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Availability: DoubleTree by Hilton Austin - University Area
Standard King RoomMax Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 child, 1 infant)
Standard Two Queen RoomMax Occupancy: 4 guests (up to 3 children, 3 infants)
City View KingMax Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 child, 1 infant)
City View Two QueensMax Occupancy: 4 guests (up to 3 children, 3 infants)
One King Bed, Non-Smoking, AccessibleMax Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 child, 1 infant)
Austin hotel close to Frank Erwin Center
Stadium: 0.6 mile
This Austin hotel less than 1 mile from Frank Erwin Center, Mike A. Myers Stadium, Blanton Museum of Art, and LBJ Presidential Library. Downtown is less than 5 miles away.
Free Wi-Fi
Doubletree Hotel University Area Austin includes a 24-hour grocery and free parking. This Austin hotel also offers an outdoor pool, complimentary Wi-Fi access, and a business center.
37-inch flat-panel TVs
Guestrooms at Doubletree Hotel University Area Austin include coffee/tea makers, 37-inch flat-panel LCD TVs, free local calls, and clock radios with MP3 docking stations.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!
DoubleTree by Hilton Austin - University Area Amenities
- General
Doubletree Hotel University Area Austin includes a restaurant, a 24-hour grocery, and a lobby bar. This smoke-free hotel includes an outdoor pool, a 24-hour fitness center, and laundry facilities. Wireless high-speed Internet is complimentary. The hotel has a business center as well as a 4500-square-foot meeting/conference room on site. Parking is complimentary.
- Bar/lounge
- Room service (limited hours)
- Coffee shop or café
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- 24-hour front desk
- Business center
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Number of floors - 6
- Television in lobby
- Elevator/lift
- 24-hour fitness facilities
- One meeting room
- Express check-in
- Luggage storage
- Restaurant
- Shopping on site
- Total number of rooms - 149
- ATM/banking
- Free self parking
- Conference space size (feet) - 4500
- Conference space size (meters) - 418
- Complimentary newspapers in lobby
- Gift shops or newsstand
- Free Wi-Fi
- Free wired high-speed Internet
- Laundry facilities
- Smoke-free property
- Outdoor pool
- Internet
Available in all rooms: Free Wi-Fi , Free wired high-speed Internet
Available in some public areas: Free Wi-Fi , Free wired high-speed Internet
- Parking
Free self parking
- Room Amenities
- Pay movies
- Desk
- Air conditioning
- Coffee/tea maker
- Daily housekeeping
- Free local calls
- Hair dryer
- Iron/ironing board
- Phone
- In-room safe
- Climate control
- Cable TV service
- Flat-panel TV
- MP3 docking station
- Free Wi-Fi
- Free wired high-speed Internet
- Dining
FUSE food.drink - Casual, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Try a specialty cocktail and the signature Doubletree Cookie Sundae.
Pavilion Pantry Market - Open 24 hours a day.
Lobby Bar - Open evenings. Menu includes martinis and other specialty drinks.
Room service is available from 6AM to 11PM.
- Recreation
Doubletree Hotel University Area Austin has an outdoor pool and a 24-hour fitness facility.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Personal motorized watercraft on site
- Golfing nearby
- Water skiing nearby
- Hiking/biking trails nearby
- Accessibility
To make requests for specific accessibility needs, complete the "Special or Accessibility Requests" section of "Trip Preferences" when you book your hotel.
- Roll-in shower
- Accessible parking
DoubleTree by Hilton Austin - University Area Policies & Fees
- Check-in
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Minimum check-in age is 18
Special check-in instructions:
A credit card deposit is required upon check-in. Guests wishing to establish credit using a debit/check card should be aware that funds totaling the amount of the room rate plus taxes will be held on the card.
- Check-out
Check-out time is noon
- Payment types
Accepted at this hotel: American Express, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
- General
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Special policies:A credit card deposit is required upon check-in. Guests wishing to establish credit using a debit/check card should be aware that funds totaling the amount of the room rate plus taxes will be held on the card.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
No rollaway/extra beds available
- Fees
- The following fees and deposits are charged by the property at time of service, check-in, or check-out.
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.
- Deposit: USD 50 per stay
- Breakage deposit: USD 50 per stay


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Playing hockey and trying to win a gold medal wasn't the only mission at the Winter Olympics in Russia for St. Louis Blues captain David Backes.
When he learned of the plight of the many stray dogs around the Sochi Olympics, the avowed dog and animal lover quickly began looking for solutions.
Backes, T.J. Oshie, Kevin Shattenkirk and other Olympic athletes did their best to bring a few dogs back to the U.S. for adoption.
Two dogs personally brought back by Backes and his wife, Kelly --which they named Sochi Junior and Sochi Jack -- are now at the Five Acres Animal Shelter in St. Charles, Mo.
Backes said it wasn't easy, especially given the national and international rules and regulations that the athletes and several organizations had to wade through to make their goodwill journey a successful one.
The dogs received vaccinations and will be watched closely for 30 days before being ready for adoption.
"It was quite a mission," Backes said. "There was a lot of 'no' answers to questions when we were trying to get them out and credit to (Kelly) and a couple of the other wives from Team Canada that really bonded together.
"When one door closed, they looked for another way to go."
Backes and his wife founded the "Athletes for Animals" foundation last year. The group includes professional athletes from various sports with a "shared passion for rescuing an protecting the welfare of homeless pets nationwide."
To learn more about Athletes for Animals or to offer support, visit www.athletesforanimals.org.
"It was a team effort, but in the end you shed light on an issue that's not just there," Backes said when asked about the issue of stray dogs in Russia. "It's a global issue with strays and mistreating them and unfortunately culling and exterminating (them).
"What we see as our loving pets, sleeping in bed with us or as family members, they're not necessarily fond of that way all around the world."
So while Backes and the other athletes were fortunate enough to help a few stray dogs, they hope to shine even more light to a problem that affects numerous countries.
"These two lives aren't going to make a huge impact on the stray population of Sochi and we're well aware of that," Backes said. "But the stories they can tell and the examples they can set for people is something that will be exponentially multiplied for them and some of their other kind."
Humble hockey players
Oshie was asked why he pointed at Team USA goaltender Jonathan Quick after scoring the game-winning shootout goal against Russia.
"I think those of you guys that know hockey players and have been around hockey teams quite a bit knows everyone relies on everyone else to do their job in order for them to do theirs," he said. "Without him we didn't get the win, we didn't get to overtime or the shootout. You can ask any other guy that's in that situation, most hockey players would say the same thing."
Oshie's Blues teammate, Canada defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, enjoyed watching Oshie's popularity soar after the shootout performance.
"He dialed up his Twitter followers," Pietrangelo said. "It was pretty special to see what he did. I was calling all the shots; I knew what was coming but it was unbelievable.
"None of us were surprised, but I guess it was a big coming out party for him."
An interesting aspect of the Olympics that stuck with Oshie were the bicycles made available to the athletes.
"I thought one thing that was really cool was all these professional athletes riding around on these little bikes getting from place to place," Oshie said. "Riding a bike to our games kind of brings you back to when you were a kid riding your bike to the rink."
* The Blues were 6-1-1 in the final eight games before the Olympic break. They return to action at 9:30 p.m. Thursday in Vancouver, opening a three-game trip that includes games in Anaheim on Friday and Sunday in Phoenix.
Contact reporter Norm Sanders at 239-2454, email@example.com or follow him on Twitter: @NormSanders

subset: commoncrawl


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Call me CK, bro.
Wolf. Not only is he a badass who gives ya the finger when you meet 'em in the story mode, but he's just damn-fun to play as. He's all about rush down and playin' offensively; well, aside from when you just spam his back-aerial. Never was much for that, of course.
It's because I play him so viciously that I came up with the term "aggrofaggot": someone who plays overly aggressive and offensive even in games where defensive or balanced playing is a better strategy.


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A summer trip to Barcelona cannot easily be forgotten as this city has something for everyone, including unique landmarks, a bustling nightlife and a vibrant sports scene. Individuals who want to take a memorable family travel excursion can head to Spain and see all that Barcelona has to offer.
One of the most popular ways to pass the time in the city is taking a stroll through La Rambla. This centralized walkway is iconic for its array of boutiques, eclectic street performers and fascinating architecture. Many locals and tourists alike gather here day and night for dining, entertainment and purchasing unique souvenirs.
While in Barcelona, travelers who are fans of football, or soccer as it is known in the U.S., will want to catch a game at the Camp Nou stadium. This is the third largest facility of its kind in the world, which can hold more than 100,000 fans while they cheer on the city's FC Barcelona home team.
Other great sights to see include the Casa Batllo designed by Antoni Gaudi, the Picasso Museum or a visit to the scenic waterfront.
See also ...


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Safety is a major concern at the manufacturing company where I work. So I'm constantly preaching caution to the workers I supervise. "Does anyone know," I asked a few guys, "what the speed limit is in our parking lot?"
The long silence that followed was interrupted when one of them piped up. "That depends. Do you mean coming in to work or leaving?"
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Do you know a better joke??? Share it with the world!Read more clean jokes about Transportation and Logistics, Disaster Accident, Northern Virginia, Miles per hour
People find this daily clean joke when they are looking for logistics jokes, safety joke of the day, safety jokes for safety day and short jokes.


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Proliant Server DL360 R03 512MBHewlett-Packard Part# 292887-001
Overview:The ProLiant DL360 Generation 3 combines concentrated 1U compute power with unmatched system features such as embedded remote management and optional redundant power. Xeon processors with 533MHz front side bus combined with DDR SDRAM and PCI-X technology means the DL360 can handle greater transaction workloads for web hosting infrastructure applications and terminal services. ProLiant engineering leadership is evident in the remote management capabilities of Integrated Lights Out technology embedded in every DL360 providing OS-independent remote console and remote power on/off. In addition to meet the demanding fault tolerance requirements of corporate data centers the DL360 G3 now offers optional hot plug redundant power.
CategoryProliant Server
Part Number292887-001
Products ID14273
Processor ClassIntel Pentium Xeon Processor
Processor Speed2.4 GHz
Number of Installed Processors1
Maximum Number of Processors2
Installed Memory512 MB
Max System Memory8 GB
Memory TechnologySDRAM
Bus Speed533 MHz
Cache Size512 KB
Drive ControllersFloppy, IDE/EIDE Drive Array (RAID)
Included DrivesCD/Floppy
CD-ROM Read Speed24 x (CD, CD-R)
Chassis StyleRack Mountable
Video IntergrationCard
Number of Hard Drives Supported2
RAID SupportedRAID 5
OtherSA5I+ 2-NC7781
Refurbished Product:
This is a refurbished product. Refurbished products include Factory Refurbished products, evaluation units and cosmetically blemished units. All products are re-tested and if neccesary replacement of components is performed to bring the product up to its original, fully functional condition. These units come with a 90 day - 1 year limited replacement warranty covering parts, labor and technical phone support. Advance exchange via FedEx P1 overnight is available for any defective product during the warranty period.


