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Anne McCue describes her new album, Broken Promise Land, due out on May 18, 2010 on Flying Machine Records Records, as "a bit dirty, a bit rockin', a bit swampy and a bit bluesy, with a touch of mysteriousness to it."
What isn't mysterious is McCue's musical talent and range. She was voted the Roots Music Association's Folk Artist of the Year in 2008, performed in a Jimi Hendrix tribute at the 2007 International Guitar Festival and was included in the Four Decades of Folk Rock box set alongside the likes of Bob Dylan and Wilco. Heart's Nancy Wilson has described her as "my Aussie clone," while Americana icon Lucinda Williams had this to say: "Initially, her stunning voice hooked me in. Then I got inside the songs. The first chance I got, I went to see her perform . . . I was floored! The combination of her tomboyish beauty mixed with the precision and assertiveness with which she approached the guitar, her surrounding languid and earthy vocals created an intoxicating blend."
The new, self-produced album is one that she has long wanted to make. Combining heartfelt songwriting with gritty guitar playing, the record harkens back to McCue's breakout Roll release, although she says that the new disc's sound is even more raw than its predecessor. While earlier albums covered a range of roots-rock styles, Broken Promise Land focuses on McCue's hard-charging "cosmic biker rock" sound.
The new disc lets McCue showcase her rockin' ways and six-string virtuosity. The title track cuts loose with a blistering Hendrix-like bluesy guitar solo. The first single, "Don't Go To Texas (Without Me)," boasts the dirty guitar sound of late '60s English bands like the Yardbirds and the Rolling Stones, while "The Old Man Talkin'" exudes a slinky J.J. Cale vibe.
The music's strong, visceral energy results from a strategy to record as much as possible live. "I didn't want to have a lot of layers. I wanted it to be pretty much what I can do on stage," McCue asserts. She sought to capture the vibe of the old Albert King albums that she loves, which were recorded in only a few days, and she included a brass section in the sessions. By recording to tape, McCue also created the textures and dimension that she admires in T-Bone Burnett's work.
On Broken Promise Land, McCue utilized the veteran rhythm section of Bones Hillman (Midnight Oil) and drummer Ken Coomer (Uncle Tupelo/Wilco). "Bones and Ken are very developed as musicians," she says. "It's great to have that type of depth to the musicianship." This powerful trio demonstrates their musical breadth throughout this disc, whether it's building "The Lonely One" into a surging rock ballad, conjuring a spooky atmosphere in Amelia White's "Motorcycle Dream" or roaring through a cover of Rose Tattoo's "Rock 'n' Roll Outlaw."
McCue's love for music was nurtured in Sydney, Australia, where she grew up in a house filled with music. Her father, while not a professional musician, played a variety of instruments and her mother sang in the church choir. All of her seven older siblings were heavily into music too, and sounds ranging from Billie Holiday to Led Zeppelin filled the McCue home. "Every type of music except hardcore blues," the blues-loving McCue admits, "so I definitely didn't get burned out on it as a child."
Although McCue played guitar growing up, she wasn't encouraged to be a musician. A longtime film buff, she got a degree in film studies at Sydney's University of Technology. Her cinema studies are an influence. "To me, my songs are like short films," she reveals, "I try to be very visual and cinematic with my music and now I am making videos for the songs too."
Groundation began their annual Bob Marley Tribute Tour in 2000 as a means of celebrating the life and material of a true musical prophet. Marley's impact is hard to overstate. No other musician of the 20th Century is more well known across all parts of the globe than Marley.
His music united people of all classes and creeds through its easily relatable parables of overcoming social injustices by ways of unity and love. And though his music is often associated with the downtrodden and dispossessed, for surely those were who his music was made, mainstream media outlets served notice too; Time magazine famously listed Marley's Legend as the best album of the last 100 years.
But Groundation does not simply rest on the well known hits from Marley's hugely successful 'best-of' albums. Their tribute tour differs than other bands' similar outings by exposing those people familiar with Marley's music and message to the lesser known material of his catalog. While true that the inescapable sing-alongs do occur at these tribute shows, more often than not even the most seasoned Marley aficionado will hear songs they have yet to see performed live.
Groundation has drawn international recognition through their musicianship, which is unrivaled in the genre. A nine-piece band featuring swirling horns and keyboards, multiple percussionists, thundering b3 organ and bass, and a trio of lead and harmony vocalists, Groundation covers all bases with their wide ranging sound. Their live shows are renowned for over the top improvisational energy and positivity and their progressive sound is catching on, having played in 35+ countries on four continents in just the last few years, including headlining slots at major multi-genre festivals the world over.
These are not lame imitators attempting to replicate Bob's music. Groundation uses the template of Marley's music and liberally adds their own colors of the sonic palate creating altogether new and unique versions of timeless tracks. Groundation is the biggest, most respected American Reggae band in the world today and their tribute to the King of Reggae music is unlike any others. Come join us and find out why...
More Info / Buy Tickets
"George was pretty damn eclectic as a kid," says Tom Van Buskirk, referring to his cousin/Javelin collaborator, George Langford. "I was more of a snob, growing up on the Beatles and classical music. Like I didn't get into Nirvana until after MTV Unplugged came out. I'm always late to the party."
Maybe that's why Javelin formed in 2005—to throw a party of their own, one that sees nothing wrong with dropping crooked disco ("On It On It"), schoolyard funk ("Intervales Theme"), abstract R&B ("Dep") and pitch-perfect pop ("Mossy Woodland") in the same set. At least that's the way things unfold on Javelin's debut album, No Más, the eagerly-awaited follow-up to a self-released collection of demos (Jamz n Jemz) and a pair of limited Thrill Jockey 12-inches (Javelin, Number Two).
It's as if Javelin were programmed to reproduce the golden age of every genre known to man, bouncing between samplers and strings, drum machines and drum sets, and a growing collection of guitars, horns and homemade thumb pianos. You read that right: Most of No Más' dusty 45 moments aren't lifted from actual recordcrates. They're painstakingly recreated, note by note, from the jukebox in Javelin's collective mind.
"I love making music that has flaws and human fingerprints all over it," adds Langford. "There's also that grey area where you can't tell what's a sample, although it leaves you wanting to say, 'Hey, I did that!'"
There's no denying who's doing what at Javelin shows, ever-evolving pieces of performance art that leave the laptops at home and have more in common with the multi-tracked madness of an old Jamaican sound system than the standard guitar/bass/drums setup of a 'band'.
"The worst thing in the world would be to have a wall of dudes staring at your gear, watching your every move," says Langford, "So we try to inject as much life and energy into our performances as possible."
When they first started playing around Providence, this meant an overwhelming array of "turntables, glockenspiels and percussion." Now that they've settled in Brooklyn and stripped their restless sound down to its bare essentials, Javelin's become known as the guys with the boom boxes, a Flaming Lips-like technique that's allowed them to break down the artist/audience wall at such tour stops as New York's Museum of Modern Art.
"A lot of people think they're ornaments, but they play sound," says Van Buskirk. "It's like, 'You really thought we dragged all of this here for nothing?"
Never. You see, everything has its place in a Javelin song, from the shimmering keys and brassy strut of "Shadow Heart" to the loony tune loops of "Oh! Centra." So if you're trying to 'figure Javelin out', don't bother. These musical omnivores work their music like a rabid radio dial, leaving a tricky trail of sonic breadcrumbs in their wake. Or as Langford puts it, "The minute I start working in one style, I get distracted and want to work on another one. We kinda gave up on finding our 'sound' years ago."
Tour Dates2/9 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY*2/16 - Academy 2 - Birmingham, UK*2/17 - Oran Mor - Glasgow, UK*2/19 - The Academy - Dublin, IE*2/20 - Speakeasy - Belfast, NI*2/21 - Academy 3 - Manchester, UK*2/22 - The Faversham - Leeds, UK*2/23 - Heaven - London, UK*2/24 Windmill Brixton LONDON, UK (headlining)2/25 - Thekia - Bristol, UK*2/26 - Digital - Brighton, UK*-3/4 - E & L Auditorium - New York, NY3/5 Trocodero Theatre w/ Man Man -PHILADELPHIA, PA3/23 - The Jackpot Saloon - Lawrence, KS#3/24 - Bourbon Theatre - Lincoln, NE#3/25 - Public Space One - Iowa City, IA#3/26 - The Bishop - Bloomington, INSAT 3/27 BIG EARS FESTIVAL - KNOXVILLE, TN3/28 - Cafe Bourbon St - Columbus, OH3/29 - The Cafe - Detroit, MI#3/30 - And And And (Artspace) - Toronto, ON#3/31 - The Friendship Cove - Montreal, QC#-Yeasayer US TourSAT 4/3 WASHINGTON, DC 9:30 CLUB*SUN 4/4 CARRBORO, NC Cat's Cradle*MON 4/5 ASHEVILLE, NC Orange Peel*TUE 4/6 ATLANTA, GA Masquerade*WED 4/7 MEMPHIS, TN Hi Tone Café*THU 4/8 DALLAS, TX Granada Theatre*FRI 4/9 HOUSTON, TX House of Blues*SAT 4/10 AUSTIN, TX The Parish*SUN 4/11 AUSTIN, TX The Parish*TUE 4/13 MARFA, TX Crowley Theatre*WED 4/14 TUCSON, AZ Club Congress*THU 4/15 PHOENIX, AZ Rhythm Room*FRI 4/16 - La Casa Encendida - Madrid, ES
* Yeasayer
Collectors' Choice Music, the label that's come to be known for compelling and often unexpected CD reissues, has announced the launch of Collectors' Choice Music Live, a new label devoted to releasing great live performances, most of which have never previously been commercially available.
The series will launch April 20 with the release of four CDs: Johnny Winter And's Live at the Fillmore East 10/3/70; Poco's Live at Columbia Studios, Hollywood 9/30/71; Hot Tuna's Live at the New Orleans House, Berkeley, CA September 1969; and John Denver's Live at Cedar Rapids, 12/10/87.
According to Collectors' Choice Music GM Gordon Anderson, "After some 15 years of reissuing albums and compiling artists, we're convinced that some of the biggest remaining veins of gold in the vaults are the live shows that a lot of labels recorded of their artists in their prime, particularly those who made their reputation with improvisational prowess and/or ever-changing set lists. These first four releases on our new Collectors' Choice Music Live label certainly fit that description."
• Johnny Winter And — Live at the Fillmore East 10/3/70: To commemorate the release of his Johnny Winter And album, Texas blues guitarist/singer Johnny Winter played some shows at New York's Fillmore East, some of which were compiled on 1971's Live Johnny Winter And, a classic live album of the era to which this release makes a nice bookend. He had just formed a new band consisting of former member of the McCoys ("Hang on Sloopy") including Rick Derringer on guitar, bassist Randy Jo Hobbs, and drummer Randy Zehringer. Although the McCoys were none too familiar with Winter's work, they proved quick studies and entered the studio to make the album Johnny Winter And within three weeks. The New York Times reviewed the Fillmore show, citing "a considerable improvement over Winter's previous band. Winter and [Derringer] played solos back at each other, simultaneously and in alternation." The live album contains the Winter hit "Rock and Roll Hoochie Coo" and his take on Bob Dylan's "Highway 61" alongside blues classics "Rollin' and Tumblin'," "It's My Own Fault" and "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl."
•Poco —Live at Columbia Studios, Hollywood, 9/30/71: In the fall of '71, Poco was arguably the most popular of the first generation country-rock bands. By then, their album Deliverin' had cracked the Top 30 and Poco thanked its label, Epic Records, with a private showcase at the CBS Records' Hollywood studio. "We just set up as we would have for a small club," recalls frontman Richie Furay, whose bandmates included guitarist/singer Paul Cotton (from the Illinois Speed Press), bassist Tim Schmidt (later of the Eagles), pedal steel player Rusty Young and drummer/vocalist George Grantham. By this time, Poco was evolving from country-rock towards an edgier rock sound. Says Furay, "Though we were innovators of the L.A. 'country-rock' sound, we weren't going top be pigeonholed into being a one-sound band." The 14 songs they performed for label employees that day were a solid cross-section of tunes that had appeared on its first four albums including the medley "Hard Luck Child/Child's Claim to Fame/Pickin' Up the Pieces," plus "I Guess You Made It," "A Man Like Me," "Ol' Forgiver," "Heart That Music," "Hurry Up," "You Are the One" and more — an hour of music in all.
• Hot Tuna: Live at the New Orleans House, Berkeley, CA September 1969: Hot Tuna was, of course, the blues band-within-a-band side project of Jefferson Airplane's Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady that outlasted the parent band and continues to this day. Interestingly, the duo's first commercial album, which made it to #30 on the Billboard pop album chart, was recorded live at Berkeley's New Orleans House, but a lot more material was taped than was released. Much of it is issued for the first time on this 68-minute CD, which consists entirely of previously unreleased recordings. Explaining why they recorded their debut album was recorded live, Kaukoken says, "We tend to go places . . . and you lose a bit of that when you work in the studio. And it was cheaper too!" Of the 13 songs on this CD, six — "Death Don't Have No Mercy," "Winin' Boy Blues," "Uncle Sam Blues," "I Know You Rider," "Don't You Leave Me Here" and "How Long Blues" — were included on the first Hot Tuna album, though the versions here are selected from different performances than the ones used on that LP. Other songs include Blind Boy Fuller's "Keep On Truckin'," Rev. Gary Davis' "Keep Our Lamps Trimmed and Burning" and "Candy Man," and Blind Blake's "That'll Never Happen No More."
