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Servers and bartenders began streaming in at 10 a.m. last week, slipping into the walnut chairs in the long main dining room of Reilly Craft Pizza & Drink.
After small talk and how-do-you-dos, they split up into groups of five or six and began studying the restaurant's food and drink menus.
They had a week to cram for the restaurant's opening on Wednesday. The menu was just a small part of questions diners were likely to ask once the downtown pizza and pasta eatery opened.
A bigger question: Was this funky historic building at 101 E. Pennington St. really a funeral home?
Chef-owner Tyler Fenton and his partner/brother Zach are expecting to hear plenty of talk about the building's provenance. It was built in 1906 for the Reilly Funeral Home, which operated in the brick three-story building from 1908 to 1990.
The building, with two apartments on top and a narrow basement below, remained vacant until the Fentons' father, developer Steve Fenton, bought it in 2007.
Tyler Fenton, 22, said the brothers quickly saw potential in the space for a restaurant. Plans were drawn up late last year and renovations got under way in January.
To date, the project has cost about $1 million, he said. The 3,200-square-foot space retains much of the history of the funeral home, from the refinished original wood floors to the salvaged elevator gear repurposed in a glass table.
Broken bits of plates and cups recovered from an excavation on the property were incorporated into the "W" and "M" signs on the restrooms; wood from the former chapel and offices was used to adorn a wall in the bar area.
Duct work in the bar is exposed, lending an industrial chic charm to the space. Near the entryway, original lattice work is left bare, adding a rustic air.
Fenton describes the menu as pizza elevated to more upscale dining. The prices, still being finalized last week, lean on the modest side, he said; the most expensive dish - a pappardelle with braised short ribs and mushroom - rings in at $15.
The menu includes fried pizza dough and zucchini chips under the "snacks" heading; 10 craft cocktails are under the headings of "Stirred & Direct" and "Shaken & Refreshing."
There will be a featured ragu each night - some flavored with exotic seasoning like a North African spice blend - and pizzas that build on the notion of the Italian pie with heavy American accents: one features Yukon potatoes and pecorina; another employs roasted eggplant and ricotta.
Polenta has a starring role in the savory and sweet, including the chocolate polenta souffle with caramelized white chocolate.
"It's familiar food with a bit of a twist," said Fenton, who is mostly self-taught and worked at Scordato's while he attended Catalina Foothills High School. "We like the fact that we're a pizzeria in America. We don't have to follow any rule books. Our culture is playing with things - a melting pot."
While Tyler runs the kitchen, Zach Fenton, a 25-year-old graduate of the University of Arizona's Eller School of Business, will manage the restaurant.
By year's end, the brothers hope to open a beer garden in the back that will serve dozens of beers on tap. In a year, they hope to finish renovating the basement, which will open as an underground nightclub.
"I think we're going to be a destination restaurant," Zach Fenton said. "We're giving people an excuse to come off Congress Street."
If you go
Reilly Craft Pizza & Drink, 101 E. Pennington St.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily; hours may change in a couple weeks.
Details: 882-5550 or www.facebook.com/reillypizza


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Source: http://virak.deviantart.com
Large Image Warning
Omega. Sky was color of vid cam tuned to a dead vorcha. Business so bad that, if volus, would have sold my suit. Then trouble Doppler-shifted deep asari blue as it came through my door. Likely elcor father. High gravity-adapted in all right places. Asari said krogan thug after her business. if could get rid of him said she'd be gratefull for all…eternity.
Found krogan in slums. First shot hit primary heart. But krogan have redundant nervous system. Felt redundant, nervous myself. Krogan got me in stranglehold. Used incineration attack, got lucky.
'Said this was an easy job,' he gasped. Guess we'd both been burned.
Asari very grateful. Could read her like open book. And as it happened, did enjoy reading…in bed. Woke up looking at barrel of pearl-handled Carnifex. My M-98 in other room - another Black Widow standing over me.
'Only loose end left,' she said. Her mistake. Didn't know I'd been in STG, learned tricks dirty enough to clog a quarian's suit filter.
'Your barriers very similar to your morals,' I said, and threw my biotic grenade. 'Warped.'
When woke up from explosion, asari had fled back to Afterlife. Felt lucky not to be in Afterlife myself. Hadn't been paid, but considered self fortunate. Had broken Omega's one rule…in more ways than one.
Easily one of the best things not only in the Citadel DLC, but in the entire game series. All of the sound clips of Mordin were wonderful, but this is fucking art. That last line gets me every. time.
(Source: flossybuff)
and some mass effect feelings.
angry blogger edi
As promised at Pax East 2013: An image I took during my last day of recording for Mass Effect!
I wonder if that last line is "I should go".
So You Think You Can Dance ft. your ridiculous male squadmates
(Source: vaniccio)
So You Think You Can Dance ft. your ridiculous male squadmates
(Source: vaniccio)

subset: commoncrawl


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Videos > Bella Ling > Exotic babe Bella Ling opens her mouth for more fresh cum
Cum Fu Cum Fu - the perfect place to catch up with Asian honeys getting their tight pussies slammed with big stiff cocks. So if Japanese makes you jizz, or Chinese churns your chopper, then make sure you fuel your fantasy here.
Featured Pornstars:
- Bella Ling


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Sept. 10
Richfield and Bloomington police on northbound Interstate-35W at the 46th Street exit and arrested five men as persons of interest in a shooting incident in Richfield around 1 p.m. on Monday.
Officers on patrol on 51st Street West shortly before 1 a.m. cited a 17 year-old walking down the street for being out past curfew.
Police cited one driver on the corner of West 58th Street and Lyndale Avenue South, and another on the 3500 block of Blaisdell Avenue South for driving without proof of insurance early Monday morning.
Sept. 9
A CARAG resident was unable to find their car after parking it in the neighborhood Sunday afternoon. They reported it missing, telling officers they had left the keys under the car seat and may have left the car door unlocked
A Windom resident caught a man attempting to break into their vehicle. The suspect fled but was apprehended a short distance later. The man was cited for tampering with a motor vehicle and transported to Hennepin County Medical Center to get his injuries checked out. The police report did not say whether the police, the car's owner, or a third party caused the injuries.
Sometime between 10 p.m. on Sept. 8 and 3 a.m. on Sept. 9, an unknown person broke into a house on the 5100 block of Zenith Avenue South using a key and stole an unknown number of items.
A CARAG resident called police to report her neighbor's bike had been stolen from the 3100 block of Grand Avenue South. The thief sliced through the cyclist's u-lock with an unknown tool around 7 a.m.
A residence on the 3200 block of Grand Avenue South was burglarized overnight.
A driver on the 100 block of 35th Street West was cited for driving without a driver's license. Another driver on the 100 block of 58th Street West was cited for driving without current insurance.
A 14-year old resident of the 5900 block of Washburn Avenue South was cited for disappearing from home without his parent's permission. His mother had called police earlier in the day to file a missing person report after the boy had gone out running errands without telling her.
Police patrolling the 5100 block of Washburn Avenue South shortly after midnight cited a 17-year old for being out past curfew


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News: Kat Stacks Exposes Dipset Member: "Don't Think Just B/C I Got Out Of Jail, You Can Run Up On Me" [Video]
Saturday, Feb 9, 2013 9:17PM
Former hip-hop groupie Kat Stacks is back to her old ways, coming forward to accuse Dipset's Juelz Santana of having a secret fling with video vixen Jenna Shea.
Stacks has released a new video claiming Santana struck first and forced her to air out his alleged affair.
"Of course the Juelz Santana Instagram. What happened was he got into somebody's comments, somebody put a picture of me and he started putting in the comments trying to be funny about me getting slapped up in that old video. So since he was trying to be funny, I was like, 'Aight, I'll be funny too.' You think it's funny I got pimp-slapped, well I think it's funny when you were licking my best friend's butt. [laughs] You can Google 'Jenna Shea,' she's an urban hip-hop model -- don't think because I got out of jail you can just run up on me. Well, motherf*ckers, I'm still me. [Don't think] if you come at me, I won't bite back, ya dig? So don't ever think you can just run up on me and just get one up on me because at the end of the day, I'm still me. Ya dig? Whether it's Kat Stacks, Andrea, I'm still me. I'm still me, so don't come at me sideways because I'll put you straight. Ya dig?" (YouTube)
In summer 2012, Juelz Santana welcomed a daughter with former "Love & Hip Hop" cast member Kimbella.
According to Chris Frown, Love & Hip-Hop's pretty girl Kimbella will be welcoming a baby girl any day now. Kimbella announced her pregnancy on the last season of the VH1 show without giving up too many details other than Juelz Santana being the father. It was revealed later that around the same time, her bestie Yandy Smith became pregnant with a baby boy by her longtime boyfriend. (VIBE)
The Miami-based Internet sensation also hopped onto Twitter to confirm the return of her on-screen alias "Kat Stacks."
"RT @iamjennashea ay y this dude think its not me? >> We too beautiful !!," she tweeted February 9th.
"Kat Stacks is back !" (Kat Stacks' Twitter)
Last month, the viral star talked about remaining behind bars for two years on deportation-related accusations.
"Well, I went to do an event in Nashville and when I went to the airport, they said they couldn't verify my passport, which is crazy because that's the same passport I used to get from Miami to Nashville for the event and immigration picked me up on a deportation warrant that I had because they didn't notify me or the lawyer that they had changed my court date to about two days earlier. To reopen my case, it takes about 30 days and during those 30 days, before it got reopened is when I got caught up. ... Two years. Horrible. If it wasn't for my family and if it wasn't for Q of World Star for supporting me and my fans sending letters and money to eat when others wouldn't, I don't think I would have survived. I think when I go to visitation and I see my son behind a bulletproof wall, I think that's the worst feeling." (Vlad TV)
Check out Kat Stacks:


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And speaking of golf, it's well known that many professional golfers enjoy a game of table tennis when they are off-course. Curious about why elite golfers are so passionate about ping-pong, Michael Walker of Golf Magazine asked me the following questions:
A number of reasons spring to mind, such as:
- It's easy on the body - you can have just have fun and relax, or get a good sweat up if you want to play a bit harder.
- It's good for the mind - keeps their mental decision making sharp.
- Top golf players are competitive guys - and you can't beat table tennis for real eye to eye, in your face battles. After all, you are staring down your opponent from 9 feet away. I could see that appealing to the gladiator in each of them.
- It's indoors and out of the weather - I'd guess they get out often enough during their normal day. The fact that it doesn't take much space to play garage ping-pong doesn't hurt either.
- Ping-pong would help improve their hand/eye coordination, and balance. Always important for golfers.
- It's highly addictive - the feeling of hitting a sweet shot in table tennis is similar to hitting the sweet shot in golf - you want to do it again. And again.
- These guys travel a lot, and a table tennis bat and a couple of balls doesn't take up much luggage space.
- At international events, it's a chance for the golfing winners to rub the losers nose in it again, while the losers get a chance to salvage some respect.
Some of the golfers could be good players at amateur level. Their hand eye coordination certainly helps. Plus knowledge of angles, ball curving in flight, effects of spin - all of which would help in table tennis. A bit of fanaticism thrown in and a bit more athleticism and things aren't so different between the two sports. Plus the ability to soak up pressure when the stakes are high. So yes, I think you could find some good potential for table tennis players among the pro golf ranks.
No doubt about it, top ping-pong players are more athletic than the top golf players. Apart from a couple of notable exceptions such as Csilla Batorfi of Hungary, elite table tennis players are lean and quick as cats, with good stamina thrown in. Golf is a sport, and a good one, but in terms of sheer athleticism, it's not even close. Although someone like Tiger is obviously in good shape too!
Tiger as a world-class player? Maybe, if he started at the same age he started golf! Seriously though, the competition at the top of table tennis is just as fierce as the top of golf. Only the best of the best ever make it to world class. Tiger obviously has athleticism and world class dedication, but has he got world class table tennis talent? Unlikely. So no, the odds would be against him.
How bad would I beat him? Hmmm... badly. I mean, really badly. We are talking lucky to get a point or two here. I'm getting old and only ranked at around 1100 in the world, but it wouldn't be pretty. Think about the skill it takes to hit a drive 300 yards down the middle of the fairway - now imagine you've got to try to do that to a target that's spinning at a huge number of rpm's and moving at high speed to an unpredictable location. Then do it again and again. That's the difference between basement ping-pong and table tennis.
I'm not saying that table tennis is harder than golf, but the gap between the fun player (like Tiger) and the advanced amateur (like myself) is huge. It's like putting a 24 handicapper up against a scratch player - the 24 handicapper can play a bit and might hit a lucky shot or two but who would you bet on over 18 holes?
- Tiger Woods
Cool, calm, and unhurried. Would be learning from each loss, and plotting your downfall the next time. Also a gracious loser as well as a winner. Not someone you would want to be 3-games all and 10 points all against - he'd win a lot of crunch matches. A two wing looper (fast topspinner from both the forehand and backhand) who dominates his opponents. Table Tennis equivalent - Wang Liqin of China.
- Phil Mickelson
Left handed - always an advantage in table tennis. But I've heard he's right handed at everything else, so would he play lefty or righty? Or maybe switch hands during the point (which is legal to do)? Big hitter with a surprisingly good drop shot. Consistently up there but only winning the occasional tournament. Table Tennis equivalent - Timo Boll of Germany.
- Vijay Singh
One of the few rivals to Tiger and Phil at table tennis. Plays penhold style close to the table and hits everything as fast as he can. Complains about the umpire calling faults on his serve, and was once disqualified for using illegal speed glue. Table Tennis Equivalent - Kim Taek Soo of Korea.


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NBA.com Power Rankings Top 5(11/17)
- Cleveland Cavaliers - The Cavs are the hottest team in the league having won seven straight. It wasn't too hard to fathom that they would be improved offensively with the addition of Mo Williams, but No. 1 in the NBA? If they tighten up the defense, this is a serious title contender.
- Los Angeles Lakers - So the Lakers aren't perfect (Friday's loss to the Pistons was both their worst offensive and worst defensive game so far), but they'll have the opportunity to stay close to it with this stretch where they play seven of eight games at home with only one back-to-back.
- Boston Celtics - After Friday's loss to the Nuggets, Doc Rivers called the Celtics "the most miserable 8-2 team I've ever seen." Beating the Bucks in OT the next night probably didn't raise their spirits. Not turning the ball over so much might.
- Houston Rockets - There have been highs and lows for the Rockets so far this season. Blowing a 14-point, fourth quarter lead in San Antonio on Friday was certainly a low, but they recovered well with a comfortable, defense-fueled win over the Hornets the next night.
- Phoenix Suns - Suspensions, ejections and flagrant fouls? The new Suns have an edge, and they also have Shaquille O'Neal playing at his highest efficiency since his first season in Miami. Thursday's matchup with the Lakers (in Phoenix, TNT, 10:30 p.m. ET) is a must-watch.


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On Monday, Jan. 21, President Barack Obama will be sworn in for his second term as president.
Actually, his official swearing in takes place Sunday, Jan. 20, as set out in the U.S. Constitution. But since Jan. 20 is a Sunday, a second swearing-in ceremony on Monday, Jan. 21, followed by the inaugural festivities, will be held on Martin Luther King Day.
Starting at 11:30 a.m. (ET) - viewers of the Presidential Inauguration will be treated to all the pomp and circumstance, including a ceremonial swearing in, inaugural address, parade and national anthem sung by Beyonce. The inauguration will be carried on all major networks.
Obama's first inauguration stirred up a lot of excitement, but that may have ebbed somewhat for his second term.
Will you be watching Obama's second Presidential Inauguration ceremony and festivities on Monday?


