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It's too early to say if this is gold finding a new normal for pricing, a relief rally or the infamous dead cat bounce, but precious metals finally moved off recent lows and into positive territory.
Gold was up $12.28 to $1,717.20 and silver was up $0.33 to $32.17, for a silver/gold ratio sliding to 53.3. Gold and silver had a lot of company to the upside in commodities early with platinum, palladium, crude oil and copper all posting gains.
The euro finally found some footing against the dollar, although it's hard to say how long that might last. The news is mixed from across the pond as the European recovery struggles to gain traction. The global economy is stuck in a mode that can be best described as three steps forward followed by two back, a recovery that is both fragile and fickle.
In the U.S. the economic news is much the same as conflicting forces fight for dominance. While employment numbers continue to improve, layoff notices have begun to creep back into the business headlines. Layoffs are almost always a net negative for the middle class, even if the job market is healthy, as new jobs being created rarely pay as well as those being lost.
Regardless of who wins the election in two weeks, we're all going to be paying higher taxes and higher food bills; there's simply no way around it. Compounding higher prices for necessities next year will be the constant inflationary pressure from the Fed's QE Infinity. So far inflation has remained relatively tame and the government has been spared the nightmare scenario of escalating borrowing costs because the rest of the world is in worse shape than we are. But that's not going to last.
If you agree with me on the inflationary outlook, then gold prices in the low $1,700 range don't look too bad. The counter argument for gold prices says that deleveraging will continue to keep inflation for everything except food prices in check through next year.
Your precious metals play will depend on which of those forces you think will be the dominant player when it comes to gold and silver prices. If inflation is your worry, then $1,700 is a fine entry point. If you believe deleveraging will continue to dominate the financial tides, then expect turbulent precious metals prices with frequent dips into the $1,600 range.
As for me, I think inflation is a sleeping giant that will surprise everyone when it awakes. I'm long on silver at these prices and watching for deals on bullion priced fractional gold bars. Even if I'm wrong on my prediction for next year, inflation will happen eventually.Chris Poindexter, Senior Writer, National Gold Group, Inc
It seems strange that gold not losing ground would be a headline but after the last week one should take good news where you find it.
Gold was down a mere $0.10 in early trading to $1,710.70 and silver was up $0.15 to $31.93, for a silver/gold ratio steady at 53.5. Commodities were mostly flat with crude oil, copper and palladium weakly lower and platinum joining gold slightly higher.
If gold can hold prices over $1,700 an ounce, that's actually a fairly bullish sign considering we were trading in the $1,580 an ounce range just last August. The precipitous drop from $1,780 an ounce territory feels like a bear bite but it's not just gold feeling the pinch, it's many industrial commodities including crude oil.
The most likely explanation is that commodities were overvalued relative to the pace of recovery in the global economy. If that were indeed the cause, then silver would face more exposure to a drop in industrial metals than gold and that's exactly what we're seeing as the silver/gold ratio, the number of ounces of silver it takes to buy an ounce of gold, gradually crept up over the last week from 51 to 53.5.
I would be more concerned if gold and silver were taking a pounding apart from other commodities, but they're pretty much in line with the rest of the market and at least loosely correlated with currency prices.
At times like these consider starting up small purchases again. The U.S. Federal Reserve is backing that strategy by continually diluting the value of your cash savings by printing money. Many observers expect the Fed to announce that the current QE program will be extended to 2014, which I call QE Infinity.
The Fed is playing a game of chicken with people who opted out of the debt economy game and keep savings in cash. The Federal Reserve is basically saying invest that money or watch the value dwindle as they print more and more currency.
The Fed is hoping you put that cash in the equity markets, but the other option is to invest that cash in hard assets like real estate, collectibles, gold and silver.Chris Poindexter, Senior Writer, National Gold Group, Inc
Gold was down nearly 1 percent as the dollar surged against the euro, but precious metals outpaced the dollar to the downside on a percentage basis.
In early trading gold was off $17.21 to $1,710.67 and silver was off $0.58 to $31.78, for a silver/gold ratio rising to 53.8.
It's not just gold and silver; commodities are getting pounded all over the spectrum. Platinum is down $26.00 an ounce and is joined lower by crude oil, off more than 1.25 percent, along with palladium and copper.
The damage is not limited to commodities as European and Asian stock markets are also getting beat with the selling bat today. There's blood in the economic waters everywhere you look this morning. Precious metals prices are part of the broader selling trend that's crushing commodities and equities with equal gusto.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is trying to stimulate the economy by lowering borrowing costs but the problem is no one is borrowing at any interest rate. More people are taking out mortgages, capitalizing on lower rates, but others are scaling down on home sizes or opting for less traditional types of housing that don't require mortgages. Traditional types of stimulus just aren't working anymore in the post-crash economy.
Whatever the cause, precious metals are on sale and it's time to start paying attention for buying opportunities. Yesterday I was on the fence about buying silver; today I'm getting the checkbook warmed up. With prices dipping below $31 an ounce and the silver/gold ratio continuing to drift toward 55, it's time to get in the game. If gold dips into the $1,600 range I may start splitting my buys and adding in more gold.
I'm not usually one to buy industrial metals like platinum and palladium, but I'm watching both closely. Platinum anywhere in the $1,500 price range is very attractive, though I prefer silver and gold as they're more widely traded and frequently easier to exchange.
Yes, it's sad to watch markets move lower and realize that people are losing trillions of dollars, but those same lower prices make precious metals more attractive. More proof that even dark economic clouds can have a silver lining.Chris Poindexter, Senior Writer, National Gold Group, Inc
Gold finally found some footing after sliding from the $1,780 range all the way down to the $1,720s.
In early trading gold was up $7.89 to $1,725.64 and silver was up $0.35 to $32.20, for a silver/gold ratio rising to 53.5. Metals were split on the day with gold, silver, crude oil and palladium trading higher while platinum and copper were lower.
Monday's price move may not be anything but short covering and is coincidental with the euro finally finding footing against the dollar. Unless big news comes out of the FOMC meeting this week, it seems more likely gold and silver will be stuck in a range.
For the 1 percent of investors who regularly invest in precious metals as part of their long-term investment strategy weeks like these are a mixed blessing. While it's a little disappointing to watch prices drop, part of the reason gold prices are moving lower is that the economy as a whole is doing better.
Another factor to consider is where an investor would put money in this market? The stock market is dancing around record territory and buying at the top of the market is a very poor strategy. Big investment houses are still peddling derivative investments that it takes an engineer to understand, the very same scenario that set up the big fall of 2008. I think I'll pass on Wall Street Follies this time around, although I do keep some money in equity sector funds that pay dividends.
The other silver lining to the gold price dark cloud is that rapidly dropping prices provide an opportunity for buyers. That opportunity is all the sweeter for silver as the silver/gold ratio starts to expand as that means silver is a progressively better deal relative to gold. While $32 an ounce is a little high for silver, I'll buy in that range if the deal is right. In precious metals the old saying that when the going gets tough, the tough go shopping, usually my wife's line, is particularly appropriate.
Any time precious metals are getting beaten down, whenever analysts start saying it's a difficult environment for metals, when the talking heads on the business channels say sell gold, that's when I start pulling cash together to go shopping. When I start reading articles entitled "Gold To $3,500!" is when I start thinking about what I could sell.
Following the herd most frequently ends at the slaughterhouse and I'm pretty happy with my cranky, contrarian ways.Chris Poindexter, Senior Writer, National Gold Group, Inc
It started out as another down day for the shiny metal as European stock markets get pummeled as a crazy, largely depressing trading week grinds to a close.
In early trading gold was down $7.07 to $1,734.83 and silver was off $0.39 to $32.42, boosting the silver/gold ratio to 53.5.
It doesn't help the mood that today is the anniversary of Black Monday, the day the Dow plunged 23 percent. Gold was $481 an ounce on that day.
Yet compared to the crash of 2007/2008 Black Monday is barely a blip, a minor anomaly that you have to look hard to even see on the chart. Today that size swing would be a down day and Wall Street would knock off early to hit the golf course. There would be no Senate hearings and no investigations by the SEC. Gold was $661 dollars an ounce in June of 2007.
When you consider that not much has changed in the wake of the three biggest stock market crashes in modern history, it's easy to understand why people are losing faith in the markets. I would argue that the markets and our currency policy are inseparably intertwined. Much of the explosive growth we've experienced can be traced to cheap money policies started under Greenspan.
As we look at a market back near 14,000 and gold prices still over $1,700 an ounce, it's easy to understand why investors are nervous. The illusion of growth that we experienced in the 90s was really fueled by currency dilution. The numbers only look bigger because our currency is smaller, a fact reflected in the price of gold. Yes, certainly our GDP has grown, not all of the growth was illusionary, but how much was currency policy and how much was real growth? The answer depends on which metrics you use.
What was once a currency policy intended to spur growth has now become routine business. The Fed even going so far as implementing QE Infinity, limited to $40 billion a month. While $40 billion doesn't sound like much in our modern economy, it adds up to nearly a half-trillion a year.
Hard assets as part of your investment mix are more important now than almost any time in our financial history, but don't let fear push you to folly. Stick to a fixed percentage of your wealth, 10 to 20 percent, and wait for dips in prices to add a little bit here and there.
Gold and silver are the last real money the world has left. It used to be the dollar was "good as gold" but who is really feeling that today?Chris Poindexter, Senior Writer, National Gold Group, Inc
The dollar rallied against the euro sending commodity prices, including gold and silver, tumbling in overnight trading.
Gold is down $6.38 to $1,741.88 and silver is off $0.18 to $32.91, leaving the silver/gold ratio at 52.9.
Silver and gold have a lot of company to the downside today with platinum, palladium, crude oil and copper all turning in lower numbers.
It would be easy to point to the strength of the dollar as the primary factor for today's price movement and it certainly is one of the factors, but metals prices are down more on a percentage basis than can be accounted for by currency prices alone. There's something else going on here and, whatever it is, it feels vaguely ominous.