• John Denver: Live at Cedar Rapids, December 10, 1987: What is the sound of an audience eating out of the palm of a performer's hand? Utter silence. And that's what was heard during the two-hour-plus Iowa concert that comprises this two-CD set. By 1987, Denver's days as a Top 40 hitmaker were a decade in the past, but he remained a solid concert draw as a beloved, thoroughly American artist with a permanent place in the history of pop. It says much about Denver's songwriting that, with the exception of half a dozen songs on which he's accompanied by string quartet, he delivers two hours of solo music just his voice and 12-string guitar. The hits are here but so are new songs, some early-repertoire nuggets and a well-chosen cover or two. Included are "Farewell Andromeda (Welcome to My Morning," "Take Me Home Country Roads," "Rocky Mountain High," "Annie's Song," "Love Is the Master," "Mother Nature's Son," "Blow Up Your TV (Spanish Pipe Dream)," "Shanghai Breezes," "Ohio" and more.
Whether droning madly, spiralling into cascades of infinitely echoing vocals or kicking back with their blissed-out take on classic Americana rock, Sleepy Sun are a band that demand your attention. Formed in Santa Cruz and now based in San Francisco, this intense sextet are set to release their latest single, Sleepy Son (sic), taken from their breathtaking debut album, Embrace, in August.
Comprising Brian Tice (drums), Jack Allen (bass), Rachael Williams (vocals, haberdashery & interpretive dancing) Bret Constantino (vocals & harmonica), Evan Reiss (guitars) and Matt Holliman (guitars) – all 22 and 23, the band met in the counter-cultural hub city of Santa Cruz, California, citing "pizza, horticulture, Neil Percival Young," as common interests. "With the forest and ocean as our back drop, we were drawn to each other as fellow musicians, friends, and lovers" they say.
Drawing musical inspiration from Black Sabbath, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Can and Creation Records, they forged their sound in intense jams, "free flowing, heady, 'where am I?' type jamming."
Though they're in the one-time home of psychedelia, it's not San Francisco per se that influences their sound. "It comes more from Northern California itself more than any scene or city," they say. "There truly is nowhere on Earth like our little corner of the country where the redwoods smother the ocean."
What are you waiting for? Let's Get Weird!
North American Tour Dates
2/7 - East End Club - Portland, OR2/8 - Neumos - Seattle (FREE)** with Mudhoney 2/26 - The New Parish - Oakland, CA3/9 - Catalyst Atrium - Santa Cruz, CA 3/12 - Echo - Los Angeles, CA 3/13 - Bar Pink - San Diego, CA3/14 - JDee's Landing - Palm Springs, CA3/17 - Emo's Annex (IODA SXSW Day Party) - Austin, TX 3/18 - Beauty Bar (Bay Bridged SXSW Day Party) - Austin, TX3/20 - Peckerheads (Rollingstone.com / Rhapsody SXSW Day Party) - Austin, TX3/21 - Double Wide (Bro Fest) - Dallas, TX3/23 - Hi Dive Club - Denver, CO3/24 - Corazon - Sante Fe, NM3/25 - Mia's Lounge - Flagstaff, AZ3/26 - Bunkhouse Saloon - Las Vegas, NV3/27 - The Cellar Door - Visalia, CA
Sugar Hill Records is proud to announce the upcoming release of Feast of the Hunters' Moon, the debut album from Portland, Oregon-based Black Prairie. Featuring three-fifths of The Decemberists and two of the city's finest folk stylists, the heavily acoustic debut was produced by Tucker Martine (The Decemberists, Death Cab for Cutie) and embodies the rich sonic landscape of the Portland music scene while integrating the diverse backgrounds of its members. As described by dobroist Chris Funk, the band's sound "bridges the music of Clarence White and Ennio Morricone" in a way that defies genre characterization.
Decemberists guitarist Funk and bassist Nate Query hatched the plan to start a primarily instrumental string band while on the road. Funk began to spend time playing the square-necked Dobro guitar, and the pair recruited fellow Decemberist Jenny Conlee to play accordion. Portland musicians Annalisa Tornfelt and Jon Neufeld then filled out the ranks on violin and guitar, respectively.
Immerse yourself in jazz vocals from ballads to low-down blues, mellow sax, high-pitch trumpet, Latin piano at the 33rd Cape May Jazz Festival April 16-18, 2010, presented by Bank of America and New Jersey Department of Travel and Tourism. Spyro Gyra opens up the festival Friday night with music that encompasses straight-ahead jazz, blues, Latin, Brazilian, instrumental pop, funk and fusion. For more than 3 decades Spyro Gyra has been dominating the contemporary jazz scene and still has a snap, originality and fresh sound which appeals to both old and new fans. Blues singer Shemekia Copeland opens up Saturday night with her huge, blast-furnace voice which gives her music a timeless power and heart-pounding urgency. Her music comes from deep within her soul and from the streets where she grew up.
Friday night tenor saxophonist Tim Warfield, one of the most impressive young tenors around, will pay Tribute to Shirley Scott with his organ quintet. Warfield wanted to pay tribute to Shirley using the Hammond B-3 to relate his happy, soulful experiences with music they performed together, songs introduced by her or original compositions Warfield wrote with her in mind. Continuing Friday night guitarist Monnette Sudler will perform in Carneys Main Room with tenor Bootsie Barnes, trombonist Steve Turre and Aaron Graves on keys for a slamming hard-bop groove. For a total change of pace vocalist Marta Topferova, who moved from Prague to New York City and immersed herself in the dynamic clusters of Latin American life, will entertain in Carneys Other Room with her elegant, low-key misty voice backed by stellar musicians who include Latin sounds from Cuban, Argentinian tango to Venezuelan rhythms. Mississippi Heat is one of Chicago's hottest blues bands playing traditional Chicago blues with their band leader's golden tone on the harmonica and vocalist Inetta Visor permeating Cabanas Friday night.
Saturday afternoon starts out with prejams in both rooms at Carneys with the up-and-coming youth bands Tom Zmuda and Thursday Night Jazz and the Divine Jazz Combo followed by jam sessions. Georgie Bonds, a world-class singer, songwriter and blues entertainer, will continue the blues tradition with Delta blues in Cabanas.
Saturday night continues with the exciting Cuban piano player Chuchito Valdes returning for 2 shows in the Grand Hotel Ballroom. Chuchito raised a mountain of rhythmic intensity with power and passion at the April 2008 festival following in the footsteps of his grandfather Bebo and father Chucho Valdes blending elements of Afro-Cuban music, jazz, bebop, mambo and cha-cha-cha. Another jazz festival favorite vocalist Juanita Williams along with Fred Hughes on piano will perform at the Jazz Dinner and 11pm show in Aleathea's Restaurant. Juanita came up musically by way of gospel, was inspired by blues greats Etta James and Aretha Franklin and sings sweet soul music and gritty blues with originality, sass and flair. Pianist Fred Hughes, another festival favorite, compliments Juanita playing dynamic piano solos. Appearing in Carneys Main Room B. D. Lenz has been described as one of the hottest new contemporary jazz guitarists on the scene today fusing jazz and rock complemented by warm chords of funk, soul, rhythm and blues to dance to. Carneys Other Room presents The Shook-Russo Quartet who is composing their own original music within the jazz idiom honoring the masters by carrying on the mainstream tradition with the huge sound and driving groove of Amy Shook on bass and the incredibly skillful Frank Russo on drums. Jesse Andrus, a favorite tenor/alto sax and flute player seen at the jams, will be in the Boiler Room with his group Absolute Truth Saturday night. Absolute Truth weaves jazz with soul, R&B, African and Latin rhythms, gospel, blues and funk which creates a sound that is at once fresh and familiar honoring the masters who came before them while creating a sound all their own. Performing in Cabanas the multi-talented Ray Schinnery will stir the soul with his vocals, move you to hilarity with his lyrics and woo you with his guitar. Pre-Jam Sunday opens up with the Little Jazz Giants and the Young Lions in 2 rooms at Carneys followed by 2 Jam Sessions along with the Charles Walker Blues Band in Cabanas. Hailing from Wisconsin the 5-piece Walker band performs various styles of blues, R&B and funk with Walker's expressive saxophone stealing the show along with Shanna Jackson's powerfully deep soulful voice.
The schedule, musician's pictures, information and sounds bytes are found on the web at www.capemayjazz.org. For more information on reduced price All Event Weekend Pass including reserved seating or to be put on the mailing list please call 609-884-7277. An All Event Weekend Pass to attend 18 events beginning 8pm Friday through 4pm Sunday is $150 general admission. Individual Friday or Saturday Night All Event Wristbands are $55. Saturday Afternoon Jam Wristbands are $35, Sunday Jams $25. Reserved Seating is available at the Theatre at Lower Regional High School for an additional $25 per person. Complimentary Festival Transportation running every 10 minutes is available between venues all weekend.
The 33rd Cape May Jazz Festival is presented by New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism VisitNJ.Com and Bank of America and sponsored by the Delaware River and Bay Authority, Barefoot Wines, Jazz Times, WRTI Temple Public Radio, WBGO Jazz 88, WMGM TV40, WCFA 101.5, WTTH the Touch, Cape May Star and Wave, Verizon Wireless with generous support from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, the New Jersey Cultural Trust, local businesses and donors.
From the college town of Fort Collins, CO comes the blazing five-piece roots reggae band, Dubskin featuring drummer Cory Eberhard of Pretty Lights. The project, known for their off-beat bass laden rhythms and spiritually aware lyrics are releasing their sophomore effort, No end in time for free on the band's website.
With an eye on the past and a foot in the future, Dubskin captures an authentic Caribbean sound replete with soulful vocals, newfangled ska and soaring guitar undertones. Dropping dance ready beats with spot on harmonics is second nature to the band, who has performed along side the likes of Burning Spear, Israel Vibration, Barrington Levy, Morgan Heritage, The Itals, Midnite, Mad Professor, Anthony B and Collie Buddz to name a few.
The five-piece project features a well-rounded cast of characters including Jamal Skinner (Vocals), Cory Eberhard (Drums), Jason Wieseler (Keys and Samples), Phil Salvaggio (Guitars) and Dean Curtis (Bass). Collectively the project has self-released two rousing albums since their 2006 inception. However, it's No end in time that showcases the projects ability to shine. The album, which was also mixed and dubbed by Jason "Jocko" Randall of the popular nationally touring band John Brown's Body has already made a significant buzz on the reggae circuit. Using only the power of community networking and the rumble of word of mouth marketing, the release has registered thousands of downloads.
The project will be taking their upbeat dance party to the streets in 2010, with a number of select performances on the table. With a genuine feel that is both old and new, Dubskin is bound to make waves in the coming year, inspiring a new sound for music fans of all types.
To download No end in time check out the bands website at: www.DubskinMusic.com For Booking: email@example.com
1/20/2010 Durango, CO The Summit 1/21/2010 Telluride, CO The Llama 1/22/2010 Crested Butte, CO The Eldo 1/23/2010 Steamboat Springs, CO Mahogany Ridge 1/30/2010 Breckenridge, CO 320 South 2/3/2010 Boulder, CO w/ Euforquestra Boulder Theater 2/4/2010 Denver, CO w/ Euforquestra Cervantes Masterpiece
Nobody snuffed the Muscle Shoals candle - it just keeps getting brighter.
Once again, the otherwise understated and isolated town in Alabama finds itself in the limelight. Recognized for inspiring legendary recordings from the likes of Aretha Franklin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon,The Rolling Stones and Duane Allman, Muscle Shoals has played host to some of the most creative music in popular culture. Reports have recently surfaced in Rolling Stone Magazine that the platinum selling artists the Black Keys have recorded their forthcoming album in the area, leaving no doubt that a musical revival is imminent, and the locally born electronic duo BoomBox is leading the charge.
"I do believe that music is genetic—it's a family thing. Whatever was magical about Muscle Shoals is still there." Dan Auerbach, Black Keys– Paste Magazine
BoomBox was born in Muscle Shoals, AL. Not just figuratively, but literally. The dynamic duo grew up just a few short blocks from the famous "Muscle Shoals Sound Studio" where legend tells the most famous recordings in history have been inspired. As luck would have it, the two met in 2004 during a recording session, and haven't looked back since. Since their short time together, BoomBox has become one of a few acts to come out of the area including Drive-By Truckers that are selling out venues coast to coast. (Wikipedia, 2009)
Featuring Producer/Engineer Russ Randolph and Producer/Vocalist/Guitarist Zion Rock Godchaux, BoomBox draws their inspiration from the roots of the area including elements of Motown, Folk and Rock and infuses it with modern elements of down tempo and funky house. Add in a top layer of soothing guitar and vocals with their signature psychedelia inspired poetry and the result is like nothing else on the music scene today. The concoction pays homage to the past while incorporating an infectious electronic sound that has young fans turning out to their shows in drones.
BoomBox will be releasing their sophomore album, downriverelectric, in early 2010. The album deliberately weaves a variety of samples into a musical landscape filled with soaring highs and soul shuttering low bass.
The backbone of the album was recorded using natural elements, drawing inspirations from the rhythm of the Tennessee River as well as snippets and samples of voices, the thumping of rocks as bass, and the shutter of the wheels on the road as they toured the country. At the same rate, downriverelectric also captures the musical memoirs of its hometown community in a new light. With the use of modern technology, the project skillfully drives the sounds of the 1960's, 70's and 80's into a dance frenzy of modern flavors. While the album took longer than expected, the final product foretells yet another groundbreaking release from within the Muscle Shoals community, worth recognition.
What's yet to come from the Muscle Shoals music scene is hard to tell, but one thing is for certain, with acts like BoomBox infusing the rich lore of the area into their current sound, history is guaranteed to repeat itself.


