text:
The news media have recently reported on several horrific and shocking crimes, sparking debate over whether it could possibly be encouraging copycat threats.
There has been much discussion in chat forums and other social media about how much attention should be given to incidents such as the Aurora movie theater shooting and, most recently, the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings.
Among the topics being discussed is the manner in which the media presents these occurrences. Some have said that the media treats the perpetrators of these crimes like celebrities. Many have expressed displeasure with the continuous coverage given to these incidents, while others focus on the detail given to how they took place. It is obvious that reports giving detailed descriptions of how a bomb was assembled that was used in a terror attack, would likely not be appropriate for the general public.
However, how much information should the media provide to the public? How much coverage and how long should it address a given incident? How can the media strike a balance between the public need to know without offending the sensibilities of some people or compromising public safety?
Most importantly, who should decide when and how much information should be disseminated to the general public?
As any journalist will attest, most media outlets have what are known as "gatekeepers" who ultimately decide what news is published and what is not. There has even been debate on this practice. Detractors say that gatekeeping is simply a form of censorship, and they are correct in their observation. Very little news that reaches the public from media outlets arrives completely raw and untouched. Editors review and sometimes alter reports for various reasons, and there are also other processes that determine what is newsworthy.
So now we see that news reported even from the most liberal outlets is usually reviewed before it is made available.
It should be pointed out that although the news media is specifically named and protected in the Bill of Rights by the First Amendment, this does not mean that it has carte blanche to do whatever it chooses to. It can and has been barred from court proceedings and it does not have the express right to be privy to state secrets or any information deemed vital to national security. This is an issue that has been fiercely challenged on several occasions because it is argued that the government often uses the umbrella of national security to shield itself from information that the media contends should fall under the purview of the people's right to know.
A prime example of this is the information allegedly provided by whistleblower, US Army Spc. Bradley Manning. While Manning was hailed as a hero by some, he was branded as a traitor and enemy of the US by the government and many Americans as well.
On a slightly different note, there is an article from The Lookout that cites a 1999 study from the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. According to The Lookout, the study found a relationship between the amount of copycat threats and the amount of media coverage the initial incident received. The study concluded that there was a spike in copycat threats when there was continuing coverage of a major crime.
Based on this study the researchers recommended that the media "downplay" coverage of shootings, not to portray the killers as "countercultural heroes" and not to describe in detail how the crime was committed.
Conversely, the report also stated that another study by criminologist Ray Surette cautioned that there have not been enough copycat events studied to support APAM's findings.
Should the media exercise more restraint when reporting news regardless of how relevant it is to the public? Would downplaying terrible crimes discourage copycats? How would doing so affect important stories?
If the media begins to water down the news by limiting the facts of the events, where would it stop? Should it choose not to report on or downplay a heinous event such as the Sept. 11 attacks or the Sandy Hook massacre for fear that some deranged individual will be inspired to commit an equally horrible crime or worse?
What we seem to have here is a classic example of ignore the message, then blame and kill the messenger. As many of us know, this approach has never served any purpose other than assuage those who prefer not to face the reality of what is being reported to them, as if ignoring something will make it disappear.
In truth we know that ignoring and downplaying certain things only serve to allow them to propagate. Some of the most atrocious acts in history could have, at the least, been minimized if they had not been marginalized and neatly presented to the public.
It is the duty of the media to report the news. It must be free of libelous, defamatory accusations, and above all, it must be as accurate as possible.
Should the media compromise itself? Should it sacrifice its integrity and credibility by holding back important information?
So is the media inciting psychopaths to take the lives of innocents in copycat crimes because of what it reports? It is very doubtful; especially when there is no shortage of examples for them to follow from television and other so-called forms of "entertainment" if they are looking for an inspiration to kill.


