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Love and Theft's Stephen Barker Liles and Jenna Michelle Kennedy are expecting their first child together, People reports.
The country singer and his fiancée will welcome their baby in December. "It's perfect timing," says Liles, 29. "December is our freest month of the year, so if all goes according to plan, I'll be home with Jenna and the baby."
Fall TV: Check out all the must-see new shows
Liles proposed to Kennedy in May, with their wedding slated for June 2014. "Right now, we're more focused on nursery colors than wedding colors," says Kennedy, 26.
View original Love and Theft's Stephen Barker Liles and Jenna Michelle Kennedy Expecting at TVGuide.com
Related Articles on TVGuide.com
Other Links From TVGuide.com
Location, ST | website.com

subset: commoncrawl


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Trampling rights won't prevent violence
January 30, 2013
The well-intentioned but nonetheless foolish firearms phobia by much of the misinformed media and even some of our elected representatives continues to alarm and worry m....
Excellent letter from Delegate Kump
1 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
I applaud Brother Kump's comments. One thing that amuses/frustrates me is when the government has no problem finding money to spend on things that seem so non-life-saving--$300,000 per year for Big Bird's salary, research into how Frisbees fly, or into cow flatulence as a source of global warming--& then when there is something really important, "we don't have the money for that."
1 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
I'm with you on this one, Majoritarian.
2 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Bullhead - "I've stated before that I am in favor of teachers and administrators carrying their own firearms."
Yeah, OK, but you also speculated a great deal on faults and potential problems of arming the teachers themselves and the idea of using qualified volunteers in the interim till school personnel could be trained and get the law changes and weapons they need. In that time we could have another school shooting. You seem to have forgotten that the suggestion of hiring just police to cover schools was the suggestion of the writer of that earlier LTE that we debated. I have been for the "personal responsibility" approach of school personnel taking on the task. Given the circumstances, I believe they want it because it is their safety at stake, and it ends the idea that a gun free school should apply to the adults assigned to work there. It denied them what many others enjoy with relaxed carry laws.
0 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
That is good to hear, but training teachers to carry their own firearms is completely different than hiring hundreds of thousands of new security guards.
I've stated before that I am in favor of teachers and administrators carrying their own firearms. That isn't the same as your proposal to have security guards on every bus and in every school.
2 Agrees | 1 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
It will happen because "something" has to happen and they know who runs the real risk of doing nothing but "feel good" legislation and Executive Orders.
2 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Bullhead. All well and good. You don't have to go along. Meanwhile it is happening.
Just saw a short news story about a Colorado organization for gun rights that offered a free four hour starter course for teachers interested in self defense. They were expecting a high turnout of 200 but got more than 300 teachers signed up. The state just passed the "Colorado Teacher Carry Bill".
Two quotes from the story - "Colorado teachers have been beating down our doors to receive firearms training. They don't want their students to be a victim of the next Adam Lanza," observes Dudley Brown, executive director of the group, referring to the shooter in the Newtown, Conn., massacre.
"They came here for training because they want the next Adam Lanza to face the barrel of a .45."
4 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
We normally agree on a great many items, however we'll disagree on the feasibility and prudence of this "temporary" governmental measure then. :-]
1 Agrees | 1 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
If you regard the Sandy Hook shooting, and/or the well documented theory of copycat crime as just a "hypothetical threat", then I understand why you question. I regard both as quite real. We have such experience.
Your comparison to my earlier statement about leftist tactics is flawed. If I say that it is a temporary measure while a more permanent "solution" is devised, then it would not create a need for more change, legislation or otherwise, later. If you want to say that it could indeed create some new problem, then, as far as I know, you are dealing yourself in hypothetical threats. There is a wide difference between "experience" and "hypotheticals". While certainly possible, hypotheticals remain just that until "experience" confirms otherwise.
1 Agrees | 1 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
If you state, "we should provide security at whatever costs" for an inept response to every hypothetical threat when our nation is $16,000,000,000,000 in debt...
...then, I guess I will continue to "whine about providing armed security."
BTW, in your initial post you suggested that I have "bought into another of the left's tactics."
In actuality, it appears your suggested "solution" is more of a proposition usually given by the Left of legislation intended to address problems but "which then, of course, require additional remedies by government."
0 Agrees | 1 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
We did go through this Bullhead, and like I said, given the known phenomena of copy-cat repeats of such crimes, we should provide security at whatever costs as a temporary measure until we can develop the means and method for "self protection" by those who are actually endangered. What police force in America would not dedicate more attention to a high vulnerability than those less so. It is a temporary risk assessment move. Police do this naturally. They often target trouble spots and high crime areas with more "presence". If we are in threat of a police state because we provide security where the need is greatest, what would we be by providing security just in general ? Which would lead to greater police presence and need, targeted presence or evenly divided between high an low risk ?
1 Agrees | 1 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
As I have stated several times, it depends on what you mean by, "And those who whine about providing armed security..."
Do you mean taxpayers paying for armed security at every school and on every bus in America?
Did you hear about the school bus hijacked in Alabama today? That is what I warned about late last week.
Making the U.S. a Police State is different than allowing citizens the right to arm themselves including teachers and administrators.
2 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
"The well-intentioned but nonetheless foolish firearms phobia...."
I question the idea that all this is "well-intentioned" ! Baloney ! This is Rahm Emmanuel's dictum on stilts - "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things that you think you could not do before." This is a common tactic of the left and is pure Alinsky. And those who whine about providing armed security have bought into another of the left's tactics. They pass laws that are intended to create more problems, which then, of course, require additional remedies by government. Anything short of securing the schools of America and ending the lunacy of gun free zones just ensures another incident will follow and that the left will once again address it with more incursions on out right to self defense. They don't want a solution, they want the issue !
4 Agrees | 2 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Thank you Delegate Kump. You show more wisdom and grasp of history than my "Progressive" comrades.
5 Agrees | 4 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
"seem to believe that undermining our "American Excellence," by trampling upon our sacred Constitutional rights, somehow will eliminate depraved violence by the morally corrupt and mentally ill."
I haven't heard anyone say anything close to resembling what this writer "seems to believe". Let's see quotes and sources of every liberal saying this will "eliminate" this type of violence.
OTOH we have the "less govt" crowd pining for big govt using armed guards. The do as I say and not as I do crowd has spoken.
5 Agrees | 4 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Showing 15 of 15 comments


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on December 21, 2012 - 12:01 AM
, updated December 27, 2012 at 11:50 PM
Lucy Ethiopian was the first Ethiopian place in town, all the way back in March.
There's three now, but I figured I should start at the beginning. Abba Biya and his wife, Naima Tesfu, opened a small 20-seat place in a converted bodega at the corner of Amherst and Grant streets. It's homey, with padded window seats, music pumping out of a laptop, and posters of Ethiopian women. The atmosphere is more like a guy bringing people food in his living room than a formal restaurant.
We seated ourselves, and read through the menu. It sports about a dozen each of vegetarian and meat choices, from lamb, beef and chicken to the chickpea flour stew, lentils, cabbage and other meatless offerings. Some Ethiopian dishes, such as awaze tibs ($9.99) resemble stir-fries, in this case chunks of marinated beef cooked with tomato, jalapeño, garlic and red chili sauce.
Many others, like misir wat, red lentils cooked with red peppers, spices and onions ($5.99), resemble intensely flavored Indian curries. They can be spicy or not, so ask if it matters to you.
I would recommend asking for a vegetarian ($8.99) or meat combination ($12.99). Those are listed as specific dishes on the menu, but when Biya came over to talk to us, we found him willing to negotiate specifics. So we asked for a beef dish, their lone chicken dish (doro wat, a stew with bone-in chicken and hard-boiled eggs, $9.99 by itself) and two lamb dishes, plus a vegetarian combo.
I also wanted to try the kitfo ($11.99), the classic Ethiopian dish of raw beef flavored with cardamom, chili, more spices and herbed butter, served with fresh cheese. (They grind the beef themselves, Biya said.) You can adjust the heat, and get it partly or fully cooked. I asked him to bring it the way he likes it, raw and seriously spicy. I also asked for two sambusas (75 cents each), triangular pastries stuffed with beef or lentils.
Half an hour later, we got a huge platter of food. Pools of different dishes were arrayed on a sheet of spongy injera bread, which is more like a pancake. The combination of colors and textures were interesting, evoking an artist's palette.
As it turned out, we'd been served no chicken, no beef and lots of lamb dishes. But we started eating Ethiopian style, tearing off pieces of injera and using them as edible scoops.
The kitfo had the iron tang of beef tartare followed by a spicy blast of chili and deeper spice flavors. I cooled bites by combining the raw pâté with fresh cheese and injera, but that only helped so much to blunt the chili. I was sweating but kept eating because I enjoyed it so much.
The red lentils were earthy and homey. The yellow lentils were mild and meek, but served alongside a little pool of spice paste that when stirred in made things considerably more exciting. There was also diced beets, cabbage and carrot stew and a tender cabbage preparation, but my favorite vegetarian dish was the shiro, a brick-red paste made from roasted chickpea flour, for its blend of nuttiness and spice.
The lamb tibs stir-fry with onions and spices had dry, chewy meat, but the flavor made it worth working for. Tender stewed lamb was served in spicy and mild iterations; the spicy one made Cat say yikes, but she soldiered on, trying everything but kitfo.
A diced tomato salsa, a sort of Ethiopian pico de gallo, was the only uncooked component, and helped brighten up other bites with its hit of juicy tomato and jalapeño.
An hour after we originally ordered, I asked if the chicken was still coming. Biya said he'd get some. About 15 minutes later he returned with doro wat on more injera. The chicken was powerfully flavored, spicy and intense, clearly after a lengthy simmer but still on the drumstick. The tender meat and thick sauce, built on dark caramelized onion, was delicious but had been served lukewarm.
The food at Lucy Ethiopian was enjoyable, and it is reasonably priced. We ordered everything we could think of and took home two boxes of leftovers for $50. Biya clearly aims to please and was a gracious host. Unfortunately, the rest of the experience was short on creature comforts many diners would expect.
Lucy Ethiopian
Tiny, family-run place offers tasty Ethiopian dishes in humble setting.
WHERE: 388 Amherst St. (877-5829, www.lucyethiopianbuffalo.com)
HOURS: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday.
PRICE RANGE: Vegetarian dishes, $4.99-$8.99; meat dishes, $5.99-$12.99.
PARKING: On the street.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: No.


