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LACEy — North Thurston got off to a difficult start for the boys basketball season, dropping six of its first seven games.
Two wins in as many nights, however, has the Rams heading into the New Year with renewed confidence.
Steven Stone scored 20 points, Wes Reynolds added 17, and the Rams defeated River Ridge, 71-58, in the second day of the North Thurston Holiday Tournament on Saturday.
"We're on a streak," North Thurston coach Tim Brown said. "We're a young team, but they are starting to come together. The big thing is they're competing."
Reynolds and David Marrero controlled the inside defensively for the Rams, who never trailed.
Marrero, a 6-foot-8 junior with a wing span of a shot blocker, finished with 11 points and six blocks.
"We're going to pound it down low. That's going to be our M.O. the rest of the season," Brown said. "We are going to take advantage of our height and length."
That's what they did against the Hawks as North Thurston's defense forced River Ridge (4-5) to settled for long-range jumpers.
Jason Kananin led the Hawks with 14 points, hitting a trio of 3-pointers, while Kobe Key added 12.
The Rams (3-6) had their largest lead at 55-40 early in the fourth quarter, but River Ridge was able to cut the deficit to 10 points four times during the final four minutes of play – the last coming at 66-56 on a Thayer Murphy 3 with 1 minute, 39 seconds left.
The Hawks were unable to get any closer.
The Rams turned to Reynolds, a 6-4 sophomore forward, early in an attempt to capitalize on its significant height advantage. Reynolds delivered, scoring 12 points to help North Thurston to a 31-24 lead at halftime.
River Ridge, which trailed the entire first half, cut the deficit to 18-17 on a Murphy free throw midway through the second quarter.
The Rams answered with a 7-0 run before the lead grew to 31-20 on Qe'Andre Adams layup with 30 seconds remaining in the half.
Tumwater 85, Yelm 54: The Thunderbirds rode their best offensive performance of the season to hammer the Tornados.
Josiah Warner was one of four Tumwater players to score in double figures, scoring a game-high 20 points.
The T-Birds also received big offensive games from David Cooper (16 points), Cole Hastie (14) and Zach Delucco (11).
Tumwater (3-7) opened the game on a 7-2 run and never let up, taking a 25-12 lead after the first quarter and a 37-15 advantage on Warner's baseline jumper with 51/2 minutes remaining in the second quarter.
Warner lit it up from the outside in the opening half, scoring 12 points, and the T-Birds converted 18 free throws in taking a commanding 51-29 lead at the halftime.
Christian Davis paced Yelm (5-2) with nine points.
Timberline 55, Beaverton (Ore.) 44: Donaven Dorsey scored 26 points and pulled down eight rebounds while Jarryn Bush added 12 points as the Blazers defeated the Beavers in the consolation round in Hillsboro, Ore.
Timberline (3-4) trailed 24-20 at halftime but rallied in the second half, shooting 70 percent (14-for-20) from the field, to pull out the victory.
The Blazers play Central Catholic, a 62-51 winner over South Eugene, at 11:30 a.m. today with the winner advancing to the consolation championship game.


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The Fig Tree, Hoboken's newest fine dining restaurant, is now open at 306 Park Ave.
"We've been busy," owner Gerry Farrelly said after opening in late April. "Business has been tremendous." Farrelly owns the Fig Tree with his wife Amelia, her sister Sheila and Sheila's husband Mark Nisler. The four also own Zack's Oak Bar and Restaurant.
The restaurant is named for a fig tree growing in its enclosed backyard, where Farrelly said the restaurant will grow some of its own ingredients. The restaurant includes a front dining room, a bar, a middle dining room and a room in the back that can be sealed for private parties. Farrelly said the Fig Tree plans to add seating to the backyard.
The restaurant serves what is called Modern American Cuisine – a menu that is meant to be organic, seasonal, locally sourced and prepared by classically trained chefs. See the menu or make reservations at the Fig Tree website.
Coming soon: a children's clothing store moves.
The Business Beat covers businesses opening, closing, renovating, relocating and celebrating anniversaries in the Mile Square. Have a Hoboken related business tip? Send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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Locker, I'm not sure about the core and sheath materials, but I do think the finishing coats that are on dry ropes must help a lot. I have had great life out of my Mammut Infinity 9.5. It has done so well over the last couple of years that I recently bought another one and it is still in the package waiting for my other one to finally die. Mammut uses a couple different finishes. I believe one is to increase durability and lessen drag, the another is the dry coat. The combination of the them seems to work quite well.
My experience with Sterling is that the 9.8 Evolution Velocity and all of the Marathon series are VERY durable. This is just my experience, but they seem to last longer than any other rope I have used (with Mammut coming in as a close second). My Sterling 10.1 is a workhorse that I cannot seem to kill. Although it is by no means lightweight, it is not so heavy that it reduces my performance on the rock. The 9.2 and 9.4 are "performance" oriented ropes. They are skinny, lightweight, and have very different wear characteristics than "thicker" ropes. Although I have not seen anything like what Killis is describing, in my experience the durability of the smaller ropes is significantly less than the other ropes produced by Sterling. Regardless of manufacturer, all the smaller ropes are always less durable. My suggestion; give Sterling a call. They seem to be a good company that stands behind their product. Good luck and let us know what happens.
"if you want a "durable" rope ... go buy a 10-10.3mm with a tight weave at a cheap price ... its really that simple". I totally agree! Also agree on the "Dry" treatments. They don't last for shit if you use your rope regularly. And I also think that it is in the weaving that there is probably a difference going on with longevity. Rope life of course also depends one hell of a LOT on the rock type you choose to use it on. But that ain't NEW, news! ;-) EDITED: Softer or harder "Catch", is a different story.
A few years ago I found a new route to bolt just south of Rock Canyon. It was going to be an almost 230 feet long pitch! I bolted on rappel with an old 70 meter rope that I had had for a few years. I hid my brand new 70 meter rope underneath an overhang at the base of the climb. I would bolt the climb and then ascend back up with the new rope, tie them together, rappel back down, and then pull my ropes. When I got to the base of the climb, a coil from the middle of my new rope had flipped outside of the overhang and a rock I had thrown off while bolting, hit the rope and cut it in half! I didn't get to use my new rope for a single pitch. My Fastest Rope Retirement So Far.
I agree that the tight weave helps with longevity. I recently bought a Maxim with the TPT single-weave sheath. It's held up really well to some nasty top rope abuse, including some newbies lowering down some Castlewood conglomerate, losing their balance, and raking the sheath across the Castlewood 20 grit. It's in surprisingly good shape, even in the spots where I have beat the crap out of it.
"It's in surprisingly good shape, even in the spots where I have beat the crap out of it.". Not to worry! We'll be fucking that one up and the new ones I have in the shop real soon. LOL!
It is funny to see the posts above. 5 pitches, core shot, no falls, blah, blah, blah... I'm never going to buy this brand ever again. If you read the rope forums you will see that someone, somewhere core shoted most every rope out there. And then says I'll never buy that brand ever again. In another forum someone will say that is the best rope they have ever owned. I'm not saying all ropes have the same durability. Just that shit happens. It only takes one little eff up to damage a rope. And it is quite possible to not even know when it happens. Sheath weave plays a major role in durability as well as handling and impact forces. Generally speaking, tight weaves are more durable with higher impact forces. YMMV
Locker: Yes, the weave patterns are different on the sheaths, as well as waterproofing which can affect durability. www.neropes.com/product.aspx?mid=FC4DB29E596CB9D0D1DE3CDC00B>>> I purchased a 9.9 x 70m bi color New England Glider, and it is holding up well after about 20 climbs...I just use it for longer trad climbs. It feels stiff, but slides through pro nicely as advertised. But brand new, it had many, many, kinks and I had to flake from end to end about 6 times before I could tame the kinks (aka - a--holes). But it's tamed now and doesn't kink like it used to. If you look at reviews of the rope on REI's web page, people's experience varies widely...one user had 130 days and still going strong...a couple others said it wore out quickly. Seems like the biggest variable is the way people treat their ropes... Maybe it's time to rethink the thin cord trend... if you are leading 30m (100 ft) sport climbs, there's only a 1.1 pound difference between 9.9 and 11 mm, so if the crux is at 50ft, the 11mm is only 1/2 pound heavier than the 9.9... A 2 pound difference carrying to the crag...
"Seems like the biggest variable is the way people treat their ropes..." That's the direction I've been leaning as well.
^^^ Pretty much 100% on board with the above. I also do not use a rope tarp, don't ever wash my ropes, occasionally step on them without shitting in my pants, etc... I also agree about the "thin rope trend".
I've got no problem with the thin rope trend, just use them as they should be used: for that desperate route you've been projecting for a week (on the final send), or for those long, every-ounce-counts alpine climbs, or for those folks who are total bad asses and never toprope. That said, a rope is a consumable item: it's supposed to die, so I don't sweat the wear and tear. But it shouldn't die for no reason, which is more or less what the original post is about. That would concern me, and I'd contact the manufacturer just to make sure it wasn't some rare manufacturing defect. It's probably more likely that something bad happened to it and the poster did not notice at the time, but the manufacturer should be clued in any way. As soon as I can afford it, I want a quiver of ropes: a thick and thin version, say a 9.5 and a 10.5, in lengths of 50m, 60m, and 70m. It's amazing how much of my local, day-today cragging doesn't even need a 50m! And I'll beat 'em up! But I will wash them, because I hate how dirty a dirty rope makes my hands. I won't wash them to make them last longer, thouugh, I really thing that is myth masquerading as fact.
I had been out climbing all day with my then climbing partner. I accidentally left my rope in his truck. The next time we got together to climb the dude walks over with my rope, hands it to me and says, "I washed your rope". I almost SHIT in my pants and answered, "Fuck man! What the fuck for?". It really pissed me off. Dude DIDN'T wash it as a favor to me. He washed it because it was dirty and he and his cohorts are ANAL RETINTIVES that have to wash their hands at the end of a climb. LOL! TIM... DON'T DO IT MAN! If I see you pull out a fucking bottle of "Hand Sanitizer" at the end of a climbing day I swear I might SHOOT you! LMAO!
So here I am on this thread being my usual fuck off self and what the fuck do you know? I too have ended up owning a piece of shit rope that is already fucked up and it's been used for about 10 climbing days, no hard falls, pretty much NOTHING hard on the rope, and it's got WEIRD spots all along it's core, and has also developed an ODD area almost like a "Core shot", where it has a BREAK feeling in the rope and no fall was even in that area of the rope. I will say however for what it's worth, the rope handles nicely. But what the fuck is with the weirdness? It's New England Maxim 10.2
Locker, anyone who's dissatisfied with epic rope collapse is a crying ninny. Really, just ask your parents for a new one like the rest of the site does! Hope ya like that one. Coming from one person who pays his own bills and changes his own didies to another. Celebrating the arrival of my new rack of VGs, it's party time! Losing skin, wearing kneepads, screaming for mercy party time. Sounds like standard Vegas fare...
"Strange. In my experience New England makes the best ropes, both for climbing and boating. You may want to email a rep and ask, their customer service has been nothing but great if I ever have a problem". I'm just going to use the damned thing as it is and see what the fuck happens. Like yourself, I've NEVER had a problem with New England ropes. This one was on sale NEW for under $100.00. I do wonder if the weirdness felt along the entire length has something to do with that cheaper price. It's like to core strands are bunched a bit along the way. You run your hand along the rope and feel LUMPS all over it. It's a strange one. The real ODD feeling spot that is like it took a core shot is the strangest. Oh well!
"Locker, anyone who's dissatisfied with epic rope collapse is a crying ninny. Really, just ask your parents for a new one like the rest of the site does! Hope ya like that one. Coming from one person who pays his own bills and changes his own didies to another." LOL!
Love our Mammut ropes...the 9.2 Revelation is great, the 8.9 Serenity is surprisingly durable, the 9.5 Infinity awesome all-arounder, durable, handles well.
The rope I have continues to be WEIRD. It's like the core of the rope bunches up in small areas inside the sheath, creating LUMPS along the entire rope length. Needless to say those lumps rub over the rock more than the other areas, and the rope is quickly getting thrashed. First time I have ever dealt with anything like this. Strange rope.
Locker, You do know yur gonna die right?
Locker. That is a know issue with that brand. It is NOT normal. Call them. They will replace it.
Petzl sucks. Bought mine from rei. Three days at pilot mt. and major fraying. Going back to rei soon. I'm thinking mammut next