text:
See Counter Strike being played on a Microsoft Surface Pro tablet
49 Comments
1. TheLibertine (Posts: 484; Member since: 15 Jan 2012)
Can't deny this being friggin' awesome. If Windows 8 tablets could match the mobility and battery life of an iPad or Android tablet, they would be winners for me.
3. FireDragon (Posts: 114; Member since: 13 Nov 2009)
Size and weight will be increase for sure if Microsoft (or anyone) going for larger battery time on such devices, at least for now. In future yes I hope to have a longer battery life on these mighty combo of a Tablet and full PC.
15. jimjam (Posts: 257; Member since: 28 Jun 2011)
That would be impossible. If it was possible then the ipad would be able to be reduced significantly in size and weight than what it is now and we'd end up with a cycle where the win 8 tablet is constantly behind. When win 8 tablets reach a point were you can be happy with them .... say surface rt sized and 7 hours battery then would they be a perfect balance.
Compromise has to be somewhere - for an ipad it is a watered down OS with underpowered internals (comparatively), sausage stylus etc.
For the pro is is bulk, weight and battery life.
24. imsickwithsmartphone (Posts: 153; Member since: 28 Jan 2013)
Tablet not for games.... *except for kids
They make it portable so that we can use it with ease like browsing the web, wacthing videos and some casual games...
2. android_hitman (unregistered)
do this on your Ipad or android tablet... hah
20. darac (Posts: 2156; Member since: 17 Oct 2011)
Well then, do this on surface pro:
v=wzSQTzfjsB4&feature=youtube_ gdata_player
Even if you could, you'd get an arm cramps after ten minutes
27. haseebzahid (Posts: 1853; Member since: 22 Feb 2012)
who ever you are clearly retard show us some true hD game in android or ipads well they never have one if u even compare to windows desktop this is one game tested it came out in 2012 means it can run any other high end game these games are hardcore u cant figure out that simple thing
and u defentaly in 2007 if comparing android games of 2012 with with win games of 2012 better do it with windows games of 2005 vs android games of 2013
even consoles dont beat PC games in being HD
33. darac (Posts: 2156; Member since: 17 Oct 2011)
Alright, now allow me to demonstrate to all just how much of a mentally infantile moron completely missing my point you are..
A: The first comment was the one comparing the pro with tablets actually. Right?
Can you answer that much?
B: now that we got that cleared out, answer:
-how would you play fps on a surface using it as a TABLET?
C: assuming even that you have found a fps that can actually provide you touch interface.. answer:
-how would it feel playing with your thumbs, holding a 2 pound tablet?
-Would it be comfortable?
-Would you be good at it?
-How long would you your battery last?
D: I'm betting that you haven't even watched the video I posted. Now after you hit that link again, and try actually pay some attention to what you are watching, answer:
-Was the guy in the video I showed having any problems playing a fps on his iPad?
-Was he good at it?
..now when you answered all this (very naively assuming you have the brain capacity and honesty to do it), one final question:
- which device is better for playing fps game in a TABLET MODE-surface pro or iPad/Android devices?
-which device is better for playing fps game in a DESKTOP MODE - surface pro or an ultrabook/laptop of the same price?
ANSWER EVERY QUESTION HONESTLY, and I believe you must start getting the idea of how real objective mind operates, and how much of a lost case in that regard you are ;)
Bottom line - comparing surface pro with tablets is tendentious, ignorant, and misplaced.
36. haseebzahid (Posts: 1853; Member since: 22 Feb 2012)
are u effing retard u never even mention any thing in ur first comment just said "do that on pro"
and now u said we don't get the point technically u are either fool or memory lose issues
and rest of ur bla bla doesnt make a sense at all if apple makes ipad of 10kg its cool but if MS does it in far less then it sucks cleary i get ur point fanboy stuff i dont think i need to answer any of ur stupid points
37. haseebzahid (Posts: 1853; Member since: 22 Feb 2012)
but here is ur answer fool the pro is out for like a week or 2.
games in windows are coming for decades and none of them were ever made for touch screen because their was no support for that
so in a week u judge the whole thing typical android fanboy and PC gaming industry is massive andoid is nothing when they make something its for every thing in market available touch screen game pad mouse keyboard
and in ur face i can get Android emulator to run every damn app/game including that game u gave the link to on surface PRO without issues so who like to buy that crapdroidtab if one can buy surface pro
and TOP thing is pro stand for professional means it can do much more then games everything we do in office home industrial stuff developer stuff 3d rendering stuff whih i bet droid ipads are INCAPABLE to do at all
31. Commentator (Posts: 3685; Member since: 16 Aug 2011)
I'll use a mouse and keyboard and/or gaming controller and be much more comfortable than using a touchscreen to control an FPS, thanks.
34. darac (Posts: 2156; Member since: 17 Oct 2011)
..you just proved my point.
Can you even Imagine using surface like the iPad in that video?
It's basically impossible.
You must turn it into a laptop to make it usable in that regard.
So why comparing it with tablets?
38. haseebzahid (Posts: 1853; Member since: 22 Feb 2012)
what a jerk its only 2 weeks for pro and u saying games should come with touch support long before the actually device man get lost u are so f**kedup u dont think what will come next just bash bash bash like idiots and haters because ur precious apple cant do s**t like this one
45. bon24x7 (Posts: 206; Member since: 30 Aug 2012)
were there touch controlled apps for android before any android phone/tablet or the OS came to existance? if there was then yes surace pro is a fail...otherwise stfu and get lost...
4. Edmund (Posts: 656; Member since: 13 Jul 2012)
Yeah, but android/apple fanboys get excited over minecraft lol..
21. darac (Posts: 2156; Member since: 17 Oct 2011)
You really have no idea what you talk about do you.
v=Sym4mC1SZ6M&feature=youtube_ gdata_player
25. bon24x7 (Posts: 206; Member since: 30 Aug 2012)
you must be really dumb to compare mobile games to PC games..or a brain dead zombie from the android camp...
28. haseebzahid (Posts: 1853; Member since: 22 Feb 2012)
and there is upcoming emulator in windows8 for running every damn android app on surface pro or PC DO TAHT on s**tY ANDORID. by the way android games sucks dirt when u compare to pc games stop being idiot
32. Commentator (Posts: 3685; Member since: 16 Aug 2011)
No, he probably knows what he's talking about, just like you obviously know that PCs have been able to play games with... "good"... graphics such as those in Modern Combat 4 for over a decade now.
35. darac (Posts: 2156; Member since: 17 Oct 2011)
My reply was simply addressing the ignorant bashing of android games.
I have played COD and CS, imagine that! EVEN the HALO, all four of them.
Been playing games for more than a decade - pc, laptop, PlayStation 2 and 3.
And believe me when I say - I am not missing anything of that, on my Android games.
39. haseebzahid (Posts: 1853; Member since: 22 Feb 2012)
odd i played many games on android not more then 15 minuets but i never left PC games for over 2 decades
5. jsdechavez (Posts: 731; Member since: 20 Jul 2012)
I'd get a keyboard with extended battery with that..
6. feres13 (Posts: 306; Member since: 23 Dec 2011)
I have to say it's pretty impressive, it's a PC game but hey, it doesn't take advantage of the touchscreen, accelerometer, gyroscope so in the end, why not just buy a PC?
7. tashreef (Posts: 476; Member since: 24 Nov 2012)
so you will carry your PC in your hand?,..... that's interesting...
Hey it's about the combination of Power+portability=MS surface pro..
This is what no Android and iOS tablets can do.....
9. feres13 (Posts: 306; Member since: 23 Dec 2011)
so what i can carry a macbook air in one hand just fine
17. bon24x7 (Posts: 206; Member since: 30 Aug 2012)
but you can't use it without a keyboard...but this can be...not for legacy games like CS but for other stuff...so what's your point?
29. haseebzahid (Posts: 1853; Member since: 22 Feb 2012)
so the pro is just released and games were never before made for touch or gyroscope i am sure this little thing u said will be added for win8 games in future
8. noim1 (Posts: 297; Member since: 15 May 2012)
it has only released ...wait a few months when new games come out with touch optimizations & take on sensors control
12. feres13 (Posts: 306; Member since: 23 Dec 2011)
The fact is that there is already tons of pc games and rt tablets aren't selling well won't push devs to make tablet games, but i expect apps to grow
41. freebee269 (Posts: 539; Member since: 10 Aug 2012)
oh look, feres on another surface article bashing the surface. like clockwork nor am i surprised. making a good troll name for yourself.
10. TylerGrunter (Posts: 1522; Member since: 16 Feb 2012)
What's the advantage of having a tablet if you have to use is as if it was a laptop? Yes, it may be powerful, but so is any ultrabook.
My grudge with it is that it's as expensive a as an ultrabook and nearly as heavy. So, why does it get always compared to tablets. In oder to compete in the tablet workd it should weight 200 grams less and be able to run twice as long as it does in one charge.
In other words, it's missing a couple of iterations to get it right.
13. feres13 (Posts: 306; Member since: 23 Dec 2011)
What i think about the surface pro is that it's an okay tablet and an okay ultrabook, but it's cool to have both
48. 7thspaceman (Posts: 1545; Member since: 14 Feb 2011)
the surface pro design is that of a Portable PC not a laptop
convertible. the components used to make the surface pro are the same as most ultra books that cost 1000 dollars or more if you doubt me look up the cost of some ultra books with the same specs as a Microsoft surface pro. the surface pro is probably the only Tablet/Portable computer on the planet.
a lot of people will like and buy this small portable computer
which the Surface pro is with ether of it touch cover keyboards
11. Marcus73 (Posts: 10; Member since: 19 Sep 2012)
Awesome stuff! PC games is graphically awesome and Surface Pro looks pretty stable handling it.Too bad already got Surface RT. Probably need to wait for 2nd gen Windows 8 tablet.
14. Deaconclgi (Posts: 405; Member since: 03 Nov 2012)
I'll buy one or any windows 8 tablet when I can play Battlefield 3 Premium at a great framerate. Are there any virtual button mapping programs for windows 8? I have windows 8 on my non touch desktop so I have never searched for touch based applications.
16. ash29 (Posts: 56; Member since: 28 Oct 2011)
Not very soon.
18. rusticguy (Posts: 2828; Member since: 11 Aug 2012)
Ok so you spend 1000 bucks just to play games?
Might as well buy a notebook with 750GB space, 4GB RAM ... weight doesn't matter carrying on shoulder is much more comfortable than holding it in hand and risking a drop any moment :)
19. FireDragon (Posts: 114; Member since: 13 Nov 2009)
Just wanted to add that people really need to stop humiliating any Full Windows Tablet by comparing it to at least an iPad.
iPad is a pure toy, an entertainment box at best. Yes of course that thing is perfect fit for "consumers" who doesn't have to do too much but it doesn't give any of us so-called tech-known-people to be blind too.
22. feres13 (Posts: 306; Member since: 23 Dec 2011)
Here's my opinion : First, given it's price this is closer to an ultrabook than a tablet
For an ultrabook : it doesn't have a great keyboard, the trackpad of the macbook air is alot better, the air has better I/O and a bigger screen for the same price, not to mention os x can run both windows 8 and os x, making it more flexible, it also has half battery life of the air, and isn't confortable to use on a lap, and is underpowered for me since you can't upgrade anything before or after the purchase (4Gb of ram is a big NO), also in the air you can adjust screen orientation while on the surface you're limited to what the kickstand offers, and all the weight is on the top while the keyboard is paper thin.
For a tablet : It has a TERRIBLE battery life, thick, heavy, inconfortable to use in portrait and the ipad shows more in either orientation, the ipad has 300000 apps MADE for it, designed for it that work perfectly, the ipad has also more accessories, and the multimedia ecosystem in far better on the iPad, also the ipad has a better screen and 4G LTE capability.
43. freebee269 (Posts: 539; Member since: 10 Aug 2012)
lol you posted this on other surface articles also. troll much?
23. IliyaBeshkov (Posts: 261; Member since: 09 Jul 2012)
but can it run counter strike 1.6 ? :D
26. volcano (Posts: 348; Member since: 25 Jan 2013)
epic video there is another video with batman arkham city steam game using xbox controller
30. ogy_dogy (Posts: 453; Member since: 29 Jun 2012)
Can your ipad do that?
40. downphoenix (Posts: 3165; Member since: 19 Jun 2010)
Intel 4000, LMAO.
Intel GPUs are FAR behind even the most budgeted Nvidia or ATI GPUs.
42. freebee269 (Posts: 539; Member since: 10 Aug 2012)
you are right. that's what makes this game running smoothly on a tablet even more impressive.
44. nikenturd (unregistered)
Counter Strike ? lol.... my 10 year old graphics card can run this game pretty smoothly as well
46. bon24x7 (Posts: 206; Member since: 30 Aug 2012)
my 12 yr old pc can run it without a graphics card(it doesn't even have a port :( )...the point is...can your tablet do that? most ppl here don't realize the diff between a surface pro and rt.. -_-
47. hkxm8 (Posts: 64; Member since: 08 Apr 2012)
Just a guy playing CS:GO on Surface Pro with Type Cover. Nothing exciting, i can play crysis smoothly on a ultrabook with same price at Surface Pro.
49. 7thspaceman (Posts: 1545; Member since: 14 Feb 2011)
The surface Pro to me is the ULTIMATE portable PC not a laptop convertible Tablet. it's a tablet Portable PC hybrid because it needs a stiff strong keyboard dock to make it a Tablet
convertible it's 2 cool combo keyboard covers are too weak to make it a good Laptop convertible but the Microsoft surface computer Pro with ether of it's cover keyboards makes
it the best portable computer on the Planet earth. it's light and cool looking you can carry it
any where and set it on a table , desk or even a park bench and a have the power of a full PC for you to use. businesses and Regular folks who use it as super light portable computer will simply love it it's the BEST in that class of devices and it has the added goody of being a tablet computer

subset: commoncrawl


text:
This little area of town is on the outskirts of Fort Worth Texas. It has about 2,500 people live in this quiet little town established about 60 years ago. I had the opportunity to photograph a partial demolition of the town fire station. The fire station itself was built in 1949 with the city jail added to it In the 1950s Jr's demolition was contracted to tear dow the jail as well as the old Public utilities building as new structure have already been constructed I shot some video and and some stills which I will upload later This eve. I also got some a shot of the rendering as well.
Stay tuned


text:
Police in New York have arrested a suspect sought in the killing of a man in Easton this past summer.
Naheem Adams was apprehended Wednesday morning near his mother's apartment in Brooklyn, police said.
Adams, police said, gunned down George Jeter in July near 14th and Butler streets in Easton.
Adams will be arraigned in New York as a fugitive from justice and then extradited to Northampton County.