Like any market trend there are many factors influencing the price of gold, including the Chinese economy which marked its seventh straight quarterly slowdown. Though keep in mind that a "slowdown" in China means a growth rate of only 7 to 7.5 percent. If the U.S. experienced that kind of growth it would be raining champagne.
Even with yesterday's big drop, gold is a long way from retesting low prices for the week and global monetary policy is still firmly on the side of gold and silver investors.
We're also seeing slower retail sales in India, the world's number one buyer of gold, as high prices, a higher import duty and weak rupee combine to undercut sales during the peak festival buying season. Gold dealers are scrambling to offer discounts and freebies in an effort to attract more buyers.
Another factor in the equation for gold prices is the rebounding U.S. economy. The unadjusted employment numbers for October are showing a 7.3 percent unemployment rate, confirming earlier numbers showing America is going back to work. While many are working for lower wages or are still underemployed, people are working again and consumer confidence is moving higher. That renewed confidence is showing in housing starts, which ticked up to levels not seen since 2008.
A rebounding American economy puts upward pressure on the dollar and a strong dollar tends to push gold prices lower. But the recovery has a long way to go, so hang in there with gold and silver, which may yet have the last laugh.Chris Poindexter, Senior Writer, National Gold Group, Inc
The euro had a big surge against the dollar and gold prices finally reacted by moving higher.
In early trading volume was light and gold was up $1.05 to $1,749.88 and silver was off $0.04 to $33.05, for a silver/gold ratio of 52.9.
It was a relief to see gold finally react to currency valuations as the precious metal had stubbornly refused to move higher despite gains by the euro against the dollar in previous trading days. The not so great news is that prices, on a percentage basis, didn't come anywhere near matching the gains by the euro. There is a stubborn bearish sentiment around gold this week that's been tough to shake.
Part of the recent trend in gold prices is related to structural shifts in investor confidence, particularly in Europe. Germany has given Spain some flexibility in a precautionary line of credit from Europe's rescue fund. The perception of stability for Spain is rocking European stock markets as investors switch from defensive investments, like hard assets, to more risky investments in equities. The iShares MSCI Spain Index, an ETF traded in U.S. markets that tracks with the Spanish stock market, was up 4.08 percent in just one trading day (disclosure: I own shares of this ETF).
All this Euro-confidence is putting a dent in gold prices and, if it keeps up, will start lowering price forecasts for the rest of the year. Another puzzler in all this is a silver/gold ratio that's creeping up as well. Now that the silver/gold ratio is moving closer to 55, I may get off the sidelines and start stacking silver again.
When other investors are moving into equities is the time when I start thinking about selling equities and start looking for bargains in other sectors. That is a very hard investment move for a lot of people. At the very time investors start feeling good about their equity investments and the news is positive, it's hard to go against the tide and sell. When your equity investments are moving higher, you naturally want to hold on to them. It's hard to sell a winner, which is why the majority of investors lose money.
Now is a great time to be making friends with your local gold and silver dealers. The sudden surge in prices has put off many buyers and, like any retail business, your neighborhood precious metals dealer needs cash flow. Most of them are ready to deal and at times like these it's good to have friends in the business.Chris Poindexter, Senior Writer, National Gold Group, Inc
Once again today we're "up" on lower prices than yesterday.
In early trading gold was up $4.05 to $1,739.70 and silver was up $0.13 to $32.80, with the silver/gold ratio creeping up to 53.
What a strange trading pattern we see developing this week as European equity markets are flying on the news of progress on a bailout plan for Spain. The news sent the euro on a run against the dollar, which usually has an immediate and positive impact on gold prices, but not lately.
Gold prices have moved stubbornly lower, often in opposition to changes in currency valuations. Added to that the silver/gold ratio is moving back up for the first time this month. We were steady at 51 last week, now we're up to 53 in a matter of days. So, what's going on?
My guess is that the confidence in Europe is real this time and is triggering some money to shift away from defensive investments and toward what are called "risk on" investments. Investors are selling gold and moving some of that money into European equity markets.
Another factor is that some investors are diversifying their hard assets by ranging into other types of investments that are rightly called collectibles. Those are things like guns and ammo, stamps, watches, rare wines, art, farmland, rare coins and other assets that are of interest to collectors.
I'm not a big fan of collectibles because it's so hard to put a value on what you're getting. Sure, with coins you have guides like the Blue and Red books, but you also have to know how to grade coins and that assessment can be subjective. Stamp collecting is similar, though that tends to be a smaller core of active traders.
I tend to prefer gold and silver because it's straightforward. A troy ounce of silver is one troy ounce whether it's a J&M bullion bar or a $1.40 in face value junk silver coins. Do also keep in mind that there are 14.58 troy ounces to a pound, not 16. You'd be amazed how many people get confused on that point.
Like with equity investments, I do encourage you to explore other hard asset options. But also keep in mind that gold and silver have been prized as a medium of exchange as long as man has been scratching out notes on clay tablets dried in the sun. You can't say the same about watches, art or wine.Chris Poindexter, Senior Writer, National Gold Group, Inc
Gold prices sank on Friday and just kept going south all day and didn't stop until they reached the $1,750 range.
Gold ended Friday down $15.79 to $1,753.10 and silver was down $0.63 to $33.44, raising the silver/gold ratio to 52.4. Precious metals were down for the week as well.
Tanking gold prices with a rising silver/gold ratio almost brings back memories of this summer's trading pattern. Not only did gold go down, it went down on hard on day that the euro gained against the dollar. Precious metals and industrial commodities took a thumping and it never let up all afternoon.
So why the big move down on a week when most analysts, including myself, expected gold to move higher? I could probably point to this or that and be at least partially right, but the truth is markets are made up of a myriad of conflicting directional pressures that push prices up and down. Picking out one that was really the cause of a spike or crash in hindsight is not a particularly impressive feat.
For gold last week one set of figures that almost certainly figured in the price drop was the dissolving debt in the U.S. economy. We get so used to throwing rocks about deficits and government spending, it would be easy to miss the drop in the debt to GDP ratio and the gradual disappearance of debt at the federal, state and consumer level. Retiring debt has been fashionable in America since 2008 and it's starting to show.
When the government starts getting responsible with finances, it prompts investors to flood into U.S. Treasuries. The instruments the government sells to finance our debt attract more bids and the cost of additional borrowing plummets. This sudden outbreak of responsibility is a balancing force on the Fed's plan to print more money via quantitative easing. I do believe that, on a long time horizon, inflation will happen. Inflation running at 2 percent a year doesn't sound like much but it adds up over time.
Gold's track to inflation won't be smooth and there will be noise as other market forces assert themselves at different times. On a long time horizon, gold will find an equilibrium with currency relative to inflation, but along the way will be days like Friday.
For next week that, once again, leaves us at the mercy of fairly well-balanced forces. Friday was a down market in the face of upward forces. It wasn't just gold and silver, but industrial metals across the board. The silver lining is that if the selling continues we might reach a bonus buying range.Chris Poindexter, Senior Writer, National Gold Group, Inc
Gold prices continued sideways despite a recovery in the euro as markets remain concerned about the pace of global recovery.
In early trading gold was up $2.52 to $1,771.40 and silver was down $0.12 to $33.95 with the silver/gold ratio jumping to 52.2.
Not only is my $1,800 target for this week out the window, it also seems likely we'll be down for the week. Gold prices remaining flat on a weaker dollar is a bit of concern, and it wasn't just precious metals. Crude was up, but platinum, palladium and copper were all lower, reflecting a general weakness in industrial metals.
On a long time horizon gold fundamentals are solid. China's central bank pushed their currency sharply higher against the dollar in an effort to attract foreign capital to Chinese banks. That will provide the Federal Reserve with additional incentive to keep interest rates low and to use all of the planned quantitative easing they have on the table in an effort to give U.S. manufacturing an edge in world markets.
All this serves to point out how difficult it is to put a value on gold. There is no formula that you can plug into a computer that spits out a value for gold. Like any other hard asset or commodity, gold is worth exactly what a buyer with cash is willing to pay for it.
Certainly we can use the spot price for gold as a benchmark, but that is only a guide. The spot price is set by applying a mathematical formula to the price of futures contracts traded on the London gold market. On a short-term basis that price can be manipulated by big trading houses. Bids for futures can put in and later canceled; they can be laddered up and down, trading houses can collude to push prices around, which would be illegal...if they got caught (wink-wink).
That's why I caution readers not to treat gold and silver as a growth investment. Precious metals are defensive investments that allow the holder to preserve part of his or her wealth on a relative basis. It's extremely difficult to put an absolute value on gold, just like it's difficult to put an absolute value on any hard asset.
So don't get too wrapped up with gold prices day to day. Keep focused on the big picture as it pertains to currency. On a long time horizon gold will find a new relative value to fiat currency and that is the real value of gold.Chris Poindexter, Senior Writer, National Gold Group, Inc


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I caught up with a former coworker of mine who left Microsoft to do a startup last fall. His company, TalentSpring.com has finally come out of "stealth mode" where their patent applications are filed and they start doing the PR announcements.
If you haven't heard of them yet, TalentSpring are another one of the class of web 2.0 that are, to a degree, crowdsourcing the work of rating resumes and recruiting. Here's the recent announcement on their blog. As a job candidate, when you upload your resume, it asks you to rate a few related resumes. The expected outcome is that the best resumes for even niche industry will be much easier to find, based on the ratings of other experts in the area. Recruiters would subscribe to this service, similar to other HR sites, however they would get hopefully much more qualified set of resumes to skim over instead of the avalanche of unqualified candidates that seems to be typical with most job openings.
This is a pretty fascinating proposition, and also potentially very time-saving and lucrative. The current recruitment web sites don't seem to have very rich algorithms for searching, sorting or rating resumes. TalentSpring certainly does, which gives it a huge advantage. The strength of the service is also the weakness. It does count on the ratings of the crowd, and that means you may be be susceptible to some scams and even worse, without a crowd, there's no ratings.
