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Taking You Home
Bound by Nature
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Taking You Home --Out now from Samhain Publishing
A Forces of Nature novel.
Hunter Willis's "Guy Town" passport was stamped and in as good working order as his Harley. Like a good Midwestern jock, he'd ride that manly machine to his construction job every day, even throw back a few beers with the boys. Hockey and baseball filled out his single-dude weekends.
Then, summer heat worked its magic, and he fell in love with his best friend, sexy stockbroker Maxwell Daniels. The Harley is still in the garage, but the man is definitely—and lustily—out of the closet. As in tearing the door off its hinges.
Now that Hunter's in love, he's in all the way. Even proposed—and Max has accepted. But before their dream wedding in Vermont next spring, they must face the greatest danger to their perfect love.
Meeting the family.
It's not just enduring the Daniels clan's magnifying glass. It's facing the deep, dark fears and secrets that are suddenly brought into sharp focus. Forcing them to decide if theirs is only a summer fling…or a love that can flourish even in the chill of winter.
Please check back for reviews.
Copyright © 2011 Cooper Davis
All rights reserved — a Samhain Publishing, Ltd. publication
It can't always be this hot in Winchester. I mean, not if people actually live in this sleepy outpost of a town. We live in Los Angeles, for God's sake. I thought Virginia would be temperate and pleasant by comparison.
I fumble with the air conditioning vents, directing one on to Maxwell, especially when I see the thin sheen of perspiration that has formed on his forehead and upper lip.
"Hot as hell here," I grumble, but really, I'm just worried about him.
"Always has been this time of year."
He turns to stare out the window, at the mountains and rolling highway. I've manned the steering wheel ever since leaving Dulles Airport, just trying to get him to relax, but so far I can't say it's done much good. He keeps fiddling with the CDs, so silent I have to fight the urge to shake him just to get some kind of reaction.
I remember how he calmed me on the plane last month on the way back from the beach. I'd agreed that I was ready to come out to all our friends about being gay, about loving him, but that didn't mean the decision was easy. He held me together on that plane and when Louisa met us at the airport.
"It's going to be fine," I encourage, even though I have some pretty serious doubts myself.
For a moment, we hold hands and ride in silence, the radio blaring some cheesy disco song. I almost miss the sign that promises Winchester, dead ahead. There are pictures of caves and roadside tourist stands, and someone's selling boiled peanuts along the roadside. Max's hometown is the weirdest thing about him; no wonder being gay was so damned easy.
Until today. Until facing his past and his twin sister, Leah. Until taking me home to meet his parents for the very first time. Damn, I want it to feel good for him because I'm really comfortable now. I'm gay and that's cool. It's like I've felt about Maxwell from the start, just this raw, blazing pride about being with him. And who wouldn't? I mean, he's handsome and sexy, smart as hell and has great taste in just about everything. Like me, I think with a wicked little grin, and am about to say so, but my laughter dies on my lips.
"She won't accept you." He stares straight ahead, expressionless.
It's like he's speaking to me from another lifetime.
"She hates that I'm gay, Hunter," he explains in a thick voice. "Hates this part of me."
"Why?" I'm treading as gently as I can, not pushing, just following his lead. These are the things he wouldn't say back in L.A. Maybe it took excavating his past to get him to open up.
Max shakes his head, doesn't answer as he stares out the window.
"Tell me why." So I guess I am pushing after all. I love him too much to let it go.
"It's disgusting." He cuts his eyes at me. "That's what she told me when she realized."
"Well, fuck her." How dare she hurt him, how dare she make him feel ugly and ashamed about this? About us.
"Hunter, please," he whispers, raking a hand through his hair.
"She should love you! She's your goddamned sister."
He fires right back: "She should love you, because I do."
Not much I can say to that, as he turns toward me. "That's what hurts, Hunter. Don't you get it?"
That it matters to him at all perplexes me, but I just nod my head. I know families are complex and byzantine. I know it even though I've barely ever had one. Maybe that's the reason why I do understand.
Funny, but the thing I notice in that moment is the engagement band glinting on his finger, and I can't suppress a swell of pride, knowing it's a promise of what will happen between us in the spring.
Knowing he's marked as mine, just by the wearing of it.
Almost as if he reads my mind, he fiddles with the band, turning it on his finger absently. Maybe he regrets not leaving it in his leather jewelry box back in L.A.
"You can take it off," I suggest. "I'd understand."
"I won't walk in that door without it."
"Max, maybe it's better to just…I don't know." I shrug. "Maybe to work up to that, you know? With your family."
"They know we're together, and I'm not going to lie. I love this ring." He gestures with his hand, and for a moment, I flash back to the night I slipped it on his finger. "I love you and I'm walking in the door wearing it." The familiar temper has kicked in now, and I'm actually glad, because so long as he's fighting, I can handle anything with his family. It's his morose, nervous mood that's left me feeling uneasy all morning.
His hand rests in his lap, the gold band contrasting with his tanned skin, and I trace the outline of it with my fingertip. There are three small diamonds set into the ring—one symbolizing each of us, and then a center stone for the union that's yet to come. That diamond is the largest of the three; perfect because it represents the biggest freaking change that my life will ever know.
It's definitely an engagement ring, although it looks plenty damn masculine, being a thick gold band and all. Max claims he's had a few curious looks down at the office from the crew who I now jokingly refer to as "the gaytraders".
Then again, while it may be a guy kind of ring, it's still an engagement band, and Max has no shame about wearing it right on his ring finger. So it's no time for me to regret that it might draw attention; I made my choice the day I walked into the jewelry store and selected it. If I'd wanted subtlety, then that was my moment, right then and there.
But I didn't want subtlety. I'd finally embraced the truth of who I was, how much I love Maxwell, and I wanted something a little bit obvious. I wanted people to notice.
And frankly I was anticipating this day, and I wanted his family to notice, too.
So far, they have no idea what we've planned. In fact, although they've figured out that we're together, Max has never openly admitted that we're a couple, even after I moved into his place three weeks ago. I've answered the phone a few times when his mom has called, and she's been polite, distant. Kind of acted like I was the maintenance man who just happened to be grabbing her son's phone.