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Sign up to receive information about new books, author events, and special offers.
Early Years
Sarah has recently given birth to her first child. Sarah is also a bit of a worrier, to say the least, and she hasn't been home long before she calls her doctor in a state of panic.
"So what's the problem, Sarah?" asks the doctor.
"My baby has a temperature of 102, doctor. Is he going to die?" shouts Sarah.
The doctor, needing to determine whether Sarah was taking the reading under the arm, in the mouth or elsewhere, says, "I hope you don't mind me asking
Read the full excerpt
DAVID MINKOFF's father was a kosher butcher, so he has been surrounded by Jewish culture all his life. He has been collecting jokes since the age of thirteen. He also runs the immensely popular www.awordinyoureye.com, a website devoted to his love of Jewish jokes.
David Minkoff


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Donald Arthur Arpine, 76, of Hamden passed away peacefully on Sept. 29, 2012 at the Mary Wade Home.
He was born on September 25, 1936 in New Haven, loving son of the late Joseph L. Arpine and Anna Roetting Arpine. He graduated from New Haven College in 1959 with a degree in mechanical engineering. He then served in the U.S. Army in Germany as a Survey Specialist in Battery C of the 16th Artillery until his honorable discharge in 1962.
He then pursued an advanced degree in engineering at New Haven College. He was employed by Wire Machinery Corp. of America and Shuster Mettler Corp. as a designer and draftsman.
He is survived by his sister-in-law, Jean Q. Arpine, his loving nieces and nephews, Mona (Louis) Criscuolo, Daria (John) Howard, William (Benelyn) Arpine, and Christopher Arpine, 3 grand-nieces, 2 grand-nephews, a great-grand niece, and a great-grand nephew. He was predeceased by his loving brother, Joseph C. Arpine.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to his nurse, Kim, for her kindness and compassionate care of their Uncle Donald.
Hamden Memorial Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Funeral services and interment will be private.
Memorial contributions may be made in Donald's name to the Mary Wade Home, 118 Clinton Avenue, New Haven, CT, 06513 - Attn: Kara Taylor, Nursing Director.
Those wishing may leave online condolences for the family at www.hamdenmemorialfh.com.


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Employment Opportunities
If your organization or agency would like to post an employment opportunity for social workers, social work students, or other human/social service professionals on this web page, please contact Dr. Joel L. Carr at (361) 593-4133 or at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Federal and State Job Search Sites
USA Jobs
The Federal government's official job search website. Job seekers can search for employment across all Federal agencies, including but not limited to, Court Services and Offender Supervision, Pretrial Services, Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
Texas Health and Human Services Commission
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission's job search website; Job seekers can search for employment opportunities across five agencies including the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS), Department of State Health Services (DSHS), Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), and the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS).
This page was last updated on: August 27, 2013


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HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC — A Marine is dead and a man is in police custody following a shooting Friday night in a normally quiet Beaufort neighborhood, according to police.
The shooting occurred about 9:30 p.m. in the Mossy Oaks neighborhood, city of Beaufort Police Department Deputy Chief Dale McDorman said.
The names of the victim, who is a Marine, and a suspect were not released, but McDorman said charges might come Saturday. The suspect is from Shell Point, and may be friends with the residents of the home near where the shooting occurred, he said. The residents were not involved.
The cause of the shooting was not immediately clear, he said. Neighbors reported hearing up to 10 shots. Two handguns were recovered at the scene.
It appears the shooting happened outdoors, McDorman said. It was not clear if the victim fired any shots.
When police arrived, a silver sedan was parked in the middle of Hookstra Drive. The victim was in the backseat and was taken by ambulance to Beaufort Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. A friend, who was uninjured, was in the driver's seat.
Neighbor Crystal Stepp was sitting in her carport when she heard the shots. She said she saw a man running down the street and ran inside to get her children, take them to her in-laws' home next door, and call 911.
She saw the silver sedan go by three times before stopping in the road. She heard people shouting, "Put down that gun!" and saw two people run toward a Hookstra Drive home and two head down Mossy Oaks Road.
Stepp said the area is usually very quiet.
"For something like this to happen here is unbelievable," she said.
Neighbor Gerald Wynn said he has lived in the area for 30 years, and "never had anything like this happen."
He was sitting inside, watching a television program about President John F. Kennedy's assassination when he heard about five shots.


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Prep40 m
Cook50 m
Ready In1 h 30 m
"Phyllo dough layered with spinach and ricotta. Poppy seeds may be used in place of sesame seeds."
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Adjust Servings
Original recipe yields 6 servings
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Saute onion and garlic in oil in large saucepan until onion is translucent. Add mushrooms and spinach and continue cooking until mushrooms have released their juices and spinach has wilted. Continue cooking until liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat.
- Beat eggs slightly in large bowl. Add ricotta and parmesan, sour cream, bread crumbs and parsley to eggs. Drain excess liquid from vegetables, then add to cheese mixture. Stir until well blended.
- Brush some of melted butter on large baking sheet. Count out 6 phyllo leaves and carefully lift them up and lay flat on buttered baking sheet.
- Spread filling over middle of leaves, leaving a 3 inch border all around. Brush edges with butter.
- On top of the filling, lay down 2 leaves of phyllo at a time, brushing top leaf with butter each time. After 4 pairs, fold corners of all phyllo leaves up over filling, and brush with butter.
- Lay down 2 more pairs of leaves, buttering top leaf of each pair. Tuck edges under torta, corners first, then sides. Sprinkle top with sesame or poppy seeds.
- Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 50 minutes or until filling is set and phyllo is crisp and golden. Allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing.
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Reviews (8)Rate This Recipe
This recipe was time consuming, but it was well worth it in the end. It was very filling, and it had a great flavor. I will definetely make it again.
This actually makes two packets. Very versatile - I used 15 oz. of ricotta inplace of the 1.5 c. ricotta + 1 c. sour cream, 1/4 c. dried parsley, and it was still amazing. I thought it was very good, a friend demands I make more.
Four stars for the filling. I didn't like the phyllo pastry. I will make this again but probably in a pie case. I didn't have sour cream and used 1 1/2 cups of fat free riccotta instead.
Similar Recipes
Spinach Cheese Manicotti
Spinach Mushroom Quiche
Crepes with Spinach, Bacon and Mushroom Filling
Spinach Cheese Pie
Spinach Mushroom and Ricotta Fettuccine
Transformed Spinach Mushroom Quiche
Amount Per Serving (6 total)
- Calories
- 820 cal
- 41%
- Fat
- 51.4 g
- 79%
- Carbs
- 61.5 g
- 20%
- Protein
- 30.3 g
- 61%
- Cholesterol
- 200 mg
- 67%
- Sodium
- 1123 mg
- 45%
Based on a 2,000 calorie diet
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Spinach Cheese Manicotti
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Grilled Spinach and Mushroom Pizza


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Action-packed weekend
OK, so maybe not action-packed, but definitely packed. I had five days off work (miracles!) and had a really good time being leisurely. Darren and I had dinner with the Sherrods who are sadly (for us) moving to Washington, D.C., in about a month. It is so hard to find cool couple friends! There is always one of the spouses that don't click right, you know? But the Sherrods are equally fun and cool. Jimmy and Lesli -- best wishes on a new life in D.C.
My seven-month-preggers sister hauled her 3-year-old son Jonah down to Knoxville for the night on Saturday and we all rode The Three Rivers Rambler train. It was so much fun! Kind of pricey, but Jonah was definitely entertained. We overdid it on the restaurants though -- Sunspot, Wok Hay and Burger King in a two-day period. Yummy, but I think I gained three pounds overnight. Kathy and I went to the Lost Cajuns crawfish boil at the Harley dealership in Maryville. It was ok -- it poured down rain and the food was really picked over by the time we got through the line. It was nice to have crawfish though -- reminds me of home. The first time I had crawfish was at a block party on my street in Shreveport when I was about eight years old. I ate so much of it, I was sick for two days.
After Kathy and Jonah left, I watched The Wire and Dexter on DVD for a couple of days. It felt great to lay on the couch with my dogs and just putter around the house. We cancelled the TiVo and cut the cable back to basic a couple of weeks ago. We get Netflix and I really haven't missed the TiVo too much. We had to pull chairs up to the computer desk to watch Lost on the Internet, but that was kind of fun anyway. Plus, Lost and Grey's Anatomy will be over in a couple of weeks, so I won't be missing anything I absolutely love.
I have been trying to read "The Blind Assasin" by Margaret Atwood for a month, it feels like. It's interesting but it hasn't really hooked me. I'll let you know how it turns out. A lot of people love that book, so maybe it'll pick up soon. I hate to give up on it, but I need to work through the enormous stack of review copies on my bedside table.