text:
Product Information
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Production, R&D
Production in the PETROF factory and its logistics have passed through many changes compared to earlier methods. Despite the effort of incorporating modern technology, the company insists on making instruments by hand, which guarantees the instruments have high tone quality.
The timeless style of the instruments with a brilliantly clear and rich sound and widen and colourful range of the musical voice is the result of the perfect treatment of each detail.
Unlike a lot of other manufacturers of key instruments, the PETROF plant produces a substantial part of raw products and instrument parts itself. The company workshops produce resonance boards, keyboards, hammers, strings, metal parts and a number of other parts. The only exception being cast iron frameworks and piano bodies, which are purchased.
At the customer"s wish it is possible to also use other parts from specialized world manufacturers . In some cases there is direct cooperation between them and PETROF. An example is the very successful close cooperation with the famous RENNER company. Besides original Renner actions and hammers , PETROF instruments also use the RENNER-PETROF actions.
The basic material for building grand pianos and upright pianos is carefully selected wood . It is the material for the heart of the instrument - the resonance board and for individually constructed elements and parts. It also has significant influence on the beauty of the instrument, and therefore extraordinary attention is paid to its selection. The resonance board with a large vibrating surface and high internal strain is made exclusively from narrow ringed, strictly selected, radially cut resonance spruce. The high-quality European beech is used in the production of the bridges. The high-quality spruce and beech wood is further used for building the skeletons, featuring effective solution and generally rigid and stabile construction in our instruments.
The cast iron frameworks of the instruments are of a modern design and can reliably resists the pull of the strings which are kept under tension for the duration of their long life by their connection with the skeleton. They are drilled at PC operated drilling machines. Extraordinary attention is paid to the surface treatment of all pianos during production. It is understandable because a beautifully sounding instrument must also be beautiful . Therefore the demands on surface treatment are high. Polyurethane paints are used for satin surfaces and for highly polished surfaces, polyester paints are applied.
The production of upright pianos and grand pianos ends with output control and preparation for dispatch. In the dispatch department, the instruments are packed so that they cannot be damaged mechanically or by climatic changes during its often long transportation. Our specialty is that the customers (the general public or the musically educated) are able to play the instrument before it is packed for transport. The musicians often do not definitively choose their future friend (grand or upright piano) until this test has been done.
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text: The Café Hanselmann in St. Moritz is a world-renowned paradise of all that is sweet. When you walk in you'll know exactly what we mean by this! Many decades have gone into forming the beautifully appointed ambience tinged with a touch of turn-of-the-century, and with a range of culinary delights to satisfy even the most discerning tastes.


text: <>>If art, food, music and fun are on your clipboard of fun this summer, visit the Columbus Arts Festival June 7, 8 and 9.Held on the riverfront in downtown Columbus, Ohio, this nationally know arts festival offers family friendly things to do.It has been a tradition in the capital city for more than 50 years.The huge festival is held in the area known as the Scioto Mile, which includes the riverfront and Bicentennial Park. There are plenty of green spaces, fountains, plazas, a permanent stage and more.The festival has been voted by "Sunshine" magazine and "American Style" as one of the top arts festivals in the nation.With more than 300 artists you will find something that is your style. There is never a lack of entertainment as three stages offer dance, music, storytelling, poetry and much more.In addition to the ColumbusArts.com Main Stage at Bicentennial Park, which features some of Columbus� top musicians, the FlyColumbus.com Community Stage will highlight multiple art forms including dance, theatre and music. The Ohio Magazine Word is Art Stage is back with spoken word performances, storytelling and a poetry slam on Saturday night.There are plenty of activities for the kids and great food for the entire family. The Columbus Arts Festival hosts the event and brings in juried artists from all over the United States and a few international artists.You don't want to miss this event, art, music, poetry, kids "things to do" including a big fountain to stay cool, food, bikeways and walking paths.It is a favorite summer event for many. In partnership with Dine Originals, this cuisine area will showcase local restaurants and their delicious gourmet fare at the Festival. Dine Originals will feature special menus developed by local restaurants.Scott Huntley, Director of the Columbus Arts Festival said, �We are very excited for our second year back at Columbus� Riverfront. This beautifully renovated area is a phenomenal venue for the Festival and we are looking forward to drawing even bigger crowds."For more information on the Columbus Arts Festival, call 614-221-8531 or visit www.ColumbusArtsFestival.org for a complete list of artists, entertainers, stage schedules, interactive arts activities and more. The Columbus Arts Festival is produced by the Greater Columbus Arts Council..Festival Hours: Friday, June 7 and Saturday, June 8 from 11:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and Sunday, June 9 from 11:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.Photos courtesy of Columbus Arts Festival.


text:
Office of Fudderalism
February 9, 2013
"At wast! The wong arm of the waw is weaching out and cwosing in on you, you scwewy wabbit....
"adopt a non-partisan stance that examines laws impartially and reports on them objectively, or will it become an ideologically driven, taxpayer-funded, conservative propaganda mill?"
Good Advice to BO, although I doubt he will listen.
" Claims should be substantiated and quantified and the underlying data made available so observers can verify the claims' validity"
Another good idea that won't be adopted by BO regime.
I love it when these liberal/progressive nut jobs demand facts and fairness when complaining about those that buy thier garbage, but they are more than willing to manufacture "Facts" when it suit thier purpose.
3 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
WOW, you comment people take this stuff to serious. The writer is amateur and his missives are either boring or off base, so why get excited. Question, have any of you been to Georgia, Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, New York, Iowa and Washington, D.C.,.... If so, did you ever run into our liberal Charles Town City Councilmen Ms. Poeanessa, Slover and Bringetot when you were in those other States? That's where they are all from. Maybe the writer could do a story on liberal people moving to Charles Town and then Councilmen Slover, Bringetot and Ms. Ponesaa getting them to run for City Council the first year they are here. If makes me wonder what they could know about our City when they have only lived here a few weeks? And you all think that liberals play well and are fair. Better rethink that one.
2 Agrees | 1 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Stein said "He is further left than me..."
Well being that squirm lies is an admitted socialist (although I believe he's more of an anarchist), I'm glad your letting us know that all "leftist" are socialists, I guess it the degree of socialism? Although in practicality all socialist society continue the march to complete socialism, the only difference being the amount of time it takes. So I assume you are just a little more patient then squirmlies.
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Stein, When O'Leary first started writing his column's I was really impressed with his research and many of thoughts especially when it came to the state of WV. But when he was unwilling to risk change simply because his politics is when I lost all respect for him. I view him now as just another partisan political hack much in the same mold of another Sean, except Hannity has a different allegiance.
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"Balkin, who is a Constitutional and Ideological genius,"
Now that's hilarious.
1 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
"Please tell me what about the article is trash?"
Everything because it's all about an attack on anything Republican, it's a political hit job, nothing else. Did Sean ever do a piece on the AG when McGraw was ruling over his personal fifedom? No of course not.
2 Agrees | 1 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
I could care less what you buy.
0 Agrees | 2 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
An idiot is someone who is mentally deficient and Squirm is not that.
1 Agrees | 3 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Einstein - "Calling Squirm an idiot is not accurate."
Sounds like a matter of opinion. Opinions like auto mileage, often differ. And anyway, I just say it to "rile" him up !
4 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Calling Squirm an idiot is not accurate. He is further left than me and likes to rile you guys up but he certainly is not an idiot. I would have to read Balkins comments in context.
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Einstein - "I chose not to review the latest attack on the ACA or the one after that and so on."
I can assume then that you support my argument to "TheIdiot" that if Balkin says it might prevail, then it must be so ? Otherwise, I wouldn't see the point in your comment of praise for Balkin. Thanks for your support !
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I chose not to review the latest attack on the ACA or the one after that and so on. But good luck with that.
1 Agrees | 4 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Einstein - "Balkin, ... wrote an article for The Atlantic that argued the ACA mandate was a tax and clearly constitutional before the NFIB v Sebelious."
That's nice, but has little to do with the latest challenge which is based on the way the ACA bill was "originated" and the decision by the Supreme Court that found the individual mandate constitutional as a "tax". You might want to review the argument being advanced by the lawsuit. It is not as arcane as the other challenge I mentioned, at least to a layman, but a series of courts will decide its ultimate merit.
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Please tell me what about the article is trash?
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Balkin, who is a Constitutional and Ideological genius, wrote an article for The Atlantic that argued the ACA mandate was a tax and clearly constitutional before the NFIB v Sebelious.
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"Another well written article from Sean"
If you consider this trash well written you need to have your head examined.
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TheIdiot - "Your statement is pure crap."
Remains to be seen ! Even one constitutional scholar who came down against the approach admits it has an equal chance to go before the high court, and could prevail. That was Jack M. Balkin, Knight Professor of Constitutional Law and the First Amendment at Yale Law School. Could you post your credientials as a constitutional scholar so we can compare your "opinion" to his ?
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Another well written article from Sean that produces enjoyable responses from the reactionary crowd. AG Patrick Morrisey will be fun to watch. He is clueless as to what his job is. And apparently Lin will be both Solicitor General and head this ridiculous board? The Chief Prosecutor of Kanawaha County has already had to inform Morrisey that he has no authority to prosecute. I have got my popcorn to watch this show.
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The problem uncovered by the PLF is based in the Origination Clause in Article I, Section 7, clause 1 of the Constitution: "All bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills." That the "Bill" which resulted in the ACA meets that constitutional requirement is questionable based on its history. Why woud we not want our state's attorney general to establish a specialty within his office to scrutinize such matters ? It is clearly an element of the relationships inherent to federalism. Whether to question a federal law or to move forward with it, all aspects of its legality and implementation need to be examined. That politics might enter here is hardly surprising. Politics, like our legal and constitutional governing systems is designed to be adversarial.
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Along with any individual state's relationship with the federal government is its relationship with the many other state governments. Collective action on the part of state governments, and particularly via the states' attorneys general has a history, as with the tobacco industry settlement. It is important to know what other states are doing in the area of defending "states rights" on such issues as given above. In the case of Obamacare, there are new challenges now working their way through the legal system. A lawsuit from Oklahoma's Attorney General challenges the ACA on wording in the law that effects its implementation. A separate lawsuit by a public interest law firm (PILF), the Pacific Legal Foundation, mounts a constitutional challenge against the ACA based on the previous Supreme Court ruling that the "penalty" for not purchasing health insurance is constitutional on the grounds of the federal governments power to "tax".
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A fair bit of "overspeculation" in this column. It is not too far removed from conspiracy theory. It sounds to me like sound policy on the part of Mr. Morrisey to question the specific examples given and any others on the part of the federal government. What meaning can federalism have without such examination ? Given that our nation was born in such a questioning of centralized power, and the resulting form of government was a federal republic, any citizen of the state should welcome such scrutiny of federal reach.
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"liberal policies such as assisted suicide"
Is assisted suicide a position Sean supports?
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Squermlies--> rather then Googling the constitution I'd recommend you read the entire document. With special emphasis on article 1 section 8 (powers of congress). Then if you're still unsure about the intent go read the ratification conventions.
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Remember Sean, it was the liberals who started this "war" on the states, first by forced income tax then by banning alcohol, then by forcing states to support SS and medicare, then forcing state and local government out of religion then forcing them to support abortion, obamacare and now forcing the states to except abortion. But when conservatives start using the liberal playbook you cry foul, hypocracy again. Why did you conveniently leave these out?
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O'Learyism, named for Sean O'Leary, the world's greatest practitioner of monomaniacal fixation ('Kill the wabbit!'), is characterized by a lack of moderation, objectivity and rigor that usually ends in disaster.
I like this description better,it's more accurate.
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Election Day is nearly here, and while voters are weighing which candidates and issues they will be supporting, the Seneca County Board of Elections is working diligently behind the scenes so citizens can fulfill their civic duty Tuesday.
Since Oct. 2, when in-person and mail absentee early voting began, the board of elections has been busy, said Andrea Carroll, deputy director of the board.
"We've had people walking in right at 8 a.m.," Carroll said. "Soon as we get here, we barely get the lights on and the machine up, and we have people walking in."
Article Photos
Sheriff's Deputy David Magers loads a voting machine for distribution somewhere in Seneca County.
An array of voting machines and supplies wait to be loaded onto trucks.
Director Janet Leahy said the board has been busier this election due to more people voting early.
"The early voting wasn't so highly advertised in the past," she said. "Before four years ago, you had to have a reason to vote absentee. You had to be absent from the county, or disabled or elderly. Now anybody can vote early. People are taking advantage of it to avoid lines on Election Day. Unfortunately, we get long lines here sometimes."
She said despite the heavier workload during this election, the board has not faced any setbacks or surprises during the early voting.
"The state wanted us to be prepared for a lot of in-house voting," she said. "I think we've been doing pretty good. I don't think we've had anything out of the ordinary happen."
Seneca County had an 80 percent turnout in the last presidential election, in 2008, Leahy said. As of Oct. 31, the Seneca County has had 5,400 people vote early.
"We had someone say 'we haven't voted since Kennedy,'" Leahy said. "They're coming out this year to vote. I think it's just been so highly advertised, there's so much on the TVs."
Commissioner Ben Nutter said it is very easy for citizens to vote in Seneca County.
"I think the ability to vote, and the access to vote in Seneca County, is probably the envy of the rest of the state," Nutter said. "We do things here that make it so easy to vote. If you want to vote in Seneca County, you get to vote. That's a testament to the job that they've done over there at the board of elections. They've done a fantastic job, and we couldn't be happier. And they've done it in a very cost-effective manner."
While the board has been busy during the past month with early voting, Election Day is still an all-day event for the board and its poll workers.
The poll workers are to arrive at their polling location at 5:30 a.m. and are to stay until after 7:30 p.m., when the polls close, Leahy said.
Kate Hosang, who works as the presiding judge at the Reed Township precinct, said while Election Day is a long day, it's also rewarding.
"I have a daughter who lives in Saudi Arabia, and she's not even allowed to drive," Hosang said. "So, what a great country the United States is that we have the opportunity to vote."
Some of the duties for poll workers include setting up voting booths, the Automark machines for handicapped voters, hanging signs with instructions and information, and hanging the flags outside of the building so no campaigning can take place within 100 feet of the location, she said.
As a presiding judge, Hosang also is in charge of reading the oath of office.
"We just have a very long day," she said. "It's like a party; you never know who's going to walk in the door next."
She said the poll workers are to follow strict guidelines, and have to know a lot about the voting process and its rules.
"I know there's a lot of fear out there about fraud, but I don't see how it can happen," Hosang said. "In (the board of elections office) and the precincts, everything is where it should be."
But before the poll workers can set up the booths, the voting equipment has to make it to the polling locations.
Seneca County Sheriff's Deputy David Magers and his crew of workers load up all the equipment in a van and trailer and deliver it to 36 locations around the county in three days.
Each county has to find a way to distribute the supplies for Election Day, and Seneca County uses the sheriff station and some inmates to do the deliveries.
"This is a common correctional work program," Magers said. "It teaches them work skills. So it benefits the county and the workers in the program."
Even though the polls close at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, the election process is still not over for the board of elections.
The board, immediately after the election, has to count all the provisional ballots, Leahy said.
The unofficial count is what is tallied up on election night, and the provisional ballots are added to the official count.
The provisional ballots include people whose addresses have changed and voters overseas and in the military whose mail-in ballots are postmarked by Election Day, Leahy said.
"Usually it doesn't make much difference in any of the races because it tends like,
how people voted on Election Day, people vote on the provisional," she said "We'll probably get a couple hundred provisionals."
As of Oct. 31, the board had received 41 provisional ballots, Leahy said.