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May 8, 2001
During the two terms that I served as Mayor of San Antonio, each year I laid out a proposed agenda for the city. That agenda kept me and the Council focused on the major issues that saved us in both the immediate future and the longer term.
Over the last week, I've had the opportunity to visit with former Judge Krier and with each members of the Commissioners Court. I've gained a great deal of insight into your concerns and your priorities for the future. I have also met informally with each of the other countywide elected officials, to discuss their priorities in a similar fashion. And I know that with their cooperation, and with the maturity, experience, and goodwill of Commissioner Adkisson, Tejeda, Elizondo, and Larson, we all have a unique opportunity to make great strides for our community.
At the same time as I take this office, we all know that the City of San Antonio also has a new City Manager, Terry Brechtel, and within a few weeks it will have a new Mayor, Ed Garza, and five new Council embers. New ideas, fresh perspectives, and new enthusiasm pervade City Hall. If we can combine the wisdom and experience of this Court with the strengths of the new generation of leadership in the City, then together we can achieve more than anyone ever thought possible.
Let us use this opportunity to redefine the relationship between the city and county governments. We are not competitors. Neither one of us is in any kind of hierarchical relationship to the other. We each have our separate constitutional sphere of concern, just as we share many of the same issues, problems, concerns, and priorities. Most essentially, we cannot escape the fact that 80% of the county's population, and three-quarters of our tax-base, is within the City of San Antonio. The same citizens pay their taxes to both of us, and they are governed by both of us. Duplication, overlap, redundancy, bureaucratic turf protection, and a thinly veiled """"us versus them""" mentality are not in the best interest o f the taxpayers that we both serve. We absolutely must work better together, if either side is to fulfill our obligations to our constituents.
Toward this end, I have already met with both Mayor Howard Peak and Mayor-elect Ed Garza, and the Mayor-Elect and I have agreed to meet every week to review the status of the issues facing our community. Most important, we have agreed that the time has come to replace the present patchwork of short-term, single-function contracts that now link city and county governments by a comprehensive system that structures the integration of city and county government services - for the benefit of both city and county taxpayers.
As a first step, we should develop an overarching central agreement that would include a mission statement, goals, and objectives. This agreement should encompass both of our existing functional consolidation contracts and an agenda for additional contracts. It should address the financing and accountability issues that are common to all combined service contracts. Its scope should include joint operating agreements and any other mechanisms that are appropriate for combing city and county services.
It is important that not only the members of this Court be involved, but also Sheriff Ralph Lopez, District Attorney Susan Reed, County Clerk Gerry Richoff, District Clerk Reagan Greer, and Tax Assessor-Collector Sylvia Romo. I will be relying on the competent advice of the D.A.´s Civil Section staff to help develop this agreement.
I will begin the dialogue on this issue in my first meetings with the new Mayor and bring back to my colleagues a proposal under which we will move forward on this very important issue. We should reach this agreement between our two governing bodies before the end o f 2001. I will also be relying heavily on the leadership of Commissioner Larson, who has also previously served as a City Councilman, and on that of Commissioner Adkisson, who has also pledged continued leadership in this area.
In a somewhat similar vein, we must address the difficult financial challenges facing our Hospital District and our entire local health care system. I have met with both Jeff Turner, the Hospital District´s President/CEO, and Bill Rasco, the Director of the Greater San Antonio Hospital Council, to explore these challenges. I am convinced that we must reassess the institutional and financial relationships between the Hospital District and the county's other providers of hospital care.
At the same time, I believe we should also examine and perhaps readjust the interface between the Hospital District and the city-county San Antonio Metropolitan Health District. And we must address an entire range of related issues, including: the duplication of services and equipment; the efficient use of bed space; the geographic distribution of services; the provision of emergency care for uninsured out-of-county residents; and lobbying for more reasonable reimbursement rates for Medicare and Medicaid.
To address these issues, I will attend the next board meeting of the Hospital Council and ask them to convene a meeting of the presidents of all our local hospitals - for profit, nonprofit, and military - along with the leadership of the UT Health Science Center, the Metropolitan Health District, and the Center for Health Care Services. This Health Care Summit should develop an overall plan and strategy to achieve a more efficient health care system for the community as a whole. I am grateful for the benefit of Commissioner Elizondo´s experience in working on these issues, and I will look to him for continued leadership in this area.
Like every other local government in America today, our county faces an array of infrastructure and physical development issues. I would like to address four of them in particular, along with several related issues.
First, I believe that the improvement of the San Antonio River is the most important physical development in the county. It links the jewels of the city on the south - Mission Conception, San Juan, San Jose, and Espada - with the downtown Riverwalk and Brackenridge Park and Olmos Basin on the north. We are fortunate to have former Mayor Lila Cockrell and Irby Hightower as co-chairs of our intergovernmental River Oversight Committee. I look forward to working with Commissioner Tejeda on ways to speed up the improvements to the River on the south and with Commissioner Larson on extending these improvements to the north through Brackenridge Park. And I note once again the importance of working cooperatively with the City on these priorities, along with the San Antonio River Authority and the private sector.
Beyond the River Corridor, however, we must address drainage and flood control issues on a systematic, countywide and watershed-wide basis. We must follow up on the recommendations of the County wide Citizen Watershed Master plan Committee, chaired by Doug Leonard, to implement a long-range and comprehensive plan for drainage improvements. And once again, we must implement this plan in a true joint strategy with the City and SARA.
Second is the issue of the county's role in historic preservation. During my term as Mayor, San Antonio developed and began implementing the Historic Civic Center plan. We restored City Hall, built the new Council Chamber in the old Frost Building, turned Trevino Street into Elizondo Plaza, purchased the Alameda a Building and land adjoining the River. mayor Peak has followed up with the building of the stairway to the River which is now under construction and will be completed this summer. And Father David Garcia has raised $15 million to restore San Fernando Cathedral and is leading the drive to rebuild the Plaza de Las Islas, which is literally our front yard.
I have studied the Bexar County Courthouse Historic Preservation Master Plan and I have visited with Betty Bueche and Andres Andujar from 3D/International. I am excited about the $4.2 million in work that is underway.
But we have more work to do. The 1963 and the 1972 additions to the Courthouse were misguided. The damage they did to this wonderful historic building must be undone and repaired. The deterioration of parts of the interior of the Courthouse must be addressed. In this overall context, we must also review our Courthouse security, and develop a more efficient and less intrusive means to provide the needed security, compatible with both the historic architecture of this building and our contemporary functional needs.
To begin work on these issues, my wife Tracy and I have visited with District Clerk Reagan Greer about the creation of the Hidalgo Foundation Fund. Tracy has agreed to lead an effort to raise private funds to match our public funds in restoring the Courthouse interior. I have also talked with Dr. Felix Almaraz of our Historical Commission about a plan to commemorate the founders of San Antonio de Bejar and the many historic events that have taken place on the grounds surrounding the Courthouse City Hall, and the Plaza de Las Islas. We should develop a joint city-county plan for signage and historic markers throughout this area. I will also ask Jimmy Allison and Michael Black, the leaders of the San Antonio Bar Association, to survey their membership to obtain their input on security and physical conditions at the Courthouse.
Also closely related to these issues, I believe we must go beyond preserving our priceless store of historic records to making them more available to scholars and researchers on the history and development of our community. Therefore I will work with County Clerk Gerry Rickhoff and with the San Antonio Public Library - which is the county's library system too - to develop a true partnership with the City to create a Center for San Antonio History, comparable to the Austin History Center. We should also use the corridors of this historic Courthouse to display a selection of our most important historic documents, to enhance public appreciation of our history.
Third, the ongoing construction of the SBC Center is perhaps the most high profile physical development project on our current agenda. We must be diligent in working with the Spurs to be sure it is completed on time and within budget. We should work with Joe Linson, who is heading the Spurs´ outreach efforts, to ensure that as many contracts as possible are awarded to local, small, and minority businesses. We must work cooperatively with the City to implement the Tax Increment Financing Zone for the street improvements that are necessary to support this facility. And we must develop a consensus plan for the long-term future of the Freeman an Coliseum. I look forward to working with Commissioners Larson and Elizondo as they continue to provide leadership on these issues.
Fourth, I think it's time we gave serious attention to the need to improve our park system. The City has been improving its parks and extending its open space network through land acquisitions along the major creeks and over the recharge zone. We need to improve our facilities in parallel and in partnership with the city. One particular priority I would like to pursue is to upgrade Spencer Sanchez Baseball Field and to build a twin ballpark to it across the street for senior baseball, where the players could act as mentors to our youth. Commissioner Tejeda has been an effective leader on youth issues and I look forward to working with him on these priorities.
And I would note, once again, in passing that parks are an obvious candidate for more functional consolidation with the City. We can do more than the single city-county park at Walker Ranch on West Avenue and a combined system for reservation of park pavilions.
I believe the county should also pay a more aggressive role in fostering the economic development of Metropolitan San Antonio. I am particularly pleased to note Commissioner Larson´s role in creating the San Antonio - Laredo Corridor as an example of this. We also need to expand our links north to Austin and South to the port of Corpus Christi, and to play a role as a hinge linking that port with the Rio Grande Valley.
We need to improve the county's use of technology, as pointed out in the review by MGT of America, Inc. As co-chair, the San Antonio Technology Accelerator Initiative, I look forward to working with Dr. David Morgan, our Chief Information Officer, District Clerk Reagan Greer, and Commissioner Tejeda on these efforts. For example, while the city has made major strides in making public services accessible through its Community Link Service Centers, and kiosks, and in using the Internet, both to make information available and to support the conduct of business with the city, we have done comparatively little in these areas. Likewise we should move forward to participate in the Texas Online portal for "e-government." I would stress once again, however, that all of our efforts in this direction should be linked and integrated with the City´s as much as possible, rather than being developed in isolation as duplications of each other.
Another area where the county should play a more significant a role is in our community's environmental and energy problems. The threat to our air quality attainment status and the recent spike in our gas and electric bills should call our attention to these issues. I will look to Commissioner Tommy Adkisson for leadership in working with the City, CPS, Solar San Antonio, and the private sector to develop strategies for energy conservation and renewable energy sources. To insure follow-through on this issue, we should consider creating a joint County-City energy office, modeled after the Portland, Oregon energy office.
Of course, the basic constitutional obligations of county government will always be at the top of our agenda. And among the highest of these priorities right now is the improvement of our election administration.
We all saw the consequences of bad elections administration in our last national election, when over 2. million votes nationwide were never counted as the voters intended. I was present here when County Clerk Gerry Rickhoff presented the recommendations of the Bexar County Voting Systems Task Force to the Court. I think it is clear that we have outgrown our system of optical scanning of paper ballots. Therefore I urge the Court to issue the request for proposals to upgrade our voting system to a touch-screen system, such as they currently use in Dallas, El Paso, and Guadalupe Counties. This kind of system was also used in the Northside Independent School System´s February 2001 bond election and it received good reviews from the community. We should implement this kind of system for early voting in the 2002 general election, and then extend it throughout all our voting precinct in the future.
In the meantime, we must also move forward to create an Elections Commission, to hire a new Elections administrator, and to complete the redistricting of Commissioners Court precincts in a fair and equitable manner. I look forward to working with all of you to support the recommendations of the task force that Commissioner Elizondo has chaired on the Elections Commission.
In these last few weeks of the legislative session in Austin, we must be especially diligent in working to pass the bills supported by this Court and to head-off bad legislation. I am pleased to work now with Seth Mitchell, who heads up our intergovernmental programs from he staff level, and I assure you that I will use all of my skills and experience in this effort. But we all need to spend more time on this in Austin, and I appeal to you to lend all of the political support you can. We should especially support the City´s Human Development Fund Bill, which may be the most important bill in this session for the San Antonio community.
And we all know that our next budge will be tight. We will be challenged to find funding for new programs, such as a change in voting equipment, at the same time as we address the need for a pay increase for sheriff's deputies and the funding requirements for our infrastructure improvements. We will have to find every possible saving, through bold strategies such as city-county service consolidation, in order to maintain our existing tax rate.
And before we get too far into the budget process, I would like to re-institute the quarterly meetings between Commissioners Court and the other countywide elected officials to see how we can help each other reach the goals and aspirations of each elected official.
We have a long agenda. We have enthusiasm for the task. Let's get on with it.