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Parsippany Police are investigating an apparent commercial burglary believed to have occurred during the overnight hours of Sept. 19 at Sound Waves at 1200 Route 46.
Police said the person who called in the report said he found damage to the lock on the business' garage entrance door.
An industrial welder valued at $2,000 was reported stolen from the garage, police said.
The crime is currently under PPD investigation. Anyone with information regarding the case should contact police at 973-263-4300 or send e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Laguna Property Unveils Ultimate Luxury Living in New Banyan Tree Pool Villas
Media Release
Phuket, 9 May 2006 – Laguna Phuket Property Sales unveils its latest lifestyle investment opportunity, the Banyan Tree Pool Villa. A villa more lavish than any of the resort's other villa types, available for sale to a limited number of private investors.
All work and no play is not an option at Laguna Phuket. Experience dramatic landscapes, waterfalls, monkeys, elephants, adventure safaris, trekking, private boat charters, sailing, scuba diving, cultural theme shows, game fishing, canoeing and so much more.
More details
Meetings at Laguna Phuket draw upon all of the facilities of the integrated resort.
Learn more about Laguna Phuket
|Laguna Phuket
MICE Factsheet
(4.3mb, PDF Format)


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Slow Cooked Corned Beef for Sandwiches579 Reviews 41 Pics
Prep15 m
Cook4 h
Ready In4 h 15 m
"This is an excellent recipe for party sandwiches. I always make 2 (and sometimes 3) briskets because it goes so fast. The meat should cook slowly for a minimum of 4 hours--cooking longer will just make it more tender. It sounds like a LOT of garlic, but no one has ever complained that it tasted too garlicky. Serve with brown mustard on rye or kaiser rolls. Can also add cole slaw to the sandwich for a uniquely delicious sandwich."
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Adjust Servings
Original recipe yields 15 servings
- Place the corned beef briskets into a large pot. Sprinkle in one of the spice packets, and discard the other one or save for other uses. Pour in the beer, and fill the pot with enough water to cover the briskets by 1 inch. Add the bay leaves, peppercorns and garlic cloves. Cover, and bring to a boil.
- Once the liquid comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 4 to 5 hours, checking hourly, and adding more water if necessary to keep the meat covered.
- Carefully remove the meat from the pot, as it will be extremely tender. Set on a cutting board, and allow it to rest until it firms up a bit, about 10 minutes. Slice or shred to serve. I discard the cooking liquid, but it can be used to cook cabbage and other vegetables if desired.
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Reviews (579)Rate This Recipe
Save yourself reading through 100+ reviews and stop your search for a corned beef recipe. This is flawless. Prepare it exactly as directed, and make it easy on yourself by allowing a Crock Pot to do all the work for you. Eight to ten hours later, you'll have tender and flavorful corned beef for however you choose to serve it. Perfection needn't be tinkered with! Just be sure to slice it against the grain.
I made the corned beef (using Guinness) exactly as written and cooked it for 6 hours on the stove top. I then removed the meat (which fell apart) and added 3 pounds quartered new potatoes, 2 pounds baby carrots (cut in half) and an onion. I let that cook for 20 minutes and then added a head of cabbage. I cooked an additional 15 minutes. Then I removed the veggies and made a gravy out of the leftover stock using a slurry of stock and corn starch. This recipe was a huge hit last night for our St. Patrick's Day get together. Very authentic tasting and the peppercorns get soft as they cook, so when you bite into one, you get a nice kick without being overly powerful or chipping your teeth. This will be our annual tradition!
John Z
Wish there were more than 5 stars because this recipe deserves a 10. Wife was in the hospital and I was fending for myself when I tried this. Put 2 briskets in the crockpot and headed off to work. Stopped at the deli and got some cole slaw and Swiss cheese on the way home from work, and ended up wishing I had cooked twice as much. Took a couple of BIG sandwiches to work the next day, and my coworkers forced me to share once they got a whiff. Kept asking the name of the deli where I bought it, and couldn't believe I made it myself. Well, here are your 10 stars from me and my office * * * * * * * * * *
Similar Recipes
Slow Cooker Italian Beef for Sandwiches
Guinness(R) Corned Beef
Glazed Corned Beef
Corned Beef and Cabbage II
Braised Corned Beef Brisket
Corned Beef Roast
Amount Per Serving (15 total)
- Calories
- 229 cal
- 11%
- Fat
- 15.1 g
- 23%
- Carbs
- 4.2 g
- 1%
- Protein
- 15 g
- 30%
- Cholesterol
- 78 mg
- 26%
- Sodium
- 904 mg
- 36%
Based on a 2,000 calorie diet
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The Argument for Ken Oberkfell
Amidst all the buzz about who should be the next Mets manager, there is a name that is somewhat under the radar, but gets tossed into the conversation here and there depending on who is talking: Ken Oberkfell.
People like to bring up "Obie" because he has "put in his dues" managing in the Mets farm system for the past several years. And he has managed many current (and possibly future) Mets when they were playing at the lower levels. Is that enough justification to make him manager of the big club? Let's take a deeper look at this candidate.
Why the Wilpons Like Oberkfell
- He will cost next to nothing
- He fits in with the "building from the farm system" hype
- He is a very safe choice, from the standpoint that he is unlikely to embarrass the organization in any way
- He is a good soldier who is likely to "go with the flow" – i.e., do as he's told from the powers-that-be
- Owners tend to look good when they "promote from within"
- His hiring would make a nice "rags to riches" story
Why the Fans Like Oberkfell
- He's not Jerry Manuel
- He's a relative unknown, and fans like to "discover" people, particularly from the minors
- He is a no-nonsense, blue-collar guy
- He's from the Mets farm system
- They also like the "rags to riches" / "loyal hard worker finally getting his due" story
Why Ken Oberkfell is Not Getting More Attention as a Candidate
- He is not particularly flamboyant or a big personality
- He does not have any MLB experience as a manager
- He has not done anything noteworthy / newsworthy
- He has a career record of 676-708 (.488) in 10 seasons as a minor league manager
For me, that last fact is the one that removes Oberkfell from serious consideration. I don't believe it makes sense to promote someone simply for showing up and hanging around for a long time. That may sound harsh, and of course Oberkfell does more than just "show up", but the point is, he hasn't shown the ability to lead a group of men to consistent winning. I'm sure he knows how to win as a player — he does have a World Series ring — but that doesn't mean he can translate that knowledge as a manager. Certainly, his minor league record does not give an indication that he's a "winner". Including this year at Buffalo, Oberkfell has managed a team to a record above .500 four times in ten seasons. He managed one team to a first-place finish — the 2007 New Orleans Zephyrs.
I know what the argument is going to be: "But in the minors development comes before winning, so you can't judge Oberkfell on his won-loss record". Let's put aside for a moment the stupidity of that kind of thinking, and say this: if you can't judge a manager based on his won-loss record, then what DO you judge him on? His personal knowledge of players? Because he's done a good job of developing players' skills? OK, then you will have a manager who knows the players and can help them with their skills. But there is no evidence of the connection between those skills and winning ballgames — you're taking a shot in the dark that someone who has spent ten years "developing skills" but not worried about winning, is suddenly going to be able to win games with people whose skills should already be fully developed.
I am of the opinion that young players can and should learn to win while they are "developing" their skills. Moreover, the two go hand-in-hand: winning IS part of a player's "development". Yes, there is the issue of the illogical pitch count limits that can affect a game, but every minor league manager has to deal with that, and the great managers find ways to win by getting the most out of their entire roster. That's what winning is all about, actually — conquering challenges by adapting and adjusting to constantly fluid situations.
There is the other argument that Oberkfell's losing records are due to not having enough talent to win. That could be true. And if it is, there are two problems. First, if Oberkfell hasn't had talented teams in 9 of his 10 years, will he know what to do with a talented team at the MLB level? Second, if Oberkfell can only win if he has a talented team, then what is his point of differentiation? In other words, what does he bring to the table that Jerry Manuel didn't?
The last (and only?) manager to be promoted from the Mets farm system to the big club was Davey Johnson. Like Oberkfell, Johnson had spent a few years managing in the minors, and therefore was familiar with many of the players who were on the MLB team. Unlike Oberkfell, Johnson had a winning record at the minor-league level: 190 – 155 (.550). Maybe that was because Johnson had better teams / more talent than Oberkfell. Or maybe Johnson just knew how to win; after all, he did wind up with a .563 winning percentage in 14 years as an MLB manager.
About the Author
Joe Janish began MetsToday in 2005 to provide the unique perspective of a high-level player and coach -- he earned NCAA D-1 All-American honors as a catcher and coached several players who went on to play pro ball. As a result his posts often include mechanical evaluations, scout-like analysis, and opinions that go beyond the numbers. Follow Joe's baseball tips on Twitter at @onbaseball and at the On Baseball Google Plus page.
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Comments37 Responses to "The Argument for Ken Oberkfell"
Really? No mention of the fact that Oberkfell was Baseball America's 2005 Minor League Manager of the Year? The '05 Tides finished in first place that year. He also led the St. Lucie Mets to the league championship in 2003. So that's 3 first place finishes, not one.
No reference to the fact that Obie oversaw the exodus of the Mets' Triple-A affiliate after Norfolk kicked 'em out? Once that affiliation ended, the Triple-A affilate became an afterthought because New Orleans was too far. Players rehabbed in Bingo and Brooklyn. And Obie won his first year in New Orleans, and is winning right now in Buffalo.
No pointing out that Obie's won at every level in the Mets' system since he restarted in Port St. Lucie in 2002? Or the fact that his teams finished below 3rd place only twice in his 13 years? Or that some of the players Obie developed are now playing with the Mets, including Wright, Reyes, Niese, Pagan, and others?
I'm OK if you honestly don't think Obie's the best candidate. But you'll need to be a bit more thorough.
Great comment Matt. I agree that Obie's case was undersold.
FWIW, I'm anticipating that winning in the NY-Penn League will be held up as a grand achievement in a future post. Meanwhile, the Cyclones have won a division title four times from 2001-2009, led by men such as Edgar Alfonzo, Tim Teufel and Tony Tijerina. I guess they didn't throw enough bats and accrue a sufficient number of ejections though.
I should point out that I'm not even a big supporter of Oberkfell as next Mets manager — I just believe in fairly presenting evidence when making a case for something.
Really James? You must mean only when others are writing, because your recent article on Wally Backman was far from "fair" and provided little evidence of anything other than your opinion, the opinion of a Mets employee, and erroneous information.
Could you be more specific about what "erroneous information" I wrote about? I'm always happy to correct errors. I haven't been contacted by anyone (via email or blog comments section) about any erroneous information and it was viewed by thousands of people, so I'm genuinely curious what was erroneous. Feel free to e-mail me, thank you.
I was late to the party so I did not comment your Wally piece at the time. However, there were few things I personally did not like.
First, you omitted mentioning Wally's successful minor league stint in the White Sox and Dbacks organizations prior to his 2004 promotion. By this, you created an impression that there's not much track record except for the Cyclones this year and some independent ball.
Second, your whole anti-Wally reasoning (in addition to his off-field issues) boils down to two highly debatable arguments: (a) Wally does not have any MLB managing/coaching experience, and (b) Wally likes to bunt. Both of these are very weak arguments at best, especially since you have not even tried to justify them. You did not provide any evidence of correlation between previous MLB coaching experience and successful managing at the MLB level. And the whole bunting argument is just ridiculous, b/c when you actually do the math, it's almost a non-issue even in a worse case scenario. There are much more important managerial decisions (such as the batting order and the bullpen management) but I have not learned anything from your piece about Wally's competence in these areas.
If you just said that you do not like Wally based on his off-field issues and on-field antics, I'd have no problems with your stance.
Btw, Joe, I really do not agree with your anti-Oberkfell reasoning. Fortunately, MatthewA has already summarized the main counter-points.
Thanks for the feedback and actually providing legitimate criticisms of my piece. Unlike Joe, who decides to attack my credibility rather than the actual content. Not a surprise from Joe though. Looking back, I probably should have talked more about his pre-Diamondbacks managing a bit more. Also, one of my main points which you didn't point to is I'm unsure about his ability to manage big leaguers as opposed to Single-A players. That's a major concern, for me.
