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There are a number of reasons the Buffalo Bills have been inept throughout the last decade, but failure in the draft stands out brighter than any other. These series of articles explore how the failures of the Buffalo Bills' drafts from 2001 through 2010 have left a team bankrupt of talent, and one of the laughing stocks of the National Football League.
Parts I, II, III, IV and V can be found by clicking the appropriate roman numeral.
Half way through the first decade of the new millennium, the Buffalo Bills had yet to make the playoffs, and posted only one winning season. It was clear that for the few drafted players that could be called a success, there were just as many that counted as busts. The upcoming season, 2005, would be the last for many faces familiar to Orchard Park, but for all the change that was coming, things would sadly stay the same.
"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss."
2005 Offseason
Before the 2005 Draft, the Buffalo Bills informed quarterback Drew Bledsoe that second year player, JP Losman, would be the starting quarterback for the team. Thy asked him to stay on the team in a backup capacity, but Bledsoe declined. He was put off by the drafting of Losman in 2004, but accepted that the team would ultimately want to groom his replacement. 2005 was simply too soon. Bledsoe felt he had gas left in the tank, and wanted to start at quarterback. He was granted his released in February of 2005, quickly rejoining the man who drafted him, Bill Parcells, with his new team in Dallas.
After the draft, in July, Travis Henry demanded to be traded from the team. Henry was also unhappy with the Bills for taking first round replacement talent, Willis McGahee, in 2003. He got along well in 2003 when McGahee didn't play due to injury, but lost his job, due partially to injury, to McGahee in 2004. Henry also felt he was a starter and was unwilling to share the backfield with his replacement, and Buffalo obliged. He was traded in July to the Tennessee Titans for a third round pick in the 2005 draft.
Two of the three most dynamic offensive players of the first half of the decade were gone. The changes were just the beginning.
2005 Season
If 2004 was the stock bubble of Buffalo Bills football, 2005 was the market crash correction. Action and consequence, the story of the Mike Mularkey Bills took on the qualities of a grand stage tragedy. The build up of the 2004 season(promise, hope), only to have reality rudely rip it from their hands a year later. As Bills fans know all to well, nothing makes heartache worse than hope.
The first game of the season acted as a musical interlude between two acts-a tidy sum up of the 2004 season. The Bills, and JP Losman, recorded a 22-7 victory over the Houston Texans, with the young QB throwing his first touchdown pass to Jason Peters. Optimism abounds after a week 1 win, but upon close inspection (and a little hindsight) it should have been clear that this wasn't a particularly good Bills team.
Despite winning the turnover battle 5-0, Buffalo had to settle for one touchdown and five field goals against a team that would finish 2-14 and ranked DFL in points allowed.
With the orchestral entr'acte over, the real curtain opened on our protagonists in week 2. What followed was either horror, or tragedy-take your pick. After three straight losses, Losman (or the Lose-man as he would come to be known) was benched in favor of Kelly Holcomb in week 5. Buffalo added two wins (Miami and New York, at home) under Holcomb, before dropping two more-entering the week 9 bye at 3-5. An agonizing "in between" record that wasn't good, but not so bad that all hope could have been abandoned.
Like all good shows, it kept the audience hooked.
After Holcomb sustained an injury, Losman returned to triumph in week 10-throwing big touchdown passes to give the Bills in a 14-3 win over the Chiefs (one he was, sadly, not credited with because Holcomb started the game). Rather than a triumphant return to form for Losman, however, he continued to lose until he lost his job again to Holcomb. The team would split time between the two for the rest of the season, winning just one (at Cincinnati) of their last seven games. Losman would finish 1-7, Holcomb 4-4, the Bills 5-11.
Playing a much tougher schedule, three of the Bills five wins came against teams with winning records-only the Bengals, however, were a playoff team (that promptly lost their opening round game). Buffalo finished 0-4 against the NFC South (including a 3-13 Saints team), 1-3 against the AFC West (including losing to a 4-12 Raiders team for the second year in a row) and 2-4 against the rest of the AFC East (including giving 4-12 New York a win).
