text:
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Brent Venables placed the blame squarely on his own shoulders Saturday night. Following No.10 Clemson's 49-37 loss to No.4 Florida State – which saw the Tigers' defense collapse en route to giving up 667 yards of total offense, second-worst in school history – Venables said repeatedly coaches were at fault.
That's a coaching answer: Venables can't tackle, cover or play linebacker anymore. But he'll certainly receive his share of heat regardless following a disappointing overall effort.
Venables shared his thoughts about the evening with reporters afterward:
Venables: 'Going to have be a lot better to reach goals'
General thoughts: "I'm terribly disappointed. We could have done more as coaches to get our guys to play better. We coached them poorly and at times didn't get our guys to play particularly well. That said, we had chances in the second half, chances to win the game. They started running the ball when they chose to. We've got to get a lot better in a lot of areas. That starts in the run game. You've got go back and look at the personnel, see what we're asking them to do. There's a lot we've got to evaluate, scheme, personnel, everything. I thought our guys competed hard for four quarters. They really did. We didn't always coach them good, at times we didn't play good and smart, but I thought our guys fought against a good Florida State team where there's not a lot of margin for error. Unfortunately we let one slip away. At the same time I think Florida State really took one from us too."
Were players out of position or didn't match up with talent: "I think a lot of variables go into it. We've got to coach them better. That's where it starts. I thought they got rapid momentum, made explosive plays and were able to run the ball in the second half. They got all the momentum and didn't get it back."
On Clemson's Tackling: "There it is again. It was poor. We've got to get a lot better at tackling."
On the three-man front: "It wasn't very good. That didn't work very good. We didn't perform like we hoped it would. It can get you a lot of things. It gives you a lot of flexibility, doesn't allow guys to climb quite as quickly, and get on the second level. They're athletic. They can get on the line of scrimmage. Get on your backers quick."
Are all jobs open now: "I think that's always a possibility whether you win or lose. You're always evaluating and trying to get better and find ways to get better."
On challenges: "Let's face it, this game is challenging, it's difficult, everyone's got players, everyone's got guys. We'll have to get a lot better for us to reach our goals this season. I think our attitude is good."
On E.J. Manuel: "I thought he played well. Competed well. I thought he got them in and out of some plays like an older, more mature quarterback would do. I thought he got them in some good plays, I thought he played good. I think we helped him too."
On the breakdowns in fundamentals: "It' s a lot of things. First and foremost it starts with me. What am I asking our guys to do? Why are they doing things in the running game, the passing game, tackling and cheap scores. Getting punched in the gut in the second half and running at will. There are things we have to examine."


text:
National Geographic World Atlas HD ($1.99)
In its World Atlas HD app for the iPad, National Geographic states it "utilizes our highest-resolution, press-ready images, providing you the same, rich detail, accuracy, and artistic beauty found in our award-winning wall maps and bound atlases." The map set, which pops beautifully on the bright, high-resolution display of the iPad, includes a globe (that you can spin!) and country-level resolution for the entire planet. When internet-connected, you may drill down (via Bing Maps) to street level. This maps app is a great educational tool for kids. Each nation has a pop-up flag and facts set. Be sure to get the HD version for the iPad.
My Topo Maps Pro by Trimble Outdoors ($4.99)
If you are an outdoors-person, and like to dream and plan trips with the help of topographic maps, My Topo Maps Pro by Trimble Outdoors for the iPad is a great solution. With this app, you may manage, download, and archive topo maps. The app includes 68,000 maps covering the U.S. and Canada, with 14,000 of them digitally enhanced and updated. With this app, you may view five different map types: topo of course, plus streets, hybrid satellite view, aerial photo, and terrain. You may download to your iPad an store as many maps as your iPad's memory will allow, so you don't need an internet connection to use the maps in the field.
The app also includes useful planning and navigation tools, including a multi-function digital compass, a search feature covering 10 million points of interest, and a ruler to measure the distance between two points.
You may also register for a free account to save trips to the Trimble Trip Cloud for storage and for syncing between devices.
Disney World Magic Guide (VersaEdge Software) ($4.99)
There are tons of Disney World apps, so the trick is finding the best one. I rank Disney World Magic Guide (VersaEdge Software) at the top of the class, as do many users, who rate this with four and five stars. This app includes interactive maps, dining info, menus, real-time wait-time stats, park hours, attraction info, search, GPS, and compass.
The dining feature, for example, lets you view full menus for all restaurants (250 of them), search for types of food, make reservations and more. The wait times feature lets you see and submit wait time stats for each ride. The hours & events feature makes it easy to schedule and get to activities that your family will enjoy.
Google Earth (Free)
The first thing to know about the Google Earth app, is that it is not Google Maps. Google earth is a global exploration and visualization tool, and is not intended for turn-by-turn navigation. As Google states, the Google Earth app lets you "fly around the planet" with a swipe of the finger. Google is constantly increasing its inventory of 3D imagery and aerial photography, so you are able to view most major global landmarks in 3D, pan-and-sweep glory. A tour guide feature takes you through a pre-programmed virtual tour of locations and trips. Great for the armchair explorer and for trip planning.
New York Subway Map (mxData Ltd.) (Free)
The New York Subway Map by mxData is yet another example of map app beautifully suited for the iPad. You get a nice wide view of the app's official Metropolitan Transportation Authority's maps, plus a route planner that identifies the fastest route, or the one with fewest train changes. You may also save favorite routes, search for a subway station (or for the station nearest you now) a route preview, and route alerts. Users rate it 4+.
AAA Mobile (Free)
If you're going to pay for a AAA membership, you might as well make the most of it, with the free AAA Mobile iPad app. This app includes all of the latest available AAA discounts, maps, gas prices, and driving directions. Information includes TripTik trip planning, AAA office locations, AAA-approved auto repair locations, AAA hotel ratings, and more.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Our Aims are to :
promote the responsible use and enjoyment of the Greenwich and Woolwich Foot Tunnels
work to ensure an adequate standard of maintenance, appearance and access to the tunnels
represent all users of the tunnels and promote their safe use
lobby for their growing importance as a transport facility
Your Views
The tunnels are regularly used by both pedestrians and cyclists, and we are planning to present to Greenwich Council some suggestions about how to ensure that the tunnels are a safe and pleasant experience for all users.
We want to know your views about this, so please go to our Survey page and vote for your preferred options before Friday 25th April.
We keep in touch and share information with our members using our Yahoo! email group. To join send a blank message to email@example.com
(Please note it may necessary to Copy and Paste this email address address into your regular email facility and send it from there rather than click on it directly)
Alternatively you can email us directly at email@example.com. Ian Blore, our Secretary is currently handling communications to this address.
We also have a Twitter account at : twitter.com/fogwoft


text:
Dirk finished with 35 points on 14-of-17 shooting.
When playing bad teams, the Bulls can be pretty exciting. Jimmy Butler starting and Taj Gibson returning helps too.
Marco Belinelli played hero again with a game-winning three against the Jazz.
Complete video highlights of Joakim Noah's triple-double.
A video look at Bulls vs. Pacers and two similar coaches.
The Bulls got within four points of the Pacers late in the fourth quarter on Monday night, but a missed call at the end of the game drew the ire of coach Tom Thibodeau.
Jimmy Butler catches a rare Bulls alley-oop
Another "Myface" request for Carlos Boozer
For the second game in a row, the Bulls came up with last-second game-winner in overtime. This time around, it was Marco Belinelli.
We'll email you a reset link.
If you signed up using a 3rd party account like Facebook or Twitter, please login with it instead.
You must be a member of Blog a Bull to participate.
We have our own Community Guidelines at Blog a Bull. You should read them.
You must be a member of Blog a Bull to participate.
We have our own Community Guidelines at Blog a Bull. You should read them.
Choose an available username to complete sign up.
In order to provide our users with a better overall experience, we ask for more information from Facebook when using it to login so that we can learn more about our audience and provide you with the best possible experience. We do not store specific user data and the sharing of it is not required to login with Facebook.


text:
August 2, 2014
December 18, 2012
More than two million Virginians are expected to hit the roads for the holidays.
AAA is predicting around 2.7 million people will travel 50 miles or more between December 22nd and January 1st.
This is a four percent increase over the historic average, but roughly 900 short of the record-setting numbers of 2010/2011 season.
"The fact that the number of Virginians expected to travel this year-end exceeds the decade high average by four percent illustrates the importance of being with loved ones for the holidays, regardless of a struggling economy," said Martha Mitchell Meade, Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic. "The recovery rate of the number of holiday travelers has once again out-paced the economic recovery."
AAA expects nearly 151,000 Virginians to travel by air, which is a 3.2 percent increase.