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Simply put, STK is not your daddy's steakhouse. The restaurant brings high-energy dining to Manhattan, breaking down the barriers of a normal steakhouse by losing the overly masculine vibe that has long been the trademark of the genre. Maintaining the quality of a traditional steakhouse and simultaneously reinventing the ambiance, clientele and atmosphere, STK introduces the sensibility of a flirty and feminine steakhouse to a young, sexy market. STK offers a bustling bar that builds on the energy of a DJ spinning tracks nightly. The restaurant layout and striking décor create an intimate, one-of-a-kind dining experience.

subset: commoncrawl


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A thief helping himself to car batteries recently outside the Walmart either decided to take it a little easy on the Lower Macungie Township retailer or didn't realize that the items were used.
Either way, according to state police at Fogelsville, he made off with approximately 45 used vehicle batteries at about 2:30 a.m. Oct. 19.
The incident follows the Dec. 20 theft of 30-40 batteries at the same store. Police at the time did not specify whether those batteries were new or used and they did not provide a value.
In the most recent incident, police said that a white Penske van pulled up to a storage area behind the store at 1091 Mill Creek Road. The van was quickly loaded and left.
Despite the fact that the batteries were used, they still had an estimated value of $360, police said.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 610-395-1438.


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You're researching and thinking about purchasing a new home in Ghana or perhaps, you live abroad and have made the decision to move to Ghana. It's a big step and Ghana Homes understands how significant it is to help home buyers get through the process as easily and as educated as possible.
Some of the many services Ghana Homes offers to home buyers come from our exclusive financial service partners. Finance services, and insurance protection are all basic and essential elements in buying a home. Feel free to contact us at any time and we will make it our priority to provide the information needed to assist you in making informed choices as you experience this most thrilling step in your life.
The Ghana Homes home loan is intended to lend a hand to persons acquiring properties in Ghana for their own use, family or for investment purposes.
Application Process
Step 1 - Complete loan application. This is your authorization for Ghana Homes to review your credit report. Ghana Homes will verify your income, debts and assets as required by the investor(s) that will purchase your loan.
* Ghana Homes reserves the right to reject any loan and request additional information.
Step 2 - Supply all requested information
Step 3 - Credit report and other information verified
Step 4 - Ghana Homes underwriters review
Step 5 - Receive loan decision
Step 6 - If approved, close on your loan and let the project begin! (Most projects take between 6 to 8 months)
It's THAT EASY! To get your loan in just days, click here to fill out an application form.
1. Architectural, structural, electrical and mechanical drawings review if modification is required by the home buyer
2. Production drawings finalized
3. Preparation of bill of quantities
4. Construction Project Insured (including all insurances for the works to secure clients investment)
5. Construction begins (most projects take between 6 to 8 months)
6. Practical completion & handing over (you move in)
7. Defects liability period (usually one year)
8. Final accounts closing
Comprehensive Property Insurance Cover
Ghana Home Loan purchasers (Investors) requires borrowers to have Insurance that offers coverage for your new home against losses from risk—fire or lightning, windstorm or hail, explosion, riot or civil commotion, smoke, vandalism or malicious mischief, theft, volcanic eruption, water-related damage, electrical-surge damage, earthquake and war.
Life Insurance
Ghana Homes advices borrowers to get Life insurance plan that has been specifically designed to provide flexible risk benefits in respect of Home Loan Protection. In the event of death, this Life Insurance will pay a benefit equal to the specified loan amount. This is essential so families left behind will not be stuck with huge bills.
Contact Information
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Arlington Heights, IL 60004