Other than the Texans game, the Bills only seemed to win by taking people by surprise. They didn't do anything particularly well-finishing 24th in total Offense and Defense. Comparatively, Holcomb was the better quarterback, by quite a bit, but he wasn't good by any stretch of the imagination. Losman finished a dismal 113 for 228, 1340 yards, 8 TDs and 8 INts (26 sacks). Holcomb managed to finish a slightly less dismal 155 for 228, 1509 yards, 10 TDs and 8 picks (17 sacks). Put together, they made for one solidly poor to average QB.
McGahee put up Travis Henry-esque numbers on the ground (325 carries, 1247 yards 5 TDs), but did have 28 catches for 178 yards. Moulds lead the team with 81 catches for 816 and 4 TDs, with Evans playing the long ball guy (48 catches for 743 and 7 TDs). Josh Reed managed just 32 catches for 449 yards, and TE Mark Campbell had just 19 catches for 139 yards.
The offensive line was the root of a lot of the offense woes again. Mike Gandy, Bennie Anderson, Trey Teague, Chris Villlarrial, Jason Peters and Mike Williams were responsible for 42 sacks and an under 4 yards per carry.
The defense racked up 38 sacks, 17 picks and recovered 25 fumbles-one of the reasons they finished in the top 15 in turnover differential. Given they only won five games all year, one can imagine what might have happened if they had finished just a few spots lower on that chart.
The problem with the defense was, apart from the turnovers, they couldn't get off the field. The defense gave up a gaudy 5496 yards (4th highest) , over 5 yards per play and 343 first downs (2nd highest). The pass defense was only slightly below average, giving up the 14th most yards-but when the run defense gives up 2205 yards (2nd highest), 4.5 yards per attempt (4th) and 146 rushing first downs (DFL) teams don't have to pass. Teams were not scared of an interior defensive line anchored by Tim Anderson and Justin Bannan. Had Buffalo's offense been able to put up points, other teams might have passed more-exposing a weak passing defense as well.
2006 Offseason (The End of Tom Donahoe)
The season ended New Years Day, 2006, and Mr. Wilson promptly took the holiday to heart. Promising swift and dramatic changes, Tom Donahoe was released from his position as general manager just four days later. In an effort to bring in a guy he knew and trusted, and someone that would play well with the fans, Mr. Wilson hired Marv Levy to be the general manager going forward. The zeal of the new hire was tempered, particularly by those in the know, because while Donahoe himself was gone, all of his people were still in place-particularly Tom Modrak and Buddy Guy.
The Bills finished with just 31 wins over the length of his tenure, and was the only NFL team (other than the expansion Texans) to not make the playoffs.
Under Donahoe's direction, the Bills drafted 42 players. Of those players taken in 2001, only Clements and Schobel were still with the team in 2006. With draft bust Mike Williams gone, Josh Reed, Ryan Denney and Coy Wire were the 2002 class still on the 2006 team. Sure, McGahee from 2003 was on the team-but his drafting directly lead to the loss of 2001 draftee Travis Henry. Kelsay, Crowell, McGee and Aiken were also on the team from 2003. Evans, Losman (who cost them more than McGahee), Tim Anderson, Parrish and Duke Preston were the only guys from the last two drafts still on the team. That's 15 players out of 42, and only six of them would be regular starters.
Of those 15, who wants to count Wire, Aiken, Tim Anderson, Losman, Ryan Denney or Duke Preston as any good? Josh Reed, Angelo Crowell and Chris Kelsay are barely better than those guys. McGahee is a good player, but a player Buffalo didn't need and ultimately didn't want to be in Buffalo. He was gone after the 2006 season. Clements would also leave in 2007. That is 11 players who were either no good, barely good or gone by 2007.
McGee, Evans, Parrish and Schobel are all solid players, good at what they do, but they are not the types of players you can build a club around. One and half receivers, 1 defensive end and 1 cornerback do not a core make. Even being generous and counting Clements and McGahee/Henry (I think it's only fair to count one) it` makes for 6 players who are good starters. Not necessarily great, and none at a key position on the field. No Offensive linemen. No Linebackers. No defensive tackles. No quarterback.