text:
October 2007
Just another game
I spoke to a few Tennessee fans this week that just weren't looking forward to the Vols' game against South Carolina on Saturday night.
Their lack of interest wasn't because they aren't die-hard fans -- they actually are -- or because they expect UT to lose. Actually, they said they expect the Vols to beat the Gamecocks.
They're not excited about the possibillity of a UT win because they don't believe it would be a sign of better things to come.
I understand their point.
UT beat Georgia 35-14 on Oct. 6. That dominant victory led us to believe UT had corrected many of its problems and had turned the corner to become a good SEC team. Two weeks later, the Vols were dominated by an inferior Alabama team.
The Vols very well could beat South Carolina on Saturday. They probably should win the game. But if they do, who knows if that positive outcome will carry over to their remaining games?
Here's what I'll be watching during Saturday's game:
The same rivalry with a little change
This Tennessee-Alabama game seems different than the most recent.
Maybe it's because of the strange season UT has had, starting out 1-2 and then rebounding with with three consecutive wins, including a decisive win over Georgia at home.
This game could seem different because of Nick Saban. The Crimson Tide head coach brings a different atmosphere to a football game than someone like Mike Shula. UT fans don't exactly like Saban, and they list many reasons for their distaste.
Another reason it seems different is the start time. The game starts at 12:30 p.m. eastern time, 11:30 a.m. local, and it will only be a regional broadcast. All of a sudden Florida-Kentucky is a bigger game as the Gators will take on the Wildcats on the national CBS broadcast.
Then again, maybe this game isn't so different. It's still a big rivalry game. It still means a lot to both teams, and both teams' performances could give us an idea of which direction the two sides are headed after Saturday.
That, and the two teams' fans can't stand those on the other side.
Here's what I'll be watching for during Saturday's game:
A new season outlook
The outlook for Tennessee's 2007 football season turned an about-face after of the Vols' 35-14 win against Georgia last Saturday.
UT fans entered the Georgia game not only questioning whether their team could win, but how bad the season might end up if they were to lose.
Well, not only did UT win against Georgia, the Vols dominated.
UT's running game set the tempo on its first drive, accounting for 55 of the team's 81 yards with Arian Foster scoring on a 9-yard run.
Along with UT's strong rushing performance, the defense shut down Georgia's running attack. Before the game, that was the biggest concern of Vol fans.
UT has new life with the win against Georgia and Florida's loss to LSU. The Vols are in the SEC East driver's seat and have a chance to play for an SEC championship game, an idea that seemed far less likely a week ago and almost impossible following their 59-20 loss to Florida.
UT still has a tough road to travel in the SEC, but its hardest portion of the schedule is in the rear view mirror. UT's next opponent is Mississippi State in Starkville on Saturday at 2:30 eastern time.
Here's what I'll be watching for during the game:
UT looks to stop Georgia's run at Neyland Stadium
No matter where you rank this game, Tennessee's matchup with Georgia at Neyland Stadium on Saturday is one of the biggest of the Phillip Fulmer era.
This UT team desperately needs a win against Georgia. The Vols are 0-1 in the SEC and 2-2 overall. Three weeks ago they were humiliated by Florida, losing to the Gators by 39 points.
UT has never beaten Georgia at home with Mark Richt serving as the Bulldogs' head coach. Georgia is 3-0 with Richt at Neyland.
Many UT fans have jumped ship and said they won't support Fulmer again. If UT loses to Georgia, there will be more that will fall in line with the same thinking.
A win against Georgia won't mean everything is right in Big Orange County, but it would show something positive has happened. That hasn't been the case in a while.
Here are a few things I'll be watching for during Saturday's game:
Continue reading "UT looks to stop Georgia's run at Neyland Stadium"


text:
QUESTIONS? Visit Sam Flax New York in-store for personalized attention where our experienced sales reps will assist in designing your own one-of-a-kind Herman Miller Classic furniture piece. See our Store Locations for more information.
PostureFit is an ergonomic device available as an option on the Aeron chair. It is made up of 3 elements: Butterfly pad, Wishbone frame & Adjustment knob.
The butterfly pad is the central element of the device. It's what supports the pelvis, allowing it to sustain a forward rotation, keeping it from rolling backwards into the void. It works in conjunction with the Pellicle suspension of the Aeron chair, molding to the user's contours to provide custom-fitted support. Unlike traditional lumbar where more support means more pressure, PostureFit offers gentle support, marrying to the contours of the body. The wishbone frame and the adjustment knob work together to control the degree of support the user requires. The wishbone frame also holds the butterfly pad in place and its shape complements the lines of the Aeron chair, enhancing its design. Like the Aeron chair, it is available in three sizes: A, B and C.
AE905C/G1 / Black / Specify PostureFit size to match your chair size


text:
Régis KRAEMER
Régis is in his thirties and involved in Mulhouse life, who suggests helping you to discover Mulhouse and its region so that you can be as surprised as he when he arrived here a few years ago!
Proposed themes:
- Hiking
- Urban tips
- City strolls
- Architecture
- Nightlife
Spoken languages:
After having lived from one end of France to the other and abroad, I came to Mulhouse in 2006 for professional reasons. At first reticent, little by little I discovered a city which deserves a better reputation that the one it too often has.
Mulhouse is a city one has to know how to "tame" and, once understood, can reveal a multitude of little treasures!
For the visitors I have the pleasure of meeting, I can suggest a wide variety of activities to meet everyone's tastes. I can also help you appreciate the walks in the various districts of Mulhouse in search of an original dwelling, exploring the surroundings, for instance the mountains. It is also quite possible to relax with a drink on a terrace discussing various subjects as well as doing out dancing in the evening! A multilingual native of Alsace, a lover of history, society subjects, liking going out and intercultural discussions, I am always impatient to meet people from various backgrounds!


text:
Let us finance
your dreams
We offer creative financing solutions
for investors, homeowners, entrepreneurs
and business owners.
First Advantage Capital offers specialized
financing such as hard money loans, fix
and flip loans, bridge loans, cross collateral
loans, home equity loans, commercial loans,
acquisition loans, and construction loans.
We can assist beginning real estate investors
with locating, researching and structuring
In foreclosure?
We help homeowners navigate the process
and develop creative solutions. We can
help you find the best options that are
right for your situation.
We also offer credit repair
and consulting services to help you get
back on track. We've seen it all and we're
here to help.
First Advantage Capital is a Colorado Springs-based
hard money lender and investment company. We specialize in fast, creative
funding solutions for real estate investors, homeowners, entrepreneurs
and business owners.
As a private hard money lender and investment firm, we can offer fast,
flexible programs tailored to individual needs and circumstances. We are
not restricted by the typical red tape and coporate banking policies that
often lead to a dead ends, closed doors and missed opportunities.
In short, we can say "YES" when banks say "NO."
In the mortgage and lending industry, short-term, asset-based financing
is typically referred to as "hard money." In reality, hard money
loans are the easiest form of financing to qualify for—we basically
qualify the asset, not you. Hard money loans are really "easy money
At First Advantage Capital, we have extensive experience with real
estate investments and are sensitive to the needs of individual
real estate investors. All lending decisions are made in-house and
we can often make an approval and a funding offer on the day you
to Us


text:
Rescued Pit Bull Saves 4-Year-Old Boy From Blood Sugar Crashthe daily dish
After a Minneapolis family rescued him, it didn't take TaterTot the Pit Bull long to return the favor. According KSMP-TV, the dog detected a drop in his new owner's blood sugar only a week after arriving at his new home.
Christi Smith adopted TaterTot from a local shelter and brought him home as a friend for her 4-year-old son, Peyton. Peyton and TaterTot bonded instantly, playing together from the moment the dog walked in the door.
Their bond was proven when TaterTot detected something odd happening to Peyton less than a week after arriving at the Smith house.
"He just seemed kind of weird," Smith recalled about Peyton's behavior. "He wasn't really coherent - deliriously tired."
TaterTot somehow knew it wasn't just a passing sickness. The 10-month-old dog began jumping on and licking the boy when he wouldn't wake up. Concerned by the dog's unusual behavior, Smith checked on her son.
"He kept on whining and barking and running between the two of us," Smith told KMSP. "I checked on him, and he was barely breathing."
Peyton was rushed to the hospital where his blood sugar was found to be dangerously low. Doctors said that without immediate medical attention, Peyton could have been seriously injured. They are unsure what caused the drop in blood sugar, since Peyton tested negative for diabetes, but they were able to get the boy stabilized and healthy.
Vets say that TaterTot might have detected ketones that Peyton was producing because of his low levels, or the dog might have sensed a change in the boy's electrical activity, similar to how dogs detect seizures.
Either way, Smith is certain that TaterTot saved her son. She originally planned to only foster TaterTot until she could find him a loving home, but after the Pit Bull's heroic actions, he is staying with the Smiths for good.
"I could have been one of those moms sitting there telling people how I lost my son," Smith said. Instead, she is a relieved mother and now the proud owner of a hero dog.
Add a Comment
I used to get mad at the stupidity and ignorance in this country, but now I just point and laugh. I've volunteered, fostered and adopted pit bulls for a good chunk of my life, and you know how many deadly and tragic events happened? 1. My two dogs attacked 6 poor pumpkin spice donuts that were meant for me and my fiance. The poor donuts... nothing was left.
If you raise a dog correctly, love it and treat it like it should be treated... it'll be the best friend you could ever want or need. If you treat a dog wrong, abuse it and show it aggression, yes, it can cause harm to people. Educate yourself before you speak/type, allow yourself time with these animals and I guarantee you you'll be better off because of it.
I am not surprised, I get so sick of hearing how bad, how dangerous, how...whatever, pitties are. they are the best of dogs. I do wish someone had come up with a better name for the breed. It invites criticism ! We should really change it to discourage BSL.October 09 2013 at 1:16 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Being a mother of a type 1 diabetic (and married to a man who's been diabetic for30 years) and a pit bull owner you negative people suck. First off low blood sugars do NOT give off ketones that's high blood sugars. They're from the body not producing enough insulin to brake down the proteins that we eat so they escape in through the kidneys. If this boy was low there is no way ANY breed could have smelled them. It's more then likely his liver wasn't working right because that how your body naturally evens it's blood glucose out (if your body produces to much insulin for food liver will release glucose to compensate). Maybe that dog just found his boy and knew something was wrong. Is it that hard to believe? If is was any other breed like " BLACK LAB SAVES BOY" would all you ass hats that seem to hate pits like Catholics hate gays be like "awww what a awesome story. that dog deserves the key to the city." I find it awesome that this dog could save this boy right on pup and go mom for rescuing a pup. Get over yourself everyone and stop being so close minded just because it was one of those evil dogs that us humans have abused. We have over breed them, we fight them, we cut their ears off, we don't feed them and then throw them in a shelter when we don't want them (or work with them) or kill them. Seems like to me the only evil breed here are human. DO REAL RESEARCH AND GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT!!!October 09 2013 at 10:24 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Real research? I'd like to see the citations for your interpretation of ketones.
For the sake of your family members and readers here, here are some scientific facts:
Ketones are very much a sign of low insulin. One of insulin's roles is to stop fat from being metabolized to yield energy. One of the problems of low insulin is that fat is being used for energy instead of sugar. Two of the signs of low insulin/fat metabolism is a distinctive sickly-sweet smell of breath (think overripe bananas), and difficulty breathing. That smell is of ketones, a byproduct of fat being broken down, not proteins. Trust me, even our puny human noses can often smell that.
My source? The American Diabetic Association here:
There are lots of others, if you don't trust them.
Not all Catholics hate gay people. A bit ironic that you are raging against people making sweeping generalisms about pit bulls, as you make such a pronouncement against Catholics...
What a good dog!October 09 2013 at 9:55 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
I'd rather leave my kid alone with some pit bulls before most people. Dogs are more trustworthyOctober 09 2013 at 9:14 AM Report abuse Permalink +2 rate up rate down Reply
OMG..some of you REALLY don't know anything about pit bulls! They can be harmless as a poodle or a killer. ANY dog can be either way! You should actually own one befor you say things like.."never leave it alone with a child" If people were training poodles to fight, everyone would be a against poodles too!October 09 2013 at 8:21 AM Report abuse Permalink +3 rate up rate down Reply
Parents better be careful-to have their son so close to this brand new pit bull is a no no.October 09 2013 at 8:03 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
I myself would NEVER leave my four year old child alone with a ten month Pit Bull. Especially one that came from a shelter. It's a disaster waiting for a time to happen.October 09 2013 at 7:08 AM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply
I myself would never leave my child alone with most humans, but I didn't see anywhere in the story where the dog had been hired as a babysitter. Any breed of dog can have aggression, especially if it has been mistreated. I love dogs, including pit bulls; they are beautiful.October 09 2013 at 9:39 AM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply
Pit bulls do not get an undeserved reputation. I've had and raised pit bulls in the past. They are completely unpredictable animals that were bred for a specific purpose and that purpose was not being a companion dog as the story made up in the 70's to try and get more pit bulls adopted from shelters. What this dog did is not different than any other breed in comparison. Dogs are more sensitive and can smell sickness on people. That same pit bull could unpredictable remove the boys face a couple of years down the road.October 09 2013 at 7:05 AM Report abuse Permalink +3 rate up rate down Reply
good puppy. i'm diabetic and my dogs wake me if things seem off. they are very in tuneOctober 09 2013 at 7:00 AM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply