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UFC declines to renew Roger Gracie's contract
Ivan Raupe of Brazil's Combate is reporting that the UFC declined to renew 6-2 middleweight Roger Gracie's contract, leaving him a free agent.
A below-expected performance and loss to Tim Kennedy cost to Roger Gracie his stay in the UFC. The fight with the American was the last of four-fight contract, which he had signed originally with Strikeforce.
The UFC chose not to renew the Brazilian's contract, so he is now free to negotiate with other events. The information was confirmed by Combate.com with sources close to the organization.
Gracie is considering a return to the light-heavyweight division, to as not suffer so much from the cut to middleweight..
Bellator is looked on favorably by his management team, but nothing formal is set.
Read entire article… (orginal Portuguese)


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Deer season's long over, duck season just wrapped up, and fishing for grouper and black seabass is forbidden until later this year.
Seems like the guns will stay in the safe, the boat under cover. Time to take a breather. … Who are we kidding? Those of us with a passion for the woods and water will always find a reason to indulge.
Here are a few options to keep you rolling through these winter doldrums:
This little piggy …
The whitetail deer season ended Jan. 1, but that doesn't mean you can't keep hunting. In fact, wildlife officials hope that you do.
Populations of feral hogs continue to grow here and other areas of the country. These destructive, invasive animals can cause tens of thousands of dollars in damage to crops, wipe out native plants and drive away other desirable game species.
Though trapping is a more effective means of controlling wild pig populations, a shoot-on-sight philosophy helps. "Pig patrol" also provides a great excuse to head up to the hunt club and wander around.
It's a nice change of pace from still-hunting deer. Pigs aren't as easily spooked as whitetails, so instead of sitting for hours in a tree stand, a stealthy hunter can stalk through the woods and zero-in on a group of pigs.
Also, since there are no weapons restrictions or closed seasons for hunting hogs on private land during the day, many hunters jump at the chance to field-test their .223-caliber, semiautomatic rifles. These lower-caliber "sporting arms" can't be used for deer, but in the hands of a crack shot, they can be very effective with feral pigs. (Though I'd recommend an old-fashioned 12-gauge shotgun loaded with buckshot).
A relatively new law also allows hogs to be hunted at night, with artificial light and iron-sight handguns. The state also offers plenty of opportunities to hunt hogs on public land. The rules governing both night and public-land hunting are a bit tricky, so hunters should spend some time learning the rules at dnr.sc.gov.
Cold fish, hot fishing
Fishing in the cold requires a sharp eye toward safety and plenty of layered clothing.
But if you're willing to brave the elements, you can crush it this time of year.
Anglers dropping fiddler crabs and pieces of clams along dock pilings and rock jetties can rake in the sheepshead throughout the winter. Just remember that a state law enacted last year sets a limit of 10 fish per person per day (up to 30 per boat) with a 14-inch total length minimum size limit. The new law also nixed the circle hook requirement: Yes, you can go back to using J-hooks for sheepshead.
The fact that redfish congregate in shallow-water flats this time of year must be the Lowcountry's worst-kept angling secret.
Luckily, the cold keeps many anglers at home. So if you've got access to a shallow-drafting boat and know how to get into (and out of) one of the Lowcountry's many bays and sounds, you can tear it up.
Some captains I've talked to in the past few weeks have reported 50-fish days up in the flats.
Small game
Many hunters started out walking through the woods with their fathers, learning safe firearms handling while stalking squirrels and other small game.
If you're hoping to introduce a young one to the woods or simply relive those memories, this is the time of year to do it. Seasons are open for quail, squirrels, rabbits, foxes, bobcats and an assortment of other smaller critters.
Get out there and enjoy a crisp Lowcounty morning.
Reach Matt Winter, Tideline magazine editor, at 843-937-5568 or email@example.com.


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Serves 4 |
Prep Time 10 minutes |
Cook Time 25 minutes
14 1/2 ounces Eden Diced Tomatoes w/Green Chilies, drained, reserve liquid
2 cups water, including drained tomato cooking liquid
1/2 tsp Eden Sea Salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups any Eden Quinoa, washed and drained
1 small cucumber, seeded and diced, peeled if waxed
1 avocado, seeded, peeled and diced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, mincedor fresh parsley
1/3 cup red onion, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced, optional
1 Tbsp Eden Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
Drain the tomatoes, place the tomato liquid in a measuring cup and add enough cold water to equal 2 cups. Bring the tomato/water mixture, sea salt and garlic to a boil. Stir in the quinoa and return to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the quinoa is tender and most of the water has been absorbed. Turn off the flame and let sit, covered, until all of the water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large serving bowl and fluff up.
Gently toss in the remaining ingredients, including the diced tomatoes, using enough lime juice to give the salad a pleasant flavor.
Condiments, Gluten-Free, Good/High Fiber, Good/High Protein, Main Course, Mexican/Spanish, No Sweetener Added, Oils, Quinoa, Tomatoes, Vegan, Whole Grain, Whole Grain


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|Welcome to the MANGA Forum.
|You will have to register before you can post: log in or sign up at the top of the page to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.
so ummmmm >.> what is there to do besides post on the fourms cuz i thought if i signed up i could watch full anime clips but all i get r parts of clips
meeting new people is half the fun, but the cinversations are good if you catch someone online. For anime try narutowire.com its go ajot of stuff." See me, I might be bleeding, but im still breathing, You might hate me, but you cant break me. Push me, and ill push you right back.."
well, if u contribute to forums u can get points and when u reach 3,000 u can get a free dvd (i got ninja scroll) (at lesser pt. values u can get free merchandise and a itunes card for free episodes). the manga community is real helpful so if u have questions like where to watch full episodes of anime we can point u in the right direction. some i know are animefreak.tv, justdubs.net, otakucenter.com "When the heavens do not bring forth justice, man must bring it upon himself to do so. That is the meaning of Jinchuu." -Enishi Yukishiro.
i mostly go to youtube and watch some anime but man 3,000 that will be a long while i think ill be gone by the time i get 3 thousand
im new too how do you add people to your buddy list