Of the Donahoe picks, only Terrence McGee, Lee Evans and Roscoe Parrish remain on the 2010 team. Despite a few hits, it is clear that Donahoe failed to build a franchise that could continue to win. He missed big for the most part with high draft picks, and didn't find supplemental or depth talent in the middle rounds. The little supplemental talent he did find was forced into starting roles where they were overmatched and ill-prepared to play on a regular basis. Not one player taken in the bottom half of the draft amounted to anything on the team.
More Offseason
After meeting with Marv Levy and Ralph Wilson, who apparently gave him the okay to stay on as head coach, Mularkey resigned from the position on January 13th. On January 24, 2010 the Bills hired Dick Jauron as the head coach.
In March, long time wide receiver Eric Moulds was traded to the Houston Texans for the first pick in the fifth round of the 2006 draft. Moulds was set to count as a serious cap hit, and the restructuring of his deal fell through.
2006 NFL Draft
With ten picks in the 2006 draft, Buffalo was set to restock a team depleted of talent. Under the direction of new GM Marv Levy and HC Dick Jauron (even if Guy and Modrak were still there) there was hope that Buffalo would finally right the ship.
Round 1, Pick 8 S Donte Whitner: Whitner, by almost all accounts, was a "reach" at the eight pick overall. Reach, of course, is a way that pundits on draft day can say that while a player might be good, he isn't good enough to warrant taking with that pick. Largely, I find that a dismissible phrase-if a player is good, he is good. The idea of "reaching" is only relative to that pundit's draft board-the same draft boards that, in 2006, had Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush and Vince Young all ahead of Mario Williams (who the Texans, thankfully for their sake, were smart enough to "reach" for).
That said, a review of Whitner's career bears out almost exactly that-he is good, just not that good. Not eighth overall good. While the Bills staff was hoping to find the next Troy Polamalu or Ed Reed, they only found a pretty decent safety. He's good at tackling a guy in front of him, but he routinely takes bad angles to receivers and often times comes in late to a play. On almost any tackle that is 5-6 yards from the line of scrimmage, you can see Whitner throwing his body (he was dinged by pundits because he was undersized) at a player that is already headed out of bounds or being held up by another player.
He's not a play maker. Just 4 interceptions in five years (and a number of images of footballs bouncing right out of his hands) and two forced fumbles in four and a half years does not an All-Pro safety make.
The real problem, however, is the philosophy of the selection to begin with. Apart from the All Pro Reed and Polamalu types, safeties (particularly strong safeties) aren't meant to be big play players. They are the last line of defense between the ball carrier and the end zone. Unlike quarterbacks, or linemen on either side of the ball, safeties are not by default involved in every play of the game. They are only involved in plays where the first 6-8 guys have missed, or where a cornerback has blown his coverage.
Even as the solid safety that he is, Whitner can only do so much to impact a football game-so why was he taken with a top ten pick? A pick you only get when you are missing an impact player at some critical position.
With a defense that struggled so mightily against the run, why not use the number 8 pick on Haloti Ngata? Antonio Cromartie was available at cornerback, and David Joseph at G. Nick Mangold is a Pro Bowl center and DeMeco Ryans a Pro Bowl linebacker. Any of these players would have not only been excellent personnel choices, but would have shown that the new tandem of Levy and Jauron were familiar with where the biggest needs on the team were.
Round 1, Pick 26 DT John McCargo: The Bills, for the second time in three years, traded back up in to the first round. This time it only (ha!) cost them their second and third round picks for the 2006 draft to get back in to Chicago's low first round pick. With it, they took John McCargo-who has certainly thrown his hat into the "worst draft pick of the decade" contest. He was small, but hopefully explosive, when he was drafted in 2006. In 2010 he remains small, but non-explosive, and currently unable to get on the field.
McCargo has been a huge disappointment to the Buffalo Bills, almost immediately after he was drafted. He has only started one game in his four years playing with Buffalo. The only season where he played in all 16 games he recorded just 2.5 sacks (his only sacks), 1 fumble (his only fumble) and 29 tackles.
Let that sink in. 29 of his of 46 tackles, over four years, came in just one year…as a defensive tackle. The epitome of his uselessness came in 2008 when the Bills traded McCargo to the Colts-only to have him sent back as damaged goods. Not healthy enough to play for his new team, and already publicly deemed unwanted by the Bills, McCargo was forced to go back and play for the people who had just tried to get rid of him. Miraculously, after such a public shaming, he remained on the team in 2009 and 2010-tho he has been deactivated for recent games.