text:
Former Dorchester County Sheriff Ray Nash is the latest Republican to enter the race for the vacant First Congressional Seat.
Nash is currently serving as the Criminal Justice Adviser for the US Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. He posted a statement on his Facebook page announcing his intention to fill the seat vacated by Tim Scott's appointment to the Senate. His statement reads as follows:
"Ray Nash, former Sheriff of Dorchester County, is resigning his position as the Criminal Justice Adviser for the US Embassy in Kabul to announce his candidacy for the First Congressional Seat vacated by Tim Scott. "Due to the recent attacks on our Constitutional freedoms, I was gravely concerned that I would no longer recognize my country upon my return," said Sheriff Nash, ret. "Then I realized I had a clear opportunity to do something about it by running for Congress."
Sheriff Nash will curtail his mission in Afghanistan, where he has served the government reform effort for the last three years, and return to the Lowcountry to campaign. "I am uniquely qualified to represent the citizens of the First District due to my 34 years in the law enforcement profession, over 20 years of executive leadership, my service as an elected Sheriff for 12 years, and my foreign service experience here in Afghanistan. I've been preserving, protecting, and defending the Constitution for over three decades. Now I have a chance to do it from a different perspective. I just need to wrap up a few things here, then I'll be home in a few days!"
Ray and his wife are both native South Carolinians and have lived in the Lowcountry for the last 26 years.
According to Sheriff Nash, our nation is facing a number of moral and constitutional crises, such as fiscal irresponsibility, unbridled government expansion, and assaults on 2nd Amendment protections. He believes solutions can be found in the principles of constitutional conservatism and he urges the voters of the First District to "send a Sheriff to Congress...!"
The filing period opens this Friday and continues to January 28 at noon.
Here's a look at who's entered the race so far.


text:
Safari Books Online is a digital library providing on-demand subscription access to thousands of learning resources.
Chapter 3 The Role Your Business Plan Plays Entrepreneurs and owners of businesses at all stages of growth know that ef- fective business planning is critical to a company's long-term success and its ability to raise capital. As a result, much has been written by bankers, account- ants, consultants, and academicians on the preparation of a business plan. Yet it seems that the more information there is, the more confused people get about what a business plan should include. There's no one "right answer." A busi- ness plan should tell a compelling story, make an argument, and conservatively predict the future, and companies have different stories to tell, different argu- ments to make, and different futures to predict. It has been said that failing to plan is planning to fail. Opportunity clearly favors the prepared mind. 47 American Management Association www.amanet.org


text:
It's over, at last. The worst season of Gator football, by record, in over thirty years. I think others were more miserable in feeling (2004, 2010 for instance) but records don't lie, normally.
We all know the story of this year, so the question is: where do we go from here? Was this a mere speedbump on the road back to glory, or something deeper? The sunshine pumpers will tell you that everything is in line for a monster recruiting class, and another year in the system will produce exponentially more competent players next season for the Gators. Chicken littles will tell you (more accurately, remind you) that at numerous points this season, the players and coaching staff displayed a collective incompetence that speaks to something much more sinister and worrisome than mere inexperience.
Who is right? I don't know. Probably a little of both. This isn't a 6-6 program, even with all of the problems, but this isn't going to be fixed overnight either. With this in mind and the external issues, I give you...
What: "All of This" by New Zealand band The Naked and Famous.
Why: Because, in the words of our now doubly-fired former coach, there's a lot of noise in the system right now. Listing all of the problems is almost staggering, really. I'll spare you the pain of reading them yet again (under 60 scholarship players!). It's all there and it's tearing us apart.
The Point:
All of this is tearing us apart
I don't know where us or this start
All of this is tearing us apart
I don't know where us or this start
I can't even begin to address how serious of a problem our scholarship situation is. It's massive and it's going to hurt us for years (note the plural form of that word). The basic rundown: currently the team sucks because it's severely lacking in both depth and upperclassmen. Desperate to fill the colossal holes in the depth chart, the coaches are going to sign a huge class this year. Very few of them will make a major impact in 2012 (hence next year's inevitable problems). Even in the long term this is damaging, because massive classes are almost always bad ideas. They create logjams for the classes immediately following, and they allow players to get lost in the shuffle (and subsequently transfer, furthering the depth issues). Unfortunately our scholarship situation is so severe, we basically have no choice but to sign a class bursting at the seams.
As the plans turn into compromise
The promises all turn to lies
The spite builds up and I can't get through
Passive me, aggressive you
To say that our plans for this season turned into compromises would be an understatement. "The plans turn into smoking wrecks of despair, doom and misery" would be more apt. I suddenly feel sorry for Tennessee fans for some reason.
Promises turning into lies? Oh, I don't know who I could possibly be thinking about now.
I know I nag. I moan, I know
But with a plan like this it's way too slow
In the time it took to get this bad
I could have made it work but all I had was
The hope that pieces would take shape
And we could watch them all fall into place
I know we're spoiled, nagging brats, Muschamp. I know it's so much harder to do your job than it looks. Don't blame us. We're infantile and impatient and brash and obnoxious. It's sort of our defining feature, really. We just weren't ready to be this bad this fast, nor were we ready for such a deep rebuilding job. We just wanted to move a couple pieces around and watch them all fall into place. Can you blame us?
To Will Muschamp
What: "Help Yourself" by Sad Brad Smith.
Why: Because despite all that message board nonsense, Gator Nation still wants to you to be the answer, Will. I think there are a number of things you could do personally that would help your cause. First, stop with the paranoia. Is whatever minor benefit you get from banning fans and media from practice worth the ill will it inspires in both shunned groups? Second, don't be so damn prickly all the time. Yes, losing sucks, but it distresses me more to see the head coach flustered at a press conference. There will be losses. Learn to handle them without devolving into a Killbot 2000 and people won't get so angry along with you. Lastly, smack Weis when he starts doing stupid things. I'm probably the last person clinging on to the Weis bandwagon, but even I will willingly admit he made a number of huge errors this year. You're the head coach. He has to listen to you.
The Point:
I know you'll help us when
You're feeling better and we realize
That it might not be for a long, long time
But we're willing to wait on you
We believe in everything that you can do
If you could only lay down your mind
I want you to try to help yourself
Of course, "a long, long time" in Gainesville is about a year, but it's all relative, right? Ultimately you're going to have to win, but until that happens (and I still believe it will) you could help yourself a great deal by making some fairly minor changes.
The Offense, 2011
What: "To The Dregs" by Wavves, a surf-punk band of garage rock vintage.
Why: BECAUSE THE OFFENSE WAS GREAT THIS YEAR. WHAT DO YOU MEAN "HORROR SHOW?" NANANANANANANA I CANT HEAR YOU NANANANANANANA I'M JUST RETRO ROCKING AND DRINKING AT THE BEACH NANANANANANANANA WHEEEEEEEE
The Point:
You see me I don't care
You see me I don't care
You see me I don't care
You see me I don't care
You see me I don't care
You see me I don't care
You see me I don't care
You see me I don't care
The Defense, 2011
What: "A Real Hero" by College feat. Electric Youth.
Why: Because this defense is the only thing between Florida an actual disaster of a season. I'm talking about three or four wins, maximum. It'll be lost in the carnage of this season, but this was a heroic effort. Considering the lack of seniors and depth, the new system and the youth all over the place, they were fantastic. As far as I can tell, they're generally younger than the 2007 unit which was torched regularly, but went on to become the rolling death machine we all knew and loved in 2008 and 2009. I know that past success is no indicator of future results, but you'll have to forgive me if I go a little overboard on the hype. This defense is the life raft in a sea of failure and incompetence. I'm going to cling to it until it sinks.
The Point:
Back against the wall and odds
With the strength of a will and a cause
Your pursuits are called outstanding
You're emotionally complex
Against the grain left to stop at claims
Not the thoughts your actions entertain
And you have proved to be
A real human being
And a real hero
Real human being
And a real hero
Real human being
And a real hero
Real human being
And a real hero
Real human being
[Paul Rhoads] I. AM. SO. PROUD. [/Paul Rhoads]
To Urban Meyer
What: "Shove It" by Santogold.
Why: Because I can forgive the lying. I can forgive taking another job this soon. I can forgive a lot of stuff. What I'm not going to forget is trying to take our recruiting coordinator two months before signing day. You're not just taking another job now, Urban, you're actively trying to screw us. Not to mention that it looks like you're starting your recruiting push by going down Muschamp's list. So take your "hard work" and shove it. We think you're a joke.
The Point:
We think you're a joke
Shove your hope where it don't shine
We think you're a joke
Shove your hope where it don't shine
Enjoy Columbus, Urbie. Best of luck to ya.
How to Spend the Offseason, Part One
What: The Electric Daisy Carnival in Vegas next (and every) summer. The song is "Seek Bromance" by Tim Berg.
Why: Sure, summer is a long way away, but dammit I want it now. Some people watch basketball. Some watch soccer (like...uhh...me). Some do weird stuff like work or read books or something. Others fantasize about music festivals they'll probably be too poor to afford attending anyway. Living the dream, guys.
The Point:
I think the video explains it all, right? If ingesting substances of various legalities and rolling (ahem) into a literal horde of gorgeous women, for the unique pleasure of having some European ninnies blow your eardrums with aural sex and blind you with otherworldly light shows in the middle of the night in Vegas doesn't sound fun, you clearly don't roll with the Troll.
So, how do you all plan to pass the long, dark voyage to next Fall? It's an arduous journey to September. Remember to pack extra socks.
(Yes, I know there's still the bowl game. Forgive me if I'm less than thrilled to watch UF fall to 6-7 against Clemson or tOSU).