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What are the worst gadgets you've ever owned?
0. phoneArena 22 Nov 2012, 07:00 posted on
Some gadgets are bad. Those that are bad also usually happen to be cheap. But what do you do when gadgets touted to be the next big thing turn out to be crap as well?…
This is a discussion for a news. To read the whole news, click here
2. tunisien14 (Posts: 7; Member since: 31 Aug 2012)
nokia x7
66. Synack (Posts: 677; Member since: 05 Jul 2011)
Blackberry Pearl
Blackberry Tour
Droid Charge
Galaxy Tab 1 (7inch)
76. speed4evr (Posts: 79; Member since: 05 Oct 2011)
I wasnt a fan of the BB Pearl, the BB Tour was only good as a backup phone(No WiFi :/ )
97. PAPINYC (banned) (Posts: 2315; Member since: 30 Jul 2011)
Okay, I'm almost in your boat, though, I'd have to give Woz props' since, the Thunderbolt was ThunderCrap so, he's not far from being totally wrong. Here's my list:
1. Treo 650 (which Verizon was going to send me as a replacement for a Thera 2032) but, I had enough intelligence to refuse shipment - on my account 0 days
2. Blackberry Storm 9530 (has got to top your Pearl and Tour for Blackberry Crap King) - on my account 4 days.
3. Thunderbolt (huge disappointment overall, this coming from an EVO fan) - on my account 2 weeks.
4. iPhone 4 16GB - on my 2nd line 1 month (long enough to get "lost" so that the insurance company could send me a 4S)
5. iPhone 4S 16GB - on my 2nd line 3 months (long enough to have Verizon carrier unlock it so that I could sell it to someone on Craigslist for hundreds of dollars)
6. DROID CHARGE - 3 long and gruelingly aching months.
7. HTC XV6700 - 5 months on my primary line until Verizon gave me a free upgrade to the XV6800
8. HTC XV6875 (Touch Pro II) - sent it back after one week
9. HTC XV6850 (Touch Pro) - thought it was crap from the beginning and refused to try.
10. Kyocera Echo - deserves to be here just for being such a bomb; they probably only sold two of them!
Galaxy Tab 7.0 wouldn't have been so bad if the phone's radio in the U.S. had not been disabled; I had the T-Mobile t849 for about a year.
144. IHateApple (banned) (Posts: 122; Member since: 26 Sep 2012)
A Digital photo frame and the Iron Man Mark 5 armor.
98. aco96 (Posts: 240; Member since: 12 Oct 2012)
How dare you!!!
118. pikapowerize (banned) (Posts: 1869; Member since: 03 May 2012)
i know right!! x7 is one sexy phone!!! but need a little more modification... really hate the non-user replacable battery!
146. metalpoet (unregistered)
LG Chocolate(4 in 1 year 10 months)
DROID 2(30 days before battery completely stopped working)
DROID X(2 in 6 months)
DROID 3(3 in 11 months)
LG Envy 2(5 in 1 year 4 months before they gave me a LG Dare for free when the phone had only been out one month :) )
3. RaKithAPeiRiZ (Posts: 1488; Member since: 29 Dec 2011)
Sony Ericsson xperia arc...still use it as a backup phone
120. Raymond_htc (Posts: 430; Member since: 06 Apr 2012)
If u think that phone is s**t.. i have nothing much to say already....
5. dcdave63 (Posts: 1; Member since: 22 Nov 2012)
Sony Minidisc....bar none.
6. thelegend6657 (unregistered)
Nokia N97 (Overpriced junk flagship by nokia )
LG Viewty ( Only the Camera is decent , everything else is terrible )
Samsung Corby 2 ( My father got it for free , so he gave it to me , seriously for a little tiny bit more one can upgrade to Xperia X8 or Galaxy Y . Laggy , touchscreen unresponsive and unaccurate , UI ugly , terrible screen and camera , little apps , screen that likes to unlock itself . If you want a feature phone at that price , nokia is still the king )
7. Shelbz (Posts: 9; Member since: 09 Jun 2009)
Nokia 6260, the idea was smart but the phone was horrible. Very low memory caused Symbian to constantly crash.
Honorable mention to the original HTC XDA and HTC Blue Angel, if the battery died all info was lost.
8. thelegend6657 (unregistered)
Symbian needs a lot of ram . On my N97 and 5800 apps always force close and phone reboots by itself sometimes because of lack of ram .
13. Shelbz (Posts: 9; Member since: 09 Jun 2009)
Yep, you can throw almost every Symbian in there but I did like my 6620 and 6682, didn't get many FC's on it for the apps I ran back then.
17. thelegend6657 (unregistered)
Usually stuff that force close are native apps like Nokia Maps or the Browser .
Its annoying using the GPS halfway someone calls then it FC . Or surfing website halfway stating memory is full while i only have the browser running then after 7 seconds the message appears the browser force close . Very very annoying
102. muhsen (Posts: 281; Member since: 07 Jun 2012)
u can throw almost every symbian in there?!!! r u a troll or just some ignorant???????! one symbian device in this list doesn't make every symbian phone bad.
3650,6600,6630,6680,n70,n90,n93,n73,n91,n95,n8,808,c7 and lots of others were all great devices, made history and sold in 100s of millions. respect things when respect is due
131. kristo (Posts: 2; Member since: 23 Nov 2012)
N8 is definately high up the list of Symbian fails, underpowered and frequently overheated and OS prone to regular lockups, I had mine replaced three times in as many months and then sold it on ebay, went back to my trusy N72 -- very poorly featured compared to any current model and with a very ordinary UI, but it's still going. Allegedly the N9 was many times better than the N8, but I gave it a miss when offered. would never buy a Symbian product again, and though Nokia has wisely switched to WP8, I don't think their hardware is anywhere near as solid is was in their 2000s peak.
134. thelegend6657 (unregistered)
If you think thats bad , i will tell you the full story of my N97
Key lock slider broken
problems charging
buggy software (Nokia only updated the phone once and its still buggy )
Music app that doesnt work ( i have to go to the file manager to listen to music )
If you use the flash light on a photo the photo is instantly ruin ! (Left half of it you will only see white )
Cheap plastic build quality
No mulititouch
Terrible speaker sound quality and earpiece is a little soft . ( The cheaper 5800 sounds a lot better if watching video or listening music ! )
Overpriced , higher initial selling price than the N8
Camera lens cover that SCRATCHES the lens
Sometime when someone calls the phone just freeze , cant answer it , cant decline it , cant do s**t (5800 dont have this problem because nokia updates it regularly )
But N9 is meego device and meego is alot better than symbian . Smooth , beautiful and fast
9. roscuthiii (Posts: 2217; Member since: 18 Jul 2010)
Are we talking just gadgets that didn't sell well, or bad gadgets? It seems PA is just looking at gadgets that didn't make a splash in the market but that doesn't necessarily mean they were bad gadgets.
Not sure if poster #1 is merely trolling or not... but yes, as a gadget the first iPhone (which is how I took the comment) was actually a pretty crappy gadget, however, it was aesthetically pleasing and well-marketed as an exclusive device which lead to a great sales blockbuster.
So, I ask again for the clarification, are we talking bad gadgets here, or just bad sellers?
33. bigbmc26 (Posts: 43; Member since: 10 May 2012)
I'm thinking they need to clarify as well. Being that I'm typing this out on a BlackBerry PlayBook, it was no where near a horrible device, it just serves a different purpose. When launched, I agree the price was too high, but it was designed an accessory to a BlackBerry smartphone. Email, calendar, memos, etc, worked great over bridge.
IMO it was very innovative and forward thinking idea. The real problem was that, by the time RIM launched the PlayBook, they had a huge perception problem. People wanted to make to make fun of them. If everything wasn't done exactly like Apple, it was horrible.
10. RapidCat (Posts: 351; Member since: 12 Jun 2012)
blackberry 9220 and nokia x7.
install more than 5 games and i can fell the speed drop 50%
11. samsungcaptivateglide777 (Posts: 13; Member since: 22 Jul 2012)
Nokia C6-00, worst mistake ever.
12. toiletcleaner (Posts: 224; Member since: 10 Oct 2012)
My Thunderbolt ( still got it for back up ) I don't know why i cant let it go.
14. bigbmc26 (Posts: 43; Member since: 10 May 2012)
My 20GB ipod. The thing never worked properly. Problems with the battery charging, problems with syncing, etc. Glad I won it from work, I would have been pissed if I had spent my money on it.
15. StreetNerd (Posts: 819; Member since: 08 Dec 2010)
HAHAHAHAHA the N-Gage xD i had one xDDDDD
16. mercorp (Posts: 1027; Member since: 28 Jan 2012)
My Galaxy R.
The screen occasionally fails to react properly,and I have to lock/unlock several times.
I also sent it for service 3times!
want to rid it soon...for an s2.
19. cmeiner (Posts: 1; Member since: 22 Nov 2012)
Motorola Droid Bionic is by far the worst. I am still having problems with it after the latest OS update. I have gone through 5 of them now with problems ranging from power cycling to dropping data connection for no reason! My newest one seems to like to drain the battery 4 hours into the day.
20. mydi.maus (unregistered)
blackberry storm
sony e. arc
htc incredible
motorola razr
nolkia n8
37. SleepingOz (unregistered)
N8 is the worst phone I've ever used!
59. spiderpig2894 (Posts: 588; Member since: 10 Jan 2012)
woah. The SE Arc was very capable and the N8 was the best camera phone and also had a capable OS (disregarding awesome Android features)
87. networkdood (Posts: 6330; Member since: 31 Mar 2010)
RAZR? Wow, your intelligence shined through on that post
89. bucky (Posts: 2567; Member since: 30 Sep 2009)
The razr was the laggiest phone I have ever used. My old iPhone 2g had a smother browser.
133. Azaghast27 (Posts: 1; Member since: 23 Nov 2012)
Your comment is bad , and you should feel bad!!!
23. syedzain (Posts: 175; Member since: 08 Oct 2012)
Lol all android phones only.
142. IHateApple (banned) (Posts: 122; Member since: 26 Sep 2012)
I'd say the first iPhone was a huge fail as it had no 3G and it was basically a feature phone (I never used one though).
26. JonBjSig (Posts: 176; Member since: 17 Nov 2011)
The LG GT540 Optimus, the first Optimus phone.
3" 320x480 resistive single touch screen, 600Mhz processor (the only thing on this phone that doesn't suck d**k), Android 1.6 with an update to 2.1 which absolutely rapes the battery and it's impossible to go back to 1.6.
28. ilia1986 (unregistered)
Nokia 5800. Where do I begin? Resistive touch screen, almost no apps, abysmal amount of ram, slow processor, crappy camera, chunky design, UGLY.
That was supposed to be the iPhone killer back at the time when the world desperately needed one. The sad old time before Android.
31. lallolu (Posts: 471; Member since: 18 Sep 2012)
Why is there complaint on HP veer's 2.6" screen size when xperia mini has the same screen size and it is not here?
32. DylRicho (Posts: 17; Member since: 11 Apr 2012)
Any BlackBerry device (they are all terrible)
Original iPhone (my Samsung D500 could do things this "smartphone" couldn't...)
iPhone 4 (death grip issue; say no more)
iPhone 4S (no real improvements over the 4; lack of LTE)
iPhone 5 (stupid non-standard display resolution)
iPod touch 5th gen. (too similar to the iPhone; pointless)
Original Xbox 360 (65% failure rate? Come on, Microsoft...)
90. bucky (Posts: 2567; Member since: 30 Sep 2009)
Wow you think you would have learned after the first iPhone that they aren't good for you. Something tells me you owned none of them.
93. DylRicho (Posts: 17; Member since: 11 Apr 2012)
Like I said to the other person, you don't need to own them if you work with them everyday.
36. orielwindow (Posts: 107; Member since: 23 Sep 2010)
HTC Flyer. I paid $500 + $50 for that stylus back when it came out. St first it was quick and responsive. Less then a year later it can hardly open a Web page without freezing up.
40. REYNER (Posts: 187; Member since: 10 Feb 2012)
i dont know but i had a motorola rockr and it performs well that time very distinct and multimedia centric phone i dont know why it got in the worst
41. shahulvm (Posts: 124; Member since: 01 Apr 2012)
"The Echo launched exclusively on Sprint and the only good thing about it seems to be that it did not launch on other carriers."
LOL....had a good laugh at that...
43. neutralguy (Posts: 1152; Member since: 30 Apr 2012)
you sure about N-gage? It's an awesome gadget.
63. megabok (banned) (Posts: 58; Member since: 03 Apr 2012)
Tell me about its awesomeness I beg of you...
Its supposed to be both gaming device and a mobile phone, sadly it fails on both.
44. dromon (Posts: 9; Member since: 21 Aug 2012)
Samsung Galaxy xcover
46. drdaly (Posts: 69; Member since: 09 Nov 2012)
Glaxy s3 the international version wasn't the very best choice after an iPhone4, i though that would be a good move but, S3 laggs not anything closer to smooth and ram always nearly full.
Finally i sold it with almost 3/4 the price after 2months thx to the 100$ price cut that samsung did worldwide those f**kers.
I got myself Note2 which is way better performer and much smoother but i cant find to much apps and games to play on that huge screen that i like, samsung please respect us and before u release a device adjust games and apps to work on it
55. darac (Posts: 2156; Member since: 17 Oct 2011)
Da heck are you talking about? O_o
75. JunitoNH (Posts: 1781; Member since: 15 Feb 2012)
I have to agree with you there. I returned that piece of crap to Amazon. I guess it was indeed made for humans, slow and lag. Purchased the SGNX instead, so far good.
143. IHateApple (banned) (Posts: 122; Member since: 26 Sep 2012)
I think the Note 2 is faster because of jelly Bean.
48. Slammer (Posts: 1515; Member since: 03 Jun 2010)
Bell and Howell Voice Amplifier.
What a hyped up, piece of crap this thing is. I don't know how companies get away with this garbage.
50. BabyWade (Posts: 43; Member since: 12 Jun 2012)
AT&T Quickfire
52. darac (Posts: 2156; Member since: 17 Oct 2011)
I can't say any phone I had was bad.
After all they are all still functional, to my knowledge .. even my very first Kenwood from 2003.
The Sony Ericsson vivaz had a bad symbian interface that I couldn't see my self using really, but SPB shell fixed that to an enough degree,
58. theant (Posts: 1; Member since: 22 Nov 2012)
I'm not sure if it counts as it was never seen as a "killer" device, but the Samsung Transform on sprint was the worst device I've ever had! It was a mid range android 2.1 slider. I know that might make it seem like I'm too critical, but it basically did nothing. Went through almost full year with it (bad choice), probably with 4 different replacements in that time. Its battery life was laughably bad, and it would freeze all the time. What's worse is that it had like over 600 1 star ratings on Sprint's website, yet for some reason they sold it forever and brought the name back in the Samsung Transform Ultra which you can still buy. Sorry, rant over.
60. cripton805 (Posts: 1440; Member since: 18 Mar 2012)
61. speed4evr (Posts: 79; Member since: 05 Oct 2011)
Id have to say the worst gadget I had was the Palm Treo 800W(My 1st smartphone). The sms setp on the device was amazing, except is constantly froze and the battery only lasted a few hrs