Again, Buffalo's game plan is troubling. Why take another "reacher" at a position, particularly at the cost of two more picks? Much like Losman, if McCargo had anything worth a second and third round pick in him he probably would have been taken. In light of the Bills wanting a DT, Ngata at eight seems to be a much better idea. At 26, Mangold and Ryans were available. Without trading up, Buffalo could have taken Pro Bowl Safety Roman Harper or Pro Bowl tackle Marcus McNeil with the 43 pick.
Imagine a scenario where Buffalo invests its higher pick into a "more certain" pick at a higher impact position, doesn't trade back up into the first round, and then takes another defensive player to beef up the safety position. How much better is the team if they take Ngata and Harper instead of Whitner and McCargo?
It's worth noting that of the 16 Pro Bowl players selected in the first two rounds of the 2006 NFL draft, Buffalo didn't draft one.
Round 3, Pick 70 CB Ashton Youboty: Buffalo had two third round picks (one from the Henry trade) and took Ashton Youboty with this one. Youboty has proved to be an injury prone cornerback that has not really provided depth to the cornerback position. He's never started more than three games in any year, and never played in more than eleven in any year. He's posted 57 tackles, one interception, two sacks and seven defended passes in 31 appearances over four years. After struggling with the playbook the first year (he got a late start because he needed to finish up school) he hasn't produced much. He was routinely beat on plays when in the game. I was, frankly, surprised to learn that he was still on the team (he's mostly been on Injured Reserve this year)
No one is looking for starts in the third round, they are just looking for people who can contribute. Once again, Buffalo failed to find depth or help in the middle rounds.
Not that he really is comparable to Youboty, or would it be fair to compare, but for the record Owen Daniels was available with this pick-he was taken at 90 by the Texans.
Round 4, Pick 105 S Ko Simpson: Dick Jauron showed his former DB colors when he took his third DB out of four picks by taking Yokota "Ko" Simpson. Like Youboty taken before him, he ultimately did not provide too much depth to the defensive backfield-though he did do a sight better than Youboty. He finished with a sack, two picks 6 passes defended a forced fumble and 142 tackles over 33 games. He also started 21 games and played in each game for 2006 and 2008 (he was injured in week one of the 2007 season). Ultimately, I think Simpson proved a good pick for the fourth round.
He was traded in 2009 to Detroit for a seventh round pick where he has seen some playing time. He is currently, however, on IR.
Round 5, Pick 134 DT Kyle Williams: The Bills first of two fifth round picks came from Houston for Eric Moulds. With it, the Bills took their second DT and fifth defensive player out of five-Kyle Williams. In all the ways that John McCargo was a huge miss at DT, Williams has been a moderate success at the position. While he in no way is the ultimate solution, or best possible fit at the DT position, he has played well given what he has been handed-and given what was expected of him in the first place.
Williams earned the starting job his rookie year, starting 11 of his 16 games and played as the RDT starter in 2007-2009 (missing only two games). He has 11 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, and 251 tackles (solo and assists). These are not amazing number, by any stretch-but as a fourth round pick he was never meant to be the starter. He was meant to provide relief to starters who were to carry much more of the load. Unfortunately, Buffalo continues to miss on the people who were supposed to be starters and backup talent gets thrown into the regular mix-playing above their head.
The switch to the 3-4 has relieved Williams of his starting duties, but he has appeared in all seven games thus far this year. He has 3 sacks and 37 tackles-precisely what you want from your backup DT.
Round 5, Pick 143 OT Brad Butler: The first offensive player of the 2006 draft, Butler filled in admirably at OT in his time with the Bills. He appeared in just two games in his rookie year, but much like Kyle Williams, was thrust into a starting role at right guard for the 2007 and 2008 seasons. He miss just three games in 2008, and started the first two in 2009 at right tackle before a knee injury ultimately ended his season.
Butler decided to retire at the end of the 2009 season. While he wasn't a start at right tackle, he was a solid player-one that a talent deprived Bills team would miss. Butler, like Williams, provides another solid pick-this one, unfortunately, cut short.
