text:
Mike Smith
The Duncan Banner
City officials and leaders of the Duncan Area Economic Development Foundation say they are ready to talk about ways of moving forward on fixing Duncan's streets.
But finding common ground on issues of infrastructure and economic development — with possible special elections and millions of dollars in the mix — could be a tricky task.
There are gray areas — and some friction — that might need smoothing over if the city and foundation are to agree on a single path.
"I don't think we should be forced to choose better roads without continuing economic development and we need to figure out a way to do both, and if that is to sit down then I think we do that," said Ben Herrington, chairman of the foundation.
The Duncan City Council and City Manager Jim Frieda have made it clear that despite voters rejecting a $9 million property-tax bond for street improvements in May, they intend to find some way of financing a major street fix.
They could seek another property-tax bond or an increase in sales taxes, each option requiring voter approval to become reality. The city could borrow money on its own but city leaders say they don't intend to do that.
But there is also an option of turning to the DAEDF for help in some fashion, be it financial, campaigning or both.
DAEDF, with four separate nods from city voters, has been getting a half-cent sales tax for economic development efforts since 1994. It has taken in more than $25 million over the years and had more than $8.7 million in cash on hand as of June 30.
DAEDF has spent millions of tax dollars to attract businesses and keep those in Duncan happy, and says its primary mission is creating good-paying jobs with benefits, particularly in industry and manufacturing.
It can make some spending decisions independent of the city, which as a trust collects money for the foundation but does not direct expenditures.
The foundation does not want its mission muddied and says cash on hand is needed to compete for business ventures. It could take millions of dollars, for example, to construct a building and provide other incentives just to land one big employer.
But Mayor Gene Brown says DAEDF needs to be a front-runner in supporting street improvements in some manner.
"Times have changed so I think we need to talk about this and how we can help each other out," Brown said. "If they (industry) look at the city and we are not making repairs they are not going to make big investments in the city."
Herrington and DAEDF President Lyle Roggow noted that voters have overwhelmingly renewed the economic development tax three times, the last time in 2008.
"We feel like we have had a clear mission and have wanted to focus primarily on jobs and in doing so focusing on the manufacturing sector," Herrington said.
Says Roggow: "If you broaden it too much, pretty soon you have watered it down."
Roggow said there was no organized campaign for the street bond that failed in May "nor were we really even asked" by the city to play a part.
The city does have some leverage over DAEDF, especially heading into next year.
The half-cent sales tax collected for DAEDF expires in July 2014, so voters have to renew it in a city-wide vote before then to keep in on the books.
But the council decides whether to put the renewal vote on the ballot. Frieda said there is a way to get such tax measures on ballots through a petition process, but historically, the Duncan City Council has decided those matters here.
"I think it would be discretionary on the part of the council on whether they do that or not," Frieda said.
Frieda said the city government as an entity has never received any part of the half-cent sales tax for DAEDF, including any money for streets.
"It's important for the city to know if the Economic Development Foundation wants to take part in improving the infrastructure and the City Council has to analyze the effect of continuing the sales tax for economic development," Frieda said.
Roggow and Herrington said this also would be a good time to examine the city's finances as part of a bigger picture in doing something about streets. They questioned, for example, the city's debt.
Frieda said the city had provided its budget to DAEDF.
"The DAEDF, along with every other citizen, has been invited to every council meeting where we discussed the budget and DAEDF has not shown an interest to attend any of those meetings," he said.
All, however, said they were willing to talk about moving forward and the time was ripe for the dialogue.


text:
School's out, scream and shout! Join Troy, Gabriella, Ryan, Sharpay, Chad and Taylor in the all-new interactive High School Musical experience, High School Musical: Work This Out! Inspired by the record-breaking Disney Channel movie. High School Musical 2, this musical adventure game for Nintendo DS allows players to become part of brand new storylines extending beyond the movie sequel all set at the Lava Springs Resort. Play as any of the six High School Musical stars as they work, dance and play their way to winning the Star Dazzle talent show. Explore the lavish Lava Springs country club, carry out daily assignments, find and collect hidden items and rehearse dance routines. High School Musical: Work This Out!, published by Disney Interactive Studios, mixes adventure and rhythm gameplay to bring fans closer to the movies than ever before!
High School Musical 2: Work this Out! is a Simulation/Singing / Voice Sim video game for Nintendo DS developed and published by Disney Interactive on April 25, 2008. It's rated Everyone by the ESRB and 5 of our users have voted it 2.8 out of 5 stars.
Our newest cheats for High School Musical 2: Work this Out! were added February 2, 2009.
If you were looking for High School Musical 2: Work this Out! for DS cheats, then you might also want cheats for:

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Patricia Rivera
CTW Features
In a competitive market, a jobseeker's experience is just part of the hiring equation. More employers now are alert to an applicant's emotional intelligence.
Emotional intelligence involves the ability to identify, understand and manage the emotions of oneself, others and groups of people. Studies suggest that individuals with higher emotional intelligence may be more successful than people with lower emotional intelligence, even if their traditional IQs are average.
"People take their personal and social skills for granted, but they can help or hurt you," says Lisa Caldas Kappesser, a Cincinnati career coach and author of "The Smart New Way to Get Hired" (Jist Works, 2010). "The interview is all about making the connection with the interviewer and communicating your value and benefit to the employer. This requires people skills, or what I call emotional intelligence skills."
Interviewers expect applicants to be emotionally balanced. Since the interview is all about making a connection, both the interviewee and the interviewer need to be engaged in the conversation. But the applicant must be attentive to maintain that connection. Take time to listen, and let the interviewer do some of the talking. Read body language and facial expressions for signs that you are engaging your interviewer.
Self-awareness and self-management are key aspects to interviews, says Caldas Kappesser. It takes empathy – one aspect of emotional intelligence – to pick up on nonverbal cues from your interviewer and manage yourself accordingly. For example, consider the challenge of how to project confidence without giving the impression that you are cocky. Confidence reflects a sense of security about your skills and expertise. But if you start to come off as boastful in an interview, you risk appearing arrogant, and the interviewer is likely to begin disengaging with you.
"Shorten your answers if you suspect you are being too wordy or too focused on yourself," Caldas Kappesser says.
Adele B. Lynn, a consultant in Belle Vernon, Penn., and author of several books on emotional intelligence, including "The EQ Interview" (AMACOM, 2008), says it's crucial to stay positive during the job hunt and interviews. Never focus on negatives regarding your last job, company, boss or coworkers.
"Companies do not want to hire people who come across as complainers or critics. Even though you may think you have valid issues with your previous employer, the job interview is not the time or place to air them," she says.
Lynn offers other tips for expressing with emotional intelligence during interviews
Copyright © CTW Features
Hype doesn't work anymore. To capture the attention of increasingly sophisticated consumers, you need to hook them with valuable information that empowers them to make informed decisions about your industry and your offerings. This blog is dedicated to chatting about the most effective ways to develop rich and engaging content. Join the conversation!
Hook PR Group employs brand storytelling techniques and innovative content marketing strategies to help small businesses catch the attention of their current and future clients. Simply put, we help you ignite interest in your company's personality and promise by combining a great story with sound marketing techniques. Together, we'll determine which tactics – blogs, press releases, e-newsletters, social networking sites, etc. – will help you make your brand a trusted source of information in your industry. Not reeling in as many clients as you'd like in these difficult times? Maybe you just don't have the right bait.Call us for a free brainstorming session.