text:
Updated February 1998
From "AFRICOVER land cover classification" (FAO, 1997).
1.1 Origin and objectives
For the last two years, FAO has been involved in the organization of the AFRICOVER project, whose goal is to establish for the whole of Africa, a digital geo-referenced database on land cover and a geographic reference (geodesy, toponomy, roads, hydrography) at a 1:200,000 to 1:250,000 scale (1:100,000 for small countries and specific areas). This base will also be generalized at a 1:1,000,000 scale, updated, made homogeneous and comparable/compatible from thematic and geographic points of view, for the whole African continent.
A further objective of AFRICOVER is to reinforce and to build up the national and sub-regional capacities for the establishment, update and operational use of geographic reference and land cover maps and geo-databases.
This project has been prepared in response to a number of national requests for assistance in the implementation of reliable and geo-referenced information on natural resources at sub-national, national and regional levels.
The analysis of national needs proved that no information system on resources, covering or supporting early warning, forest and rangeland monitoring, land use planning, catchment management, production of statistics, biodiversity or climate change, can do without reliable and homogeneous basic geographic information, showing both usual landmarks (infrastructure, settlement, hydrography) and land cover.
Hence, the purpose of AFRICOVER is to prepare this basic geographic information common to the information components of actual and future programs on natural resources in African countries.
1.2 Implementation of AFRICOVER
From a technical point of view, the preparation of AFRICOVER products depends essentially on remote sensing data and geographic information systems (GIS).
The land cover will be mainly derived from visual interpretation of recent high resolution satellite images digitally enhanced. This will be carried out according to a homogenized and hierarchical classification system. The geographic reference will be derived from existing topographic maps and updated from remote sensing documents and ground surveys geo-referenced with GPS points. The geometrical base, which will be used as a reference, will depend on the quality of the geodetic network and on the topographic maps. It may be either the existing topographic maps themselves, or the satellite images geo-coded with GPS measurements and using spatiotriangulation techniques, when possible. In order to maximize the synergy and the scale savings, the cartographic methods will use techniques optimizing the teamwork and allowing task division, such as a multiphase approach.
From an operational point of view, the cartography will be carried out by a national team, with the assistance of specialized international experts, originating, when possible, from other African countries. Several fully compatible approaches could be considered for the implementation of the project in the different countries, depending on countries and sub-regions:
The final users of AFRICOVER will be technicians and decision-makers involved in natural resource management and monitoring at regional, national and sub-national levels, e.g. ministries (Planning, Rural Development, Environment, Statistics, Agriculture, Forest, Fisheries, Water, etc.), international organizations of development (United Nations, World Bank, European Union, FIDA, etc.), intergovernmental organizations (IGAD, SADC, CILSS, OACT, etc.), bilateral cooperating agencies, non-governmental organizations and national private operators.
The FAO objective is to assist in the preparation (technical, institutional and financial arrangements) and the technical monitoring of AFRICOVER.
Beyond this technical assistance function, FAO offers to act as a normalization and labeling agency for AFRICOVER: this role will consist in defining in detail, in the framework of international working groups, the standards to be applied in all African countries in terms of information, tools, analysis methods and utilization procedures. This standardization will greatly integrate the national and sub-regional specific needs and it is absolutely necessary, from a technical point of view, in order to ensure homogenization and a better distribution of final products (databases and maps), as well as important scale savings for production, update and use of geo-referenced data on resources. FAO will guarantee that these standards are respected and will deliver an AFRICOVER label. FAO could eventually be involved as executing (or co-executing) agency for the project, on request of individual countries and sub-regions.
The budget of each national component of the project ranges between 1 and 2.5 US$/km2 depending on the countries and approaches to be used.
The time is estimated between three and five years.
1.3 Present state of AFRICOVER
AFRICOVER proposal was approved in principle in July 1994 by an international consultation at the ECA headquarters, Addis Ababa, which was attended by representatives of eight African countries, 8 sub-regional organizations (IGADD, SADC, CILSS, RCSSMRS, OACT, CRTO, CRTEAN, RECTAS), 4 United Nations organizations (UNEP, UNDP, FAO, UNITAR) and 19 international and national organizations.
In parallel, detailed inquiries and studies were conducted within each African country, in order to assess national and regional capacities, the available maps and data, the future and in progress projects/programs which could be linked with AFRICOVER, as well as final users needs.
Today, the East-African sub-region (11 countries of the Nile Basin: Burundi, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zaire) is just starting the implementation of the project, due to a financing of 5.4M US$ provided by the Italian government. This execution will follow mainly a regional approach. For this sub-region, FAO will also act as executing agency of the project.
For the other sub-regions and countries, negotiations are in progress between the different African partners and many sponsors or collaborating agencies (French Cooperation, European Union, GTZ, CIDA, World Bank). All approved the principle of AFRICOVER, and intend to participate at the level of the different countries. FAO is also assisting the World Bank with the technical preparation of important environmental information projects, in particular in Ivory Coast and in the Central Africa sub-region (the REIMP project), which would include the AFRICOVER products.
A number of African countries (Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo, Zimbabwe) have already sent official requests; while other countries have requests under way within the different ministries. Several countries such as Senegal and Tunisia have built-up national AFRICOVER Working Groups which started with the formulation of project documents according to the national approach.
Finally, FAO has established three international working groups (1. Legend and Classification, 2. Geometry and Topography, and 3. Technical Methods). The first one of these will be responsible for developing the standardized methodology for definition and classification of land cover for the entire AFRICOVER project and for drawing up specifications for the database to be used. The AFRICOVER project will, therefore, be the first project to use a standardized land cover classification system at continental scale.
1.4 Context of technical study on AFRICOVER land cover classification
The AFRICOVER initiative on the definition of a Land Cover Classification was initiated during the expert consultation held in Addis Ababa, in July 1994.
The Working Group on Classification and Legend which was set up has the task to define a standardized classification which could be used for mapping land cover in all African countries. This classification should meet the following requirements:
Since this expert consultation, a user definition study has been held in 27 African countries to evaluate the information requirements and the priority classes to be mapped within the project. The latter survey clearly indicated the importance of cultivated cover types. This survey also included an extensive review of existing maps and databases on land cover and land use existing in Africa. This data is now stored in the geo-metadatabase.
Several papers and preliminary reports (Nègre, Barisano) were prepared in which the existing classification/legends were analyzed, drafts of nomenclatures were submitted and proposals made for the standardized classification.
Many discussion were held between members of the working group to discuss and review the main land cover features which can be seen on high resolution satellite imagery.
Finally, the cooperation between the working group and the FAO/UNEP/ITE/ITC /WCMC initiative should be mentioned. At a meeting in Rome early last year, the approaches of AFRICOVER and FAO/UNEP/ITE/ITC/WCMC, which were developed in parallel, merged into one common approach.
2.1 Land cover and land use
The distinction between land cover and land use is fundamental. In previous classifications and legends the two were often confused. They are now defined as follow:
Land cover is the observed physical cover, as seen from the ground or through remote sensing, including the vegetation (natural or planted) and human constructions (buildings, roads, etc.) which cover the earth's surface. Water, ice, bare rock or sand surfaces count as land cover.
Land use is based upon function, the purpose for which the land is being used. Thus, a land use can be defined as a series of activities undertaken to produce one or more goods or services. A given land use may take place on one, or more than one, piece of land and several land uses may occur on the same piece of land. Definition of land use in this way provides a basis for precise and quantitative economic and environmental impact analysis and permits precise distinctions between land uses, if required.
2.2 Classification and legend
Classification is an abstract representation of the situation in the field using well-defined diagnostic criteria, the so-called classifiers. SOKAL (1974) defined it as the ordering or arrangement of objects into groups or sets on the basis of their relationships. A classification system describes the names of the classes and the criteria used to distinguish them.
From the above, it follows that a classification should be:
2.2.1 Classification structure
126.96.36.199 Hierarchical system
Classification systems come in two basic formats, i.e., hierarchical or non-hierarchical. A hierarchical classification offers more flexibility with the ability to accommodate different levels of information, starting with broad-level classes which are structured to allow further sub-division into more detailed sub-classes.
188.8.131.52 A-priori and a-posteriori systems
Classification can be done in two ways, i.e. a-priori and a-posteriori. An a-priori classification is based on classes defined before actual data collection takes place. This means that all possible combinations of classifiers must be dealt with in the classification system. Basically, in the field each sample plot is identified and labeled according to the classification system adopted using a kind of dichotomous key approach. This method is used extensively in plant taxonomy (flora) and soil science. The main advantage of a-priori classification is that classes are standardized independent of the area to be described and the means used.
A-posteriori classification means that classes are defined after clustering similarity or dissimilarity of samples. The Braun-Blanquet method is an example of this approach. The advantage of this type of classification is its flexibility compared to the implicit rigidity of the a-priori classification. On the other hand, because a-posteriori classification depends on the area described it is unable to define standardized classes.
2.2.2 Legend
A legend is the application of a classification in a particular area using a defined mapping scale and a particular data set. Therefore, a legend may contain only a proportion, or sub-set, of all possible classes of the classification. Thus, a legend has the following characteristics:
3.1 General criteria for a standard land cover classification
A standard classification should meet the following general criteria:
Many classification systems are being used throughout the world. However, there is no single internationally accepted land cover classification system. With reference to the factors listed above, the following points can be made:
3.3 The AFRICOVER land cover classification scheme
3.3.1 Conceptual basis
The general criteria as explained in paragraph 3.1 are the conceptual basis for the proposed classification system. The main conditions to fulfill are:
To fulfill these requirements two problems arise:
In addition, the free combination of the whole set of classifiers involved would lead to an enormous number of combinations (which are, in most cases, not present in the field).
The fulfillment of all these requirements, without incurring in the problems mentioned above, is the objective of the proposed method.
3.3.2 Design criteria
The classification is designed according to two main phases:
A dichotomous phase where a simple sub-division is made in order to define eight major land cover types (see paragraph 126.96.36.199), from which point:
a so-called modular-hierarchical phase starts. In this phase the creation of a land cover class is based on the combination of a set of pre-defined classifiers. These classifiers are tailored to each of the eight major land cover types (see paragraph 188.8.131.52).
The tailoring allows the use of most appropriate classifiers to define land cover classes derived from the major land cover types and at the same time reduces the total number of impractical combinations of classifiers.
This results in a class defined by a Boolean formula showing each classifier used, a unique number for the geographical database, and a name which can be both the provided standard name or user-defined.
18.104.22.168 Dichotomous phase
As stated above a dichotomous key is used at the main level of classification to define the major land cover classes.
At the main level a distinction is made between:
- A. Vegetated areas: areas which have a vegetative cover (which may consist of woody, herbaceous, trees, shrubs, forbs, graminoids, mosses/lichens) of at least 4 percent during at least two months of the year. This class is determined by the presence of vegetation and the time factor of vegetation present.
- B. Non-Vegetated areas: areas which have a total vegetative cover of less than 4 percent during at least 10 months of the year. This class is determined by the time factor of absence of vegetation.
At the second level a distinction is made in:
- A1. Vegetated Terrestrial: vegetation is influenced by the edaphic substratum which is terrestrial. This class is determined by the vegetation, cover, time factor of vegetation present and edaphic condition.
- A2. Aquatic or Regularly Flooded Vegetated Land: the environment is significantly influenced by the presence of water over extensive periods of time, i.e., water is present for more than three months a year and when water is present less than three months a year, it is present 75 percent of the flooding time. This class is determined by vegetation, cover, time factor of vegetation present and edaphic condition.
- B1. Terrestrial Non-Vegetated: the cover is influenced by the edaphic condition which is terrestrial. This class is determined by the absence of vegetation, cover, time factor of absence of vegetation and edaphic condition.
- B2. Aquatic or Regularly Flooded Non-Vegetated Land: the environment is significantly influenced by the presence of water over extensive periods of time, i.e., water is present for more than three months a year. This class is determined by absence of vegetation, cover, time factor of absence of vegetation and edaphic condition.
These distinctions result at the third level in eight major Land Cover Categories:
220.127.116.11 Modular-hierarchical phase
- A11. Cultivated Terrestrial: areas where the natural vegetation has been removed or modified and replaced by different types of vegetative cover resulting from anthropic activities. This vegetation is artificial and requires human activities to be maintained over the long-term. In between the human activities, the surface can be temporarily without vegetative cover. Its seasonal phenological appearance can be regularly modified by humans (e.g., irrigation). All vegetation that is planted or cultivated with the intent to harvest is included in this class (e.g. wheat fields, orchards, rubber and teak plantations). This class is determined by vegetation, cover, time factor of vegetation present, edaphic condition and artificiality of vegetative cover.
- A12. Natural and Semi-Natural Vegetation: natural vegetated areas are defined as areas where the vegetative cover is in balance with abiotic and biotic forces of its biotope. Semi-natural vegetation is defined as vegetation not planted by humans but influenced by human actions. These may result from grazing, possibly overgrazing, the natural phytocenoses, or else from practices such as selective logging in a natural forest whereby the floristic composition has been changed, also previously cultivated areas which have been abandoned and where vegetation is regenerating are included. The human disturbance may be deliberate or inadvertent. Semi-natural vegetation thus includes vegetation due to human influences, but which has recovered to such an extent that species composition and environmental and ecological processes are indistinguishable from, or in a process of, achieving, its undisturbed state. The vegetative cover is not artificial in contrast classes A11 and A24 and it does not require human activities to be maintained over the long term. This class is determined by vegetation, cover, time factor of vegetation present, edaphic condition and natural cover.