Also unsurprising that Joe hasn't corrected the glaring factual mistakes in this piece that Matthew pointed out. But since they hurt his case that Oberkfell is a bad manager, of course he doesn't correct them. Why let facts get in the way of a tidy narrative?
Ah, I forgot about 2005 and 2003, thanks for bringing them up. Those omissions don't change my opinion, though, because he has led teams to so many losing seasons.
I also forgot 2006, which is one of those years his team finished third, as you mention; the Tides were 57-86 that year. Maybe that's why finishing third isn't so impressive, particularly in 4-team divisions.
I'm not sure how the exodus to New Orleans counts for anything.
And what do rehabbing players have to do with anything ? All A-ball managers deal with that.
He's led quite a few teams to losing seasons. He's also won more seasons than you give him credit for in this post. He has a career .495 winning percentage as of today (that includes the 2010 season as well as whatever seasons aren't counted in your winning percentage). Commenter 86mets already pointed out why sticking with winning percentage can't tell you the whole story. And you should know better than to think a win in the Sally is as easy to acquire as a win in Bingo.
Moreover, the Mets essentially demoted Obie back to the Florida State League after two failed attempts in the Sally. He won the FSL Championship in '03 and was promoted to Bingo from there. And won. Then promoted to Norfolk. And won until the Exodus messed everything up. His trajectory does much better if you concede that he started from scratch in Port St. Lucie after failing first in the Sally.
The exodus to New Orleans counts because the Mets organization, led by VP of Player Development Tony Bernazard, downright neglected that team. Take a look at the Zephyrs roster in 2007 and the following year and try to convince me with a straight face that the Mets were trying to field a competitive team in New Orleans in 2008. They moved that crappy, neglected team to Buffalo to 2009 and didn't change a thing until Buffalo threatened the end the affiliation this past offseason. Gil Hodges couldn't have won with that roster.
The rehabbing players is just a symptom of that effects of the exodus. As further evidence the Mets neglected New Orleans, they sent no notable players to rehab with the Zephyrs. Double A is more of a developmental league, but the Mets used it like a Triple A team to rehab players because it was closer. It's admittedly a minor point but not a negligible one.
It should probably also be noted that the Mets stuck Obie with an absolutely atrocious Buffalo team last year (.392 winning percentage, and 31 games under .500).
This team was filled with washed-up minor leaguers and almost completely devoid of talent. If you recall, the Mets were heavily criticized for their failure to adequately stock the Bisons with either up-and-coming talent, or minor league stop-gap players who would at least form a (somewhat) competitive and entertaining team.
I understand the need to judge minor league managers on won-loss records, but you might want to at least mention that the talent level on the 2009 Bisons team was putrid.
Putrid yes, but really, sometimes a record speaks for itself. (That's why Backman got fired from the indy leagues after all.) Maybe we should give Oberkfell a break because he's turned the team around in 2010, though?
I agree with the winning and losing comment. A managers job is to WIN regardless of whether the major league team gives him terrible talent. WIN WIN WIN. That's why I want Joe Torre, he's a winner.
It also makes me skeptical of Wally Backman, because he had a 24-42 record last year with an indy league team before they fired him. Now that team is playing .500 ball… I think that proves Wally's a loser.
I'm in camp Torre. For sure.
Torre? Really? What success has he had at the MLB level other than the Yankees? Given the level of talent (and steroids) on those late 90s teams, Willie Randolph could have managed as effectively as Joe did.
When he's managed normal big market teams like the Dodgers now (or the Cards, Mets and Braves) he hasn't done all that well (even with the Braves, he took them from 1st to 3rd over 3 seasons).
"What success has he had at the MLB level other than the Yankees?"
The guy spent 12 years as the Yankees manager and won 4 world series titles and made the playoffs all 12 years and you want to ignore it?
Oh, and he won the division with the Braves once (three years, .529 win percentage) and with the Dodgers twice (3 years .539 so far). And he was basically .500 with the Cardinals. Your argument is invalid
Yes, other than the Yankees – a trained chimp could have managed the 1995-2005 Yankees and gotten them to the playoffs. Steroids and money had more to do with that than Torre's "genius" – as has been proven in his previous and subsequent managing gigs.
On normal teams – teams without an unlimited checkbook – he has been a mediocre manager – absolutely horrible with the Mets, average with the Cardinals and so-so with the Braves – taking them from 1st to 2nd to 3rd in the 3 seasons he managed them. As for the Dodgers, he's been as good with them as Grady Little.
In addition, he has the same managerial style as Willie Randolph and Jerry Manuel combined – mismanaging the bullpen, forgetting players on the bench and riding the hot hand until he ends up on the DL. He would be an awful choice for a manager. I'd rather go with Tony LaRussa – at least he had success with teams that did not have a bottomless wallet.
So the main ingredient for managing a Big League team is Won-Loss record. Ok. Well, Jerry Manuel has a .509 career winning % so where's you're argument for keeping him? Willie Randolph had a .544 winning % w/ the Mets, so why did they fire him? How about this one, the recently retired Lou Pinella had a .517 winning percentage over 23 seasons in the big leagues including a very impressive .542 mark in 10 years with the previously inept Seattle Mariners. Yet, how many times did "Sweet Lou" win a title? Once. In 23 years. Even in a year his Mariners won a league record 116 games they still failed to make the World Series.
Now, the counter arguments would be Bobby Cox and Joe Torre who between them have won 5 World Series and won 11 pennants. My point is, a whole lot of luck in involved in managing in MLB. Is Cox or Torre a better manager than Pinella just because they won 11 pennants and Pinella only one? Who knows, a few injuries here and there to a Chipper Jones or Greg Maddux or Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera and maybe there aren't a combined 5 WS rings between Cox and Torre.
If winning percentage is what you're looking for in the next manager why not simply bring back a former Met, such as Randolph (.544), Valentine (.534), or even Davey Johnson (.588)? Obviously there are reasons why those guys got fired from the Mets in the first place. I don't know who the "right" guy is for the Mets, don't pretend to. But I certainly wouldn't discount Oberkfell based simply upon his so-so winning % in the minor leagues.
86Mets – Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing.
I would agree that Bobby V, Davey Johnson, Lou Piniella, and Willie Randolph are all much better candidates than Ken Oberkfell. 100% in agreement with you on those alternatives.
Jerry Manuel's record is pretty darn close to Omar Minaya's publicly stated goal of .500. So there you go … maybe we WILL see Jerry back in 2011!
Joe, it is not necessary for you to tear down every candidate for the Mets managerial position who isn't Wally Backman.
I didn't realize Ken Oberkfell was the only candidate other than Backman. Though I doubt EITHER is truly a candidate in the Wilpons' view.
No, I just figured this was the first in a series of posts where you tear down every other Mets managerial candidate until only Backman remains, as part of Backman Today's agenda pushing Wally Backman as the only manager who can save the 2011 Mets.
Dude, WTF. How is this supporting Backman??? Backman got FIRED FROM AN INDY LEAGUE TEAM FOR HAVING A 24-42 RECORD. He's a LOSER just like Oberkfell and Willie and Jerry and Art Howe.
Again more racism from Mets fans. A contest to see who wants their favorite white guy redneck the most. And Torre? Really? So let's get an OLD white guy!! Yeah, that's gonna work. Bunch of racist nerds.
Hey how about we look at a Latin manager? We haven't tried that n maybe that could be the link between Omars guys and winning.
I like Torre.
I don't like Backman (loser) or Oberkfell (loser).
How does that make me a racist?!?!?!
@ Kevin – Cut out the racist crap.
@Elliot – You aren't a racist, but you're either an idiot or someone who never watched Joe Torre manage besides his time with the Yankees. HE IS AWFUL.
Omar's gone!! Next.
Other Mets managers promoted from minor leagues:
Joe Frazier – 1970s, after Yogi. Had a horrible squad, Mets too cheap for free agents. After he left, he said, "I asked them to get me some players."
Buddy Harrelson – You know how that ended.
I agree with the comment about it not being fair to judge a minor-league manager by his winning percentage because, quite often, winning is not the highest priority in the minors. For example, the Mets in recent years have developed an organizational philosophy in which their best prospects tend to be promoted to the bigs either directly from AA or after a short stint at AAA, leaving AAA as a wasteland for career minor leaguers serving as big-league insurance policies. It's hard to blame Obie for not winning within that paradigm.
I will say this: Having watched a few of Obie's teams, they tend to be fundamentally sound and — get this, Hojo — go to the plate with a plan. His teams tend to have good OBPs and seem to have an ability (a directive, it seems) to work the count. I don't think Frenchy would last half a season with him.
While I like Obie as a manager, I have concerns as to whether his laid-back personality is the proper antidote to the soon-to-be-ending Jerry Era.
Joe, will you be analyzing the merits of other internal candidates who could be the Mets' next manager? Specifically, I was wondering as to the strength of Tim Teufel as a managerial candidate. He is also a member of the beloved '86 Mets, has more managerial experience than Backman, and is currently the AA manager, yet I haven't heard nearly as much support for him, perhaps because he isn't "fiery" like Wally.
What do you think of Teufel (or do you plan to write an entire piece on him)?
It really bothers me when people yell about racism when there isn't even an inkling or a whiff of that type of thing….
Why exactly is this guy Kevin claiming racism? Because Mets fans are touting a former player who happens to be white? How exactly is that racist?
I also disagree with Kevin when he says that the team should hire a Latin manager. The team should hire the manager it thinks is best able to motivate an underachieving team – whether that manager is white, black, Latin, Asian or any other racial background should not make any difference whatsoever.
Oberkfell's won-lost record was badly damaged last year when the Mets gave him an awful team at Buffalo. They signed a bunch of 5th outfielders and the like for the major league team and sent the extras to Buffalo. They started the yea with no real power threats except Nick Evans and he went into a terrible slump. What few 'decent' players Buffalo had got called up to NY when injuries set in. Buffalo and Binghamton were the two worst teams in the minor leagues last year, more de to the Mets rater than the team's managers. If you subtract last year's record from his career record, Oberkfells's won lost record would look much bedtter.
You guys??? No one in particular, but I understand there is a lot of frustration being a Mets fan and it transfers to these comments from various avenues. I have been a Mets fan since my Grandfather hooked me on that glorious opening day in 1969. If you can remember that far a lady named Joan (I don't know the first thing about baseball) Payson was the owner then. Luckily the Mets had a decent GM-I believe it was Bob Scheffing and he made a few shrewd moves…since then there have been some horrendous decisions. What's the point here? Look at the track record of these underachievers with no fire in their belly roughly since 2001. Is it truly the manager's fault. Certainly they have contributed, i.e. Art Howe who after every frigin' game that sad sack team lost would say, "."we battled." I am pretty damn sure that I've heard Manual mumble those same words recently. Too Deja Vu. No racism here just look at these managers: Randolf, Manual, Art Howe. There is no spark plug man! Regardless of Won-Loss records in the minors and people seeking out the aging Torre for nostalgic reasons, maybe a Wally Backman would be a breath of fresh air in terms of MOTIVATOR. However (what's the f- point you still wonder-OK,OK Here!) The Wilpons will NEVER hire Backman because he is not a safe choice to them. They seek a popular person, someone who is a yes man to their chaotic structure of "leadership." Truth be told from ridiculous contracts of so many ex-Mets still collecting millions of dollars: Mo Vaughn, Bobby Bonilla etc., to spending heaps on Oliver Twist In The Wind Perez, and Luis-I was over the hill and limping when they signed me-Castillo, as long as The, "I am ignorant when it comes to beisbol" Wilpons are in charge we as Mets fans should feel doomed. I know what you're saying don't cry in your beer. I still watch them every night but it is what it IS. Who do you think will REALLY become the next manager? A safe choice who comes cheap. Watch the Wilpons continue to make the wrong decisions. It does not take a baseball specialist to see this. Enough ranting for now. BTW would it be wrong to have picked up Cody Ross's contract 16/58/283 for the remainder of the year for a team sorely lacking in offense from right field?
Re: Spelling Error
Make that Jerry MANUEL. How did I ever get A's in Spelling?
I agree with James K in that you, Janish, misrepresented Oberkfell. You said that Oberkfell "has not done anything noteworthy / newsworthy". I beg to differ. In the winter of 2009-2010, during his first year managing winter baseball, in which he was actually able to actually manage the team, as opposed to doing what the big league team tells him to do, as we all know is the case in AAA baseball – he won and won big. He lead the Leones del Escogido team to win the 2010 Dominican Championship and also the 2010 Caribbean Series in Venezuela. That's not noteworthy/newsworthy? Oberkfell may not be the best fit for the Mets, but your "look at this candidate" is flawed.