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I-1082 = Higher Taxes On Washington Small Business
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 at 9:33AM
I don't know of a lot of small businesses in Washington who can afford to see their premiums go up by 28%:
As written, I-1082 would virtually eliminate oversight of workers' compensation claims, leaving injured workers in the lurch. I-1082 is also a terrible hit on small business owners — increasing their tax burden at a time when many are barely hanging on. This is the wrong time and the wrong economy to force businesses to shoulder the entire burden of higher industrial insurance premiums.
* * * *
Source: Initiative would eliminate valuable oversight of workers' comp - Endorsements by The Olympian - The Olympian - Olympia, Washington
That is just one of many reasons to vote no on I-1082.
Written By: Justinian Lane | in Workers' Compensation | tagged Politics, Washington State


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Guitar Pick
A guitar pick is a plectrum used for guitars. Guitar pick collecting started off as a very cult-ish hobby and probably started gaining credibility somewhere around the mid-80s. The uniqueness of their colors, materials and graphic styles reflect different personalities, which make them quite wonderful to collect.
– from Wiki, Guitar Collecting & Guitar-picks.com


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The Rapache development team is happy to announce the immediate availability of latest Rapache beta release on the Rapache PPA.
Please see this post for more infos on the new features.
To add the PPA insert the following lines in your /etc/apt/sources.list:
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/rapache-devel/ubuntu hardy main deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/rapache-devel/ubuntu hardy main
Then issue the following commands:
sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install rapache
At this point the Rapache icon will appear inside Applications >> System Tools.
This release brings many improvements and you're encouraged to test it and report any bug.
We can be contacted in the following ways:
- in #rapache, on freenode.
- on the mailing list (email@example.com)
You are also welcome to request new features / new plugins. We will read and evaluate everything, just file your request as a bug in launchpad.
Many thanks to emgent for the swift packaging response.


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Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Classic and Modern in Malaga
7 comments:
- LuxuryLovesDesign said...
I love this mesh of classic and modern. It works so well
- December 18, 2012 at 8:26 AM
- Karen Albert said...
Heather, really striking and well curated!! I love it!
Love and Hugs
Art by Karena
$75 NOVICA Giveaway
- December 18, 2012 at 12:34 PM
- Fashion-isha said...
Oh my! These spaces are designed simply fabulously! I'd die to live in a place like this! Have a great day!
- December 19, 2012 at 8:29 AM
- MJH Design Arts said...
OH! So many amazing elements. And a view of the sea. The tapestry draped console--that's a new one for me and I love the way the textile flows and is in contrast to the stark polished marble floor and cool gray walls. Beautiful spaces.
Thanks. Mary
- December 19, 2012 at 8:29 AM
- adesigndiary said...
Thank you for sharing this incredible designer....what a talent! Each room is better than the next...I loved the images!
- December 20, 2012 at 10:12 AM
- Simone Aleandri said...
I like a lot this style of furnishings, it is really what I would want for my new house that I am purchasing in Florence, in a historical building, Palazzo Portinari Salviati, where Beatrice has lived, the muse of Dante. Therefore a classical style, but at the same time modern, it is simply perfect.
- December 21, 2012 at 5:56 AM
- Martha Feininger said...
Wow! I love this house. I didn't know this interior designer before. I found his webpage and and it is quite impressive. Have a look!
- January 25, 2014 at 8:20 AM