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Posts Tagged 'John Bridle'
Max Dunbar reviews Don't Get Fooled Again
From Max Dunbar
If you're new to the explosion in investigative scepticism then Richard Wilson's book on bullshit past and present serves as an excellent primer. You'll find excellent chapters on the AIDS denial epidemic that's killing Africa, the rise and fall of the Holocaust denier and fake historian David Irving, the socially acceptable lunacy of alternative medicine. For critics like Dan Hind who feel that sceptics take on too soft targets, there are savage explorations of America's internment policies, the cover-up of the link between smoking and cancer and the profligate corruption of the Enron corporation.
But there are also revelations for the seasoned sceptic. Wilson has a fascinating chapter on Trofim Lysenko, Stalin's pet agronomist who denounced Darwinism as 'bourgeois' (so much for the rational atheist superstate) and claimed that 'wheat could be trained to thrive in a cold climate by being soaked in freezing water'. There's also the asbestos charlatan John Bridle, who claimed for years and despite massive evidence to the contrary that white asbestos was harmless: his assertions were plugged throughout the 2000s by the ludicrous Sunday Telegraph columnist Christopher Booker.
As Wilson points out, we must now be sceptical even of sceptics: deniers of the Holocaust and Srebrenica and climate change and 9/11 and 7/7. These are people who use the language of evidence and objectivity in a scramble for the moral high ground. Yet their florid and bizarre claims are only ever backed up with plaintive cries of 'Open your mind' or 'How do we know?' The pitiful trajectory of David Shayler will serve for all these cases: a former MI5 agent jailed for exposing very real conspiracies, Shayler was reduced to babbling in a Somerset town hall that he was 'God incarnated as spirit and man… Journalists are asked to arrive with an open mind.'
Wilson draws a firm line between scepticism and denial in a paragraph that should be spraypainted in ten-foot letters on the houses of every smug 9/11 lunatic and apologist for fascism:
Sceptics form their beliefs on the basis of concrete facts, and evaluate each piece of evidence on its own merits. Denialists select their facts on the basis of their pre-existing beliefs, and reject evidence that they dislike, or find inconvenient.
There's so much gold in Wilson's book it's hard to pick out specific examples. Wilson explains in a wonderful aside that the brain regenerates itself every seven years – meaning in effect that you will be a completely different person by November 30 2015. He shatters the postmodern paradigm of a Western imperial Enlightenment forced upon complaining natives by discussing the developing world's substantial contributions to science.
But somehow Wilson loses his nerve in his chapter on the millennial con-trick of religion. He doesn't defend its claims about the world (although there was a time when religious apologists did exactly that) rather, he approves of faith as 'wishful thinking, strategically deployed.' Theism is 'a decision to take on, in the apparent absence of compelling evidence either for or against, a set of beliefs that cheer some people up.' All very comforting, but this is just the Straussianism of the neoconservatives that Wilson rails against in his chapters on Iraq. Only Strauss advocated delusion as a means of keeping the masses under control, rather than a positive lifestyle choice.
'If religion is the opium of the people,' Wilson chuckles, 'then most recreational users I know seem to manage their habit fairly comfortably.' There's nothing wrong with lying to yourself to be happy, we all do that from time to time, but there's something shitty and depressing about the argument that we need to keep these noble lies around to prevent us from killing ourselves. It's not true, in any case, and for the life of me I don't understand why advocates of this fashionable pessimism ignore the very real sources of comfort and transcendence in our mortal realm: the appreciation of art and creativity and sport, starting a family, falling in love (which is the defining transcendence for most people).
Wilson also says that 'It's not so much faith in God that is the problem – it's faith in human beings.' Nope: humanity is more worthy of worship than anything. Ideas, as Wilson has shown in his otherwise essential book, are fair game.
Michael Lees slaps down the Sunday Telegraph over its latest claims on asbestos
For the past six years, the Sunday Telegraph's Christopher Booker has been trying to convince the world that white asbestos is harmless, regularly parroting the industry's mantra that the material poses 'no measurable risk to health'.
In his latest article – his 41st on the subject by my count – Booker repeats a number of the false claims he has made in previous pieces, and accuses the BBC of "moral corruption" for giving coverage to the Health and Safety Executive's latest campaign to raise awareness of asbestos hazards among those most at risk. According to Booker:
It was telling that when Radio 4's Today was promoting the HSE's latest fad last week, it should have used Michael Lees, a veteran anti-asbestos campaigner, whose teacher wife died of mesothelioma, to support the claim that ever more teachers are dying from exposure to asbestos in schools.
Yet when the HSE had earlier investigated Mr Lees's claims it found that they were "not borne out by the facts". The mortality rate for female teachers was "in line with the average for the whole of the female population".
Booker had previously described Mr Lees' effort to raise awareness of the risk to teachers from asbestos in schools as "The bizarre death-by-drawing-pin scare".
The Sunday Telegraph usually refuses to publish letters to the editor criticising Booker's bogus claims, but it has recently begun allowing readers to comment on the online versions of his articles. His latest attack has now drawn this response from Michael Lees himself:
Christopher Booker has made statements about asbestos that are either incorrect or misleading as he has failed to understand, or has chosen to put to one side, the science, statistics and facts. What is of concern is that his statements undermine the good work that is being done by those he criticises.
The deaths from mesothelioma are not as he states calculated on "a complex formula based on no fewer than three arbitrary assumptions," for they are based on a simple body count. That count shows that the HSE campaign targeted at the building maintenance trades is totally justified. For more than twenty carpenters, electricians and plumbers dying a week from asbestos exposure cannot be described as "the latest scare," although that is precisely what Mr Booker does. He also equates the BBC report on asbestos in public buildings as being another example of the "moral corruption of the BBC." He should not judge others by his own standards, for the BBC report was well researched and gave a measured, balanced view of the topic while highlighting the very real dangers from deteriorating and damaged asbestos in buildings. His views about chrysotile are not only incorrect but are contrary to all informed opinion, it also appears that he is unaware that crocidolite has been used, and amosite has been extensively used in the internal structure of schools and hospitals, and therefore as the materials have deteriorated over time they represent a very real and increasing risk to the occupants.
He is as wrong now as he was in his column in April 2006 in which he described my wife's death as "bizarre." Not only were his comments distasteful, they were also flawed through lack of the most rudimentary research which in his own words had "taken only seconds to find on the internet." First he raised the matter of the number of asbestos fibres released from displaying the children's work by inserting drawing pins in asbestos insulating board. He quoted then, as he has now from a letter sent to me by the HSE Head of Asbestos Policy. If Mr Booker had cared to spend a few seconds longer in his research, he would have discovered that the Government's Scientific Advisory Committee, WATCH, had dismissed the figures quoted by Mr Booker, for WATCH concluded that the realistic worst case exposure of the teacher would be some 16,000 times greater. I wrote to the editor of the Sunday Telegraph giving the reasons why Mr Booker's statements were incorrect, however my letter was not published.
The second issue raised in 2006 and repeated in Booker's latest column concerns the number of teachers dying from mesothelioma. He has again failed to carry out more than the most superficial research. I would have hoped that, as he makes very public statements based on statistics, he understands Proportional Mortality Ratios (PMR), and that for the period between 1980 and 2000 the PMR of 100 amongst female school teachers shows that their deaths from mesothelioma are three times higher than one would expect in a profession where there should be little or no asbestos exposure. As the HSE Statistics Branch stated in connection with school teachers' deaths "Even if the proportion of mesothelioma deaths amongst teachers was in line with the proportion of females that are teachers one could still draw the conclusion that there are too many deaths among a group which are supposed to have had very little asbestos exposure." Over the years the numbers of school teachers dying from mesothelioma has been steadily increasing with 15 dying in the period 1980 to 1985 with the latest statistics showing that 64 died in the period 2001 to 2005. In my terms that supports the BBC's supposition that even more teachers are dying from mesothelioma.
I would therefore suggest that before Mr Booker passes comment in his column, he considers both the facts and the potential damage that his misleading and incorrect statements will cause.
In his 41st article on the subject, Booker accuses the BBC of "moral corruption" for highlighting the health risks of asbestos
Earlier this week the BBC's Today Programme reported a rise in the number of teachers, doctors and nurses dying from the incurable cancer mesothelioma, having been exposed to asbestos in schools and hospitals. The programme highlighted the case of Mary Artherton, a former nurse who had been diagnosed with the disease after working in three hospitals where asbestos was present.
"I was absolutely horrified when I heard the news", she told the BBC. "I'd nursed people with mesothelioma in the past. I know the prognosis was very poor and it just frightened me, completely."
The BBC had previously highlighted a new campaign by the Health and Safety Executive to raise awareness of the risks of asbestos exposure among plumbers, electricians and other tradespeople:
The HSE says research suggests exposure kills on average six electricians, three plumbers and six joiners every week and it fears those numbers could grow in the future because of complacency.
It believes only one in 10 current tradesmen recognises the danger and is launching a campaign to raise awareness.
The HSE's new campaign was also publicised by the UK's largest cancer charity, Cancer Research UK:
When a person comes into contact with asbestos, they breathe in tiny fibres of the substance and these can irritate and damage the cells lining the lung. Up to 80 per cent of people diagnosed with mesothelioma have been in contact with asbestos, and the risk is greatest among tradesmen who can be exposed to the substance at work. According to the HSE, at least 4,000 people die as a result of asbestos every year. But scientists believe this rate could rise, since people who have been exposed usually do not develop mesothelioma for between 15 and 40 years. The organisation's new campaign, 'Asbestos: The hidden killer', is designed to improve awareness among tradesmen, many of whom underestimate the risk that asbestos still poses despite the ban.
In response to the BBC's coverage, the Sunday Telegraph columnist Christopher Booker has written his 41st article misrepresenting the science around asbestos, and accusing the BBC of "moral corruption" for highlighting the health risks of asbestos exposure:
Last week, the BBC was again publicising the latest scare over asbestos, launched by the Health and Safety Executive and supported by all those who stand to benefit by it, from asbestos removal contractors to ambulance-chasing lawyers (and the trade unions which get £250 for every referral to solicitors specialising in compensation claims).
In the article, Booker also repeats his false claim that the HSE had previously described the risks of white asbestos cement as "insignificant or zero".
In previous articles he has repeatedly misrepresented one paper by two HSE statisticians, Hodgson and Darnton, which he says drew such a conclusion. The editor of the journal which published that study recently commented here that:
"The paper does not say that the risks from asbestos cement are probably insignificant – it uses this phrase for the chrysotile risks at the lowest exposures. At higher (but still low) exposures, the authors gave estimates of lung cancer risk about 30-40 times lower than those from crocidolite, and did not regard this as insignificant..
The 500 times difference… may apply to the relative risk of mesothelioma, a much less important disease than lung cancer in chrysotile exposure…"
Booker's praise for the asbestos industry's answer to "Doctor" Gillian McKeith
In his many Sunday Telegraph articles downplaying or denying the health risks of white asbestos (this latest gem now brings the total to at least 40), Christopher Booker has endorsed the bogus expert John Bridle on at least 13 separate occasions, describing him variously as "UK scientific spokesman for the Asbestos Cement Product Producers Association", "an experienced South Wales surveyor and qualified chemist", "a scientifically trained surveyor", "a fully-qualified expert", "our expert John Bridle", "the asbestos expert John Bridle", "one of the country's leading asbestos experts", "a genuine asbestos expert"…
…an "honorary professor" of the "Russian Occupational Health Institute, part of the Russian Academy of Sciences", "John Bridle of Asbestos Watchdog, the firm launched through this column to fight the nationwide racket", "Professor John Bridle of Asbestos Watchdog, the firm set up with the aid of this column to puncture the bubble of hysteria surrounding asbestos", and "Professor John Bridle, Britain's leading practical asbestos expert", (see also here and here for more references).
Click here for more background on "Professor" John Bridle's links to the asbestos industry.
Booker has also stated, falsely, that the UK government's Health and Safety Executive "fully supports what Asbestos Watchdog is doing", that the HSE is "closely collaborating" with John Bridle, and that the agency has given Bridle its "official support".
When, in 2006, the BBC's You and Yours programme ran an investigation exposing John Bridle's bogus claims, highlighting his 2005 trades descriptions conviction for making false assertions about his qualifications, and accusing him of "lies","self-aggrandizement" and running "unaccredited tests", Christopher Booker was outraged – and perhaps also a little embarrassed.
Before the programme had even been broadcast, Booker was denouncing the BBC through his Sunday Telegraph column, accusing them of falling for "distortions and untruths", and being part of a "concerted move by the powerful 'anti-asbestos lobby' to silence Bridle".
According to Booker:
Some charges are laughable, such as that Bridle falsely claims to have been made in 2005 an honorary professor of the prestigious Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. Confirmed by the academy's official certificate, this was widely reported in Russia at the time as the first occasion on which anyone had been so honoured.
In reality, the BBC made no such allegation. The programme-makers in fact noted that Bridle had produced a certificate from an institution calling itself the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences which named him an "honorary professor". What they took issue with was Bridle's claim that this little-known organisation was in any way connected to the internationally-renowned Russian Academy of Sciences – and with Bridle's repeated assertions that his honorary professorship was from this similarly-named yet wholly separate body.
Booker also claimed that:
The BBC charges [Bridle] with falsely claiming to have advised the Conservative Party leadership.
Yet in 2002 when, after a briefing from Bridle, Iain Duncan Smith, then the party's leader, wrote to the Government asking for the regulations to be delayed until they could be debated by Parliament, Bridle (and I) gave extensive written and verbal briefings to John Bercow, the front-bench Tory spokesman who led the debate, as You and Yours could have confirmed by consulting Hansard.
In reality, again, the BBC did not actually say this. The programme-makers not only made it clear that Bridle had briefed John Bercow – they carried an interview with Bercow in which he made it clear that he now believed that Bridle had seriously misled him. What Bercow himself took issue with in the programme was the claim that the Conservative front bench was, or had ever been, a "client" of John Bridle. Bercow described this claim as "wrong, far-fetched and misleading".
The following week, Booker wrote that:
As a vicious hatchet job, the BBC did everything that the "anti-asbestos lobby" could have wanted. With a fine array of selective evidence, distortion and misquotation, it chose all the right interviewees to blacken Bridle's character unmercifully.
In his 2007 book "Scared to Death" (co-authored with Richard North), Booker devotes a whole chapter to asbestos, and continues his attack on the BBC over its exposé of John Bridle, describing the programme as a "farrago of make believe", and a "carefully-planned operation to discredit him" based on "hearsay evidence given by Bridle's enemies".
While Booker makes the most of John Bercow's "trenchant speech" in Parliament in 2002 (following a briefing from John Bridle), he chooses not to tell his readers that, by 2006, Bercow had come to a very different view, and had actually been one of the BBC's key sources in its exposé of Bridle's bogus claims.
According to Booker:
Bridle was legally advised that, although the programme was blatantly defamatory, to sue the BBC for libel would be a gamble. With a bottomless purse of licence-payers' money, its lawyers could afford to run up the costs to such an astronomic level that, on a limited budget, he would find it hard to stay in the game. More effective, he was advised, would be first to mount a complaint to the broadcasting regulator Ofcom, on the grounds that the BBC had broken pretty well every professional rule in the book…
A formal complaint was duly lodged. For months, the BBC continued to spin out the resulting exchanges. By the time this book went to press, Ofcom had not yet given its verdict.
According to John Bridle, the Chrysotile Institute, an asbestos industry funded lobby group, was so pleased with this particular chapter of "Scared to Death" that it "arranged with the book's publishers for the right to reprint the section of the book covering the asbestos story".
Earlier this year, Ofcom gave its verdict on the BBC's investigation:
This edition of "You and Yours" included a report on Professor John Bridle, who it introduced with the words: "the man behind Asbestos Watchdog who claims to have saved people millions of pounds, but the claims about himself are littered with lies". The programme stated that Professor Bridle, an asbestos surveyor, portrayed himself as "the world's foremost authority on asbestos science". The programme claimed that Professor Bridle's views on the safety of one type of asbestos were contrary to those held by the British Government, the Health and Safety Executive and the World Health Organisation, among others. The programme also questioned Professor Bridle's credentials and expertise in testing for the presence of asbestos.
Professor Bridle complained to Ofcom that he was treated unfairly in the programme as broadcast in that he was unfairly portrayed as a liar and charlatan; his expertise and qualifications were questioned along with his business credentials; it alleged, wrongly, that he carried out unauthorised white asbestos "testing" and that he had claimed that asbestos posed no measurable risk to health; and, it failed to include "evidence" provided by him that offset the criticisms made in the programme.
Ofcom found as follows:
Ofcom considered that the programme makers took reasonable care to satisfy themselves that the information presented in the programme relating to Professor Bridle's expertise, qualifications, business practices and his claims about testing asbestos had not been presented in a way that was unfair to Professor Bridle. Nor had relevant information been omitted or ignored. Professor Bridle had been offered an opportunity to contribute. Ofcom therefore found no unfairness to Professor Bridle in the programme as broadcast.
Booker struggles on through the blizzard of facts…
Today's Sunday Telegraph has yet another article from Christopher Booker on white asbestos, in which he endorses John Bridle, and repeats his bogus scientific claims.
Booker today states that white asbestos when mixed with cement is "quite harmless because the fibres locked in the cement cannot escape in respirable form", this was looked at in detail by the Health and Safety Executive last year (see: link). The HSE concluded that:
"As would be expected in a sample of asbestos cement most of the chrysotile fibres were encapsulated in the cement matrix, often as quite large fibre bundles which are clearly visible to the eye.
When the cement is broken or crushed the chrysotile fibres are released from the cement. The fibres released were examined by analytical transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to determine whether they had been altered and were no longer identifiable as chrysotile asbestos….
The analysis carried out showed that the asbestos cement contained fibres of chrysotile asbestos and released chrysotile asbestos fibres to air when sufficiently disturbed…
Claims being made in Internet articles and in some sections of the newspaper industry are not supported by this investigation."
Campaigners warn of "asbestos timebomb" in India
From the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat.
Report warns India is "on the cusp of a devastating asbestos cancer epidemic"
Record and rising asbestos imports to India will translate to thousands of asbestos-related cancer deaths each year and are already responsible for "a hidden epidemic," an expert report has revealed. Exposing the Indian Government's collusion with asbestos stakeholders at home and abroad, the authors call for an immediate national ban on all asbestos use.