subset: commoncrawl


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Jerome Felton
Adrian Peterson Hopes To Play In The Vikings Finale At Mall Of America Field
Reigning MVP Adrian Peterson expects to play in the final game ever at Mall of America Sunday against the Detroit Lions. The running back played in the Minnesota Vikings loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, but lasted just one offensive play into the second half. His backup, Toby Gerhart, is unlikely to play and cornerback Xavier Rhodes could return after missing two weeks. The Vikings had four players list as non-participants, seven as limited participants and four as full participants in Thursday's practice.
Christian Ponder Believes He's Ready To Start For Minnesota In Seattle
Christian Ponder says he can play, but Leslie Frazier hasn't committed to starting the third-year quarterback on Sunday. The former first round draft pick will wear a harness, if he plays. The team listed two players as non-participants, seven players as limited participants and six players as full participants in Thursday's practice.
Matt Cassel Leads The Minnesota Vikings To First Win Of The Season
Christian Ponder's broken ribs forced the Minnesota Vikings to start backup quarterback Matt Cassel. The nine-year veteran led the team to a 34-27 victory. The Vikings finally have something to build on this season with the consistent and trustworthy quarterback. The defense made a big play when it needed to and the special teams made plays – some good and some bad.
Minnesota Vikings Not Looking To Make Immediate Changes
The Minnesota Vikings are not planning on making changes just to make changes. The Vikings have begun to be hit with injuries. Unfortunately, they coming to one position group. The offensive line may be the Vikings biggest disappointment through three games this season. Minnesota is getting a boost with the return of Jerome Felton from his suspension. Zach Line has been placed on injured reserve.
Line To See Boost In Play Time If Ellison Misses The Vikings' Home Opener
The Minnesota Vikings are preparing to be without tight end Rhett Ellison for Sunday's home opener against the Cleveland Browns. Undrafted rookie Zach Line is next in line to fill-in for suspended fullback Jerome Felton as Adrian Peterson's lead blocker. The Vikings had five players listed as limited participants in practice and three players as full participants.
Top 3 Vikings Storylines As Season Nearly Begins
Week four of the Vikings pre-season is secondary news compared to who will be ready to play on opening day of the regular season. Tennessee visits at 7 p.m. Thursday to wrap the exhibition games. But the three most important questions at the moment: The status of Kevin Williams' injury, who replaces Jerome Felton, and how are the star rookies developing?
Vikings' FB Felton Suspended For 1st 3 Games Of Regular Season
Minnesota Vikings fullback Jerome Felton has been suspended for the first three games of the 2013 regular season for violating the NFL substance abuse policy, the NFL announced Monday afternoon.
Vikings FB Felton Has Emergency Appendectomy
Minnesota Vikings Pro Bowl fullback Jerome Felton will miss Friday's exhibition game against Buffalo, and perhaps the rest of the preseason, after having an emergency appendectomy.
An NFL Rarity, But Fullback Felton Is Crucial For MN's Run Game
Jerome Felton bounced around the NFL, with four different teams the last four years. But when he signed a one-year contract with the Vikings before last season, something clicked. The journeyman has now found a prominent place in Minnesota.
At Pro Bowl, Peterson Doesn't Plan To Let Up
The Pro Bowl has become so diluted by player withdrawals, Super Bowl qualifiers and minimal effort that the NFL considered pulling the plug on it.
NFC All-Pro Selections – Offense
The NFC's all-pro offense features Packers QB Aaron Rodgers handing the ball to AP and tossing it to Megatron. Who else?
The Future Looks Bright For The Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings had a disappointing finish to an encouraging season. Jared Allen will undergo surgery on his shoulder after the Pro Bowl later this month. The Vikings now begin preparation for the draft in April and evaluating its 14 free agents.
Four Minnesota Vikings Named To The Pro Bowl, Multiple Players Snubbed
A lot has happened with the Minnesota Vikings. The team had four players selected to the Pro Bowl. Blair Walsh tied or broke multiple records Sunday at Houston and Antoine Winfield suffered a fracture in his hand Sunday. The Vikings game time for its final regular season game against the Green Bay Packers has changed. Minnesota lost two players to the Jacksonville Jaguars on waivers. Adrian Peterson donates money to Team Rubicon.
4 Vikings Named To NFC Pro Bowl Roster
Four Minnesota Vikings will represent the team at the 2013 Pro Bowl, the NFL announced Wednesday.
Jerome Felton Paves The Way For The Minnesota Vikings
One of the seemingly unnoticed offseason acquisitions for the Minnesota Vikings was fullback Jerome Felton. The fifth-year veteran played for two teams last season after spending his first three seasons with NFC Division rival Detroit Lions. When looking for his next team last March, he was looking for a good fit and found it in the Vikings.


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Births1916: Perez Prado
1926: Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton
1931: Rita Moreno
1934: Curtis Williams (The Penguins)
1935: Tom Brumley (Buck Owens and the Buckaroos, Stone Canyon Band)
1940: David Gates (Bread)
1941: J. Frank Wilson
1944: Booker T. Jones (Booker T. and the MGs), Brenda Lee
1946: Tony Brown
1954: Jermaine Jackson
Deaths1964: Sam Cooke
Events1957: In one of the biggest scandals to ever hit rock music, Jerry Lee Lewis marries his 14-year-old cousin Myra Gale Brown, daughter of his cousin Jim. Lewis' first marriage is still valid; the divorce wouldn't be finalized for six months. Reports are that Myra still believes in Santa Claus. When the story breaks in England a few weeks later, Lewis' career would be seriously damaged.
1960: Aretha Franklin makes her stage debut at New York's Village Vanguard.
1964: Sam Cooke is shot and killed under mysterious circumstances at the Hacienda Hotel in Los Angeles, CA. The married singer picked up a young woman at a party, who claimed Cooke attempted to rape her. When she ran away, according to her testimony, Cooke followed and assaulted the hotel manager, demanding to know the girl's whereabouts. The manager shot Cooke three times.
1966: After presenting him at London's Saville Theatre, Beatles manager Brian Epstein offers to manage Little Richard -- an offer which is rejected.
1967: NBC airs the Nancy Sinatra television special Movin' With Nancy.
1968: The Rolling Stones film their legendary Rolling Stones' Rock and Roll Circus television special at Wembley television studios in Middlesex, England, featuring performances by John Lennon, Eric Clapton, the Who, Jethro Tull, Marianne Faithful -- and yes, circus people, all filmed in a circus tent. The show is never aired and only sees the light of day in 1996, supposedly because the Stones thought the Who upstaged them with their performance.
1971: John Lennon debuts his new song "John Sinclair" at the Free John Sinclair Rally in Ann Arbor, MI. Stevie Wonder and Phil Ochs also appear, among others.
1972: After a show in Knoxville, TN, James Brown is arrested and charged with "disorderly conduct" when a conversation Brown has with fans is somehow mistaken for an attempt to incite a riot. Charges are dropped after Brown threatens to sue the city for a million dollars due to police brutality.
1972: Genesis play their first-ever US show at Massachusetts' Brandeis University.
1976: KISS guitarist Ace Frehley is nearly electrocuted when he touches a short-circuited light during a concert in Florida. He is carried from the stage but returns to finish the show just ten minutes later.
1988: Los Angeles' Wiltern Theatre plays host to a Roy Orbison tribute concert featuring Don Henley, Tom Petty, Graham Nash and Bonnie Raitt.
Releases1970: John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
1971: Carly Simon, "Anticipation"
1976: Bob Seger, Night Moves
Recording1939: Marlene Dietrich, "Falling In Love Again"
1958: The Coasters, "Charlie Brown"
Certifications1973: The Carpenters' "Top of the World" is certified gold
Charts1961: The Marvelettes' "Please Mr. Postman" hits #1
1961: Elvis Presley's Blue Hawaii hits #1
1965: Ray Charles' "Crying Time" enters the pop charts
1976: Al Stewart's "Year of the Cat" enters the pop charts


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Work to start on £1.5m project at Stroud School, Romsey (From Daily Echo)
When news happens, text SDE and your photos or videos to 80360. Or contact us by email and phone.
Work to start on £1.5m project at Stroud School, Romsey
10:46am Monday 10th February 2014 in News
WORK on a £1.5m project to build new teaching facilities and a kitchen-dining room starts at Romsey's Stroud School this month.
The first turf is due to be cut on February 17 and the headmaster Alastair Dodds said the enhancements, which include a three-classroom block and resource room, are part of a wider scheme to improve children's education at the Highwood Lane school.
Biomass fuels will be used to heat the new development which will replace aging temporary classrooms at the school. All the cash for the building work has been raised by the school.
Comments are closed on this article.


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Faulty dishwasher fire could have been 'a tragedy'
Dorset Fire and Rescue Service's fire officer Stuart Granger said the blaze caused by a faulty dishwasher in a house today could have been "an absolute tragedy."
ITV News has reported on the dangers of faulty white goods in homes despite a national recall and a faulty Bosch dishwasher caused a fire in the early hours of this morning.
Mr Granger said: "They (faulty dishwashers) do pose quite a significant risk. We are starting to see quite a few of these fires occurring, maybe through better awareness, but even so they are occurring.
"If they (the people involved in today's fire) didn't have an escape plan and didn't have smoke detectors, there is a good chance we could be looking at an absolute tragedy in that house overnight."
Read: Recalled faulty dishwasher causes house fire


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There's a reason why I'm not a photographer
I routinely take photos and post them on here, mainly to give folks a look at some of the federal facilities in Oak Ridge that are unusual, interesting and not very available for public visitation. My photo skills are the epitomy of "point and shoot," although I try to be open to advice from the professionals at the newspaper. Anyway, as I was coming out of a local health care facility earlier this week, there was a dramatic double rainbow in the sky. I grabbed the camera out of my carry bag and tried, unsuccessfully as evidenced by the pics posted here, to capture its beauty. I couldn't seem to get but a bit of the bow in the picture. Oh, well.


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Snofjellryggen Ringvassoya Tromso
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Panoramic photo by Ronny Mikkelsen Taken 20:38, 14/06/2011 - Views
Snofjellryggen Ringvassoya Tromso
"Snofjellryggen" is a mountain on Ringvassoya, Tromso,Norway it's around 500m high. and in the surrounding area there are several small peaks, all with stunning views over "kvalsundet" and the northern side of "Kvaloya"
nothern light in norwey
Utsmykking fra 1989
Tromsø city is the ninth largest urban area in Norway by population, and the seventh largest city in ...
Europe is generally agreed to be the birthplace of western culture, including such legendary innovations as the democratic nation-state, football and tomato sauce.
The word Europe comes from the Greek goddess Europa, who was kidnapped by Zeus and plunked down on the island of Crete. Europa gradually changed from referring to mainland Greece until it extended finally to include Norway and Russia.
Don't be confused that Europe is called a continent without looking like an island, the way the other continents do. It's okay. The Ural mountains have steadily been there to divide Europe from Asia for the last 250 million years. Russia technically inhabits "Eurasia".
Europe is presently uniting into one political and economic zone with a common currency called the Euro. The European Union originated in 1993 and is now composed of 27 member states. Its headquarters is in Brussels, Belgium.
Do not confuse the EU with the Council of Europe, which has 47 member states and dates to 1949. These two bodies share the same flag, national anthem, and mission of integrating Europe. The headquarters of the Council are located in Strasbourg, France, and it is most famous for its European Court of Human Rights.
In spite of these two bodies, there is still no single Constitution or set of laws applying to all the countries of Europe. Debate rages over the role of the EU in regards to national sovereignty. As of January 2009, the Lisbon Treaty is the closest thing to a European Constitution, yet it has not been approved by all the EU states.
Text by Steve Smith.