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The Revolution Will Be Indiana Jones-ified01/31/2011
Jaws Turns 3506/13/2010
On June 20, 1975, moviegoers collectively changed their attitudes about swimming in the ocean. Jaws also reinvented the summer movie season, and scary movies, overnight. Much like Alfred Hitchcock's shower scene, this movie made audiences rethink potential sources of Things to Watch Out For. The sophomore effort of one of filmmaking's living legends, Steven Spielberg, it still ranks as one of the world's best-loved movies, with a commanding 100% rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
My personal favorite element of this classic flick is the way the shark was represented; yes, I loved the acting performances of each and every human character, but the character of the shark upstaged everyone. And that shark's name is Bruce. It's hilarious to note that the name was attached to the mechanical shark(s) in honor of Spielberg's lawyer, also named Bruce. Check this out, the last of them was recently found in a junkyard.
Here's some awesome trivia from IMDb:
During pre-production, director Steven Spielberg, accompanied by friends Martin Scorsese, George Lucas and John Milius, visited the effects shop where "Bruce" the shark was being constructed. Lucas stuck his head in the shark's mouth to see how it worked and, as a joke, Milius and Spielberg sneaked to the controls and made the jaw clamp shut on Lucas' head. Unfortunately, and rather prophetically, considering the later technical difficulties the production would suffer, the shark malfunctioned, and Lucas got stuck in the mouth of the shark. When Spielberg and Milius were finally able to free him, the three men ran out of the workshop, afraid they'd done major damage to the creature.
Eat him, Bruce!
(Photo: bytehead)
Editing is key, though. With a severely effective assist from the music. Jaws was Verna Fields' last movie as an editor, and it is her best work. Spielberg came close to shutting down the whole project when he realized the fake shark just looked stupid, but it was Verna who calmly told him she could make it look real through wide shots, floating barrels, and the use of very selective, short shots. Let the viewers fill in the gaps with their imaginations, and they will believe in a monster from the deep.
As Spielberg says in this interview, "Had the shark been working, perhaps the film would have made half the money, and been half as scary."
Some still shots from a classic, courtesy Universal.
Indy 5 Confirmed06/09/2010
Hold onto your fridge, it looks like Dr. Jones is going on another adventure soon. No obnoxiously long title yet, but it's been leaked that the new script will take him (and Mutt) to the Bermuda Triangle, and George Lucas/Steven Spielberg will helm the fifth entry in the series. Reports say that this will be the final installment, and it will "stay true to the series' roots, and won't contain lots of state-of-the-art special effects." Maybe.
That's what they said last time. Then they opened the film with CGI groundhogs.
My hope is this will actually be pretty darned good, a triumphant return to greatness, like what happened when The Last Crusade successfully washed the taste of Temple of Doom from our brains.
UPDATE: Producer Frank Marshall tweets:
The rumor about INDY 5 is completely false. Nothing has changed, we are not shooting next year and still in the research phase…
Hmm. Well, if it's "completely" false, why does he indicate the intention? If anything, this is more good news; they're taking their time to write a good script.
Watch the Skies03/28/2010
Here's a super-short documentary about the making of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. It's amazing what memories you can stir up by finding things on YouTube; I totally remember the poster advertising this, mid 1977.
E.T. Save Home09/03/2009
It came to pass during this hellacious Station Fire in the Los Angeles mountains, that the house where Spielberg placed his most beloved story was threatened by flames. Just picture a wall of flames behind the house, and you got the full picture.
Interesting thing I never realized before about that script. Imdb confirms that there are no last names used, just first names, and a bunch of characters like "Medic" that show how basic and steampunk that script was. Bare bones and truth.
Hey, I wonder how the plot would have unfolded if E.T. had seen this view as he peered over the ridge?
Close Encounters Deleted Scene08/20/2009
Freshly leaked scene from Close Encounters of the Third Kind, one of my favorite Spielberg flicks! It connects with the early scene involving the air traffic control tower monitoring an encounter. I like the rewrite where the two met at the South American airstrip better, but this is still very interesting to watch, and imagine a different cut.
Creative Process of Lucas/Spielberg/Kasdan03/13/2009
Since The Transcript of George Lucas' brainstorming sessions with Steven Spielberg and writer Lawrence Kasdan was released online as a .pdf, I've been perusing it. It's basically these two 1978 wunderkinds are telling Kasdan how they want the story to be, and Kasdan himself shows tremendous grok of their concepts, and even makes many suggestions that end up in the final product, Raiders of the Lost Ark.
I am an unabashed fan of that film, and usually include it in my favorites whenever asked. I remember winning some radio call-in contest, and I had won tickets to this weirdly named movie I had no idea about. This was pre-marketing days, so yeah. I went to this premiere event, and was completely blown away. And this transcript shows how the authors started out wanting to tell a certain story, and they really had the bones to begin with and kept the structure basically the same. But the drama is in the elements that they are talking about that didn't make it to the final draft, and how they kind of wrangle the thing around until it resembles what we all know and love. Example, the action sequence in Mongolia:
Lucas: She takes the pendant off and puts it on (the table). She starts writing the note and the Germans come in. (Indy) comes in and they have a fight. In the middle of the fight they knock over the table and the little box breaks open. The pendant goes rolling across the floor. Immediately you think someone is going to see it. It's sitting out there. You're afraid one of the Germans is going to notice it.
Kasdan: I love the idea of fire. When it rolls across the floor, it could roll into the fire. You don't think it's going to burn up, but he has to retrieve it…I'd love it if he burns down her only stake in the world, which is the inn.
Spielberg: That's a good idea.
Kasdan: The pendant might lead him to the fire. He uses the fire.
Lucas: The Nazis should do that. Let's have the Nazis cause the fire. He's the one who brought the Nazis there, so it's his fault anyway. I like the idea of doing the old branding iron scene before he bursts in.
Spielberg: I love the branding iron stuff. It's a red hot poker.
Lucas: That's what starts the poker. It starts immediately on the fight. When he comes in he knocks the poker out of their hands. The poker goes into the curtains and immediately starts the fire. They fight. The box gets knocked off the table. One of the Nazis sees the pendant as it falls, and starts to go for it. He gets hit in the head with a falling beam or something. When it's all over, they end up with the pendant and a pile of rubble. She says, "You're going to be a long time paying for this." Then he feels obligated to bring her along, since he does feel sort of guilty.
Spielberg: She can say, "Charlie, you're my ticket home." Wouldn't the Germans pull guns and start shooting?
Lucas: Yes, but he comes in and uses his whip. He also maybe has a gun.
Spielberg: There should be one big Nazi, the torture guy, 6′ 6″ weighing 290 pounds, wearing this huge overcoat.
Lucas: And you have the local yokels, the two guys with the Tommy Guns and the furry overcoats, yak coats, just off the border war, or whatever.
Spielberg: This Nazi is struggling with our hero, and they're kind of rolling on the ground, and one of these henchmen is standing at the door trying to get a clear shot because they keep moving. Two of the other Germans who are struggling with the other girl say, "Shoot both of them." The German who's rolling around with our hero panics, pulls out his own gun and shoots the guy with the Tommy Gun, kills them both to save himself.
Kasdan: All the bad guys in this movie are so vile, they turn on themselves. Now they're standing on rubble.
Lucas: Cut to Cairo.


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Chickpea Noodle Soup
Chickpea Noodle Soup - a veganized version of Chicken Noodle Soup!
TheGardenGrazer hasn't written a comment yet.
Chickpea Noodle Soup - a veganized version of Chicken Noodle Soup!
Healthier Potato Salad. Replaces mayo with greek yogurt!
Homemade marinara sauce
Roasted Mushrooms with Peas, Tomato, Onion
Breakfast Potatoes & Skillet - great for a hearty breakfast, brunch, or breakfast-for-dinner nights!
Orzo Salad with Spinach, Tomato, Feta and a homemade vinaigrette dressing
A great meal, especially in the springtime when asparagus is in season!
Wild Rice Mushroom Soup - a creamy soup perfect for any time of the year
Chocolate Oat Balls - a healthy, no bake energy snack packed with oats, flax, almonds and sunflower seeds.
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A small fire was sparked Tuesday morning at a log cabin at the Carroll County Farm Museum in Westminster, fire officials said.
No one was injured, and no artifacts were harmed, but repairs will be needed for the museum's chimney and roof, according to the Carroll County Times.
Read the full story here.
The Westminster Volunteer Fire Department was among the companies that fought the fire, and officials said on its website the fire, which was found in the walls and attic space around the chimney, was "knocked down within minutes."
The Carroll County Farm Museum, 500 S. Center St. in Westminster, celebrates agricultural life of the 1800s.
The museum is in the midst of its "Twelve Days of Christmas" celebration, which lasts until Dec. 16.
It is decorated in Victorian holiday fashion and has Santa visits, holiday music, mule-pulled wagon rides and more, according to its website. Admission is $2.50 for those ages 7 and up.
Sign up for the Westminster Patch newsletter here and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for instant news updates and community conversations.