text:
This is a guest post by Will Horter, executive director of the Dogwood Initiative. It was originally published in the Toronto Star.
Earthquakes happen...
This weekend, thousands of people will be out front of Barack Obama's White House to protest the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline – a 1,879 kilometer length of pipe that will allow oil to be pumped all the way from Northern Alberta to refineries in Texas.
It isn't the XL pipeline itself that is at the heart of the matter though. It is the 500,000 barrels of Canadian tar sands crude that will be pumped through the pipe that has so many Americans upset. And it should upset Canadians too.
For years Canada was known as one of the world's leading environmental stewards. While a small player, Canada is known for its skills in diplomacy, and was key in the ratification of international environmental treaties like the Rio Earth Summit, the Kyoto protocol on climate pollution reduction and, of course, the Montreal Protocol to reduce acid rain and close the hole in the ozone layer.
For the most part, our country has been very good at striking a balance between the financial bottom line and the long term health of our environment and the people living in it. But that has all changed in a very short amount of time, with the rapid expansion of Alberta's tar sands operations and a federal government that sees economic concerns superseding human health and the livability of the environment around us.
Now that has all come to a head and Canada finds itself in the center of one of the biggest controversies on the planet, with a major superpower at the center. The chickens have, so to speak, come home to roost for Prime Minister Harper and there is an opportunity to make a correction in the road that Canada is currently traveling down.
The battle over Keystone XL has been brewing for more than four years. With a final decision on Keystone expected from President Obama as soon as the next month or so, the situation has reached a fever pitch: on February 17th in front of the White House, if expectations hold true, we will witness the largest rally ever held in the U.S. on the issue of climate change. More than 20,000 people will gather in Washington D.C. to lobby for action on climate change and to pressure their president to disallow the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.
These tens-of-thousands of everyday Americans, whether they know it or not, are protesting Canada as much as they are the Keystone project.
The question for Canadians in all this is not whether we pump tar sands oil down to the United States, but instead a much bigger question of what we want our country to be, and be known for by other people in other countries. In the name of fiscal prosperity at all expense, Stephen Harper's conservative government has decided that Canada will tether itself to the exponential development of the tar sands for decades to come.
Since the Conservative Party and Stephen Harper have taken power, our Canadian government walked away from the Kyoto protocol, when we were one of the first countries to sign it and motivated other countries to follow our lead. Our government fought against a plan by the G20 nations to reduce fossil fuel tax breaks to companies like ExxonMobil, the most profitable company in the history of companies.
Most recently, our government passed a bill that will reduce environmental protections for proposed new tar sands operations. And most egregiously, our government is supporting lobbying efforts to convince the world that our tar sands oil is not only clean, but that is it also "ethical."
As environmentalist and author Bill McKibben writes, this weekend's protest is about much more than a pipeline:
"Alberta's tar sands are the continent's biggest carbon bomb. If you could burn all the oil in those tar sands, you'd run the atmosphere's concentration of carbon dioxide from its current 390 parts per million (enough to cause the climate havoc we're currently seeing) to nearly 600 parts per million, which would mean if not hell, then at least a world with a similar temperature."
Indeed, this weekend's protest is about the future. It's about Canada and the national identity we will be moving forward with. Will we continue on our current path to becoming the world's newest, and possibly last, petro-state – the country that ushers in a "new normal" of extreme weather that we've only seen in the movies?
Or, will we rebuild our Canada back into the country of international diplomacy and environmental action? A country whose citizens strive for a balance between environmental protection and economic development? This weekend can serve as an opportunity for Canada to join, at least in spirit, the critical mass in Washington D.C. and let our neighbors to the South know that we too are concerned about the future.
Considering the majority of Canadians did not vote for Stephen Harper, and most believe that he and his government are doing a poor job protecting the environment, the timing of the #ForwardOnClimate rally couldn't be better.
If we can't be there in person, the least we can do is spend a few minutes this week on our smart phones or laptops getting the word out on Facebook and Twitter. It is a far second to showing up, but I can tell you from experience, that every bit counts and you never know what it will be that breaks through the noise.
Send a message of support using the hashtag #forwardonclimate and tell rally participants why, as a Canadian, you support their activities to stop the Keystone Pipeline project.
Share a message on Facebook, by clicking here and sharing the "Forward on Climate" petition, set up by one of the rally organizers 350.org, and tell rally participants that we have their back.
It's the Canadian thing to do, eh.
The news in Alberta is quite different.
At this time, Alberta has a huge and increasing capacity to produce tar sands oil, but no viable way to ship it.
Its being painted as though we are now loosing money, because we can't ship our oil anywhere.
BC has pretty much stonewalled the Northern Gateway pipeline. Keystone XL may get blocked. Alberta is desperately looking at a pipeline to New Brunswick.
What no one in Alberta wants to hear is that no one wants their product. Alberta's product is pollution. Come get some!
the bitmin could be shipped by railroad?
has the ability to transport almost everything that the single refinery in Texas can use. The problem is that is much more expen$ive than using a pipeline.
Also hafta transport to stuff to a northern BNSF terminal.
the stuff
What you are proposing is shipping empty train cars to Alberta, then shipping full ones back.
That means the cost is likely double, and completing with Petecoke.
I seem to recall a 60 minutes show about transporting toxic chemicals from the East coast of the US to the West. The east coast had the chemicals, but the west coast had food\orange juice. Frequently they would not scrub or clean the chemical coated cars before filling them with 'food'.
Makes you wonder what is happening out here. No one likes to ship empty cars.
This is a guest post by Will Horter, executive director of the Dogwood Initiative. It was originally published in the Toronto Star.
Earthquakes happen...
Help us clear the PR pollution that clouds the public square.
Today the internet is full of noise about the Enbridge Northern Gateway decision by the feds.
Take this poll!
Five other pipelines to watch!
Fun facts about Northern Gateway!
All the noise, ironically enough,...
This is a guest post by David Suzuki.
Energy giant Kinder Morgan was recently called insensitive for pointing out that "Pipeline spills can have both positive and negative effects on local and...
This is a guest post by award-winning environmental campaigner and author Tzeporah Berman. It was originally published in The Globe and Mail and is republished here with ...
This article is part of DeSmog Canada's ongoing series "Science on the Chopping Block."
Last week, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper made a strong case for parents to accept scientific evidence about the effectiveness of ...
The Antarctic ice sheet is falling into the ocean, $1.1...
Two world-renowned research institutes faced elimination in 2012 — and then were saved — but what happened to the scientists' ongoing research on the impacts of melting permafrost and mercury pollution in fish?
Alex MacLean is one of America's most famed and iconic aerial photographers. His perspective on human structures, from bodies sunbathing at the beach to complex, overlapping highway systems, always seems to hint at a larger symbolic meaning hidden in the mundane. By photographing from above, MacLean shows the sequences and patterns of human activity, including the scope of our impact on natural systems. His work reminds us of the law of proximity: the...read more


text:
This Beautiful Rainier Blue Limited Was Formerly Part Of The Impressive Len Immke Collection In Ohio And Reflects His Attention To Quality, Low Mile Original Cars.... More
To be sold at the Monterey 2014 auction, Monterey, CA, August 14-16, 2014. To consign a car or to register to bid, visit the... More
This 1947 Buick Super Series 50, # 34766434, was repainted and had new chroming done 25 years ago. Rebuilt front end and new radiator... More
1947 Buick Super 2 door convertible coupe, Outstanding condition. I have owned this well maintained representation of this model Buick for 9 years. Engine (401ci... More
1947 BUICK SUPER CONVERTIBLE. NICE, RARE, IN VERY GOOD CONDITION. PERFECT CHROME AND NEW TIRES COKER. BROWN LEATHER FOR INTERIOR. PLEASE NOTE: THE ONLY... More
1940 Buick Roadmaster Convertible PhaetonTo be OFFERED AT AUCTION. Estimate:$140,000 - $160,000 Buicks success in the 1930s and 1940s had much to... More
1949 Buick Roadmaster ConvertibleTo be OFFERED AT AUCTION. Estimate:$200,000 - $300,000 The vast majority of movie cars are extras, automobiles needed to... More
This rare 1940 Buick is a frame-off, well-documented older restoration just out of long-term storage. The car is straight and solid with no known... More
1940 Buick 80, Dual Side mount Spares, has been garaged over 40 years, needs a little TLC, 2 wheel cylinders and master need to... More
To be sold at the Monterey 2014 auction, Monterey, CA, August 14-16, 2014. To consign a car or to register to bid, visit the... More
Matching Numbers Convertible... More
1941 BUICK Special Northwest Classic Auto Mall advertises this vehicle for the owner. If you are interested in this vehicle or have any questions, please contact... More
1949 Buick SUPER 8, Older restoration still shows great. 5 perfect Firestone Wide wall tires made in USA. Glass in excellant condition, all original... More
I am selling my 1940 Buick Super sedan. This car has been restored in the recent past and is in a well maintained driver quality condition; I take it to... More
1940 Buick 40 2 Door Sedan - Stylish Concourse award winner! Also taken to many Northern California Car Shows where this elegant vehicle has... More


text:
Schlage Support Team
posted this on August 22, 2011 06:14 PM
Therefore locking myself out.
This is the emergency exit feature and is standard on the F51 Keyed Entry. This feature cannot be disabled. The emergency exit or panic free exit feature is required by some building codes for fire safety. Those same building codes will not allow double-cylinder deadbolts in some applications because they negate the emergency exit benefit of the knob/lever.
If you are not limited in choice by the building codes, you can choose a different function of lock. Schlage offers a keyed entry lock called the F54. The F54 is also a Grade 2 (as is the F51) with Grade 1 features. The inside thumb turn has to be rotated to the unlocked position before the knob will turn to open the door. If the store does not have the specific design/finish that you want in stock, it can be special ordered, or it is also available online.
If you would like to upgrade, you can also move to the A-series and order an A53 which allows both the Emergency Exit Feature as well as the Unlock when the Door Opens feature. This lock is a Grade 1 and is also available as a special order or online.
Poor design, kids have been locked out in winter. Hiding a key where footprints in the snow show the hiding location leaves a home and occupations at risk. The only option is to buy a special order product from Schlage another poor idea.
Yep I agree with the above member. That information should have also been put on the packing! What a waist of money. We are all getting locked out daily. I don't know who could have thought of such a stupid thing. Such a poor design!
I agree, I bought three sets of locksets with deadbolts (deadbolts are keyed on both sides). In an emergency how am I going to get out if I need a key to open the deadbolt from the inside? The knob will turn but you can't get out! It makes no sense! POOR DESIGN.
The locks have been on the doors for two days now, and I have locked myself out three times already. This fact should have been on the package or at the very least somewhere in the instructions!
I went back to where I bought them (Home Depot) and checked another brand and found that their locksets won't turn from the inside when locked, it only turned when unlocked. The way it should be!
Schlage should make things right with their customers, or their customers will go somewhere else. UNHAPPY!
Advise the customer to return the lock and purchase a different brand. This should be optional at best, if you are unable to operate the lock during an emergency how will you be able to operate the deadbolt as well? Bad idea that is costing you customers. This lock can be disabled by cutting the linkage between the two halves.
We just purchased four of these locksets. I installed two of them before realizing this feature/flaw. I wholeheartedly agree with all other participants in this thread. i will be returning all four locksets in favor of a competitor that offers comparable security while not allowing the knob to turn unless unlocked. I understand most "fire code" theories--this one is just foolish for the rest of the time when our homes are not on fire.
Terrible design.....i agree with everyone above. My family and I have been locked out multiple designs by this design!
I agree with the above comments. I hav had to drill out 2 of the locks when I accidentally locked myself out. At lease they are easy to break this way. To get around this, I purchased interior closet knobs to go with the deadbolt lock
I am very disappointed that when i purchased this lock at Lowe's, the display of the interior knob did not turn in the locked position. I asked the employee about this due to my 7 and 5 yr old at home and he was dead wrong! imagine that ! I went to the store and the answer was that the lockset on display was missing a piece ! Great ! There was nothing written on the package as to this "safety" measure ! I am returning all of my 5 locksets as well ! The time and expense ( as i had them installed by our contractor) is ridiculous ! Our new doors were drilled to fit your specific more elaborate locks. Hopefully we can match finishes and the imprints that have been created can be covered. I would think that a company of your size would at least have something written on the package !! I am very unhappy and this "squeaky wheel" is going to vent for a long time !!!
I too have been locked out on several occasions. I would love to take these back to the store, but have already discarded all the boxes, ect. they came it. I can't believe that this feature is standard on all residential products because the handles I replaced did not have that feature!! I can't imagine that it's safe to have keys planted outside your home just because you, as the home owner, may lock yourself out! I agree there should be some notation on the outside packaging that states that these doorknobs open from the inside even when in the locked position. In my opinion they can be a real danger if there are young children in the home. This feature should be "optional" -- allowing the consumer to flip a switch to turn this feature on or off before installation. My suggestion is to buy a different brand.
I'll be another to express my maddening incredulity that Schlage would refuse to announce this functionality on the packaging; it's so illogical. At least give us the homeowners the option to disable this "feature". It's really a poor approach Schlage, very disappointing - a total waste of money and time installing your lock set.
Panic Free? okay so you have a door knob that turns, but a dead bolt that needs a key to open from the inside. Really? That is not "panic free" you need to tell customers not to install these door handles with keyed dead bolts other wise the Panic Free feature is not effective. I like your products, but..... the advice to leave a key outside defeats the whole purpose of having locks in the first place. Why not just advise to leave doors unlocked?
Thanks to the internet I could at least find out that the Schlage lock my wife bought wasn't broke. I spent too much time trying to figure out why the inside knob turned when the door was locked. Really? If competitor's sell door knobs where the inside knob won't turn when locked then why won't Schlage. I agree with everybody here about putting a 'warning' on the package. It could go something like this..."don't buy this Schlage door knob unless you want to waste time, bring it back and, in the end, buy a different brand".
I agree. If you have the door locked and you have to open it in an emergency then the lock should disengage and allow re-entry. Chances are if it were an emergency you have already forgotten your keys. Just need to find which brand of locks dont have this feature. Went with Schlage because of the name is well known but I keep getting locked out and thats not good. Need to find one that if the door is locked then the knob won't turn or will at least disengage the lock when the knob is turned, not just bypass it.
Awful product feature!! We just installed 5 sets on a rental property with doors leading onto a third floor balcony and someone was locked out! Does anyone know if what Jake said in an earlier post, "This lock can be disabled by cutting the linkage between the two halves" is to disable this feature or the entire locking mechanism?
I can't believe all of the comments about getting locked out. Schlage has had a good reputation in the past, but after installing an F51 series keyed lock and getting locked out, I am extremely dissapointed. This could be a real safety issue if you need to get inside your home quickly and have been locked out. I have spent over a half day trying to resolve and have had no favorable results. The store where I bought it could not help. I purchased this lock and a front door handle and dead bolt in the beginning and had them keyed alike. I took our sliding door lock to a lock smith and had it rekeyed to match the Schlage locks. This was prior to installing the Schlage products. I wanted all of the exterior locks to use the same key. In addition to the $30 spent on the keyed lock, I'm now out $50 more for a non-keyed door knob set and another dead bolt. This will solve my problem, but the solution is so ridiculous. What is Schlage doing about this? They evidently don't care about consumer expectations, their time, or their expense.
I understand the building code issue but it should be noted on the product package that you have to be vigilant about checking the lock status before you exit. I can't see how having to briefly turn the lock button traps you inside for any significant time. The chances of being locked out and trapped are infinitely more dangerous.
Tech support's post about exchanging a Grade 1 for a Grade 3 lock are off base. I bought a grade 1 lockset for a reason.
How about labeling the package "DOES NOT UNLOCK WHEN OPENED!"
I too will be returning my locks.