Anyway, just putting in a plug here for Brian. Submit your resume and see what you think.

subset: commoncrawl


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Skip to comments.Desperate Obama Scaring Woman Voters: Romney Will Take Us Back To The 1950's
Posted on 08/08/2012 4:30:52 PM PDT by Biggirl
Breitbart Tv video.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
the libs say the same thing every election cycle
Take me back, pleeeeeeeeeeeeeez. I'm soooooo sick of hearing "gay" every day!!!
We are watching a election cycle meltdown, of one Barack Hussein Obama.
It would be the best thing that has happened in years.
Where do we sign up?
And another Obama term will take us back to the 1917 Russian revolution.
I was thinking the same thing...what an IMPROVEMENT going back to the 1950's would be!!!
The '50s gave us rock 'n roll, beatniks, Marilyn Monroe, desegregation, EC Comics, science fiction movies, Vampira, Bettie Page. I'm ok with going back.
The downside of going back to the 50s would be that the 50s would again be followed by the 60s. Heaven preserve us1!
Alright! Fire up the DeLorean!
I loved the fifties,and I'm female.
0bama is a whore, just like his mother.
I'd board a lite rail to the 50's.
Poodle skirts and tight sweaters, what is the downside?
Pray for America
Yeah, but this time we'd be ready!
The country, women, and children would be lucky if we could recover the 50s.
Feminism is mass murder and a psychopathology.
The downside was not being able to afford absolving yourself of raising your own child by dropping them off at a faux mom's house who doesn't speak English. /s
Hey, I was born towards the end of the 50's, plus some of the best movies came out at that time. Plus would bring back the tail fins on cars.
If sane voters believed that (about the '50s), they would vote for Romney. I don't believe it.
I wish someone would!
Good Lord—I never saw that one.Awful.
The shoes are "in" again,though.
I'm with you sister. Women got to wear great clothes and were treated like queens. You got dressed up to fly on airplanes, go to the movies and out to dinner. Hats, gloves and darling little purses...Heaven!
Desperate? Maybe, but it seems to work... women, especially the single ones, looooove them some 0bama!
Or so they claim.
I'm with you sister. Women got to wear great clothes and were treated like queens. You got dressed up to fly on airplanes, go to the movies and out to dinner. Hats, gloves and darling little purses...Heaven!
A nude, atheist, communist whore... in front of a Christmas tree.
Oh, the irony.
I`d be happy going back to the `80s, when the guy shown at the top of this page was at the helm.
You said it! At least HE KNEW what principles were.
"Hats, gloves and darling little purses...Heaven!:
And no white before Memorial Day or after Labor Day.:-)
Then came the sixties and everything fell apart.It was the beginning of the end IMHO,although it took me a few years to realize it.
Great way to end the evening! :)=^..^=
take us back to the 50's?
you mean when crime was far below current levels, our economy was booming, the dollar was worth 5-10 times it's current value, the US was the global super power... and everyone loved us for being the country of the free
yea... can't have that
There's more photos, if you're interested. LOL. The 0bamabots will try and tell you she's Marcy Moore. Unfortunately for them, Marcy Moore's cup size was a couple sizes larger, so.. Nice try, 0bamabots! It's 0bama's slutty mom, Ann. Apparently, Frank Marshall Davis could unleash his hatred for 'the man' upon her willing body.
Yee Ha! The most beautiful American built cars, rock and roll music, drive in theaters, juke joints, hamburgers and milk shakes. Please don't throw us in that briar patch,
Oh the 50's, when women weren't always so exhausted because of trying to keep up full time careers and at the same time doing the full time job of taking care of their families. Those were the days!
Those pics were debunked a long time. Not obamas mom. They were taken in 1957 of a women in NY by a famous porn photographer of the day.
These photos ARE of Ann Dunham and you might want to watch this video as well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMUlWbO1rhk&feature=player_embedded
Frank Davis was a KNOWN 'PORNOGRAPHER' (In the '50's, taking any nude photos on a regular basis qualified you as being a 'pornographer'. In some of the Dunham photos you can clearly see vinyl records; All black musicians. No white artists whatsoever. Also, African art is seen in some of the photos.. Frank Marshall Davis' house? Yes, unless Marcy Moore was obsessed with African art. Please, don't fall for MISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN perpetrated by the regime to cover for 0bama's whoring mother. It's a flat out lie that those photos are not her and I and others have PROVEN that.
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GM: First profit since 2004
There are 5 comments on the CNN story from Feb 24, 2011, titled GM: First profit since 2004. In it, CNN reports that:General Motors on Thursday reported its first annual profit since 2004, capping an impressive turnaround by the once-troubled automaker.
Join the discussion below, or Read more at CNN.
#1 Feb 24, 2011
Why don't they pay the same taxes that I'm FORCED to pay?
"Proud To Be An American"
Since: Apr 07
Location hidden
#2 Feb 24, 2011
Well scout, if I risked millions building a huge manufacturing facility and employed thousands of taxpaying whiners like you who had a bad habit of protesting and picketing every year I would expect a tax break...wouldn't you? I bet you claim as many deductions as you can...don't you?
As for GM making a so-called profit...I don't see it. Perhaps it's propaganda to make B.utt H.ead Obama look smart, etc. The Volt is a joke. And like most cars built today that are submerged in electronic gizmos and gadgets they are destined for a scrap yard much sooner than later. Yes We Can...Change Change Chump Change.
#3 Feb 24, 2011
GM is a LOSER! Buy Ford.
#4 Feb 24, 2011
As far as the 2 major party's, Democrats and Republican's, that make our country a Democracy and the system a Democratic one goes...
The Democrats have already been vilified with BO's support of those Goose Stepping unions (Public and Private) alike.
So much so, that he won't say much else about it on the local levels because he's covering his butt for '12.
Is He a leader of our country or simply a political party leader...
who is pushing our country towards the Democrats Utopian Socialism Agenda and away from Democracy?
#5 Feb 24, 2011
Hey Lew:
Although, i'm no Democrat but the Repubs., unfortunately, are pushing our nation towards an elitist/fascist state. Think about that!!
10th cav. spectre from Madtown on Thursday!!
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Create the page "Benin" on this wiki! See also the search results found.
- spellings and by many other names), is known by its adherents in Togo, Benin and in the USA, as a pantheon of ancient water spirits or deities of the2 KB (260 words) - 07:58, 16 May 2013
- recently been conducted with such signal success in Nyassaland, Ashanti, Benin, and Nupé—expeditions which may have, and indeed have, cost valuable lives13 KB (2,130 words) - 12:51, 26 May 2016


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Jerry Pettway
Position: Shooting Guard ▪ Shoots: Right
Height: 6-3 ▪ Weight: 185 lbs.
Born: February 13, 1944 in Detroit, Michigan
High School: Northern in Detroit, Michigan
College: Northwood Institute
Draft: Cincinnati Royals, 14th round (3rd pick, 144th overall), 1967 NBA Draft
ABA Debut: October 17, 1967
Promote your website or business by sponsoring this page for $5 on Basketball-Reference.com. Your message will replace this ad.


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Passengers riding in the Great Six Flags Air Racer are spun around a tall steel tower (see the figure). At top speed the planes fly at a 51.0 o bank approximately 14.0 m from the tower. In this position the support chains make an angle of 51.0 o with the vertical. Calculate the speed of the planes.
(please show work! thanks!)


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Video Industry News Video Company News Technology Industry News Technology Company News Novelty Industry News Novelty Company News Gay Industry News Gay Company News Legal Industry News All Company News
Released: Nov 01st, 2006
Running Time: 147
Director: Chris Streams
Company: Third Degree Films
Cast: Manuel Ferrara, Naomi (I), Lisa Ann, Tiffany Taylor, Mark Ashley, Steve Holmes (I), Sarah Twain, Ben English, Mark Davis, Amy Reid
Critical Rating: AAAA
Genre: Gonzo
Director Chris Streams has got the minus touch in terms of gathering up insatiable whores. Streams? latest, Filthy, is just that: some hot filthy bitches with a yearning for wang.
It might be tough to beat a cast in the beauty department that boasts the likes of Amy Reid, Naomi and Tiffany Taylor.
Reid takes a railing that ends in a nice pearl necklace, and Taylor gets a bouncy couch ride from Ben English.
Surefire cocksmen Manuel Ferrara tongues Naomi's plump hind quarters before she hops on for a screaming good ride. Ferrara and Naomi's around-the-world tryst ends in an ass cheek fuck worth writing home about.
Pre-nom: Best New Starlet (Tiffany Taylor).


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Greg Proops - Podcast
Greg Proops - Podcast
THIS IS A LIVE PODCAST (it is not Greg doing stand up)
It's just Proops and you. There's no fan fare. Proops takes center stage at small table and chair setup with a single microphone. Then he's off. An hour of great conversation that flies by at a break neck clip. He crams the feeling of a great two-way conversation into the lecture-style format of a one-way conversation.
Looking for his stand-up? Click here!
This show is 18+. Tickets will be available for pick up at the box office prior to the show (they are generally available 1.5-2 hrs prior to showtime).
Dine with us at the Factory prior to the show by making a reservation! Give us a call at 919.828.5233 (Reservations must be made before 4pm the day of the show.) What's the difference between seating? Visit our Frequently Asked Questions page!


