household member, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, personal property, willful and malicious injury, intimidating a witness in a criminal investigation, 4:35 p.m.
Shots fired: 47 Atkinson St., man reported a bullet shot into the hood of his vehicle while it was parked on Atkinson Street. A spent round was found on the street. 6:21 p.m.
Breaking and entering: 38 Poplar St., 8:29 p.m.
10 parking tickets issued: Elm and Water streets, 11:31 a.m.
Summons issued for driving after license suspension: Chickering Road and Dufton Court, 2 p.m.
Money stolen from delivery truck: Captain's Pizza, 727 Turnpike St., 2:18 p.m.
Summons issued for driving without a license: near 500 Foster St., 3:21 p.m.
Accident with injury: near 690 Turnpike St., 8:32 a.m.
Citation issued for failure to wear seat belt: near 315 Turnpike St., 11:05 a.m.
Arrest: Paul Beck, 32, of 1 Gibson Court, shoplifting, Market Basket, 350 Winthrop Ave., 4:06 p.m.
Trespassing: 280 Lincoln Ave., 12:15 a.m.
Arrest: Wayne Harreman, 62, 48 Sterling Lane, assault and battery domestic, 48 Sterling Lane, 12:35 a.m.
Disturbance: 37 Woodcock Ave., 1:30 a.m.
Motor vehicle accident: Shepherd Street, 8:24 a.m.
Neighbor dispute: 14 Macon Ave., 9:27 a.m.
Motor vehicle accident: Chandler Street, 10:33 a.m.
Arrest: Veronica Perez-Velasquez, 40, 25 Horne St., Apt. 7, Methuen, distributing a Class B substance, conspiracy to violate the drug laws, 107 Laurel Ave., 11:01 a.m.
Vandalism: 165 Washington St., 11:52 a.m.
Motor vehicle accident: Centre Street, 12:31 p.m.
Breaking and entering: 23 Victor St., 1:55 p.m.
Arrest: Adam Emery, 19, 150 How St., possession of a Class B substance, conspiracy/drugs, child endangerment, 711 South Main St., 2 p.m.
Arrest: Chelsie Baston, 18, 150 How St., possession of a Class B substance, conspiracy/drugs, child endangerment, 711 South Main St., 2 p.m.
Suspicious person: 625 Lake St., 6:10 p.m.
Arrest: Damaar Artis, 26, 31 Charles St., possession of a Class D substance with intent to distribute, 31 Charles St., 6:29 p.m.
Disturbance: 65 Moore St., 7:29 p.m.
Arrest: Tanya Desell, 34, 4 Grove St., disturbing the peace, 3 Grove St., 7:56 p.m.
Arrest: John Vancoppenolle, 23, 4 Grove St., operating after suspension, 4 Grove St., 7:56 p.m.
Arrest: Langis Caron, 57, 75 Camden St., Methuen, operating with a suspended license (subsequent offense), Emerson Street at Winter Street, 10:30 p.m.
Unwanted person: 360 North Ave., 10:51 p.m.
Loud music: 170 Washington St., 1:33 p.m.


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News about Smell, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.
Gary Beauchamp
A scientist of taste and smell on chicken sashimi, nail clippers and finding reassurance in a stargazer lily.
May 4, 2014, Sunday
MORE ON SMELL AND: Taste , Senses and Sensation , Beauchamp, Gary , Smell (Olfaction)
Turning a Mosquito's Sense of Smell Against It
A discovery that a mosquito's sperm carries the same set of chemical sensors as the olfactory receptors on its antennas could be used to disrupt the fertilization process.
February 11, 2014, Tuesday
MORE ON SMELL AND: Smell (Olfaction) , Mosquitoes , Sperm , Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
When a Food Writer Can't Taste
With my tongue impaired, I was like a deaf musician.
January 12, 2014, Sunday
MORE ON SMELL AND: Food , Taste , Smell (Olfaction)
What Does Cancer Smell Like?
Why scientists are putting stock in an electronic nose.
November 24, 2013, Sunday
MORE ON SMELL AND: Preti, George , Smell (Olfaction) , Tests (Medical) , Ovarian Cancer , Science and Technology
Perfume, in This Case,' Made by Nose'
Roja Dove, known as one of the industry's most skilled perfumers, creates bespoke fragrances.