- A23. Cultivated Aquatic: areas where an aquatic crop is purposely planted, cultivated and harvested which is standing in water over extensive periods during its cultivation period (e.g. paddy rice, tidal rice and deep-water rice). In general, it is the emerging part of the plant which is fully or partly harvested. Other plants (e.g., for purification of water) are free-floating. They are not harvested but they are maintained. This class excludes irrigated cultivated areas. This class is determined by vegetation, cover, time factor of vegetation present, edaphic condition and artificiality of vegetative cover.
- A24. Natural and Semi-Natural Aquatic Vegetation: areas where the vegetative cover is significantly influenced by water and dependent on flooding (e.g., mangroves, marches, swamps and aquatic bed). Occasionally flooded vegetation within a terrestrial environment is not included in this class. Natural Vegetated Aquatic habitats are defined as biotopes where the vegetative cover is in balance with the influence of biotic and abiotic forces. Semi-Natural Aquatic vegetation is defined as a vegetation which is not planted by humans, but which is influenced directly by human activities which are undertaken for other unrelated purposes. Human activities (e.g., urbanization, mining, agriculture) may influence abiotic factors (e.g. water quality), which influence the species composition of the vegetation. Further, vegetation is included in this class which developed due to human activities, but which recovered to such an extent that it is indistinguishable from the former state, or, which build up a new biotope which is in balance with the present environmental conditions. A distinction between Natural and Semi-Natural Aquatic Vegetation is not always possible because human activities far away from the habitat may create chain reactions which ultimately disturb the aquatic vegetative cover. Human activities may also take place voluntarily to compensate reactions as described above with the aim of keeping a "natural" state. This class is determined by vegetation, cover, time factor of vegetation present, edaphic condition and natural cover.
- B15. Built-up and Associated Areas: areas which have an artificial cover which is the result of human activities such as construction (cities, towns, transportation), extraction sites (open mines and quarries) and waste disposal sites. This class is determined by absence of vegetation, cover, time factor of absence of vegetation, edaphic condition and artificiality of cover.
- B16. Bare Areas: areas which do not have an artificial cover resulting from human activities. These areas include areas with less than 4 percent vegetative cover. Included in this class are bare rock areas and deserts. This class is determined by cover, time factor of absence of vegetation and edaphic condition.
- B27. Artificial Water Bodies: areas which are covered by water due to the construction of artifacts such as reservoirs, canals and artificial lakes. Without these the area would not be covered by water. This class is determined by absence of vegetation, cover, time factor of absence of vegetation and edaphic condition.
- B28. Inland Water: in the case of rivers, the lack of vegetation cover is often due to high flow rates and/or steep shores. In the case of lakes, their geological origin affects the life conditions for aquatic vegetation. The following circumstances might cause water surfaces to be without vegetation cover: depth, rocky basins, rocky and/or steep shorelines, infertile washed-in material, hard and coarse substrates. This class is determined by cover, time factor of absence of vegetation and edaphic condition.
In this phase the creation of the Land Cover Class is given by the combination of a set of pre-defined pure land cover classifiers. This set of classifiers is different for each of the eight main land cover types and this difference is due to the tailoring of the classifiers to their respective type. This type of classifier can be combined with attributes. Two types of attributes are considered:
- environmental and/or other types of attributes; and
- specific technical attributes, e.g., floristic, crop type and soil type.
The user is obliged to start with the pure land cover classifiers. However, the user can stop at any time depending on the level of detail required and he/she can derive a land cover class. Further definition of this class can be achieved by adding a combination of any of the other types of attributes.
Due to the fact that the classification is designed for mapping purposes (the system gives high priority to mapability), the user needs to follow specific rules:
- a higher level must be fulfilled before going to a lower level (as the mapability is high at high levels and decreases at lower levels);
- within each level there are essential pure land cover classifiers (in the figures in bright green), plus a further subdivision (in the figures of the modular-hierarchical phase in light blue) which defines in greater detail the class. The latter type of classifier is optional and does not need to be fulfilled;
- all essential classifiers within one level should be determined before going to a lower level;
- at any time within a level the user can stop and a mutually exclusive class is defined;
- all land cover classes defined in such way are hierarchically arranged;
- at any time the user can further define the land cover class using environmental and/or specific technical attributes;
- each land cover class is defined by a Boolean formula (combination of classifiers used), a unique code (numerical) and a name (nomenclature);
- the land cover class can be combined with environmental and/or specific technical attributes at any level. The attributes will add a second, separate, code to the land cover class.
3.3.4 Advantages of the adopted method
From a conceptual point of view, the advantages of the proposed classification are:
From a practical point of view:
Parallel to the development of the classification scheme a prototype classification software has been developed. This software is intended, at this stage, to show the advantages of the conceptual basis adopted, as well as to show it as a useful tool combined with on-screen image interpretation. The purpose of this software is also to demonstrate that the adopted system is flexible and allows the user, at almost any level of the system, to ask for the class name, its code and string of classifiers. It also enables the user to add attributes to the land cover code.
The software begins at the dichotomous phase where one derives the main land cover type. At this phase no classifiers are used. Dependent on the land cover type selected, the user enters the modular-hierarchical phase where the classifiers are defined.
In this phase the selection of one classifier at a high level may have consequences for the options available at a lower level. The system is built up in such a way that automatically choices which are no longer valid in connection with a chosen classifier at a high level become inactive. As the system will be used in several countries by different teams, data consistency needs to be guaranteed. The user can ask for the land cover class at any level and store its Boolean formula, its code and class name in a file named "legend". Any user having derived a certain class will store the same Boolean formula and the same code. The class name can be the given class name or may be user-defined.
For every mapping unit the user goes again through the same sequence of screens to derive the land cover class which is subsequently stored in the "legend". To facilitate the interpretation process, selection of the land cover class for a repeatedly occurring mapping unit can be done directly from the "legend" file.
Together with the Boolean formula and class code, the interpretation level is also stored in the "legend". This has the advantage that the field surveyor can directly comprehend where more field information is needed. This will assist the selection of field sampling. As already explained, the field survey concentrates on defining the class classifier per classifier.
Literature and internet pages consulted
Anderson, J.R., et al., 1976 - A Land Use and Land Cover Classification System for Use with Remote Sensor Data. Geological Survey Prof Pap 964. U.S Govt Print Off, Washington DC, 28 pp.
Ashton, P., M. Ashton , 1975 - The classification and mapping of Southeast Asian ecosystems -Transactions of the 4th Aberdeen-Hull Symposium on Malaysian Ecology - Aberdeen, UK -pp 103.
Baltaxe, R., 1980 - Système Mondial de Surveillance Continue de l'Environnement. Projet pilote Cameroun, Bénin, Togo - FAO - Rome, Italy - pp 84, 75 and 117.
Barisano, E. and S. Braunstein, 1996 - Proposal for a landcover legend for Africa (AFRICOVER).
Bekker, R.P. and P.V. de Wit, 1991 - Contribution to the vegetation classification of Botswana - FAO/UNDP/Rep of Botswana - Gaborone, Botswana - pp 66.
Belward, A., 1994 - The IGBP-DIS global 1Km land-cover data set: A validation strategy proposal. Draft version Oct. 94 - European Commission's Joint Research Centre - Ispra, Italy.
Belward, A.. and T. Loveland, 1995 - The IGBP-DIS 1 Km Land-Cover Project - European Commission's Joint Research Centre - Ispra, Italy.
Blasco, F. and P. Legris, 1989 - Classification and mapping of vegetation types in tropical Asia. FAO - Rome, Italy - pp 169.
Boughey, A.S., 1957 - The physiognomic delineation of West African vegetation types. J. West African Sc. Ass 3: 148-165.
CCAS, 1956 - C.S.A. specialist meeting on phytogeography. Yangambi July 28 - August 8 - C.C.T.A. 22: 1-40.
CCD, 1995 - United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification - published by UNEP Information Unit for Conventions - pp 71.
Centre National des techniques Spatiales, Algérie - Recommandations du séminaire Désertification/Afrique du Nord - Arzew 17-19 Janvier 1993.
CESD Communautaire - Statistical cartography. Land Use. Technical specifications -Luxembourg - pp 32.
Cole, M.M., 1982 - The influence of soils, geomorphology and geology on the distribution of land communities in savanna ecosystems. In: B. J. Huntley and B.H. Walker (eds), Ecology of Tropical Savannas. Springer, Berlin pp 145-175.
de Bie, C.A., J.A. van Leeuwen and P.A. Zuidema, 1996 - The Land Use Database: A Knowledge Based Software Program for Structured Storage and Retrieval of User-Defined Land Use Data Sets. User's Reference. Includes software diskette.
de Leeuw, J. and K. de Bie, 1995 - The land cover data base: concepts and data-model - presented in Moscow, August 95 - pp 14.
Di Gregorio, A., 1991 - Technical Report on Land Cover Mapping of Lebanon. FAO project NECP/LEB/001/SAU. pp 24.
Direction et Contrôle des grands travaux, 1989 - Abidjan: carte des modes d'occupation des sols -MOS Etat 1989 (extraits) - Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.
Eiten, G., 1968 - Vegetation Forms - A classification of vegetation based on structure, growth form of the components, and vegetative periodicity. Bol. Inst. Bot. 4. Sao Paulo: 33 pp.
ESRI/The Nature Conservancy, 1994 - NBS/NPS Vegetation Mapping Program. Standardised National Vegetation Classification System. Final draft - USDI - Washington, USA
Euromed, 1993 - Le projet Medgeobase Tunisie - Commission des Communautés Européennes, DG XI - pp. 49.
FAO, 1995 - Forest resources assessment 1990 - Global synthesis - FAO Forestry Paper 124 -Rome, Italy - pp 91.
FAO, 1994 - Africover proposal - Working group on land cover classification and legends. Report and Recommendations - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - pp 7.
FAO, 1994 - Projet AFRICOVER: "Dossier de présentation" - Rome, Italy.
FAO, 1993 - Guidelines for the design of agricultural investment projects - FAO investment centre technical paper 7 - Rome, Italy - pp 177.
FAO, 1993 - Forest resources assessment 1990 - Tropical countries - FAO Forestry Paper 112 -Rome, Italy - pp 102.
FAO, 1991 - Forest resources assessment 1990 project: Monitoring Methodology - FAO Field Document - Rome, Italy - pp 45.
FAO, 1991 - Guidelines Land Evaluation Extensive Grazing. Soils Bull. 58:158 pp.
Fontès, J. and S. Guinko, 1995 - Carte de la végétation et de l'occupation du sol du Burkina Faso -Notice explicative. ICIV. Toulouse, France.
Fuller, R.M. et al., 1995 - Darwin initiative: computers in terrestrial ecology, Sango Bay, Uganda - Final report - ITE - Huntingdon, UK - pp 13 and Appendix A.
Gillison, A.N. and D.J. Anderson, 1981 - Vegetation classification in Australia - proceedings of CSIRO workshop in Canberra, Australia, Oct 1978 - pp 229.
Grunblatt, J. et al., 1989 - A hierarchical approach to vegetation classification in Kenya - in Afr. J. Ecolo. vol 27, pp 45-51.
Howard, J.A. and D. Lantieri, 1987 - Vegetation classification, land systems and mapping using SPOT multispectral data. FAO technical paper - pp 12.
Howard, J.A. and J. Schade, 1982 - Toward a standardised hierarchical classification of vegetation for remote sensing - FAO Remote Sensing Series 11 - Rome, Italy- pp 30.
ITE, 1995 - Letter to J. Latham: Land cover classification bibliography.
ITE/UNEP/FAO - Glossary of Land Cover Attributes - Draft version - 29 June 1995.
ITE/WCMC. Harmonisation of Global Land Nomenclatures (GGNLCLU).
Kennedy, P., 1994 - Designing a system of nomenclature for European forest mapping - Proceedings Joint Research Centre, European Forest Institute - Joensuu, Finland - pp 455.
Kuchler, A.W. and I.S. Zonneveld, 1988 - Vegetation mapping - Handbook of Vegetation Science v. 10. Dordrecht, Netherlands - pp 635.
Lantieri, D., 1990 - Utilisation de la télédétection pour la cartographie des ressources naturelles dans les pays en developpement, papier technique - FAO.
Lantieri, D., 1993 - Remote sensing and its application to investment project identification and preparation, pp 62. FAO publication.
Lantieri, D., 1993 - Use of remote sensing for development projects assisted by the World Food Programme. WFP/FAO publication - pp 16.
Latham, J., 1983 - Utilisation of remote sensing and field data for the production of agricultural statistics on crop acreage (Excerpts) - FAO Remote Sensing Centre - Rome, Italy.
Lund, G., 1994 - Guidelines for the use of digital imagery for vegetation mapping. Draft report -USDA - Washington, USA.
Lund, H., 1995 - FGDC vegetation (classification) standards - Version 31 July 1995 - USDA -Washington, USA - pp 14.
Milligton, A., 1994 - Estimating woody biomass in sub-Saharan Africa (excerpts) - The World Bank - Washington, USA.
Mulder, P. and M. Clabaut, 1993 - STRING: Annexe A, Base de données cartographiques - OSS -pp 64.
NASA, 1995 - Landsat Pathfinder Program - Information from Internet WWW - pp 7.
Negre, T., 1995 - Report of the Preparatory Mission: Outlines for the AFRICOVER Classification System. Draft Document. FAO, Internal Document. pp 47.
Paivinen, R. et al., 1993 - IUFRO international guidelines for forest monitoring - Draft report -pp 37.
Popov, G.B. et al., 1991 - Etude écologique des biotopes du criquet pélerin - PRIFAS Collection Les Acridiens - Montpellier, France - pp 743.
Rosenholm, D., 1993 - Land use and vegetation mapping by satellite: SSC satellitbild experiences 1987-1993 - in ITC journal 1993-3 - pp 251-260.
Schomaker, M., 1995 - Fax including land-cover legends for Nigeria - UNEP - Nairobi, Kenya.
SCOT Conseil et al., 1992 - Etude de mise en place du CNTIG, Madagascar: Annexe 7, Nomenclature de cartes thématiques existantes.
Sims, D., 1995 - Background Note On Ongoing Activities Relating to Land Use and Land Cover Classification. FAO, Internal Document, Rome. pp. 7.
Sokal, R., 1974 - Classification: Purposes, Principles, Progress, Prospects - in Science vol.185, number 4157 - pp 111-1123.
Toe, E., Monitoring and Evaluation of temporary protection of vegetation - Bam province, Burkina Faso - page 20 and 36.
Thompson, M., 1994 - A standard land-cover classification for remote sensing applications in south Africa - CSIR - Pretoria, South Africa - pp 22.
Turner, B.L., R.H. Moss and D.L. Skole (Eds.), 1993 - Relating Land Use and Global Land Cover Change: A Proposal for an IGBP-HDP Core Project. Joint Report of the IGBP, Rep. No. 24 and HDP, Rep. No. 5. Stockholm, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Exerpt on http://www.ciesin.org/docs/002-105/002-105.html.
Turner, B.L., D.L. Skole, D., Sanderson, S. Fischer, G. Fresco, L.O. and R. Leemans (Eds.) 1996, Land Use and Land Cover Change Science/Research Plan. Joint Report of the IGBP, Rep. No. 35 and HDP, Rep. No. 7.http://pathfinder-www.sr.unh.edu/lucc/scienceplan.html.
Ugandan Forestry Department, 1994 - The national biomass study: Evaluation mission - Kampala, Uganda - pp 11-13.
UNEP - Terms of reference for a Corporate Contract between UNEP and ITE: Harmonisation of nomenclature for recording land use and land cover globally.
UNESCO, 1973 - International classification and mapping of vegetation - Paris, France - pp 32.
U.S. Geological Survey, 1996 - Global Change Research Program. Http://geochange.Er.Usgs.Gov/pub/info/ html/elements/landchar.html.
U.S. Geological Survey, 1996 - Land Data Directory, Catalog and Inventory Systems Development - Global Land Information System (GLIS). http://geochange.er.usgs.gov/pub/info/html/nmd/glis/html.
van Gils, H.A.M.J., 1989 - Legends of landscape ecological maps, ITC Journal 89/1: 41-48.
van Gils, H. et al., 1991 - The evolution of the ITC system of rural use and land cover classification (LUCC) in ITC Journal 1991-3 - pp 163-167.
van Gils, H., 1993 - Vegetation classification: a review for harmonisation of maps - presented at Charlottesville, USA - pp 29.
Walter, H., 1985 - Vegetation of the Earth - Third edition - Heidelberg Science Library - Berlin, Germany - pp 318.
Webb, L.T., 1959 - Physiognomic classification of Australian rain forest - Ecology 47: 55-70.
White, F., 1983 - The vegetation of Africa - A descriptive memoir to accompany the UNESCO/ EATFAT/ UNSO vegetation map of Africa - UNESCO - Paris, France - pp 356.
Wyatt, B. et al., 1994 - Comparisons of Land Cover definitions - Final report - ITE project TO2071b1.
Wyatt, B. et al., 1990 - Comparison of Land-Cover definitions - Countryside 1990 series - vol. 3 -ITE, Department of the Environment - UK - pp 131 - includes diskette.
Young, 1994 - Towards international classification systems for land use and land cover - A preliminary proposal prepared for UNEP and FAO - FAO - Rome, Italy - pp 45.
Further information
Chief, Environmental Information and Natural Resources Service (SDRN)
FAO Research, Extension and Training Division
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome, Italy