"India's Asbestos Time Bomb," published today (September 25, 2008) by a coalition of Asian campaign and research organisations, global union federations and the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS), calculates that total asbestos usage in India since 1980 exceeds 6 million tonnes, matching the amount used in the UK in its entire industrial history. India is far and away the world's largest importer of asbestos.
"The UK is now in the grip of its largest ever industrial disease epidemic, with between 5,000 and 10,000 estimated to be dying of asbestos cancers every year," says report editor Laurie Kazan-Allen. "India, with ineffective regulation on asbestos use, is on the verge of a much larger and more devastating epidemic. Because it can take 30 years or more for asbestos-related cancers to emerge, India faces an inevitable and sharp escalation in cancer cases over the next three decades. No one is safe!"
Annual imports of asbestos to India now exceed a quarter of a million tonnes, and have climbed rapidly over the last decade. "We estimate asbestos cancers already claim thousands of lives each year in India, but this will certainly exceed 10,000 cases a year by 2040," says Kazan-Allen. "This will put an incredible strain on families, communities and India's medical system.
A hidden epidemic exists due to medical ignorance and government intransigence; in light of the dearth of serious measures to alert workers and consumers of the asbestos hazard, things can only get worse. India does not have a national cancer registry or any system to record asbestos cancers or asbestos exposures, so the problem remains unrecognised and unaddressed. But instead of acting to remedy these failings, the report warns that India is actively encouraging asbestos use, both at home and globally.
India, working closely with asbestos stakeholders in Canada, has been instrumental in blocking a United Nations move to impose health information disclosures on exports of chrysotile asbestos. When the UN next considers applying global right-to-know rules on chrysotile at its Rotterdam Convention meeting in Rome this October, it is likely that both nations will again move to veto any effort to require exporters to warn of the risks posed by using chrysotile asbestos.
"There is an unimaginable and unconscionable level of ignorance of the asbestos hazard in India, a situation that is a great boon to Indian asbestos companies that are benefiting from huge levels of economic growth," says IBAS's Laurie Kazan-Allen. "The government is a willing conspirator in this state of affairs, with devastating consequences for the health of its citizens. But politicians and asbestos peddlers should take heed – we aim to see the industry wither and die and its apologists face the courts for knowingly and in the name of profit pushing the world's worst ever industrial killer."
Telegraph publishes 39th article parroting corporate pseudoscience on asbestos
Over the past six-and-half years, the Sunday Telegraph journalist Christopher Booker has written at least 38 articles in which he downplays the dangers of asbestos.
Booker's initial claim, back in 2002, was that white asbestos had, 'by one of the most unfortunate sleights of hand in scientific history', been subjected to the same 'demonisation' as the lethal blue and brown varieties, 'just because it shares the same name'. The 'soft, silky fibres' of white asbestos, Booker explained, were 'chemically identical to talcum powder'.
Booker's claims are strikingly similar to those of the asbestos industry, which for years has been fighting off compensation claims, and lobbying for prohibitions on white asbestos to be eased. One of his main sources has been John Bridle, a South Wales businessman with links to the industry-funded 'Chrysotile Institute', who in 2005 was convicted under the Trade Descriptions Act of making false claims about his professional qualifications.
Booker first described John Bridle as 'UK scientific spokesman for the Asbestos Cement Product Producers Association'. By 2003, he was 'one of the country's leading asbestos experts'. By 2006 he was 'Prof John Bridle', 'Britain's leading practical asbestos expert', and a 'knowledgeable and brave whistleblower', who had helped to expose a conspiracy by French and Belgian asbestos-replacement manufacturers to scare the public into removing white asbestos from their homes on the basis of a 'non-existent risk'.
But a 2006 investigation by the BBC's You and Yours programme accused John Bridle of basing his reputation on 'lies about his credentials, unaccredited tests, and self aggrandisement'.
Far from posing 'no measurable risk to health', white asbestos is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a 'group one carcinogen'. Based on a series of peer-reviewed studies, the British government, the European Union, the World Health Organisation and the World Trade Organisation all believe that white asbestos is unsafe, and dangerous to health. Even now, asbestos in its various forms is thought to be responsible for nearly 4,000 deaths in the UK each year.
See Miningwatch: "Refuting Industry Claims That Chrysotile Asbestos Is Safe".
…and the UK Health and Safety Executive: "HSE confirms white asbestos remains a threat".
This week, the Guardian's George Monbiot ran a damning exposé of Booker's "dangerous misinformation" on asbestos – and global warming, highlighting his promotion of the bogus 'expert' John Bridle and his misrepresenting of peer-reviewed scientific research in support of his claims.
In response, the Sunday Telegraph has today published yet more bogus scientific claims from Christopher Booker. Booker alleges that the risk from white asbestos cement is insignificant because 'fibres cannot physically be released from the cement in the "respirable" form that can damage human lungs'.
This claim was examined in detail in an investigation by the UK government's Health and Safety Laboratory (part of the Health and Safety Executive), in November 2007. The HSL found that:
The analysis carried out showed that the asbestos cement contained fibres of chrysotile asbestos and released chrysotile asbestos fibres to air when sufficiently disturbed…
Claims being made in Internet articles and in some sections of the newspaper industry are not supported by this investigation.
Epidemiology has shown that chrysotile is a human carcinogen. Animal experiments have shown no evidence that the chrysotile asbestos extracted from the weathered surface of A/C products is less carcinogenic than UICC standard chrysotile asbestos…
According to a survey released earlier this year by the British Lung Foundation, less than a third of workers such as builders, plumbers and carpenters – those most at risk of disturbing absestos materials through their work – were aware that asbestos exposure can cause cancer. Just over one in ten knew that it could kill them.
In this context, for the Sunday Telegraph to publish 39 separate articles misrepresenting the science seems both naive and irresponsible.
It's difficult to know what's driving Booker's determination to spread misinformation on this life-and-death health issue, or what it will take to get him to stop. But the dangers seem quite clear.
More on Booker's bogus claims about asbestos
Alongside his more grandiose claims about the "magic mineral" (which I highlight in detail in "Don't Get Fooled Again"), Sunday Telegraph columnist Christopher Booker has repeatedly alleged – echoing John Bridle – that white asbestos (chrysotile) cement is safe because the toxic fibres cannot physically be released from the cement in a "respirable" form.
This claim was examined in detail in a lab investigation by the Health and Safety Executive, in November 2007. The HSL found that:
As would be expected in a sample of asbestos cement most of the chrysotile fibres were encapsulated in the cement matrix, often as quite large fibre bundles which are clearly visible to the eye.
When the cement is broken or crushed the chrysotile fibres are released from the cement. The fibres released were examined by analytical transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to determine whether they had been altered and were no longer identifiable as chrysotile asbestos….
The analysis carried out showed that the asbestos cement contained fibres of chrysotile asbestos and released chrysotile asbestos fibres to air when sufficiently disturbed…
Claims being made in Internet articles and in some sections of the newspaper industry are not supported by this investigation.
Epidemiology has shown that chrysotile is a human carcinogen. Animal experiments have shown no evidence that the chrysotile asbestos extracted from the weathered surface of A/C products is less carcinogenic than UICC standard chrysotile asbestos…
See also: "Booker's 38 bogus claims promoting white asbestos", and "Bridle unbuttoned".
Booker's false claims (42 articles and counting) downplaying the risks of white asbestos
UPDATE – When I originally wrote this blog post I knew of 38 articles by Booker on this subject. He's done at least 4 more since, bringing the total now to 42 and counting…
Poll: Is it right for the Sunday Telegraph to mislead the British public about the health risks of asbestos?
So what can you say about a man who makes the same mistake 38 times? Who, when confronted by a mountain of evidence demonstrating that his informant is a charlatan convicted under the Trade Descriptions Act, continues to repeat his claims? Who elevates the untested claims of bloggers above peer-reviewed papers? Who sticks to his path through a blizzard of facts? What should we deduce about the Sunday Telegraph's columnist Christopher Booker? – George Monbiot, Guardian
In "Don't Get Fooled Again" I highlight the false claims made by Christopher Booker in downplaying the health risks of white asbestos.
I thought it might be useful to post a comprehensive list of those articles here. My particular favourite is the frankly surreal (and yes, false) claim that white asbestos is "chemically identical to talcum powder", which even made it into a Parliamentary question back in 2002. The claim was later regurgitated in this industry press release, and repeated again on John Bridle's website here.
Striking, too is Booker's frequent repetition of the asbestos industry's non-denial-denial that their product poses "no measurable risk to health".
See also Miningwatch: "Refuting Industry Claims That Chrysotile Asbestos Is Safe" and the HSE: "HSE confirms white asbestos remains a threat".
1. C. Booker, 'Billions to be spent on nonexistent risk', Sunday Telegraph, 13 January 2002 –
2. C. Booker, '"Unnecessary" asbestos bill will top £8bn', Telegraph, 27 January 2002, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1382802/Christopher-Bookers-Notebook.html
3. C. Booker, 'The great asbestos cull begins', Sunday Telegraph,
10 February 2002,
4. C. Booker, 'Substance abuse', Sunday Telegraph, 3 March 2002,
5. C. Booker, 'Asbestos claims on trial', Sunday Telegraph, 21 April 2002,
6. C. Booker, 'Asbestos scare costs homeowners millions', Sunday Telegraph, 19 May 2002,
7. C. Booker, 'Scaremongers cost industry billions', Sunday Telegraph, 30 June 2002,
8. C. Booker, 'No ceiling to the asbestos scam', Sunday Telegraph, 18 August 2002,
9. C. Booker, 'Tories challenge "sneaky" asbestos legislation', Sunday Telegraph, 25 August 2002, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1405310/Christopher-Bookers-Notebook.html
10. C. Booker, 'Our costliest law must wait', Sunday Telegraph, 8 September 2002,
11. C. Booker, 'The $350bn scam', Sunday Telegraph, 15 September 2002,
12. C. Booker, 'We put the brake on the costliest law in British history', Sunday Telegraph, 20 October 2002, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1410696/Christopher-Bookers-Notebook.html
13. C. Booker, 'Commons drubbing fails to stop our costliest statute', Sunday Telegraph, 27 October 2002, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1411381/Christopher-Bookers-Notebook.html
14. C. Booker, 'A blast from Burchill', Sunday Telegraph, 10 November 2002,
15. C. Booker, 'Smallholders lumbered with petty regulation', Sunday Telegraph, 17 November 2002,
16. C. Booker, 'HSE blunders in new law', Sunday Telegraph, 7 December 2002,
17. C. Booker, 'How much longer will the HSE tolerate this racket?', Sunday Telegraph, 16 February 2003, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1422214/Christopher-Bookers-Notebook.html
18. C. Booker, 'Home "written off" in mix-up over asbestos', Sunday Telegraph, 9 November 2003,
19. C. Booker, 'The BBC helps to sex up the asbestos threat', Sunday Telegraph, 1 February 2004,
20. C. Booker, 'Let's not spend £8bn to get rid of this stuff ', Sunday Telegraph, 16 May 2004,
21. C. Booker, 'Keep the asbestos hysteria flying', Sunday Telegraph, 23 May 2004,
22. C. Booker, 'EC offices get a clean bill of health – for £1bn', Sunday Telegraph, 8 August 2004,
23. C. Booker, 'HSE has second thoughts on asbestos rip-off ', Sunday Telegraph, 13 November 2004,
24. C. Booker, '"Frivolous asbestos claims" are a serious matter for Names', Sunday Telegraph, 20 February 2005 – no longer
available on the Telegraph's website at the time of writing. A pay-for-view version is archived here: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8928598.html
25. C. Brooker, 'A dangerous level of asbestos inexpertise', Sunday Telegraph, 10 October 2005,
26. C. Booker, 'Fatal cracks appear in asbestos scam as HSE shifts its ground', Sunday Telegraph, 11 December 2005,
27. C. Booker, 'No, Winifred, the "asbestos in the organ" scam is not "very rare"', Sunday Telegraph, 15 January 2006,
28. C. Booker, 'Environment Agency shows its asbestos ignorance', Sunday Telegraph, 5 February 2006,
29. C. Booker, 'The bizarre death-by-drawing-pin scare', Sunday Telegraph, 9 April 2006,
30. C. Booker, 'The Environment Agency turns a livelihood to rubble', Sunday Telegraph, 16 April 2006,
31. C. Booker, 'The asbestos sting goes on', Sunday Telegraph, 25 June 2006,
32. C. Booker, 'When we are dead and buried we will be hazardous waste', Sunday Telegraph, 16 July 2006,
33. C. Booker, 'Great asbestos scam faces a revenue loss of £½bn a year', Sunday Telegraph, 6 August 2006,
34. C. Booker, 'The BBC falls for the asbestos scam', Sunday Telegraph, 15 October 2006,
35. C. Booker, 'Why would the BBC have a go at the asbestos watchdog?', Sunday Telegraph, 21 October 2006, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1532048/Christopher-Bookers-Notebook.html
36. C. Booker, 'BBC bites watchdog again', Sunday Telegraph, 2 December 2006,
37. C. Booker, 'Asbestos – The most expensive word in history' – Daily Telegraph, 6 November 2007 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2007/11/06/eaasbes106.xml
38. C. Booker, 'Farmers face £6bn bill for asbestos clean-up', Sunday Telegraph, 25 May 2008 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/05/25/do2502.xml
UPDATE – here are a few more:
39. C. Booker, 'The great moonbat is the one who's spreading "misinformation" about asbestos', Sunday Telegraph, 28 September 2008 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/christopherbooker/3562445/Carbon-capture-is-not-here-yet.html
40. C. Booker, 'White asbestos proved fatal for their livelihood", Sunday Telegraph, 19 October 2008 http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/sunday-telegraph-the-london-uk/mi_8064/is_20081019/white-asbestos-proved-fatal-livelihood/ai_n46519650/
41. C. Booker, 'The BBC keeps the asbestos scare flying', Sunday Telegraph, 2 November 2008, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/christopherbooker/3563191/Climate-Change-Bill-makes-chilling-reading.html
42. C. Booker, 'The Great Asbestos Hysteria', Daily Mail, 23 February 2010 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1253022/The-Great-Asbestos-Hysteria-How-man-claims-BBC-profiteering-firms-politicians-grossly-exaggerated-dangers.html
Booker unbridled…
From George Monbiot's latest column in The Guardian:
So what can you say about a man who makes the same mistake 38 times? Who, when confronted by a mountain of evidence demonstrating that his informant is a charlatan convicted under the Trade Descriptions Act, continues to repeat his claims? Who elevates the untested claims of bloggers above peer-reviewed papers? Who sticks to his path through a blizzard of facts? What should we deduce about the Sunday Telegraph's columnist Christopher Booker?
This week Richard Wilson's book Don't Get Fooled Again is published. It contains a fascinating chapter on Booker's claims about white asbestos. Since 2002, he has published 38 articles on this topic, and every one of them is wrong. He champions the work of John Bridle, who has described himself as "the world's foremost authority on asbestos science". Bridle has claimed to possess an honorary professorship from the Russian Academy of Sciences, to be a consultant to an institute at the University of Glamorgan, the chief asbestos consultant for an asbestos centre in Lisbon, and a consultant to Vale of Glamorgan trading standards department. None of these claims is true. Neither the institute at the University of Glamorgan nor the centre in Lisbon have ever existed. His only relationship with the Glamorgan trading standards department is to have been successfully prosecuted by it for claiming a qualification he does not possess.
None of this deters Mr Booker. Armed with Bridle's claims, for the past six years he has waged a campaign against asbestos science. White asbestos cement, he maintains "poses no measurable risk to health". He contends that "not a single case" of mesothelioma – the cancer caused by exposure to asbestos – "has ever been scientifically linked with asbestos cement". A paper commissioned by the UK's Health and Safety Executive, he says, "concluded that the risk from white asbestos is 'virtually zero'".
Booker tells me he has read this paper. Oh yes? The term he quotes – "virtually zero" – does not appear in it. It does show that white asbestos (chrysotile) is less dangerous than brown or blue asbestos. But, while there is uncertainty about the numbers, it still presents a risk of mesothelioma, which depends on the level of exposure. People exposed to a high dose (between 10 and 100 fibres per millilitre per year (f/ml.yr)) have a risk (around two deaths per 100,000 for each f/ml.yr) of contracting this cancer. Only when the dose falls to less than 0.1 f/ml.yr does it become "probably insignficant". But Booker's columns contain no such caveat. He creates the impression that white asbestos is safe at all doses. The paper he misquotes also cites five scientific studies of exposure to asbestos cement, which record "high levels of mesothelioma mortality".
Two years ago, John Bridle's misleading CV and dodgy record were exposed by the BBC's You and Yours programme. So the BBC immediately became part of the conspiracy: in Booker's words "a concerted move by the powerful 'anti-asbestos lobby' to silence Bridle". He suggested that the broadcasting regulator Ofcom would clear Bridle's name. In June this year it threw out Bridle's complaint and published evidence even more damning than that contained in the programme. So has Booker changed the way he sees "Britain's leading practical asbestos expert"? Far from it. He tells me that "my view of Ofcom has plummeted": it too has joined the conspiracy.
We are not talking about trivia here. This is a matter of life and death. How many people might have been exposed to dangerous levels of asbestos dust as a result of reading and believing Booker's columns?
Radio days
I've had an interesting few days doing radio interviews about "Don't Get Fooled Again" – starting on Thursday with BBC Radio Oxford, Ireland's RTE, and Talk 107 in Edinburgh, looking at some of the 911 conspiracy theories. The same day I did a pre-record interview for BBC Shropshire, due to be broadcast in a couple of weeks, and spoke to Radio Europe Mediterraneo, who had also featured Titanic Express when it came out on 2006. Then on Friday morning I had a chat with the very affable Tom Dunne on Newstalk Ireland.
But the highlight so far was Saturday's interview on Talksport with George Galloway, who said some very nice things about the book, and who talked about the headaches he's had with conspiracy theorists who accuse him of being a Zionist stooge, and of making secret Masonic signals during his TV appearances. We also discussed Iraq, Weapons of Mass Destruction, the ease with which corporate-funded pseudo-scientists can get their bogus ideas into the media, and the general problem of 'pseudo-news'.
The full interview can be heard roughly one hour into the show via this link.
Bridle unbuttoned… Ofcom's damning ruling against bogus expert who claimed white asbestos posed 'no measurable risk to health'
For a number of years, a businessman with links to the asbestos industry, calling himself "Professor" John Bridle has been trying to convince the world that white asbestos poses 'no measurable risk to health'.
In October 2006, the BBC's You and Yours programme ran an exposé of Bridle and his claims, accusing him of "lies","self-aggrandizement" and running unaccredited tests on asbestos samples on the basis of his purported expertise. Following a complaint by Bridle, the broadcasting regulator Ofcom carried out a detailed review of the programme's claims. Their findings (see pp45-63 of this pdf), issued earlier this year, make for damning reading:
This edition of "You and Yours" included a report on Professor John Bridle, who it introduced with the words: "the man behind Asbestos Watchdog who claims to have saved people millions of pounds, but the claims about himself are littered with lies". The programme stated that Professor Bridle, an asbestos surveyor, portrayed himself as "the world's foremost authority on asbestos science". The programme claimed that Professor Bridle's views on the safety of one type of asbestos were contrary to those held by the British Government, the Health and Safety Executive and the World Health Organisation, among others. The programme also questioned Professor Bridle's credentials and expertise in testing for the presence of asbestos.
Professor Bridle complained to Ofcom that he was treated unfairly in the programme as broadcast in that he was unfairly portrayed as a liar and charlatan; his expertise and qualifications were questioned along with his business credentials; it alleged, wrongly, that he carried out unauthorised white asbestos "testing" and that he had claimed that asbestos posed no measurable risk to health; and, it failed to include "evidence" provided by him that offset the criticisms made in the programme.
Ofcom found as follows:
Ofcom considered that the programme makers took reasonable care to satisfy themselves that the information presented in the programme relating to Professor Bridle's expertise, qualifications, business practices and his claims about testing asbestos had not been presented in a way that was unfair to Professor Bridle. Nor had relevant information been omitted or ignored. Professor Bridle had been offered an opportunity to contribute. Ofcom therefore found no unfairness to Professor Bridle in the programme as broadcast.
In "Don't Get Fooled Again" I take a close look at John Bridle's claims, and at his success in persuading some parts of the media to take them seriously.