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PASCAGOULA, Miss. (AP) - A 19-year-old faces capital murder charges in the shooting death of a professional dog-handler, groomer and breeder.
Pascagoula Police Chief Kenny Johnson says Rodney Phillip McKenzie is accused of shooting Johnny McArthur Bullock while trying to rob him early Tuesday.
Authorities say Bullock, owner of Bullock's Kennel, was found dead in his van after it crashed into a power pole guy wire.
McKenzie was being held without bond. He's scheduled to make an appearance in municipal court on Wednesday.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Category Archives: Food Safety
Public Health: The Food Issue
This month the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health published a special issue of its magazine devoted to food. There weren't any recipes, unless you count "recipes" for a healthier planet, which can be reached by following some of the recommendations in the supplement.
"Changing what we eat is more complex than it sounds," writes the school's dean, Michael Klag, MD, MPH. "It involves not just personal choice but also changing methods of food production and delivery systems so that the right choice becomes the default choice. A new 'Green Revolution' that relies on sustainable methods of food production will require partnerships of farmers, agronomists, development agencies and policymakers. Interventions to change the norms of what we eat must be culturally appropriate, and take into account the context of nutritional needs within the population. Such interventions will require partners who understand human and plant biology, behavior, economics and policy. This type of multidisciplinary, population-based effort is a centerpiece of public health..."
Key features of the issue include:
- RX for the Future: How the WIC program got its start
- Planting Health: The seeding of public health
- Photo Gallery: Capturing our relationship with food across the globe
Read the Special Food Issue of the Magazine of the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.
Public Health News Roundup: February 3
Study: HPV Vaccine Doesn't Lead to More, Riskier Sex for Young Women
Despite the concerns of some parents, being vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV)—which causes cervical cancer—does not increase young women's sexual behavior, either in terms of the number of partners or the decision not to use condoms, according to a new study in the journal Pediatrics. Researchers studied 339 women between the ages of 13 and 14, finding that after receiving the first vaccine most agreed it was still necessary to generally practice safe sex. On a scale from zero to 10, where lower scores indicate better understanding of risks, they scored an average of 1.6 on knowledge about safe sex practices. They also scored a 3.9 on their perceptions of the risk of sexually transmitted infections. "To me, the issue is laid to rest," said Jessica Kahn, MD, of the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in Ohio. "As clinicians and researchers, we have no concerns that vaccination will lead to riskier sexual behaviors." The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends HPV vaccinations for both boys and girls. Read more on sexual health.
CDC Set to Launch 2014 'Tips From Former Smokers' Campaign
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is set to launch the 2014 phase of "Tips From Former Smokers" (Tips), its annual television, radio and print campaign. The campaign will include Terrie Hall, the then 52-year-old Lexington, N.C., woman shown in a previous ad who had ultimately had her voice box removed as a result of throat cancer caused by a two-pack-a-day habit for 23 years. She since died of tobacco-related illness. "Over 20 million Americans have died because of smoking since 1964...But when you talk about a number that big, people have no way to put their hands around it," said Tim McAfee, MD, the Atlanta-based director of the CDC's office on smoking and health."So we thought that for smokers and non-smokers, we needed to put a face on this. Because we felt that if we gave the American people an opportunity to get to know the suffering one person has had to go through because of smoking, it could have an enormous impact." Read more on tobacco.
FDA Proposes New Sanitation Rules for Food in Transport
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed new regulations to improve sanitation and prevent contamination of human and animal food during transportation by both motor vehicles and rail. The new rule would be the final major rule in the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act's central framework. "We are now one step closer to fully implementing the comprehensive regulatory framework for prevention that will strengthen the FDA's inspection and compliance tools, modernize oversight of the nation's food safety system, and prevent foodborne illnesses before they happen," said Michael R. Taylor, the FDA's deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine. The new criteria would address areas such as properly refrigerating food, adequately cleaning vehicles between loads and properly protecting food during transportation. Read more on food safety.
Public Health News Roundup: January 28
Obese Children More Susceptible to Air Pollution-Related Asthma
Obese children are more susceptible to air pollution-related asthma, according to a new study in the journal Environmental Research. Researchers followed the health of 311 children, ages 5 and 6, in predominantly Dominican and African-American neighborhoods of New York City, finding that high exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)—a family of air pollutants—was only associated with asthma among obese children The study determined that obese children exposed to the PAH chemicals 1-methylphenanthrene and 9- methylphenanthrene were two to three times more likely to have asthma. PAHs are emitted by vehicles, cigarette smoke, cooking, incense, burning candles and various other indoor sources. Two possible explanations for the disparity are that obese children tend to be less active, so are more likely to be exposed to indoors sources of PAH, and that they may breathe more rapidly than children of healthier weights Better understanding of the risk factors opens the door to more targeted interventions. "These findings suggest that we may be able to bring down childhood asthma rates by curbing indoor, as well as outdoor, air pollution and by implementing age-appropriate diet and exercise programs," said senior author Rachel Miller, MD, professor of medicine (in pediatrics) and environmental health sciences, and co-deputy director of the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health at the Mailman School of Public Health. Read more on pediatrics.
Report: Antibiotics Dangerous to Humans Still Used in Livestock
Despite knowing their risk to humans, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to allow the use of certain antibiotics as additives in animal feed and water, according to a new report from the Natural Resources Defense Council based on documents acquired under the Freedom of Information Act. In a review from 2001 to 2010 the FDA concluded that 30 such antibiotics posed a significant risk of exposing people to antibiotic- resistance bacteria. The drugs were approved for "non-therapeutic" use in farm animals, such as preventing disease or promoting growth of the animals, instead of treating specific illnesses. In December the FDA announced its intention to combat the spread of antibacterial resistance by prohibiting the use of medically important antimicrobials in food animals for food production purposes, while also adding veterinary oversight to therapeutic use of the drugs in animals. Read more on food safety.
Residents of Public Housing Developments, Rental Assistance Units See Significant Gap in Oral Health Care
People who live in public housing developments and rental assistance units are less likely to have routine preventive dental care and more likely to have suffered serious oral health issues related to tooth loss, according to a new study in The Journal of Urban Health. The study was conducted by the Partners in Health and Housing Prevention Research Center (PHH-PRC) at the Boston University School of Public Health. The researchers looked at four indicators for people living in Boston's publicly supported housing: having had a dental visit in the last year, having had a dental cleaning in the last year, having had six or more teeth extracted, and having dental insurance. They found that people in public housing, despite being as likely to have had a dental visit in the past year, were significantly less likely to have had a cleaning. The gap in health care is especially serious for the seniors in this already vulnerable population: Compared to younger residents, seniors 65-75 years old were 30 times as likely to have had six or more teeth removed. Read more on prevention.
Public Health News Roundup: December 16
UC Santa Barbara Might Use Unapproved Vaccine to Combat Meningitis Outbreak
Health officials confirmed late last week that they are considering administering the unapproved vaccine Bexsero to halt the spread of a bacterial meningitis outbreak that has sickened four students at UC Santa Barbara. Three of the students have recovered fully, with the fourth requiring the amputation of both feet. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working with the California state and Santa Barbara County departments of public health to determine whether the vaccine would be effective against the strain; Bexsero, which is not yet approved for use in the United States, is for type B meningococcal disease. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently granted Princeton University permission to use the vaccine, after eight students became sick from a similar strain of what has struck UC Santa Barbara. Read more on infectious disease.
AAP Calls for Ban on U.S. Sale of Raw or Unpasteurized Milk
The risk of infection has led the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Committee on Infectious Diseases and Committee on Nutrition to not only recommend against the consumption of raw or unpasteurized milk by pregnant women, babies and kids, but to call for the complete ban of its sale in the United States. Pasteurization kills bacteria by heating the milk to a minimum of 161 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 15 seconds before cooling it quickly; at least 97 percent of U.S. dairy products are pasteurized. From 1998 through 2011 there were 148 disease outbreaks related to raw milk or raw milk products, leading to 284 hospitalizations and two deaths. "It's kind of like riding in a car with seatbelts," said Kathryn Boor, dean of Cornell University's school's Agriculture and Life Sciences, who was not involved in the study. "If you've got the opportunity for a safety barrier, which would be pasteurization, why wouldn't you use it?" Read more on food safety.
Study: Lack of Sleep in Kids Increases Blood Pressure
Lack of adequate sleep can lead to higher blood pressure even in children who are a healthy weight, according to a new study in the journal Pediatrics. Monitoring 143 Chinese youth in a sleep lab, the researchers determined that one fewer hour of sleep per night increased systolic blood pressure by 2 millimeters of mercury (mm/Hg) and diastolic blood pressure by 1 mm/Hg. All of the participants, ages 10-18, were normal weight and did not have sleep apnea. "Pediatricians must screen for diabetes, and [high blood pressure] in teenagers with sleep loss besides screening for snoring and sleep apnea in obese teenagers," said Sanjeev Kothare, MD, a pediatric sleep expert at NYU Langone Medical Center, who was not involved in the study. The National Sleep Foundation recommends 10-11 hours of sleep per night for children ages 5-12, and at least 8.5 hours per night for teenagers. Read more on pediatrics.
Public Health News Roundup: December 11
2013 America's Health Rankings Finds Significant Progress in National Health
The new 2013 America's Health Rankings from the United Health Foundation finds that while there is still much progress to be made, over the past year Americans improved in the majority of the measures that the Rankings use to rate public health. The improved areas include smoking rates, which fell to 19.6 percent of the adult population, from 21.2 percent the previous year, as well as physical inactivity, which fell to 22.9 percent from 26.2 percent. Also, for the first time since 1998 the obesity rate did not rise. With low rates of uninsured people, high rates of childhood immunization and low rates of health issues such as obesity and smoking, Hawaii ranked as the healthiest state in the country. Read more on community health.
FDA to Phase Out Use of Certain Antimicrobials in Food Animals
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is moving forward with a plan to combat the spread of antibacterial resistance by prohibiting the use of medically important antimicrobials in food animals for food production purposes, while also adding veterinary oversight to therapeutic use of the drugs in animals. Antimicrobials can be used in the food and drinking water of cattle, poultry and other food animals to encourage weight gain. However, these same antimicrobials are used to treat infections in humans, and their availability in the food supply increases the possibility of the development of antimicrobial resistance. The FDA is giving companies three months to sign on to the strategy, then three years to transition. "This action promotes the judicious use of important antimicrobials to protect public health while ensuring that sick and at-risk animals receive the therapy they need," said Bernadette Dunham, DVM, PhD, director of the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine. "We realize that these steps represent changes for veterinarians and animal producers, and we have been working—and will continue to work—to make this transition as seamless as possible." Read more on food safety.
HHS: 365,000 Enrolled Under Affordable Care Act in October, November
The official numbers are in, with almost 365,000 people selecting plans in the Health Insurance Marketplace in October and November, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. About 1.9 million people have gone through the online process, but have just not yet selected a plan, while more than 800,000 were determined eligible for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The site went live at the beginning of October, but extensive bugs and glitches meant only about 27,000 people were able to sign up in that first month. Last week a reconfigured HealthCare.gov was launched after about five weeks of work spent addressing the problems, and 29,000 people were able to sign up during the first two days alone. Thirty-six states use HealthCare.gov, with fourteen states and Washington, D.C. maintaining their own sites. Read more on the Affordable Care Act.