text:
This employer has taken extra steps to respond to reviews and provide job seekers with accurate company information, photos, and reviews. Interested for your company? Learn More.
Work in HR? Unlock Free Profile
SABIC Jobs & Careers in Seoul
Show: All Results Last 7 Days
No jobs found – change your filters above for more results
See What SABIC Employees Are Saying
Employees say it's "OK" 146 ratings
83% of the CEO 48 ratings
Mohamed Al-Mady
Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Pros: "Great wages, excellent benefits. For the most part a great work environment." – Full Review
If you're searching for SABIC jobs and careers — we can help! Here you'll not only find the latest SABIC job openings, you can also see what SABIC employees have to say about a career at SABIC – salaries, reviews, and interview questions all posted anonymously by SABIC employees and job seekers.


text:
AWESOME IOS game artist wanted!
Job Description
Hey there!
This is not just a job... it's going to be an awesome job.
I am looking for a superb illustrator to make backgrounds, characters and graphics for iPhone games.
I'm looking for:
Someone that is fun to work with
Has a unique style
Previous game work a bonus but not a must
Animation a bonus
Proficient at photoshop
Has a creative talent
Please reply with examples of your best work, I don't want to sort through everything, so only what you think is your best. If you have read through this post, reply at the top of the message with the word peaches.
If this sounds like you, please apply and I look forward to meeting you.


text:
For a brief moment in time, it seemed that almost every vacant space in the Colusa Circle area was occupied.
After several years of vacant storefronts, a new art studio (4Cats) opened, and then a fitness center (The Fuse Fitness) moved in next door, leaving only the former Brazilian restaurant next to Circus Pub, as a vacant space.
But in late May, Post Meridian, Kensington's own French restaurant, served its last dinner, with owner Robin Valerie giving in to the poor economy.
The economy, as well as health, has also taken its toll on the two major developments proposed for the Circle area (or "Circus," for those of you with an English bent).
Ed Hammonds, who succeeded in winning approval to develop a three-story project at the corner of Colusa and Santa Fe Avenues, still plans to go ahead "at some point" but said that his poor health has prevented any serious movement. His plans were approved almost four years ago.
At least, the unattractive wooden security fence on the triangular plot was taken down over a year ago when the Dan Lynch Company, a general contractor, moved in. It was a step forward but not the "health and wellness" center Hammonds envisioned.
One thing Hammonds does intend to replace is the mural, which covered the building wall next to Angel Court. "That mural had a lot of meaning for me, and I will definitely bring it back. Just not in the same location," he said. The mural had to be destroyed when the wall was repaired to fix dry rot. It depicted many of the merchants in the building and was unique in the area.
Back on the other side of the circle, at the long vacant lot at 401 Colusa, things are pretty much the same, according to Ed Crowley, managing partner of The Circle Partnership, which owns the property. A year after his last appearance before any governmental body, it's apparent that Crowley is still bitter about his treatment, but he said he still intends to move ahead with his three-story, mixed-use project.
"I'm still going to develop my property according to the approval granted in the 1983 PUD (Planned Use Development)," Crowley said, but then admitted that the current economy has made moving ahead problematic, and that he would have a tough time getting bank financing.
"It's just not feasible, economically," he said, admitting that he would have to purchase the adjoining property at 411 Colusa to make that project work and to be in compliance with the 1983 PUD. "I haven't bothered to even put in an offer on that property because of the economy," he said.
The home at 411 is currently occupied, but when the Planned Use Development was approved in 1983, the lot would have provided parking space for his project.
The plan was opposed by several area residents, via the Colusa Circle Improvement Association headed by Rodney Paul, who lives across Oak View Avenue from the property.
Paul noted that he still heads the group, which meets only when issues come up, but added that he was acting as a neighbor whose view would have been impacted in opposing the development.
The county had worked out a plan which limited the height of the building in some areas, but the proposal was withdrawn before any vote was taken. Crowley claimed the only financially viable building is the one originally approved. "Until I can build that building, I'll just let the land stand vacant," he said, clearly understanding that it's an eyesore for the neighborhood.
But moments later, when asked about other possible uses for the land, he softened a bit and admitted he planned to have the lot cleaned up and the grass cut. The fence will have to remain, for liability issues, but he said that he recently agreed to let the Sunday Farmers' Market use the land to park the trucks used by vendors.
He said that he's just waiting for some liability documentation from their insurer and then they can park their trucks on Sunday. "I let UPS park some storage pods there last Christmas, so that everyone could have a merry Christmas," he added.
Other partners with Crowley in The Circle Partnership are Carol Chisholm and her brother Tim Kraus.
Other than the Post Meridian site, the only other location currently vacant is the former restaurant site owned by local radio host, restaurateur and gourmand Narsai David. David did not respond to requests for comment about the future of the former El Porto Restaurant, although one person who viewed the interior of the building says significant investment would probably be necessary before anything could be done in the space.
Regardless of what the developers may or may not be able to do, at least one local business owner wants to see the Circle merchants take some steps to brand the area to attract more business.
Nan Phelps, owner of Nan Phelps Photography, is trying to convince fellow business owners to market the area as a destination. "We should put together a Web page, and market the circle as a destination," she said, pointing out the mix of merchants from 437 to 370 Colusa would be a compelling draw.
Others, such as Julie Moore, owner of Circle Salon, a long-time Circle fixture, said she would like to see the vacant lot at least cleaned up. "It would be great to have the lot used as something like a community garden site," she added.
It doesn't look like much is in the works for now, but at least there are fewer vacant storefronts. Maybe it's a sign that the economy is improving.
Corrections and clarification: The original version of this story misspelled Ed Hammonds last name as Hammond. It also mistakenly indentified Tim Kraus as Tom Cross. The story also called Ed Crowley owner of the empty lot at 401 Colusa Ave. and said that he owns it with Carol Chisholm and Kraus. The property is owned by The Circle Partnership, of which Crowley is managing partner. Chisholm and Kraus also are partners in the partnership. The article has been corrected and revised to include these facts.