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Update of /cvsroot/sbcl/sbcl/src/pcl In directory fdv4jf1.ch3.sourceforge.com:/tmp/cvs-serv11882/src/pcl Modified Files: std-class.lisp Log Message: 126.96.36.199: Fix slot-value on specialized parameters in SVUC methods The slot accessors' functions were being computed too early, requiring a wrapper (for the PV optimization) when none was available. The fix delays the computation by the usual trick of installing a closure that will perform the slot accessor computation on demand. Include a correct MOP test for this (slightly hard because of constraints about order of instantiation: see lp #473699, reported by Lars Rune Nodstal). Index: std-class.lisp =================================================================== RCS file: /cvsroot/sbcl/sbcl/src/pcl/std-class.lisp,v retrieving revision 1.131 retrieving revision 1.132 diff -u -d -r1.131 -r1.132 --- std-class.lisp 15 Sep 2009 11:07:39 -0000 1.131 +++ std-class.lisp 6 Nov 2009 21:12:17 -0000 1.132 @@ -69,8 +69,8 @@ (the fixnum (logand (the fixnum (lognot mask)) flags))))) value) -(defmethod initialize-internal-slot-functions ((slotd - effective-slot-definition)) +(defmethod initialize-internal-slot-functions + ((slotd effective-slot-definition)) (let* ((name (slot-value slotd 'name)) (class (slot-value slotd '%class))) (dolist (type '(reader writer boundp)) @@ -79,6 +79,33 @@ (writer '(setf slot-value-using-class)) (boundp 'slot-boundp-using-class))) (gf (gdefinition gf-name))) + ;; KLUDGE: this logic is cut'n'pasted from + ;; GET-ACCESSOR-METHOD-FUNCTION, which (for STD-CLASSes) is + ;; only called later, because it does things that can't be + ;; computed this early in class finalization; however, we need + ;; this bit as early as possible. -- CSR, 2009-11-05 + (setf (slot-accessor-std-p slotd type) + (let* ((std-method (standard-svuc-method type)) + (str-method (structure-svuc-method type)) + (types1 `((eql ,class) (class-eq ,class) (eql ,slotd))) + (types (if (eq type 'writer) `(t ,@types1) types1)) + (methods (compute-applicable-methods-using-types gf types))) + (null (cdr methods)))) + (setf (slot-accessor-function slotd type) + (lambda (&rest args) + ;; FIXME: a tiny amount of wasted SLOT-ACCESSOR-STD-P + ;; work here (see KLUDGE comment above). + (let ((fun (compute-slot-accessor-info slotd type gf))) + (apply fun args)))))))) + +(defmethod finalize-internal-slot-functions ((slotd effective-slot-definition)) + (let* ((name (slot-value slotd 'name))) + (dolist (type '(reader writer boundp)) + (let* ((gf-name (ecase type + (reader 'slot-value-using-class) + (writer '(setf slot-value-using-class)) + (boundp 'slot-boundp-using-class))) + (gf (gdefinition gf-name))) (compute-slot-accessor-info slotd type gf))))) ;;; CMUCL (Gerd PCL 2003-04-25) comment: @@ -98,10 +125,7 @@ (defmethod compute-slot-accessor-info ((slotd effective-slot-definition) type gf) (let* ((name (slot-value slotd 'name)) - (class (slot-value slotd '%class)) - (old-slotd (when (class-finalized-p class) - (find-slot-definition class name))) - (old-std-p (and old-slotd (slot-accessor-std-p old-slotd 'all)))) + (class (slot-value slotd '%class))) (multiple-value-bind (function std-p) (if (eq **boot-state** 'complete) (get-accessor-method-function gf type class slotd) @@ -615,7 +639,7 @@ (defmethod compute-slots :around ((class condition-class)) (let ((eslotds (call-next-method))) - (mapc #'initialize-internal-slot-functions eslotds) + (mapc #'finalize-internal-slot-functions eslotds) eslotds)) (defmethod shared-initialize :after @@ -1095,7 +1119,7 @@ (defmethod compute-slots :around ((class structure-class)) (let ((eslotds (call-next-method))) - (mapc #'initialize-internal-slot-functions eslotds) + (mapc #'finalize-internal-slot-functions eslotds) eslotds)) (defmethod compute-effective-slot-definition ((class slot-class) name dslotds)
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It was nice to finally take a lead in the last minute and HOLD IT!!!!! A little too late to hope for a playoff spot, but in the NFC, you can never tell.
re: Bears-Pats...That was UGLY. How many turn overs did each team have? It was like no one wanted to score for a while there...
Oh, and nice touch linking to the local St Louis rag...
Willie Fucking Bloomquist's shiny new contract ruined my weekend.
Kudos to the Rams, making life easier for the Seahawks.
HUZZAH for the Mariners' big move being the extension of MLB's worst hitter. I'm now certain that WFB has incriminating photos of either Howard, Chuck, Bavasi or all of the above.
Also, BOOOOOO to Seattle getting a 2nd Monday night game, thus ruining another Downtown commute, as if all the ice didn't make things bad enough. Plz to try, NFL, and give the Seahawks Monday night games only on Federal holidays.
I am just excited to watch brett "mr burns" farve get sacked 20 times tonight
USC deserves to play the Buckeyes for the title. I hate SC but they deserve it. They blew the Irish away!! Ann Arbor has nothing coming.
Chicago Fan is actually not that unhappy--it's not a Conference loss and so doesn't effect our playoff situation, we were in it till the last interception, and once again our D shows it can play takeaway like nobody's business. Now, if the O can just get Rex Grossman calmed down. It did upset me enough that I now refer to myself in the third person, however.
MNF commute whiners: shut up. If you had a fucking monorail it wouldn't be a problem. Or ride your damn bike.
And tonight I say, go 'Hawks: beat the Packers and they're eliminated from the post-season, and the Bears can clinch next week with a win over the Vikings.
And, Mike in MO: see you on Monday night in two weeks.
UCLA is going to spoil the BCS party when they beat USC on Saturday and throw a HUGE monkey wrench into the system.
Overpaying Willie Bloomquist is hardly the Mariners' biggest problem, or even 2nd biggest. I propose that a Mariners fan fretting about the Bloomquist deal is the equivalent of a Iraqi fretting about the fact that he can't find a decent pastrami sandwich.
Come on now Doug, lets be serious. I thought Sin Semilla was replaced with BC bud in these parts.
Hawks should be fired up today.
Bloomquist is a joke, but some dopey fans seem to like him. Come on Mariners, it is clear: Get your butts to the negotiating table and bring us Zito.
Hey Chicago fan, the Bears do look like a safe bet the NFC title. But the NE game just highlights how much the NFC sucks. If that's the best the NFC #1 can do against the AFC #4, maybe it's a good thing the Snowhawks won't be the ones suffering the humiliation….unless Indianapolis squeaks through, then it's simple: blitz Manning, and pick up the bleepin trophy.
During the windstorms in the last month, I saw several trees that were more mobile than Manning. Threw better on the run too.
@8 - not even dead bodies in the street can come between gomez and his trip home ;p
Gomez, I'll swap you every Seattle MNF game for no more gd Wednesday afternoon baseball games. Dumbest day of the week for a day game in Seattle. Who's thinking about day baseball on Wednesday in Seattle? NOBODY. Tuesday or Thursday -- much better.
Mike In Mo -- When I saw Steven Jackson pestle-ing the Niners D into the finest of dusts in the 4th qtr, he hypnotized me away from rooting for another 49ers road win. Curtis' knee in the Zone was as close-cut as either of those Josh Brown kicks. Well, maybe not the 54-yarder. Pretty darn clutch.
Sonics who? Aren't they that Michigan team? Or was it Nebraska ...
Oh, and Gomez -- still a Thursday-nighter to go against the Niners...
Can Charles Gipson revel in the mirth of not being Willie Bloomquist nowadays?
SeMe -- I have it (second-hand) direct from Zito's Jaegered-up mouth that he wants to go to the Yankees.
Actually, Lloyd, I have to agree on those Wednesday day games at Safeco. Why? They don't draw well, and the people who do show up ruin traffic for the day.
As for Michigan, I say they had their chance 2 weeks ago, so the hell with them. USC-OSU for the title.
Of course, this would not be such an issue if NCAA football had a playoff system HINT HINT.
As for Bloomquist, no, it's not the worst thing in the world or that big a dent in payroll... but to further Seth's point, the M's have bigger issues afoot than to make it a point to extend Willie 'Boom Boom.' Go make a trade or sign somebody (but not at the absurd rates getting tossed around this offseason; I'm glad they haven't made any big signings).
Damn you Zito!
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Information About Dot-Matrix Printers
Dot-matrix printers were the first kind of computer printers that have been released for personal and business use. It works very much like a high-speed typewriter where the printer head strikes the printer ribbon to transfer the text onto the paper.
What Business Establishments Use Dot-Matrix Printers?
Dot-matrix printers are now commonly used in retail stores and banks to print documents and receipts. Some ATM machines are still equipped with dot-matrix printers instead of the more modern thermal printers.
Because of its durability, it is also used in industries such as the aviation industry which is required by law to log important data on a regular basis. It is also used in many industrial plants which are prone to dust and heat.
Advantages of Dot-Matrix Printers
Even though there are already a number of other printers available in the market today, many business establishments still use dot-matrix printers for a number of reasons, especially for receipts. The first is that because there is a certain amount of pressure given by the printer head to the ribbon to print the pages, carbon copies of the same document can be made. This is particularly beneficial for businesses that issues receipts to customers like restaurants and manufacturing companies. Some dot-matrix printers are now equipped with a multi-strike function which allows the printer head to maximize the usage of the ribbon cartridge, allowing it to last for longer periods of time.
Another advantage of dot-matrix printers is that printing is not hampered when the ribbon is low in ink. Instead of stopping and refusing to print like most printers today, dot-matrix printers would continue to print. Although the printing quality may be faded, it is up to the user to determine when to change the printer's ink ribbon.
Business establishments would often use form feeds that allow continuous printing of documents such as receipts. Because these form feeds are purchased in bulk, business establishments are able to cut down on their costs.
Furthermore, dot-matrix printers are perhaps the most durable types of printers available in the market today because they do not contain highly sensitive components like other modern-day printers. This makes it beneficial for business establishments that would need to print hundreds of labels and other documents as part of its operations.
Common brands of Dot-Matrix Printers
Dot-matrix printers are manufactured and distributed by the following companies:
- Epson
- Okidata
- Panasonic
- Lexmark
- Citizen
Disadvantages of Dot-Matrix Printers
One of the biggest disadvantages of using dot-matrix printers is that they can be quite noisy, and could often be rather annoying to use. In fact, many companies who use dot-matrix printers have installed sound dampening devices to minimize the noise emanating from these printers.