text:
Police say three Rapid City teens are responsible for breaking a number of windows at two south-side schools.
The boys—ages 17, 14 and 14—were arrested around 1 a.m. this morning after they smashed about 20 windows at Robbinsdale Elementary and several doors and windows at South Middle School.
Community Relations Specialist Tara Heupel says that police found four suspects, but only three were arrested.
She says the teens did about $4,000 in damage.


text:
THE FAMILY TABLE: Vegetables from grill tasty, eye-catching
SAN ANGELO, Texas - Here are some tips to grill vegetables with a minimum of fuss for maximum flavor:
1.Remember different vegetables have different cooking times. Sliced eggplant will cook faster than sliced potatoes. Personal preference also influences cooking time — I like my vegetables tender, but still slightly crisp. Whatever time you cook, keep a close watch on vegetables. The caramelizing of sugars can lead to burning. You want to rescue the vegetable before it's too burned. Most vegetables cook under 10 minutes.
2. Cut vegetables into uniform sizes. If one edge is thinner than the other, or if a few vegetables on the skewer are chunkier than others, you will get uneven results.
3. Cut vegetables to expose the largest surface area if you're cooking straight on the grill. For example, instead of sliced zucchini into circles, slice them lengthwise. Cut bell peppers in wide long strips.
4. Marinating vegetables adds flavor and keeps them from sticking to the grill. You can use store bought marinades or salad dressing or make your own. Marinate for about an hour so that flavors infuse the vegetables.
5. If you don't marinate, brush the vegetables with heart-healthy olive oil and season with some salt and pepper. Try different herbs and spice mixes for extra flavor.
One of my favorite pastimes of the summer is cooking on the grill. I bet most of you are already thinking of your favorite kind of meat to grill, but me, I'm thinking of vegetables. Don't get me wrong, I do grill meat (from lamb chops to sausages), but it's the vegetables I look forward to. Summer offers a rainbow of vibrant and delicious vegetables. I can pick tomatoes, bell peppers and eggplant from my garden, or buy some wonderful onions and squash from the Concho Valley Farmer's Market. Grilling adds a smoky depth to the vegetables, and brings out their inner sweetness.
Some people like to use special grill baskets or pans, which hold all the vegetables, but you don't have to. My mother-in-law often throws together a foil packet of seasoned sliced potatoes, onions and peppers and cooks them on the grill alongside the steaks.
I like to cook vegetables right on the grill where the fire can leave scorch marks and you can breathe in the mouthwatering aromas. You can thread vegetables on to a skewer to make a kebab, which is convenient and pretty. You can also place a wire cooling rack over the grill and lay your vegetables on that. Or you can simply cut the vegetables large enough so they don't fall through the grate or even grill them whole (this works wonderfully for peppers).
Whatever equipment you choose to use or don't, grilled vegetables are a colorful, flavorful and healthy addition to your summer meals. I always make extra so I can have leftovers. Chop them up and add them to your pasta sauce, soups and salads, or as a filling for your tortilla wrap.
So next time you grill burgers, add a few bell peppers or poblanos to the grill. Happy eating!
Rashda Khan is a San Angelo-based food enthusiast, writer and culinary instructor. She can be reached at email@example.com or 325-656-2824. Or follow her @SpiceBites on Twitter for more kitchen adventures, cooking tips, and local food happenings. Her blog, Hot Curries & Cold Beer, is at: http://hotcurriesandcoldbeer.blogspot.com/
Spiced Grilled Corn
Serves: 4
½ stick unsalted butter, softened
1½ teaspoons of your favorite seasoning (Cajun, curry powder, Italian blend, chili powder)
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt (some spice mixes are very high in salt, so check your seasoning before you add the salt)
4 ears of corn, cleaned (you may leave the stalks on to use as handles)
— Lemon, cut into quarters and served with the cooked corn.
1 Preheat grill to medium heat.
2 In a small bowl, combine the butter and spices (seasoning to salt) until well blended.
3 Brush about 1 tablespoon of the seasoned butter all over each ear of corn.
4 Grill over direct medium heat, turning occasionally, until tender and browned in spots. About 10 minutes.
5 Slather with remaining butter and serve warm. Let each diner squeeze lemon juice on their corn before eating.
Potato-Onion Foil Packets
Serves: 4
4 large red potatoes, sliced
1 sweet Vidalia onion, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
— Fresh rosemary or thyme (optional, for extra flavor)
2 tablespoons butter (or you can drizzle with olive oil)
1 Preheat grill to medium heat.
2 Cut enough heavy-duty foil to create two packets.
3 Spray some cooking oil on cooking side of the foil.
4 Layer half the potatoes and onions in the center of one foil sections, sprinkle with half the spices and seasoning (and herbs if using), and dot with butter.
5 Wrap into a flat square package and seal the edges. Make the second package the same way.
6 Place over indirect heat, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, turning the packages over at the mid point.
7 Careful when opening as there will be steam. You may want to use a sharp knife to cut slits in the foil to release heat. Serve warm.
Grilled Bell Pepper and Mushroom Salad
Serves: 4 to 6
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried thyme
— Salt and pepper to taste
4 portobello mushrooms, 4 to 5 inches across
2 medium red bell peppers
2 yellow bell peppers
¼ cup chopped fresh Italian Parsley or basil
1 Preheat grill to medium heat.
2 In a small bowl, whisk together the marinade and set aside.
3 Remove and discard mushrooms stalk. Brush the mushrooms on both sides with a generous amount of marinade (reserve the rest). Let the mushrooms sit for about 30 minutes.
4 Place whole mushrooms and whole bell peppers over grill rack over direct heat. Cook 15 to 20 minutes (turning as needed), until mushrooms are tender and bell peppers have blackened and blistered skin.
5 Transfer the mushrooms to a plate. Place the peppers in a Ziplock plastic bag and set aside for 10 minutes.
6 Peel the skin from the peppers, discarding the stems and seeds, and cut them into 1-inch pieces.
7 Cut the mushrooms similarly.
8 In a medium bowl, toss together bell peppers, mushroom, reserved marinade and parsley. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes to an hour at room temperature.
9 Optional you may serve this on a bed of mixed greens for a more leafy salad.
Subscribe to the San Angelo Standard-Times
Need Help? Call us at 1-877-304-7763.
Monday-Friday: 6am-8pm / Saturday: 6am-12pm / Sunday: 6am-1pm