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The sounds of breaking glass and shouting roused Carter Downing from a deep sleep early on the morning of Dec. 9, 2010.
She heard her neighbors scream that the Montagu Street apartment house where she lived was on fire. When Downing opened her bedroom door, smoke came pouring in.
She, her boyfriend and the two guys who lived upstairs managed to escape as flames crawled up the side of the house. But with no smoke detectors in the Charleston home, Downing shudders to think how things would have turned out if her neighbors hadn't seen the fire's eerie glow at 3:30 a.m.
"None of us would have woken up," she said. "If the girls next door had not seen the fire, the four of us would have died in the house that night."
Downing, who was a College of Charleston junior at the time, got another chill Monday when she learned that the man now accused of starting that fire was a carpenter who did plenty of work around the house at 48 Montagu St.
That fire is one of three that 55-year-old Kenneth Boone, of Charleston, is accused of setting around the area. The other two blazes occurred in rural Hollywood. He's being held in lieu of $300,000 bail at the county jail on four arson-related charges.
Downing recalled Boone as a "really shady guy" who her landlord hired to work on the home. He came by at odd hours, ate their food without permission and had a work crew made up of "some of the sketchiest people I've ever met in my life," she said.
The stocky construction worker, dressed in a striped jail jumpsuit, did not speak to the charges against him during a brief court appearance Tuesday via video conferencing.
His attorney, David Aylor, cautioned people to withhold judgment on his client while police investigate a string of more than 80 suspicious fires. Authorities have said they consider Boone a suspect in at least some of the fires.
"Obviously, the investigation is going to move forward aggressively, but at this point I am not aware of any other charges that are coming," Aylor said.
Anatomy of an arson
An affidavit Charleston police filed in the Montagu Avenue case states an accomplice told investigators that Boone solicited his cooperation in setting a fire at the home so that he could profit from the repairs afterward. The blaze was the third intentionally set fire that had occurred at the house, according to a police report.
The affidavit identifies the accomplice as 54-year-old Isaiah Foster, a Charleston man with a history of drug and shoplifting convictions, according to court records. He offered his account on Friday, the same day Boone was stopped by investigators and arrested.
Foster told police Boone picked him up around 1 a.m. on Dec. 9, 2010, and they went to Montagu Avenue so Boone could "make some work" at a home owned by Pauline Sottile. Boone parked his green pickup about a block away so as "not to make loud noise and wake anyone up," the affidavit said.
Boone reportedly told Foster to act as a lookout and whistle if he saw police. Boone trundled off toward 48 Montagu carrying a plastic milk jug and returned 10 minutes later smelling of gasoline, the affidavit said.
Foster told police Boone hurriedly jumped in the truck and said, "We got to get out of here." They escaped without detection, and Boone "secured 'the hustle' to repair the fire damage" soon after, the affidavit said.
Foster told police he helped Boone do the repair work and noticed fire damage along the rear of the house near the air-conditioning units. Investigators noted that this was indeed where the home had been damaged and that authorities had found the presence of "an ignitable liquid odor" there, the affidavit said.
A check of building permits also found that Boone had been hired to do the repair work on the home, police said.
Reached on Tuesday, Sottile declined to comment on the fire or Boone.
Another former tenant at 48 Montagu, 22-year-old Emily Joye, also recalled seeing Boone around the house performing work several times when she lived there. Like Downing, Joye described Boone as "creepy."
Aylor said he's still researching the evidence against his client but his main goal at this point is to get Boone out of jail so he can care for his two parents. Boone, he said, is a father of two and the primary caretaker for his 95-year-old father and his mother, who is a double-amputee. "His family needs him," Aylor said.
Before Boone's bond hearing began, jail officials found themselves trying to move an inmate in a wheelchair from the small hearing room. Boone intervened and helped push the wheelchair from the room. "I take care of my mom," he told detention officers. "I know how to do this."
The act didn't seem to impress Magistrate Linda Lombard. She added $75,000 onto Boone's previous $225,000 bail amount, making it that much more difficult for him to get out of jail.
Fires in Hollywood
Police and Charleston County sheriff's deputies stopped Boone early Friday as he and another man were headed to burn another home in Hollywood, authorities said. Investigators found a plastic milk jug of gas in the car.
The arrest was the culmination of an undercover operation that began in October with a tip to the city's arson hotline, which in turn fueled new life into the hunt for a serial arsonist who has torched downtown homes since the early 2000s.
An informant told investigators he believed Boone was burning homes so he could later profit from the repair work. The informant contacted Boone over several weeks and police recorded most of those conversations. Boone told the informant he planned to torch another home in Hollywood and that he had "already worked it out so that he would perform the repair work after the fire," according to a police report.
Police were also listening in and recording Boone as he headed to Hollywood with the informant on Friday, the report said. He was heard saying that he planned to pour gasoline through a window and light it with a napkin, and that "the only way someone will know this house is on fire is if they drive by," the report said.
An affidavit said Boone planned to bring paint so they could paint the words "this house is ours" on the residence. Boone knew the residence was vacant, and that there was "an heir's ownership dispute between several individuals. Spray painting the residence would distract investigators into believing the arson was committed within the feud," the affidavit said.
Investigators said they have linked Boone to two previous fires at a home on S.C. Highway 162 in Hollywood. Those fires occurred in August and September, and Boone performed the repairs after each blaze, affidavits said. Witnesses told investigators he had bragged about setting the fires, and Boone allegedly told the informant he torched the home because he knew the owner had insurance to pay for the work, affidavits said.
Tony Bartelme contributed to this report.
Editor's note: Earlier versions of this story gave an incorrect age for Emily Joye. The Post and Courier regrets the error.