Another disadvantage of dot-matrix printer is its very limited features. Dot-matrix printers are only able to print low resolution text and graphics as compared to other modern-day printers. Also, dot-matrix printers are limited to the kind of printer ribbon used in terms of colors are concern because most of the printer ribbons that are available in the market today are only colored black.


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Clubhouse 1 mini-gym to close temporarily
The Clubhouse 1 mini gym floor is being refinished. The refinishing includes sanding down the existing finish, applying a new surface coating, repainting the game lines and adding the Laguna Woods Village logo to the floor. The floors will be refinished from Dec. 17, 2012 through Jan. 9, 2013 during the Saddleback break.
The mini gym will be closed during this time for the project. All classes and activities that take place in the mini gym will be cancelled until the gym reopens. The Clubhouse 1 Fitness Center will remain open during the renovation.
If you have any questions regarding recreation activities at the Clubhouse 1 gym, call 949-597-4284.
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Skip to comments.Ice Cores Unlock Climate Secrets
Posted on 06/09/2004 3:27:33 PM PDT by blam
Ice cores unlock climate secrets
By Julianna Kettlewell
BBC News Online science staff
Tiny bubbles of ancient air are locked in the ice
Global climate patterns stretching back 740,000 years have been confirmed by a three kilometre long ice core drilled from the Antarctic, Nature reports. Analysis of the ice proves our planet has had eight Ice Ages during that period, punctuated by rather brief warm spells - one of which we enjoy today.
If past patterns are followed in the future, we can expect our "mild snap" to last another 15,000 years.
The data may also help predict how greenhouse gases will affect climate.
Initial tests on gas trapped in the ice core show that current carbon dioxide (CO2) levels are higher than they have been in 440,000 years.
Nobody quite knows how this will alter our climate, but researchers hope a detailed picture of past fluctuations will give them a better idea.
Distant worlds
A cohort of scientists, from 10 different countries, has spent most of the last decade extracting the mammoth column of ice from a location called Dome C, on east Antarctica's plateau.
The European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica, or Epica, aims to unlock the climatic secrets of our past - and in doing so gain a better understanding of what we can expect in the future.
This is not the first ice core project - but it ventures much further back in time.
Dome C contains 800,000 years worth of snowfall, allowing Epica to obtain a climate record two times longer than its nearest ice core rival.
The Antarctic camp was home to over 50 scientists
"We think this project will really change the way we look at climate," said co-author Eric W. Wolff, of the British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, UK.
Telling tales
Each slice of the ice core tells tales about the distant world it came from.
For instance, scientists can work out climate by looking at the ratio of hydrogen isotopes.
Deuterium is a heavy isotope - or version - of hydrogen. If a sample of ice has a lot of it, that means the temperature was warmer - and vice versa.
"At very cold temperatures a great deal of the heavy isotopes have rained out," explained Jerry F. McManus, of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, US. "So all that is left is what we would call isotopically depleted or lighter. That is how we know how cold it was."
He added: "You might say Antarctica is always cold - and you'd be right. But there is great variation in the degree of cold."
Another important thing that scientists can 'read' in the ice, is the relative concentration of atmospheric gases.
That is because minute bubbles pock mark the core, within which tiny pockets of preserved air lie.
"That is the wonderful thing about ice cores," said Professor McManus. "There is air from three-quarters of a million years ago and it is still locked in these bubbles - it's incredible."
We think this project will really change the way we look at climate
Eric W. Wolff, the British Antarctic Survey, UK Epica is still busy analysing the ice core's atmospheric gases, but preliminary results suggest that present CO2 levels are remarkably high.
"We have never seen greenhouse gases anything like what we have seen today," said Dr Wolff.
Lengthy heat wave
Over the last 800,000 years the Earth has, on the whole, been a pretty chilly place. Interglacials - or warm spells - have come every 100,000 years and have generally been short-lived.
Over the last 400,000 years, interglacials have lasted about 10,000 years, with climates similar to this one. Before that they were less warm, but lasted slightly longer.
We have already been in an interglacial for about 10,000 years, so we should - according to that pattern - be heading for an Ice Age.
But we are not.
The Epica team has noticed the interglacial period of 400,000 years ago closely matches our own - because the shape of the Earth's orbit was the same then as it is now.
That warm spell lasted a whopping 28,000 years - so ours probably will too.
"The next ice-age is not imminent," said Dr Wolff, "and greenhouse warming makes it even less likely - despite what the Day After Tomorrow says."
Every chunk of ice-core tells tales about the distant world it came from
Predicting the future
Epica scientists hope that after they have fully analysed the ice core's atmospheric gases, they will gain a deeper knowledge of how climate relates to them.
"We will double the timescale over which we can study greenhouse gases," said co-author Thomas F Stocker, of the University of Bern, Switzerland. "We will be able to show what the natural variability is in relation to gases like CO2."
By understanding what greenhouse gases did to global temperature in the past, scientists might be able to predict the effect of man-kind's enthusiastic CO2 belching.
"There is great controversy as to whether human beings have changed the climate, " said Professor McManus. "But there is no doubt about the fact that human beings have changed the Earth's atmosphere. The increased levels of greenhouse gases are geologically incredible."
He added: "It is something of grave concern to someone like me, who sees the strong connection between greenhouse gases and climate in the past."
Looks like we have about 18,000 years more of good weather, huh?
I'd like to see what it shows for those interesting periods of bad, bad weather in that book by Baille.
But...but... but, I thought it was all SUVs' and Bush's fault.
18:00 09 June 04
NewScientist.com news service
As long as humans do not mess it up, the Earth's climate is set at fair for the next 15,000 years. That is according to information extracted from the oldest ice core ever drilled.
The Antarctic core is the first to reach as far back as a warm period with characteristics similar to our own interglacial. So it should help make more accurate predictions about when to expect the next deep freeze.
The ice core, drilled from a feature in central Antarctica called Dome C, is around 3 kilometres long and 10 centimetres wide. Changes in the relative proportions of hydrogen isotopes in the ice layers allow scientists to compile a complete record of Antarctic temperatures going back 740,000 years.
The core shows the waxing and waning of eight ice ages. Most critically for making predictions about our climate, it is the first core to record a period known as Termination V, around 430,000 years ago.
Warming pattern
At this point, the world moved from a glacial period into a long, warm interglacial, similar to this era. The previous longest ice-core record, drilled by the Soviet Union at Vostok in Antarctica between 1980 and 1988, went back only 420,000 years.
"All interglacials are slightly different, but we believe Termination V is the most similar to our own," says chief author of the new study, Eric Wolff, at the British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge, UK. It mirrors the pattern of solar warming between seasons and at different latitudes that are caused by fluctuations in the Earth's orbit known as the Milankovitch cycles.
It shows that the Termination V interglacial was unusually long, lasting 28,000 years. The current interglacial is now 12,000 years old, and some scientists feared that we might be heading for an ice age soon since at least one post-Termination V interglacial lasted just 10,000 years.
But the new findings suggest that even without the human hand in global warming, a new ice age would be unlikely for perhaps another 15,000 years, Wolff says.
Ice blanket
The core also sheds light on how ice ages have changed over the past million years. Since Termination V, ice ages have been very intense, with periods of cold weather that blanketed much of the northern hemisphere in ice for 80,000 years punctuated by short interglacials lasting typically 20,000 years.
But the new core shows that, prior to Termination V, the cold and warm periods of the glacial cycle each lasted around 50,000 years but were much less intense.
"Marine deposits suggested some of this, but it stands out much more clearly in the ice record," Wolff says.
Meanwhile, European and US scientists are discussing plans to survey for a site in Antarctica that will extend the record still further. "We want to go back at least 1.2 million years next time," Wolff says. "But we have to find somewhere that we can do it."
Journal reference: Nature (vol 429, p 623)
Fred Pearce
Yup, but like they say....it's not the heat-it's the humidity.
Some of the Ice Cores support his ideas...some don't.
The problem with the next Ice Age won't be the cold. It will be that the potable water will be locked up in the ice. We will have to mine the ice for water and pipe it to the farms and cities. In a way it will be like what they used to imagine on Mars.
Can we expect an apology from the envirowackos of Kyoto? Maybe just a little "Oops" from Algore?
I would think that a record of southern hemisphere volcanic activity might be enclosed in that ice, too.
As to the duration of the current warm spell, they'll have to explain a little more about what they think causes warm spells and why this one looks similar to the one 400,000 years ago. If they just wave their arms at the data they aren't doing much more than the TV weatherman.
I would think that a record of southern hemisphere volcanic activity might be enclosed in that ice, too.
was it Krakatoa that went off in indonesia about 75,000 years ago--and is reputed to coincide with a period in which the human gene pool was generally slimmed down?
the article mentions another ice core that went back 420,000 years so Krakatoa should have showed up there. likely there are others--because krakatoa time frame is not that great.
in any case the info on krakatoa should already be in ice cores previously drilled.
It was. Bush, Cheney and Halliburton all went back in a time machine and over a period of 150 million years, they committed genocide against the dinosaurs (impacting minorities and women, mostly), finally killing them all off about 60-65 million years ago so they would have oil in the ground to start wars over.
Krakatoa was fairly recent. Was heard in London or something.
Buy SUV's and stop the next ice age!
No, that was the Toba volcano.
Did we steal the oil from the dinosaurs in the first war for oil?
As compared with the air outside that was manufactured, what, last year?
I doubt that the air in the bubbles is exactly the same composition as the air of the time it was entrapped. But relative differences between air bubbles of different age might be noted.
The composition is different. The core is like a pile of bottles, that were closed one each year for the last 0.75M years. The one on the bottom has the oldest air in it.
Already I don't like this.
Which reminds me: it's floodin' down in Texas. Is this an el nino or a la nina year, anybody know?