Think Safety as Thanksgiving—and Holiday Shopping—Approaches
Among the best pieces of advice people can look to today, the day before Thanksgiving, is a primer on safe food preparation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, including a video on just how to stuff that turkey.
Additionally, when it comes to safety this holiday season, there are also ways to help keep yourself and your purchases safe as Thanksgiving morphs into Black Friday. Tech guru Shelly Palmer reported recently that, according to the New York City police department, 14 percent of crime in that city is linked to Apple computer products, while police in other cities note technology thefts of all kinds as the holiday shopping season gets into full swing. Apple is alerting buyers of the latest model iPhones that the devices now come with a security feature that requires a User ID and password to disable the "Find my Phone" feature, which helps police track down stolen phones. Tech experts say widespread use of the Apple feature can help deter theft--and possible harm--during a robbery.
Another thing to be aware of this shopping season, when people will be out and about on busy streets, is what's come to be known as the "Knockout Game," where the goal is knock a random person unconscious with a single punch. CNN and other news outlets have posted stories about reports of random violence in several U.S. and foreign cities, and at least one city is considering punishing juveniles found guilty of the attack as an adult rather than a child--which can mean years of jail time. However, The New York Times recently added its voice to the growing national discussion with a story questioning whether the "game" is in fact an urban myth, saying that it's possible these assaults are random acts of violence, and that even New York City police officials are still trying to determine the truth.
Nonetheless, while questions over the "game" remain, the assaults are very real. According to CNN, a police spokesman in Pittsburgh says people who appear distracted--such as those checking phones or listening to music through headphones--may be more vulnerable to attacks.
>>Bonus Link: The National Crime Prevention Council offers tips on safe holiday shopping, including shopping with a friend for added security.
Public Health News Roundup: November 7
FDA Takes Another Step to Reduce Consumption of Trans Fats
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has taken another step to reduce American's consumption of trans fats with a preliminary determination that partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) are not "generally recognized as safe" for use in food. PHOs are the primary dietary source of artificial trans fat in processed foods. Up next is a 60-day comment period to collect more information and input on exactly what it would take for food manufacturers to reformulate products so that they do not include PHOs. "While consumption of potentially harmful artificial trans fat has declined over the last two decades in the United States, current intake remains a significant public health concern," said FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D. "The FDA's action today is an important step toward protecting more Americans from the potential dangers of trans fat. Further reduction in the amount of trans fat in the American diet could prevent an additional 20,000 heart attacks and 7,000 deaths from heart disease each year—a critical step in the protection of Americans' health." Read more on food safety.
Lack of Light Disrupts Sleep Cycles During Hospital Stays, Increases Patient Discomfort
Hospital stays may be even more uncomfortable for most patients than necessary because of an overall lack of adequate light, according to a new study in the Journal of Advanced Nursing. The small study found that lower levels of daytime light exposure were connected to worse mood, as well as more fatigue and pain, in patients. The poor light interfered with their bodies' ability to adopt a normal sleep-wake cycle. Researchers found the lowest levels of daytime light exposure were tied to worse mood and more fatigue and pain among patients, compared to those whose rooms were better-lit during the day. "Until now, no one has looked at the associations among light and outcomes such as sleep, mood and pain experienced in the hospital," said Esther Bernhofer, lead author of the study and a nurse researcher at the Cleveland Clinic's Nursing Institute. "This study forms a basis for testing future lighting interventions to improve sleep-wake patterns, mood and pain in hospitalized adults." Read more on mental health.
Study: No Link Between IVF, Increased Risk of Cancer in Kids
Despite years of concerns, a new study on in vitro fertilization (IVF) found no link between the conception technique and an increased risk of cancer in children. The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers analyzed data on more than 106,000 children born through assisted reproduction between 1992 and 2008, finding the risk of them developing cancer was "the same as naturally conceived children," according to lead researcher Alastair Sutcliffe, MD, a specialist in general pediatrics at the University College London. More than 5 million children have been born through IVF since the first successful birth in 1978. "This study is extremely reassuring and should relieve anybody's anxiety about IVF," concluded Lawrence Grunfeld, MD, an associate clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive science at the Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine, in New York City. Read more on cancer.
Public Health News Roundup: October 31
New York City Council Votes to Raise Tobacco-purchasing Age to 21
With studies repeatedly showing that the earlier someone begins smoking, the more likely they are to become addicted, the New York City Council has voted to raise the age minimum required to buy tobacco products from to 21 years, up from 18 years. The bill passed 35-11. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has already announced he will sign the bill. The law would apply to all tobacco products, including cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos. "This is literally legislation that will save lives," said Christine C. Quinn, the Council speaker, according to The New York Times. The Council also voted to increase the penalties for retailers who evade tobacco taxes; for a prohibition on discounts for tobacco products; and for a minimum price of $10.50 a pack for cigarettes and little cigars. Read more on tobacco.
Analysis: Sports-related Youth Concussion Diagnoses Climbing
The growing number of diagnosed concussions in young athletes and their reluctance to admit when they have suffered a head injury—despite ever-growing awareness of the dangers of concussions—demonstrates the need for sports leagues and government agencies to become more active in preventing traumatic brain injuries, according to a new report from the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council. In 2009, about 250,000 youth ages 5-21 were treated for sports-related concussions and other brain injuries in U.S. hospitals, up from approximately 150,000 in 2001. The analysis pointed to Hannah Steenhuysen, a high school soccer goalie in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, as an example of why relying on youth to report their head injuries on their own is not always an effective strategy. "You don't tell anyone usually when you get a headache because you don't want to be out of the game," she said. "I couldn't watch TV or text or even read—it was really tough. When I tried to go back to school, I couldn't keep up and everything got jumbled in my head." Read more on injury prevention.
Tips for Kids with Food Allergies on Halloween
Trick-or-treating and Halloween parties can be difficult for kids with food allergies. However, there are steps both kids and parents can take to make sure kids with food allergies still have a full night of fun, according to Joyce Rabbat, MD, a pediatric allergy specialist with the Loyola University Health System, in Chicago. "The key is education," she said. "Make sure your child knows what he or she can eat. When in doubt, throw it out." Among her tips:
- Plan parties and events that do not include food, candy or other edible treats.
- Inform the host of any Halloween party if your child has a food allergy. You can also provide a list of foods that may trigger an allergic reaction.
- Clean all cooking utensils, pans or other dishes if they have been in contact with a food allergen. Also make sure to wipe down surfaces.
- Read labels to find out whether foods contain allergens or have been made on the same machine as other products that contain an allergen.
- Carry self-injectable epinephrine.
Read more on food safety.
Public Health News Roundup: October 28
Pediatricians: Parent's Religion Should Not Stand in the Way of Child's Medical Care
While noting that parents have the right to determine a child's medical care, a parent's religious beliefs should not stand in the way of necessary medical care when the child is at risk for serious disability or death, according to a new policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Bioethics. The organization is also calling for a repeal of all state exemptions to child abuse and neglect laws, as well as an end to funding for any religious or spiritual healing. "I think it's important that all children get appropriate medical care, that state policies should be clear about the obligations to provide this care and that state monies directed toward medical care should be used for established and effective therapies," said Armand Antommaria, MD, directors of the Ethics Center at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in Ohio and one of the statement's lead authors. Many religious groups currently decline mainstream and proven medical treatments. For example, Christian Scientists advocate prayer over medical treatment, and Jehovah's Witnesses opposed blood transfusions. Read more on pediatrics
Study: Low-cost Football Gear as Effective as High-tech, High-cost Equipment at Preventing Head Injuries
A group of experts has performed an extensive study to determine which football helmets and mouth guards are best at preventing youth concussions: none of them. The researchers compared high-tech and custom equipment to low-cost, off-the-shelf equipment, finding no difference in the number of concussions for 1,300 players at 36 high schools during the 2012 football season. There are approximately 40,000 sports-related concussions in U.S. high schools every year. "We're certainly not saying that helmets and mouth guards aren't important. They do what they are supposed to do. Mouth guards prevent dental injuries, and helmets prevent skull fractures and scalp and face lacerations," said Margaret Alison Brooks, MD, the study's lead co-investigator. "But I don't think the manufacturing companies have the data to support [the claim that] if a parent buys a specific model, their child will have a reduced risk of concussion." The findings will be presented today at an American Academy of Pediatrics meeting in Orlando, Fla. Read more on injury prevention.
FDA: Recall of Certain Kraft and Polly-O String Cheese Products
Kraft Foods Group has announced a voluntary recall of some varieties of Kraft and Polly-O String Cheese and String Cheese Twists products because they might spoil before their "Best When Use By" code dates. Approximately 735,000 cases of the product will be affected throughout the United States, each with code dates between October 25, 2013 and February 11, 2014. Kraft announced the recall after receiving several reports of premature spoilage and ceasing the production and distribution of the questionable products. For full refunds, customers can return the products to the store where they were purchased or call Kraft Foods Consumer Relations at 1-800-816-9432 between 9 am and 6 pm (Eastern). Read more on food safety.
Public Health News Roundup: October 14
Study: Erratic Bedtimes Linked to Kids' Behavior Problems
Children with erratic bedtimes also exhibit more behavior problems at home and at school, according to a new study in the journal Pediatrics. Researchers analyzed date on more than 10,000 children who were part of long-term sleep studies, finding that kids without a regular bedtime scored worse on a measure of behavior problems including acting unhappy, getting into fights and being inconsiderate. "If you are constantly changing the amounts of sleep you get or the different times you go to bed, it's likely to mess up your body clock," said study leader Yvonne Kelly, from University College London. "That has all sorts of impacts on how your body is able to work the following day," Kelly, from University College London." However, the researchers also found that when a child went from no set bedtime to a scheduled bedtime, their behavior improved. Read more on pediatrics.
Overweight Teens at Increased Risk of Later Esophageal Cancer
People who are overweight or obese as teens have nearly twice the risk of developing esophageal cancer later in life when compared to their peers with healthy weights, according to a new study in the journal Cancer. The study also found that social status, economic status and education levels can all be factors in the development of gastric cancers; poor teens are at twice the risk of developing stomach cancer, as are teens with nine years of fewer of education. The study included more than 1 million male Israeli teens. "We look at obesity as dangerous from cardiovascular aspects at ages 40 and over, but here we can see that it has effects much earlier," said study author Zohar Levi, MD, of the Rabin Medical Center in Israel. However, the study did not prove cause-and-effect, so further research is needed to determine whether losing weight or gaining higher social or economic status later in life can reduce the risks. Read more on cancer.
USDA: California Plants Linked to Salmonella Can Stay Open
After making "immediate substantive changes to their slaughter and processing," three California poultry processing plants tied to a salmonella outbreak in 17 states will remain open, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has determined. The plants will implement new food safety controls and the USDA will monitor the plants products for the next three months. The outbreak has sickened 278 people since May; the normal hospitalization rate is about 20 percent, but antibiotic resistance means about 42 percent of the people sickened in this outbreak were hospitalized. Read more on food safety.