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Get Ready For BlogPaws 2013!
April 10, 2013 - Amy Jo Hanna-Eckenrode
In April 2010, I was a part of something big. Something really, really big -- when I attended a first time pet-blogging and social media conference aptly named, "BlogPaws", (www.blogpaws.com).
I don't think I fully realized even then the tsunami effect this conference would create or the impact it would have on the social media world, but I could sense it was huge. Social media was for me still a rather new platform on which I was having an absolute blast.
When I learned this conference was being organized by three pet-loving, social media gurus (friends from three different corners of the US) I was immediately entranced. I had no clue (to be honest) what I could gain or give by attending but I just knew I had to be there. Nobody was doing this at the time - all those 'three' years ago. It was a revolutionary concept.
Not only did I trek five hours by car to the Country of Columbus (Ohio) but I convinced our general manager - a pet 'appreciator', but by no means, 'a crazy pet person' like myself - into attending with me. If I was going to pursue expanding our whole media-related line of pet products, (ie. hosting a pet blog, establishing an annual Pet Expo and the crème de la crème, publishing a pet magazine) I knew it was critical for me to shock-drop my manager feet first into this world.I knew it was going to be like submerging a very Rod-Sterling-like editorial genius into a big vat of 'crazy me's soaked in pet hair' but I also knew that if we, an established media company, were truly committed to jumping on this social media train with all paws on board- as our GM had been - then this was going to be the one event that I did not want to miss.
Some things cannot be explained. They simply must be experienced. "BlogPaws" was one of them.
Boy, was I right. For two days, I was surrounded by 230 like-minded bloggers, writers and companies passionate about pets. That alone was an immensely overwhelming experience. But, the conference dreamers, as I like to call them, took their vision to a whole new dimension.
They simply realized that pet owners were spending significant time researching pet related topics and pet blogs were becoming among the top resources for information. They discovered that beyond the veterinarian, pet bloggers were considered a very important and credible source (higher than store clerk and advertising).
They took years worth of knowledge and experience and created an event that they knew was not only going to be invaluable to a whole new audience of writers - some yet to come - but they were virtually creating the future of social media education right before our eyes.
Now, three years later, May 16-18, "BlogPaws 2013" will take place in Tysons Corner, VA. I finally get to attend again this year after missing the last three conferences due to time restrictions.
I know I'm not going to recognize the event as I remember it, but am hopeful that like an archaeological dig, I will be able to comfortably feel my way around the most basic perimeters of an infrastructure that not only formed the original concept for this event but continues to serve as a indestructible foundation that fosters it's wild-fire growth.
Carol Bryant, PR Manager for "BlogPaws" and a renowned pet blogger and educator herself (fidoseofreality.com), has tried to prepare me, warning that "I will not recognize the event at all from year one."
Now capped at 500 attendees, the organizers still try to maintain a more intimate hands-on experience.
This is also a conference where bringing your pet is encouraged. And, it works. Simply because everyone attending makes their pet the focus of their business. This is a place were people celebrate their pets, says Carol, who will be there with her boy, Dexter. All bases are covered for attendees and companions including on-site doggy day care, on site vet care, and pet friendly accommodations.
From an endless list of seminars geared towards all facets of the growing pet industry, to an impressive list of guest speakers and experts, attendees are guaranteed to leave armed with a bounty of new information, tools and work to keep them busy for the next year.
These (attendees) are the industry influencers, Carol explains. These are the people who are using and writing about and sharing information about pet care, pet products and pet trends with the rest of the pet loving world.
What started as a conference focused on teaching pet enthusiasts how to use social media effectively has expanded into a priceless, three-day educational marathon - with a bunch of fun and fur thrown in!
The conference offers four tracks of learning for beginners to experts from writers to rescuers to readers, attorneys, publishers and pet businesses. BlogPaws has truly become the go-to resource for pet people and brands to partner on projects and campaigns, to be educated on social media, and to arrange face-to-face meetings all over the country. I can confidently say this group has become an amazingly positive resource and catalyst of change for pet lovers, communicators, educators and rescuers.
If you are a pet-lover and have found yourself enveloped in some aspect of social media, writing, creating, fundraising, networking, publishing, promoting, or rescuing, this, my friend, is one event that you do not want to miss. (www.blogpaws.com)
Blog Photos
Blog Links


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Watch 1980s video clip of WWUH in the News!
When the University of Hartford was incorporated just over 50 years ago by business and community leaders, they envisioned a center of education and culture for Greater Hartford. At its core, it would be a university for the community created by the community.
The University has come a long way since its humble beginnings on Hartford's last remaining farm, evolving from a local school for commuters into a comprehensive university that attracts students from throughout the world. Yet it remains true to its original mission of serving as a valued resource for individuals, families, businesses, and communities throughout the Hartford region, offering hundreds of programs that serve the University and its neighbors every day. For over 45 years listener supported WWUH has served an important role in the University's community service mission.
Start: 03/31/2013 1:00 pm
End: 03/31/2013 4:00 pm
Sunday Afternoon at the Opera host Keith Brown writes:
For a third time this Easter Sunday we will take part in a sacred drama in music based on the medieval legend of the Holy Grail, the wine cup Jesus passed around among his disciples at the Last Supper just prior to His Crucifixion.


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The Culinary Studio Presents Date Night – Sweetest Day Cooking Class
Southfield, Mich.- – Southfield based business, The Culinary Studio, will host Date Night – Sweetest Day on October 19, 2013. The cooking class will feature various courses including glazed tilapia, butternut squash, kale caesar salad and double chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes, and champagne toast.
"My entity, Healthy Eating Community, outgrew the home kitchens we were using," stated co-owner Jo Coleman. "We needed something on the scale of The Culinary Studio to accommodate our growth, but we didn't want the added cost. With the Studio opening, we are able to engage Michigan residents on a larger scale with signature classes such as our Sweetest Day event."
The Culinary Studio Date Night – Sweetest Day class will be held on October 19th from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. at Applegate Shopping Center, 29673 Northwestern Highway, Southfield, MI 48034.
The cost of the event is $85/person and attendees can register online at http://www.myculinarystudio.com.


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Drop In & Hang Out
Tuesday, August 12, 2014 | 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Come hang out with your friends in an open and chill space. Play with MacBook laptops and iPads, get to know other teens, and meet the Library's new Teen Services and Digital Creativity Manager, Kevin MacDowell. Kevin is also seeking input for the Library's future Teen Space, set to open in January 2015. Snacks provided! Drop in. For ages 13-18.
No Registration Required
Kevin Macdowell
Contact Number:
Kevin MacDowell
- Event Type:
Main Library Teen Program
- Location:
Program Room 2C
Notify me about similar events


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Ex-soldier and earth witch Nyx Ianira is working as a PI in San Francisco when she sees the last thing she ever wants to see: the Sisters of Justice—the mysterious earth witch police force. A Triad of Sisters usually means an execution mission, but the Sisters' only goal is to capture and escort Nyx across the country.
Nyx is badly needed back in Twitch Crossing, Georgia, the place she ran away from ten years ago to escape the stiff rules and duties of being a true witch. She wanted a life of her own. Now she's being dragged back to her swampy hometown because another life is in danger: Her little sister is missing, and Nyx is the only one who can track her down in Duivel, Missouri.
But the key to finding her may lie with dark and tempting Etienne—a sinister criminal with a fearsome reputation, a ruthless attitude, and a total immunity to magic….
"Definitely an author to watch."—New York Times Bestselling Author Alyssa Day
"A page-turner. I stayed up all night just to read the last page, and I was not disappointed."—Romance Junkies
Dear Reader Letter
Dear Readers,
I am often asked about the Earth Mother and the Sisters of Justice characters in my Earth Witches series. They are the women who determine and drive the goals of the protagonists and antagonists as they travel through their world.
The Earth Mother was the first deity of humanity. She has thousands of names in every time and place where men have lived. The priests of the patriarchal sky gods labored thousands of years, at least until the 12th or 13th centuries, to destroy the beliefs of those who worshiped her as their primary deity—or at least have tried to drive them into hiding.
In dealing with her witches, the Mother is often arbitrary and contradictory. She makes plans and manipulates them for reasons that she only occasionally reveals. Earth witches are born with power to serve her by their magic. Others are chosen, not to wield magic, but to maintain order. They are the Sisters of Justice.
Earth witches, some incredibly powerful, carry magic within their bodies. The magic only ends with their death. It cannot be taken away. When witches take their vows to serve the Mother, they pledge their lives to her. She only has one basic rule: no magic is to be used for harm. That's it. Self defense is allowed, but no dark magic.
But what happens when a witch breaks the Mother's law? Witches are censured for minor infractions, and put to death for using magic to cause serious injury or mortality. Yet a powerful witch, skilled in magic, is highly unlikely to be contained by conventional authorities.
When a witch goes rogue, the Mother provides a remedy: The Sisters of Justice.
The Sisters of Justice are few in number. They're basically well-trained killers. They serve as messengers, enforcers and, at the Earth Mother's command, executioners. None have the power to use earth magic like a witch. Each is individually selected by the Mother.
They are young when chosen and have been damaged in some way. They come off the streets, out of prison, from shelters, but they all meet certain criteria, though the Mother has never unveiled what those criteria might be. Years of training, sometimes brutal, molds them.
One of their leaders says of them: We are the Sisters of Justice. For millennia we have served the ancient Earth Mother, the Mother of Men. Most of her servants see her as a nurturer, a giver of life. The Sisters of Justice see her darker image.
She hides that darker face and we, the Sisters of Justice, are abandoned—save when she needs us. We are the last she calls, when all of her earth witches' gentle methods fail. We worship her. We despise her. We are her dark angels, her servants. Our blades are sharp and we strike upon her command.
While the Sisters of Justice are highly trained and well armed with two special weapons are required to take down an evil witch. The Morié and the Solaire. The Morié is blade that can cut through any magical shield and the Solaire is an amulet that gives the Sister wearing it immunity to deadly magic.
The Triad is an execution squad. The Triad, three Sisters, is an execution squad. Two keep the witch distracted with conventional weapons, and one with the Morié and Solaire to go in for the kill. The two without protection of the Morié and the Solaire have a high mortality rate. Such are their lives and sacrifice to the Earth Mother.
The Sisters of Justice are not always nice women. They are driven and hard as granite. The problems that brought them to the Sisters do not go away. They are merely channeled into regulated violence.
They are, however, symbols of the strong female warrior in today's literature and testament to the Earth Mother's enduring presence her world.
In Vicious Moon, the third book in the Earth Witches series, you will see how the Earth Mother guides her witches and how the Sisters of Justice fulfill one of their roles. I hope you enjoy your journey into the Earth Mother's world.
Best Wishes,
Lee Roland