November 4, 2013, Monday
MORE ON SMELL AND: Smell (Olfaction) , Perfumes and Fragrances , London (England)
Scent and the City
Architects should use their noses as well as their eyes.
October 27, 2013, Sunday
MORE ON SMELL AND: Architecture , Psychology and Psychologists , Smell (Olfaction)
Scent Adds Sophistication to Hair Products
More and more luxury hair-care brands are using complex aromas to make their products stand out.
August 15, 2013, Thursday
MORE ON SMELL AND: Shampoos and Hair Products , Hair , Perfumes and Fragrances , Smell (Olfaction)
How Common Is It to Dream of Smelling Something?
In a small 1998 study, a significant minority of subjects reported dreams of scents.
July 30, 2013, Tuesday
MORE ON SMELL AND: Smell (Olfaction) , Research , Smells and Odors , Dreams , Sleep
A Mosquito That Won't Ruin a Barbecue
Researchers at Rockefeller University report that they have produced a generation of mosquitoes incapable of sniffing out human targets.
June 4, 2013, Tuesday
MORE ON SMELL AND: Smell (Olfaction) , Research , Mosquitoes , Deet (Insect Repellent) , Genetics and Heredity
A Mole's Nose Knows, With Stereo Sniffing
Previous research indicated that rats can smell in stereo, and there are suggestions that sharks and ants can, too.
February 19, 2013, Tuesday
MORE ON SMELL AND: Nature Communications (Journal) , Smell (Olfaction) , Rodents
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West Brevoort - northern half: Ice Conditions
Ice ForecastsIssued 11:00 AM EDT 24 July 2014 Today Tonight and Friday
Ice EdgeFirst ice edge estimated from 6410N 6455W to 6530N 5850W to 7000N
6520W to 7230N 6420W. Sea ice west of the ice edge.
Second ice edge estimated from 7415N 7045W to 7420N 7700W to 7600N
7700W to 7555N 7330W. Sea ice west of the ice edge.
Ice CoverageBergy water except 2 tenths of old ice near Cumberland Peninsula.
- Date modified:


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Fiverr.com is a marketplace for bargain services where individuals selling "gigs" get noticed. Not rich, but noticed. »Read Full Article
Fiverr.com is a marketplace for bargain services where individuals selling "gigs" get noticed. Not rich, but noticed. »Read Full Article
Ready for the weekend? The Journal Sentinel's Kathy Flanigan offers some options for what to do around Milwaukee and Wisconsin in this weekly newsletter.
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Lollapalooza Day One Reviews: Lorde, Iggy Azalea, Eminem with surprise guest Rihanna, and more
International Tree Climbing Competition comes to Milwaukee
Angela Iannone in a 'Master Class' all her own at Milwaukee Chamber Theatre
Interview with Katy Butler, prominent author, journalist
'Bad Feminist' writer Roxane Gay to visit Boswell Books Aug. 8
Banksy's 'Spy Booth' artwork defaced
Gallery owner Khine Hline uses a breakup for inspiration in show
A first-hand perspective of rides at the Wisconsin State Fair
The New York Times finds more than just football in Green Bay
Lawsuit over Slipknot bassist's death dismissed
What to do in Milwaukee this weekend
Marlon Wayans: What music I'm listening to
On Tap Today: Head to the fair, see a movie or hula hoop at a beach party
Need ideas for things to do in Milwaukee? Plan the perfect weekend and find drink specials with the Best of Brew City, your mobile guide to going out.
Browse our weekly entertainment calendar listings from the Journal Sentinel Cue section, posted every Thursday evening.


text:
The Truven Health 50
Top Cardiovascular Hospitals is an annual quantitative study that identifies the nation's best providers
of cardiovascular service. Selected from more than 1,000 U.S. hospitals, these celebrated winners provide
outstanding care and set new standards in excellence for the healthcare industry. Hospitals do not
apply, and winners do not pay to market this honor.
This study is conducted separately from our 100 Top Hospitals study, but is based on many of the same
principles of performance.
As always, our latest study provided key industry insights, including the fact that if all
cardiovascular providers performed at the level of this year's winners (when compared to a peer group):
We based this analysis on Medicare patients; if the same standards were applied to all inpatients,
the impact would be even greater.