text:
With all the hoopla surrounding the new environmental scare movie The Day After Tomorrow, and a media feeding frenzy trying to figure out if the events as portrayed in the film could really happen, we decided it might be helpful to republish the following article. It ran about two years ago as a cover story, in September 2002, and it became one of our best-selling issues on the newsstand. It is an unemotional, reporting tour de force by Brad Lemley that conveys the concerns of a number of scientists at the Woods Hole Institution in Massachussetts that indeed we may very well be facing a new ice age in the Eastern United States and Europe based on global warming. However, those scientists characterize that ice age as a "mini" event that might last 300 to 400 years. And they characterize that mini ice age as an event similar to one humanity has already suffered through that ended about 1850. Could it happen soon? Yes. Will it be as devastating as events portrayed in the movie? Highly unlikely, but not impossible.
–The editors
William Curry is a serious, sober climate scientist, not an art critic. But he has spent a lot of time perusing Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze's famous painting "George Washington Crossing the Delaware," which depicts a boatload of colonial American soldiers making their way to attack English and Hessian troops the day after Christmas in 1776. "Most people think these other guys in the boat are rowing, but they are actually pushing the ice away," says Curry, tapping his finger on a reproduction of the painting. Sure enough, the lead oarsman is bashing the frozen river with his boot. "I grew up in Philadelphia. The place in this painting is 30 minutes away by car. I can tell you, this kind of thing just doesn't happen anymore."
But it may again. Soon. And ice-choked scenes, similar to those immortalized by the 16th-century Flemish painter Pieter Brueghel the Elder, may also return to Europe. His works, including the 1565 masterpiece "Hunters in the Snow,"make the now-temperate European landscapes look more like Lapland.
Photographs courtesy of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.
Chemical analysis of fossilized foraminifera, shell-building one-celled creatures, helps climate researchers determine oceanic temperatures during a mini-ice age hundreds of years ago. G. sacculifera (top left) and G. ruber (bottom right) are planktonic organisms that spend their lives floating near the surface but fall like sand grains to the bottom of the ocean when they die. U. peregrina (top right) and C. wuellerstorfi (bottom left) are benthonic organisms that live and die on or in sediments on the seafloor.
Such frigid settings were commonplace during a period dating roughly from 1300 to 1850 because much of North America and Europe was in the throes of a little ice age. And now there is mounting evidence that the chill could return. A growing number of scientists—including many here at Curry's base of operations, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution on Cape Cod in Massachusetts—believes conditions are ripe for another prolonged cooldown, or small ice age. While no one is predicting a brutal ice sheet like the one that covered the Northern Hemisphere with glaciers about 12,000 years ago, the next cooling trend could drop average temperatures 5 degrees Fahrenheit over much of the United States and 10 degrees in the Northeast, northern Europe, and northern Asia.
"It could happen in 10 years," says Terrence Joyce, who chairs the Woods Hole Physical Oceanography Department. "Once it does, it can take hundreds of years to reverse." And he is alarmed that Americans have yet to take the threat seriously. In a letter to The New York Times last April, he wrote, "Recall the coldest winters in the Northeast, like those of 1936 and 1978, and then imagine recurring winters that are even colder, and you'll have an idea of what this would be like."
A drop of 5 to 10 degrees entails much more than simply bumping up the thermostat and carrying on. Both economically and ecologically, such quick, persistent chilling could have devastating consequences. A 2002 report titled "Abrupt Climate Change: Inevitable Surprises," produced by the National Academy of Sciences, pegged the cost from agricultural losses alone at $100 billion to $250 billion while also predicting that damage to ecologies could be vast and incalculable. A grim sampler: disappearing forests, increased housing expenses, dwindling freshwater, lower crop yields, and accelerated species extinctions.
The reason for such huge effects is simple. A quick climate change wreaks far more disruption than a slow one. People, animals, plants, and the economies that depend on them are like rivers, says the report: "For example, high water in a river will pose few problems until the water runs over the bank, after which levees can be breached and massive flooding can occur. Many biological processes undergo shifts at particular thresholds of temperature and precipitation."
Political changes since the last ice age could make survival far more difficult for the world's poor. During previous cooling periods, whole tribes simply picked up and moved south, but that option doesn't work in the modern, tense world of closed borders. "To the extent that abrupt climate change may cause rapid and extensive changes of fortune for those who live off the land, the inability to migrate may remove one of the major safety nets for distressed people," says the report.
Still, climate science is devilishly complex, and the onslaught of a little ice age is not certain, at least at this stage of research. Scientists the world over are weighing the potential for rapid North Atlantic cooling, but perhaps nowhere in the United States is more energy, equipment, and brainpower directed at the problem than here at Woods Hole. The oceanographers on staff subsist largely on government grants and are beholden to no corporation, making the facility "uniquely independent," says David Gallo, director of special projects. Consequently, it should be as likely as any research facility or university to get at the truth.
The task is huge. Down on the docks where the institution keeps its three research ships, gulls swoop around a collection of massive metal frameworks; these are core samplers that, dropped over a ship's side, can extract long columns of layered sediments from the undersea muck. In a workshop nearby, technicians tinker with arrays of multiple independent water samplers, which at four feet long and eight inches thick look rather like giant scuba tanks. Out on the water, researchers drop these instruments into the North Atlantic, hoping to get a sharper picture of the potential for a little ice age. A sense of urgency propels the efforts. "We need to make this a national priority," says Joyce. "It's a tough nut to crack, but with enough data, I think we can make a more specific and confident prediction about what comes next." Policymakers armed with a specific forecast could make adjustments to prepare for the inevitable.
Photograph by Greg Miller
"As we continue to pile on atmospheric carbon dioxide, we're going to have more unintended consequences," says William Curry, a climate scientist. "We need to seriously consider steps to curb greenhouse gases."
Indeed it is, says Joyce. In his cluttered office, full of soft light from the foggy Cape Cod morning, he explains how such warming could actually be the surprising culprit of the next mini-ice age. The paradox is a result of the appearance over the past 30 years in the North Atlantic of huge rivers of freshwater—the equivalent of a 10-foot-thick layer—mixed into the salty sea. No one is certain where the fresh torrents are coming from, but a prime suspect is melting Arctic ice, caused by a buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that traps solar energy.
The freshwater trend is major news in ocean-science circles. Bob Dickson, a British oceanographer who sounded an alarm at a February conference in Honolulu, has termed the drop in salinity and temperature in the Labrador Sea—a body of water between northeastern Canada and Greenland that adjoins the Atlantic—"arguably the largest full-depth changes observed in the modern instrumental oceanographic record."
The trend could cause a little ice age by subverting the northern penetration of Gulf Stream waters. Normally, the Gulf Stream, laden with heat soaked up in the tropics, meanders up the east coasts of the United States and Canada. As it flows northward, the stream surrenders heat to the air. Because the prevailing North Atlantic winds blow eastward, a lot of the heat wafts to Europe. That's why many scientists believe winter temperatures on the Continent are as much as 36 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than those in North America at the same latitude. Frigid Boston, for example, lies at almost precisely the same latitude as balmy Rome. And some scientists say the heat also warms Americans and Canadians. "It's a real mistake to think of this solely as a European phenomenon," says Joyce.
Having given up its heat to the air, the now-cooler water becomes denser and sinks into the North Atlantic by a mile or more in a process oceanographers call thermohaline circulation. This massive column of cascading cold is the main engine powering a deepwater current called the Great Ocean Conveyor that snakes through all the world's oceans. But as the North Atlantic fills with freshwater, it grows less dense, making the waters carried northward by the Gulf Stream less able to sink. The new mass of relatively fresh water sits on top of the ocean like a big thermal blanket, threatening the thermohaline circulation. That in turn could make the Gulf Stream slow or veer southward. At some point, the whole system could simply shut down, and do so quickly. "There is increasing evidence that we are getting closer to a transition point, from which we can jump to a new state. Small changes, such as a couple of years of heavy precipitation or melting ice at high latitudes, could yield a big response," says Joyce.
"The physics of El Niño are simple compared to the physics of this climate change," says Terrence Joyce, chairman of the Woods Hole Department of Physical Oceanography, with Ruth Curry, one of the lead researchers.
In her sunny office down the hall, oceanographer Ruth Curry shows just how extensive the changes have already become. "Look at this," she says, pointing to maps laid out on her lab table. "Orange and yellow mean warmer and saltier. Green and blue mean colder and fresher." The four-map array shows the North Atlantic each decade since the 1960s. With each subsequent map, green and blue spread farther; even to the untrained eye, there's clearly something awry. "It's not just in the Labrador Sea," she says. "This cold, freshening area is now invading the deep waters of the entire subtropical Atlantic."
"You have all this freshwater sitting at high latitudes, and it can literally take hundreds of years to get rid of it," Joyce says. So while the globe as a whole gets warmer by tiny fractions of 1 degree Fahrenheit annually, the North Atlantic region could, in a decade, get up to 10 degrees colder. What worries researchers at Woods Hole is that history is on the side of rapid shutdown. They know it has happened before. On the northwest side of Woods Hole's Quissett campus, in a dim laboratory that smells like low tide, about 24,000 polycarbonate tubes full of greenish-tan mud rest in wire racks, as carefully cataloged as fine wines. They are core samples collected from seafloors, many collected during expeditions by the Knorr, one of Woods Hole's three largest research ships. Each core tells a story about time and temperature spanning thousands of years.
But one particular core, kept carefully refrigerated at 39 degrees Fahrenheit, was pivotal for reaching the conclusion that little ice ages can start abruptly. The Canadian ship CSS Hudson collected the core in 1989 from a seafloor plateau called the Bermuda Rise in the northern Sargasso Sea, roughly 200 miles northeast of Bermuda. "It's a peculiar place on the seafloor where mud accumulates rapidly," says Lloyd Keigwin, a senior scientist in the Woods Hole Geology and Geophysics Department. Most of the sediment was washed out of Canadian rivers before settling, so it bears witness to the vagaries of climate in the North Atlantic.
Seafloor sediments are peppered with tiny invertebrates called foraminifera, which Keigwin describes as "amoebas with shells," that can yield clues about the temperature of the ocean in which they lived. Clay and silt from the Nova Scotia region cause the little creatures to accumulate in neatly distinguishable layers, which means a wealth of information.
Keigwin subjected the foraminifera in various layers of this core to mass spectroscopic analysis. By measuring the proportions of oxygen isotopes—especially the ratio of oxygen 16 to oxygen 18—he was able to peg the temperature at which the tiny animals in each layer formed their calcium carbonate shells to an accuracy of less than 1 degree Fahrenheit. He coupled that with carbon dating to determine each sediment layer's age.
Keigwin had expected to find evidence of climate swings during the past few thousand years. But in the CSS Hudson's prize sample, which was drilled with a more precise corer than oceanographers had used previously, he uncovered plenty of data about abrupt temperature changes over the past 1,000 years, including for a little ice age that averaged about 4 degrees Fahrenheit colder than the present. "And because the Sargasso Sea is pretty well mixed, the cooling must have been widespread," Keigwin says. More ominously, "I found evidence that proves the climate cycles continue right up until today."
Clearly, the little ice age from 1300 to 1850 wasn't kicked off by humans releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. But natural climate cycles that melted Arctic ice could have caused thermohaline circulation to shut down abruptly. "We are almost certain that this was the cause of the last little ice age," says Ruth Curry, "although we'd need a time machine to be sure."
"I was aware that this could be a bombshell, but I stuck my neck out," says Keigwin, who first published his findings in 1996. Since then, similar high-sediment locations have bolstered his early conclusions. "As it turns out, there are probably at least 10 places in the North Atlantic that can give you pretty good core evidence of mini-ice-age cooling," he says.
A more recent event is perhaps better evidence that a climate can cool quickly because of thermohaline shutdown. In the late 1960s, a huge blob of near-surface fresher water appeared off the east coast of Greenland, probably the result of a big discharge of ice into the Atlantic in 1967. Known as the Great Salinity Anomaly, it drifted southward, settling into the North Atlantic in the early 1970s. There it interfered with the thermohaline circulation by quickly arresting deepwater formation in the Labrador Sea. It continued to drift in a counterclockwise direction around the North Atlantic, re-entering the Norwegian Sea in the late 1970s and vanishing soon after.
"I believe it shut the system down for just a few years. The result was very cold winters, particularly in Europe," says Ruth Curry.
That fresher-water mass, fortunately, was small enough to disperse in a short period of time. The one accumulating up there now, however, "is just too big," says Joyce.
Climate science is extraordinarily complex because it is dependent upon the gathering and interpretation of millions of data points. If the National Weather Service has trouble predicting tomorrow's weather, how can anyone forecast a change in global climate a few years hence? One answer is even more data. At the moment, there are about 450 floating sensors bobbing around in the Atlantic monitoring temperature and salinity changes, and that is not enough, says Ruth Curry. "The models don't have enough resolution to capture all the physics yet. Prediction is tough."
Or maybe Woods Hole researchers are adhering to a flawed model. That's the view of Richard Seager, a climate scientist at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. In a paper titled "Is the Gulf Stream Responsible for Europe's Mild Winters?" to be published this year in the Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, he casts doubt on the notion that warmth transported by the Gulf Stream has a significant impact on either continent. Europe would be warmer, he says, "even if the Atlantic were just a big, stagnant ocean" because the prevailing westerly winds would still blow heat stored in the Atlantic in the summer to Europe in the winter. Transported Gulf Stream heat, he says, accounts for less than 10 percent of England's warmth relative to the United States.
In Seager's view, prolonged winter warmth is more likely than a little ice age. "The thousand-pound gorilla in eastern North America and Europe is the North Atlantic Oscillation," he says. This is a complex, poorly understood variation in the strength of air-pressure cells over Iceland and the Azores. When pressure over Iceland is high, the pressure over the Azores tends to be low, and vice versa. During the winter, a lower-than-usual low over Iceland and a higher-than-usual high over the Azores forces cold air to eastern Canada and warm, moist air to northwestern Europe and the eastern United States.
That's precisely what has happened from the 1960s to the late 1990s, says Seager, which gave rise to relatively balmy winters in the high-population regions on both sides of the Atlantic. "If this phase continues, as some models predict will occur as the result of rising greenhouse gases, this would make these changes in winter climate persist for years to come," he says.
Seager's viewpoint is in the minority. In other models, and climate science is ultimately a battle of different computer models, the Gulf Stream is a major source of warmth for the lands that border the North Atlantic. In Ruth Curry's view, the science as it stands is more than strong enough to warrant thinking ahead.
"We can't know the point at which thermohaline shutdown could actually start," she says. "But we should plan for it."
Cold BrutalityShould a little ice age arrive, its impact will be told in human suffering, not scientific terminology. The Little Ice Age (Basic Books, 2000), by anthropology professor Brian Fagan of the University of California at Santa Barbara, is replete with tales of woe depicting the plight of European peasants during the 1300 to 1850 chill: famines, hypothermia, bread riots, and the rise of despotic leaders brutalizing an increasingly dispirited peasantry. In the late 17th century, writes Fagan, agriculture had dropped off so dramatically that "Alpine villagers lived on bread made from ground nutshells mixed with barley and oat flour." Finland lost perhaps a third of its population to starvation and disease.
Life was particularly difficult for those who lived under the constant threat of advancing glaciers in the French Alps. One, the Des Bois glacier on the slopes of Mont Blanc, was said to have moved forward "over a musket shot each day, even in the month of August." When the Des Bois threatened to dam up the Arve River in 1644, residents of the town of Chamonix begged the bishop of Geneva to petition God for help. In early June, the bishop, with 300 villagers gathered around him, blessed the threatening glacier and another near the village of Largenti?re. For a while, salvation seemed at hand. The glaciers retreated for about 20 years, until 1663. But they had left the land so barren that new crops would not grow. — B. L.
Sign up to get the latest science news delivered weekly right to your inbox!