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TV Ratings: Are We Looking At Them All Wrong?
When it aired on television from 2003 to 2006, "Arrested Development" was a ratings disaster. The beloved Fox comedy's second season averaged out at around 6 million viewers per episode, and it quickly declined from there. Fox, in turn, lowered the episode counts and pit the struggling show against ABC's behemoth, "Monday Night Football," all but killing its chances of success. The series finale barely nabbed 3 million viewers.
But the show maintained a rabid, consistent fanbase who ate up every episode and gobbled up the DVDs, turning the show's stars -- Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Michael Cera -- into mainstream success stories. These days, creator Mitch Hurwitz and his cast are bombarded in countless interviews with questions about a feature film version of the show, which is reportedly in the works. Five years after it was cancelled, "Arrested Development" remains relevant, and the brand still holds weight.
Perhaps if Fox had figured out how to properly account for its fanbase -- most of which was made up of younger viewers more apt to download or watch the show online or on DVD -- the show would have been met with a different fate. By thinking outside the box, might a show with fans as engaged and enamored with the content as "Arrested Development" have more of a fighting chance?
Steve Levitan, the executive producer of "Modern Family," would certainly argue that point. While attending a panel in Montreal, Levitan told the Hollywood Reporter that the way we measure television audiences has not properly adapted to the times of DVR, online viewership and mobile consumption. It has not begun to truly reflect to how we really interact and engage with our favorite programs.
"If you have a show that caters to a technologically sophisticated audience, or a young audience who watches TV in that newer way, it may hurt you," he said, "compared to a show that caters to an older audience, or an audience that is at a lower class socially-economically, where they tend to watch TV live, as it happens."
In other words: the way studios track TV shows has not kept pace with the way people are watching them. Just because our TVs are turned on doesn't mean we are engaged with them -- or are invested in the content. Yet today, a viewer who stumbles across an episode of "CSI:NY" while he's cooking dinner is given more weight than a viewer who plows through two straight seasons of "Breaking Bad" on DVD.
As the climate of television changes with every passing year, the number of ways a viewer can engage with a show increases, and the networks and their advertisers are struggling to catch up. With new research and a fresh outlook, everyone agrees that we need to change the way we look at television ratings. But can all parties band together for this common cause?
The Nielsen Company has maintained a consistent monopoly on ratings measurement since 1950. And in the past 10 years, they've certainly upped their game. Today, Nielsen tracks the consumption stats for DVR, online streaming, mobile devices. Further, it extensively monitors online discussions and social trends, among other new developments in the changing television landscape.
But with each development comes new questions about how best to monetize and measure the effect a show has on the viewer -- questions that keep Matt O'Grady, the EVP of Media Audience Measurement for Nielsen, "up all night."
"The online world has not been easy for advertisers, because there's really no way to figure out if it's working," O'Grady told The Huffington Post in Nielsen offices in Manhattan. "We can prove a certain audience in a certain demographic saw a program on TV. It's easy. But online it's much harder. The steps between publisher and advertiser are many; there's the agency, ad server, data exchange, auction sites, all these steps. You're buying clicks, but you don't really know whether you've got the audience you've paid for."
Just as "Modern Family's" Levitan wants to figure out how to best monetize his show, Nielsen wants to provide for the advertisers the information they need, while also best representing the viewer's changing habits.
At the same time, Nielsen's most popular and frequently publicized rating each week is still its classic TV sampling rating, which uses its smattering of "Nielsen families" to determine who's watching what and how old they are. This process has been around since Nielsen's inception, and it's still the predominant ratings currency in the business.
When a family agrees to be a Nielsen family, they make a two-year commitment to the program. The home is then provided with a custom cablebox, and each family member is given a unique profile. Any time a member of the family watches a TV show, they first have to click on their profile, so Nielsen can track what they're watching.
But today's viewer doesn't even necessarily own a television. Many people all over the country, many of whom would consider themselves avid TV fans, watch most of their content online. A lot of young people don't even have a cable box to track, nor would they be willing to dedicate two years of their lives to being part of a "Nielsen family." (They'd probably be too distracted to write back to Nielsen in the first place, truth be told.)
So how do we track what these viewers -- these "technologically savvy" viewers, as Levitan refers to them -- are watching and engaging with?
"Advertisers realize things are all changing," Nielsen's O'Grady said. "But how do they leverage it all, bring accountability to it?"
Philip Napoli, a leading media scholar and director of the Donald McGannon Communication Research Center at Fordham University, said that Nielsen is making their metrics more sophisticated every year.
"They're looking at how much online discussing is taking place about a show, how much Facebook posting, [which] videos are being shared and linked to. We're in this early, larval stage of what might be a new currency developing."