Pretty rainy here in WV. I may have heard it would be a "mild El Nino." Unless that was last year.
|The last glacial period was preceded by 1000 years of the coldest temperatures of the Late Pleistocene, apparently caused by the eruption of the Mount Toba volcano. The six year long volcanic winter and 1000-year-long instant Ice Age that followed Mount Toba's eruption may have decimated Modern Man's entire population. Genetic evidence suggests that Human population size fell to about 10,000 adults between 50 and 100 thousand years ago. The survivors from this global catastrophy would have found refuge in isolated tropical pockets, mainly in Equatorial Africa. Populations living in Europe and northern China would have been completely eliminated by the reduction of the summer temperatures by as much as 12 degrees centigrade.
Volcanic winter and instant Ice Age may help resolve the central but unstated paradox of the recent African origin of Humankind: if we are all so recently "Out of Africa", why do we not all look more African?
Because the volcanic winter and instant Ice Age would have reduced populations levels low enough for founder effects, genetic drift and local adaptations to produce rapid changes in the surviving populations, causing the peoples of the world look so different today. In other words, Toba may have caused Modern Races to differentiate abruptly only 70,000 years ago, rather than gradually over 0ne million years.
|The Mount Toba eruption is dated to approximately 71,000 years ago. Volcanic ash from Mount Toba can be traced north-west across India, where a widespread terrestrial marker bed exists of primary and reworked airfall ash, in beds that are commonly 1 to 3, and occasionally 6 meters [18 feet] thick.
Tambora, the largest known historic eruption, displaced 20 cubic kilometres of ash. Mount Toba produced 800 cubic kilometres.* It was therefore forty times larger than the largest eruption of the last two centuries and apparently the second largest known explosive eruption over the last 450 million years.
*Mount St Helens produced a tiny 0.2 cubic kilometres.
|Mount Toba's eruption is marked by a 6 year period during which the largest amount of volcanic sulphur was deposited in the past 110,000 years. This dramatic event was followed by 1000 years of the lowest ice core oxygen isotope ratios of the last glacial period. In other words, for 1000 years immediately following the eruption, the earth witnessed temperatures colder than during the Last Glacial Maximum at 18-21,000 years ago.
For the volcanic aerosols to be effectively distributed around the earth, the plume from the volcanic eruptions must reach the stratosphere, a height greater than 17 kilometres. Mount Toba's plume probably reached twice this height. Most solar energy falls at low latitudes between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, so eruptions that happen near the Equator cause much more substantial cooling due to the reflection of solar energy. Toba lies 2 degrees north of the Equator, on the Island Sumatra.
The reduction in atmospheric visibility due to volcanic ash and dust particles is relatively short-lived, about three to six months. Longer-term global climatic cooling is caused by the highly reflective sulphuric acid haze, which stays suspended in the upper atmosphere for several years.
Ice core evidence implicates Mount Toba as the cause of coldest millennium of the late Pleistocene. It shows that this eruption injected more sulphur that remained in the atmosphere fo a longer time [six years] than any other volcanic eruption in the last 110,000 years. This may have caused nearly complete deforestation of southeast Asia, and at the same time to have lowered sea surface temperatures by 3 to 3.5 degrees centigrade for several years.
|The Volcanic Winter/Weak Garden of Eden model proposed in this paper. Population subdivision due to dispersal within African and other continents during the early Late Pleistocene is followed by bottlenecks caused by volcanic winter, resulting from the eruption of Toba, 71 ka. The bottleneck may have lasted either 1000 years, during the hyper-cold stadial period between Dansgaard-Oeschlger events 19 and 20, or 10ka, during oxygen isotope stage 4. Population bottlenecks and releases are both sychronous. More individuals survived in Africa because tropical refugia were largest there, resulting in greater genetic diversity in Africa.
Small and portable, this red ochre stone is engraved with what must be "tally" marks. It is one of two such stones recently found in the Blombos Cave in South Africa and have been dated as being 77,000 years old, making them the oldest form of recorded counting ever found.
Krakatau erupted in the 1880s. There was a pretty neat show on Discovery Channel about that recently.
yeah got it. i was thinking of toba 71,000 years ago, a super volcano. looks like its recorded in soil as well as ice samples.
bmp...read later
Oh, it's even worse than that. It's an El Reno year, which means the summer will be dominated by a large mass of hot air that can cause severe burns among the residents of Waco, Texas.
Will your posts be waving in gassy brown and green?
Super Volcano Toba(75,000 Years Ago)
"Their is substantial evidence to show that within the time of the super volcano Toba's eruption in the Indonesian Pacific, the world's population of homo sapiens decreased from over one hundred thousand to less than two thousand, basically because global temperatures dropped five degrees for many years. This was within the current interglacial and at its start. "
I've read that this event can still be seen in the human genetic record.
So, the human species is the product of an interglacial..... when the cold resumes, so will the species.
Interestingly, recently I read about an ancient human site in Indonesia just above the Toba ash layer.
Do you stand gaping in awe at a T-Rex skeleton purported to be 100 million years old, or do you gag in astonishment at the fools who believe such nonsense?
I've heard it described as the loudest sound ever heard by humans...and, it 'echoed' around the world seven times.
I wonder how closely they can narrow down a time period when they are looking back across that many years. Really, the C02 levels that they talking about today as so high represent a few years - 10, 20 or so. Averaged across the last century they likely are still really normal. Can they find a section that correlates to a particular century? I wouldn't think so - I think they'd be lucky to be able to identify particular 1000 year time spans. That means that statistically it's meaningless to compare this years C02 to anything they find in the cores.
That would be like taking the last few letters of a book and comparing them to the entire book - "THE END has a far greater representation the the capital E than the rest of the book, demonstrating a trend toward increasing capitalized vowels". Comparing this year to nearly a million years worth of ice core is just as meaningless.
It's been so long since her, I'm gonna have to find her html and amend it. You know any CGEB posts from then?
Really, I did laugh out loud.
It hurts to laugh, anymore.
Frequent identifiable volcano ash layers in the ice core help some with the dating.
That depends on if Al Gore sees his shadow.
Nope. But looking forward to the waving gassy brown posts. You could do...um...seaweed?
This could take awhile to analyze; each foot represents 40.4 years.
Good info, thanks.
What will analysis of the air show I wonder?
They're hoping it will represent the earth's air over this period of time.
What I mean is: will it contain a different mix of gases? Will it carry microorganisms? Things like that.
Different mixes of gasses for sure. Microorganisms hmmm, don't know.
I recently read that DNA was obtained from a 240 million year old bacteria that was found trapped in a salt crystal.
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text:
Comedian Jeff Dunham headlining BMO Harris Bradley Center on Feb. 6
When the Wisconsin State Fair announced its headlining acts for 2013, ventriloquist and comedian Jeff Dunham, a State Fair staple for a couple of years, was suspiciously absent.
Now we know why — he was holding back for an arena show at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. »Read Full Article(3)
Five singers declared winners in local Met Opera auditions
Five singers were selected by judges to advance to the next round at Saturday's Wisconsin District Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.
Countertenor Kangmin Justin Kim, mezzo-soprano Corrie Stallings, soprano Caitlin Ruby Miller, tenor Ian D. Koziar and tenor Joe Shadday will compete at the Upper Midwest Regional in St. Paul, Minn. The five vocalists also won $2,000 each. »Read Full Article
'Belle of Amherst' best when profiling Dickinson's poetry
Walt Whitman may have rightly claimed that his poetry contains multitudes, but Emily Dickinson can stake an equally valid claim to being America's greatest poet.
She is also the hardest one to know. Harold Bloom once wrote that no poet "seems so separate from us as Dickinson," adding that "we have no accurate approaches to her." »Read Full Article


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Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Northern Minnesota
© 2002, © 2015 by Paul Freeman. Revised 6/7/15.
This site covers airfields in all 50 states: Click here for the site's main menu.
Please consider a financial contribution to support the continued growth & operation of this site.
Duncan Airport (revised 6/7/15) - Sandstone Municipal (revised 2/9/13) - Skyport Airport / Devil's Track Municipal (revised 4/26/14)
Duncan Airport, Isabella, MN
47.63, -91.415 (North of Duluth, MN)
A 1960-63 photo by Roger Duncan (enhanced by Bill Grasha) of 4 planes at Duncan Airport, "when Johnson Brothers of Missoula used the strip for spray operations for the U.S. Forest Service."
Roger Duncan recalled, "In the late 1950s, my dad, Jasper Duncan, built an airport near Isabella & was home to Duncan Airways, Inc."
A 1960-63 photo by Roger Duncan (enhanced by Bill Grasha) of a Bell 47 helicopter at Duncan Airport.
A 1960-63 photo by Roger Duncan (enhanced by Bill Grasha) of a Beech 18 at Duncan Airport.
A 1960-63 photo by Roger Duncan (enhanced by Bill Grasha) of a row of 6 Stearman biplanes at Duncan Airport.
A 1960-63 photo by Roger Duncan (enhanced by Bill Grasha) of the remarkable spectacle of a Ford Trimotor at Duncan Airport.
A 1960-63 photo by Roger Duncan of a Cessna 180 at Duncan Airport.
Roger Duncan recalled, "N9588B was kept on the airport during the winter months & on floats during the summer for moose hunting & fishing charters into Canada."
Roger Duncan recalled, "The airport was licensed by the State of Minnesota but was closed & abandoned a few years after he [Jasper Duncan] sold it."
A 10/19/77 USGS aerial view depicted Duncan Airport as having an unpaved northwest/southeast runway.
A few small buildings were depicted on the northwest corner of the field, but there were no aircraft visible.
Roger Duncan recalled, "The current owner of the property built a garage on the runway to stop people from using it due to liability issues."
A 1992 aerial view showed the garage built along the northern portion of the runway.
A 2013 aerial view looking southeast shows the majority of the Duncan Airport runway remains intact,
though with a garage built along the northern portion.