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Les Miserables Tickets
Les Miserables Ticket Information
Purchase your Les Miserables tickets today and you can witness the epic story of the struggle for redemption and revolution that stands as arguably the greatest play to hit the Broadway stage. This fantastic Tony Award winner for Best Musical, Book, and Score has been in production for over 25 years strong, and is widely considered the peak of musical theatre. Now you can be in the crowd to see this Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boubil classic live. Carefully look over our sensational selection of Les Miserables tickets and choose your spot in the venue. You won't regret experiencing the sights and sounds that have moved generations of musical fans and will certainly do so in the future. Here's the simple way to secure your Les Miserables tickets now:
- To buy your Les Miserables tickets, click the red link labeled "Tickets" that's located to the right of the screen. You can view our complete inventory and use our price range bar and the accompanying search filters narrow in on the best seats. By using the filters, only the tickets that meet your standards will show up in the search results.
- Once you decide where you want to sit and the number of Les Miserables tickets you need, you can purchase by clicking "Buy." Then just log into your Vivid Seats account and fill out the required information.
- Finish your order using Paypal or a credit card. Once the purchase is complete, you're assured to get your Les Miserables tickets in time to view the show, thanks to our 100% Buyer Guarantee.


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There will likely be more pools and spas installed in the coming years. These items are increasingly popular – particularly in warm climates. In water scarce regions regulations could be introduced to make swimming pool and spa covers mandatory to help reduce evaporation. Some of these covers are also designed to reduce heat losses and conserve energy.
From the water efficiency standpoint, there are no new technologies on the horizon to reduce water use in swimming pools and spas. However, recent research has shown that installing a swimming pool does not necessarily mean increasing water demand. In some regions, the same sized area taken up with automatically irrigated turf can use more water than a swimming pool (Maddaus and Mayer, 2001).
More advances related to energy efficiency are possible for swimming pools with the advent of more efficient motors and pumps and pool heating systems.


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China Storage
- Dish Storage Boxes From $22.99
- Plate & Dish Set Storage From $12.99
- Platter & Stemware Storage From $9.99
- All Dish Covers From $9.99
CoverMates Collections
2 quality collections for storing dishes, appliances, clothing, and more.
For those fine dining pieces in your collection, there's no better way to store them than our specially designed china storage protectors. Made with 2 layers of 190T polyester and filled with thick 240 gram fiber, they offer the ultimate in protection for both at home and on the go. China, stemware, platters, saucers – these are just a few of the items we have covers for. And many are available in full sets and as individual pieces, so you can get only the items you need.
With storage options you can customize, superior quality materials, and stylish design, these storage protectors are sure to become some of your favorite kitchen accessories!
In over 30 years I have never seen any protectors of this high quality!!! I am so pleased I am going to order another set. Thank you so much for paying attention to quality detail!
Great products, they fit perfectly and look fantastic. I bought some as a wedding present and liked them so much I bought some for myself!


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Meet John Doe
Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life" is to Christmas what "Meet John Doe" should have been for New Year's Eve. Starring Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck and supported very well by Walter Brennan, Meet John Doe is a story that would fit right in with today's headlines. Stanwyck plays reporter Ann Mitchell who receives her pink slip because her stories no longer have any relevancy. Out of anger she makes up her last story about a man who is so fed up with the political and financial wrongs in society that he decides to jump from the top of a newspaper building on New Year's Eve as a protest statement.
After the story takes off, she is restored to her original position with the paper. Long John Willoughby (Gary Cooper) is recruited to play the part of John Doe or the nameless author of the letter who is always followed around by his close friend "The Colonel", played by Walter Brennan.
Meet John Doe has a some similarities to Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Mostly it is an indictment of the political and financial systems and the corruption surrounding them. You will see many parallels between "The John Doe" movement in the film and the Occupy movement today.
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Saturday, April 19, 2014
The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for tidal Berkeley County and Moncks Corner, and a flash flood watch for Dorchester County, after a persistent band of moderate to heavy rainfall throughout Friday and into Saturday morning.
The alerts will remain in effect until 6 a.m.
The NWS advised residents to be prepared to protect life and property especially in areas prone to flooding. If flooding develops move to higher ground immediately. If driving, be prepared for flooded roadways and possible road closures.
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Chili Pepper Grilling Set
This item is currently not available.
Additional Information
The Best Way to Grill Chili Peppers
- Grill perfect "party poppers"
- Grilling stand holds peppers upright on the grill
- Includes ingenious corer
Grill perfect jalapeno poppers with this handy grilling set. Includes a serrated corer that lets you remove seeds and pulp with a turn of the wrist — without having to touch the interior and risk the burning sensation on your skin. The unique, 36-hole grilling stand holds peppers upright. Stand is 9-3/4" L.
Product Details
- Stainless steel, rosewood handle
- Stand is 9-3/4" L
There are no special shipping restrictions or charges associated with this item. For detailed information about our delivery methods and charges, click here.
We're proud of the fact that this item is shipped to you directly from our warehouse in Vermont, by one of our 250 employee-owners. In-stock items are packed with care and shipped within the next business day to ensure prompt delivery to your home and garden!


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Monday, September 17, 2012
Cane Bay coach Russell Zehr was concerned his team might lose focus on the two-plus hour bus ride to Beaufort on Friday.
Turned out, he was wrong.?Behind what Zehr called the Cobras best first half of the season, Cane Bay knocked off the Eagles 28-20 to improve to 3-1 on the season.
We came out of the gate playing well for the first time, said Zehr, whose team is probably the top surprise story of the season so far.
The Cobras are playing their first year in Class AAAA football and have already knocked off longtime classification powers Summerville and Beaufort among their three wins.
Coach (Shane) Todd and the offensive staff are doing a great job on that side of the ball and the defense has fixed some things it was doing wrong, said Zehr, whose team hosts Ashley Ridge this week.
The Foxes are only 1-3 after Fridays 56-21 loss to Stratford but began the year inside the Class AAAA Top 10. They hammered Cane Bay 49-7 a year ago and that offense returns intact, led by running back Romelo Doctor.
We certainly arent taking them lightly, Zehr said. Their record doesnt look so good but thats because theyve played the three best teams in the Lowcountry: Goose Creek, Stratford and Wando we couldnt slow them down last year.
The two schools, which opened up in 2008, have played six times, with Ashley Ridge leading the series 4-2. They split four regular-season meetings in 2008 and 2009 and Ashley Ridge won 14-0 in 2010 before last seasons blowout.
Theyve had our number the last two years, Zehr said.
On Friday, Cane Bay had Beauforts number from the outset.
Tracy Gilliard picked off a pass and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown for Cane Bays lone score in the first quarter and then Davon Higgins scored on a 6-yard run less than a minute into the second quarter to give the Cobras a 14-0 lead.
Beauforts Jaclay Mixon, who finished with over 200 yards rushing, ripped off a 60-yard touchdown romp moments later to cut Cane Bays lead in half but the Cobras came right back to score again on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Devin Kilgore to David Welch.
Then Romante Frazier returned the opening kickoff of the second half 87 yards for a touchdown as Cane Bay built a comfortable 28-10 lead. Kicker George Anderson made all four extra points for the Cobras.
Cane Bay finished with 334 total yards. Kilgore was 7 of 10 for 104 yards and a touchdown and no interceptions. Maurice Wesley was the top receiver, hauling in three passes for 70 yards.
Running backs Alex King, Frazier and Welch combined for 193 yards rushing. King led with 79 yards.
Any win on the road is good, Zehr said.
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Top Definition
A mixture of beer (usually one to two of thirty stones) and fresh snow is poured into a funnel (beer bong). The snunneler then snunnels the mixture of snow and beer.
Yo did you see that! The snunneler just killed that snunnel.
od uživatele The Snunneler 20. prosinec 2009
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Can you define these popular missing words?