In addition, the 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals also:
Watch for our 2015 study release, November 10, 2014.
50 Top Cardiovascular
50 Top Cardiovascular Award Winners
Cardiovascular Benchmarks


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Filmmaker focuses on doing the job right
Peter Hedges shares talents during San Angelo visits
SAN ANGELO, Texas - What: "The Odd Life of Timothy Green" premiere party, movie screening and luncheon
When: Luncheon is noon, premiere party is 6 p.m. and movie is 6:30 and 8:15 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Luncheon is at Bentwood Country Club, 2111 Club House Lane; premiere party is at the Cactus Hotel, 36 E. Twohig Ave.; movie is at Cinemark Tinseltown, 4425 Sherwood Way
Cost: $50 for luncheon with screenwriter and director Peter Hedges and ticket to movie showing; $25 for movie only. Tickets available at the San Angelo Symphony offices, Cactus Hotel, Suite 201.
Contact: 325-658-5877
Despite being the mastermind behind the novel-turned-movie that launched Leonardo DiCaprio's acting career, earning an Academy Award nomination for cowriting the screenplay "About a Boy" and directing and penning star-studded films including "Dan in Real Life" and this summer's feel-good flick "The Odd Life of Timothy Green," Peter Hedges still has work to do.
"There are more stories to tell, and there are more bills to pay. Those two truths — one maybe purer than the other — are realities," Hedges said last week from his home in Brooklyn, N.Y.
For Hedges, 50, conveying a message to which viewers can relate is important — much more so than, for example, audiences connecting his name to his widely lauded films.
"What I care about is the story that we're telling, so when people think of 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape?' and they think of Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio, that's fine, just so long as they see the movie," Hedges said. "The best part is the making of the project, of making the film, or telling the story."
Despite living and working among Hollywood elite in New York — and climbing to stardom in his own right — Hedges has remained focused, conscientious and grounded, said his father Bob Hedges, retired rector of Good Shepherd Episcopal Church and current pastoral assistant of Emmanuel Episcopal Church.
"He's known lots of disappointments, too, and he also knows full well that fame is fragile and … that you've got to work like the dickens to get anywhere," Bob Hedges said. "He's willing to put in all the work and all the time that it takes to do the job right."
If Hedges appears to be an average person, that's because he is — with fantastic talent, his father said. "He's always been a creative guy and always had a wonderful imagination, and I pinch myself over and over and over again and say, 'Thank God I did not squelch him,'" Bob Hedges said. "I encouraged him and look what's happened."
Like Hedges' other films, "The Odd Life of Timothy Green" — the tale of a married couple who bury their dreams for a child and discover him magically brought to life as a young boy — blends pathos and humor to convey relatable dilemmas. The film is a departure from Hedges' others, however, in that it marks his first foray into fantasy.
"One of my producers, Ahmet Zappa, came up with the beginning of this story," Hedges said. "He conceived the premise and then gifted it to me and said, 'Take this beginning of the story and run with it.' I'd never written anything with a magical element in it, and that seemed like a great opportunity to attempt to make a film like 'Field of Dreams' or 'It's a Wonderful Life' or 'E.T.'"
The resulting film, Hedges said, is his most thematically ambitious to date.
"I'm very proud," he said. "It's a movie families can see: Kids can get something out of it, and adults can get a significantly different experience."
Hedges will screen the film in San Angelo on Tuesday. Because of the timing, he won't conduct workshops for young writers as he has during his past visits here, but he will share the moviemaking process and meet with fans.
"When I was a younger person growing up in Iowa, there were a few occasions when I encountered people who were either actors or writers who had careers I could only have dreamed of having," Hedges said. He said meeting and mentoring others is "part of the job, but it doesn't feel like work.
"We have a history of storytelling that goes back to people in caves painting on walls. The whole idea is that all of us only get so much time, so who's going to tell the new stories? I would like to give to other people the way others gave to me."
Standard-Times: Was being a novelist, screenwriter and director something you grew up knowing you wanted to do, or did your career naturally take that trajectory after you wrote "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?"
Hedges: When I was younger I wanted to be an actor, and I went to drama school and studied acting. While I was at school I started writing plays for my friends to be in. Those plays were popular, and I met with success and so I stumbled into playwriting, and ever since my work has been about creating material for actors.