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Velvet Furniture Protectors
Service Bar on Ice
No Video
The Hookless® shower curtain hangs in mere seconds! No need to remove the rod—these built-in rings secure right over the curtain rod. The sheer window panel allows extra light to shine in. Curtain comes with a sheer, water-repellent PEVA liner that's a snap to attach and remove. Both the curtain and liner have hem-free bottoms that won't collect water, minimizing mold and mildew. Machine wash/dry polyester curtain. 71"W x 74"L.
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A couple can sue a laptop-tracking company that recorded their online video sex chats while trying to identify the thief who had stolen the computer the woman was using, according to reports.
Susan Clements-Jeffrey, a substitute teacher in Ohio, claims she didn't know the laptop was stolen, according to Wired's Threat Level blog, even though she bought it from one of her students for $60. She then proceeded to have sexually explicit video chats with her boyfriend -- unaware that an employee for a firm hired to recover laptops for the school district was monitoring their fun in real time using remote-recovery software called LoJack.
The security employee gathered evidence to discover the identity of who had the laptop, snapping photos of Clements-Jeffrey using the laptop's camera -- including one her naked with her legs spread open facing the computer. It's this photo, among others, that were sent to police, who confronted her with the pictures when they arrested her for receiving stolen goods. The charges were dismissed about a week later.
Clements-Jeffrey and boyfriend Carlton Smith of Boston, are suing pretty much everyone involved, including Absolute Software (the security firm) Kyle Magnus (the security employee), the city of Springfield, Ohio, and two police officers. They claim the police violated their Fourth Amendment rights and that Absolute violated the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, the Stored Communications Act and intentionally invaded their privacy, according to Wired.
A judge ruled last week that the case can move forward, noting that there is reason to believe that the security company went too far trying to recover the stolen property. Wired notes that the case hinges on whether Clements-Jeffrey knew the laptop was stolen and whether she and her boyfriend had a reasonable expectation of privacy.
What do you think?
Tags: Privacy : Online : Security : Software
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New Xbox 360 dashboard gallery
When Microsoft updates the Xbox 360's user interface later this year, people will be able to search for movies, music, apps and other forms of entertainment using voice technology powered by Bing. Here's a gallery of screen captures showing off what the new Xbox 360 interface will look like. The upcoming changes to the Xbox 360's software were announced at the e3 Expo in Los Angeles this week.
Tags: e3 : Xbox 360 : Xbox Live : Software
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Twitter officially buys TweetDeck
Twitter officially announced today it's buying TweetDeck, a program that organizes Twitter feeds
Twitter is paying about $40 million for the company, according to the New York Times, which is citing anonymous sources. TweetDeck is free, downloadable software for computers, Apple's iPhone, Google's Android gadgets and other platforms.
Tags: Twitter : Social Networking : Software
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Lab invents online 'kissing' device
In an effort to foster more intimate human interactions online, a lab in Japan has developed a device that lets people "kiss" over the Internet.
Or more specifically, according to CNN, one user tongues a plastic straw connected to a computer, causing another plastic straw on some other computer to wiggle on someone else's tongue. This kiss transmission device, designed by Kajimoto Laboratory in Tokyo, could be used to ease the stress of long-distance relationships.
Or it could be used for other things. For example, in the video, Nobuhiro Takahashi, a researcher, suggests that celebrities could record a kissing session using the device and then "offer it to fans."
Still, Takahashi notes that there are other factors involved in kissing that will need to be addressed in order to refine the technology.
"The elements of a kiss include the sense of taste, the manner of breathing and the moistness of the tongue," Takahashi says in the video. "If we can re-create all of those, I think it will be a really powerful device."
Tags: Online : Social Networking : Software : Gadget
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Spreenkler's hackathon Saturday
Spreenkler Talent Labs is running its second hackathon at 11 a.m. Saturday, uniting software developers and designers into teams tasked with creating "useful and cool software" in just 24 hours.
The first hackathon lured creative talent from all over, fielding 11 teams with about 40 developers. Saturday's free event will be hosted among multiple cities — Milwaukee, Chicago, Madison and New York — and the Milwaukee venue is at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Peck School of the Arts Kenilworth Building, 1915 E. Kenilworth Place, on the third floor.
The apps are judged on their completion, creativity and scalability, with about $25,000 in prizes awarded accordingly. The first-place team has the chance to enter Spreenkler's Seed Incubator and build a company based on its 24-hour effort. In addition to my story on the first hackathon, Spreenkler offers several videos about the Talent Labs, the event and the players involved. As you can tell from the video I've included below, they're working hard and having a good time.
Recap of Spreenkler Talent Labs Hackathon. from Steve Glynn on Vimeo.
Tags: Spreenkler : Hacking : hackathon : Software : Free : Event : Students : Developer : Competition
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PC Magazine's best free software
PC Magazine revealed its Best Free Software of 2011 today, highlighting more than 200 free programs to download and install for activities ranging from editing video and building presentations, to e-reading and social networking.
Here are just a few of the magazine's selections:
- Ad-Aware Free Internet Security: The site's "editors' choice" for free anti-virus apps, which they say is "effective at not only finding malware but also at blocking it" and almost as good as the Pro version.
- Dropbox: The site's favorite synchronization tool, which editors say is "the perfect example of 'set it and forget it.'" for backing up and stashing files.
- Flock: A social-networking Web browser built for Facebook and Twitter.
- VoxOx 2: A unified hub of phone, email text chat, SMS texting, social networking.
- Billeo: This program adds a toolbar to a Web browser for online bill paying, shopping, remembering passwords and automatically entering data in forms -- all securely.
- calibre: This program keeps track of ebook files, sorting by title, author, rating, tag, and more. It also converts ebook formats as needed and supports several ebook devices, including the Sony Reader and Barnes & Noble Nook.
- Digsby: An instant-messaging program awarded an editors choice award for its clean, customizable interface, audio and video chat and integrated social networking.
- LastPass: The magazine's security expert considers this program "an almost perfect product for managing your passwords for every phone and every browser, with just about every feature you could want."
Tags: Computers : Software : Free
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Downloading thoughts on "TRON: Legacy"
[Note: This is NOT the Journal Sentinel's review of TRON. Just some impressions from a geek who loves movies, gaming and movies with gaming . For the review, see critic Duane Dudek's write-up Thursday night online on our movies page and in Friday's Weekend Cue.]
Technology's jumped light-years since the original "TRON," which dematerialized us decades ago into the glowing digital world of life as a piece of code.
The light cycles, disc battles and game grid are back and in high definition in "TRON: Legacy," which is a major upgrade in several ways but suffers frustrating bugs in its storytelling.
The virtual journey of programmer Kevin Flynn, played by Jeff Bridges, gets a full reboot in "Legacy," except now his son, Sam, is the hero.
Kevin vanishes one night after telling a young Sam a bedtime story about his time inside the system -- a quick and convenient way to explain the core story, concepts and characters from the 1982 original.
Sam grows up, inherits the majority share of Flynn's powerful software company and rebels. The firm's grown evil ever since his dad bailed, but Sam upholds his father's ideals, including the hacker mantra of information wanting to be free.
It's in these first 15 minutes of the movie's real world that "Legacy" starts failing the virtual reality check. But hey, I'm sure a very talented hacker could sneak into a major software corporation, skulk around the server farm and hack the network all while having to outrun only one morbidly obese security guard.
I guess it really doesn't matter. These early antics are only a shallow pretense to establish Sam's skill set, attitude and ethics for when he's inevitably digitized into the beautiful neon world of programs.
After a quick conversation with Flynn's friend and partner Alan -- that's 'Alan One' to those familiar with the original -- Sam's off to his dad's old arcade to investigate. Yes, it's that arcade from the original, covered in plastic sheets and dust from years of neglect.
Once in the system, Sam's exactly where we want him -- quickly geared up by a quartet of heavily made up Lady Gagaesque femmegrams and then hurling discs and riding light cycles.
The computer-game fantasy world of "Legacy" is striking. The industrial design in this movie is among its most inspiring virtues, from the form-fitting outfits, to the vehicles, to the Grid itself.
Constructs like the tanks, Recognizers and the sailing simulation are stylish and stunning, with graceful curves and an electro-luminescence that is otherworldly.
The TRONscape is a marvelous arena for the acrobatic action of disc combat in which the losers crumble into pixilated piles. It's about the tamest form of cinematic violence seen in ages, and although it's energetic and exciting, there also isn't enough of it.
Sam finds friends, enemies and others all in the quest for his father, who has aged despite going all-digital.
Bridges is essential to "Legacy," seamlessly tying the successor to the predecessor while also serving double duty as Flynn and Clu, a program designed by Flynn to help create the "perfect" system.
The character of Clu is among the more impressive special effects marvels in "Legacy," with Bridges' face made younger digitally and then mapped onto the body of a younger actor. With a few exceptions when Clu's face looks a little less than human -- he IS a program, after all -- it's remarkable to see Bridges as the soul in both roles.
"Legacy" nods several times to the first "TRON," and watching the original a day before the screening Monday helped a lot. It's too bad Disney isn't allowing theaters to show "TRON" leading up to "Legacy." It would help "TRON" novices with some extra depth and personality that the reboot certainly needs.
The 3-D in "Legacy" is waste. It's clear in a note to the audience when the movie starts that it was an afterthought, and it's obvious throughout. The scenes where 3-D is prominent fail to create any immersion, and overall, its use is gimmicky and shallow.
Still, uninspired 3-D and a few storytelling stumbles aside, "Legacy" is engaging and engrossing. The story of a son searching for his father is noble enough, and the virtual world of living programs is sleek and sexy and stimulating.
Tags: Movies : Games : Geek Culture : Scifi : Software
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The Force Unleashed II & Fable 3: Tuesday
I was all ready to tell you my first impressions of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II & Fable 3, two big sequels coming out Tuesday, and then I remembered that I can't! Not until 11 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26, when the media embargo lifts. Dang.
So instead, I'll offer you an update on Fallout New Vegas, which is out and game-breakingly buggy, at least for some players like me. Publisher Bethesda and developer Obsidian released a patch for the PC version of the game Wednesday and an alleged fix for the Xbox 360 version today. We'll see; pushing out a patch this quickly shows they were well aware of the problems before shipping the game and opted for the sell-it-now, fix-it-later approach that so many other software companies foist upon their customers.
I hate that, and frankly, expected better from Bethesda, which I think usually makes the best games in its class. In a gaming industry intent on nickel and diming its customers to death with short games propped up by pay-per-downloadable content, Bethesda is typically an example of a game business doing it right.
Sunday's column is a write-through on my blogged review of the game; and although patches were announced after print deadline, I'll stand by the review. Based on reading through Bethesda's support forums, I doubt these will be the last patches we will see for New Vegas.
Tags: Games : Software
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UW alums' sleep software hits App Store
Earlier this year, I wrote about a couple of University of Wisconsin-Madison students who won $10,000 in an invention competition for designing an application for the iPhone to help people sleep better. After much hard work, the program just hit the App Store. It costs $4.99. The software, called the Proactive Sleep Alarm Clock, includes a sleep diary, dream journal, ambient music and a game to give users motor and auditory stimulation when the alarm goes off, according to its description in iTunes.
Tags: iPhone : Software : Wisconsin
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Microsoft's experts talk about Windows 7
I had the chance yesterday for an extended sit down with Microsoft to talk about Windows 7. Rob Busch, the company's enterprise sales manager for Wisconsin, and Daniel Rey, a windows client deployment specialist for the Midwest district, took a lot of time to answer my questions about the new operating system, which goes on sales Oct. 22. I am still processing lots of notes that will likely turn into several columns leading up to the launch, but meanwhile I wanted to point you to Dan's blog, which is packed with his experiences with Windows 7. He also tweets @stilldrey.
Tags: Microsoft : Software : Windows
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Milwaukee's Windows 7 event
Microsoft Windows 7 will be officially introduced to Milwaukee from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Thursday at the Harley-Davidson Museum.
Concurrency, which is hosting the meeting, says the event is one of the area's largest and will lure more 200 area CEOs, CIOs and technology experts. The company promises to show off and explain the various features of Windows 7, including Direct Access to enable remote network access without using of a virtual private network; AppLocker, which controls access to applications; and Windows XP Mode, which creates a virtual Window XP environment.
Attendees will get a free copy of the Window 7 release candidate and T-shirt. You can register here.
Tags: Milwaukee : Event : Software : Windows
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Sharing the Web with Opera Unite
Opera unveiled Opera Unite today, a new technology that turns any online computer into a Web client and a server, allowing it to share content with other computers without the need for third-party servers. Why would you want to open up your computer on the Internet? Opera says Unite's services let you easily set up and run your own Web site, sharing data safely with any device with a Web browser and letting you remotely access music, photos and anything else digital from anywhere.
Opera says Unite's services are based on the same open standards as current Web sites, making the creation of Web services as easy as coding a Web page. The services in Opera Unite, which is available for downloading now, include:
- File Sharing: Securely share files from your personal computer without waiting to upload them.
- Web Server: Run Web sites from your local computer with the Opera Unite Web Server.
- Media Player: Accessing digital music files and playlists from any machine.
- Photo Sharing: Share pictures on the Internet without uploading them to other photo sharing sites.
- The Lounge: A self-contained chat service running on your computer.
- The Fridge: Post messages on your friends' virtual refrigerators and exchange notes securely and privately in real time.
Tags: Online : Software
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Postcards from your iPhone
HazelMail today launched a free iPhone app that turns photos taken on an iPhone into postcards and then prints, stamps and mails them. The software, which is targeting travelers, comes with one free postcard. Users can pre-purchase a dozen postcards for $12 to get a discount and avoid the hassle of entering credit card information while they are out and about. A personal address book feature lets travelers quickly bring up the addresses of their friends and family.
Tags: iPhone : Gadget : Software
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DrupalCampWI this weekend in Madison
DrupalCampWI, a free conference for programmers who want to learn more about Drupal, is going on this weekend at the UW Madison campus. Drupal is a free, open-source modular framework and content management system written in PHP used for Web sites, and organizers welcome anyone interested in learning more about it. A list of sessions for participants of varying skill levels (including beginners) is online, and those who can't make the event but want to learn more about Wisconsin's Drupal community are encouraged to contact the Wisconsin Drupal Group or other volunteer advocates of the technology in the state. The main DrupalCampWI events are tomorrow and Saturday, but from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. tonight organizers will host a social event at the Lakeside Cafe at the Memorial Union with MadDrupal, the monthly meeting of the Madison Drupal group. Happy coding.
Tags: Event : Software : Learning
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By Omar Mamoon
Who Makes the Best Fried Chicken?
By Kate Williams
Ice Box: Soft-Serve Love in the Haight
By Pete Kane
East Bay Bite of the Week: BBQ at Smokey J's
By Molly Gore
Fort Mason Off the Grid Kicks Off 2014 Season
By Lou Bustamante
S.F.'s Longest Food and Drink Lines, Ranked
By Anna Roth
Help me out. I'm trying to decide: When I win the lottery, should I continue to write this column, or not? I mean, you always hear about those ... what do you call 'em? Oh yeah -- idiots -- who take in $27 million but continue showing up at their factory jobs day after day without missing a beat.
Of course, this column isn't really work. It's dinner. Usually with very interesting people, in odd situations. Or very odd people in interesting situations. Or something like that. For example ...
Last week the eagle ears in the Weekly's music department ably reported on the shift in musical flavor coming out of the East Bay's now-venerable punk rockers the Mr. T Experience. So in the name of obsessively thorough journalism I was quickly dispatched to determine if diet might not be a contributing factor.
My dinner was a one-on-one office visit with Dr. Frank, the band's singer/songwriter/guitarist and only remaining original MTX member. You know, kind of like an annual punk rock checkup -- a quick look under the hood to make sure the attitude is still in order.
I was lucky to catch the Doctor on a very brief tour hiatus. The band had just returned from London to play a couple of dates in the Lookout Records Labor Day Freakout, and soon the trio'll be back on the road to promote their latest album, Alcatraz.
Frank lives in a small, well-cluttered one-bedroom in North Oakland. He met me at the door with a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon in his hand. Amid tall stacks of books rising from the floor and the hundreds of records (yes, the vinyl kind) piled against the walls, Frank found a comfortable spot on the futon for us to sit and drink our beers. The overflowing living room contained all manner of tchotchkes, most notably a large black velvet painting, an old portrait of George Washington, and a banjo. "I'm trying to learn how to play it," explained Frank.
Frank himself looked far too young to have been rocking for over a dozen years. He was still sufficiently punked out in a vintage pajama-looking shirt printed with antique cars. "You're probably used to a little better than I can provide," said Frank, unaware that I generally prefer a little worse than I'm used to.
He introduced me to his girlfriend by way of several photographs scattered around the room. They met while the band was on one of its first European tours and are now in the process of filing for papers to bring her over. Yup, that means marriage.
Just then the phone rang in the other room. "If you're lucky," joked Frank, "this will be one of my crazy psycho stalkers calling." We both listened for the message to begin broadcasting over the answering machine. "Nope, just my booking agent," Frank said. "I never pick up my phone. One of my most prominent stalkers calls up every couple of days and leaves an elaborate tarot reading on my machine. She got my number back from when it was listed.
"Sometimes the readings are really nice, but most of the time it's evil. Just the prognostication of it. The good things I always think, 'Oh, that means I'm going to win the lottery.' But that hasn't happened yet. Of course none of the really bad things happen either. They always say I'm going to be swallowed up by a hole ....
"Well, anyway," he concluded, standing up, "let's go eat some hot dogs at the doughnut store. That's usually what I have for dinner. At the Riviera Plaza just down the street." Excellent, I thought, making a mental note, just like a real reporter, for the music department: Punk rock diet intact.
Frank and I hit the road and strolled the block or two down to the corner. The Riviera Plaza is home to a run-down laundromat, a delicatessen, and Frank's personal chef, Khan's Donuts and Croissants. Stepping through Khan's door, Frank made a beeline for the lottery stand, filling out two entry tickets. Eight million dollars, before taxes. "So I'm gonna get you one," he said, "and if you win, then ... well, you can just thank me in your will."
"That would definitely make for the best column yet," I told Frank. "It would start with: 'Goodbye.'"
Passing the forms across the counter, Frank explained, "I usually go for two hot dogs."
"Sounds good to me."
"Four hot dogs," he ordered.
As Mrs. Khan worked the electric dog dispenser, Frank caught me eyeing the apple fritters in the long glass case. "It's called Khan's Donuts and Croissants," he said, leaning over to whisper in my ear, "but I wouldn't recommend the croissants."
The dogs were foot-longs (all beef I believe), served in well-steamed buns and loosely wrapped in square sheets of waxed paper. Both Frank and I made generous use of the complimentary condiment station, squirting the dogs with ketchup and a yellow mustard. My guess: French's.
As we carried our meals back up the street to Frank's place, he explained his current philosophy of success. "I always figure my two options in life are either winning the lottery or having some unexpected hit record or something. And winning the lottery seems far more likely."