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Here's our eighth holiday pin for you to re-pin on Pinterest. Keep re-pinning every day and enter here for your chance to win Straight No Chaser merchandise throughout the holiday season!
Today's Straight No Chaser Holiday Pin: Wine Cork Ornaments
What You'll Need:
Several wine corks (you can find these at craft stores)
Hot glue gun
Paper covered wire
Buttons or a small bead for Rudolph's nose.
Wiggly eyes
Christmas Tree – You'll need 7 corks (this depends on how large you want the tree to be). Cut one of the corks in half to make a tree stump.


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5510 Scarff Rd, New Carlisle, OH 45344
Contact Mrs. Gerry Anne Rocco
Beautiful custom home with 5000 sq ft of living area and 5 car garage on 2 acres of woods and perennial gardens. 4 bedroom/bath suites, '08 kitchen with KraftMaid cabinets, quartz counter tops and built in appliances. Adjoining glassed in breakfast room, 2 large walk in pantries, screened porch & 2 story family room overlooking grounds. 23x21 living room, dining with stone fireplace. Pella casement windows offer a view from every room. Twelve controlled heating zones, 3 Lennox air conditioners, radon mitigation system, Aqua Systems water conditioner, central vacuum, security system, Generac 1500 watt generator, Coate 1500 gal septic tank, outdoor lighting, leaf free gutter system & invisible fence. This spacious home has been designed with large hallways,skylights & 2 staircases to each level.It has been updated & continually maintained with spaces for privacy or group gatherings & is conveniently located in Bethel Township 20 minutes to Dayton, Springfield & the Fairfield Common Mall.