I started writing "Gilbert Grape" as a play for my friends to be in, but at a certain point I realized Gilbert was more interested in telling his story as a novel. So I was surprised … because I had no plans to be a novelist. Once I started writing plays in my early 20s, I did dream of becoming a film director.
S-T: What was your reaction when you found out "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?" was going to be made into a movie?
Hedges: I remember being over-the-moon happy that not only was there a chance it could become a film, but Lasse Hallstrom was interested in directing it … (and) insisting I write the script.
S-T: Was that the defining moment in your career when you knew you'd made it?
Hedges: I wouldn't say a defining moment, but it was an important moment because it was the first time I began to believe I might be able to support myself and a potential family through my writing. That was significant because I was almost 30 years old and very poor.
S-T: You're married with two teenage sons. How do you balance family life and your career?
Hedges: It can be tricky when work requires that I'm out of town, but because I've been writing through their childhood for the last 18 years and directing occasionally, I'm mostly able to be home and I keep office hours. I go to work after they go to school and I come home often about the time they're coming home from school. Being a father and a husband is more important to me than my career, so I think as long as I understand that while there may be moments when my work has to be primary, the sum total of my time my family is my priority.
S-T: Where do you see your career going next?
Hedges: I have an idea for a television show I want to create, so I may do that. I am writing two new film scripts, and I don't expect to be writing a novel for a while.
I'm interested in creating work that will employ the most people, to be honest. There are too many people out of work, and one of the thrills of making a film is that hundreds — if not over a thousand people, at various points in the filmmaking process — are working.
If I can make something now that will employ lots of people and will also be a story or series of stories that merit all that energy and effort, that's what I should be doing.
S-T: How do you handle negative criticism, especially online?
Hedges: I won't read any comment from anyone who doesn't sign their name. I have a very firm belief we need to sign our name to everything we do. The Internet is a useful tool for communicating, but it's also become a giant wall of graffiti, and I have stopped reading what people say because it keeps me from moving forward.
The truth is, the harder and more honorable thing is to actually make something; it's very easy to criticize and attack something someone else made.
That said, I do read reviews. I tend to read them all at once for a project because I sincerely want to improve. There may be a consensus out there for a particular project I can actually learn from.
The secret for me is to have a handful of people I know believe in my work but aren't so enamored with it that they can't be hard on me when I didn't go far enough or deep enough. Nothing I am a part of (that's of) any importance is done alone.
S-T: When you've achieved so much, is there a point where you hit a wall, or is there always a hunger for more?
Hedges: I have in me more stories than I can figure out how to tell. The act of making a film or writing a play or novel is a thrilling process because of what it requires, and the real or most meaningful benefits that come from a vital engagement with a passion are immense. Every day you're nervous because you don't know if you can do the thing you're trying to do. You know that you need help and so you ask for help from other people, and being helped is a wonderful thing. The hard part is that you can't know if you're spinning your wheels or wasting your time.
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Editor's Note: It was erroneously reported earlier in this story that Plesnick escaped the fire with his mother. In fact, according to a family friend, it was Plesnick's friend, Chris and Chris' mother that escaped the blaze.
The owner of a Holbrook market escaped with his life from a Calverton fire that engulfed his entire home, reducing it to ashes, and now his sister has launched a campaign to help get him back on his feet.
Stephen Plesnick owns the Community Market on Patchogue-Holbrook Road in Holbrook. Last Sunday he and his mother were home when he suddenly realized his two-story house on Twomey Avenue in Calverton had caught fire. The both of them escaped, along with Plesnick's three dogs.
According to reports in Riverhead Local, Plesnick also had two cats. One leapt from the window and is recovering from scrapes and burns, while the other remains missing.
Volunteers from four departments battled the fire. By the time the flames were tamped, however, the entire structure of the home, including some trees in the front yard were demolished. Footage of the blaze were captured by Denise Civiletti, a reporter for Riverhead Local, and uploaded to YouTube.
Now Plesnick and his family are trying to put things back together. His sister, Suzanne, opened a fundraising portal through the website GoFundMe.com. To date, the site has raised $2,855 for Plesnick. The goal is to raise $10,000 through the site. Anyone interested in donating can click on the hyperlink embedded in this story and fill out the relevant information.