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News about Visas, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.
China Denies Entry to an American Scholar Who Spoke Up for a Uighur Colleague
The American professor said he believed he was being punished for his vocal backing of Ilham Tohti, an ethnic Uighur economics professor.
July 8, 2014, Tuesday
MORE ON VISAS AND: Blacklisting , Visas , Sperling, Elliot , Academic Freedom , Censorship , China , Uighurs (Chinese Ethnic Group) , Tohti, Ilham
Financial Futures Pioneer Honors Japanese Consul Who Saved 6,000 Jews
Chiune Sugihara, the Japanese consul in Lithuania, defied his government to issue transit visas that saved 6,000 Jews.
June 30, 2014, Monday
The Iraqi Friends We Abandoned
Trapped by apathy and bureaucracy, they wait in vain for visas.
June 26, 2014, Thursday
MORE ON VISAS AND: Visas , Iraq , Refugees and Displaced Persons , List Project to Resettle Iraqi Allies , United States Defense and Military Forces , Iraq War (2003-11) , Obama, Barack
Disappointed Immigration Applicants Sue Canada
More than 1,400 Chinese plaintiffs have filed a lawsuit against the Canadian immigration authorities after Canada announced it was canceling its immigrant investor program along with tens of thousands of outstanding applications.
June 9, 2014, Monday
MORE ON VISAS AND: Hong Kong , China , Canada , Vancouver (British Columbia) , Toronto (Ontario) , New Delhi (India) , London (England) , Ankara (Turkey) , South China Morning Post Limited , Visas , Suits and Litigation (Civil) , Immigration and Emigration
China Said to Deport Models for Working Illegally
Advocates for international models say that more than 60 models had been detained in Beijing since mid-May.
May 27, 2014, Tuesday
MORE ON VISAS AND: Beijing (China) , Russia , Malaysia , China , Ukraine , Managers Agents Models Assn , Visas , Models (Professional)
Countdown to 2014 World Cup in Brazil: Day 29
Workers in Brazilian consulates in the United States and Europe began a two-day strike on Tuesday, only weeks before the start of the World Cup.
May 15, 2014, Thursday
MORE ON VISAS AND: Visas , World Cup 2014 (Soccer) , Brazil , Soccer
Warning Spreads as Beijing Clamps Down on Illegal Modeling
More than 60 people on nonwork visas were detained and had their passports confiscated after a sting in Beijing, according to advocates for models' rights.
May 13, 2014, Tuesday
MORE ON VISAS AND: Beijing (China) , Milan (Italy) , Malaysia , China , Ukraine , Russia , Visas , Models (Professional) , Illegal Immigration
Immigrants Working While They Wait
Proposed rule changes would make America just a little more inviting to highly skilled immigrants.
May 8, 2014, Thursday
MORE ON VISAS AND: Paparelli, Angelo A , Homeland Security Department , Visas , Immigration and Emigration , Foreign Workers
Your Digital Trail Follows You to the Border
Immigration agencies around the world have learned to use technology, including Facebook, Google and Twitter, to screen travelers for evidence of a criminal record, political activism or intention to work without a visa.
May 8, 2014, Thursday
MORE ON VISAS AND: Security and Warning Systems , Business Travel , Immigration and Emigration , Social Media , Visas
U.S. Plan Aims to Draw Immigrants With Technology Skills
With broader legislation stalled in Congress, the Obama administration announced plans to allow the spouses of some highly skilled temporary immigrants to work in the United States.
May 7, 2014, Wednesday
MORE ON VISAS AND: Homeland Security Department , Commerce Department , Law and Legislation , Foreign Workers , Labor and Jobs , Immigration and Emigration , Pritzker, Penny , House of Representatives , Visas , Science and Technology , Republican Party , Grassley, Charles E , Mayorkas, Alejandro , Obama, Barack
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$title = "Caving in to the heat"; $keywords = "Colorado caving"; $description = "A handful of Colorado's hot springs offer something different-a subterranean soak"; include ('../../header.php.inc'); ?>
To most homeowners, a basement pitted with tunnels and flooded with steaming water would be cause for alarm. To Linda Wright-Minter, it's something she wouldn't trade for millions-and that's no throwaway phrase. As owner of the Wiesbaden Hot Springs Lodging, she has turned down offers from developers that are almost as jaw-dropping as the blast of heat that emanates from the caves beneath this small motel in Ouray, Colorado.
Colorado has dozens of hot springs, from large resorts down to anonymous riverbanks in the wilderness. Of all of them, though, only a handful offer the option of going underground-each in a markedly different way.
From the outside, the Wiesbaden looks like any other small country guesthouse, harking back to a time when peace and quiet were more important than the latest bath fittings. On a late-October visit, rain pattered and pooled gently on the red wooden porch connecting the rooms. Soft and gray as the evening mist they emerged from, four wide-eyed and hesitant mule deer tiptoed delicately over a scatter of golden aspen leaves on the lawn. A sign in the office reminded guests to close the door so bears and skunks don't get in.
If you're not a regular here, the unassuming stairs beside the check-in desk might look like they descend to a basement rec room. Padding down in bare feet, swimsuit and towel, I pass through several dim rooms, mostly deserted-in the last, there's a fantastically fit-looking older man doing a yoga headstand beside some plastic lawn chairs. Am I in the right place? Yoga Man sees me wavering on the brink of fleeing, like a mule deer that's worried about how it looks in a swimsuit, and smilingly indicates a heavy steel door in the wall.
Behind it is another world.
If anything, I had expected a basic sauna or hot tub in a square-cut rock hollow. But the door opens into a long cave chamber, gloriously hot and pouring steam, where a hot waterfall floods over a beautiful formation of smooth brown flowstone that's taller than me. The warm rock under my feet, while perfectly adequate for walking, isn't leveled to the uniformity of a concrete sidewalk; the water puddles among shallow ridges and rockpools underfoot. Beyond the waterfall, a battered, arched wooden gate swings closed on the darkness behind. Someone is in there.
I splash through the hot water pooling around the base of the waterfall and peek around the gate. Oh, boy-and I thought it was hot in the first chamber. In fact, on the way back out, that "hot" waterfall will feel like an icy mountain stream.
Behind the gate are two smaller chambers, sharing the twilight of a single bulb and echoing with the drip and bubble of the hot spring that emanates from the far wall of the cave. Two girls sit on a wide stone bench in the steaming darkness, idly swishing their feet through puddles of water that feels flesh-meltingly hot when I try a touch-test.
I pass these hardy souls and enter the last chamber. This rough-hewn oval cave is almost entirely taken up by the soaking pool. A knee-high concrete border confines the constantly flowing hot water to bathtub depth before it makes its way out at the other end of the pool. Reflections dance on the low, craggy ceiling.
Silence is requested within the caves, but somehow the rule seems redundant-there's something about this small, intimate underworld retreat that imposes its own silence on the visitor. The heat urges you to drowsiness, and the lap of water in darkness whispers, "Slow down … there's time. For water and stone, there's always time."
"I asked one of these developers what he'd do with the place if I changed my mind and sold it," says Wright-Minter. "He said he'd level it and put up a big resort."
Back in the lobby, I look around at the garden of potted plants, the icy rain drumming on the skylight window, the aspens like thin golden ghosts in the fog outside. Imagining the surreal little world in the basement, I find myself hoping this woman lives to be 200-and never, ever changes her mind.
A very different but no less intriguing underground experience can be found in Glenwood Springs. The vapor caves at the Yampah Spa are a warren of natural steam rooms-no soaking opportunities here, but with the world's largest outdoor hot springs pool next door, it's unlikely anyone will complain about that.
A smoothly professional spa and salon building is the gateway to this underground sauna. Just walk right in and ask at the reception desk for a ticket to the vapor cave-you'll need your swimsuit, but towel rental is included in the admission price. Save a quarter for the coin-operated lockers in the changing rooms. Then it's a chilly dash down the hallway to the long flight of stairs that descends into the caves.
These are said to be North America's only natural vapor caves. To be honest, the level floor, curving concrete corridors and clear plastic curtains that divide the tunnels initially make the Yampah cave look far less natural than the Wiesbaden. But once through the curtains, it's unmistakeably a cave.
The hot spring water that provides these caves with their permanently thick steamy atmosphere is hard to spot unless you look for it. It's channeled out of the way of unwary feet and fingers, which is just as well, because it's very hot indeed. In the central part of the caves, a cold-water hose and shower head have been installed for visitors who need them. Small plastic buckets are also scattered around, to be filled with cold water and used as needed.
There's something very strange, yet oddly appealing, about sitting in a hot cave in a swimsuit with your feet in a bucket of cold water. Small alcoves in the corridors look like good places for goblins to hide, or perhaps a skeleton waiting to spring out at an Indiana Jones-style adventurer.
In the largest room, several teenagers have laid themselves out on beach towels, as if basking in a sunlight never seen here. A smaller chamber holds one wide slab of stone, like an altar for the burial of some primeval warrior king. But the body sits up as I look into the room-he reaches for his sipper bottle, checks his waterproof watch and settles back for another few minutes.
There's nothing for Indiana Jones to fear here. Maybe on the way out, even that intrepid hero might be inclined to ask about a coconut body scrub or herbal facial.
The historic Cave Baths in Idaho Springs are, perhaps, a little more suited to the adventurous. Where the Wiesbaden is intimate and the Yampah is elegant, Indian Springs Resort makes no bones about its age. "Renovations are ongoing," admitted the front-desk clerk. If you're looking for a facility with even a basic amount of shine on it, this isn't the place for you.
What this cave offers, though, is the deepest soak of the three locations described here, the only one that is strictly segregated by gender, and the only one in which swimsuits are not required. In fact, they're not allowed. (Other pools and public areas at the resort are co-ed and clothed.)
The men's and women's caves are reached through separate entryways and locker areas, and each contains several sunken baths of varying temperatures.
These caves don't even make a pretense of being natural. Dug between 1903 and 1911, they retain the look of a horizontal mineshaft. Pipes and electrical conduits cross the cave roof, and the central walkway between the tubs is covered with old rubber pool flooring, torn or prickly in more than a few places. Wearing flip-flops is a good idea.
The bathing experience here seems barely different from what it might have been in 1911. In the women's cave, three of the four sunken tubs are simple rectangular pits, each divided into one-person-wide stalls into which the bather descends to stand chest-deep in hot mineral water. The fourth (and hottest) tub is long and narrow. It's acceptable for shy bathers to clutch a towel while out of the water-though there aren't many dry places to set it down, so leave an extra one in your locker just in case. For those who are willing to overlook the dilapidated environment and somewhat rough-and-ready ambience, the "aaah!" factor of total immersion can be delicious.
Aficionados who have visited all three cave springs will agree that Indian Springs Resort, the Yampah Spa and the Wiesbaden Hot Springs couldn't be more different from one another. But they all have one thing in common. Insulated from winter weather, isolated from the world above and wrapped in blissful silence, it's a fascinating new take on a basic pleasure of life: a very, very hot bath.EnCompass


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Never say never…
When the Mister and I were planning for the Little, we took "baby gear" pretty seriously. After reseraching everything we could on car seats, bassinets, strollers, etc., we picked the BEST of the best — our little bundle of joy would get the safest, best products on the market.
I was firm, however, in my belief that we would not, under any circumstances need a swing. No sir, I would not be one of those mothers. You know, the ones who drop their little one into a robotic device to serve as a babysitter — because they simply don't want to spend the time to hold their child. My refusal of the swing was of course partnered with my adamant stance of NO PACIFIERS. Again, the term itself rubbed me the wrong way. I would not shove a plastic nipple into my child's mouth to pacify him — simply because I didn't feel like soothing him myself.
The Mister tried to rationalize with me and explan these devices would not make me a bad parent, but instead keep us sane. I wouldn't hear of it.
Fast forward……
I feed the little and realize it's been hours since I've peed. So I set him in his carrier and put him in the bathroom with me. He's not happy. He was content being bounced in my arms on the couch. So with my foot. I rock the carrier back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. BACK AND FORTH. All is right in his little world. If only there were a contraption that I could set him in that rocked back and forth!!!
Inserts foot into mouth…
Yea, the PACI is a story for anther day.
What did you say you'd NEVER do that you eventually changed your mind on?
12 Responses to "Never say never…"
I said I'd never let the baby cry, but once we got to 6 months, it turned out to be the best decision for everyone
Glad he likes his swing!!
I know that a lot of my "rules" will probably fly out the door once the reality is there. In the meantime I'll just go on in ignorant bliss.
aw- haha! I'm pregnant with my first and I'm all about saying that I'll never feed my child anything but good, wholesome, nutrient dense, real food! We'll see how that goes in a few years…
LOL! This reminds me of the Sex and the City episode with Miranda and Brady!
Very belated congrats to your family!
Haha – I'm sure we all have a Never said Never Moment The Swing is such a good invention!
omg there are too many things to count!
Ha ha – this made me laugh! And do you want to share with us the other "nevers" on your list now or wait?
Sawyer is adorable! And you look great.
We were the same with the pacifier. We lasted three days and I gave in. I would have gone crazy without it.
Hope things are going well with you and your adorable Sawyer!
All the best parents are childless right? Then we have babies and get a clue
I felt the same way about the swing with my first. Once we gave in and bought it though it was a life-saver. The funny thing is my second daughter didn't care for the swing at all. We wound up passing it along to another family member when baby 2 was still tiny.
[...] The stupidest thing I ever told myself was that I didn't need this. [...]
[...] goes with my plans for Bean. I've shared our experience and preconceived notions on the swing, [...]