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ABS-CBN's talent show "Showtime" will be back on the air as the network's newest noontime program with a slightly new name, "It's Showtime." After two years of being a morning Kapamilya favorite, "It's Showtime" will be ABS-CBN's newest noontime program effective Monday, February 6 (replacing Happy Yipee Yehey!).
In a statement from Bong Osorio, Corporate Communications Head of ABS-CBN, it was disclosed that the morning show will move to the noontime block. The show will still be hosted by Vhong Navarro, Anne Curtis, Billy Crawford, Karylle, Kim Atienza, Teddy Corpuz, Jugs Jugueta, and comedian Vice Ganda. Also joining the show are "Showtime's" favorite judges Jhong Hilario, Coleen Garcia, and Ryan Bang.


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Nat. Champs 2004 :
|Congratulations to
Alastair Warnock - British Open Sculling Champion
Lindsay Dick - British Women's Sculling Champion
Daniel Prescott - Silver medallist in Junior U15 Sculls.
Sunday results here.
British Champion Lindsay Dick of Glasgow Rowing Club
being presented with her medal by Club President Ronnie Goldie.
|Newspaper articles;
The Herald
The Daily Telegraph
(both 19/7/2004)
(Photos: Nature's Images - click on these to go to the larger versions.)


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Saturday is a celebration for two groups hoping to put an end to the violence on Kansas City's streets.
"Celebrating our year of anti-violence efforts so far. We've had over 500 community people come out and participate with us, walking, telling neighbors about violence prevention and how it's everyone's responsibility," said Stacey Daniels-Young, the director COMBAT.
Young said the anti-drug, anti-violence group has been canvassing neighborhoods all over Jackson County this year urging people to step up and speak up. Saturday's picnic at Central Park was a thank you to everyone who has helped.
"Law enforcement can't do the job alone. We can't put an officer on every corner. Without citizen help, we can't solve as many crimes," said Jackson County Sheriff Mike Sharp.
Stacey Odum's son was murdered in 2011. His killer was never caught. She came to the COMBAT celebration hoping to start her grandkids on a path of non-violence.
"I know people know what happened. I'm here to try to make a difference. I have grandkids and a daughter and nephews. I want them to live to be a prosperous age and not see something happen to them or their kids," she said.
Daniels-Young said it's tragic to see violence like Friday night's double homicide at 55th Street and Wabash Avenue, an area that was canvassed about a week ago.
"Little baby walking around. The whole idea of why you would kill a kid, that's why we are out here. We know that by us being done with canvassing, it doesn't solve anything, we just have to get more and more people out to change the hearts of people who would do that sort of thing," she said.
Just a few blocks away at Ashland Park, the 24th Street Non-Violent Marchers gathered to stop violence in their neighborhood.
"The event started 10 years ago when my grandson died. Since then I've had another grandson murdered," said Joyce Riley, the president of East 23rd Street Neighborhood Association and founder of the 24th Street Non-Violent Marchers.
Riley said something as simple as knowing your neighbors can go a long way towards reducing crime.
"It brings the people together, the neighborhood together and we're doing much better," she said. "We're saving one child at a time."
Copyright 2013 KCTV (Meredith Corp.) All rights reserved.