text:
NORMAN — Oklahoma has had its share of political scandals. Child welfare. County commissioners. Prisons. Judges. Yes, our state Supreme Court had a shameful, bribery scandal in the 1960s.
Legislators, some of whom are not happy with legal decisions, want to make changes in the way judges are appointed. A hearing sponsored by the House Speaker was hosted Thursday. The state's bar association has opposed the initiative on the basis that it puts politics back into the selection of judges.
The current system, set up in 1967 when our courts were reformed, seems to be working. It took an amendment to the state Constitution to form the Judicial Nominating Commission.
The 15 members are chosen. Six are attorneys elected by the Oklahoma Bar Association, the governor picks six non-lawyer members and three non-lawyer members are selected by the Senate speaker pro-tem, the speaker of the House and one by the JNC.
No political party can dominate. The selection process takes in all areas of the state and is meant to be impartial.
Some lawmakers want to put term limits on state judge positions. Those are on retention ballots, and voters can certainly remove a judge who is on the ballot.


text:
Funds Hub
Money managers under the microscope
Morning line-up
american banker | hedge fund | hedgeweek | launches | Lyxor
Enlightening stories on the hedge fund industry from Reuters and elsewhere.
New hedge fund launches are smaller and cheaper – FT
Crispin Odey nets 30 mln stg – The Times
Lyxor hedge fund index up 1.1 pct – HedgeWeek
Q3 hedge fund starts exceeded closures – American Banker
Post Your Comment
We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. For more information on our comment policy, see http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/


text:
Business owners who want to use data to choose the best site for their businesss location shouldnt base their decisions solely on numbers.
An area that looks appealing statistically might not be so desirable in real life.
Get out there and look and wonder why theres not someone there already, said Andrew Bowen, director of research for the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce.
Statistics can answer some basic questions about potential locations, such as population density, median age and income.
Bowen said the U.S. Census Bureau, the government agency that offers data on the economy and the countrys residents, is one of the best sources for demographic information.
Due to the government shutdown, however, the bureaus website is not being updated and requests for information will not be considered.
Here are tips from Bowen about how to effectively use data to choose a good location for a business:
• Match the type of business you are opening with the area. If you are opening an ethnic food restaurant, statistics on ethnicity may be more important. Business owners planning a convenience store or grocery may be more interested in population density in certain zip codes.
• Find the competition. While one corner may look ideal, a direct competitor may already have opened across the street. Statistics wont show where competitors are located.
• Be thorough. Large companies such as Family Dollar do heavy data and analytical work before opening sites, Bowen said. Look at factors such as traffic data and access to the site from nearby roads in conjunction with other statistics.
• Walk the area. Statistics only show so much. Go to the location and walk around, paying attention to traffic access, nearby businesses and how busy the area is.
Get your data, see what you think and then get out there and use your gut, Bowen said. Go talk to surrounding business owners and see whats going on.


text:
Help Us Raise Lewy Body Dementia Awareness
In the month of October, 2013, there were over 200 volunteers "Standing Strong with LBDA" in 38 states across the nation! Just because October is now over, doesn't mean you have to stop! These resources are still available for your use in shining more light on LBD in your communities all year long.
Promote our new diagnostic checklist to local physicians.
See how you can help increase awareness by introducing LBDA's newest resource to physicians' offices in your local area. Learn more.
Host your own event.
Events can inform entire communities about LBD and raise thousands of dollars to support LBDA's mission. Learn more.
Tell your story.
Raise your voice and LBD awareness by telling your personal LBD story to the local media and government. Learn more.
We are deeply grateful for the generous support of so many individuals, businesses and organizations. There are many ways to make a gift and help LBDA. Make a donation today.