text:
An ad for a new Nokia Corp. smartphone shows off the device's amazing ability to stabilize a video shot under rocky conditions.
Except the images shown in the ad were faked.
The ad is for the Lumia 920, the company's upcoming flagship phone with a technology called PureView. It's supposed to stabilize hand-held video and shoot better pictures at night.


text: Wolfman Motorcycle Products is well known for its line of adventure and road bike soft luggage. At AIMExpo in Orlando, the company premiered three new products which Motorcyclist editor Marc Cook checks out in this exclusive Motorcyclist Online video. Enjoyed this Post? Subscribe to our RSS Feed, or use your favorite social media to recommend us to friends and colleagues!


text:
Tags: choclatique, q91, choclatique q91, chocolate wafers, dark chocolate wafers, premium chocolate, chocolate wafer, wafer, wafers
|Will an Invoice be Shipped With the Box?
|Can I Ship To Multiple Recipients?
|Can I Send a Gift Note?
|Can I Schedule a Special Delivery Date?
|How Do I Use My Discount Code?


text:
Insomnia and symptoms of sleeplessness affect nearly 40 million US population. Synthetic sleeping pills require a doctor's prescription and come with some nasty side effects, including dry mouth, loss of motor function, addiction and withdrawal symptoms. That's not including the risk of an accidental overdose.Before we proceed further, we should probably clarify the differences between sleeplessness and insomnia. Sleeplessness generally refers to symptoms associated with sleeping problems for less than a week. These symptoms include trouble falling asleep, or staying asleep, waking up early and not falling back to sleep and sleeping the entire night but not feeling rested in the morning. Insomnia is a broad term that encompasses symptoms of sleeplessness and/or a sleep disorder lasting longer than a week. Insomnia can mean a disorder, or just problems with sleeping.Acute insomnia refers to sleeping problems lasting longer than a month and can lead to mental and physical illness.Fortunately, there is an effective herbal sleeping pill available to take you back to dreamland. Alteril is a safe, natural, non-prescription sleep aid. Alteril offers all the advantages of traditional sleeping pills with none of the side effects. There's no need for trips to the doctor, no waking up drowsy, no need to worry about building a tolerance or withdraw symptoms. Alteril's effects are immediate, as in the first night, and they're deep. You'll go to sleep faster, and stay asleep longer with Alteril, and you'll wake refreshed and ready to go.
Buy Alteril Sleeping Pill Online.
Alteril consists of the most potent herbal sleeping aids, including:
Combined, they form a potent combination guaranteed to gently guide you along to slumber. Alteril is doctor-approved and all ingredients are herbal and medically proven to induce deep, lasting sleep.
Click Here to Buy Alteril Online.