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A new email scam reels recipients in with claims that the sender is a military officer and needs help safekeeping two trunks that need to be sent to the U.S.
Attorney General Jim Hood says the unsolicited email targets consumers and businesses. The sender of the email claims to be a military officer who has two military trunk boxes that just arrived in America and needs help with safekeeping.
The alleged military officer claims to have $40 million in the trunks and needs an address within the Unites States to send the money to until he returns. The email continues to ask the recipient for various types of information such as who their employer is, marriage status and a request for a copy of a form of identification.
An investigator with the Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney General's Office has confirmed this email is a scam that is originating overseas.
"Scam artists will use the names of respected military personnel and organizations to lure consumers into thinking they are helping someone in our military or a trusted entity, when in fact the scammer is actually asking for your information they can use to engage in various scams such as sending you counterfeit checks, postal money orders or stealing your identity" said Attorney General Hood.
Bogus phone calls and emails are constantly surfacing. The Attorney General offers some basic tips to help keep you from becoming a victim of these or similar scams:
"Because of this, we continue to urge consumers to use caution before acting on unsolicited emails, voice mails, text messages or phone calls requesting personal information and/or money. Educating consumers is one of the most important actions we can take to combat scams."
Anyone who suspects they have been a victim of this scam or any other should contact the Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney General's Office at 1-800-281-4418.
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Shedding light on the Old Star pub (From Northwich Guardian)
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Shedding light on the Old Star pub
12:01pm Wednesday 22nd January 2014 in Letters
JUST a note of appreciation for Paul Hurley's excellent series of articles about our old hostelries.
Last week he wrote about The Old Star, Swanlow Lane, Winsford.
Readers might like to know that this public house is one of the oldest in the area.
It was known as The Starr as early as the 1780s when owned by the Tomkinson family of Bostock Hall and occupied by Mr Darlington.
The premises are recorded as an ale house over 60 years before that, when it was occupied by Thomas Holbrook.
No doubt it has its origins even earlier and therefore to have been a popular haunt and serving the local community for at least three centuries – and long may it remain so.
Tony Bostock
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Sumter County - He was part of a protest at Ft. Benning earlier this year. Nash Chantal says he jumped the fence at Ft. Benning during a protest on the School of Americas. He says Latin Americans are being forced off their land he wants it to stop. "We have to keep on working on it and one way I work on it, that's why I jumped the fence to show attention to Latin America and to help them out in some way," says Chantal.
Tonight, Chantal, also known as Nash the peace clown , is tying up loose ends before he has to leave for Yazoo Federal Prison in Mississippi.
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Reviews for Lonely GirlPerformed by Sandi Thom
Related: Sandi Thom Biography Sandi Thom Albums Sandi Thom Lyrics
Review about Lonely Girl
------Performed by Sandi Thom | 05/25/2007 11:00:00 AM
I really like all the songs on the Smile It Confuses People album, and this one's very descriptive and conjures up a vivid picture of the figure in it. HOWEVER - Whoever put the lyrics down for it on here may have misheard them a bit. Surely it's "Oh what a lonely girl"...
Also does'nt it sound more like: She can captivate you with her eyes, but she'll never let you in" Does that make more sense to anyone???
Thanks to Pauline for submitting the review.


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Severe depression - probably had a murder-suicide plan, but didn't commit the suicide part of the plan. Can't imagine how the brain functions like that to allow her to commit those acts.
Illuminator is a good poster. He sticks to his guns and makes good points. Some don\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'t like that.
I've been all over crazy land and know it well. It's very unusual for a woman to kill her teenage children, but this has all the hallmarks of a "family annihilator." Most of the time they're men, and when it is a woman, usually the children are still very young. At its root, this is a boundary issue. People with a distorted sense of self use outside sources to define to themselves who they are. They may see their children not as separate people but as an extension of themselves. When they turn their fury inwards and feel like they must annihilate themselves to alleviate the pain, doing away with the extended self would be the first step in that process. They can not picture their children as having an existence without them.And that's about the most over-simplified, chopped up explanation I've ever seen.


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Over 70 pages of Step by step information on how you can get through the most common emergencies that we face today.
How to survive in place in your home, condo, apartment, trailer, or where ever you live during a storm, power outage or any number of other common emergencies. Complete list of Items you should have at home all the time.
What to do if you end up Stranded on a back road during a storm, what should you have in your vehicle at all times, and all the other information you'll need to get through the incident.
What happens when you only have 3 minutes to evacuate where you live for whatever reason ! Flood, storm, wildfire,hazardous incident. Will you be ready to go. How do you get yourself ready for these incidents.
This is NOT a book on how to build shelters in the wilderness, or how to live on bugs.
This is valuable information that will help save your life or a family members life during an emergency. You can't get all this information at a price like this anywhere else !


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Just last week, it seemed that the scudetto was already in the hands of Juventus. But thanks to a horrific blunder by Gigi Buffon, Andrea Bertolacci equalised for Lecce. Meanwhile, Milan managed a 2-0 win over Atalanta, bringing the rossoneri back to within one point of the title. Juve could still clinch by the end of the weekend, but it's harder going now.
Meanwhile, the race for third has thinned a bit, with Napoli and Udinese the only two sharing that coveted spot. But if either slip, both Lazio and Inter are still waiting for their chance at the Champions League.
Saturday, May 5
Lecce v Fiorentina (18:00 CET/12:00 ET)
This match really shouldn't matter. 42 points should be enough to keep the Viola safe. Yet if both Lecce and Genoa win their final two matches, that could leave Fiorentina, Lecce, and Palermo all sitting on 42 points (Cagliari is there now, too, but their final match is against Fiorentina so we're assuming they take those three points). I'd love to explain to you what happens if three clubs end up in the final relegation zone spot, but my head hurts enough already. A Viola win would really help with my sanity.
Pick: Lecce 0-0 Fiorentina
AS Roma v Catania (20:45 CET/14:45 ET)
Both these clubs thought they were making a run for Europe. But Catania's injury struggles saw them drop to tenth last week, while Roma are officially out of the Champions League hunt. Two final wins could see them enter the Europa League again, but considering this season's experience, bowing out to Slovan Bratislava, the giallorossi don't really deserve a shot at a European tournament. Let Luis Enrique take more time lovingly shaping his squad into mini-Barcelona.
Pick: Roma 2-1 Catania
Sunday, May 6 (all matches 15:00 CET/9:00 ET unless otherwise noted)
Siena v Parma (12:30 CET/6:30 ET)
Hey, this match wasn't supposed to matter. That's why it's the early one, you see. But, oddly enough, two final wins by Parma could very well see them into Europa -- that is, if Roma, Inter, and Lazio all fail. Considering Parma have won their last five matches, and are unbeaten in eight, this seemingly laughable dream could very well become a reality. Barring some suspicious accident to Sebastian Giovinco, of course.
Pick: Siena 0-3 Parma (One Giovinco goal, two assists)
Atalanta v Lazio
Atalanta may have nothing to play for, but that doesn't mean they're going to roll over and let the biancocelesti take all three points in Bergamo. Lazio squeaked out a draw last week against Siena, but they needed a penalty by Cristian Ledesma to do so. Considering the number of injuries to the visitors, that's likely the only way they'll manage to score against a steady La Dea.
Pick: Atalanta 1-1 Lazio (own goal, Atalanta)
Bologna v Napoli
Oh dear god, I can't watch. The terrifying inconsistencies in the partenopei form this season make it nearly impossible for Napoli fans to do more than pace around and drink during the final matches. It's more than simply a Champions League spot that's at stake -- it's the knowledge that without entry into that exclusive club, Napoli will likely lose, at minimum, Edinson Cavani.
Pick: La Trappe Quadruple 2-1 Stone Ruination IPA
Novara v Cesena
Novara have Bertolacci to thank for officially ending their one-season run in Serie A. With both these clubs relegated, I think they should play a game of Calvinball instead. Who would even notice?
Pick: Novara Q-113 Cesena
Palermo v Chievo Verona
Hey, remember what I said about the relegation zone? Palermo are near it. I've already given you the details. Go do your own table math, please. I need more coffee
Pick: Palermo 0-0 FFD
Udinese v Genoa
Ah, here we're getting to the good stuff. Udinese are even on points with Napoli in third place, but they'll need the partenopei to drop points if they want the Champions League, as head-to-head record determines finishing position in Serie A. On the other end of the table, Genoa are in a precarious position, just three points above the relegation zone. If they don't pick up points, they could end up even with Lecce, and it could come down to goal difference in the relegation race.
Pick: Udinese 2-3 Genoa
Cagliari v Juventus
Juve need to grab all three points and have Milan fail to win against Inter in order to clinch the scudetto before the final week. With the match taking place in Trieste, it'll almost be like a home match for the Old Lady -- but not that it matters, as we all know this won't be a loss for the unbeaten table-toppers. No, what will be more painful to faithful juventini is being forced to cheer bitter rivals Inter. Alas, this is what table-watching does to us.
Pick: Cagliari 1-3 Juventus
Inter Milan v AC Milan
It's not only a Milan Derby, it's a Milan DERBY. A win for the rossoneri keeps them in the title race. A win for Inter puts them back in Champions League contention. A draw does neither side any good whatsoever. Will we finally see both Milan sides play some thrilling calcio? One can only hope. Stay tuned for a more detailed preview of this match.
Pick: Inter 2-3 Milan


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Toys 'R' Us CEO Gerald Storch resigns
February 15, 2013-- Kids Today,
Toys 'R' Us' Gerald Storch has announced that he will step down from his post as CEO of the retail giant. He will, however, continue to serve as chairman of the board.
Gerald Storch
The retailer will search for a successor with Storch remaining as CEO during the transition period.
Storch, who joined TRU in 2006, said he would step down on Wednesday, just days after the retailer announced disappointing holiday sales. During his time with TRU, Storch was responsible for taking over the Toysrus.com website and purchasing Toys.com, KB Toys and the FAO Schwarz toy store chain.
As chairman of the board, Storch will continue to provide strategic guidance and play a key role in its growth initiatives, according to a statement by TRU.
"I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together over the past seven years," said Storch in a statement. "The Toys 'R' Us brand is stronger than ever due to the hard work and dedication of our talented team around the world. Looking to the future, we will always 'Play to Win.' "
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text: I realized that picking a name for trueblue.com is an important decision in a man's life. I toyed with 1stbasebambino (babe ruth was our first base coach) branch_rickeys_cigar, etc. Drysdale's154 is his record setting number of hit batters. At one time the Dodgers were feared, especially Drysdale. Not for their payroll, but because they would emotionally and physically hurt a team. This season is dedicated to not to the runs scored as a result of bad plays or lack of talent, but to the aggressive nature of Ty Cobb, Jackie Robinson, Pete Rose and all the rest of fire driven busts that decorate the halls of Cooperstown. I want the anger to show up on the field instead of the stands!!! I want my Dodgers to FIGHT FOR EVERY BASE, SPRINT ON EVERY HIT, PLAY LIKE YOU JUST WITNESSED JUAN MARICHAL BEAT ROSBORO. THIS IS A TEAM AND A TOWN OF PASSION AND FURY.....I'M TIRED OF BLEEDING MY BLUE WITH EVERY BREAKING NEWS FEED. WE'VE GOT BATS, CLEATS, AND A HISTORY THAT SAYS NEVER SAY DIE......................IT'S TIME FOR DODGER BASEBALL MEANS WAR TIME!