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Safari Books Online is a digital library providing on-demand subscription access to thousands of learning resources.
246 Chapter 6 · Defense-in-depth Personnel Who should be involved with the anti-malware program in the organization? In the past, companies gave the task of AV support and maintenance to someone who had been infected many times and knew how to install, run, and update the scanning software. More compa- nies are realizing that malware defense is proactive as well as reactive.Traditionally, this job may fall into the realm of the corporate Computer Security Unit. Unfortunately, many still feel that having some knowledge or history in traditional information security is the same as having the same amount of background with computer viruses.This is not true. Designate a Corporate Anti-Malware Specialist Whenever Possible The primary person responsible for anti-malware architecture should specialize in the field of AV, and work closely with other computer security professionals.The anti- malware professional should have a working knowledge of all levels and layers of the network, in order to understand how a malware will react on that network.The individual should have enough knowledge to be able to administer any system on the network, but doesn't have to be an expert on every platform.This individual needs access to a full complementary team.The anti-malware professional would serve as a subject matter expert, along with other expert representatives from every operating system platform, mail platform, and network infrastructure (routers, bridges, hubs, and so on) to be found in the company.This group needs to pass


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Kate Gosselin surely spends plenty of time day dreaming of a relaxing getaway. Why wouldn't she, since she had eight kids running around the house. On Sunday, Kate took to Twitter to explain what it is that she would really find relaxing.
Kate Gosselin tweeted, "I'm watching travel ch-abt huge yachts..2 me,being on a boat is prob THE most relaxing thing ever! Dreaming of the stress relief! AHHHHH!"
Is this Kate's "Calgon, take me away!" moment? Some might even see this Twitter post as Kate Gosselin's way of begging someone to take her on a yacht, or at least on some sort of small boat. Maybe someone could lend the former reality television star a row-boat or something, so that Kate can find a little relief.
Of course, what Kate seems to really be saying here is that she is looking for an escape. See, being out in the middle of the water, away from land makes one feel isolated. Is this her way of begging someone to take her away on a vacation, sans kids?