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Rommey Gene Mcelroy
Born on Feb. 23, 1935
ARANSAS PASS - Tommey Gene McElroy, 78, passed away on May 21, 2013 in Corpus Christi, Texas. He was born on February 23, 1935 in Lampasas, Texas to Thomas and Buela Colley McElroy.
Tommey was raised in Cuero and spent his adult life in Aransas Pass. He retired from LWR as Port Captain after 30 plus years and went on to start his own business in water well pipe screening.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Lillie; two granddaughters, Megan and Annette; brother, Guy and sister, Jo Edna Yaws. He is survived by his sons, Ira Linney (Sandra) of Aransas Pass, Tommy Gene McElroy Jr. of Rockport, Michael Shay McElroy (Victoria) of Aransas Pass; daughters, Katherine Dreyer of Ingleside, Jean Andrekus (Frank) of Rockport; 13 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held at Charlie Marshall Funeral Home in Aransas Pass on Thursday May 23, 2013 from 1 pm to 9 pm. The Funeral Service will be Friday May 24, 2013 at 10 am, also at Charlie Marshall Funeral Home in Aransas Pass. Internment will be at Prairie View Cemetery in Aransas Pass.
Arrangements entrusted to Charlie Marshall Funeral Home, 361-758-3221.


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Buoyancy Applications
Amvic's Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) can be used for a variety of flotation devices. For these applications the EPS is produced in billets which have low water absoption and high flexural strength.
* Docks and marinas
* Rafts
* Floating homes
There are many benefits to using EPS for floation devices which is why it is the most popular method used today.
* Supports up to 55lbs per cubic ft.
* Low water absorption
* High flexural strength
* Minimizes rocking
* Resistant to breaking waves
* Quiet
* Suitable for fresh or salt water
* Unaffected by winter climate
* Lightweight and easy to install
* Long life span with minimal maintenance
* Environmentally Friendly
Buoyancy billets are produced in standard sizes, but custom orders can be easily accommodated.


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This is me.
And this is Pearl.
We make a pretty great team. He is in charge of shrieking, pooping, and eating my food.
And I am in charge of cataloging all of the cute things he does.
You'll see lots of them here.
In addition to being a birdie mommy and a tortoise mommy (my two very most important jobs) I'm also a speaker, a writer, a mentor, and a free spirit (the kind who aspires to grow wings).
I have a handful of really professional websites here, here, and here, but Pearl and I needed a place to just play and be ourselves too, so here we are! :-)
We (heart) email, so if you have something to ask or share or you just want to say hi:
p.s. Please visit "Meet Malti" to meet Pearl's new little sister!


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Our refreshed hotel introduces San Francisco charm right in the heart of Fisherman's Wharf. All 355 guest rooms include a custom wall vinyl depicting an evening scene of the Golden Gate Bridge, allowing guests to sleep soundly beneath the San Francisco landmark. Revitalized rooms also feature upgraded lighting and brand new décor, including new contemporary seating, window treatments (including sound-dampening windows in select rooms) and new outdoor furniture on balconies.
Whether returning for the tenth time or visiting for the first, guests at the Radisson Fisherman's Wharf will be pleasantly surprised to find a large number of modern updates all around our San Francisco hotel's downtown property.
In addition to the hotel's revitalized guest rooms, you will also enjoy:
With the recently installed 37-inch flat-screen televisions in all guest rooms and brand new exercise equipment in the Fitness Center in 2011, the Radisson Hotel Fisherman's Wharf has everything you need to make your trip to San Francisco unforgettable!


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My Account
Enter or verify that code LABORDAY is in your cart at checkout, and a 10% discount will be applied to your order over $100, a 15% discount will be applied to your order over $200, or a 20% discount will be applied to your order over $300. Your savings will be based on the merchandise total only, excluding shipping, handling, additional freight, and taxes. This offer can not be combined with any other offer. Other restrictions and exclusions may apply. Offer expires at 11:59pm ET on 9/1/14. Click here for full offer details >
St. Croix Avid Inshore Spinning Rod
Key Features
Lightweight, ultra-sensitive, and super-strong
High-modulus graphite blank with Alps zirconium
Fuji DPS reel seat/frosted silver hood
Super-grade cork handle
- Please note: This item can only be shipped to U.S. addresses.
You May Also Likeback to top
- details
detailsback to top
• Fuji DPS reel seat/frosted silver hood.
• Machined-aluminum wind check.
• Super-grade cork handle.
• Two coats of Flex Coat slow-cure finish.
• Lifetime limited warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service.


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Normal, IL (Sports Network) - Illinois State's Hancock Stadium will undergo about $20 million of renovation - the first major changes since the football stadium was built 50 years ago in 1961.
ISU president Al Bowman announced the renovation at his annual "State of the University Address" Tuesday.
The project will be paid for through a variety of funding sources.
"(Hancock Stadium) is literally the most visible front door to our campus," Bowman said. "It is the first structure most people see when arriving at Illinois State from Main Street. It is a quickly noticed landmark that should reflect the top quality and high standards of this institution. Unfortunately, it does exactly the opposite."
The university says nine million cars drive in front of Hancock Stadium on Main Street annually. The primary focus of the renovation will be the construction of a new east grandstand, which is scheduled to be completed prior to the 2013 season. It will include a two-story enclosed structure to house a minimum of eight suites, a club level with a minimum 500 seats and a club room, and a media and event production facility.
The east side grandstand will seat an estimated 7,500 fans, each with chair backs, increasing the overall capacity of Hancock Stadium to about 14,000.
The existing press box area on the west side of the stadium also will be renovated for coaches boxes.
"There is an arms race when it comes to facilities for student-athletes in collegiate athletics and it plays a major factor in the recruiting process," ISU head football coach Brock Spack said. "These new renovations will help us significantly in that process and continue to bring in talented and high- achieving student-athletes to the program and the university."


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Philadelphia Eagles
Connor Barwin - #98 - LB
|6' 4"/ 268 lbs.
|Southfield, MI
|Years played
|2009, 2nd round, 14th pick by Texans
NFC team needs
The Vikings are looking for a successor to QB Brett Favre, as PFW identifies the top three draft needs of each NFC team.
Eagles fans voted worst in the league by GQ
The Philadelphia Eagles finished tied with the city's baseball team, the Phillies, as having the worst fans in sports, according to a recent GQ story on the subject.
Mornhinweg: Eagles must protect Vick better
Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg has gone through the offensive scheme evaluation from last season's tape, and he knows the pass protection must improve.
Vick wants to retire as an Eagle
Michael Vick hopes there's a long-term future for him in Philadelphia, and he knows that another standout season on the field as the team's franchise player in 2011 will help his cause.
Mornhinweg among those honored at Ed Block
Pro Football Weekly presented Eagles assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg with the PFW/PFWA Assistant Coach of the Year Award at the Ed Block Courage Awards last night.
Eagles OT Dunlap charged with reckless driving
Eagles OT King Dunlap was charged with reckless driving and disorderly conduct for driving his Escalade onto a sidewalk outside the SEC women's basketball tournament.
Eagles tender six, add coach
The Eagles have tendered six of their free agents and added an offensive quality-control coach.
NFC East free-agent preview
With the owners and players mired in negotiations, the beginning of free agency is almost certain to be delayed. Yet, PFW examines the free-agent picture for each club, with the NFC East featured here.
Vick signs franchise tender
Eagles QB Michael Vick signed his one-year franchise tender on Wednesday, netting him $16 million for 2011.
Roseman won't talk future plans for Kolb
The Eagles have a tough decision to make at quarterback, but GM Howie Roseman wasn't tipping his hand as to what the club will do with QB Kevin Kolb.
More coaching additions for Bengals
Michael Vick's former position coach takes a new job with the Bengals.
Justice may need major knee surgery
Eagles ORT Winston Justice is scheduled to undergo surgery on Tuesday in Alabama to treat a bone chip in his left knee, but may need a second procedure done to fully heal.
Eagles could make run at Asomugha
With Raiders CB Nnamdi Asoumugha slated to become a free agent March 4, Philadelphia is rumored as a potential landing site for the shutdown corner, according to NFC Whispers.
Eagles sign versatile LB Jeanty
LB Rashad Jeanty was signed to a one-year contract by the Eagles as a versatile backup who can also contribute on special teams.
Vick cancels 'Oprah' appearance
Eagles QB Michael Vick canceled his interview with Oprah Winfrey for "personal reasons."
Barwin was lost for the season when he broke his right ankle in Sunday's 34-24 win over Indianapolis.||||||| Barwin went down in the first quarter when Houston defensive tackle Antonio Smith accidentally slid into him while they were chasing Joseph Addai on a running play. Barwin ripped off his helmet in obvious pain, and Houston coach Gary Kubiak joined medical staff on the field. The injury hurts the Texans' depth on the defensive line.
Barwin was carted off the field in Sunday's opener against Indianapolis with a right leg injury. Barwin was lifted onto a cart, and several Texans surrounded Barwin before the cart left the field.||||||| Barwin went down in the first quarter when Houston defensive tackle Antonio Smith accidentally slid into him while they were chasing Joseph Addai on a running play. Barwin ripped off his helmet in obvious pain, and Houston coach Gary Kubiak joined medical staff on the field.