text:
|Based on the Book
Event Type: Legacy Amendment
Age Group(s): Adult
Date: 5/7/2013
Start Time: 5:30 PM
End Time: 8:00 PM
Read the book, watch the movie, join the discussion. Every month Burnhaven Library will present a movie based on a book. Bring a bag supper to eat while we watch. Popcorn provided. A Minnesota Legacy program. Tonight's reading:Library: Dakota County Library at Burnsville (Burnhaven)
Secretariat by William Nack
Based on the remarkable true story, this film chronicles the spectacular journey of the 1973 Triple Crown winner. Housewife and mother Penney Chenery agrees to take over her ailing father's Virginia-based Meadow Stables, despite her lack of horse-racing knowledge. Against all odds, Chenery – with the help of veteran trainer Lucien Laurin – manages to navigate the male-dominated business, ultimately fostering the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years and what may be the greatest racehorse of all time.
Location: Burnhaven Meeting Room


text:
As the largest natural gas distributor in Alabama, Alagasco delivers clean-burning, energy-efficient natural gas to industries, commercial businesses and residential homes. We care about our customers and want to make it easy for you to do business with us.
We are proud to be a United Way of Central Alabama Pacesetter Company for 2013Learn More >


text:
Before I got picked up to play my gig at 12PM on New Year's Eve I went to the bar of the Apollo Art Hotel in Brugge, Belgium to get a coffee. I used my iPhone to snap a photo of the other working musician in the room. I also used my iPhone and the Griffin iTalk app to record a little of the bar sound and in the distance you can hear the keyboard player twinkling some bell sounds.
When I returned to the hotel around 3:00 AM he was definetly drunk, standing and singing loudly. These are the guys buying all those workstation keyboards. He was pretty talented but I guess taste accounts for a lot in life. He definetly worked harder than I did.
This entry was written by iPhone and tagged Griffin, iPhone, iTalk, New Years Eve. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post., posted on January 4, 2009 at 11:44 am, filed under


text:
G-Star RAW Mens Neal Mesh Sweat Jacket
- Low stock, selling fast
0 review
- Delivery
G-Star RAW Neal Mesh Mens Jacket
No longer built for hiding, the desert camouflage on the Neal Mesh jacket by G-Star RAW makes a strong visual statement for the new season.
In a pure white colourway with an all-over camouflage trim, the fusion of military and street styles has never been more potent. The confidently raised collar and mesh fabric offer lightweight protection and breathability, whilst the handwarming welt pockets deliver a statement stance on the street. A strong mix of fresh urban shapes and armed-forces detailing, the Neal Mesh jacket is a brand new take on standard issue streetwear.
Layer this trendsetting jacket over a T-shirt with G-Star jeans and lace-up plimsolls for a key urban style this season.
Useful info:
- Mens jacket by G-Star RAW
- Neal Mesh
- Stand collar
- Lightweight
- Zip-through
- Ribbed cuffs and hem
- Camo stripe detail
- Welt pockets
- Embroidered logo to chest
G-Star RAW Sobeck Mens Sweat Top
- Low stock, selling fast
0 review
- Delivery
G-Star RAW Sobeck Mens Sweat Top
Cowl neck sweat top with adjustable drawcord hem.Colour: Black. 60% cotton, 40% polyester. Machine washable.


text:
For it's 10th anniversary, ARTFARM artistic director Marcella Trowbridge, of Middletown-based theater group, wanted to do something a little different. Instead of creating a traditional Shakespearian play for the annual performances, she began with a theme.
Actors explore one central question: "Why is Shakespeare so special?" A professor, an actor, a producer and an audience member (groundling) all argue their answer in a 90-minute outdoor show in the scenic field behind Middlesex Community College.
To prove their point, each person performs scenes, songs and soliloquies from over a dozen Shakespeare plays, including "Hamlet," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "Measure For Measure," "Macbeth" and "Julius Caesar."
"Shakespeare's Argument" performers are Trowbridge, Annie DiMartino, Ken O'Brien and Jesse Gabbard with a musical score performed live by the ARTFARM Orchestra under the baton of Joseph Getter.
The show runs tonight through Sunday and July 21-24 at 7 p.m. on the campus of Middlesex Community College on Training Hill Road. If raining, shows are moved inside. Donation is $20.
Live musicians begin at 6 p.m.
July 14: Sirius Coyote
July 15: Phil Rosenthal
July 16: Chuck Costa
July 17: Lorena Garay
July 21: They Might Be Gypsies
July 22: Nancy Tucker
July 23: The BC3 (Bill Carbone Trio, jazz)
July 24: Tom Callinan
Show us some love! Follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook.


text:
BELLEVILLE — Finding a way to hold onto leads is becoming a tough lesson for the Althoff Crusaders.
Demontez Miller-Gray ran for 201 yards and three fourth-quarter touchdowns in leading the Mount Vernon Rams past the Crusaders 42-32 Friday in a South Seven Conference game.
The Crusaders led 32-21 with 7:35 left in the fourth quarter. They led 25-14 late in the fourth quarter last week against Mascoutah, but lost 26-24.
"We're coming out in the second half and doing what we want to do, and we're taking big leads,'' Althoff coach Ken Turner said. "The last couple weeks, we've had problems holding on.
"That's a growing process that we are going through right now. We have to fix it, and we have to fix it quick.''
The Crusaders dropped to 1-3 overall, 0-1 in the South Seven.
"It's a little frustrating right now,'' Turner said. "I feel like the kids' effort is there, and I feel like two weeks in a row ... we easily could be 3-1, but we are 1-3. I just want to keep these guys up.
"I still feel like we are good football team. We just have to fight and keep trying to do those little things right.''
The Rams improved to 3-1 overall, 1-0 in the South Seven.
"I think it was huge that we got a road conference win, and we came back like we did,'' Rams coach Jared Shaner said. "We have to use this and draw on it and understand that good teams find a way to fight back when they don't play their best game. I felt like that's what we did tonight.''
Althoff quarterback Eric Mertens became the school's all-time passing leader and wide receiver Luke Frazier had a breakout performance with seven catches for 118 yards and three touchdowns.
Frazier also had a fumble recovery on defense.
"We talked to him all week about coming out and having a good game, and he had a great game,'' Turner said of Frazier. "I'm not shocked. He is a good football player. People try to double-team Keenen (Young) a lot and take him away from us, but we feel like we have a bunch a guys who do some things, like Luke.''
The Crusaders went up 32-21 on an 18-yard touchdown run by sophomore Malik Easley with 7:35 to go.
The Rams answered on their next play from scrimmage as Miller-Gary ran 63 yards for a touchdown.
A two-point conversion pass closed the gap to 32-29.
"We go the whole length of the field and punch it in, and they come back and hit us with one big play,'' Turner said. "They're capable of that. They've got a good running game.''
The Rams took a 35-32 lead on a 7-yard touchdown run by Miller-Gary with 1:03 left.
Mount Vernon's Jacob Williamson intercepted a pass that was tipped by teammate by Jacobee Marshall with 47 seconds remaining.
Miller-Gray broke loose for a 38-yard touchdown run to clinch the win with 34 seconds on the clock.
Both teams scored on their first three possessions of the game.
Dennis Jackson scored on a 1-yard touchdown run and Mertens threw touchdown passes of 24 and 14 yards to Frazier.
An 18-yard touchdown pass from Mertens to Frazier on Althoff's first possession of the second half put the Crusaders up 25-21.
Mertens completed 17 of 26 for 222 yards. He entered the game needing only 62 yards to break Dale Fink's school record of exactly 5,000 passing yards.
Contact reporter Steve Korte at email@example.com or 239-2522.


text:
ADVENTURE CAROLINA: After work trip, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday; Basic Kayak Class, 10 a.m. Saturday; Congaree River Trip, 2 p.m. Tuesday, Saturday and April 28; and Congaree National Park Trip, noon, Tuesday and April 28, 1107 State St., Cayce. Reservations and fitting for any rental equipment must be made at least 48 hours in advance. (803) 796-4505, adventurecarolina.com
CAROLINA RIVER CONNECTION: Basic canoe, sea/rec and whitewater kayak instruction and rentals. Five guided trips for all levels of paddlers including half day, full day and overnight trips. Meals are provided, and ages 8 and under paddle for free. Paddle the Saluda, Congaree, Edisto and Enoree Rivers. (803) 917-3920
CONGAREE NATIONAL PARK: Explore the old-growth forest along the boardwalk for Tree Trek, 10 a.m. today. Special evening walking program Moonlight Creatures, 8 p.m. Saturday. Harry Hampton Visitor Center park hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. The park is at 100 National Park Road, Hopkins. (803) 776-4396; nps.gov/cong
LAKE MURRAY ASSOCIATION: Ladies Day on the Lake provides a fun way to learn about safe boating, 8:30 a.m. June 18 at Lighthouse Marina, 1925 Johnson Marina Road. Only 32 spaces are available. $35. (803) 604-1409; lakemurrayassocation.com
Submissions should be sent by 5 p.m. Thursday to firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
The Mario Badescu name has been known for personalized, all-natural skin care treatments and products for more than 35 years. Growing from a small facility into a 36 room salon and day spa, we have always been one of the most trusted and respected names in the industry. Our clientele not only is made up of many actors, supermodels and showpeople, but thousands of men and women who realize the importance of good skin care.
Acne Response
Age Response
Bath & Shower Gel
Body Cleansers
Body Lotions & Creams
Body Moisturizers
Body Scrubs & Exfoliants
Bubble Bath & Bath Oils
Eye Treatment
Hand & Feet
Makeup Remover
Night Treatments
Post Shave & Moisturizer
Pre-Shave & Shaving
Scrubs & Exfoliants
Skin Lighteners
Skin Revitalizers
- BeautyMark BEST SELLER! Specifically designed to treat deep, cystic blemishes. Sulfur based solution allows the lotion to be quickly absorbed into the skin, treating the source of the deeply rooted pimples. Excellent spot treatment containing Allantoin to calm and soothe inflammation and promote healing.$20.00
- Lactic Acid is the rejuvenating AHA in this absorbent and soothing daily moisturizer for combination skin. Formulated with non-pore clogging Carnation Oil and Allantoin, an anti-inflammatory, botanical ingredient.$22.00
- Improve the delicate eye skins hydration levels with our greaseless, lightweight eye gel formulated with softening Ceramides and nourishing Herbal Extracts. Diminishes puffiness and tired eyes. Store in the fridge for a soothing morning eye treatment.$22.00
- BeautyMark BEST SELLER! - Soothes instantly upon application - Reduces flaky, dry skin - Ideal for rosacea and sensitivity$23.00
MARIO BADESCU Essentials
- A refreshing oil controlling cleanser. Our non-foaming gel cleanser is deep cleansing and refreshing for oily skin. Removes make-up, dirt, and oil thoroughly without over drying skin. Exfoliating Alpha Hydroxy formula helps prevent buildup that can cause blackheads and pimples. Best for Combination, and or Oily skin types.$16.00
- Our Best Selling Daily Cleanser. This non-foaming, gel cleanser thoroughly removes the days make-up, dirt and oil without drying the skin. Papaya and Grapefruit Extracts are exfoliating Alpha Hydroxy Acids that help prevent dulling build-up that can cause blackheads and pimples.$16.00
- - Hydrates anywhere, anytime - Fine mist wont disturb makeup - Ideal for dry environments$9.00
- - Hydrating, oil-free formula - Plumping, firming and nourishing - Effective for all skin types$24.00
- For excessive, stubborn blackheads, this oil absorbent powder will help to unclog congested pores. Prevents blackheads and promotes a healthier complexion. You will see a remarkable difference after one application.$14.00
- Refreshing, disinfecting and deep cleaning astringent that is effective in drying up existing acne blemishes while preventing new eruptions. Sulfur and soothing Cucumber based, acne fighting formula that is non-drying and non-irritating.$18.00