The site of Duncan Airport is located on the east side of Route 1, three miles west of Isabella.
Thanks to Roger Duncan for pointing out this airfield.
Skyport Airport / Devil's Track Municipal Airport (GRM), Grand Marais, MN
47.825, -90.38 (Northeast of St. Paul, MN)
Skyport Airport & Seaplane Base,
as depicted on the November 1948 Duluth Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
This small general aviation airport was located
on the shore of Devil's Track Lake a few miles south of the Canadian Border.
It originally consisted of both a runway for land plane operations & a seaplane base.
Skyport Airport was evidently established at some point between 1944-48,
as it was not yet depicted at all on the December 1944 Duluth Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy)
or the March 1945 Green Bay World Aeronautical Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
was on the November 1948 Duluth Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted "Skyport" as a municipal/commercial airport & a seaplane base.
The 1960 USGS topo map depicted "Grand Marais - Devil Track Airport"
as having a single unpaved east/west runway, with the "Sky Port Seaplane Base" to the south.
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described "Grand Marais Municipal" as having a single turf 2,600' Runway 9/27,
listed the operator as Skyport Lodge.
By the time of the July 1969 Duluth Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss),
Devil's Track had a single 2,800' paved runway & its own NDB navigational beacon.
Dave Lee recalled of Skyport Lodge, "I used to work there in the early 1970s.
At that time it was owned by Clarence Krotz, and run by his family.
I used to spend summers up there, and do odd jobs around the place for them."
According to Randy Sohn, Devil's Track Airport was operated by Duane & Judy Cole.
The earliest photo which has been located of Devil's Track Airport was a 5/24/76 USGS aerial view.
It showed Devil's Track Airport to have a single paved east/west Runway 9/27, with a few small hangars on the northeast side.
Devil's Track Municipal Airport,
as depicted on the July 1990 Approach Procedures (courtesy of Timothy Aanerud).
As of the 1991 USGS aerial photo, Devil's Track Airport consisted of a single paved 2,800' Runway 9/27,
a small ramp & several single-aircraft hangars.
The last listing which has been located of the Devil's Track Municipal Airport as an active airfields
was in the 1989 North Central Airport Facility Directory.
The Devil's Track Municipal Airport was evidently closed at some point between 1989-93,
as the 1993 Airport/Facility Directory showed that it had been replaced
by the new Grand Marais Cook County Airport, a mile to the north.
A June 2003 USGS aerial view looking northwest along the Devil's Track runway shows the facility appears to remain completely intact.
A circa 2006-2010 aerial view looking north shows 2 hangars & the runway remains intact at Devil's Track.
Only the seaplane facilities at Devil's Track Lake continue to remain active,
with a new name & identifier: Grand Marais Cook County Seaplane Base (0G5).
Thanks to Timothy Aanerud for pointing out this airfield.
Sandstone Municipal Airport (57Y), Sandstone, MN
46.115, -92.89 (North of Minneapolis, MN)
Sandstone Municipal Airport, as depicted on the November 1971 CF-18 World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
This small general aviation airport was located adjacent to US I-35.
Sandstone Municipal Airport was not yet depicted at all on the April, 1954 Duluth Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
According to Tail Dragger, "The Sandstone Municipal Airport was originally laid out in the late 1950s with a natural surface runway."
The earliest directory listing which has been located of Sandstone Municipal Airport
was in the 1962 AOPA Airport Directory,
which described Sandstone as having a 2,600' long sod runway.
The operator was listed as Rex Kerr.
The earliest depiction of Sandstone Municipal Airport which has been located
was on the November 1971 CF-18 World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted the field as having a 2,600' unpaved runway.
According to Tail Dragger, "It was first paved in the 1970s."
The July 1979 Green Bay Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Sandstone as having a single 2,900' paved runway.
The 1987 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Sandstone as having a single 2,900' paved Runway 17/35,
with a taxiway leading to a ramp on the east side of the field with a few small buildings,
including the Administration building.
The 1991 USGS aerial photo depicted the field as having a single 2,900' paved Runway 17/35,
and a small paved ramp area.
There were not any hangars on the field,
and no aircraft were visible in the field either.
The 1998 Airport/Facility Directory described Sandstone Municipal Airport
as having a single 2,900' asphalt Runway 17/35.
However, the field was described as being unattended,
and the remarks said, "Runway 17/35 surface cracking & breaking up, cracks 2" wide with grass."
According to Tail Dragger, "It was built over a wetland area.
Over time, large pockets of clay soil beneath the 2,900' runway would shift with the freezes & thaws of the seasons,
causing the pavement to bend & buckle.
In 1999 & again in 2000, the MN Department of Transportation's Office of Aeronautics failed the runway for being too rough.
Repair costs were beyond the reach of the city's budget & state support for repair was limited.
There was no room to expand the runway to accommodate larger aircraft,
with an interstate highway to the northwest & an active railroad to the southeast.
With only 2 or 3 aircraft using the facility on a regular basis, the city council voted to close the airport in 2001."
A 4/24/05 aerial view looking north along the Sandstone runway shows this fine little general aviation facility appears to remain completely intact –
what a shame to see it going to waste.
Tail Dragger reported, "Trailers used by the DNR are visible, but they are no longer there", as of 2013.
An August 2012 photo by Tail Dragger of Sandstone's overgrown ramp, hangar, and office.
An August 2012 photo by Tail Dragger of airport markings which remain at Sandstone.
An August 2012 photo by Tail Dragger of the former Sandstone Municipal Airport office building.
Tail Dragger reported in 2013, "The ramp area has been used in recent years by the MN Department of Natural Resources
to temporarily land helicopters during wildland firefighting operations & fuel must be trucked in.
The DNR helicopter crews will occasionally sleep in the old office building when on required rest periods
and sometimes bring in trailers for extra bunk space.
The city uses the lone hangar on the property for storage.
A wireless phone tower has recently been erected near the southeast end of the runway.
Currently owned by the Sandstone Economic Development Authority,
there are plans to develop the airport property for a senior apartment community & assisted living facility,
which would be within a short drive of a planned hospital."
See also: http://www.dot.state.mn.us/aero/avoffice/ops/airdir/drawings/sandston.html
Since this site was first put on the web in 1999, its popularity has grown tremendously.
That has caused it to often exceed bandwidth limitations
set by the company which I pay to host it on the web.
If the total quantity of material on this site is to continue to grow,
it will require ever-increasing funding to pay its expenses.
Therefore, I request financial contributions from site visitors,
to help defray the increasing costs of the site
and ensure that it continues to be available & to grow.
What would you pay for a good aviation magazine, or a good aviation book?
Please consider a donation of an equivalent amount, at the least.
This site is not supported by commercial advertising –
it is purely supported by donations.
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you may use a credit card via , using one of 2 methods:
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please contact me at: firstname.lastname@example.com
If you enjoy this web site, please support it with a financial contribution.
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please contact me at: firstname.lastname@example.com
If you enjoy this web site, please support it with a financial contribution.
This site covers airfields in all 50 states.


text:
Tar Heels top Tigers for ACC title
Published: Sunday, March 16, 2008 at 3:34 p.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, March 16, 2008 at 10:19 p.m.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- One by one, North Carolina's players climbed onto the platform to snip a piece of the net to celebrate their Atlantic Coast Conference tournament championship. There were plenty of smiles and laughter, yet the victory party seemed somehow subdued.
UNC is No. 1 overall seed in NCAA tourney
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Three North Carolina-based teams are headed to the NCAA tournament and, as expected, two of them will spend the opening weekend in Raleigh.
Just not the two that everyone anticipated.
North Carolina and, surprisingly, Davidson were assigned first- and second-round games at the RBC Center, while Duke was sent to Washington, D.C., for the tournament's opening weekend.
For the top-ranked and top-seeded Tar Heels, they won't have to leave the state until the Final Four.
"When we have the crowd behind us, it can intimidate an opponent," Tar Heels sixth man Danny Green said. "When we go on our runs and the fans are standing up, it can make a difference between us blowing a team out or them being in the game. If the crowd is not with us I know a lot of times it's tougher to beat teams."
UNC Asheville and Charlotte were invited to the 32-team National Invitation Tournament later Sunday night, and both teams will begin play this week on the road.
That's certainly not the case for coach Roy Williams' Tar Heels, who won't have to travel much farther than 2½ hours from Chapel Hill during the next two weekends.
The No. 1 seed both overall and in the East Regional in Charlotte spent this past weekend there, claiming the Atlantic Coast Conference championship earlier in the day by beating Clemson 86-81 at Bobcats Arena.
"Our players were rewarded for their success with a No. 1 seed," Williams said. "Our plan now is to get some rest over the next few days, hopefully recuperate from a tough three-day tournament and get over some nagging injuries. I know we will all be excited to start NCAA tournament play at the end of the week."
The Tar Heels (32-2) joined Memphis, UCLA and Kansas as the four No. 1 seeds in the tournament, which starts Thursday and Friday at eight sites across the country, including Raleigh.
North Carolina will play the winner of Tuesday night's play-in game between Mount St. Mary's and Coppin State, which won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title Saturday night at the RBC Center, in a first-round game Friday. The winner will play the Arkansas-Indiana for a spot in the East Regional semifinals in Charlotte.
"Every coach feels they have an extremely difficult path to reach their dreams of winning the championship and we are certainly no exception," Williams said. "We have a very challenging road ahead of us."
Duke, which lost to Clemson in the semifinals of the ACC tournament, was given the No. 2 seed in the West Regional, which is based in Phoenix. The Blue Devils (27-5) will play its first- and second-round games in the nation's capital and will meet 15th-seeded Belmont on Thursday, with the winner advancing to face the Arizona-West Virginia winner.
Davidson, which under coach Bob McKillop won the Southern Conference, is headed back to Raleigh for the opening weekend as the No. 10 seed in the Midwest Region.
The Wildcats (26-6) will face seventh-seeded Gonzaga at the RBC Center, and the winner will take on either Georgetown or Maryland-Baltimore County. They lost to North Carolina State in December in their last visit to the RBC Center.