text:
on November 1, 2012 - 2:46 AM
LOCKPORT – Former North Tonawanda Mayor Lawrence V. Soos, who was fired from the Niagara County Board of Elections after blasting county Democratic Chairman Nicholas J. Forster at a party meeting, filed a notice of claim against the county Wednesday.
Soos also was denied unemployment benefits by the state Labor Department in the wake of the firing, which the county attributed to "misconduct."
"I've talked to a couple of attorneys. They say this is totally baloney," Soos said.
The notice of claim is a mandatory preliminary to a lawsuit against a local government. It gives Soos 15 months to follow up with an actual lawsuit.
Soos said that his constitutional rights to freedom of speech and freedom of association were violated when he was fired from a part-time elections position Oct. 2, the day after he took on Forster at the Democratic Party's reorganizational meeting.
Forster, who was elected chairman that night, got into a shouting match with Soos, who took the floor to speak in support of the chairmanship candidacy of the incumbent, Jeremy N. Schnurr. Schnurr withdrew from the race moments later, conceding he would have lost to Forster.
Soos told Forster, "I've been involved for the last 11 years, and I haven't seen you at a single Democratic fundraiser. Where the hell have you been?"
Forster shouted back, "I've been on this committee on and off for 30 years. Where the hell have you been?"
The next afternoon, Democratic Election Commissioner Nancy L. Smith called Soos into her office and fired him.
"I understand that. Her job's on the line, too," Soos said.
Forster said he sees no problem with reappointing Smith as commissioner, but a meeting set for Monday that would have made the appointment was canceled because of bad weather. It has yet to be rescheduled.
Smith did not return a call to comment on Soos' notice of claim.
"When it goes to court, I'll be glad to comment when it's dismissed," Forster said.
The Labor Department's rejection notice for Soos' unemployment claim said that he and other county employees were told to be at the Oct. 1 party meeting. It said Soos was recognized to speak but was warned to avoid personal attacks.
"Nancy was chairing the meeting, and she said, 'You can't do that,'" Soos said Wednesday.
"Although you were entitled to express your own opinions, you were there as a county employee. Your actions were detrimental to your employer's interest and constituted misconduct," the Labor Department wrote.
Soos, who said he is seeking a hearing on his jobless claim, denied he was there in any county capacity.
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Welcome to our weekly edition of what's hot in social media news. To help you stay up to date with social media, here are some of the news items that caught our attention.
What's New This Week?
LinkedIn Announces Member Blocking: This new LinkedIn member blocking feature will be rolled out to all LinkedIn members.


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Hunt wisps for Halloween!
Put them back in the ground!
Take on the evil creatures of the night.
Are you a man...or a monster?
Fight Monsters on the island. Also available on iPhone!
Race through the mines at breakneck speeds!
Defend against the Zombies migrating into your town!
Survive this crazy house full of evil, dangerous and clever zombies. Escape the damned house of Zombality!
Protect the town from the zombies with your meat cleaver!
Trap, shoot, beat and blow up zombies in Zombie Trapper 2!
Defend the city from the invading zombies!
Zombie kart racing at its best!
Don't let the zombies breach your defenses!
See how many Halloween ghouls you can beat at table tennis!
Unleash powerful magic and fight enemies!
Zombies are everywhere. Make your way to the chopper and get out of here!
Help Harry escape the horrors of his acid-flooded factory.
Crush the Monster's defence with rapid fire and ghostly attacks, and get rid of them for good!
There's something spooky going on in the old manor...
Neutralize the unknown life forms!


text:
A teen was arrested in the stabbing death of a 20-year-old man near Placerville.
The El Dorado County Sheriff's Department responded to a 911 call reporting a fight in the area of Brown's and Cold Springs road north of Placerville Wednesday afternoon.
Those who called authorities said that someone had been stabbed and the possible suspect had gotten away.
Wesley Hampshire, 18, was found at his home on Brown's Road and was taken into custody, the Sheriff's Department said.
He is being charged with murder.
The victim was taken to Marshall Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 6:24 p.m.
The investigation into the fight and stabbing is ongoing.


text:
The Williamsport Area High Schools Millionaire Strolling Strings will celebrate its 25th anniversary Saturday by inviting alumni, former directors and community members to take part in a reunion concert at the Community Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
"It's been great," said Matthew Radspinner, director, on planning the celebration. "If you live in this area, it seems like the strolling strings have been around forever."
The group was formed by Walt Straiton and fashioned from the U.S. Air Force Strolling Strings. The group of students plays a variety of string instruments while walking throughout their venue. The group of musicians have played at dinners, the Pro Football Hall of Fame and NASCAR events.
Article Photos
The Williamsport Area High School Millionaire Strolling Strings perform at a recent event. The group will celebrate its 25th anniversary Saturday during a reunion concert. About 50 alumni from the group are expected to return and play with the current members.
"It's violins, violas and cellos walking around from table to table or person to person," Radspinner said.
Radspinner said the technique allows the group to have their sound heard from every angle and "to cover a whole room."
"There's always something different for (the audience) to look at," Radspinner said. " ... I think it's neat to hear someone within two or three feet playing music."
It's the group's diversity that allows it to be so successful, Radspinner said. The students play for audiences comprised of children, senior citizens and everyone in between. Since there is such different audience members, Radspinner said they play anything from classical pieces to rock n' roll songs.
"I'm proud of the kids because we can play at the country club one night and the Hughesville fair the next," he said.
Memorizing about 45 minutes of music, is the kind of work and determination that has allowed the group to become one of the more well-known strolling strings in the state, according to Radspinner.
And although some do struggle with memorization, Radspinner said once the musicians learn it, musical selections often don't change in their four years.
Although the group usually has a recorded track of background music that accompanies the strings, Saturday's concert will feature a live band of local musicians.
"What the people are hearing is a completely local performance," Radspinner said.
During the anniversary performance, the current crop of musicians will be joined by about 50 alumni, along with Straiton and another former director Jeff Tedford. And Radspinner won't only be at the celebration as the current director but a former musician of the group.
"It's a thrill," he said, "because it's a group that meant a lot to me as a kid. We all latch onto something (during high school) ... and this was something for me to latch onto."
Radspinner assures those coming Saturday that they will not only see a musical performance but will get a history lesson. The three directors will be speaking about the group and showing photos from throughout the 25 years.
"It'll be a little bit of history. You can come not knowing anything about the strolling strings and leave knowing everything," he said.
Radspinner hopes to make a stage concert a tradition that will happen every two years, but said Saturday is sure to "jumpstart (the group) into the next 25 years."
And Radspinner promises a great show for all who attend.
"The audience is going to get real high quality show for $5," Radspinner said.