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We Have Steve Nash, Steve Nash and More Steve Nash Plus More Great Stuff in Canadian Content.
The Senior Men Line 'Em Up - The Can Ball Report weighs in on this summer's final roster ...
Development Team Camp - Day 2. In our second straight day at the camp was more to be seen and heard at the ACC.
Canada Basketball's Development Camp - Day 1. Some thoughts on the first of the Can Ball Report's two days.
NC-Double-Eh Players of the Decade - The Prelude. Before the starters check out the guys who were close to making the cut.
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The Unlikely Role of Patriot Pirates
Privateers plundered British ships and made fortunes, to boot.
An American privateer seizes a British ship.
It began offhandedly in the fall of 1775. Unable to attack British-occupied Boston because of shortages of cannons and gunpowder, George Washington observed the flow of enemy supplies into Boston harbor and wondered if intercepting a British weapons ship might help replenish his meager armory and uplift his army's spirit.
Offering a percentage of the spoils as inducement to the crews, he dispatched several armed schooners to prowl Massachusetts Bay. In their hunger for loot, the schooners mistakenly snatched a number of patriot vessels before capturing a British transport carrying tons of munitions. Word spread that the seamen had made their fortunes. Yet Washington's joy at the windfall didn't change his low opinion of the colonials involved. Of the lowly shipboard "tars" and the commercial agents who outfitted the schooners, he said, "I do believe there is not on earth a more disorderly set."
The last of Washington's schooners left government service in 1777. In their place were a fledgling Continental Navy and a marauding horde of civilian privateers, essentially legalized pirates who were permitted under international law to plunder the enemy's commercial ships.
Though the Continental Navy launched only a handful of warships during the Revolution, more than 2,000 privateers sailed from colonial ports. They seized 600 ships in American waters and hundreds more in the North Atlantic, as well as in the West Indies, then a teeming marketplace for New World commodities and African slaves. In Britain, privateering caused the price of imports and maritime insurance to soar. Newspaper editorials denounced the American "pyrates," and merchants wondered, "Where is the boasted navy of our country?"
In fact, the Royal Navy captured or destroyed hundreds of American privateers in bloody mismatches of firepower and seamanship. But the payday was deemed worth the risk. One success, shrugged the Philadelphia financier Robert Morris, an avid investor, "will pay for two, three, or four losses." The crews themselves were no less bullish. One New Hampshire seaman, just 14 years old, collected a ton of sugar, 40 gallons of rum, and $100 in gold from the proceeds of one captured ship. Although a six-week privateering jaunt turned into two years of combat and harsh imprisonment for a Connecticut teenager, he astonished his family by hopping another privateer two days after staggering home. He ended the war a wealthy man.
These ambitious mariners ultimately wore down an enemy whose military superiority was strained by the commitments of building a global empire. Benjamin Franklin, America's first emissary to France and a strong supporter of privateering, had no illusions about defeating the Royal Navy, but he aimed to prolong the sea war in order to weaken British resolve. "We expect to make their merchants sick of a contest in which so much is risked and nothing gained."
Franklin devoted himself to aiding privateersmen jailed in Britain. Their plight had become dire after Parliament voted in 1777 to deny them legal rights typically granted prisoners of war. Presaging the current controversy over the rights of detainees at Guantánamo Bay, Britain allowed rebels captured at sea to be held without trial or any prospect of exchange.
Tables turned. Parliament also legalized Britain's own privateers, and French trade ships inevitably fell prey to them. In 1776, French officials had dismissed British complaints about American privateers with amusement. "Shall we say they are pirates? They do not commit any acts of piracy against us." But by the fall of 1777, the French were the ones lodging complaints about hijacked cargoes.
Privateering's casualty toll is hard to calculate. But male populations in seaports from New Hampshire to Maryland were decimated after the war, and public records cite countless men missing at sea. Certainly, thousands died under the guns of British warships, and most of the 12,000 Americans who perished on the infamous prison ships anchored off New York were civilian mariners, their bodies thrown overboard or shoveled under the sandy banks of what is now the Brooklyn Navy Yard.