Round 6, Pick 175 LB Keith Ellison: Ellison is another solid fill in guy for a bad football team. On most football teams, he wouldn't be playing as much as he is in Buffalo, but he has managed to fill in for injured players adequately since 2006. He filled in for the injured Takeo Spikes and Angelo Crowell in his rookie season in 2006, started 9 games in 2007 and 14 more in 2008. He's been offered one year contracts both in 2009 and 2010, proving the staff finds him to be an adequate depth guy on the team.
Currently, he has 2 interceptions, 2 sacks, and 255 tackles (solo and assisted).
For the record, Antoine Bethea was taken as a Supplemental Pick at 207. (Another safety that might be better than Donte Whitner).
Round 7, Pick 216 OT Terrance Pennington: Pennington started 9 games and played in 11 in his rookie campaign with the Buffalo Bills, but was cut the following year. He wasn't very good and was only playing tackle because, frankly, there were no good players to cover that position after Jason Peters moved to the other side. He appeared in five games with the Falcons in 2007, but has since to make an NFL game appearance.
Round 7, Pick 248 G Aaron Merz: A compensation pick at the end of the seventh round, Aaron Merz played in seven games and started one in his rookie year. He was let go the following year. He joined the Peace Corps, volunteering in Zambia.
For as big as the misses were in the first half of the draft, the 2005 draft does have the distinction of being one of the few (and the only one written about here, so far) where each player taken saw playing time and started a game for Buffalo. Again, Buffalo drafted decent depth players to come off the bench in the middle and late rounds. Again, Buffalo's inability to secure top level talent pushed that weaker talent to the forefront-where they could flourish only so much.
The difference so far between the Donahoe and Levy years is that while Donahoe had an occasional top end hit, he never hit near the bottom. Here, it's arguable that Levy didn't really have a hit-but he got production out of all the guys drafted.
That comparison, however, is premature. Buffalo's new direction was only one draft old, and hardly yet comparable to Donahoe's body of work. Act I of this disastrous decade was behind them, but Act II still lay ahead.


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Collins, Susan and Reiss, Michael and Stobart, Gordon (2009) The effects of national testing in science at Key Stage 2 in England and Wales. Education in Science, 231. pp. 14-15. ISSN 0013-1377Full text not available from this repository.
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ESPN reports that Jerome Seagears is not going to Auburn after all.
Seagears apparently wants to be closer to family and friends in Maryland. Did he react too soon to the Mike Rice situation? Was it Rice that even caused him to transfer out? Was it the media circus, the losing? As others have said, let's take a look at the student-athletes in all of this. This young man was, I'm sure impacted by what happened with his coach. Emotionally scarred? Maybe. Or was he just fed up with everything else? It seems to me that there are people who "advise" these kids - and that's what they are, kids - on where to go and who to play for, and the bottom line may not be what's best for the athlete. If he wanted to be closer to his family in Maryland, why did he choose Auburn, almost 800 miles away? Guess it wasn't his family influencing his decision.


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Tuesday, 12 June 2012 10:32
MISSION – Chris Moore, 59, died Monday, June 11, 2012, at her Mission residence.
MISSION – A funeral mass for Gerardo Quiroga will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, June 18, 2012, at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Mission. Burial follows at Valley Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Mission.
ALEDO – Clara Jean Killam Bodine, 91, passed away Wednesday, June 13, 2012.
Mrs. Bodine was born in 1924 near Eola in Tom Green County to Jesse Jewel and Sarah Viola Killam. In 1939 she graduated from Eola High School as valedictorian and went on to study home economics at Texas Tech University.
She married Harmon M. Bodine on July 5, 1941. They lived in Mission for 52 years and then moved to Aledo for the last 13 years. She was a 56-year member of the P.E.O. sisterhood and served as an elder in the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A.
Survivors include her daughters, Judy Suter of Mission, Joani Youngblood of Fort Worth and Jill Birdwell of Aledo; and eight grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband.
A funeral service was held June 15 at Faith Presbyterian Church in Aledo. A graveside service was held June 17 at Valley Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Mission.