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Australia is leading a global, digital, open education revolution | Opensource.com
Australia is leading a global, digital, open education revolution
Australia is ranked first among English-speaking counties and second in the world in leading a global, digital, open education revolution. Australia follows closely behind top-ranked South Korea –a nation with a bold policy goal of all textbooks and the entire school curriculum available in digital formats by 2015. In February 2012, the Australian government released a new version of their My School website. Users can now search nearly 10,000 Australian schools for statistical information and other details on a particular school, or to compare similar schools. The website provides a range of measures, including the National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy, to help parents with school enrollment.
For years the Australian government has been creating a world-class digital infrastructure with opportunities for all Australians to benefit from a digital economy. It is working with the publishing, copyright, digital content, and creative industries with two key initiatives: the National Broadband Network and the Digital Education Revolution. The Australian government has invested over AUD $2.4 billion (US $2.56 billion) to support these initiatives.
The aim of the Digital Education Revolution is to prepare students to live and work in a digital world. In February 2012, Australian Minister for School Education Peter Garrett announced the country's goal to provide a computer for every senior high school student. The program involves federal, state, and local government agencies teaming with educational institutions to support online learning and high-speed, fast-access broadband communication. Other initiatives include offering more than 12,000 free digital curriculum resources for use in all Australian schools.
Moodle is playing role in increasing Australia's standing as a leader of global digital education. While proprietary and patent systems are still prevalent in Australia, the government has revised its policy and now allows Australian agencies to consider open source software as a viable option. As a result, Moodle is widely used in Australia. It was created and developed by Australian Martin Dougiamas, a distance learner located in remote Western Australia, for whom the nearest school was a thousand kilometers from home. Belmont City College in Perth, Western Australia offers a case study on how schools can implement Moodle in a short time and have a positive impact on the teachers, staff, and students.
The Australian Service for Knowledge of Open Source Software (ASK-OSS) is also helping increase Australia's standing as a leader in global digital education. It provides a national focal point for advice, management, governance, storage, and dissemination of open source software (OSS). In 2004, Grant High School in Mount Gambier, South Australia took part in an ASK-OSS research trial using open source and observing its effects in secondary education. Cost savings was a major motivating factor for the research trial, but the philosophy underpinning the open source movement matched the teaching and learning fostered at the school. This philosophical match was another factor in the study and the school's decision to move away from proprietary products. Grant High School has since become a case study showing how schools could embrace open source and achieve educational goals. Since the study, Grant High School students have been editing videos with Lightworks and creating traditional hand-drawn animations (cartoons) with Pencil.
8 Comments
So who ranks Australia second and North Korea first? No source is cited for the claim. I'm not disputing it -- but curious. Seems a key fact to support the story lead.
I think you'll find the article talks about SOUTH Korea.
So it does; typo on my part. But that still doesn't change the fact the writer didn't identify the source for the claim that S. Korea and Australia are the top two.
Without that, it's an unsupported opinion of the writer. Who has been silent.
Excellent. Thanks for identifying the source of the stat at the beginning of the piece. That's useful info.
Dear Sir/Madam
please help me for open education in Australia
I look forward for your reply.
Sincerely yours
Jalaleddin Sharifi
It may well be true that Australian Government policy on Digital Education/Digital networks is in the forefront, but ultimately it is the execution of that policy at state and local levels that will determine its success. As a parent of four children and a member of a local high school P&C in Queensland I am not particularly sanguine. The primary challenges in providing pear leadership and encouragement to teachers to incorporate technology in their everyday teaching practices, ensuring that technology is integrated seamlessly in student's home and institutional environments and ensuring that teachers are sufficiently knowledgeable about the technologies they are using. Yes there are examples of individual school success stories (particularly in the are of children with learning difficulties). However, many schools are still at the stage of having done little more than propagate generic PowerPoint, excel and word skills.
The Queensland Department of Education purchased essentially closed systems and decreed that students should use the equipment provided by the Department for "at school" attendance. They ignored two key current trends in technology disbursement ie. "Bring your own" and "Virtual Machines" and do not appear to have consulted very effectively with their clientele (parents and students). While this may not have mattered in the past, the almost universal penetration of digital technology into the workforce and community gives cause for concern.
National statistics indicate that in 2008-9 "Of all households with children aged less than 15 years, 86% had home internet access" This figure probably underestimates current coverage because. Government programs initiated in 2009 provide 50% rebates for ISP charges and computer equipment for families receiving government family allowances. Thereby addressing the lower access to facilities identified by the Australian Bureau of Statisitics in families outside the top quartile of income earners. The actual distribution of government funded student computers occurred in late 2011/early 2012 and is restricted to high school students.
As a result, families often have home computers that are more powerful and with a wider range of software than that provided by the school. My son's school computer spends most of its time lying on his bedroom floor and rarely gets taken to school for use in the classroom.
As for the National Broadband Network, progress is slow (current estimation is 3.84 million connections by 2015) and in the meantime growing numbers of Australians are opting for wireless internet service connections.
I recollect conversations with South Korean colleagues in local government some five years ago, and my envy of their facilities and services. Something needed to be done in Australia and particularly in regard to rural services. The current government initiatives seek to address Australia's known deficiencies...the only question is whether they are the best strategies and only time will tell


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Call our customer service representatives and get expert advices for your Dremel tool.
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This 108-piece Accessory Kit provides the organized storage of popular Dremel accessories to perform a wide range of applications. This accessory set offers eight storage bins and removable trays for easy organization of the included accessories for cutting, grinding, polishing, sanding, cleaning and more. The kit consists of regular and heavy-duty cut off wheels, sanding bands, sandpaper discs, polishing compound, felt polishing wheels, aluminum oxide Grinding Stone, silicon carbide Grinding Stone, dressing stone, mandrels, wrench, and a reusable carrying case with clear lid.


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Set up your VISIT NOW, so you can audition with Matt and any of the other School of Music professors who will help guide your educational experience. We look forward to your visit, but in the mean time you can check out more about the School of Music and other great things going on at SNU.
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U.S. needs to get house in order
August 10, 2013
When the Arab "spring" spread from Tunis to Egypt in 2011, there was a sense of triumphalism among interventions of all types - Liberal or Conservative....
Only the PROGRESSIVES in both parties were 'celebrating' the Arab spring. And ALL progressives are anti-american.
1 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Yeah, the liberal idiots are ranting about something they know nothing about!!!
1 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Well don't expect it to get done with Obama and commie democrats in office. They allowed our embassy workers to die by hands of terrorists and they waited weeks before they would even ADMIT it was a TERRORIST attack!
The IDIOTS are running the asylum. Get rid of the dimwits in the WH and Senate majority lefties and our country can become safer again.
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These new & improved furniture protectors stand up to the toughest traffic! Machine washable polyester quilted covers have a water-repellent, soil-resistant finish that protects furniture while giving your pets and family a cozy place to rest without soiling or damaging upholstered furniture. Longer, over-back, one-piece construction fits most types of furniture styles. Available in either Microfiber or Microsuede. Imported polyester. Please specify color on order.
Chair Furniture Protector is not recommended for recliner or wing back style chairs.
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Sass & the City: Public restrooms have issues
Befuddled in the bathroom.
That's what happens these days when you're trying to wash your hands in a public restroom.
Why do they have to make it so difficult? It's as if the people who design automated public restroom faucets and hand dryers are actually trying to mess with you.
Case in point: those stupid timer faucets. You know the ones. You push the button and you have like a nanosecond to wash and rinse your hands before the thing automatically shuts off.
Those things give up as much water as a team of trapped miners sharing a tenth of a bottle of Aquafina.
Another lame design is the faucet that requires you to wave your hand in front of it in order to turn it on. You practically have to play rock-paper-scissors in front of this faucet to get it to dribble a few drops of H20 on your hands.
That faucet must be a direct descendant of the automated paper towel dispenser, which also operates in response to hand motions. Sometimes.
You can't just casually wave your hands in front of this paper towel dispenser's sensors. You pretty much have to do the "Harlem Shuffle" to have even a prayer of getting a paltry scrap of paper out of it.
Then we have the two extremes of electric hand dryers.
First, there are the old ones that blow a weak stream of tepid air. They are so ineffective that you can practically dry your hands faster by taking a deep breath and blowing on them.
Only slightly less exasperating are the new-style dryers, which work with so much heat and velocity that they practically melt the French off your manicure.
And beware of the blowback if you put your face too close to the dryer nozzle.
I watched a woman take a blast of hot air to the face that was so strong that it blew a contact lens out of her eye and ricocheted it off the soap dispenser.
It would have been washed down the sink if the other patron had been able to get the motion-sensitive faucet to turn on.
Where's a moist towelette packet when you need one?
Follow Monica on Twitter at twitter.com/sassnthe city or e-mail her at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Top Definition
A person who believes that they are always right, and can NOT be corrected, or will not accept that they are wrong about anything
What a know-it-all that guy is incorrigible
Beküldő: Token44 2007. november 7.
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?
someone who can not be changed or modified. They can not be MADE better, they must be themselves. Often associated with people who are also considered precocious or endearing. They march to the beat of their own drum and are very rooted in their beliefs and can not be swayed by others who have different beliefs.
Sometimes considered a smart-ass or trouble maker or irritating.
Sometimes considered a smart-ass or trouble maker or irritating.
Peter's friend called him incorrigible after he was texting one word-er onomatopoeia, instead of answering the questions he was asked.
Beküldő: Spiderwoman 2012. április 7.
Hopelessly stubborn; to the point where your mother calls them incorrigible.
Nikki Laney
Nikki, you're incorrigible!
Nikki, you're incorrigible!
Beküldő: minime918 2014. január 26.
Someone who is incapable of being surprised.
"I'm incorrigible. I can't be surprised."
"You clearly have no idea what incorrigible means."
"Of course I do, I just told you."
"You clearly have no idea what incorrigible means."
"Of course I do, I just told you."
Beküldő: Killsbury3 2016. június 7.


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Wellsville shuts out Sebring
September 29, 2012
WELLSVILLE — The Tigers got back to what they do best — running the football. Wellsville gained 547 yards on the ground en route to a 48-0 victory over Sebring on Friday at Nicholson Stadium....
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The 38th Annual Classical Greek Theatre Festival
Directed by Sandra Shotwell
"Where our hearts are, there most danger lies." When Medea's love for her husband turns to hate, her fury knows no bounds. Driven by the complex character of its heroine, the plot follows Medea's decision for and plotting of revenge against her husband, Jason. Medea is at once woman, barbarian, witch, hero, and "other" as well as Greek and a symbol of Athens. Motivated by rage, honor, pride, and maternal love, Medea proves a stunning example of the "divided woman." Her rational and emotional monologues probe the challenges of being wife, mother, and human. No gods meddle with this tragic action, and the audience remains riveted on the powerful forces at work within Medea and on the fate of her children, who wander silently on and off the stage.
What is unique about Medea?
-It has an unusual opening by an old nurse, not a god or hero; a barbarian, not a Greek; and a slave woman, not a male tyrant or aristocrat. Like Shakespeare's Othello, the play is intensely domestic and deals with the destruction of a family.
-The play has an unique hero, Medea, who is feminine and barbarian. She is subversive and transgresses many Greek boundaries, and appropriates many of the characteristics of the Greek male hero of epic and earlier tragedy.
-The play has an odd ending, with Medea triumphant and no retribution or payback for her horrific acts of revenge.
Why see Medea?
-Because of its unusual heroine. Like a prism, Medea exhibits several sides. Like a consummate actress, she plays several roles to manipulate her audience.
-Because of its spectacular chorus of Corinthian women. They entertain us with their song, poetry and dance, but also provide commentary and perspective on the action, and who act as a hinge between scenes and speakers.
-Because of the way in which it discusses and challenges the regime values of the ancient Greeks.
-Because it raises questions of identity, and who we are in terms of gender, family, state and culture.
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Photos by Scott Peterson


text:
Top Definition
A mustache adorned by fans of The Ohio State University. Sporting a buckstache often leads one to a life of crime and perversion. The buckstache was made famous by the Michigan Wolverine based blog The M Zone. A cousin to the Buckstache is the Warstache, a mustache worn by Auburn fans. The Warstache will lead one to a life of bestiality.
Paul's life took a turn for the worse when he decided to grow a Buckstache.
once crapped in a hormel chili canによって 2006年06月21日(水)
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Can you define these popular missing words?
A mustache that is extremely ugly which acts as a repellent to women and average human beings.
That is one big buckstache
IRP_Hawkによって 2010年12月05日(日)