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Sydney (2nd grade)
I like my school because you can learn about Jesus. My school can help people. My school has healthy options for breakfast and lunch. I like my school you can meet new friends.
The Weiss Family – 2012
Our family thanks God for Bethlehem Lutheran School! Our three children have been attending the school since preschool and kindergarten. Our boys are thriving academically, physically, and spiritually as they develop a great love for Christ and learn to share it with others. Each teacher, pastor, and support staff member is an excellent role model. What goes on inside the school is truly God's work. Families looking for a quality Christ based education could not find a more dedicated group of leaders to help them shape God's children into the adults they are to become.
Cade (5th grade)
I like my school because of the teachers. The teachers are fun, creative, awesome, smart, and believers in God. Also I like the computer classes because I get to learn about computers. My favorite thing is worshipping our great God.
The Matwijiw Family – 2012
Bethlehem Lutheran School has truly been a blessing to our family. We had just moved to Saginaw when our daughter needed to start Preschool. We knew no one in the area, let alone the entire state of Michigan! I knew immediately Bethlehem would be a great fit for my daughter. Usually shy and a bit guarded, she felt right at home in the classroom and with her teachers. We were welcomed with open arms and it wasn't long for all of us to feel like part of the Bethlehem family! Everyone truly watches out and takes care of one another. My husbands work assignment will be coming to a close in a year and we will be off to our next destination. The memories we've made here at Bethlehem and the special friends we've met will be held close to our hearts for a lifetime.
Ben (Bethlehem 8th grade Graduate-2012)
I like Bethlehem because you can make friends easily. You can walk up to anybody and talk to them, and they will be nice to you. I also like Bethlehem because you have teachers that push you to work hard and teach you extra, so that you will be prepared when you go to high school. They don't give up on you and keep pushing you until you learn it and know it. It is a fun, relaxing place where people are kind towards you and aren't prejudiced in any way.


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Midweek matches are a marvelous opportunity for those teams that have only played 23 matches to catch up to the others that have already played 28 matches. Of course, those teams have played so many more matches than other because of earlier midweek matches so if you were to play them at the same time there wouldn't be these discrepancies and everything would be easy.
But this is MLS. If we wanted easy we would follow another league. We follow MLS for the shenanigans. Well, that and the soft pretzels. The rest of the world is slow to catch onto soft pretzels. Those neanderthals.
D.C. United vs. New York Red Bulls
Wednesday, 8 p.m. ET, Galavision
Until the Red Bulls win a trophy, any trophy*, their rivals from crumbling RFK Stadium will continue to look down their noses at them. Nothing else that the Red Bulls do will ever be enough to change that, but beating them on Wednesday, pushing them closer towards missing the playoffs and watching as D.C. completes the biggest collapse in league history will give them something to make fun of United for. Oh, and that their stadium has rats. Ew.
* This is your friendly reminder that they have never won a trophy and are the least successful club in MLS history, which is not the least bit funny. That's a lie. It's hilarious.
Pick: Draw, 1-1.
New England Revolution vs. Chivas USA
Wednesday, 8 p.m ET, MLS Live
Pick: A Corona in the first half, two Sam Adams in the second half.
Philadelphia Union vs. Columbus Crew
Wednesday, 8 p.m. ET, MLS Live
Jairo Arrieta and Federico Higuain have made the Crew not just watchable, but -- dare I say it? -- fun. Is magic a performance-enhancing drug? It's pee-in-a-cup time, and we should check them for wands while we're at it. That is not part of the uniform.
Pick: Columbus, 3-2.


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Blackburn families have lucky escape from rubbish fire (From Lancashire Telegraph)
When news happens, text LT and your photos and videos to 80360. Or contact us by email or phone.
Blackburn families have lucky escape from rubbish fire
12:33pm Tuesday 12th February 2013 in News
TWO families had a lucky escape after a rubbish fire melted doors and windows at the back of their homes.
Firefighters from Blackburn and Hyndburn Fire Stations were called to Bentley Street, in Blackburn, at 12.20am yesterday after a neighbour raised the alarm.
Watch manager Chris Fogarty said: "It was an intense fire because of the wind blowing through the alleyway acting as a fan oven.
"The fire involved refuse that had been stored in the communal alleyway in between the two properties. The exact cause is not known, but we are investigating.
"Both families were lucky.
"It was an intense fire that broke through the rear of the property and into the roof soffits, and melted the UPVC doors.
"The fire was just about to enter the property. One of the neighbours was alerted to the door cracking with the heat, and alerted the owner of the property."
Firefighters were at the scene for around two-and-a-half hours extinguishing the fire, and ensuring the blaze had not spread.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Comments are closed on this article.


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|attract (əˈtrækt)
|to draw (notice, a crowd of observers, etc) to oneself by conspicuous behaviour or appearance (esp in the phrase attract attention)
|(also intr) to exert a force on (a body) that tends to cause an approach or oppose a separation: the gravitational pull of the earth attracts objects to it
|to possess some property that pulls or draws (something) towards itself: jam attracts wasps
|(also intr) to exert a pleasing, alluring, or fascinating influence (upon); be attractive (to)
|[C15: from Latin attrahere to draw towards, from trahere to pull]
|attractor (ə-trāk'tər) Pronunciation Key
A set of states of a dynamic physical system toward which that system tends to evolve, regardless of the starting conditions of the system. ◇ A point attractor is an attractor consisting of a single state. For example, a marble rolling in a smooth, rounded bowl will always come to rest at the lowest point, in the bottom center of the bowl; the final state of position and motionlessness is a point attractor. ◇ A periodic attractor is an attractor consisting of a finite or infinite set of states, where the evolution of the system results in moving cyclically through each state. The ideal orbit of a planet around a star is a periodic attractor, as are periodic oscillations. A periodic attractor is also called a limit-cycle. ◇ A strange attractor is an attractor for which the evolution through the set of possible physical states is nonperiodic (chaotic), resulting in an evolution through a set of states defining a fractal set. Most real physical systems (including the actual orbits of planets) involve strange attractors.


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Not much to note today. There were a ton of Get-Its.. which we're still working on now. The printer in Book Return needs more ink.. neither me nor Charles knew where it is kept. The printer also ran out of paper while the Get-Its were printing.. so maybe we can make sure that there is an adequate amount of paper in the printer before we close so we don't have to re-load it and wait on it in the morning.
That's p much it.