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Sporting tousled waves, Emmy Rossum looked sensational wearing a Cynthia Rowley Spring 2012 dress on the 'Conan' show back in January whilst promoting season two of 'Shameless'.
Her summery white lattice dress with a fluted skirt was paired with a beautiful pair of electric-blue pumps which added a pop of colour to her fresh look.
Ariel Winter wore the same dress to the 2012 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards last month.
The 'Modern Family' actress, who opted for a side-swept ponytail, looked super cute, but she let herself down by teaming her white dress with black Aldo wedges.
Emmy wins for me.
Credit: Style.com, Meghan Sinclair & Getty
Posted by Catherine Kallon on May 11th, 2012 In: Ariel Winter, Cynthia Rowley, Emmy Rossum, Who Wore It Better?


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Use Google Maps To See Potential New Homes
Are you looking for a new house? Do you have a very tight schedule and find it impossible to go and see every real estate house you come across? Well, if this is the case, then you are like hundreds and thousands of people all across the globe that are searching for new homes but are unable to squeeze out time to pay site visits. Visiting each and every house is a time consuming job as well as tedious. Driving to a real estate house to only discover that it is not suitable is simply very frustrating. In addition, this option is not at all possible if you are moving to a new town or city altogether.
No need to worry anymore as you can easily use Google maps to search potential new homes. Google maps, which is known for its mapping applications such as route planning, street maps, travelling by car, travelling by foot and more, has added one more significant feature, which is searching for real estate listings on the map itself. This way, individuals interested to locate real estate homes can locate the listings from the comfort of their home without moving a step out of their home.
Through this amazing feature, you can easily discover listings available for rent as well as for sale in varied geographic locations, across varied property companies and agents. You simply need to enter the city or the location, and you will be instantly able to view the available listings marked by small circles or markers. "Google maps" also offers the exceptional opportunity to filter your search with options such as type of property, number of bedrooms, bathrooms, price and more. More information, including the contact details of the real estate listing about a particular property can be gathered by simply clicking on the representing marker.
It is doubtless that "Google Maps" has made it extremely easy for the house renters as well as the buyers to find listings according to their criteria. Of course, you will not be able to a get a view of the neighbors or the noisy dog in the street, but you will be able to find whether there is a grocery or departmental store or post office or laundry nearby or not. These are some of the very important features that often overlooked by the house buyers in the excitement to buy a new house.