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Novels That Thrive on Financial Conflict
Sarah Pekkanen's books often contain hidden money lessons, for those who are looking.
Sarah Pekkanen writes about women's relationships. But her novels frequently explore financial themes, as well. "I always look for conflicts. As a writer of fiction, it's our bread and butter, and money is an area that can provide great conflict," Pekkanen explains.
Her books, which fall solidly in the women's fiction (also known as "chick lit") genre, follow characters as they experience extreme wealth, interact with friends from very different income levels and struggle to get by in a big city on a young professional's salary. They don't dwell on finances, but money is an inescapable aspect of characters' lives, just as it is in real life. (One of her books, "Skipping a Beat," even inspired this reporter to purchase more life insurance.)
Pekkanen, a former reporter at the Baltimore Sun turned full-time novelist, says she doesn't purposely focus on money issues. In fact, readers seldom, if ever, ask her about the financial themes. Instead, she says writing about what's on women's minds simply includes an awareness of the role that money can play in their lives. U.S. News spoke with Pekkanen about the financial themes in her novels and what readers can take away from them. Her responses have been edited:
[Read: How to Manage Your Money — and Your Man.]
Why do your books delve into so many financial issues?
Money can create a lot of stress. In my debut novel, "The Opposite of Me," a young woman is trying to make it on her own and trying to advance, and money is a significant theme. When she got a big raise, it was a sign that she had made it.
In "The Best of Us," a group of friends from college go on vacation together, and money also plays a role, in part because it shows the differences in the couples. Everyone started on even footing in college, and then when they united for a 35th birthday party, everyone had gone in wildly different directions. One has four kids, another is struggling with infertility, one is wildly successful and there are lots of opportunities for conflict.
Does financial tension provide useful fuel for you as a novelist?
It's not just financial but what money brings. It can bring a sense of identity to people, along with types of jobs. It can also add to the feelings they have about themselves. A lot of people identify themselves by profession, even when they meet somebody. Especially in the Washington, D.C., area, where I'm from.
It's been interesting for me, personally, to have gone from being an investigative reporter, to a feature writer, to a stay-at-home mom, to a novelist. People react differently to me depending on what I've done at different phases of my life. As a novelist, people are really interested to hear about my job. As a stay-at-home mom, I was disappointed to find out that they were not as much interested in what I was doing. I'm the same person, but people respond differently.
[Read: Getting 'Financially Naked' in Relationships.]
How do you get your ideas for the financial issues that come up in your books?
Being in D.C., you see great poverty juxtaposed with terrific wealth. When I go to Union Station, I'll see someone well-dressed with a cellphone to their ear next to a homeless person begging for change. It's very visible in the D.C. area.
In "Skipping a Beat," I wanted extremes in the book. I didn't want the book to float along. I found a profile of a guy who started the Honest Tea company and I interviewed him to get some basic facts to use on background. The book is not at all based on him. I was interested in how you could create a company and become really wealthy. I wanted a character to have nothing, and then everything and then nothing again.
In both "Skipping a Beat" and "The Best of Us," characters experience extremes of wealth. What about that interests you?
I think any extreme experience interests me. As a journalist, I often wrote about really ordinary people who found themselves in extraordinary situations. I covered the Columbine shootings. I found a young man who had been the class clown and hadn't applied to college and was really struggling. But he put on a brave face the day of the shootings and really transformed and protected a lot of kids. In that moment, when people are faced with something really extraordinary, what that reveals about them is really interesting to me.
[Read: The Best Summer Money Books for Adults.]
In "The Best of Us," friends who come from different financial backgrounds go on vacation together – do you think readers related to some of the awkwardness that creates?
Definitely. There are a lot of differences and contrasts that create that awkwardness and tension, and finances is one of the big ones. You can hide the fact that maybe your marriage is struggling, but if you're living in a huge mansion and your friend is living in a tiny apartment, it's very visible.
Do you think you'll continue to explore financial themes in your books?
I wouldn't think of myself as an author who explores financial themes, but it's something people care about and worry about. People need money to live, so it's something that's vitally important, along with other things in life, and we all have different attitudes about money.
Pekkanen's next novel, "Catching Air," which follows two sisters-in-law as they start a bed-and-breakfast in Vermont, comes out in May.


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Boutique Edinburgh Hotel | Ricks Hotel
Welcome to Rick's, the super-stylish Edinburgh city centre hotel.
At Ricks Edinburgh boutique hotel, we have ten super-chic rooms located across the covered courtyard from our bar and restaurant, making it one of the most talked about cool hotels in Edinburgh.
A hip hotel on Edinburgh's Frederick Street
Perfect for everything from business travel to a stylish city break, Rick's hotel blends effortless cool with exceptional comfort. If you are looking for a business get together or a more informal event, our space is ideal for meetings or events in Edinburgh.
Part of the leading bar and restaurant group, Montpeliers, Rick's 4 star hotel in Edinburgh is sister to Tigerlily, another central boutique hotel in Edinburgh, located on the nearby George Street. Tigerlily is also home to stunning Edinburgh hotel rooms.
Rick's is home to our contemporary Edinburgh restaurant and bar, open from dawn till dusk serving breakfast, bar food and à la carte dining. Our menus are designed to be flexible and offer everything from a light breakfast to a 3 course à la carte meal with an emphasis on fresh produce and local suppliers.
Dine inside the restaurant or enjoy al fresco on-street dining or at our covered terrace – an ideal location for the smoking set.


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Derek Spicer is a senior airline Training Captain on Airbus and Boeing aircraft. In the first of a series of columns entitled, "This is your Captain speaking", Spicer explains the FAA's grounding of the 787 Dreamliner, and why passengers should take heart in the fact that safety is the number one priority of all players.
The FAA has, quite correctly, grounded all US registered Boeing 787 Dreamliners following a number of high profile electrical system glitches and in particular two fires caused by lithium ion batteries. It would be easy to sensationalise these stories, resurrecting tales of the delays and supplier woes Boeing suffered to bring the 'Seven Late Seven' into production.
However, the truth is that although the consequences of an inflight fire on an airliner can be horrendous, the Boeing 787 is a good aeroplane that is well built. In a similar vein to Airbus and the aftermath of the Qantas A380 catastrophic engine failure, Boeing will be working closely with the FAA to identify causes of the problem. Once identified the issue can fall into one of the following areas:
Maintenance: If there is any issue with the maintenance schedule or a particular method used by the operator, only now identified after entry to service, then a change of practice and a warning sent out to operators as a service bulletin will avoid future issues. This can be done quickly and inexpensively, and would come into force on all aircraft worldwide. The 787 would fly immediately.
Manufacture: In the case that an incorrect manufacturing technique or process is identified then Boeing will have to change the build process, work with the supplier and adjust practices in house. The FAA will approve a change in manufacturing process quickly and simply. It would mean that new aircraft off the production line would be to the new corrected specification. Existing delivered aircraft would be grounded until modified to the later standard.
Design: The most serious consequence is that there is a requirement for redesign and major modification of the electrical system. This means that the 787 would remain grounded until the FAA would give supplementary certification for a modification to the aircraft, after all the required test schedule is completed. This is the worst-case scenario for Boeing and damaging to the confidence of the travelling public.
Despite dramatic scenes on mobile phone video of passengers and crew evacuating a 787 on the runway this week, the fact remains that the airline business is the most highly regulated and safety orientated in the world. Every step is taken to mitigate and avoid threats and errors. Although these regulations are set in international law, there is a carrot as well as a stick.
Airlines; maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities; and operating crew are all highly trained in open safety cultures. Questioning and feedback are commonplace and if you spend any time in a cockpit, training centre, maintenance facility or production line, you will see that Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are not just being followed, they are being reviewed and questioned and fed back to the management and FAA constantly.
The aviation business is a passionate one where most are driven and proud to be associated with it. In this business it is normal for the most junior employee to notice and raise concerns over procedures that will be positively discussed at board level. While keeping a watchful eye on Boeing and the FAA, we can be confident in this process and look forward to the Dreamliner taking flight once more.


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If I cut out non-pertinent words from Section 19-186 of Knoxville's Municipal Code (concerning fortune-telling), it reads "No person shall advertise… to locate an oil well, gold or silver, or other ore or metal or natural product by means of… science." ["The Official Insider's Guide to Knoxville, Vol. 1," cover story, Aug. 27, 2009] The central focus of a large proportion of geologists and geophysicists is to use science to find oil, ores, and other natural products. I take it from the wording that it might still be legal for geoscientists to use science to find natural resources, so long as they don't advertise in Knoxville. Still, I know some of these folks, and can assure you, they're not going to like this restriction, never mind their being thrown in the same category as fortune-tellers!
Les P. Beard, P.G.
Oak Ridge
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Welcome to Fired Up Studios
Fired Up Studios is a community pottery studio located in Minneapolis, MN. It was created to provide the space and equipment to allow clay artists and potters of all levels to explore their creativity and work in a supportive environment. We offer a variety of services including a retail gallery, pottery classes, and membership options.
What's New
Closed for the Fourth of July
Fired Up Studios Office and Gallery will be closed Friday, July 04 for Independence Day.
Clay Dates
Clay Dates are the perfect way to give pottery a try. They also make a great outing with friends. Classes are small and can fill quickly, so give us a call to find out our current availability.
Beginning Pottery Classes
We have Beginning Pottery Classes starting every month. For more information about our classes please check out our Class Schedule.
Fired Up TweetsTweets by @firedupstudios
... thank you so much for all your careful work. I have been very happy at Fired Up Studios, and look forward to using it in the future.
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Introduce your friends to the joys of making pottery. It's the perfect gift for someone who has everything.