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In working with my clients, shoe organizing inevitably comes up. Some clients have systems in place that work for them; others are looking for some new ideas.
I thought it would be fun to compose a series of blog posts featuring the pros and cons of different shoe organizing systems. Not every system will be good for everybody, so you'll have to check back frequently to see what comes next!
I encourage you to leave a comment if you have tried any of the systems covered in this series and have input to share.
Today's featured shoe organizing system is...
Hanging Shoe Shelf
- Easy to view shoes
- Easy to interact with
- Shoes are kept out of sight in a closet
- Capable of storing items other than shoes
- One shoe shelf may not be sufficient for a person's collection
- Takes up valuable hanging storage space in a closet
- Higher pockets may be difficult for some people to reach
Hillary Adams Case is a Professional Organizer with Living Peace LLC of Salem, MA and Winchester, MA. Check us out at www.living-peace.com. Or call (617) 519-5693.


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Lucine, Loogoo, Lucy-loo, Lucy, Sousy, Luce, Souce, Luce-Pouce, Muffin, Muffy-muff, Muffy-head, Peanut, Lucy-bean, Lucia...
You turned five today. On a Saturday like today, you arrived at 6:33 am and changed my life forever.
It's been a while since I wrote you one of these. Your last two birthdays were spectacular celebrations of who you were at the time. When you turned three, we let you have a ridiculous Little Mermaid fest, completely with Daddy dressing like King Triton for you -- because you're just the kind of kid that people want to light up. Also, maybe, because you don't take no for an answer ever.
Last year we went with Pirate Princess (Daddy dressed up for that too) and that reflected who the four year old Lucy had grown to be: tough, fearless, adventure-seeking, but still cute and girly enough to want a flouncy skirt involved. Also you have this random obsession with money and treasure and although your parents are socialists, like Elyse and Steven we're fascinated to think that we may have an Alex P. Keaton on our hands.
I love that about you. That you can be the mermaid or the pirate, the romantic and the hero, the girl who is obsessed with kitties but also with climbing mountains. One second you are screaming at me that you are a big girl and can do things yourself, the next you are crying because you want desperately to be a baby again -- though my spidey senses tell me that what you want most is to get any sort of reaction out of me that you can.
This year, while at a family dinner party, Nate was reading dinner party questions out of a box. When it got to "If you could have any superhero power what would it be?" the rest of the table shouted cliches like, "The power to fly!" "The power to heal" "Invisibility!" Your brother answered first. He chose "The power to create a force-field around myself." You chose "The power to choke someone with a rope." On further interrogation you added, "But only to bad guys." Your Auntie Lise quipped that Nate was wise to choose that force-field.
We went to Lago Silencio, like we've been doing every summer since before you could walk. And, as always, you woke me at the crack of dawn, except now you know to keep your voice down (ish). Our morning hikes used to be a way to keep you from waking up the whole campsite. Now they are something I look forward to, a way for us to connect with nature and one another. Sitting with you and watching the lake wake up is one of my favourite rituals.
This year you discovered that you could do more with your body, that you could challenge yourself in new ways. I, of course, wasn't ready for this, but you told me to get used to it, in your own way. When I pointed to a safer path on the trail, you huffed and said, "Mom, I am going the other way. I want you to close your eyes and look away until I get to the bottom!" I had no choice but to comply. I briefly exchanged glances with another female adult, who had her hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles at your brazen way. Soon you were next to me, beckoning me to charge up another rock and then scale a straight 15 foot drop.
You took my "no" as a sign I was merely afraid. I threw your sweater down the side of the rock to show you how dangerous it actually was. You grew impatient, and for a moment I thought that your hand might be hovering around my back, tempted to push me forward.
"Fine Mom. We'll go your way." I saw your dad in the clearing, waiting on the beach with Nate. I rolled my eyes and flapped my arms in frustration at your mouthiness. You retaliated with, "You don't even know how to climb!"
"Oh, great. Now you're taunting me," I replied, making eyes with another adult female within earshot. "And she's FOUR! I thought I had another decade before I had to deal with the sass." This meant war.
"You're not even funny mom."
"Yeah, well I know lots of people who would disagree with you. Loads of people think quite the opposite."
"Yeah? Well they're wrong. Just wrong."
I will give you this: You are certainly funnier than Dad and I combined. We are doomed. We gave birth to the lovechild of Sarah Silverman and Amy Sedaris.
So today you turned five. FIVE! And you wanted an Olympics party, having just watched some of the London2012 games and falling in love with women's gymnastics (thank gord it wasn't synchronized swimming!). Your dad was a gymnast as a kid, and so it seems you're finally exhibiting signs that you might have some of our DNA. Anyway, it was that or princesses, so we encouraged the Olympics theme with its active/fitness message and the co-ed guest list.
You've inherited the drive of your two aunts. That desire to succeed, excel and challenge yourself is something you should be proud of. It means you will fall on your face a lot. But Dad and I are here to give hugs, wipe tears, kiss booboos and laugh at your jokes (and your road rash). And on the days you decide you don't need us, that you're a big girl and I should look away while you flirt with danger? Remember that when you get to the bottom (or rather, the top) Mom's the one who's going to need hugs and kisses and tears wiped.
I love you Tanko.
The personal blog of internet junkie, writer/editor and party girl turned mama, Nadine Silverthorne.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Five going on fifteen
3 comments:
- Toronto Yoga Mamas said...
Such a lovely post Nadine. Your daughter will treasure and appreciate this later on. I also love the Olympic theme birthday party - perfect how the 5 rings tied in with her 5th birthday :)
- Louise said...
OH my goodness, the flag bibs and the beautiful storytelling. It's too much for me! Okay, it's not. I want more, more, more.
- La Blogueuse said...
Miss your posts...waiting for that book;)
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The Difference a Jacket Makes
Imagine a product that will adds inches to your perceived height, shaves 20 lbs of your midsection, and makes you appear more muscular. And the magic item can do all this instantly! Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, it's not. A well fitting suit jacket, sport jacket, or blazer can do just this … [Read more...]