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Effectiveness of the Specification, Low-Bid Construction Delivery System
Dean Kashiwagi and Rudy Erdmann
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ
In the last decade, the construction industry performance has been scrutinized. A diminishing supply of trained craftspeople, litigation, nonperformance (not on time, on budget, or meeting quality expectations) has led to different approaches to correct the problems. One solution moves away from the conventional design, bid, build process, which awards to the low-bidder to design-build, construction management at risk, indefinite quantity, indefinite delivery (IDIQ) contracts that include Job Order Contracting (JOC) and time and materials contracts. Other movements involve more inspection and project management. A third major movement is performance based contracting. The objective of this research paper is to identify the source of current construction industry's nonperformance. A methodology developed at Arizona State University, uses the Information Measurement Theory (IMT), coupled with survey results from over 300 contractors from Arizona, California, New York, Florida, Michigan, and Texas, to identify the source of nonperformance. The results of the study show that the low-bid award in the design, bid, and build process is the primary cause of construction nonperformance, and requires performance information to change the outcome. Merely moving to another selection process will not solve the problem of nonperformance as long as the low price problem exists.
Key Words: Impact, Low-bid Award, Reasons for Construction Nonperformance, Source of Construction Problems, Construction Industry Structure
The construction industry has experienced the following problems in the last ten years (Post, 2001):
Low profit margins in a high-risk industry.
Reduction of trained craftspeople in the subcontracting areas.
Performance issues.
Dispute issues.
The problems are complex dealing with owner, contractor, subcontractors, training, procurement, manufacturers, technology, labor shortage, and design and engineering issues. The following issues have been identified as potential problems:
Price being the dominant award criteria.
Facility owners not having performance information on contractors.
Contractors' performance not impacting awards or profit margins.
Architects and engineers being trained in a delivery system that may not be an optimal business process.
The worldwide competitive marketplace has forced owners to become price sensitive. The facility and design managers representing the owners do not have performance information (minimization of risk). The owner's risk is not having the construction on-time, on-budget, or meeting their quality or operational expertise. There is no performance information available that tells the owner on a relative basis a contractor's level of performance (relationship of price with percentages on on-time, on-budget with no contractor generated cost change orders, and level of quality).
The price pressure has forced owners to look at the price of design. Design value is more difficult to identify than the value of construction, which is on-time, on-budget, and meeting quality expectations. The architects and engineers have reacted by including in their responsibilities the management and delivery of construction (CM and CM@risk). However, architects and engineers are not trained in construction. There are several problems caused by this trend (Shearer, 2000, Kashiwagi 2001):
The design documents, which communicated the requirements of the owner to the contractor, have become regulatory documents that are now required to direct the contractor on how to construct.
Because the designer directs the contractor, the designer becomes the overall responsibility for construction, and must also inspect the contractor.
With the design documents perceived as regulatory documents, all construction alternatives are perceived as "being equal" and capable of the same construction quality. Therefore the award is given to the contractor with the "lowest" price, which increases the risk on nonperformance.
The regulatory design documents require minimum standards, which become subjective and difficult to relate to performance.
This environment becomes devoid of performance information (differentiates contractor's ability to minimize risk). It has the following impact (Post, 2001, Kashiwagi, 2001):
Craftperson training becomes a need and not a requirement.
Performance (on-time, on-budget, meet quality expectations) is a need and not a requirement. Price becomes the dominant concern and criteria for selection and award.
Designers and engineers are forced to write regulatory documents, become experts in construction. This results in higher insurance costs, and forces designers to avoid liability.
Contractors minimize their risk. They are directed, they bid low to get work, and construct and install systems that have minimal performance.
The risk of nonperformance is shifted to the owner.
This environment leads to the following results:
Poor training and a lack of trained craftspeople and construction managers.
Lower quality construction.
Low profits and poor work environment (more work for less pay) resulting in construction work being perceived as an unattractive industry.
Contractors are forced to leverage price, do more work at lower profits, with more untrained workers.
Architects and engineers must be highly insured due to their "high" risk.
Litigation increases due to the lack of information and unwise business practices.
Users hire designers, engineers, and consultants, who then attempt to regulate performance.
Designers and engineers become commodities (based on price) because of the perception of "regulating" a commodity, which is perceived as "low risk." With increased insurance costs, ineffective generation of paperwork, and no identified "added value," the owners will perceive that the delivery system is not in their best interest, and seek to control and direct, and minimize the role of designers and engineers.
Owners move to other delivery systems to attempt to minimize nonperformance.
The above environment describes the current situation of the construction industry. Many of the factors have been individually identified. However, the impact and relationship of the specification low-bid system to many of the factors of performance has not been clearly stated or agreed upon through consensus or widespread data collection.
Identification of the Impact of the Low-bid Award of Construction
The hypothesis of the research is to identify if the low-bid award is the source of construction nonperformance due to the inability to differentiate performance and value. Two models will be used:
Level of use of performance information with two way Kashiwagi Solution Models (KSM).
Industry structural model based on competition and performance.
The models will identify the following:
Which characteristics are related to the low-bid award.
Is the low-bid award directly related to construction nonperformance.
The required actions to move away from construction nonperformance.
Why industry participants may want to stay in an environment of nonperformance.
This research uses the results of 313 (2312 surveys sent out for 14% return) surveys from contractors in Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, New York, and Texas to validate the deductive logic of the two models. If the hypothesis is true, the owner would increase construction performance by following the logic of the models.
Information Measurement Theory
Information Measurement Theory (IMT) is a deductive logic which gives some insights into the relationships of factors. IMT has the following theoretical foundation (Kashiwagi, 2001):
Everything is cause and effect (previous state affects the next state).
All factors are related and relative.
Information is relative data and laws of physics that identifies the future outcome and minimize uncertainty.
Information, or laws that predict the future state, always exists, but must be perceived.
The more perceptive an entity is, the faster the rate of change of the entity. The rate of change becomes exponential over time.
The above deductive theories result in Figure 1. Figure 1 includes a representation of the relationship between the level of use of information or the perception of information over time or change. Entity 'A' uses more information than Entity 'C'. The more that is perceived, the faster the change of Entity 'A' in relation to entity 'C'. Figure 1 also includes two way Kashiwagi Solution Models (KSM). The KSMs are merely a definition of the Rate of Change diagram. For example entity 'A' has much more perception of information than entity 'C'. The first KSM shows more information used by 'A' then by 'C'. Entity 'A' makes far fewer decisions than entity 'C'. A decision is when an entity thinks that there are two future states for one current state, and therefore makes a decision on which state to progress to. Decisions are caused by the lack of information, or the use of one's subjective bias to compensate for the lack of information.
Figure 1: Use of Information/Change Rate and KSM
Based on the hypothesis of the low-bid system being the cause of nonperformance due to a lack of differentiation (lack of performance information,) the low-bid procurement is on the right hand side, and the performance based is on the left hand side. This means that in low-bid procurements, all contractors must be perceived as the same, the user must identify minimum standards and then make a decision if the contractor meets the standards. Any performance information that shows greater capability to perform is not used in the selection. The authors then defined the low-bid environment with various factors. If any of the factors are identified by the contractors as not leading to nonperformance, the hypothesis would not be true, and the low bid process may not be the cause of construction nonperformance. A questionnaire was then developed to identify if contractors would agree that factors which were not Type A or high information would lead to construction nonperformance. The contractors did not receive the above explanation, and are merely being asked if the individual factors were related to or would increase performance. Based on the results of the surveys, the hypothesis will be validated or be proven inconsistent.
IMT also make the following assumptions:
We do not have enough performance data, which is a random representative sample in construction to differentiate between B1 and B2. Therefore the crosshatched areas where statistical analysis is required to differentiate. These areas shall not be considered in this analysis.
Therefore, the slope of the line dividing the opposite sides is not important due to the fact that the crosshatched areas are not being considered.
The only important objective is to locate the two sides of the KSM accurately. This must be done by deduction, finding the relationship to the level of information or "well" informed, experienced, or perceptive people. This research study will use the results of the construction industry surveys to confirm the deductive logic.
The following performance criteria were identified:
Low-bid award.
Performance based award.
Quality construction.
High performance.
Contractor capability.
Relationship between owner, designer, and contractor.
Change orders.
Completion on time.
Accurate construction estimates and costs.
Actual cost (time and money).
Work environment.
Leverage price.
Amount of work.
The study proposed the following statements and asked the respondents for agreement or disagreement (10 is very strong agreement, 5 is uncertainty, and 1 is very strong disagreement):
The low bid system is effective in promoting quality construction.
Award of contractors should be awarded based on performance and price.
The caliber of contractors will improve under a performance based award.
The relationship between the owner, contractor, and construction manager will improve under a performance based award system.
The low bid award system is the best procurement system for public work.
The low-bid award advances poor performance by encouraging change orders and late completions.
The low bid system encourages change orders because of the need to recover from initial low bids.
Contractors should be evaluated and awarded work based on their performance and price.
Low bid promotes inferior quality work because of the associated need to finish quick and cheap.
A performance-based system would save owners time and money.
Performance based involves more contractors input. This would improve cost and quality.
Would prefer working under a performance-based system.
Low bid promotes adversarial relationships among owners, contractors, and design team.
Bid price would be lower under a performance-based system.
Work environment would be better on a project awarded using performance based.
There would be less disputes and litigation on performance based projects.
Figure 2 shows the KSM correlated with agreement or disagreement. The following scale was used:
Agree: 8-10 (30%)
Disagree: 1-3 (30%)
Non-conclusive: 4-7 (40%)
Figure 2: KSM Rating
Analysis of the results were handled as shown below:
If the agreement or disagreement was above 30% the statement was verified as correct or wrong.
If the noncommittal was above 40%, the location of the performance criteria cannot be verified regardless of the agreement or disagreement numbers.
The KSMs will be aligned with the result of the survey. If it is noncommittal, the KSM will be deleted. This is congruent with the KSM theory that states that midranges are inconclusive due to a lack of information. The results of the surveys are shown below in terms of strongly agree, strongly disagree, and noncommittal (%, %, %):
The low bid system is effective in promoting quality construction. (3,76,21)
Award of contractors should be awarded based on performance and price. (79,3,18)
The caliber of contractors will improve under a performance-based award. (78,5,17)
The relationship between the owner, contractor, and construction manager will improve under a performance based award system. (71,25,4)
The low bid award system is the best procurement system for public work. (61,11,28)
The low-bid award advances poor performance by encouraging change orders and late completions. (58,18,24)
The low bid system encourages change orders because of the need to recover from initial low bids. (62,15,28)
Contractors should be evaluated and awarded work based on their performance and price. (85,5,10)
Low bid promotes inferior quality work because of the associated need to finish quick and cheap. (56,15,29)
A performance-based system would save owners time and money. (57,9,34)
Performance based involves more contractor input. This would improve cost and quality. (71,5,25)
Would prefer working under a performance-based system. (85,4,11)
Low bid promotes adversarial relationships among owners, contractors, and design team. (65,13,22)
Bid price would be lower under a performance-based system. (17,31,52)
Work environment would be better on a project awarded using performance based. (70,5,25)
There would be less disputes and litigation on performance based projects. (67,5,28)
The results of the survey are shown in Figure 3. The performance criteria was identified by the following:
1Movement from a lower to a higher. Example capability increases with performance-based procurement instead of low-bid.
Low bid related factors are on right hand side.
If Performance based procurement factors are on the left hand side.
Figure 3: KSM Formed with Survey Results
The results show that the low-bid award is directly related to the following characteristics (question that supports criteria is in parenthesis):
Ineffective: (1)
Unfair: (8, 12)
Leads to poor quality construction: (9, 11)
Results in quick and cheap work: (9)
Results in low performance: (5)
Results in low contractor capability: (3)
Low or poor relationship between owner, designer, and contractor: (13, 15, 16)
Litigation: (16)
Change orders: (7)
Results in not completing on-time: (6)
Inaccurate construction estimates and costs: (7)
Higher actual cost or lifecycle cost (time and money spent by the owner): (10, 11)
Poor work environment: (15)
Low profit (9)
Results in contractors leveraging price to get work (do more work for less money) (9)
The contractors did not respond significantly to Question 14 stating whether the bid price would be lower under performance based contracting. Therefore, the authors cannot conclude whether the bid price under performance based would be higher or lower than under the low-bid process.
Industry Structure
The construction industry can be graphed using two major components: competition and performance (Figure 4). The industry is divided into four quadrants:
Quadrant I. High competition and low performance. This is where the award is based on price. A minimum performance (low performance) is required. The contractors force the owner to identify when the performance does not meet minimum standards. The award is based on price. The lowest price is usually awarded the contract. In many instances the low bid may also go to contractors who forget to include activities, force subcontractors and manufacturers to lower their price, and employ the "least expensive" management and craftspeople. The survey results show that the contractors agree with the identification of Quadrant I as the low-bid environment.
Figure 4: Construction Industry Structure
Quadrant II. High competition, high performance. This is the "best value" or performance-contracting quadrant. Users consider both performance and price. It differs from both Quadrants I and III in that it requires performance information that minimizes risk (not being on-time, on-budget, and meeting quality expectations.)
Quadrant III. High performance and low competition. This is the negotiated contract. Users usually pre-qualify contractors, and subjectively select the best value. There is no way to identify the value of construction unless more than one contractor is employed.
Quadrant IV. Low competition and low performance. This quadrant is unstable and cannot maintain itself. If a contractor has no competition, and cannot perform, they will not remain in business for a prolonged period of time. When a performer appears, the nonperformers will disappear. If competition appears, the noncompetitive will disappear. An industry requires performance, competition, or both to maintain itself.
Movement from Quadrant I to II can be made with an increase in performance information. To stimulate the use of performance information, an information-based performance contracting process is required. As the level of performance information is increased, the factors (as identified by the contractors) and problems associated with the low-bid process are minimized.
Performance Based Contracting Implementations
The Performance Based Studies Research Group (PBSRG) located at Arizona State University has been performing research on an information based Performance Information Procurement System (PIPS) for the past seven years. An artificial intelligent processor is used to transform performance data into information, minimizing the subjectivity of decision makers. PIPS was designed using the performance criteria and logic of the KSMs discussed above. The description of PIPS also fits Quadrant II described above. The following are test results over the last seven years (Kashiwagi, PMI presentation, 2001.):
300 tests on $150M of construction procurement.
Largest project: $50M.
Smallest project: $10K.
General and specialty construction, design-build, new, and retrofit construction.
Private sector and government sector.
States of Wyoming, Utah, Georgia, and Hawaii, Dallas Independent School District, and Federal Aviation Administration.
The project results are 98% on time, on budget, with no "identifiable" contractor generated cost change orders.
Reduction of construction management by 75%.
Contractor performance has increased through using a performance based information system.
Comments from users, owners and project managers reflect the environment described by the contractor responses (Byfield and McMenimen letters):
Wouldn't have believed it unless I had seen it.
The best construction in ten years.
A different environment.
First time to get something on time.
Construction environment is strikingly different.
The performance based environment is shown using KSMs in Figure 5. Due to the higher performance of contractors, who are motivated by profit, to finish on-time, on-budget, and meeting quality expectations, the following "low-bid" functions were minimized:
User control (project management and inspection.) Contractors will minimize their risk by using quality products and craftspeople when forced to be responsible.
Means and methods specifications. There is a directive in the FAR to not direct the contractors on "how to do the work."
Processing of change orders.
Figure 5: Environments of Performance/Low-bid Contracting
In movement from Quadrant I to II, the relationship between the owner, designer, and contractor change. Figure 6 shows a functional breakdown that was derived from the KSM of survey results and descriptive of the performance based contracting tests. The successful components in Quadrant I become "at risk" in Quadrant II. These include:
Large, longtime contractors doing minimal performance work in Quadrant I would have to compete with newer contractors doing less work but higher quality work.
The need for design groups/engineers who do user project management/inspection to "control" the low performing contractors is minimized in Quadrant II. High performance contractors control their own quality (quality control), schedule, and costs. This was verified by the performance contracting tests.
The need for minimal standards, which are required by contractors doing low-bid work, are minimized in performance based work. There are large groups of engineers, designers and manufacturers' representatives who currently work of standards.
The construction education system is setup based on Quadrant I. To be effective in Quadrant II, they require re-education.
Figure 6: Functional Descriptions of the Construction Industry
Based on the results of the contractor survey, the identified state of the construction industry, and the deductive logic of the IMT/KSM and the Industry Structure analysis, the low-bid procurement system is a major cause of construction nonperformance. The survey results validate the logic of the Information Measurement Theory and the Industry Structure diagrams. The results of the Performance Information Procurement System tests also verify that the low bid system is the cause of construction nonperformance. If the users or facility owners want higher construction performance, they must use a procurement system that uses performance and contractor capability as a selection criteria. The success of the new procurement systems will depend on minimizing the low-bid related factors of award on price, user control and direction and inspection.
Byfield, Richard (2001, February 12) State of Utah. Letter to State of Hawaii on PIPS.
Erdmann, Rudy (2002) The Relationship Between the Design-Bid-Build (DBB) System and Construction Nonperformance. Unpublished Masters Thesis, Arizona State University, Tempe.
Kashiwagi, D. T. (2001) Information Measurement Theory, 4th Edition. Tempe: PBSRG.
Kashiwagi, D.T. (2001, November 7) Getting it right! Selecting the Right Contractor for the Right Job. Nashville: Project Management Institute (PMI) Conference.
Maughn, Richard (2000, April 18) Bridgeland Applied Technology Center (BATC). Letter to State of Utah.
McMenimen, Frank (2001, August 23) State of Utah. Letter to PBSRG on PIPS.
Post, Nadine M. (1998, May 5). Building Teams get high marks, Engineering News – Record, 246, (19), 56-63.
Shearer, Robert (2000, September) Hold Architects Accountable, Engineering News – Record,245, (9), 83.