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on February 25, 2013 - 12:14 AM
LOCKPORT – An updated plan for mass evacuations in Niagara County in case of a major disaster is to be worked on at a meeting this week.
The Public Officials Emergency Planning Workshop is for county and municipal leaders to talk about planning and coordination for an updated emergency plan.
The Thursday meeting comes after the County Legislature voted last week to spend $45,000 on a contract extension for a Washington, D.C., firm helping with the updated evacuation plan.
WITT Associates was hired to update a plan to protect critical infrastructure and an emergency communications plan in case of disaster.
The original plan was drawn up in 2003 by Ecology & Environment of Lancaster.
WITT also developed a tabletop exercise simulating the use of the plan last fall that didn't go well.
"We asked the towns and villages if they all had their evacuation plan in place and they said, 'Oh, yes.' And then we exercised it and they had nothing," County Manager Jeffrey M. Glatz told the Legislature's Administration Committee Feb. 12.
Glatz said last week that assessment might have been overly harsh.
"Their plans weren't updated. Their plans weren't exercised," he said, adding that not all towns and villages were in that category.
Legislator David E. Godfrey, R-Wilson, said the evacuation plan is the last component needed for a countywide emergency management plan.
The payment to WITT Associates irked Legislature Minority Leader Dennis F. Virtuoso and Legislator Jason A. Zona, both D-Niagara Falls.
They argued in committee that Emergency Management Director Jonathan F. Schultz ought to create the evacuation plan.
"Doesn't Mr. Schultz have the qualifications to do this?" Virtuoso asked. "I thought one of his specialties was emergency planning."
"He said doing this plan full time would take about three months," replied John F. Cecula III, Schultz's assistant.
He said the money to pay WITT will come from leftover 2010 federal homeland security aid to the county.
The tabletop simulation revealed a lot of confusion among local officials.
Cecula said, "Some of them weren't aware of what they were supposed to do."
Questions about evacuation routes, jurisdiction over the roads used, and who would be in charge are among the issues that would have to be hashed out, Cecula said.
Glatz said this problem has nothing to do with the county Health Department's emergency plan, which just received a 100 percent score from Albany for the third year in a row.
The Health Department's plan pertains to the delivery of mass immunizations if needed in a health emergency, Glatz said.
email: email@example.com


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Top Definition
The mexican sack lunch is making use of your condoms in more ways then one. After ejaculating in a proflactic during anal penetracion tie it off carefully so not to spill. Take the tied up condom and give it to a friend so they may savor the love at another date. No refridgeration nessesary.
Hey dude, are you gonna finish that mexican sack lunch?
door Cory Komasa 18 januari 2007
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Can you define these popular missing words?


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SCHLADMING, Austria - As Squaw Valley skier Julia Mancuso celebrated her fifth career World Championship medal on Tuesday, Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn suffered a season-ending crash during the opening-day super G at the FIS Alpine Ski World Championships on Tuesday.
Vonn had posted the fastest first interval and was having a strong run when she went down off a jump midway down the course. She was immediately attended to by race medical officials and transported by helicopter, as is standard protocol, to a nearby hospital where she was evaluated and released.
According to U.S. Ski Team Medical Director Kyle Wilkens, Vonn suffered a torn ACL and MCL in her right knee and a lateral tibial plateau fracture. She will be out for the remainder of this season but is expected to return to racing for the 2013-14 Audi FIS World Cup season and the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.
Mancuso, meanwhile, put on a full-speed attack through fog, soft snow and deep ruts to take bronze.
It was her fifth career World Championships medal, third in super G and a women's record eighth major championship medal. World Cup overall and super G leader Tina Maze of Slovenia captured gold with Lara Gut of Switzerland silver.
"I think that might've been one of the most difficult races I've ever been in," Mancuso said. "It was a really long course and a lot of hurry up and wait. I didn't know I'd be so tired at the end of the run. Every time, no matter what kind of run, I know I could have a much better run. But to finish on the podium is kind of all you can ask for."
U.S. Women's Head Coach Alex Hoedlmoeser was impressed with Mancuso's performance, particularly after Vonn crashed.
"It was amazing how Julia attacked the course knowing that Lindsey had been hurt," Hoedlmoeser said. "She is an amazing professional. No matter what the conditions, she prepares herself for the race and today was a great example. It's a real credit to her tenacity and ability to adjust to the challenge."


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5 Recent Movies That Got Way More Praise Than They Deserved
Hey, have you noticed how every movie blows right now? Well, maybe not every movie, but I only add that qualifier because I can't possibly see every movie. Some of them must be alright, at least. As for the stuff I have seen over the past couple of years though, it's been mostly awful. Things have gotten so bad from a quality standpoint that even the films getting showered with Oscar buzz and box office profits are, for the most part, pretty damn terrible.
Looking for examples? Good, because I have some. Here are five recent movies that got way more praise than they deserved.
#5. Zero Dark Thirty
Look, I love America as much as the next man, provided the next man isn't a man who loves America more than I do, which is totally possible. So don't bother trying to label me as some kind of traitor just because I'm kicking off this list with everyone's favorite "fact-based" account of the hunt for Osama Bin Laden. As Americans, we're allowed to disagree with the actions of our government. There's no reason that freedom shouldn't extend to disliking the movies they make.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Zero Dark Thirty director Kathryn Bigelow, seen here accepting the most government-y-looking movie award ever.
I'm sorry if it hurts your flag-waving arm to read it, but for all intents and purposes, Zero Dark Thirty is the Titanic of war movies, and I definitely don't mean that as a compliment.
Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
And you're a jerk if you were expecting a compliment in an entry about your ex-wife anyway, James Cameron.
The only difference is that with the latter film there's at least some semblance of a story in the two-and-a-half hours preceding the 20 minutes worth of action. The first three-quarters of Zero Dark Thirty, on the other hand, consist mostly of Jessica Chastain telling various government officials that she knows where Bin Laden is hiding. Not in a cool way like breaking into song or something, either. Just talking. Any "Will they believe her in time?" drama is destroyed by the fact that every single person watching knows exactly how the movie is going to end.
Donald Kravitz / AFP / Stringer / Al Rai Al Aam / Getty
Still, if nothing else, it has some historical significance as a document of an important moment in American history, right? No, not really. The film plays like one long endorsement for the use of waterboarding and other "enhanced interrogation techniques" as crucial weapons in the war on terrorism. Meanwhile, in a speech delivered to the Senate, John McCain went so far as to say that the interrogation methods depicted in the film not only didn't lead to the capture of Bin Laden, they actually produced false information. After watching Zero Dark Thirty, though, you'd think Bin Laden would still be out there if not for the healing magic of simulated drowning.
Mario Tama/Getty Images News
Has freedom ever been this refreshing?
Zero Dark Thirty isn't a fact-based account of the hunt for the most wanted terrorist of all time, it's the Saw franchise for Toby Keith fans.
#4. Pitch Perfect
In 2012, Pitch Perfect was probably recommended to me by more people than any other movie. After I finally got around to watching, I decided to stop being friends with all of those people. In fact, I disliked it so much I actually had to watch it again for the sake of this column because I turned it off without finishing it the last time I tried. During that first go-round, I gave up somewhere around the point where Anna Kendrick starts rapping.
I don't know if a white person rapping has ever been more awkward, and, yes, I'm taking this terrible Brian Wilson song into consideration also when I make that statement.
Beyond Anna Kendrick making me feel ashamed of my racial heritage, the other big problem is that Pitch Perfect is an obvious ripoff of the Fox TV show Glee, except it has its priorities all wrong. With Glee, at least for the first couple of seasons, the songs, prominently placed as they may be, still play second string to the actual storylines in the show. The music acts more as a supplement than anything.
It's the exact opposite with Pitch Perfect. This movie is a 90-minute infomercial for a soundtrack filled with a capella covers of modern hit songs. To make it look believable they lazily toss in every single cliche from every "fish out of water" teen comedy you can name.
Don't worry, Anna Kendrick doesn't remain the disheveled outsider you see here for most of the movie.
I'm sure it's meant to be a satirical takedown of the genre, kind of like what The Cabin In the Woods did with horror movies, but they don't do a great job with that part. There's a huge difference between exploiting well-worn cliches for comedic effect and just merely acknowledging that you know they exist, which is mostly what Pitch Perfect does.
There are a few funny moments, but they're mostly the scenes where the bite-sized guy from Workaholics is onscreen, and chances are most of his antics are improvised, so don't give the filmmakers too much credit just yet. When an absurd turn of events sends him packing before the big climax (in order to set up the most obvious "plot twist" possible), he takes most of the fun with him.
Because comedy is the first thing you cut when your movie about a pretentious, entitled laptop DJ starts to drag.
Listen, I get that seeing the chorus geeks cast as the popular kids on campus probably feels like therapy to a lot of people, but if you go around letting your residual bitterness about being an outcast in high school lull you into appreciating shitty movies like Pitch Perfect, the bullies still win.
#3. Drive
The Ryan Gosling "classic" Drive is one of the most inappropriately named films of all time. Something along the lines of Sit or Wait would have been a way more accurate representation of the "action" in this movie.
Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful movie to look at. The soundtrack is pretty wonderful, as well. None of that makes it a particularly interesting movie, though. If you've never seen it, Ryan Gosling's character plays one of the best getaway drivers in the world. In a frustrating twist, he proves it in the film's fantastic opening sequence, which could possibly be my favorite five or ten minutes of any movie ever (presented with helpful Czech subtitles below).
Unfortunately, watching a master getaway driver silently contemplate his next career move is a lot less thrilling, and that's all you see for the next hour or so of the movie.
I know it's commonly laughed at as an example of frivolous lawsuits taken to crazy extremes, but the woman who filed a class action suit because Drive didn't have the Fast and Furious-level automotive action that the trailer promised ...
... kind of had a point. Selling a movie based on the pulse-pounding car chases is a direct appeal to that segment of the movie-going public that only shows up to see shit explode. Promising that and then delivering what Drive ultimately was is about as close as Hollywood gets to an actual bait and switch scheme.
Then again, maybe it's for the best. When Gosling and Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn teamed up again for this year's Only God Forgives, they apparently went the opposite route, keeping dialogue limited but adding in all sorts of gory, violent action. The results were apparently disastrous. I haven't seen the movie myself, but this "awesome fight scene" that needlessly wraps four minutes of slow motion footage of people doing mundane shit like walking ...
... rolling up sleeves ...
... and just kind of standing there ...
... along with two acid trip-worthy shots ...
... of this ridiculous statue ...
... around 45 otherwise super satisfying seconds of Ryan Gosling taking blows to the face ...
... doesn't give me a lot of hope.
The film was loudly booed at the Cannes Film Festival, and reviews were almost universally terrible, with Hollywood Elsewhere's Jeffrey Wells summing it up best with this quote:
"Nicholas Winding Refn's 'Only God Forgives' is world-class in its repulsiveness, and it goes way beyond being a time-waster. The fumes from this oppressively violent Asian macho bullshit sword-slicing fantasy will sink into your system and your soul and leave you off-kilter -- tainted in ways that may be hard to pinpoint at first but are no less real -- for weeks after seeing it. Or months. Or eternally."
So that was harsh. I don't know if you can describe the oppressive boredom that dominates most of Drive in such colorful terms, but it's certainly deserving of the same fury.