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Less than a month after being reinstated as the GOP nominee for S.C. House District 97, Ed Carter has sued the plaintiffs of a lawsuit that temporarily decertified him.
Carter was reinstated for lack of evidence Aug. 6. He's running against incumbent Rep. Patsy Knight. The suit filed Wednesday afternoon claims the Dorchester County Democratic Party and its chair, Richard Hayes, acted with malicious prosecution.
The county Democratic Party's lawsuit, filed in June, claimed Carter and other GOP non-incumbent candidates did not file in accordance with S.C. election law. An almost universally-neglected requirement in campaign filing was ignored by hundreds of non-incumbents across the state, leading the S.C. Supreme Court to toss them from the ballot this spring.
There is currently an appeal in the Dorchester Democratic Party suit before the S.C. Supreme Court dealing with the S.C. Senate District 38. .
Carter and other candidates were not originally named in the lawsuit, but intervened to protect their interests.
Carter's suit is based on the ruling by the Circuit Court judge that there was no evidence against him to prove he had filed incorrectly. His attorneys allege this is proof of malice by the Democratic Party.
"The fact that the plaintiffs failed to offer any evidence to support the allegations in their complaint indicates that the plaintiffs acted with malice toward Mr. Carter in an attempt to thwart the voters' voice of a duly qualified candidate to challenge the incumbent Democrat in the November general election," a press release from his attorneys read.
Democratic Party Chair Richard Hayes would not comment on the pending case. After Carter was reinstated by a judge earlier this month, Hayes responded:
"We welcome (Carter) back in the race. (Democratic incumbent) Rep. Patsy Knight has won three times by wide margins."
For more about this topic:


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Baby Name MeaningsSearch 30,000 Unique Baby Name Meanings
The name Amia is a baby girl name.
English Meaning:
The name Amia is an English baby name. In English the meaning of the name Amia is: Beloved.
French Meaning:
The name Amia is a French baby name. In French the meaning of the name Amia is: Beloved. Dearly loved.
People with this name have a deep inner desire to inspire others in a higher cause, and to share their own strongly held views on spiritual matters.Expression Number: 6
for harmony and balance in their lives, and respond positively to beautiful things.
30,000 baby names with their meanings, popular baby boy and baby girl names, pregnancy advice, baby names book...


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D&D Glossary
The adventurers are exploring a cavern passageway when a whispered spell in the shadows extinguishes Jozan's daylight spell, plunging the chamber into complete darkness. The soft jingle of mail and rasp of swords drawn from scabbards announces a drow attack.
Darkvision allows many characters and monsters to see perfectly well without any light at all, but characters with normal vision (or low-light vision, for that matter) can be rendered completely blind by putting out the lights. Torches or lanterns can be blown out by sudden gusts of subterranean wind, magical light sources can be dispelled or countered, or magical traps might create fields of impenetrable darkness.
In many cases, some characters or monsters might be able to see, while others are blinded. For purposes of the following points, a blinded creature is one who simply can't see through the surrounding darkness.
A creature blinded by darkness can make a Listen check as a free action each round in order to locate foes (DC equal to opponents' Move Silently checks). A successful check lets a blinded character hear an unseen creature "over there somewhere." It's almost impossible to pinpoint the location of an unseen creature. A Listen check that beats the DC by 20 reveals the unseen creature's square (but the unseen creature still has total concealment from the blinded creature).
Launch the Glossary Quick Window


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Tour of Uptown at Chase Park
November 3, 2012 from 11am to 3pm
Uptown, Chicago Community Area #5 sits 6 miles directly north of the Loop. Uptown can boast of a rich history that is equal parts ritzy and ragged. The community has thrived during the glory of the jazz age and suffered mightily during the Great Depression. Uptown was once the hub of the early American Movie industry. Its…See More


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Some 1,350 consumers complained that one or both sides of the Rainforest play yard had collapsed, with many reported injuries that included a broken nose, a mild concussion and a broken wrist. They are often used as portable cribs and have a bassinet attachment. When the rails collapse, babies can fall out, get trapped or gain access to unsafe areas.
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Simplicity also made its own branded play yards, some of which are still on the market. It was not clear Thursday if those shared the same flawed design. The CPSC is investigating, said spokesman Scott Wolfson.
At least 18 children have died in other brands of play yards when the railings collapsed into a V-shape that strangled or trapped them, said Nancy Cowles, executive director of Kids In Danger. The consumer group was founded by two University of Chicago professors whose son, Danny Keysar, died in 1998, when the rails of his portable crib collapsed around his neck.
The CPSC knew rails on the Rainforest play yards were collapsing early last year, but officials decided "it did not rise to the level of a recall," Wolfson said. The rails collapse in a U-shape, so they did not pose the same strangulation hazard as prior recalls, he said.
The CPSC reconsidered when it was flooded with complaints late last year after SFCA Inc., the company that bought Simplicity's assets, stopped responding to consumers, Wolfson said. The agency was unsuccessful in prodding SFCA to recall the play yards, he said.
Given the deadly legacy of play yards with collapsing sides, "these play yards should have been taken off the market months ago if not years ago," Cowles said.
To file a recall claim, call 800-432-5437.


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Handles + Lines
Ride with confidence behind the best wakeboard handles and lines in the industry. ActiveWake.com carries a large selection of high quality wakeboard ropes, handles, and combos designed to be comfortable and perform at the highest levels of the sport. Looking for pro model performance without the pro model price... the Ronix Combo 4.0 is the perfect handle for any wakeboarder.
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View the article online at http://citywire.co.uk/new-model-adviser/article/a635016
FSA clamps down on IFA over unpaid FOS claim
by Daniel Grote on Nov 16, 2012 at 07:28
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has removed the Part IV permissions of Chelmsford-based adviser Argentum Lex Wealth Management after it failed to pay a Financial Ombudsman Service award made against predecessor firm Wynyard Asset Management.
The FSA said that Argentum had provided a formal undertaking to comply with requirements to pay any FOS awards Wynyard, which has been dissolved.
It said in its final notice on Argentum that the firm had 'failed to comply with an award made against Wynyard by the FOS on 16 June 2011, despite repeated requests by the FOS and the FSA that it do so'.
'Argentum has failed to satisfy the FSA that it is conducting its business soundly and prudently and in compliance with proper standards,' it added.
New Model Adviser® revealed in December last year that Argentum had won a court battle over a £240,000 claim related to Wynard. Liquidators for Wynyard had agreed the firm would pay client John Giannotti £243,511 over his complaint about a pension transfer. Giannotti had been told by the FOS to pursue the claim through the courts, but lawyers for Argentum successfully argued the firm should not pay the claim.
It is not clear whether the FSA's decision relates to the Giannotti case.
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Do you have a favorite theme park in Minnesota? Write a review.
Parks are arranged alphabetically.
Como Town
St. Paul
(651) 487-2121
Small park for younger children. Located next to the Como Zoo and Conservatory.
Nickelodeon Universe at Mall of America (used to be Camp Snoopy)
Bloomington (near the Twin Cities)
Large indoor theme park.
Shakopee (near the Twin Cities)
Major theme park.


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8th Oct 2004, 16:11
I owned a 1975 Bricklin (VIN 975) for about 3 years. I made a number of improvements to the car not the least of which was to install a 1969 351-W 4 bbl engine with 10.5:1 flat top pistons, an Edelbrock performer manifold, 650 double pumper Holley carb, a Competition Cams 280 Magnum cam and lifters, and a set of race-prepared 289 cylinder heads. The heads had screw-in studs, guide plates, competition springs, were fully ported for maximum flow, and were installed with Manley hardened push-rods. I also ported the exhaust manifold and installed a 3000 stall converter, a shift kit in the FMX transmission, and a full 21/2" dual exhaust system with performance mufflers. The car had a 0-60 time of just over 4 seconds (even without much traction) and ran the quarter mile in the high 12's. My Bricklin also handled great and was a blast to drive. Needless to say, there weren't many cars around (Vettes or otherwise) that could keep up with me. The car could rev to 7200 rpm and also had tremendous low end torque. People often thought I had a high performance 427 in it. I always loved the styling of the car and felt that it should have the power to match its looks. When I sold the car in 1985, I removed the engine and put the stock one back in, but I left the manifold and carb and with the performance exhaust system (and minimal pollution controls) it was still a strong running car (easily faster than any stock '75 Vette). Anyway, someday I might try to find another Bricklin to restore and re-power. Despite some problems with the doors and a few other things, I always enjoyed that car and often wish that I had kept it.
Russ Engs
Cambridge, Ontario.


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I discovered the answer and published it in a blog post. As it turns out, the fungus is prized in traditional medicines here, both Chinese and Tibetan, and brings a high price at market. It is believed to bring virility to the user, thus the nickname "Himalayan Viagra".
It only grows in the high altitude of the Himalaya and the Tibetan plateau and farming it has so far been unsuccessful so Tibetan gatherers head out to dig the things up every spring. Local people who harvest the worms add significantly to their income by selling what they find.
As for a souvenir, you might want to choose the lowest quality to bring home as a gimmick. The fungus can fetch very high prices so unless you're into practicing TCM for some ailment, I wouldn't shell out a lot of money for high-priced yartsa gunbu just to bring home to show friends. But it might be fun to buy a bit, soak it in water and serve as caterpillar tea. Your friends will definitely not forget this gift.
I used these excellent National Geographic articles as sources for this article.
Finkel, Michael. "Tibet's Golden 'Worm'." National Geographic. National Geographic Society, Aug. 2012. Web. 29 Nov. 2012.
Mott, Nicholas. "Caterpillar Fungus Has Anti-Inflammatory Properties." National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 28 Nov. 2012. Web. 29 Nov. 2012.


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Joseph C. Garza
The Tribune-Star
Even though the weather was cold and wet, a group of seniors gathered Sunday at the Wabash Senior Activity Center Sunday to try their luck. In the first photo, Jack Bagley calls out "N43" during a Sunday game of bingo at the Wabash Senior Activity Center. In the second photo, Ed Campbell collects a small cash prize from Pat Drake after she confirmed his winning numbers. In the third photo, bingo players Katherine Stafford and Bob Ratcliff keep track of the latest number called on several cards.