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First Lady Michelle Obama and former president Bill Clinton hit the campaign trail in Wisconsin Friday to encourage early voting in Green Bay, Racine and Wausau.
Early voting begins Monday in Wisconsin. Both presidential campaigns want to lock in votes as soon as possible.
Cook County Clerk David Orr said requests for mail ballots in Illinois suburbs are up to almost 26,000, close to as many as in the 2008 election. He said the convenience of voting from home is a huge factor, and more than 2,000 of those ballots have already been returned.
Republicans also campaigned in Illinois' northern neighbor. Sen. Ron Johnson, former U.S. Rep. Mark Green and national committee chairman Reince Priebus took a bus tour, talking with voters along the way.
205 N. Michigan AvenueGround FloorChicago, IL 60601Station Operator: (312) 565-5532Newsroom: (312)565-5533


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Videos > Juliana Kincaid > small boobed Juliana Kincaid takes one cock at a time until she gets jizzed
I Need It Black These horny white slags have no time for pathetic white pricks, they need it BLACK! Watch as they get torn apart by monster manaconda's!
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- Juliana Kincaid


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1/3 cup white wine
1/3 cup white vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup oil
1 tsp. salt
1-1/2 tsp onion
1 tsp. dry mustard
1-1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
Heat oil and sugar together until oil is warm.
Put onion, mustard and salt in food processor and process for 30 seconds. Add wine and vinegar and process for 10 seconds. Slowly add sugar and oil and process until well blended. Stir in poppy seeds and chill.
Our favorite salad is endive, sliced fresh strawberries and pecans, but can be used with any leaf lettuce, fruit and nut.
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Here's how to assign Rainbow Writing to your kindergarten (or even slightly older) students:
- Choose 10-15 high-frequency sight words that are already familiar to your students.
- Make a handout on simple handwriting paper. Write each of your chosen words on the paper, one word per line. Write the letters as neatly and largely as possible. Make copies of this handout.
- Alternatively, for older students who can already write and copy words: Write the list on your whiteboard and have the students write the words down (one per line) onto handwriting paper.
- To complete the Rainbow Words assignment, each student needs a piece of writing paper and 3-5 crayons (each of a different color). The student then writes over the original word in each of the crayon colors. It's similar to tracing, but adds a colorful visual twist.
- For assessment, look for your students to mimic the original neat handwriting as closely as possible.


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Quantumaniac is where it's at - and by 'it' I mean awesome.
Over here I post a ton of physics / math / general interesting posts in an attempt to make your brain feel good. My aim is to be as informative as possible, all while posting fascinating things that hopefully enlighten us both a little to the mysteries of our truly wondrous universe(s?). Plus, how would you know if the blog exists or not unless you observe it? Boom, just pulled the Schrödinger's cat card. Now you have to check it out - trust me, it said so in an equation somewhere.
Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
Extremely interesting
Usually my tumblr is exclusively for my thoughts, but this was quite a good read.
Psychology is just amazing!


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Save $40 on RIKON Slow-Speed Grinder
Keep your tools sharp and safe without edge destroying heat.
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Revo Fixed Jaw Parallel Clamp, 40"
These clamps have great power, but that would be where my positive feedback stops. They are an absolute pain to start clamping. The new design features a start/stop action that requires you to tilt the body a slight amount in relation to the bar. Great in thought, or when on a table, but for me, not so much. I build cabinets and rarely ever rest these flat on a table, when suspended these clamps are a nightmare to try to use. All 3 guys that use the clamps in the shop complained as well. Will be returning these after less than a week. They lack ability for anything beyond the most basic clamping needs. That's what I get for trying the newest product!!! SAVE YOUR TIME AND MONEY!!!!
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By TOM JAMES
Missed opportunities. That's what kept the Indianapolis Colts from leaving Lucas Oil Stadium Sunday with a win.
Thanks to some outstanding play by second-year quarterback Ryan Tannehill and a tenacious defense that made things tough on Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, especially in the second half, the Miami Dolphins made just enough plays down the stretch to pull out a 24-20 win.
Tannehill completed 23-of-34 passes for 319 yards and a touchdown to come away victorious in his second career matchup with Luck. Indianapolis had won last year's meeting 23-20 -- which was also played at Lucas Oil Stadium -- securing a victory in that game in much the same way that the Dolphins turned the tables on the Colts this time around.
"We had our chances. We made plays. Offensively, we moved the ball up and down the field. But we couldn't convert and score touchdowns, especially early [in the first quarter] and then we missed a field goal," Indianapolis head coach Chuck Pagano was quick to point out afterwards.
"We gave up too many big plays in the first half. A couple runs, the passes. It was a darn good football team that came in here. We knew that going in. Credit them. We just didn't make enough plays. They made just enough to get out of here with a win."
Pagano's right. The Colts rolled up more total offensive yardage (448 to 398) and more first downs (23 to 21) than Miami. Luck more than held his own against Tannehill's Dolphins, completing 25-of-43 passes for 321yards and a touchdown. He also ran four times for 38 yards.
The difference, though, were the mental and physical errors that ended up costing Indianapolis most of the afternoon. Luck was intercepted once in the end zone early in the fourth quarter when he under threw wide receiver Reggie Wayne.
Another pass, later in the quarter, to tight end Coby Fleener was very nearly picked off in the end zone when here appeared to be some communication issues between the two former Stanford players.
Perhaps the biggest example of the Colts' issues came on their initial offensive drive of the game. Luck led Indianapolis from its own 20-yard line down to the Miami 34. But a pair of incomplete passes to wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey led to a 52-yard field goal attempt by Adam Vinatieri.
The kick appeared to have the distance but clanked off the the right upright and bounced back on the field. That was perhaps an omen for how the rest of the day was going to go for the Colts offense.
Indianapolis fell behind 7-0 on a 18-yard touchdown pass from Tannehill to wide receiver Mike Wallace and 14-3 on a 10-yard run by running back Lamar Miller. Vinatieri did connect on a 30-yard field goal after the Dolphins' opening score.
A three-yard touchdown pas from Luck to Fleener narrowed the margin to 14-10 early in the second quarter. And a one-yard plunge by running back Ahmad Bradshaw put Indianapolis on top 17-14 with 1:26 left in the first half.
Miami (2-0) was able to tie the game right before halftime as placekicker Caleb Sturgis nailed a 54-yard field goal as time expired.
Sturgis got two attempts to kick, making the first try but Pagano had called a time out prior to the ball being snapped. He made his second one as well and momentum shifted back to the Dolphins.
Indianapolis took a 20-17 lead early in the third quarter when Vinatieri made a 38-yard effort. The Colts got a break when an apparent Tannehill incomplete pass was ruled to be a fumble and was recovered by safety Joe Lefeged.
After moving quickly down to the Miami 20-yard line, the drive bogged down again. It appeared as if the Colts had scored a touchdown on a pass from Luck to Fleener, but Indianapolis was flagged for an illegal shift on the play. Pagano settled for the field goal.
The Dolphins took the lead for good at 24-20 with 4:40 left in the quarter as tight end Charles Clay scored on a one-yard run.
Indianapolis still had its chances to pull out yet another comeback victory, but the end zone interception thwarted one scoring chance as did a fourth-down sack of Luck by former Colts outside linebacker PhIllip Wheeler with 1:35 left in the game.
Pagano's team had the football at the Dolphins' 23-yard line before the drive finally came to an end.
"We just kind of lost the field position battle there in the third quarter. But, again, we had our chances," the Colts coach lamented.
"We just didn't make enough plays."


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Brighton buddies band together for sick school friend
A GROUP of Brighton students who created a wristband campaign to raise money for their sick school friend are thrilled by the generous response.
Friends of year 12 Brighton Grammar School student Connor Dawes were devastated when the 18-year-old was diagnosed with cancer late last year. He had surgery to remove a brain tumour in December.
As Connor made a gradual return to school this term, his mates launched a campaign to raise funds for his medical expenses by selling T-shirts and wristbands displaying the slogan RCD – Aeternum Fortis – Brighton Grammar, meaning "forever strong" in Latin, a subject Connor studies – RCD stands for Robert Connor Dawes.
On the first day the campaign was posted on the school's Facebook site two weeks ago, more than 2600 people had 'liked' the post and more than 60 people had left comments of support.
In its first week, the campaign raised $2000 and the group expects funds to continue flowing in as 2000 more bands are for sale.
Student council chairman Jackson Bilu, 17, a friend of Connor, said
the response had been overwhelming.
"We were very surprised and very grateful," he said. "When we saw the responses on the Facebook post we were overwhelmed by the generosity of people who didn't even know Connor personally yet really wanted to support the campaign."
The money will be used to assist Connor with his treatment and therapies. But more than that, Jackson said, was the emotional boost that support for the campaign had given Connor and his family.
"To know the entire community is behind him has been huge and Connor continues to be amazed at just how generous people are with their time and money," Jackson said.
Connor's mother, Liz Dawes, said she was heartened by the campaign.
"This whole experience just reminds you how good and kind people are," she said.
"Connor's friends are so happy to have him back. They have been unbelievably good to him."
Wristbands are available from Brighton Grammar School, 278 New Street, Brighton. To make a donation, call Natalie van Wetering in the school's development office on 8591 2270.
Click here to read more.