Pallbearers were Bobby Yancy, Justin Yancy, Lt. Col. Bo Birdwell, Warrie Birdwell, Michael McMahon, Carl Roland and Monty Youngblood.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggested that memorial contributions be made to Faith Presbyterian Church, 310 Bailey Ranch Road, Aledo, TX 76008, or the charity of one's choice.
MISSION - William "Bill" A. Devine, 85, passed away Friday, June 15, 2012, at his residence.
Mr. Devine in the U.S. Navy during WWII on the USS Birmingham. He was a decorated war veteran and received the Purple Heart and was involved in 11 major engagements in the South Pacific.
Mr. Devine owned a mechanic shop for 20 years in Mission. He was a lifetime member of the Elks Lodge 1402.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara, a brother and six children by a previous marriage.
Visitation will be held at Ric Brown Family Funeral Home from 4 to 9 p.m. The funeral service will be held Tuesday, June 19, at Ric Brown Family Funeral Home at 1 p.m. A burial with full military honors follows at 2 p.m. at the Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery.
PENITAS - Irma Garza, 81, passed away on Thursday, June 14, 2012, at Doctors Hospital in Edinburg.
She was born to Emelia Reyna and Ramon Reyna on August 28, 1930, in Havana.
She is survived by her daughters, Ana M. Garza and Noemi Cantu; a sister, Amelia Gonzalez; and two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
A funeral mass will be held Monday, June 18, at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church in La Joya. Burial follows at Havana Cemetery.
MISSION – A funeral service for Ramon Trevino will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 14, 2012, at Ric Brown Family Funeral Home in Mission. Burial follows at Valley Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
MISSION - Jose Luis Acosta died Wednesday, June 13, 2012, at his Mission home.
MISSION - Juan Reynol Garza Sr., 54, died Sunday, June 10, 2012, in Dallas. A funeral mass will be held Friday, June 15, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Penitas. Burial follows at Lord and I Cemetery in Palmview.
MISSION – A funeral mass for Francisco Garza will be held at 12 p.m. Wednesday, June 13, 2012, at St. John of the Fields in Mission. Interment follows at Valley Memorial Gardens.
MISSION – Chris Moore, 59, died Monday, June 11, 2012, at her Mission residence.
MISSION – Three-month-old Leroy Muñiz Jr. died Sunday, June 10, 2012, at Mission Regional Medical Center. A graveside service will be held Wednesday, June 13, at 10 a.m. at Lord & I Cemetery in Palmview.
SULLIVAN CITY – Gabino Uresti, 30, died Sunday, June 10, 2012, at his Sullivan City residence.
Tomas Cavazos Jr., 70, a resident of Merced, Calif. passed away Tuesday, June 5, 2012.
Mr. Cavazos was born in Mission to Tomas and Modesta Cavazos. He attended local schools and graduated with a bachelor's degree in business from Pan American. He taught school at the elementary and high school levels. He worked for the Better Business Bureau and also served as the administrator for the Farmers Market. He married Lidia Trejo on September 9, 1967.
Survivors include his wife, Lidia Cavazos; daughters, Monica Brushia and Lisa Marie Cavazos; brothers, Jose and Emilio Cavazos; sisters, Manuela and Janie Cavazos; and three grandchildren.
Preceding him in death were his parents; maternal grandmother, Maria Cavazos DeLeon; and paternal grandparents, Atanacio Cavazos and Concepcion Zavaleta Cavazos.
Visitation will be held from 3 to 9 p.m. on Monday, June 11, with a rosary at 7 p.m. at Ric Brown Family Funeral Home in Mission, Texas.
The funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 12, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church. Interment will follow in Catholic Cemetery in Mission.
MISSION – A funeral service for Felicitas Sosa was held Saturday, June 9, 2012, at Ric Brown Family Funeral Home. Burial followed at Garden of Angels Cemetery.
LOS EBANOS – A funeral service for Jose Jesus Rizo will be held at 11:30 a.m. Monday, June 11, 2012, at El Faro Bible Church in Sullivan City. Interment follows at Sullivan City Memorial Cemetery.
MISSION - Robert Schonfelder, 87, died Friday, June 8, 2012, at his residence in Mission.