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Queen For A Day Pink Magnolia Flower
by Kimberly Blok
Tote Bag
Our quality crafted Tote Bags are hand sewn in America using durable, yet lightweight, poly poplin fabric. All seams and stress points are double stitched for durability. Available in 13" x 13", 16" x 16" and 18" x 18" variations, the tote bags are washable, feature original artwork on both sides and a sturdy 1" wide cotton webbing strap for comfortably carrying over your shoulder.
- 60Promote


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Hey guys, since we couldnt get it along last night, I started to watch our weak link, since I play on offensive line and coached my team in Brazil. PS. The level of football here is low hehe.
Tray Essex
I never liked Tray Essex, not as a soft LT, but as a RG he is even worse. The RG position needs to be filled by a mauler, mean streak guy, like Leonard Davis, Jahri Evans, Chris Snee.
Tray Essex is LAZY, soft, his footwork is HORRIBLE, really he is one of the worst offensive lineman I ve ever seen. He got pushed several times by that DE I never heard the name, who by the way, doesnt look strong at all.
Legursky was injured? Cos he is way better than Essex.
The front seven of the Patriots isnt that good, but we made them look like the best in the league.
Jonathan Scott - He was ok last night, I think we can invest on him. He has light feet, played well, yes, made some mistakes like the Tully sack, and that illegal formation, but was his first game as a starter and with a new LG.
Maurkice Pouncey - Not his best game, but we know what he can do. I think he missed some assignments and some double teams. But did a nice job containing the mammoth Wilfork.
Ramon Foster- I hope when Kemoeatu comes back, he goes to the Left side. He isnt the brilliant guy we hope for, but man, he is relentless. I like his attitude.
Flozell Adams- Since his injury, he isnt playing that well, the running game isnt consistent anymore at his side.
I think Jonathan can be our LT, but we need to pick a free agent, probably a mauler G and a LT would help too.
What do you think?


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This committee of public relations is concerned with bringing together the public and the society through regular receiving of visitors in addition to coordinating the society's committees. The bureau is also in charge of participating in local and international exhibitions through initiating media campaigns in coordination with the society's media department. The office is also responsible of the implemention of media plans and strategies to support the society's mission locally and internationally. The public relations office coordinates with other media institutions in preparing and holding press conferences and seminars in co-operation with the official authorities.
The bureau is also in charge of attracting and encouraging donors to contribute to humanitarian causes that are undertaken by the society; for example the local aid program.
The Public relations office organizes all exhibits concerned with humanitarian aid and displays videos as well as documentaries in addition to distributing brochures about the society's activities.
And finally, the office organizes field trips and holds charity bazaars to generate additional funds from contributions and to highlight the role of the society in the Arab and Western countries in order to continue its humanitarian march.


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Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) is a proven set of tools and processes that helps organisations manage the entire lifespan of application development, reduce cycles times, and eliminate waste. ALM integrates different teams, platforms, and activities, enabling a continuous flow of business value.
Black Marble is an internationally recognised specialist in the delivery of a full Application Lifecycle implementation. We hold the Gold standard in the ALM Competency in the Microsoft Partner Network, and our Engineering Director is an ALM Microsoft Most Valuable Professional and ALM Ranger.
Building on the latest Gartner 2012 Magic Quadrant report for Application Lifecycle Management (ALM), Gartner has positioned Microsoft in the Leaders Quadrant. Highlighted as one of the only vendors to cover all aspects of the Software Development Lifecycle, Microsoft's core aspects of continuous value delivery meets the demands currently driving companies – an integrated team approach including enterprise agile and cloud computing.
Microsoft has produced Visual Studio Team Foundation Server (TFS), an Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) system with tools for all of the phases of the project. TFS is the collaboration platform at the core of Microsoft's ALM solution and it automates the software delivery process and gives you the tools you need to effectively manage software development projects throughout the IT lifecycle.
Black Marble works extensively with all versions of Visual Studio TFS, including the latest, 2012, and our consultants are ready to deal with your ALM needs using the latest tools from Microsoft.
Black Marble uses Planning Poker in the estimation stage of our application development process.
For more information on Black Marble's ALM Consultancy and Implementation Services, please call Lisa on +44 1274 300175.
Black Marble is delighted to be awarded the Gold standard for the Microsoft Application Development Competency. We have been awarded Gold, because...
Richard Fennell, our Engineering Director, has been awarded the status of Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) in Visual Studio for the seventh...
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) wanted to open up their transport data to partners and developers so they could create applications to run on a range of mobile devices and services. Black Marble and Windows Azure helped them acheive this.
Robust Details Limited (RDL), a product certification body in the house-building industry, was struggling to add new services for its customers and grow because of the limitations of manual business systems. They needed a way to allow customers to complete assessments and get certificates online. Black Marble and Cloud was the answer.
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My newest design, The Reine Cardigan, was just released in Brooklyn Tweed's third Wool People Collection! Yay!
The design has a classic silhouette and interesting details. I used Brooklyn Tweed's Loft, which is a fingering weight yarn, at a larger gauge to make the cardigan light and airy – perfect for summer.
The design features a reversible cable edging, slanted patch pockets, and garter stitch details. The main part of the cardigan is knitted in one flat piece from the bottom up, then the sleeves are worked circularly from the top down. There is one seam that runs across the back of the shoulder which adds structure, preventing the shoulders from sagging. (more details & pictures here)
My goal with this design was to make a really wearable cardigan. The challenge is that wearable can often mean ordinary. I used special details like a reversible cable edging, slanted patch pockets, and garter stitch stripes to bring this design to the next level.
I originally submitted this design along, with a couple of others, when I was invited to contribute to Wool People Volume 2. Brooklyn Tweed decided to use my Arrowhead Mittens for that collection, but asked me to hold the other two designs to potentially use in their upcoming WP3. It's hard to just sit on designs without commitment, but Reine was just so perfect for BT's new Loft yarn, that I was happy to wait. I ended up developing the third design submission for an upcoming book. I'll have more on that later!
It's always hard putting my samples in the mail, but this one was particularly difficult to let go of. Reine is such a delightful thing to wear. It goes with almost everything and it's sure to be in heavy wardrobe rotation, just as soon as I get my sample back. Here's a cool picture from BT's blog showing two ways to wear the cardigan (with positive or negative ease).
It was such an honor being asked to contribute a third time to BT's Wool People collection. Of the three, this is definitely my favorite. I'd love to hear what you all think too, so please leave a comment below!


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Hello fellow RMN'ers
I am trying to decide if it is worth to subscribe to Power Mizzou and was wondering if anyone would be willing to give me their opinion?
FYI: I am not terribly interested in the football coverage. My primary interest is in the basketball coverage, particularly with respect to recruiting. I have some interest in the football coverage, but that alone would not justify the expense for me.
Thanks in advance.


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Co-Pay Assistance Program
This two-sided bilingual card includes information about LLS' Co-Pay Assistance Program and how to apply.
Each New Day
This booklet can help you identify what you need to know and do to cope with your diagnosis, treatment and recovery.
Cancer and Your Finances
This is currently out of stock. You may download the PDF and check back soon to order a copy.
Food and Nutrition Facts
This fact sheet discusses how eating well helps people living with cancer to feel better and stay stronger.
Here to Help
This two-sided bilingual card includes information about how to reach an LLS Information Specialist and how to find resources on our website.
Patti Robinson Kaufmann First Connection Program
This brochure describes LLS's Patti Robinson Kaufmann First Connection Program where patients connect with a trained volunteer.
Service & Support
This brochure describes the services that LLS offers to patients and caregivers touched by blood cancers.
This fact sheet provides information about how your disease and treatment may affect your sexuality and intimate relationships.


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I couldn't resist making a video for one of Donna Vorreyer's poems at The Poetry Storehouse myself. "Giacometti's Pears" was originally published in Weave magazine. I blogged about my process a bit at Via Negativa last week.
A poem by the great Jean Follain, read by Nic Sebastian for Pizzicati of Hosanna. The translation by W.S. Merwin is from his book-length selection of Follain poems, Transparence of the World, which belongs on every poetry lover's bookshelf.
I don't make any great claims for this video; I just wanted some Follain here at Moving Poems and no one else was envideoing him in English.
(NSFW: includes full frontal nudity.) Another poem incorporating a reading from Pizzicati of Hosanna by Nic Sebastian. I blogged about it at Via Negativa just now.
After all my web hosting woes of late, I think it's safe to say that this site, at least, is back on an even keel. To celebrate, I made a video for one of my favorite poems, and Nic Sebastian was gracious enough to upload a reading I could use to Pizzicati of Hosanna. I found the music on SoundCloud: "The Foggy Dew" on tin whistle by Chris Kent. I blogged a bit more about this at Via Negativa just now.
Moving Poems' latest production takes advantage of a new free-audio site that other filmmakers might be interested in, too: pizzicati of hosanna: dead poets' poems read by Nic Sebastian in English & other languages. The footage is from Blackwater Falls State Park, West Virginia. I blogged all about it at Via Negativa.
A timeless meditation on time gets the film noir treatment. Moving Poems' latest production uses footage from two films in the public domain at the Prelinger Archives and a Creative Commons-licenced William Byrd piece by Vicente Parrilla and company.
Thanks to CreatureCast for licensing this wonderful undersea footage under a Creative Commons license, permitting this repurposing. I blogged about the making of it at Via Negativa. Due to the format of the original film, I was forced to learn how to make a widescreen (16:9) video, which turned out not be difficult at all (thought the standardized dimensions of videos here at Moving Poems give it an extra-wide top and bottom border).
For a very different audio interpretation of the poem, listen to videopoet Brenda Clews' reading on the Woodrat Podcast, Episode 31: Emily Dickinson at 180. Brenda's reading starts just past the four-minute mark.