text:
Kaduna, Nigeria News
Local news for Kaduna, Nigeria continually updated from thousands of sources on the web.
3 hrs ago | In-depth Africa
A DECADE and a half after Nigeria returned to democratic rule, the people are still reeling under the jackboot of soldiers across the country.
Popular Stories
11 hrs ago | War Is A Crime
In the 1970s and 1980s, at the height of Nigeria's post-oil-discovery wealth and power, Nigerians could walk the streets of the major northern cities of Kaduna, Jos, Kano and Maiduguri without a concern, unhurried and unharmed.
Mum of suspected bomber who disguised as a woman says he's not a terrorist
On Friday July 25th, the Nigerian military released a statement saying they'd arrested a man dressed as a woman who is suspected to be connected with the Well, the suspect's mother Zubeida Yusuf, who lives in Mando, Kaduna has spoken and she says her son, Mansir Yusuf, is no terrorist.
Nigeria: Who is afraid of General Muhammadu Buhari?
The attempt to snuff life out of one of Nigeria's most revered former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, in a fiendish operation which would have passed for a routine Boko Haram attack if their hand had performed their enterprise, would have thrown Nigeria in turmoil of unimaginable proportions as President Jonathan submitted days ago.
Nigeria opens long-awaited battle of ideas against Boko Haram
In classrooms facing a sandy courtyard in the northern Nigerian city of Kaduna, Maska Road Islamic School teaches a creed that condemns the violent ideology of groups like Boko Haram .
Jonathan, Tambuwal, Okonjo-Iweala, others condole with El Rufai over son's death
A buja - President Goodluck Jonathan has commiserated with former Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, over the death of his son, Hamza.
Stop linking FG with bomb attack on Buhari -Col Umar
Former military Governor of Kaduna State, Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar has told loyalists of former Military Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari to stop linking the Federal Government with the foiled bomb attack on Buhari.
Could we have been celebrating if Buhari had been felled - APC
The All Progressives Congress has congratulated the Muslim faithful on the occasion of this year's Eid-El-Fitr celebrations marking the successful conclusion of the month-long period of fasting.
Buhari: Asari-Dokubo speaking Jonathan's mind, says Rep
Ex-militant leader Asari Dokubo who hurled insults at former Head of State Gen. Muhammadu Buhari over the Kaduna is speaking President Goodluck Jonathan's mind, Deputy House of Representative Minority Leader, Suleiman Kawu said yesterday.
El-Zakzakya Tears of father who lost three kids
Last Friday's alleged attacks on members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, popularly known as Shiite, by men of the Army in Zaria has come and gone, but the effect of the killings will certainly remain indelible in the heart of the leader of the movement, Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, writes ABDULGAFAR ALABELEWE He cannot just forget it in a hurry.
Nigeria Security Tracker: Weekly Update July 19 - July 25
Below is a visualization and description of some of the most significant incidents of political violence in Nigeria from July 11 to July 18, 2014.
Bakare wants FG to apologise to Boko Haram over killing of leader
Lagos-CONVENER of the Save Nigeria Group, SNG, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has said one of the ways to end Boko Haram insurgency is for the Federal Government to apologise to members of the sect over the murder of their leader, Mohammed Yusuf, in 2009.
Second attack by female suicide bomber injures 6 in Nigeria
NIGERIA, Kaduna : The body of a suicide bomber lies beside a damaged vehicle at the scene where a bomb exploded in Kaduna on July 23, 2014.
Nigeria: Govt Orders 40 Attack Helicopters From U.S., Russia to Fight Terrorism
In its determination to eliminate terrorism and smoke out Boko Haram members from their hide outs in parts of the North East and North West, the Federal Government has ordered 40 attack and transport helicopters from the United States of America and Russia.
Nigeria: "Missing" Oil Revenue - Between Sanusi and the Senate
When the former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria and now Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, initially disclosed that $49.8b was not remitted to the federation Account by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company , many Nigerians, so used to the corruption of top government officials in times past and present, were aghast and lent their voice to ... (more)
'Soldiers hid in sugarcane farm to kill my men'
The bodies were displayed on the floor, in wooden caskets. They were surrounded by men who two days earlier had no inkling that they could be dead.
Kaduna blast: NEMA donates 100 beds
National Emergency Management Agency , at the weekend, donated 100 pieces of eight-spring beds, mattresses and blankets each to 44 Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna, as part of its response to last Wednesday's twin bombing in Kaduna.
Nigeria would have been in turmoil if Buhari was killed- Jonathan
President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday said the country would have been in turmoil if former Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari and top Islamic preacher, Sheik Dahiru Bauchi have been killed in the recent terrorists attack in Kaduna.
Kaduna bombing: Sallah durbar cancelled
The Zazzau Emirate Council in Kaduna State, on Saturday announced the cancellation of Eid-El-Fitr durbar and all other festivities in honour of victims of the dual bomb blast that rocked Kaduna metropolis.
Boko Haram execute 12 in northern Nigeria
The Nigerian Islamist extremist group Boko Haram appears in a video, voicing support for militants in Iraq and Syria.
Kaduna, Nigeria News, Events & Info
Updated: Fri Aug 01, 2014 05:22 pm
Copyright © 2014 Topix LLC


text:
My service light is on its count down at the moment... just wondering what kind of price im going to be looking at for its first service? Its a 09 1.6 A3 Sport, with just under 16k on the clock. Its had its oil changed recently, and its on the long life plan.
What kind of prices will I be looking at? My mums A4 Convertible was around Ł300 for its first service (an oil change) around 3 years ago, so just wondering what its going to cost me!


text:
"What Knoxville really needs? My answer would be, 'time.' I believe that Knoxville is on the right path to becoming a great city. There are a lot of key players who are—or who are getting—involved. The citizens seem to want, desire, and need a vibrant, cultural city. Renovations are being done around the downtown area. A hub is being developed, born if you will. There are many talented artists being driven to this area. There are merchants and restaurants that are following. In time, I believe this can be the heart, the driving force, the destination for many people traveling through this area. Definitely, time is what this city needs. And, with that time the movement will continue to pick up more momentum."
—Daniel Goss, managing partner, Downtown Grill & Brewery
© 2014 MetroPulse. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Also in What Knoxville Needs
Comments » 0
Be the first to post a comment!
Share your thoughts
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.


text:
308 W Washington St, Port Washington, WI 53074
Situated atop Sweetcake Hill in a residential neighborhood, the Port Washington Inn Bed & Breakfast offers…More guests peaceful privacy and generous hospitality in an environment of Serenity, Elegance, & Comfort. Guestrooms all include private baths, queen beds, comfortable seating, wi-fi, cable TV, DVD/CD/VCR players.
Favorites with guests are the views of Lake Michigan, the private balcony of Grace's Suite, the full breakfast prepared from scratch, the complimentary beverage centers and homemade treats, the extensive common areas both inside and outside, off-street parking, and the walkable location. We attend to all the details so your stay is relaxing.
- Check-in: 3:00
- Check-out: 11:00
Discounts for multiple night stays (some exceptions apply)
Wi-Fi: Included
Privately owned and operated
3 guestrooms, 2 suites


text:
|Welcome to GetTheLabel's SALE page. Here we have many items from top brands at rock bottom prices! Filter by gender and brand to find your bargain!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 products
Sort by
Criminal Damage Womens Give In To Mee T-shirt
Colour: White silver
Save 80% Now $10.18 USD
Shock Absorber Womens Flexiform Underwired Sports Bra
Colour: White silver
Save 59% Now $22.08 USD
Vila Monlas Glitter Clutch Bags
Colour: Bronze
Save 73% Now $13.58 USD
ClubL Womens Metallic Disco Pants
Colour: Bronze
Save 78% Now $8.48 USD
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 products
Sort by


text:
Late-pays on home loans were down substantially in the second quarter from the same time last year, according to TransUnion, which reported a more than 25-percent slide in the share of borrowers two months or more in the red. The delinquency rate narrowed to 4.09 percent for the April-to-June period, an improvement from 4.56 percent in the first quarter and from 5.49 percent in the 2012 second quarter. TransUnion attributes the lower rate of delinquency to home price appreciation and low mortgage rates that make it easier for borrowers to lower their monthly obligation through a refinance.
Web Link


text:
A sick & twisted fighting game featuring many of your favorite fairy tale characters from childhood now acting like the crazy maniacs your deviant adult mind could only imagine them to be!
Fairytale Fights is an Action/Comic Action video game for Xbox 360 published by Playlogic on November 10, 2009. It's rated Mature by the ESRB and no users have rated it yet.
Our newest cheats for Fairytale Fights were added April 28, 2010. We also have the game available on PlayStation 3, in addition to Xbox 360.
If you were looking for Fairytale Fights for Xbox 360 cheats, then you might also want cheats for:


text:
Are you aware that in less than three weeks, it will be the first day of spring? That will occur on Tuesday, March 20 at 1:14 a.m. It will be amazing if all of the bushes and trees that have had buds on them for quite some time, make it through without them freezing off, in a cold snap. That occurred a few years ago and there were not many things that blossomed that spring. That year, it also effected the apple crop, since the flowers on the apple trees froze when the temperature dipped after it had begun to warm up.
The recipe for this week was given to me by a relative. It sounds kind of good.
Almost Candy Bars
½ c. butter
1 pkg. Devil's Food cake mix
1 c. butterscotch chips
1 pkg. (six oz.) chocolate chips
1 c. coconut
1 c. nuts (you may use walnuts or pecans)
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cut the butter into the cake mix, until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the bottom of an increased 15x15x1, baking pan. Press dough down lightly.
Sprinkle with the butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, coconut and nuts. Pour sweetened condensed milk over all of the ingredients. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until a light golden brown. Cool completely and cut into bars. It should yield about 48 bars.
Did you realize that Wednesday of this week was a Leap Day, Feb. 29, because this year of 2012 is a Leap Year. That means this year will have 366 days, instead of the usual 365 days of the year. The use of a Leap Year, which adds an extra day to the calendar every four years, was used as far back as during the Roman Empire in the time of Julius Caesar.
Their use of having a Leap Year every four years in the Julian Calendar, was based on any year evenly divisible by four, that is how they determined it would be a leap year. This caused problems by adding too many Leap Years to the calendar.
In those days, Leap Day occurred on Feb. 24, because that month was the last month of the year. When this Roman Calendar was in use, they would even add an extra month during the year sometimes, to try to keep up with the usual seasonal changes.
The purpose of a Leap Year is to keep the calendar in sync with the Earth's rotation around the sun. For the Earth to circle the sun it takes about 365 and a 1/4 days, so if they did not add that extra day every four years, we would lose about six hours every year. In 100 years, 24 days would occur and cause the calendar to be off by that much.
When Pope Gregory XIII, introduced his Gregorian Calendar in 1582, it contained 365 days in one year. So it too, added an extra day in February every four years, to keep the calendar year more in alignment with the Earth's rotation around the sun. Plus, they also added in some other calculations to keep it regulated.
They devised three rules to determine how to calculate a Leap Year. First, the year must be divisible by four. If the year can be evenly divided by 100, it is not a leap year, unless the year is also evenly divisible by 400. Then it is a leap year. This means that 2000 and 2400 are leap years, while 1800, 1900, 2100, 2200, 2300 and 2500 are not leap years.
The year of 2000 was special because it was the first time that the third rule was used to determine a Leap Year since the switch from the Julian to the Gregorian Calendar.
Even though the country of England and America, which was still under British rule at the time, switched to the Gregorian Calendar in 1752, the country of Lithuania did not change over until the year of 1915.
In England, Leap Day is also known as St Oswald's Day. It is named for the Archbishop of York who died on Feb. 29, 992. His memorial is celebrated on Feb. 29 during Leap Years and on Feb. 28 during regular years.
It is an old legend that on Feb. 29, women may propose marriage to men, on that day. It stems from a tale that came down through the years in old Irish history, of when Saint Bridget made a deal with Saint Patrick, to allow women to take the role of proposing marriage. This was to allow the roles of men and women to balance the same way that Leap Day balances the calendar.
In the old European countries, during the Middle Ages, there were laws governing the tradition of women proposing to men. If a man refused a women's proposal of marriage on Feb. 29, he had to buy her 12 pairs of gloves. That was so she could wear a different pair of gloves each month, to hide her embarrassment of not having an engagement ring on her finger.
Based on this premise in America, the famous comic strip created by Al Capp, called Lil' Abner introduced Sadie Hawkins Day in his comic strip on Nov. 15, 1937. In the fictional town of Dogpatch, they decreed that the homeliest gal in the hills, Sadie Hawkins could pursue the town's most eligible bachelors with marriage as the end result.
From the comic strip, a craze swept across the country and a lot of college campuses and others celebrated Sadie Hawkins Day. From this notion, many women and girls began to invite men out on dates and to ask them to go with them to dances. Al Capp himself, was surprised by the popularity of what he had created. He continued to celebrate Sadie Hawkins Day in his comic strip for 40 years.
People who are born on Feb. 29 only get to celebrate their real birth date on the actual day, every four years. During the other years, I guess you could celebrate it on Feb. 28 or March 1, or just go ahead and celebrate it on both days. So, the use of Leap Day and Leap Year, has a long and varied history that has came down through the years.
Tragedy has stuck the Kendell Oden farm again. On Friday night, just after 9 p.m., a passerby, noticed smoke rolling out from the Nathan Moore residence along the road that leads into the town of Exline. He stopped at a nearby home and reported it. They in turn called 9-1-1 and got the fire department on its way.
The old Oden homestead house, on the farm of Kendell and Dorothy Oden, caught fire and burned through the night. Kendall and Dorothy's grandson Nathan Moore, lived in the house but he was not home at the time.
The flames roared up out of the roof line, high into the night sky. Thousands of gallons of water were sprayed on the fire but it was out of control and the house could not be saved. Men and fire trucks from four surrounding communities fought the fire. They were from Cincinnati, Centerville, Mystic and Mouton.
The tanker trucks kept a steady vigil, traveling back and forth to the fire hydrant at the base of the big water tower in the town of Exline, behind the Exline Old Country Store, obtaining water they would haul back to the scene and spray on the burning house.
A lot of family members and friends, showed up at the home of Kendell and Dorothy that night, to check on them and to watch the brave men fight the raging fire.
It was reported that other fire companies eventually left the fire scene around 3 a.m. Monday. The Cincinnati Fire Chief Rick Butler of Exline and his crew, stayed all night and through late Monday morning to continue to battle the fire.
By mid-morning on Monday, the fire was still continuing to burn down what was left of the home at that time. Around 24 hours later, after the fire had begun on Sunday night, by Monday night, the fire was still burning among the charred ruins of what used to be the house that sat there on that farm.
That farm house was originally built by Thomas W. Oden about 1920. Nathan's great-grandparents' Britt and Cora Oden raised 13 children in that house. Kendell and Dorothy Oden, Nathan's grandparents, live next door on the same farm. So five generations of family members, have been associated with that farm house.
That house had stood there on that farm for over 90 years until the other night, when the unthinkable occurred.
It was only about one year ago, on the same farm that a big farm machinery shed burned down right near that same house on Feb. 11, 2011 so it has not been a good year for that family.
Recently, I ran across some interesting information regarding our town. According to the 2000 Census figures, the population of Exline was listed back then, as having 191 people living here.
Since the new Census was taken in 2010, I have wondered what number they came up with for that year. You would think with the addition of the Coal Miners Commons homes being built here in our town during that decade among other things, that the population in or town would have increased.
Apparently, that is not the case. The new Census figures from 2010 state that the total amount of people living in the town of Exline is now only 160 people. So, it declined 31 people within that time period, which I found to be quite informative.
Some interesting facts about Leap Year
Are you aware that in less than three weeks, it will be the first day of spring? That will occur on Tuesday, March 20 at 1:14 a.m. It will be amazing if all of the bushes and trees that have had buds on them for quite some time, make it through without them freezing off, in a cold snap. That occurred a few years ago and there were not many things that blossomed that spring. That year, it also effected the apple crop, since the flowers on the apple trees froze when the temperature dipped after it had begun to warm up.
- Correspondents
- Ground Hog Day traditions around the world
Life Saver celebrates 100 years in existence
I hope everyone had a nice time ringing in the New Year! Now, everyone will have to get used to writing 2013 on everything. It always seems like it takes a while to get use to doing that.
Life Saver celebrates 100 years in existence
I hope everyone had a nice time ringing in the New Year! Now, everyone will have to get used to writing 2013 on everything. It always seems like it takes a while to get use to doing that.
The wonder of Wonder Bread and then along came 'Twinkies,' 'Ding Dongs' and 'Ho Hos'
It seems the weather has finally changed to more seasonal, colder conditions for this time of year. I guess this change, helps get everyone into the Christmas spirit as they go about their holiday shopping.
- Pancake Day parade 'quite unique'
Good turn out for Royal Neighbors ice cream social
Wasn't that nice how we received some much needed rain fall last weekend? We ended up with almost two inches of rain in our gauge last weekend from those rain storms. By Monday, some of our grass in our yard began to turn green again after the long, dry summer.
Sign up for 'Miss Exline' competition by Friday, June 15
I hope everyone enjoyed the Memorial Day weekend. The flags lining Main Street and along the Exline Cemetery, sure looked nice furling in the wind, over the holiday. It is hard to believe it is the month of June already.
- History of 'Taps' and other fun facts
Planning under way for July 4
I hope everyone is enjoying the nice weather we have been having lately. You can see as you travel around that the farmers are sure busy working in their fields, getting their crops in.
- Exline city-wide cleanup May 4-5
- History of telephone service in Appanoose County; Easter eggs still available to purchase
Spring clean up days coming in May
I hope everyone survived the pranks that some people play on April Fool's Day. Isn't it something how earlier in the week we had more summer like weather, so early in the springtime?
The recipe for this week, I thought was appropriate for this time of the year.
May fundraiser, dance has a change of date
April is here and the flowers are blooming. We are enjoying the nice weather. Friday, April 6 will be our Easter lunch with games.
History of telephone service in Appanoose County; Easter eggs still available to purchase
The early springtime weather sure has been enjoyable. Some people say we may have a cold snap to interrupt this stretch of good weather. We just have to hope we do not get any late spring snow storms like we have experienced in the past.
- Easter Egg fundraiser to be March 25
- More Correspondents Headlines


text:
No. 91 Extending Affordable Health Insurance to the Uninsurable
Conrad F. Meier
August 1, 1999
HMO's Rise Driven by Government, Not Market
November 1, 1998
No. 78 How to Implement Kassebaum-Kennedy (pdf)
Conrad F. Meier
March 25, 1997
Obamacare for CT to Bust Budget
Marc Kilmer
Research & Commentary: Health Care Retail Clinics
Jeff Emanuel