text:
Bette Midler took Architectural Digest inside her penthouse apartment for its June issue, and the photos are as glamorous as the triple threat herself. Overlooking Central Park's reservoir and featuring an expansive terrace, Midler's pad has a cozy, crafty feel despite its glamorous location on Fifth Avenue.
"My mother was a really great seamstress, really brilliant," Midler told the magazine. "Because of her I've been crazy about textiles all my life. And my father painted houses for a living. I grew up around people who worked with their hands, so I love how you can see the care and affection that craftsmen pour into their creations."
Midler lives with husband Martin von Haselberg in the sun-filled triplex, which was originally two units before being remodeled by Los Angeles architect Frederick Fisher and decorated by Fernando Santangelo.
Courtesy Architectural Digest
"If you live in the kind of apartment that most people do, you'd want to sit on a park bench, too," Midler says. "I lived that way for years when I moved to New York."
Courtesy Architectural Digest


text:
This week past week, the Associated Press released a series of articles taking aim at ethanol.
Many in the agriculture and renewable fuels industries were quick to respond.
Among the claims made in the Associated Press stories:
• Ethanol from corn has proven far more damaging to the environment than the government predicted, and cellulosic fuel hasn't emerged as a replacement.
• An expansion of the Corn Belt has been fueled in part by America's green energy policy, which requires oil companies to blend billions of gallons of corn ethanol into their gasoline. In 2010, fuel became the No. 1 use for corn in America, a title it held in 2011 and 2012 and narrowly lost this year. That helps keep prices high for farmers.
• Corn prices more than doubled in the years after Congress passed the ethanol mandate in 2007.
• More than 1.2 million acres of grassland have been lost since the federal government required that gasoline be blended with increasing amounts of ethanol, an analysis of satellite data found. That's in addition to the 5 million acres of farmland that had been aside for conservation — more than Yellowstone, Everglades and Yosemite National Parks combined — that have vanished since President Barack Obama took office.
• Nebraska has lost at least 830,000 acres of grassland, a total larger than New York City, Los Angeles and Dallas combined.
• Plowing into untouched grassland releases carbon dioxide that has been naturally locked in the soil. It also increases erosion and requires farmers to use fertilizers and other industrial chemicals. In turn, that destroys native plants and wipes out wildlife habitats.
• Increased corn production has increased use of nitrogen fertilizer. Between 2005 and 2010, corn farmers increased their use of nitrogen fertilizer by more than a billion pounds. The Des Moines Water Works, for example, has faced high nitrate levels for many years in the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers, which supply drinking water to 500,000 people.
• In the case of ethanol, the Obama administration believes it must encourage the development of next-generation biofuels that will someday be cleaner and greener than today's.
• Next-generation biofuels haven't been living up to expectations. Cellulosic makers are expected to turn out at most 6 million gallons of fuel this year, the government says. That's enough fuel to meet U.S. demand for 11 minutes. It's less than 1 percent of what Congress initially required to be on the market this year. This year will be the fourth in a row the biofuels industry failed by large margins to meet required targets for cellulosic biofuels.
• The numbers behind the ethanol mandate have become so unworkable that, for the first time, the EPA is soon expected to reduce the amount of ethanol required to be added to the gasoline supply.
• The consequences are so severe that environmentalists and many scientists have now rejected corn-based ethanol as bad environmental policy.
Below are some of the responses from the agriculture and renewable fuels industries:
National Farmers Union: AP Story One-Sided, Misguided
National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson issued the following statement in response to a recent story by the Associated Press that blames biofuels for causing environmental harm:
"The story blames biofuels for the reduced acres in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). What it neglects to mention is that Congress reduced CRP by roughly seven million acres in the 2008 Farm Bill and is poised to be reduced by seven to eight million acres in the next farm bill.
"In addition, climate change and new seed varieties are mostly responsible for the expansion of corn production, with warmer temperatures and longer growing seasons making it possible to plant corn in places like North Dakota and Canada.
"American-produced biofuels are a clear and environmentally-friendly alternative to oil. Today's ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emissions by more than 30 percent compared to gasoline.
"NFU will continue stand up for the Renewable Fuel Standard that is cleaning up the environment, diversifying fuel sources and supporting rural economies."
What the story got wrong, according to the Renewable Fuels Association
Claim: Ethanol production has caused 5 million acres of land to be removed from the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) since President Obama took office.
Fact: The 2008 Farm Bill removed funding for roughly seven million acres of CRP land (www.ers.usda.gov/media/176099/page9.pdf). Based on this law, the number of enrolled acres has decreased to fit within the programs new, smaller budget. It is legally impossible to get back to pre-2008 levels of CRP enrollment. This has nothing to do with ethanol. Since the cap was lowered, acres have been near (92 percent to 98 percent) the new cap each year.
Acreage enrolled in the Wetlands Reserve Program hit a record high of 2.65 million acres in 2012. The land that is enrolled in the program stays for aminimum of 30 years (www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/easements/wetlands/), meaning landowners are not allowed to fill in wetlands as they please. USDA predicts that enrollment in this program will continue to rise (www.ers.usda.gov/media/176099/page9.pdf). Moreover, according to EPA's latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory, no new grassland has been converted to cropland since 2005 and grassland sequestered 14 percent more carbon in 2011 (latest data available) than 1990.
Fact: Corn prices have been below $7 per bushel for most of 2013. The day the AP article was first published, corn futures were trading at the lowest price (www.nasdaq.com/article/grain-futures-mixed-corn-trades-at-3year-low-on-crop-prospects-cm295876) since 2010: $4.26 per bushel.
Fact: Farmers increased corn acreage in 2012 and 2013 in response to drought ravaged corn supplies, not because of ethanol. In fact, less corn (www.usda.gov/oce/commodity/wasde/latest.pdf) was and will be used for ethanol in 2012 and 2013 than in 2011. Moreover, the increase in corn acres has been achieved through crop switching (usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/MannUsda/viewDocumentInfo.do?documentID=1000), not through the cultivation of new lands, as the story alleges.
Additionally, 90 percent of ethanol plants use natural gas a power source and only 10% use coal.
Fact: Using a starting point of 2007, when the RFS was enacted, nitrogen use fell (http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/fertilizer-use-and-price.aspx) by 2010.
Farmer believes his comments were skewed in AP story
An Iowa farmer named Leroy Perkins was quoted extensively in the AP's story. But in a follow-up interview, Perkins said he believes his views on oil alternatives, land use and the environment were intentionally skewed to tell an inaccurate and one-sided story:
Some direct excerpts:
• "It's impossible to precisely calculate how much ethanol is responsible for the spike in corn prices and how much those prices led to the land changes in the Midwest."
• "The environmental consequences of drilling for oil and natural gas are well documented and severe."
Ethanol productions is proven to be sustainable
I work on behalf of several thousand corn farmers in Colorado — most of them family operated, and most having existed for generations.
They don't survive the passage of generations without environmental AND financial sustainability. One is just as important as the other.
If farmers don't protect their land and water resources, they erode their own equity and lose key components necessary to maintain their businesses — and have nothing to offer the next generation.
Corn-based ethanol production has ensured both environmental and financial sustainability for farmers in Colorado.
First, I will address the elephant in the room. Yes, financially, corn-based ethanol has helped corn farmers. But before ethanol, corn was valued around $2 a bushel. At that price, corn production was a slow path to equity depletion without assistance from the government just to stay solvent.
Since the advent of ethanol, the value of corn has increased to a point that makes most government payments to farmers — $12 billion of federal support - virtually a thing of the past. And before you start thinking that the increase in corn prices affects the price you pay at the grocery store, remember that less than a nickel of the American food dollar goes to corn farmers. And since only a tiny portion of corn product is present in only a portion of retail food items, the fraction of cost attributable is nearly undetectable. Fuel prices and retailer profits have a significantly higher impact on food costs than the price of corn.
OK, so that leaves us with the environmental impacts of corn-based ethanol.
Yes, there is less land in the Conservation Reserve Program. But that's not because of ethanol. It's due to federal budget constraints and a decrease in the cap of CRP acres down to 32 million in 2010. However, even though acreage cannot go back to its 2007 high due to the cap, acreage in restored wetlands and other high-value practices is likely to increase, not decrease, according to the USDA.
Furthermore, law prohibits the conversion of sensitive ecosystems to cropland, and the law requires that corn and other feedstock used to produce renewable fuels for the sake of the renewable fuel standard may only be sourced from land that was actively engaged in agricultural production in 2007, the year of the bill's enactment.
The EPA is required to annually evaluate whether the standard is causing U.S. cropland to expand beyond the 2007 level of 402 million acres. Each and every year, not only has the EPA found that cropland has been below the 2007 baseline, but the 2012 cropland total was at its lowest point since the EPA began this annual analysis.
Want an even clearer picture of what ethanol has done for the environment? Just look at Denver. Remember in the 1970s and 1980s when the Mile High City was frequently marred with a thick, ugly, "brown cloud?" Fuel oxygenated with ethanol has been a big part of cleaning Denver's air.
I hope, like ethanol, I have helped clear the air on some of the misinformation about ethanol. ❖
Mark Sponsler is the executive director of the Colorado Corn Growers Association.


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Governor Martin O'Malley Announces Leonard Howie as Maryland Secretary of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
ANNAPOLIS, MD (September 17, 2012) Governor Martin OMalley today announced Leonard Howie as Marylands Secretary of Labor, Licensing & Regulation. Mr. Howie previously served as Deputy Secretary for Operations at the Department of Human Resources (DHR) since November 2011.
Theres nothing more important for a family than a good job, and there is no better way to expand opportunity, to grow our economy, and to strengthen and grow the ranks of an increasingly diverse and upwardly-mobile middle class than by creating jobs, said Governor OMalley. We are confident in Leonards ability to connect Marylanders with the jobs and skills they need to compete. His belief in the strength of our States economy, and his expertise helping Marylanders navigate our safety net during tough times will serve the people of our State well. Under his leadership, Maryland will continue to grow and expand our highly-skilled, highly-educated workforce so our State can compete and win in the New Economy.
"Id like to thank Governor OMalley for the opportunity to connect Marylanders with the type of skills development programs that will prepare them to contribute to the security of their and our economic future, said Mr. Howie. Working with the State's safety net programs during my tenure at DHR has provided unique and important insight into what can happen when there aren't enough jobs or when people do not have the skill sets that match the jobs that are available. I look forward to continue working in this Administration and giving Marylanders the skills they need to compete during our economic recovery.
The Governor added, Id also like to thank Interim Secretary Scott Jensen for his outstanding work during this transition. His insight into our knowledge-based economy has been a tremendous asset to our Administration.
Prior to joining DHR, Mr. Howie spent four and half years as the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing & Regulation (DLLR) Deputy Secretary where he worked with previous Secretaries Tom Perez and Alexander Sanchez to implement critical departmental initiatives. Mr. Howie has worked extensively within every facet of DLLR's core programs, especially those related to Workforce Development and Adult Education.
Most recently, he served as an attorney with the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education; as the Program Evaluations Director for the Maryland Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office; and as a Senior Consultant with the Ethics Resource Center, Inc. a Washington, D.C.-based provider of business ethics training and consulting for Fortune 500 corporations and governmental agencies. Mr. Howie also held positions as adjunct faculty and program advisor at the University of the District of Columbia.
A resident of College Park, Mr. Howie is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. He completed both his Master of Business Administration and his Juris Doctorate at Georgetown University. He began his career as an Infantry Officer in the United States Marine Corps.
Leonard Howie will rejoin DLLR as Secretary on October 8, 2012.