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Venables: LSU 'great technicians' at what they do
Published Dec. 29, 2012
Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables called the LSU offense "precise" and "aggresssive."
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Eagerly awaiting Curtis Granderson's returnBy
To date, this has been a lost season for Curtis Granderson. Two long-ish term fluke injuries have limited him to just eight (!) of the team's first 107 games, and the Yankees have sorely missed his power production in the middle of the lineup. The injuries also came at a bad time for Curtis personally, since he's due to become a free agent for the first time this winter. That's unfortunate.
The good news is that Granderson's time on the DL is about to come to an end. He wrapped up his six-game minor league rehab assignment yesterday, going 4-for-19 (.211) with four walks and five strikeouts with High-A Tampa and Double-A Trenton. Granderson played left field in four of the six games — he was the DH in the other two, once because he had a stomach bug and couldn't play the field as scheduled — and reported no problems with his left hand.
"Curtis has been a vital part of our offense," said Derek Jeter to Wally Matthews. "He's a guy that can change the game with one swing. We're looking forward to him coming back, but just because Curtis is back doesn't mean we can sit back and relax. Everybody has a job to do and everyone needs to do it."
As a team, the Yankees have hit just 28 homers in 53 games since the calendar flipped to June, including a recent eight-game homer-less streak that was their longest since going ten straight in April 1984. That's where Granderson, a flawed hitter who won't hit for much average and will strike out a bunch, figures to give the team a big boost. They need someone who can put a run(s) on the board with one swing, and few hitters in the world can do that as well as Curtis. That his left hand was broken and not the right (front hand) bodes well for retaining that power after the injury.
There's also this: the Yankees have become a very impatient team. They rank 19th in baseball with a 7.5% walk rate, their lowest since 1990 and their first time below 8.5% since 2001. Outside of Brett Gardner, who is seventh in baseball with an average of 4.24 pitches per plate appearance, not a single regular sees more than 3.75 pitches per plate appearance. That's awful and leads to a lot of quick outs, as you may have noticed. In addition to hitting for power, one of Granderson's strengths is drawing walks (11.0% in 2012, 10.1 % career) and seeing pitches (4.27 P/PA in 2012, 4.16 career). That will be a welcome addition to the offense.
Although the Yankees are lefty-heavy, it won't be tough to squeeze Granderson's bat back into the lineup. I assume Melky Mesa will be sent to Triple-A to clear a 25-man roster spot and either Luis Cruz or Zoilo Almonte will be transferred to the 60-day DL to clear a 40-man spot, but that's the easy part. Granderson should play left field every day, pushing Alfonso Soriano into the DH role. Ichiro Suzuki and Vernon Wells will have to duke it out for playing time in right. The regular lineup could look something like this:
- CF Gardner
- SS Jeter
- 2B Robinson Cano
- LF Granderson
- DH Soriano
- 1B Lyle Overbay
- RF Ichiro or Wells
- Third Base
- Catcher
That splits up the lefties a bit, rather than batting Soriano cleanup and having three straight lefty bats from the five through seven slots whenever Ichiro plays. It's not perfect, but that suddenly looks like a competitive big league lineup. Four guys you can expect to be above-average, two you can expect to be about average, and three that range from below-average to awful. It's not a classic Yankees lineup, but it's far better than what they've trotted out there for most of the season.
So, this is it. The Yankees are at full strength now. With the exception of Alex Rodriguez, who is facing a Biogenesis-related suspension, all of the injured position players will be back as soon as Granderson is activated. Frankie Cervelli is heading to see Dr. Andrews and is unlikely to play again this year, and the trio of Cruz, Almonte, and Travis Hafner are largely inconsequential. This is it barring an August waiver trade. With Curtis back, the Yankees are as close to full strength as they're going to get, and now is the time to make a run at that second wildcard spot.
64 Comments»
I love that everyone has forgot that Youkilis is on this team. I made the same mistake until Cash said they expect him back this year. Not counting on anything but just funny that he isn't even mentioned as an injured player.
Remember when Ben Francisco was still on the team, too?
Hell – we were winning back then, so the memories are, horrifyingly, becoming positive ones.
The Most Forgettable Former Yankees that Were Once Stars (ish):
Jose Canseco
Pudge Rodriguez
Kevin Youkilis
Damn, Pudge was a Yankee? Completely forgot about that shit.
Some people think Pudge ruined Joba. Hard for me to forget that.
What "ruined Joba" was that shoulder injury, in Texas. He has never been the same since.
By the by, just one of many MRI's the Yankees medical staff,under Brian Cashman, badly misdiagnosed…
Just off the top of my head, we're talking Joba's shoulder, Phil Hughes' shoulder, Michael Pineda's shoulder and David Adams' ankle.
He wasn't on the same level as the others but I miss the Randy Wynn time.
Does Ruben Sierra fit?
no way dawg. Sierra was a big part of the team, especially in '95. HUGE double off the wall in the playoffs.
Plus, his game tying triple in 2003 WS game 4
Yea that dude was money off the bench, that was my boy
Lance Berkman
Jack Clark
Randy Johnson
Doc Gooden twice
Doc had a pretty good game back in '96…
Hell, I was at the game AFTER that game.
Don Gullett
Ken Holtzman
OK you old fucks, remember when Lee Smith was a Yankee?
Ha, I don't, but whenever I think of Lee Smith, I think of his relief appearance as a Cub in Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
When I was young, I had a Lee Smith Yankee card and had no idea who he was. Now that I am older I know who he was, but still always connect him to the Yankees (and sort of consider that his main team).
Random fact about me that I am sure you're desperate to know.
Lee Smith was the candle-waxed balls as closer in the 80′s and, through some weird memory thing of mine, actually was on the Yankees about five years later than I remembered…..'93? Really? You don't have to be THAT old to remember that, just older than half you fucks here.
Hell yeah, Jeff Reardon too. Didn't the Yanks waive the no facial hair rule for him bc he had a skin condition?
Also, Gooden, Jack Clark, Tony Clark don't count because they actually played significant games. Canseco, Pudge and Youk are like, total non-entities.
You young punk……. Rocky Calavito
Heck, I remember when Enos Slaughter joined the Yanks, kid.
Giambi's great backups
Tony Clark
Richie Sexson
John Olerud
Clark's tenure wasn't that unmemorable. I remember some choice HRs.
Also, Kevin Brown. EXTREMELY forgettable twilight years in Pinstripes after being very very good otherwise.
Mark Teixera says hello
You have to have actually done something to be remembered.
You think we're at Full strength? What about Tex? This team will go through the entire year without once having their lineup at full strength. Tex is done for the year. Forget A-rod. Even if Youk was at 3rd, there will still not be one single game at full strength. You don't win a pennant that way.
As full strength as is possible this season.
I love minor league logos.
me too. i have some thunder and riverdogs stuff (tried and failed to get a luis sojo tampa yankees jersey). i treasure my sugarland skeeters clemens tee.
boycotting railriders gear because of the stupid name.
Ichiro and Vernon Wells is far from an ideal platoon, considering Ichiro has and has had a reverse split much of his career. What should happen instead, is they give Vernon some 1B reps and he plays 1B against lefties.
I have been thinking they should look at Wells or Soriano to play 1b vs LHP.
Once thing that concerns me is how will Granderson fare against LHP. Especially if htey pitch him inside. He has often struggled against lefites in his career, but two lefties have broken bones and put him on the DL for extended periods this year. I am concerned he will be gunshy of any lefty that pitches him inside.
Simple enough to put Soriano or Wells in left against a tough lefty.
If Wells or Soriano can't play first, you'll want one of them to play the OF against lefties anyway.
Granderson gets HBP in the Bronx again this year, and I'm charging the mound.
You better wear sneakers to the game because grandersons getting hit again this year. Dude gets hit a lot, bc teams want to pitch him in and also think he sets up close to the plate. Do it.
Cashman failed.
Brandan Inge was released. Another utility IF who can't hit. Hmmm?
Brian Cashman must have orgasmed when he got that news. Another dumpster turd for his massive pile of shit??? Time will tell.
I'd rather stick Ichiro! and Wells on the bench and let Hafner try to figure it out.
He's the only one of the three who has been an above average hitter since 2010, and it's not like he's been worse offensively than Ichiro or Wells on the season.
Are you crazy? Hafner has been atrocious since April. Ichiro has been pretty decent (in comparison to Hafner, not to other right fielders) and can at least play a pretty good right field.
Not entirely true. Ichiro has had a pretty good (not awesome ICHIRO! Good, but pretty good) season since eating a shit sandwich in April/May… OPS+ of 108 & 113 in June and July respectively with 12 XBH. again, not amazing, but pretty good.
Hafner either can't stay healthy and his bats been so awful of late, I'd rather just take the defensive upgrade of Ichiro over Soriano until Hafner shows any signs of breaking either one of those two statements.
Maybe go
Against LHP
CF Gardner
SS Jeter
2B Cano
LF Soriano
RF Ichiro
DH Wells
1B Overbay or a righty-capable 1B if we can find one
with Granderson getting some games for any of the OF/DH spots
and Against RHP
CF Gardner
SS Jeter
2B Cano
LF Granderson
RF Ichiro/Soriano
DH Soriano/Hafner
1B Overbay
Depending in his health, I agree (I assume you mean against righties?)
His shoulder might be more messed up than we know though.
That would be an interesting idea if his shoulder ever gets healthy this year. Bc hes got big pop and patience , showed what he can bring in April.But Ichiro's been solid lately after the bad start
Anyone know what happened to Nuno? I kinda liked that guy. Could be very valuable next year if we lose Hughes, Andy and Kuroda.
Yea I agree I like him, maybe not in the rotation, but maybe a swingman/spot starter or aceves type role, or even middle relief and we can use that out of the pen. Think he will be a valuable arm to have in the mix/as depth. he was injured in triple aaa, not sure how close to returning
Nuno pulled a groin muscle on June 8th and has not been heard from since. Nothing on SWB beat-reporter Donnie Collins' feed or anywhere else on the internets. Boy that's coming up on a two month groin strain.
Eddard "took care of him" in case he'd impede Davy Phelps spot on the roster.
his going down before being exposed was a blessing. trade value!
Got to say, I have missed watching Granderson play this season. Despite the obvious need to produce more than 2 runs a game, I enjoy his style of play. He looks like a kid out there, enjoying every AB and every opportunity to shag a fly ball. Also, he seems a genuinely nice guy. Always well spoken and positive, doesn't give off the 'spoiled athlete' vibe at all.
I am gonna miss him next season, he is a good dude.
Too well spoken. Seems like a serial killer to me.
Yankees will go to the playoff…simple
Come on this team is marginally better with Granderson
They need to make a deal of consequence; Headly, Stanton, Cargo .
Trade Gardner if need be
One of the big problems is that when the Yanks have gotten men on with no outs the next two guys who invariably K or pop out. We need guy who put the ball in play !
Which is why trading Gardner would be stupid
Lee Smith pitched exactly 8 innings for the Yankees in 1993…basically inconsequential career in terms of the Yankees.
Pedro Feliciano: 8 Less innings in twice the amount of time.
Bask in the glow of Mo Rivera's farewell tour around MLB this year and hope the team DOESN'T make the play-offs so they won't get embarrassed in the first round of the ALDS. The injuries and lackluster offense will only become more apparent this month, even with the emergence of Grandy.
Soriano and Granderson will put on a wonderful strike out competition with runners in scoring position in critical at bats for the rest of the season. You heard it hear first.
The good news > NO play offs, higher draft picks earlier.
Do the math people, Boston, Baltimore and Tampa are NOT going to implode.
They never mentioned the recruiting in the statement of why they were suspending him. I am curious as to what that actually is since all we have is what MLB leaked. If "recruiting" is giving the name of the clinic to a teammate/friend who asked that is very different than going to find people who were innocent babes and convincing them to start juicing. My gut says it was probably the former, but we have to see what evidence they actually have. I am very skeptical that their evidence is as strong as they have been leaking. If that was the case they would never have fought so long and so hard to keep the players from appealing. They would have announced the suspensions and let the chips fall where they may.