text:
The driver who took off in the has been identified and charged, the Stoughton Police Department announced Wednesday on the Department's Facebook page.
Melissa Degrande, 38, of 3213 Windsor Woods in Canton has been charged with leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury; leaving the scene of an accident with property damage; negligent operation of a motor vehicle; and failure to stop at a red light.
The July 8 at the sent three to the hospital, including one who was transported to Boston via MedFlight.
Degrande's truck, traveling north on Washington St., went through a red light and hit the driver's side of a sedan traveling on Central St., which was making its way through the intersection at the time.
While the injuries were initially thought to be more serious, the male driver of the sedan, who was transported via MedFlight, luckily did not sustain any major injuries beyond a broken nose, Stoughton Police Executive Officer Robert Devine said.
The other two passengers in the sedan, a male and a female, were transported to Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton with minor injuries.


text:
By Jennifer Couzin-Frankel
Usually, science starts in the lab and then moves to patients. Gastric bypass surgery has taken the opposite path.
Originally offered as a radical treatment for severe obesity, the surgery's effects on the digestive system and metabolism have turned out to be far more mysterious and fascinating than anyone expected. Now, a new study probes another of the surgery's effects: its impact on microbes in the gut and how changing these microscopic communities might drive weight loss.
The most popular type of gastric bypass surgery is called Roux-en-Y. Surgeons make a small pouch from the top of the stomach and separate it from the rest of the organ, then connect that directly to the middle of the small intestine. Originally, doctors believed that patients who underwent gastric bypass lost weight for a simple reason: Their stomach couldn't hold as much food, and they couldn't absorb as many nutrients.
But quickly, the picture got more complicated. In many people with type 2 diabetes, the disease vanishes almost immediately after surgery, too quickly to be explained by the gradual weight loss that happens later. Patients also describe not being as hungry, or craving foods like salad that they hadn't liked much before.
"Food doesn't call out to them anymore," says Lee Kaplan, a molecular biologist and gastroenterologist at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, both in Boston.
Likely many mechanisms are at work. Some may stem directly from how the altered digestive system works - secreting different levels of hormones, for example - or changes in nerve cells that communicate with the gut. Kaplan and Harvard University microbiologist Peter Turnbaugh, who had been studying gut microbes in obese and lean animals, were intrigued by other work suggesting that in both humans and rats, the microbial balance in fecal samples changed after gastric bypass. Along with a postdoc in Kaplan's lab, Alice Liou, they decided to test whether the surgery itself caused the changes in the population of gut microbes, known as the microbiota.


text:
Stories of War
In over 150 years, Baker University has endured the rise and fall of national strife, celebrated victory and mourned its losses, just as the rest of the nation has. From a civil war to a series of overseas conflicts, the men and women of Baker have given their effort, their time and their lives to defend a nation and a set of ideals.
Those Methodists, who were found on numerous "hit lists" throughout the years preceding and during the Civil War, had other things on their minds. With a belief that education would bring civility to the savage land, they were planning a harbor of culture and intellect – the first University in the state.
As conflict moved east in the 1860s, however, the Civil War incited a loss of students and brought additional struggles. As the University experienced initial growth, the campus community saw an early setback as many left to contribute to Union war efforts.
Not the least of those was the University's first president, Werter Renick Davis, who left his post at Baker to serve as a chaplain for the Union army from 1862 to 1864. The fledgling institution was put on hold as war placed academic growth as a secondary priority.
"Lots of men dropped out and joined the Civil War and followed Werter Davis," Former University Archivist Brenda Day said. "To me, loyalty and respect for that old man probably led a lot of Baker men to join the Civil War."
One such man was Cornelius W. Kiefer, a former student. When he arrived in Kansas in April 1865, Kiefer was thought to be one of the many lost in the Civil War. However, his father, a Baker trustee, and the rest of his family were shocked to find the son and brother had somehow returned from the midst of violence and destruction.
Beginning in March 1887, the veteran began a series of articles recounting his tales of war in The National Tribune of Washington, D.C. Day, a self-proclaimed Civil-War enthusiast, said Kiefer's tales from the notoriously deadly camp were typical for the horror that was Andersonville, the Georgia site where 13,000 of 45,000 Civil-War prisoners would die from starvation, violence and fatal illness.
"It was the hell-hole of the South. It was the worst," Day said. "His impression of Andersonville is spot on with everything that you see. It was god-awful."
On Oct. 3, 1864, Kiefer had been one of almost 80 men captured three miles north of Big Shanty, Georgia. Eight days later, Kiefer was at Andersonville. He would unsuccessfully attempt escape two times, each time being returned to the hell of captivity.
"The first view of the place was sickening," Kiefer said of his first encounter with 'the Death House'. "There were a number of bodies in there, thrown together as are the dead animals gathered from the streets of a city. The bodies were all nude, emaciated to the last degree and frightfully distorted, and when here and there I saw the glazed eyes peering out from their deep sockets, it was frightful."
Kiefer went on to live until 1936. Not all the soldiers who left Baker, however, had the same luck. Though the institution survived its first war, the campus would again be deserted for a cause and for the nation.
The Great Wars
The 1930s seemed a trying time for Baker. Economic hardship caused a depletion of educational resources for the University and for students. However, the Depression's impact on campus wasn't as drastic as the global conflicts throughout that era.
Beginning in 1934, Emil Liston, 1913, developed a program to help students overcome financial strife. Those who helped with the construction of Liston Stadium were reimbursed with free tuition to the University. The first game was played at the stadium in October 1935, but it wasn't until Armistice Day in 1939 that the stadium was dedicated to Baker men who died in the "Great War."
The war that later became known as World War I claimed the lives of 16 Baker men. However, Baker's involvement in the war was immense. During that time, the campus population – especially among male students – dropped considerably. Alumni were called to arms as well.
Col. Samuel McRoberts, 1891, moved from a prominent position in banking in New York City to a man of high influence in the war efforts. McRoberts, who had been made chief of the Procurement Division of the Ordinance Department of the U.S. Army, signed the armistice that ended the Great War in 1918.
Two decades later, a series of events was stirring around the world that once again drained large portions of Baker's population.
Tensions between nations to both the east and west had been brewing for almost a decade by that point. In 1939, Germany's invasion of Poland marked the start of a continental war. Japanese invasions into China and the Pacific finally drew American attention on December 7, 1941 with the attack on Pearl Harbor. To the east and west, American involvement in war escalated, and the efforts were seen nationwide.
As the 1940s came, the face of Baker University changed considerably. More than 500 Baker men and women joined the war effort. By the end of the war in 1945, 28 Baker men and women had fallen victim in the European and Asian-Pacific Theatres.
As the war progressed, Baker's student body decreased in size. For years during the war, both the Kappa Sigma and Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternities closed, and Baker's other two fraternities saw drastic decreases in membership. In the final year of the war, the class of 1945 had only one male graduate.
As in World War I, campus growth and advancement were delayed as war became the nation's primary focus. Baker progressed in the years following each war as those returning from battle repopulated the halls of the University.
Two decades after World War II ended in a mass return of honored soldiers, another war swept the nation.
Jerry Weakley, 1970, MBA 1992, now vice president for endowment and planned giving, was a student at Baker during the tumultuous era.
"Baker, in my days as a student, came at the Vietnam conflict much later than a lot of other universities," Weakley said. "There were small resistances and protests to the war."
Weakley went on to complete a master's degree in communication at the University of Kansas, where as a member of the ROTC program, he experienced hostility toward the military. Recalling profane rants and threats of violence, Weakley said the protests in Lawrence were more violent than those on the much smaller Baldwin City campus.
Though Weakley was never engaged in the Vietnam conflict, he was made a Second Lieutenant upon completion of the program and remained in the military for more than two decades.
The story of former student John Musgrave was considerably different. Musgrave, as a young man from Sugar Creek, Mo., joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1967. He was 17 when he first saw the battlefields of Vietnam.
After eleven months in Vietnam, Musgrave's third wound – several shots to the chest and his left leg – sent him back to the States, where he spent 17 months in a military hospital.
After being medically discharged, Musgrave said he thought of doing something he had never considered – going to college.
"Since I was disabled by wounds, the military had to pay all of my college expenses," Musgrave said. "I had a bad limp and a short haircut. It was clear I was a veteran. I had visited KU and UMKC, and it was really negative. There was no way I was going to a school where there was that attitude."
After arriving at Baker in 1969, Musgrave said he had some difficulties adjusting to the college environment.
"At the beginning at Baker, I had some negative reactions, but I also had a chip on my shoulder," he said. "When I walked on this campus, I was ready to do battle."
However, as time passed, both Musgrave and the Baker populous came to an understanding.
"Most of the people on Baker's campus were against the war. I got my ass shot off. I was against it myself. On a campus so small, people eventually treated me with a great deal of respect, even those who didn't agree with what I'd done. That meant a great deal to me," Musgrave said.
It wasn't just the students, however, who had a positive influence on Musgrave.
"I came from a working-class family, and they never could have afforded to send me to school. I'd never had algebra. I'd never had biology. Then, it was made even harder by what we didn't know at the time was post-traumatic stress disorder," he said. "On this campus, I could call my professors at nights. I can't tell you how many evenings I was invited over to their houses or sat on the phone with them helping me with a problem. I've never forgotten how much I owe this school."
The influences of the Vietnam War continue to be seen today, as America has entered a new era of international conflict.
Though general attitudes have shifted from war support, Weakley said he has noticed a more civil environment than during the conflict in Vietnam.
"I've seen a subtle shift in attitude on one thing. The kids who returned from Vietnam were not honored. Today, I think people don't place that same blame on soldiers for government decisions," he said. "I think they were lumped together in Vietnam, and now there's an understanding that these people did not choose to go themselves."
Unlike the wars of centuries past, present conflicts have not had the same negative influence on Baker's population. In an evolving society, undergraduate students are less frequently drawn from their studies to join war efforts.
With the addition of the School of Professional and Graduate Studies in the 1980s, however, Baker has seen a number of working-adult students be called to duty, such as Treven Feleciano, '06.
After being called to the Middle East twice and to Florida to aid in hurricane relief with Battalion 13, the "Priority 1" member of the U.S. Navy Reserves said he has noticed the reemergence of respect for soldiers.
"People come up and say, 'Thanks for doing a good job. We appreciate it,' Feleciano said. "I don't know how to react. I see it as my job. It's what I've been trained to do."
Categories: News