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Full autumn night
Halloween ready. 6:00 PM. Photo: JH.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012. Yesterday was a mild overcast day
with light rain leaving the damp streets and sidewalks. Lovely weather, autumn in New York.
I got married on this day 48 years ago.
Which now seems like a week and a half ago. Here in St. Thomas More Church on 89th between Madison and Park. I remember that day vividly. From beginning to end. We divorced in 1973. It was painful for both of us but not recriminating, so all these years later we are still close in our thoughts.
Wedding Day. October 24, 1964.
Ironically, I remember this date, October 24th with the same subconscious gravity that I remember my birthday: a good and seminal date standing on its own. In certain ways my life took a turn, a leap, in fact, on that day where it became a new life.
We all have these experiences in observing our growth and transitions, some more stressful for others, and many fortuitous. I'm not one who thinks about luck or believes in "lucky days," yet nevertheless, this day remains one of them all these years later.
Yesterday I went down to Michael's to lunch
Nan Swid
. Nan is a longtime New Yorker who hails from Kansas City or thereabouts. She's lived here most of her life, however, married to a native New Yorker
Stephen Swid
who is a well known businessman/entrepreneur; and she is also a mother and a grandmother. She lives in that New York world populated by wealth and prominence and social connections. She herself maintains the Kansas City sensibilities she brought with her.
Nan is an artist. Her professional background for years was as a businesswoman who with a partner had a company called Swid-Powell.
Michael McCarty
told me yesterday as we were leaving the restaurant, that his first restaurant -- which was located in Denver -- was stocked with china, flatware, glasses, all from Swid-Powell. Michael collects art. He's not a hotshot collector, he's an art collector and been at it for years. The way he said Swid-Powell was with the voice of a collector's authority. But Nan is an artist. She recently launched her own web site,
where she exhibits some of her work. She's been asking me for some advice about web sites. It's not hard to get me started. Mr. Know, that's me.
Nan Swid in her studio.
One autumn weeknight in New York.
There was a lot going on in the social-charitable-art scene. Impossible to cover everything, I decided to briefly take in four.
My choices included
: The Boys' Club of New York Fall dance at 583 Park Avenue.
Liz and Jeff Peek.
Mark Gilbertson with Fran and Ros L' Esperance.
Alex Rose taken by surprise ...
Jim Torrey with Jackie and Gene Williams.
Sara Ayres gets the full story.
Tory Burch.
Carol Mack, Leslie Stevens, and Todd Romano.
Dennis Basso, MIchael Cominotto, and Sarah Ayres.
Rachel and Ara Hovnanian.
Dan Quart and Louis Rose.
Nathalie Kaplan.
On the dance floor getting read to take their seats.
The room at 583 Park Avenue.
I didn't get down to the Prince George Hotel Ball Room where
Penny Marshall
Lorraine Bracco
were the Honorary Chairs for the 5th Annual Journey of Hope Gala presented by the Brain Injury Association of New York State.
At Cipriani 42nd Street
David Crosby
Graham Nash
were among the many celebrities at TJ Martell's NY Honors Gala. The T.J. Martell Foundation's gala is famous for its famous guests, especially music performer. It objective is to raise funds for cancer and AIDS research.
Up at the University Club
Fred Krehbiel, Aileesh Carew
Kate and Robert Bartlett
hosted a reception for
Ballyfin Demense,
the historic Regency house in Ballyfin, Ireland which is now a luxury hotel. I met Mr. Krehbiel several years ago on one of the American Friends of Versailles junkets. He is a passionate supporter of historic restoration and Ballyfin is a special prize. You can look it up in Relais & Chateau. I wasn't there last night so I don't know who was or what went on.
In the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf they were holding the 2012 Alzheimer's Association Rita Hayworth Gala with
Robin Meltzer
, Gala Chair. It was my first stop last night, arriving for the cocktail hour. They get a big crowd every year and many enthusiastic returners. Sometimes when I walk into a big crowd I get a little shy about the camera.
Michele Herbert and Princess Yasmin Aga Khan.
Veronica Webb and Chris Del Gatto.
Dr. Sherrell and Muffie Potter Aston.
Brooke Shields.
The Rita Hayworth Girls ...
Nikki Haskell and Bill Kapfer.
Bryant and Hilary Gumbel.
Mitch Moinian and Nazee Moinian.
Joan Jedell and Karen Love Esq.
The dining room getting last minute touches.
Down at Gotham Hall
, Aperture Foundation was holding its sixtieth anniversary gala dinner and photography auction.
Over at the Plaza, they were holding the 2012 Hadrian Award Gala
hosted by the World Monuments Fund. The Hadrian Award was presented to
Kenneth I. Chenault.
The Watch Award was given to
His Grace, The Duke of Devonshire
kcvo, cbe, DL.
Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg
was doing the presenting.
New sculpture on the plaza of the Seagram's building.
Looking east on the corner of Park and 53rd.
A preview shot of the new Sirio's which opens tonight in the Pierre hotel.
Mrs. Schlossberg's aunt,
Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy
, is the younger sister of Caroline's father
John F. Kennedy
. "Kick" was very popular among her contemporaries. She evidently had a charm and humor that captured many hearts. My late friend
Lady Sarah Churchill
was a contemporary and close friend of Kick Kennedy during the days of her father
Joseph P. Kennedy's
Ambassadorship to London just before the War with Germany erupted.
Sarah always recalled with a lingering sadness at the loss only a few years later..
In 1943, Kick married, against her parents' wishes (for religious reasons),
William Cavendish, the Marquess of Hartington
, heir to the Duke of Devonshire. Four months after their wedding, Hartington was killed in action.
Had he lived, he would have become Duke and the Cavendish line presumably would have joined the Kennedys. His younger brother
succeeded. Andrew's wife is
, nee
, the prolific writer, now the dowager duchess, and mother of the present duke who was there last night at the World Monuments. You with me?
As it happens the duke will be busier than originally planned on this trip across the Atlantic for tonight he will be honored at the American Associates of the Royal Academy's annual fall dinner at the Pierre.
The original guest for this gala benefit was
Her Royal Highness, Princess Alexandra of Kent
. But the princess is under the weather and was advised by her doctors not to make the trip. Probably that cold that's going around. So anyway, the Duke of Devonshire will be heard again, much to the pleasure of all available Anglophiles and lovers of history.
The Plaza Grand Ballroom last night at the World Monuments benefit dinner honoring the Duke of Devonshire and Ken Chennault.
Wait a minute, there's more.
New York is nothing if not More. Also last night over at the
Stanford White
designed palazzo style clubhouse whose identity shall remain nameless, on Park Avenue across from the Seagram's Building, the also prolific and also charming
Hugo Vickers
was the featured speaker for the St. George's Society's Semi-Annual General Meeting. Hugo is a great and impassioned gatherer of facts and lore of the British as well as other country's royals, elite and upperclasses. He's written and edited copious volumes on this world and its characters – swains, scoundrels, princes, dukes and charming chambermaids, not to mention a mad dowager or two or ten. His lecture for the SGS was "The Queen." You can be sure everyone was charmed as well as intrigued and informed.
All the while up at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, The New York Women's Foundation was celebrating its 25th Anniversary hosted by
Connie Chung, Soledad O'Brien, Raymond and Ginny
Sean Day
, with a Special Performance by
Sarah Jones
Over on the Upper East Side,
Susan and David Rockefeller
were hosting book party at their apartment for
Jennifer Skiff
, author of "The Divinity of Dogs: True stories of miracles inspired by man's best friend."
I couldn't make it but that gets my vote.
For collectors and art history mavens
Bill and Jessica Koenigsberg
were hosting a Celebration of "White Light, A monograph" on the work of
Heiberg Cummings
over at Horizon Media on 75 Varick. I didn't make it but the dress code on the invitation was "black."
And up at the Galerie St. Etienne on 24 West 57 Street, they were holding the opening of an exhibition of "Egon Schiele's Women" celebrating the publication of the the new book, the first on the subject by
Jane Kallir.
This is New York. Aren't you glad you stayed home and put your feet up?
Barbara Cook greets her audience.
Libra Birthdays .... Barbara Cook returned to Carnegie Hall to celebrate her 85th birthday
last Thursday night, with a special performance in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage. For Barbara Cook's 85th Birthday Concert at Carnegie Hall,
Lee Musiker
Tedd Rosenthal
served as musical directors. Miss Cook performed songs from her most recent album, Loverman, including "Let's Fall in Love," "Makin' Whoopee," "I've Got You Under My Skin," and "I Got Rhythm," among others.
After an unamplified encore of
John Lennon
's "Imagine," Miss Cook was surprised by special guests:
John Pizzarelli
and wife
Jessica Molaske
y singing "I Want to Be Happy/Sometimes I'm Happy." Opera star mezzo-soprano
Susan Graham
next surprised Cook with "Till There Was You" from
Meredith Wilson
The Music Man,
a role originated by Cook in 1957. Ms. Graham then introduced Pulitzer Prize winning lyricist
Sheldon Harnick
who serenaded Miss Cook with a personalized version of his "She Loves Me" from the musical of the same name which also featured Cook in the premiere. Finally,
Josh Groban
entered the stage singing Sondheim's "Not While I'm Around" from
Sweeney Todd
and then leading the audience in a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday."
Afterwards, special guests and friends surprised Miss Cook in Carnegie Hall's Rohatyn Room with a birthday party. New York Loves You Barbara Cook ...
Miss Cook singing "Imagine."
Music Director and pianist Lee Musiker, Jessica Molaskey, and John Pizzarelli performing "I Want to Be Happy/Sometimes I'm Happy."
Lyricist Sheldon Harnick singing "She Loves Me."
Jessica Molaskey, Susan Graham, Sheldon Harnick, Josh Groban, John Pizzarelli, and the audience join in for "Happy Birthday."
Barbara Cook joined by surprise special guests Josh Groban, Susan Graham, John Pizzarelli, Jessica Molaskey, and Sheldon Harnick for a post-concert surprise birthday party.
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Summary | Excerpt | Reviews | Readalikes | Genres & Themes | Author Bio
If you liked Letter Perfect, try these:
'Who would have thought a book about punctuation could cause such a sensation? Truss serves up a delightful, unabashedly strict and sometimes snobby little book, with cheery Britishisms dotting pages that express a more international righteous indignation.'
A hugely entertaining and revealing guide to the history of type that asks, What does your favorite font say about you?
Read-Alikes are one of the many benefits of membership. To see the complete list of this book's Read-Alikes, you need to be a member.
Members read and review books ahead
of publication. See what they think
in First Impressions!
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The Angel of Losses
"Family saga, mystery, and myth intersect in Feldman's debut novel." - Booklist
Solve this clue:
and be entered to win..
Books thatinspire you.Handpicked.
Books you'll stay up all night reading; books that will whisk you to faraway places and times, books that will expand your mind and inspire you -- the kinds of books you just can't wait to tell your friends about.