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This state's gravy train of legalized gambling revenue is about to be derailed by surrounding states seeking a share of this easy money. So it's no surprise that the state Lottery Commission approved a new policy last week to allow the use of the casino at The Greenbrier by people who book one-day bus trips to this famous resort.
State lottery revenues for October were more than $105 million, exceeding estimates by $3 million. Total revenues from the state lottery commission for the first four months of the 2012-2013 fiscal year - July 1 to Oct. 31 - were nearly $449 million, which was $55 million more than predicted.
But Lottery Director John Musgrave said last week that West Virginia is "already seeing the impact of Ohio and Maryland on our revenue stream." This state's revenues from its racetrack casinos has been exceeding expectations in recent months because Ohio casino openings in Columbus and Cleveland were delayed.
But that's no longer the case and the other bad news was the action by Maryland voters Nov. 6 to approve a ballot initiative legalizing table games and new casino construction in that state. Maryland casinos already have video lottery machines but without table games, that state found it was difficult to compete with West Virginia's Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races near the Maryland border.
This development obviously helped convince this state's Lottery Commission to approve a new policy last week that allows people who are not overnight guests at The Greenbrier to be admitted to the resort's casino. It still retains the requirement that The Greenbrier must have at least 400 rooms booked on any day to allow anyone except hotel guests and members of sporting clubs to use the casino.
But there have been some reports that management at The Greenbrier might house employees in some of the rooms overnight free of charge to meet this requirement. So that shouldn't be a problem. But the increased gambling revenue at The Greenbrier is not likely to compensate for the drop in overall state gambling revenues in West Virginia.
The Charles Town casino has a record of pulling in more revenue than all the other state casinos combined and at least one-third of its customers come from nearby Maryland. The expected drop in Maryland customers at the Charles Town location - once Maryland completes its new casino construction - could cost West Virginia as much as $1 billion, according to some estimates.
Musgrave said West Virginia should start seeing the impact within six months because it will take that long to get dealers trained and get the gambling tables set up at the Maryland casinos.
State lottery commissioners here in West Virginia have not yet decided whether to raise the limit on personal checks cashed at the state's five casinos from the current maximum of $200 to $10,000 after one of the members objected to that move. But that apparently would only apply at The Greenbrier if it is ultimately approved. Deputy Director David Bradley said the state's largest casino at Charles Town has requested a $2,000 limit.
The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals decided last week that current state law does not give surface landowners the right to appeal when oil and gas drilling permits are issued for their land. But the five-member court did say it "urges the Legislature to re-examine this issue and consider whether surface owners should be afforded an administrative appeal" with the extensive development of the Marcellus Shale in the state.
The 2012 Legislature considered this issue and decided not to provide surface owners with the right of appeal. Secretary Randy Huffman of the Department of Environmental Protection said he doesn't have an official position on whether lawmakers should give surface owners permit appeal rights.
As you might expect, Corky DeMarco, executive director of the West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association, has made it clear his members don't support a change in the current state law. He notes that this issue has been before the Legislature before and "it didn't go very far."
But Dave McMahon, a lawyer who represents the West Virginia Surface Owners' Rights Organization, points out that the Supreme Court chose not to take up the related issue of whether surface landowners have a constitutional right to a preapproval hearing on drilling permits. He said surface owners are "very disappointed" and will not give up on this issue.
U. S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., has announced she will run for the United States Senate in 2014 after seven two-year terms as a member of the House of Representatives in Washington. She will be seeking the Senate seat now held by U.S. Sen. John D. (Jay) Rockefeller, D-W.Va. The last Republicans to represent West Virginia in the U.S. Senate were Chapman Rivercomb and John D. Hoblitzell Jr. more than half a century ago.
Rockefeller has not yet indicated whether he will run for another six-year term. He has held that seat since 1984, but he will be 77 years old in June 2014 and might decide to retire after 30 years in Washington. For now, though, his position is that "politics can wait" while he and the other members of Congress focus on the critical budget issues facing them in the next few weeks.


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on October 29, 2012 - 9:20 PM
, updated October 30, 2012 at 11:49 AM
NIAGARA ON THE LAKE, Ont. – The driver suspected of killing a male cyclist on Raylor near Homer roads about 4:15 p.m. Monday was arrested last night after an intense search by the Niagara Regional Police Service.
The bicyclist, whose name was not released, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Shortly before 8 p.m. Monday, police stopped a 1998 GMC Jimmy with damage in Niagara Falls and charged Ryan Logan, 25, of Niagara Falls, with failing to stop causing death. Authorities had been looking for a vehicle described by some witnesses as a light-colored GMC sport utility vehicle, possibly a Jimmy, that had sustained damage.
An investigation continues and the police service's Collision Reconstruction Unit asks any witnesses with information to contact investigators at (905) 688-4111, Ext. 5500. Information also can be submitted anonymously online at www.niagaratips.com.


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COLUMBIA — Late in his first season as South Carolina's basketball coach, Frank Martin said the rebuilding job posed more challenges than he initially thought it would. But he was OK with that challenge, and willing to meet it head-on.
The Gamecocks have nowhere to go but up.
Though they showed growth in Martin's first season, it ended with a thud Wednesday night when they lost to undermanned Mississippi State in the Southeastern Conference tournament. Since the beginning of last season, USC is now 6-30 against conference competition.
There are seemingly innumerous ways to quantify the sorry state of USC men's basketball.
The Gamecocks have gone one and done in the SEC tournament for five straight years, and six of the past seven. In the other year, 2008, they won one game.
Since winning the National Invitation Tournament in 2006, for the second straight year, they have played one postseason game — in the 2009 NIT. They lost.
USC hasn't won a game in the NCAA tournament since 1973, and went one and done in five appearances since. Every other current major conference team has won a game in the tournament since 1973 except Northwestern, which has never made the NCAAs, and Nebraska, which has never won in the tournament. Rutgers, whose last win came in 1979, is the closest to USC. While going 14-18 in Martin's first year, including 4-14 in the SEC regular season, the Gamecocks finished with a losing record for the fourth straight year — something that had happened five times previously and not since 1991-92 to 1994-95.
The Gamecocks went 17-49 in the SEC regular season the past four seasons — a .258 winning percentage. Among their four-year runs of losing records, that is their lowest conference winning percentage since 13-43 (.232) in the Atlantic Coast Conference from 1957-58 to 1960-61.
The Gamecocks' current struggles are magnified by the fact that their football team is at its apex, 22-4 over the past two seasons; its baseball team won national titles in 2010 and 2011 and was the national runner-up in 2012; and its women's basketball squad is in the NCAA tournament for the second straight year and is 21-11 against the SEC over that span.
Martin understands that the only way to cure fans' apathy about his program is to win, and the only way to win is to recruit more talented players than his current ones.
To that end, Martin's Class of 2013 includes shooting guard Sindarius Thornwell, the No. 43 overall recruit in the class, according to Rivals. After next season's first semester, sophomore point guard Tyrone Johnson, a Villanova transfer, will be eligible to play. He was the No. 52 recruit in 2011. Johnson played at Montrose Christian School with Michael Carrera, the freshman wing player who was one of USC's few bright spots this season.
This summer will be important for Martin, as he tries to land potentially program-changing recruits. USC already has one commitment for 2014: point guard Marcus Stroman of Columbia. If all of USC's current underclassmen return next season, which is far from a certainty, Martin will have three more scholarships available for 2014.
Though Martin has signed Desmond Ringer (6-9, 260 pounds) for next season, he likely will focus on getting bigger in the 2014 class. Lack of reliable size was a major issue for USC this season, when its leading rebounders were Carrera and senior Lakeem Jackson, who are both 6-5.
The Gamecocks have had five straight losing seasons once in program history, 1918-19 to 1922-23, though they never played more than 19 games in any of those seasons, the last three of which were overseen by three different coaches.
That was such a faraway era of college sports that in 1919-20 and 1920-21, USC was led by men who coached its football team the previous fall — Dixon Foster and Sol Metzger. They were surely industrious fellows, like Martin. But in this case, Martin would probably prefer not to be mentioned alongside them after next season.