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|Events By City
|Sales & Support: (+91) 9396 555 888 Time: 9am-7pm (Mon to Friday)
Forget window and hectic shopthons, recently, with the rise of e-commerce, the interest in online marketing and online retail has suddenly shot up. Already popular among customers abroad, especially in USA, online retail is gaining a strong foothold in India as more and more consumers are choosing to go online to directly buy goods and products from retailers instead of intermediary dealers. Besides, it so much more comfortable to shop from the comfort of your own house without physically going to the malls and shops! All you need is a computer, internet connection and a method of online payment – all of which are more widely available today than they were even a few years ago.
In India, the online retail market is still a nascent one with only limited options like eBay, Flipkart available to the consumers and there is still a long way to go before we get an online shopping portal as efficient as Amazon USA. But the industry is rapidly growing as more companies and businesses have come to realize the potential of this new shopping method and to further explore opportunities in the field, a workshop called Online Retail Masterclass, along with a corresponding exhibition, will be held @ Epicentre Hall, Gurgaon, Delhi on the 23rd of March 2012. The workshop will focus entirely on online retail, its various components and the challenges facing the sector. With a focus on the e-tail business model, the workshop will highlight the opportunities available in online retail with a full coverage of methodology, technology, scope, opportunity, facts and figures, trends, challenges and solutions related to the online retail market in the country.
The workshop will provide the perfect opportunity to retail business owners, CEOs, entrepreneurs, industry leaders, decision makers, internet & retail professionals and other enthusiasts to learn all about online retail – understand the components, key trends, need and scope of the industry, the challenges facing the industry and the solutions and business & financial planning related to it.
The workshop will feature discussions and presentations by experts and industry leaders while a corresponding exhibition will showcase the latest products and services related to the field. Participants will not only gain an exhibition platform but also gain an excellent networking opportunity to meet clients or similar professionals.
So if you are interested in gaining an end-to-end understanding of online retail, then why not attend this workshop. To get more information about the event and for registrations, hurry and click HERE.
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Find and book great restaurantsFind a Restaurant
|Lord North Street, Greater Manchester M40 8AD
|0161 202 0055
|Price: £52.00
|Wine: £19.00
|Champagne: £55.00
|Opening Hours:
|Mon-Sun 12N-2.30pm (Sun -4pm) 5-11pm
This review hasn't been rated yet.
I booked this restaurant 3 weeks before I was supposed to be going with 9 of my friends. I booked the table on the internet and then phoned a couple of days later to confirm my booking and confirm that I had booked a cocoon in the bar area for afterwards. I was told that everything was booked.
A couple of hours before I was due to go to the meal I get a call from the restaurant to say did anyone say anything about a £50 deposit and would I pay that now. I was also asked whether anyone had said anything about a set menu which they had not. To make matters worse I was then asked what time I wanted the cocoon for. I explained that I had been told previously that this was already booked. The girl put me on hold and then told me there was none left.I spoke to the manager who had this couldn't care less attitude and didn't seem to care that I had been told 3 weeks prior that it was all booked. He offered nothing in the way of compensation and said if a booth became available later that night I could have that. He however was still happy to take my money for the meal!! Having felt messed about so much I cancelled an went elsewhere. I will never be booking a table at this restaurant again. Absolutely no consideration for their customers.


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CHICAGO (AP) — Keep computers in a common area so you can monitor what your kids are doing. It's a longstanding directive for online safety — but one that's quickly becoming moot as more young people have mobile devices, often with Internet access.
A new report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project finds that 78 percent of young people, ages 12 to 17, now have cellphones. Nearly half of those are smartphones, a share that's increasing steadily — and that's having a big effect on how, and where, many young people are accessing the Web.
The survey, released Wednesday, finds that one in four young people say they are "cell-mostly" Internet users, a percentage that increases to about half when the phone is a smartphone.
In comparison, just 15 percent of adults said they access the Internet mostly by cellphone.
"It's just part of life now," says Donald Conkey, a high school sophomore in Wilmette, Ill., just north of Chicago, who is among the many teens who have smartphones. "Everyone's about the same now when it comes to their phones — they're on them a lot."
He and other teens say that if you add up all the time they spend using apps and searching for info, texting and downloading music and videos, they're on their phones for at least a couple hours each day — and that time is only increasing, they say.
"The occasional day where my phone isn't charged or I leave it behind, it feels almost as though I'm naked in public," says Michael Weller, a senior at New Trier High School, where Conkey also attends. "I really need to have that connection and that attachment to my phone all the time."


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News: Fox Sports Reporter Claims 50 Cent Wasn't Trying To Kiss Her: "I Made Him Look Terrible" [Video]
Monday, Mar 4, 2013 2:00PM
Fox Sports reporter Erin Andrews has offered some more context on what went down between her and G-Unit's 50 Cent last month when they made headlines for an awkward kissing moment.
According to Andrews, there were a lot of things going on in the background which made her rushed and not ready for the face-to-face.
"No, he wasn't," Andrews said in an interview when asked if 50 was trying to go in for a kiss. "Actually, it was my fault. I will say that. I was so rushed, the drivers weren't there -- all we wanted to do was get [racer] Danica [Patrick], she was obviously the biggest story, and ah, it was my fault. I went one way, he went in the other, then they screamed in my ear, 'Go get her, she's there.' 30 seconds left, I ran, I panicked, I jerked my head very awkwardly and disgusting, which I'm sure [everyone] loved. I made him look terrible and I feel bad. We're actually business partners. I'm in on the SK energy drink. So it was all my bad. No, he's awesome. It's all my bad." (TMZ)
Last week, she also hopped onto Twitter to address the eye-catching moment.
"Pit Row minutes before the 500 starts is chaotic. I'm a big fan of @50cent! #kiss #NONtroversey," Andrews tweeted February 25th. (Erin Andrews' Twitter)
Fif also went onto his Twitter page and addressed the caught-on-camera moment.
"Hey I wanted to kiss her?so I did "@MeVinceG: Damn!!! @50Cent is the shit! He kissed @ErinAndrews in one of the ... http://m.tmi.me/LH1s9," Fif tweeted Sunday (February 24).
"Denied ?Wow they called me to interview with @ErinAndrews,we are working together on my street king energy campaign.that's why I was being nice." (50 Cent's Twitter)
Despite their explanations, Fif and Erin's incident has become an online joke.
In the rap world it's called being 'dissed' and it's exactly what Erin Andrews did to rapper 50 Cent at the Daytona 500 and because of the incident, she should watch her back. When rappers get dissed, there's no telling what can happen. Of course, I'm kidding and Andrews has nothing to fear but it was an awkward sight at Nascar's most famous race. By now most of us have seen the infamous 'Kiss Diss' at the Daytona 500 where the rapper goes in for the kiss on the lips and Andrews turns her head so it only lands on her cheek. (Rant Sports)
Check out Erin Andrews' interview:


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By John Toole
---- — The flu appears to be leveling off at mid-season in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, but is still posing a risk, especially to older people.
New Hampshire has had 25 flu-related deaths.
"They are all elderly, all above the age of 80," Dr. Jodie Dionne-Odom of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services said last week of what were then 20 flu-related deaths.
Massachusetts has had at least 18 deaths, though numbers are unofficial.
The director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Thomas Frieden, told reporters in a recent teleconference this season is worse than average and bad for the elderly.
"This year, we are seeing a particularly severe season for the elderly," he said.
The flu arrived about a month earlier than usual. It is widespread throughout the nation at mid-season.
But there are signs of encouragement.
"Overall activity is beginning to go down," Frieden said.
New Hampshire and Massachusetts appear to be following the national trend.
"It looks like we've leveled off," Dionne-Odom said.
The percentage of people with flu symptoms at outpatient clinics in Massachusetts had fallen from 4.4 percent the end of December to 2.43 percent last week.
"That may suggest we've already hit a peak, but it's too early to call the all clear," said Kevin Cranston, director of the Massachusetts Bureau of Infectious Disease.
College students are just returning from winter break, so the flu outlook could change, he said.
The CDC is reporting spot shortages of the flu vaccine, but is telling people to keep looking because it is still available.
"This is a very high demand year," U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said in the CDC teleconference.
Some people in New Hampshire are finding some pharmacies don't have the vaccine. But that doesn't mean they can't get a shot.
"We're telling them to keep calling around, it's still out there," Dionne-Odom said of the vaccine.
There was a lot of news coverage about the flu recently in Massachusetts and that created demand, so it might seem like there's a shortage, Cranston said.
Massachusetts recently was able to get an additional 8,000 doses, he said.
The CDC encourages people to use its "flu vaccine finder" available at flu.gov.
While Frieden acknowledges the vaccine is far from perfect, it remains, he said, "the best tool we have" for fighting the flu.
The vaccine can help.
"It's still not too late," Cranston said.
Health professionals recommend those who are coming down with the flu use anti-viral medicine such as Tamiflu in the first 48 hours. Tamiflu is available only by prescription.
Frieden said anti-viral drugs, given promptly, can shorten the duration of the illness and reduce the chance of having to go to the hospital.
Health officials urge people to be careful about spreading the illness to others.
"If you are sick, stay home from work or school so other people aren't exposed," Dionne-Odom said.
Older people should be kept away from ailing children. Frieden said it's best not to have grandparents baby-sit an ill grandchild.