UNC Asheville, which won a share of the Big South's regular-season title but was upset in the title game by second-seeded Winthrop, is a No. 8 seed in its eight-team NIT bracket and will play Tuesday at top-seeded Ohio State. Charlotte is the No. 6 seed in another bracket and plays its NIT opener Wednesday at third-seeded Nebraska.
After all, the top-ranked Tar Heels figure they have bigger dreams still to chase.
"We just go to the point where we realized we reached a goal," junior Marcus Ginyard said. "But at the same time, we know there is more for us."
That attitude hovered over their 86-81 win over Clemson in Sunday's tournament final, a victory that locked up the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA field of 65 while giving the program a record 17th ACC title. The Tar Heels got another strong-willed performance inside from All-America Tyler Hansbrough and a stellar outing on the perimeter from Wayne Ellington to outlast the Tigers for a third time this season and close a tough tournament run in which North Carolina didn't win a game by more than 12 points.
Now North Carolina (32-2) can turn its attention to living up to the lofty expectations that have followed the Tar Heels all season, even as they allowed themselves the small indulgence of a businesslike celebration.
"We didn't dance around and climb on top of backboards and things like that," North Carolina coach Roy Williams said. "It was a great feeling and a very satisfying feeling for us."
North Carolina opens the NCAA tournament in Raleigh against the winner of the opening-round game between Coppin State and Mount St. Mary's
Ellington finished with 24 points for North Carolina, which has won consecutive ACC tournaments for the fifth time. Hansbrough was named the tournament's most valuable player after finishing with 18 points and 11 rebounds while scrapping inside the entire game against the third-seeded Tigers (24-9), following up on his 26-point day that included the last-second jumper to beat Virginia Tech 68-66 in Saturday's semifinals.
Ellington, a 6-foot-4 sophomore, continued his season-long torture of Clemson, finishing 10-for-13 from the field to go with four rebounds and four assists. In January, he had a career-high 36 points and hit a last-second 3-pointer to give the Tar Heels' a 90-88 overtime road win. A month later, he finished with 28 points as North Carolina rallied from 15 points down to beat Clemson 103-93 in double overtime, a loss that dropped the Tigers to 0-53 all-time in Chapel Hill.
This time, Ellington hit his first five shots to outduel Clemson's K.C. Rivers in a back-and-forth game that was in doubt until the final seconds.
"It prepares us (for the NCAAs) because we know in the tournament every team is going to be tough," Hansbrough said. "These teams played really tough and they were really aggressive. I think we did well and that's the kind of atmosphere we'll face in the tournament."
Ty Lawson added 12 points and eight assists in one of his strongest performances since returning from a sprained left ankle that sidelined him nearly seven full games for North Carolina. Danny Green also had 12 points while Ginyard added 10 points and nine rebounds.
Rivers finished with 28 points and six 3-pointers for the Tigers, who saw their best ACC tournament run in more than four decades end just like all the others: without a title. Clemson was in the final for only the second time after upsetting No. 7 Duke in Saturday's semifinals, with their only other appearance coming in 1962.
But, for the first time in a decade, the Tigers left the ACC tournament knowing they were headed to the NCAA tournament. They are the No. 5 seed in the Midwest Region and open against Villanova.
"I'm proud of the way the kids have played all year long, certainly in this tournament ... and I'm pleased with the direction and growth of this program," fifth-year Clemson coach Oliver Purnell said. "We probably played well enough to win against most teams in the country, but we played a great one today. We needed to play great, and we didn't play great because we didn't shoot it well."
Clemson led 39-38 at halftime before the Tar Heels finally pushed ahead by getting out in transition for easy scores. The Tar Heels hit 15 of 20 shots to open the second half, using a 12-2 run to finally get some separation and eventually take a 72-59 lead on Green's 3-pointer with 8:02 left.
While the lead ultimately held up, Clemson wouldn't go away. The Tigers ran off eight straight points to get back in the game, and twice closed within four in the final 3½ minutes. But they got no closer, with North Carolina hitting enough free throws on a shaky day at the line to hang onto the lead.
North Carolina shot 49 percent and held a 49-34 rebounding advantage which led to 20 second-chance points. The Tar Heels scored 24 points off the Tigers' 17 turnovers and scored 34 fast-break points by attacking Clemson's fullcourt press, offsetting a 14-for-24 day at the free throw line.
Clemson shot 42 percent for the game.
"It was definitely frustrating," Rivers said. "We got it close, and all of a sudden they made another stretch run. We had to keep fighting hard on defense, but we just couldn't find that one that was going to click and get us going again."
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text:
NBA Games
Dallas Mavericks at Boston Celtics
171 of 180 | Show all photos
Boston Celtics center Fab Melo, left, of Brazil, and Los Angeles Lakers small forward Earl Clark battle for a rebound during the second half of their basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013, in Los Angeles. The Lakers won 113-99. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)


text:
Ratings: 'Mr. Robinson' Scores Biggest Summer Comedy Debut Audience in 8 Years
NBC edges CBS in key 18-49 demo despite soft "America's Got Talent," strong "Big Brother"
NBC edges CBS in key 18-49 demo despite soft "America's Got Talent," strong "Big Brother"
CBS lineup ties NBC reruns among adults 18-49; Tiffany Network tops pack in total viewers
Steady Fox finishes first in key demo
The daughter of Westgate Resorts founder David Siegel was found unresponsive in the family's Florida home on Sunday
CBS tops final night of traditional fall season despite down "Survivor"
Univision is second in ratings on rerun-heavy night
Preview of "Golden Boy" improves over last week's episode of "Vegas," but falls short of the "Vegas" series premiere
Fox takes the night overall; "Celebrity Wife Swap" ends on a low point
Disgraced anti-gay pastor and Hollywood loose cannon will trade partners on national TV. What could possibly go wrong?


text:
Dirk's Forecast 3.15.13
How warm your weekend will be.
How warm your weekend will be.
ET: "Bill's address was 'part grandfatherly musings, part nostalgic love story, part family history, part political memoir, and entirely about portraying the former first lady as trustworthy, authentic and an agent of change for voters sick of the status quo.'" Left out the part that it was also part fiction. A nostalgic love story from the man who cheated on his wife publically, over and over and over again. And now we are to believe he loved her forever and married his best friend? My best friend does not treat me this way. She left 4 Americans to die in Benghazi cutting security, and sending no help when trouble arose, and we are still to believe you can drop her into any trouble spot in the world and she will find a way to fix the problem? If leaving Americans to die, then lying to everyone except her own daughter is "fixing the problem," I think I'll pass on help from her. (Can't wait to hear darling Chelsea tell her "tale of the great Mom Hillary was) If you vote for this woman, simply because she is a woman, you do yourself, all women, and this country a terrible disservice. Woman president? I've said for years a woman could do a better job bringing people together. But NOT THIS WOMAN. She is a liar, and incompetent. She is out for herself. But Bill tells a good story. Remember, "I did not have sexual relations with THAT WOMAN." Nice! Many of us believed that story too. Fool me once...


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By Pat Rhodes
Monday was a picture-perfect spring day in Vandalia. The daffodils were in bloom and the robins were busy gathering materials for their nests. I just can't wait to get out in my flower gardens to clear away the remains of last year and uncover the new growth.
University of Illinois football coach Ron Zook shared his faith, his coaching philosophy and his passion for helping his players reach their potential as he addressed a crowd of nearly 400 at last Thursday's Fellowship of Christian Athletes banquet in Greenville.
We've all heard the saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Who is the knucklehead that came up with that saying? The reality is, our world can be shaped by our words.
In fact, look at what the Bible says in Proverbs 18:21: "The tongue has the power of life and death…"
Sun Is Shining And Bluebells Are Up!
…and it is officially spring (today anyway) and the computer is in the house.
One of our official reporters, DeDe Diveley, who gives us the weekly river bottom report, reported seeing a baby red fox this week, running along as if something was after it.
The "girls" (Anita, Blackie and Fuzzy, chickens) are really enjoying bugging, picking and scratching. They sing to us a lot and are keeping us in nice, large eggs. Sometimes there will be four in the pen. We've never figured that out yet.
Jamie and Emily Lotz of Effingham are the parents of a daughter, Aleece Marie, born on March 14, 2011. She weighed 6 pounds, 5 ounces, and was 19 ½ inches long. She is welcomed home by her brothers, Andrew, age 4, and Evan, age 2. Grandparents are Larry and Bev Lotz of St. Peter, and Jim and Rosie Gibbons of Edgewood.
St. Peter Auxiliary
The St. Peter American Legion Post #380 and the Auxiliary met on March 16 at 6:30 p.m. for their annual birthday supper.
Thursday, March 24
• The St. Elmo Unit of Home and Community Education, 1:30 p.m., St. Elmo Public Library.
Friday, March 25
• Prairieland Pickers will perform at 10 a.m. at the Hillsboro Rehab and Health Care at 1300 E. Tremont, Hillsboro.
• Prairieland Pickets will perform at 2:30 p.m. at the Tremont Ridge Assisted Living at 1200 E. Tremont, Hillsboro.
Saturday, March 26
• Clothes Closet, 9 a.m.-noon. Winter clothes sell for a $1 a bag.
As the Easter season draws near, the Lenten Luncheons are being held every Wednesday, beginning this week at First Christian Church in Vandalia with the Rev. John Glennon of the Parkview Methodist Church as the first speaker.
By Panzi Blackwell
By Belinda Harpster
Meet in West Frankfort
Dane and Belinda Harpster of St. Peter met their daughter, Mahala Harpster of Cape Girardeau, Mo., in West Frankfort on Friday evening. They ate dinner together, then brought home Mahala's pet chinchilla for the week while she attends a Farm Bureau conference in Washington, D.C.
By Anna Jean Rhodes
Wednesday, March 16
• Friendship Manor Nursing Home will have a birthday party at 2 p.m.
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