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In predicted order of finish
Coach: Kurt Head (2nd year)
Last season: 24-6 (17-1)
Returning starters: Chloe Howerth (Sr. SS/CF); Kaitlyn Beall (Sr. 2B/SS...
In predicted order of finish
Coach: Kurt Head (2nd year)
Last season: 24-6 (17-1)
Returning starters: Chloe Howerth (Sr. SS/CF); Kaitlyn Beall (Sr. 2B/SS); Bailey Craig (Sr. P); Ashley Hantz (Sr. C); Kirsten Cofoid (Sr. CF); Arianna Kim (Jr. P/OF); Taylor Boelte (Soph. P/1B.
Other key players: Lauren Jones; Mikayla Seay; Kylee Johnson; Anne Bartz.
Outlook: Hononegah has won five straight NIC-10 titles and is favored again with seven returning starters. The Indians had their four-year regional title streak snapped with an upset loss to Harlem last year but are threats to win their first sectional title this year behind pitchers Bailey Craig (9-1, 1.99 ERA) and Arianna Kim (11-2, 1.63) and sluggers Choloe Howerth (.575, 25 RBIs, 35 runs), Kaitlyn Beall (.434, 4 HRs, 35 RBIs, 33 runs), Kirsten Cofoid (.420, 3 HRs, 21 RBIs, 25 runs); Taylor Boelte (.381, 27 RBIs) and Mikayla Seay (.387, 15 runs).
Coach: Jen Corwin (7th year)
Last season: 21-12 (15-3)
Returning starters: Olivia Fluehr (Jr. P); Emily Guske (Soph. SS); Jazmyne Sherwood (Sr. C); Kelly Hormig (Sr. 3B).
Other key players: Kendra Moore, Lauryn McKiski; Kayla Kampmeier.
Outlook: Much of Harlem's title hopes rest on Fluehr, first-team all-conference as a sophomore when she was 18-9 with a 1.83 ERA on the mound and batted .333 with 3 HRs and 21 RBIs. Guske (.407, 27 runs, 18 RBIs), Sherwood (.341, 3 HRs, 20 RBIs) and Hormig (.333, 16 RBIs) give the Huskies four big hitters to build a lineup around.
Coach: Brad Frisch (4th year)
Last season: 22-8 (15-3)
Returning starters: Anna Bartos (Jr. 2B/P); Sammy Brown (Jr. P/1B); Kate Gille (Jr. 1B/OF); Hannah Long (Jr. C); Gabby Stoner (Jr. SS); Dekoda Wallin (Jr. CF/SS).
Other key players: Sophie Dieckhaus (Sr. OF); Micaela Garza (Sr. 3B); Shelby Carter (Jr. 1B); Melanie Timms (Jr. OF); Abby Luhrs (Jr. 3B/C).
Outlook: Wallin and Long were first-team all-conference last year and Stoner and Brown made honorable mention. Boylan is a strong contender for the NIC-10 title. The Titans should have an explosive offense with Long (.526, 54 RBIs), Wallin (.430, 45 runs), Gille (.379, 26 RBIs); Brown (.383) and Bartos (.313), but might not be able to match Harlem and Hononegah on the mound. "We still have many threats at the plate and good varsity experience at many positions," coach Brad Frisch said.
Coach: Jeff Sands (8th year)
Last season: 16-18 (12-6)
Returning starters: Jordan Olson (Jr. C); Sierra Best (Jr. 1B); Mirakel Dedmond (Jr. 2B); Jordan Flack (Soph. SS); Alexis McCabe (Sr. OF); Alexandria Kohn (Jr. OF); Kelsey Wichman (Soph. OF); Haley Pentacost (Jr. OF).
Other Key Players: Samantha Hughes (Soph. P); Lexie Bond (Jr. 3B); Haley Bunker (Soph. 3B); Courtney Wurster (Sr. P); Emily McDermott (Jr. 2B).
Expectations: It's going to be hard to move up in a tough conference without four-year starting pitcher Sidney Schneider, but the Pretzels should remain at least in the top four with a veteran, well-rounded team and should have a better overall record. "We have a big hole to fill with a young pitcher, but we return a lot of experience and talent around her," coach Jeff Sands said.
Coach: Danielle Johnson (8th year)
Last season: 12-16 (8-10)
Returning starters: Teagan Toft (Sr. CF); Hayley Anderson (Sr. P); Cheyanne Stowers (Sr. P); Mackenzie Hauser (Jr. SS); Autumn Reidinger (Jr. 3B); Alyssa Ziegler (Jr. 2B).
Other key players: Payton Ivy (Soph. P); Logan Delmore (Soph. SS/2B).
Outlook: Toft (.493, 25 RBIs), a two-time all-conference pick, and Hauser (.328) lead a lineup with six returning starters. The Bucs should move up to the top half of the league with a veteran core and good young players such as sophomores Ivy and Delmore. "We add a group of young and competitive players to fill the open holes," coach Danielle Johnson said.
Belvidere North
Coach: Howard Winne (2nd year)
Last season: 12-17 (10-8)
Returning starters: Leah Gorham (Jr. Inf/OF); Sarah Brumett (Sr. OF); Hannah Tauscher (Jr. Inf/OF); Rachael Kirane (Jr. OF); Jordan Neiber (Jr. P/Inf); Haley Solberg (Jr. C).
Other key players: Bailey Neiber (Fresh./P), Nikki Ganze (Jr. IF/P).
Outlook: The Blue Thunder should finish in the middle of the pack and should have at least a .500 record overall. "We have a very balanced team," coach Winne said. "It just depends on how many step up and play to their ability. They are all very equal in their abilities. We're very deep at pitching."
Coach: Andie Goff (27th year)
Last season: 13-22 (7-11)
Returning starters: Rachel Shivley (Sr. SS/2B); Abby Wellwood (Sr. P/2B); Taylor Bertelsen (Jr. OF/C); Stephanie Nold (Jr. P/2B); Abi Dean (Soph. 1B/OF); Ashley Kopplin (Soph. 3B/IF); Emily Williams (Soph. C/OF);
Other key players: Mariah Huntley (Sr. C/Of); Samantha Jumbeck (Soph. P/1B); Courtney Jumbeck (Soph. IF/OF); Madi Hecox (Fresh. SS/IF/P); Lauren Lepka (Fresh. OF/2B); Gianna Gomez-Pedroza (Fresh. OF/IF); McKenna Turek (Soph. OF/IF); Briana McCraney (Sr. OF/IF)
Outlook: Andi Goff's 40th year of coaching, and 27th as the E-Rabs' softball coach, before retiring to Arizona could be East's best season in a long time. The E-Rabs have climbed from 2-52 in the conference from 2008-10 to four wins then five and then eight last year. "This year should further our gradual climb," Goff said. "We return seven starters, have a few sophomores who played freshmen and a talented group of incoming freshmen. My final season should be a wild and enjoyable ride."
Coach: Annie Peiffer (4th year)
Last season: 7-17 (3-15)
Returning starters: Courtney Moss (Sr. C/SS); Alexis Scott (Sr. P/C); Kelsey Edwards (Jr. 3B/SS); Kali Rayphole (Jr. 2B/3B).
Other key players: Ashley Schwitters (Sr. OF); Katelynn Hare (Sr. OF); Summer Castillo (Jr. 1B); Maddie Williams (Jr. OF); Taylor Keen (Fr. OF/2B); Sidney Morales (Fr. P/2B); Skylar Gustafson (Fr. OF/3B).
Outlook: Jefferson should definitely be improved, led by senior captains Scott and Moss. Coach Peiffer says the J-Hawks have "solid pitching and catching, a veteran infield, and several power hitters in the line up. I expect us to have a great season."
Coach: Joey Menart (2nd year)
Last season: 3-23 (2-16)
Returning starters: Sarah Kuchinski (Sr. CF); Katy Buelow (Sr. 1B); Brielle Haille (Soph. P); Alexis Potenziani (Jr. C).
Other key players: Abby Buelow (Soph. SS).
Outlook: Guilford was young last year and still lacks experience, especially pitching experience, but should be slightly improved, led by Kuchinski. "Sarah was our most consistent player last year by far," coach Menart said. "We have more experience this year, but they are still learning the game, learning the rules, so we'll concentrate on fundamentals. Pitching is always our biggest concern. We should be a little better, but it's still our biggest struggling area."
Coach: Lisa Korkowski (1st year)
Last season: 0-18 in the NC-10
Returning starters: Katelynn Cunningham (Sr. 1B); Shannon Norris (Sr. CF); Brittley Ball (Jr. P); Nya Blakely-Love (Sr. 3B).
Other key players: Alyssa Alexander (Fresh. SS); Elena Wilson (Soph. 2B); Phoebe Cooper (Soph. C).
Outlook: Auburn has had more coaches (three) than NIC-10 wins (zero) the last three years, so the Knights have a long way to go. "The girls are focused, determined and motivated to get some victories this season," coach Korkowski said.
NIC-10 contenders are once again gunning for Hononegah, which has won five consecutive league softball titles.
But they are chasing the Indians with a smile, not gritted teeth.
"It's always been a fun challenge," Harlem coach Jen Corwin said.
"Hononegah is the team we always try to beat," Freeport all-state catcher Jordan Olson said. "Even if we don't, we work to beat them."
Challengers have not grown frustrated trying, and failing, to knock the Indians from their perch atop the NIC-10.
"There's obviously a big bull's-eye on your back each and every year you win conference," Hononegah coach Kurt Head said, "but the girls keep it under control and respect the game.
"I like it. I expect it," Head said of Harlem, Boylan and Freeport — traditionally the next three-best teams in the conference — taking aim at Hononegah, but still liking and respecting the Indians. "A lot of it is just because of the way we play the game. We have been very successful in the conference, but we do it in a respectful way."
Most of the frustration at the top of the conference comes from Hononegah. For all their regular season success, the Indians have not won a sectinoal title since their second state trip a decade ago.
Now, with six four-year starters returning, including conference MVP Chloe Howerth and pitchers Bailey Craig and Arianna Kim, the Indians think this is the year that should change.
"It's very important to these girls," Head said. "It's something we talk about every day, about our goals and what we're building toward.
"These seniors, as successful as they have been in conference and regionals, they have never won a sectional game, much less a sectional title. It's one of the things that has these girls so focused.
"There are some strong teams in the sectional, like DeKalb, Zion-Benton and Warren, but I do feel this is the year that things can fall in place and we could make a run. These seniors really want to have something they can go out with."
First, they'll have to get past Harlem and Boylan. Harlem starts with junior all-conference pitcher Olivia Fluehr, while Boylan counters with a lineup as deep and powerful as Hononegah's.
"When Olivia is on, she can control the game, no matter who she is playing," Head said. "It could be tougher this year with Harlem with Olivia and Boylan with the best offensive team in the area."
Page 2 of 2 - Harlem snapped Hononegah's string of four consecutive regional titles with a 10-6 upset last year, which has the Huskies dreaming of a big year themselves.
"We will definitely make a run for the conference title," Corwin said. "Our hitting is better and Olivia has great movement on her ball with some speed. She is getting smarter every year that she is throwing.
"It's going to be a fun race."
Matt Trowbridge: 815-987-1383; firstname.lastname@example.com; @matttrowbridge
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