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on July 16, 2013 - 9:51 AM
, updated July 16, 2013 at 9:50 PM
A woman died after her car crossed over the center line on Broadway in Depew and sideswiped a pickup truck on the other side of the street at about 8:30 a.m. today, Depew police said.
Police identified the victim as Linda K. Ward, 31.
The driver of the pickup, Brian D. Deberardinis, 22, was taken to Erie County Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries and was discharged.
The accident occurred in front of Twin Village Recycling, 4153 Broadway. Police did not release the addresses of the drivers.
Investigators said it was unknown why Ward's car crossed the center line, and the investigation is continuing.


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Visitors to the Coastal Carolina Fair could work up an appetite for fried shrimp and grits, chicken-fried meatloaf or grilled doughnuts-on-a-stick by stalking the rows of food vendors specializing in profoundly unhealthy treats. But no matter how many times they complete the circuit, eaters are unlikely to find those items, or any of the other concoctions that dazzled fairgoers elsewhere this season.
If you go
What: Coastal Carolina Fair
When: Through Sunday; gate hours are 3-9 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday; 3-11 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday; noon-9 p.m. Sunday
Where: Exchange Park, 9850 U.S. Highway 78, Ladson
Price: Gate tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for ages 6-12 at the gate; kids 5 and under get in free. All entertainment is free withtickets. Ride coupon books or Sunday-Thursday hand stamp tickets are $20, Friday and Saturday hand stamp tickets are $25.
For more info: coastalcarolinafair.org
The fair this year added just three new items to its concession lineup, a statistic that baffles Mark Zable, a human resources consultant best known as the guy who invented fried beer.
"It's amazing how many people don't bother coming up with new stuff," says Zable, who this year introduced fried spinach artichoke dip at the State Fair of Texas. "I think they're nuts."
The State Fair of Texas actively encourages its vendors to broach the frontiers of frying with its annual Big Tex Choice Awards, a closely watched contest designed to recognize achievements in creativity and flavor. But even at fairs that take a more lackadaisical approach to their concessions, novelty pays: Zable estimates a talked-about item earns him an extra $50,000-$200,000 in gross sales over the course of a 24-day fair.
When Zable failed to earn a Big Tex Choice finalist spot in 2011 with deep-fried biscuits and gravy, he embarked on his own marketing campaign, drafting press releases alerting journalists to the deliciousness and regional-appropriateness of his creation. (He nixed plans to sell fried caffeine, which judges rejected the same year.)
"Concessionaires figure if people walk by, they're going to buy stuff," scoffs Zable. "But when people go to a fair or carnival, they go with the mindset that 'I'm going to eat what I never normally eat.' So there's that mentality that 'Anything new, I'm going to try it.' "
In Zable's estimation, Coastal Carolina's short list of new foods defies psychology and economics.
"That is unfortunate you only have three new fried delicacies," says State Fair of Texas spokesman Jason Hays. But the modest number also helps explain how concessions evolve from one-off wonders to national sensations, and may reveal something about the future of deep-fried fair food.
Fried beer goes flat
At the State Fair of Texas, the visitors' guide features a new food finder that fairgoers follow like a treasure map.
The Minnesota State Fair, a perennial rival in the race to produce the craziest concession, reserves a page on its website for photos of debut items: "We try to say, 'Just because you put a topping on it doesn't make it new,' " says Dennis Larson of his efforts to keep the popular online gallery manageable. Still, 43 items this year passed muster.
Coastal Carolina Fair visitors don't need locating aids, since all they have to remember is fried gummy bears, jalapeno corn dogs and fried lemonade.
None of the items are entirely unprecedented: A North Carolina vendor who fries peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches and Oreos last year fried gummy bears for the Dixie Classic and North Carolina State fairs, and jalapeno corn dogs are sold by the box at Walmart.
Fried lemonade first appeared at the 2010 Big Tex Choice Awards, losing the top prizes to fried Frito pie and fried beer.
Unlike fried beer, fried lemonade isn't liquefied. In its original form, it was a common lemon-flavored pastry; baked, fried and glazed with powdered lemonade. Because it's so difficult to craft a fried food with a liquid center, fried beer is the only concoction that Zable, the son of a Belgian waffle vendor, ever trademarked and patented.
"When I entered fried beer, the fair vice-president's comment was 'Your phone is going to be ringing off the hook,' " Zable recalls. "Nobody even called to get pricing."
Zable fielded calls from The Oprah Winfrey Show, and woke up at 3 a.m. for a phone interview with a reporter in South Korea. But the only deal he landed was with the Savannah Waterfront Association, which wisely realized it could catch hold of Zable's coattails in time for its 2010 Oktoberfest.
Zable swapped out Shiner Bock for Michelob AmberBock to please the sponsors of the event, which purchased one-and-a-half-pallets of the warm, boozy snack. According to Zable, every ravioli-shaped nugget sold, producing a $50,000 profit.
But despite the initial excitement surrounding fried beer, the item ultimately fizzled for the very same reason that Zable saw fit to protect it. Fair food ideas don't become fads because concessionaires enter licensing agreements or because distributors snap up best-sellers for national release: Fair food ideas catch on because other vendors have no qualms about stealing them.
"While there are a number of products that we ship to customers (in the Charleston area), they are standard concession items," says Sysco spokeswoman Wendy Olson, specifically distancing the food service giant from "breaded butter" and "breaded gummy bears."
Concession Food Concepts, one of the few manufacturers that tried to pitch premade concessions to independent vendors, shut down after its spaghetti-and-meatballs-on-a-stick flopped. Nobody wanted to pay for bulk treats they could imitate on the cheap.
"You have something like deep-fried bubble gum, and all of a sudden it's everywhere," Larson says.
Vendors who couldn't puzzle out the secrets of fried beer had no trouble replicating deep-fried Snickers bars, deep-fried battered bacon and deep-fried butter, which has been served at previous Coastal Carolina Fairs. It's off the menu this year, though.
"They had fried butter for a while, and it was kind of like, it did well in Texas," Coastal Carolina Fair spokesman Joe Bolchoz says. "The biggest thing out here, believe it or not, is the turkey legs."
Turning a corner
At the Coastal Carolina Fair, variety is prized above daring. Even Bolchoz couldn't bring himself to try deep-fried butter.
"My cardiologist would have punched me in the nose," he says. "People realized that maybe it wasn't such a good idea. It didn't sell."
Although Bolchoz says "what's new?" is the question he's most frequently asked about the fair's food, people seem to savor the answer more than the items themselves. The Exchange Club, which puts on the fair, always makes sure there are sandwiches and salads for sale near the midway, and fairgoers apparently appreciate the effort.
"Chinese food does well here," Bolchoz says. "We have two vendors: Mr. Kim has done well for years and years out here. Barbecue does well. The South is the South."
The fair hasn't had much luck with seafood.
"You'd think that would be popular, but people can get that at places around town, at places like The Ordinary," Bolchoz says, but eaters will line up for a gyro.
Larson's witnessed the same phenomenon at the Minnesota State Fair. For all their deep-fried bravado, fairgoers tend to spend their hard-earned money on familiar foods: Pork chops and sweet corn regularly outsell what's new and weird.
Vendor "Chicken Charlie," who this year added fried bacon-wrapped pickles and Krispy Kreme sloppy Joes to his repertoire, told Larson, "All that stuff doesn't sell that well. It gets them to my stand, but mostly they're buying kebabs."
A few years ago, Larson sat on an International Association of Fairs and Expositions conference panel that tried to determine, in the poetic imagery of professional carnies, whether "we're giving ourselves a black eye with everything on a stick."
Even Zable concedes "it's become more difficult" to come up with a new item capable of eclipsing hot dogs and popcorn. That's a relief to Larson, who believes his fair's list of new foods has grown too long.
"I feel like we've turned a corner," Larson says. "The other stuff is fun, and gets a lot of attention and hype, but you've got to stick with the classics."
Reach Hanna Raskin at 937-5560.
There is a variety of food choices at the Coastal Carolina Fair.×
The Coastal Carolina Fair at Exchange Park.×
Fair food at the Coastal Carolina Fair.×
A variety of candied apples.×
Food vendors at the Coastal Carolina Fair offer the usual assortment of hot dogs, sandwiches, Chinese food, pork chops and sweets. New on the menu this year will be fried gummy bears, jalapeno corn dogs and fried lemonade.×
Turkey legs cook on the grill at the fair.×
Food vendor Derrick Cole offers up a fried gummy bear during the Coastal Carolina Fair at Exchange Park.×


text: Bianca Montgomery Archive General Hospital Adds New Gay Male Character – Felix Dubois December 09.2012. 0 Comment Sue The introductory scenes of General Hospitals second LGBT character seem to have annoyed some of the gays. Hmmm. I'm pretty sure there's simply no way a character could be introduced that would make everyone happy – OH WAIT – that's how soap opera characters ALWAYS work when they first come on screen. So Felix Dubois Category: Other Read More