text:
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — More than 550,000 Epcot guests have left a personal record of their Epcot memories at Leave a Legacy, a dramatic piece of art created by Walt Disney Imagineering at the entrance to Epcot at Walt Disney World Resort.
Leave a Legacy creates a threshold for Epcot, with 30 sculpted and polished granite megaliths appearing to emerge out of the ground like foothills, continuing to grow as they point up toward Spaceship Earth. Each of the stones is covered with engraved images of guests who have visited Epcot since the millennium celebration.
Although new tiles are no longer available for purchase, existing Leave a Legacy images will live on so guests can revisit them each time they return.
The Leave a Legacy display represents hundreds of thousands of family memories made at the Walt Disney World Resort and guests can continue to visit the Leave a Legacy Locator station, in the Camera Center underneath Spaceship Earth, for assistance in locating tiles.
The Leave a Legacy plaza was designed by the late Imagineer John Hench, along with a team of Walt Disney Imagineering interns. Hench started as an artist with The Walt Disney Company in 1939, and went on to help design and build Disneyland. He was the original art director for Epcot, and chief designer of Spaceship Earth.
The granite megaliths range from 3 to 19 feet high, and the heaviest weighs more than 50,000 pounds.


text:
BlogTalk Radio – Tonight 8pm (EST)
Call in number: (718) 664-9614
Yes, friends, it is a call-in show, so do call in.
Subject(s): The proverbial wheels are coming off the alleged scientific basis for AGW. We'll talk about that and about the prospects for Copenhagen and cap-and-trade (which has now been put off until at least spring). And, of course, the debate on the Senate version of the health care bill has begun – Reid was able to muster 60 votes to bring the 2000+ page bill to the floor for debate, but will he be able to keep those 60 to invoke cloture? That's the question. And, of course, joblessness continues rampant with another 500,000 filing first time claims. The administration seems to finally be noticing that and has vowed to have a job summit.  In December. Maybe. That's got to give you a warm fuzzy.
3 Responses to BlogTalk Radio – Tonight 8pm (EST)
Hahaha. Forget "climate change," or whatever the Chicken Little environuts are calling it now, because Copenhagen is dead, dead, dead, and The Clown™ couldn't get it through the US Senate anyhoo.
Nah, let us speak of The Clown™ and the growing dissatisfaction the American people have with this junior league inexperienced doofi elected a mere 12 months ago.
Charlie Cook, who said just recently that he thinks only 20-25 seats will change hands in the US House, now is starting to sound like he doesn't believe that anymore. He writes:
"But that was before they were saddled with a sitting Democratic president who is beyond radioactive in their districts. History is history."
Radioactive? The Clown™? Tell me something different. In numerous states now, Jimmy Carter, Jr. is below 50% approval, including many of the states he won in 2008. If enough states that gave him victory peel off, he will be doomed for re-election in 2012. Not to mention that he takes down many Demmies with him, first in 2010 and then in 2012.
Check out the polls, check out the reports, and see why the unemployment rate, the deficit, and The Clown's™ own pathetic weakness in office will be the undoing of his entire party. Gallup has him at 49%.
Senator Byron Dorgan is in trouble in North Dakota…over his stand FOR health care:
Dorgan in trouble? He should be running 20 points ahead of any Republican. For him to be behind now, means that so much acid has dripped into the system that is crippling Demmies that even stalwarts like Dorgan could go down to defeat. Those numbers are a shocker, even to me.
But remember this one, folks, from the dimwits at CNN:
"CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Friday morning indicates that 38 percent of the public blames Republicans for the country's current economic problems. That's down 15 points from May, when 53 percent blamed the GOP. According to the poll 27 percent now blame the Democrats for the recession, up 6 points from May. Twenty-seven percent now say both parties are responsible for the economic mess."
The Clown™ is doing for the GOP what Jimmy Carter did for us: usher in a decade or more of GOP WH control. And perhaps the Demmie majorities in the House and Senate as well, which would be a first, even for The Clown™.
Mark my words.
Sorry for the dead link to the CNN story. Here it is now (and I hope this one works):
I thought AGW would be axed by the emails. Instead Yahoo news had TWO stories about Global Warming today! Maybe they are doubling down.


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By JUDY SHERIDAN
Weatherford native Don Huddleston, 77, stepped into the pages of Parker County's history in 1994 when he unveiled a remarkable tribute to the Parker County Courthouse, an intricate replica built without benefit of blueprint or kit.
Dedicated to his mother, Lucy, whose final breath is recorded in the hands of the clock tower, the engaging miniature is a masterpiece crafted by a master tinkerer — from the authentic-looking rockwork at its base to the tiny owl perched at the top, frightening off the pigeons.
"I started with a board and worked up," Huddleston said modestly of the 19 months of painstaking effort that will one day be his legacy. "I tried to put every detail into it."
Initially displayed in the front window of First Citizens' Bank, Huddleston's model has been relegated to the Courthouse Annex for more than 20 years at the request of its maker, who worried that the present courthouse — erected in 1884 — might go the way of its predecessors — up in smoke.
"That was my stipulation," Huddleston said. "The courthouse hadn't been remodeled, and the wiring was old. I didn't want the two of them together.
"If everything was gone, all we'd have left would be the pictures."
As county officials prepared for courthouse tours this spring, however, they managed to wheedle Huddleston into temporarily giving the model center stage at the courthouse, where it now beckons visitors like a jewel in a crown.
Like the real courthouse, it will be decorated for Christmas this year.
Public Information Officer Joel Kertok said the resourceful Huddleston, who answered when the call for old photos for the tours went up, has been "a huge help in Judge Riley's effort to promote awareness of the courthouse and rally community support."
Kertok and Huddleston met while volunteering at the Weatherford Senior Center, then grew close as Huddleston worked to collect and frame most of the courthouse pictures displayed on the courthouse tours.


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Excitement Builds
Under a month until departure and the group eager to go. We spent time recently at a small shrine in Portland, one built by a couple that teaches Traditional Nepali dance forms. Prajwal is part of a priestly lineage stretching back 35 generations. He and Helen settled in Portland and their shrine reflects the distinct architectural elements of the Newari culture of the Kathmandu Valley. Intricately carved windows set in painted brick, anyone who has travelled in Nepal will instantly recognize the influence. Prajwal and Helen taught us about Buddhist images, explained what many hand gestures and costuming means, and taught us some basic dance moves. Being with them, sitting in their sacred space, and having Nepal on our minds was pure delight.


text:
The NFL has officially jumped the shark. It has become a joke and an insult to our intelligence.
By standing behind the touchdown call that gave Seattle a 14-12 win over Green Bay on Monday night, the NFL has become folly. Any time Roger Goodell speaks, circus music should be played as accompaniment.
The NFL owners, rather than respect their fans, have collectively thrown pie in their faces. Abbott and Costello should star in a movie about this years NFL because its been pure slapstick.
People arent watching games for the competitive tussle, theyre watching because the league has become a sitcom. Integrity has been replaced by a laugh track.
America, having gone through so many difficult times recently, needs something to snicker about. And the NFL has come to our rescue. If ESPNs Monday Night Football isnt nominated for an Emmy next year in the Best Comedy category, Im going to be disappointed.
Instead of getting back to the bargaining table with its locked-out officials Tuesday, the NFL issued a brief statement, stating it stood by the ruling on the field that Seattle receiver Golden Tate had simultaneous possession with Green Bay safety M.D. Jennings, which counts as a reception. Its pure fiction, complete hogwash.
But at least it now provides us with a villain in this matter. The NFL and the owners are the bad guys here; apparently so oblivious to the expectations of the people who built their league (people like you and me) that theyve entered a world of make believe. They are so arrogant that they actually believe a ridiculous statement like the one released Tuesday will carry some weight.
In the statement, the league did admit that Tate should have been called for offensive pass interference before the catch, when he blatantly shoved a Green Bay defensive player in the back. But, as they so eloquently point out, such a call cannot be reviewed by instant replay.
The NFL, though years of unbridled success and unparalleled popularity, has gotten to the point where it obviously takes its fans for granted. We are shills in the big picture. Our disgust, anger and frustration are white noise to the NFL and its owners, who continue to rake in their millions. There is no incentive to get a deal hammered out with the regular officials because the people who run this league and its franchises know were going to keep coming back.
And to really take it to an even higher cynical level, Im guessing there are owners out there who enjoy the controversy the replacement officials are causing. Has there ever been a 12- to 14-hour period during which the NFL was discussed more?
Integrity has been compromised, yes. But not to the point where the NFL was running to correct its problem today. Instead, the league issued a silly statement that backed up the confusion and ineptitude that reigned over the finish of the Monday night game.
I feel terrible for the replacement officials, who couldnt have known the quagmire they were stepping into. In fact, would it surprise you if these poor saps threw up their hands and said they have had enough? It wouldnt surprise me. I half expect it. Working an NAIA game has probably never sounded better to some of these guys.
So what can fans do? Well, for starters, they can boycott these games. I heard a Green Bay fan say on radio today that he wants every Packers fan to stay outside of Lambeau Field on Sunday until after the opening kickoff against the New Orleans Saints. He even furthered the notion that fans should stay in the parking lot for the whole game as a way to show the owners and the league that they have had enough of this inferior product.
And make no mistake, the NFL is an inferior product because of the replacement officials. Its become an out-of-control league in which players and coaches feel like they can push around the refs because, well, they can.
I was disgusted last night to hear the Seahawks Tate and Seattle coach Pete Carroll meekly support the outcome of the Hail Mary pass that resulted in the winning touchdown. Their team may have escaped with a win, but the league lost big. Tate and Carroll should have acknowledged the embarrassing turn of events that led to the Seattle victory for the good of the game and for the solidarity of the cause.
What is the cause?
The cause is make the NFL viable again. Its for the leagues owners and the officials to iron out an agreement that gets the best refs back on the field, understanding that both sides have to give.
Until that happens, the shield should no longer be regarded as the defining emblem for the NFL. This league isnt protecting anyone from anything.