MISSION - Visitation for Felicitas Sosa will be held Friday, June 8, 2012 at Ric Brown Family Funeral Home from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. with a prayer service at 7 p.m.
Page 106 of 171
The Progress Times is the hometown newspaper for the local communities of Mission, Sharyland, Alton, Palmview, La Joya and surrounding areas in Western Hidalgo County. We have a staff of veteran reporters who work diligently every week to bring our readers the latest news as it affects their hometown area and people.
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With all the rumors about Anthony Randolph going around, we picked up Chris Johnson. What do these have to do with each other? Well thats what i want to know. It seems like a good idea, in my opinion, to get Anthony Randolph if it's just for a first round pick, and it seems like the blazers have decent interest in him and have a good shot at getting him. Its my thought that we picked up Chis Johnson not only for some help in the paint, but is it possible that we also did this to see how Anthony Randolph would fit in our lineup since Chris Johnson is, for the most part, a very close comparison to Randolph, although Randolph is much better. So is it just me or does this seem like a way to basically test how Randolph would fit in our lineup if we ended up getting him later? 10 day trail of Anthony Randolph without having him on the team?
They are both: 6 ft 11in, 200-220lbs, lanky power-forward/centers, and decent/good shot blockers.
your thoughts?


text: Is there anything more beautiful than a salad? I got my hands on my very first CSA share this week, and I've been in veggie heaven ever since. While we can make fancy recipes and elaborate baked goods, I'm still struck by the simple beauty of a fresh salad. Fire-red tomatoes, juicy yellow heirlooms, crunchy cucumbers, and sunset-orange carrots…is there anything more beautiful?


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Statements from the Texas: 2012 Texas House's race
Says that over the past 20 years, Texas public school spending rose 142 percent and per-pupil spending more than tripled when adjusted for inflation.
"We're talking right now about a $12 billion hole in our current, so-called balanced" state "budget."
Says Texas lawmakers last year expanded public education's share of state spending.
Says black women are "fastest-growing demographic group in ... Texas seeking concealed handgun licenses."
Says Paul Workman authored legislation providing amnesty for illegal immigrants.
"In Texas, there are 668 Democratic Hispanic elected officials to the 60 in the Republican Party."
"In my 12 years in the House, I have watched my district go from a solidly Democratic district to a heavily solid Republican district."
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Hardline Biography
There is more than one artist with this name: 1) A hard rocking American super group that appeared onto the music scene too late to make any sort of lasting impact. The group was formed by brothers, and former Brunette band mates, Johnny (vocals) and Joey Gioeli (guitar). They recruited former Bad English members Neal Schon (guitar, best known for his work in Journey) and Deen Castronovo (drums). Ex Doro and David Lee Roth bassist Todd Jensen rounded out the band. The group began a major tour with Van Halen prior to the release of an album. The one and only record was filled with classy Americanized hard rock, that showed a harder edge than that of Bad English. Schon, Jensen, and Castronovo took time away from the band to work with Paul Rodgers. However the Gioeli's felt the other members were spending too much time on side projects, and Hardline split. Schon and Castronovo would rejoin Journey in the late 90s, Jensen worked and toured with Alice Cooper while Johnny Gioeli sang on Axel Rudi Pell's Oceans Of Time album. A new version of Hardline consisting of the Gioeli's, Josh Ramos (guitar), Chris Maloney (bass), Bobby Rock (drums, ex-Vinnie Vincent Invasion) and Michael Ross (keyboards) released Hardline II roughly ten years after the debut. With the addition of Bob Burch on bass, Hardline played select live dates with one of those shows being released as an album. Since 1998, Johnny Gioeli has been the frontman for the Axel Rudi Pell band, touring many times over in Europe and performing at the Wacken Open Air festival, a huge metal rock fest held each year outside of Hamburg, Germany. He is known to be one of very few vocalists who can sing in a range that includes melodic rock, hard rock, and metal. The long awaited third album LEAVING THE END OPEN, just released in Europe this April 17, 2009 and will release in the U.S. on May 16, 2009. Hardline are now back from where they have left off with a killer new album. The current line up of Hardline is: Johnny Gioeli, Josh Ramos (guitar), Michael T. Ross (keyboards), Jamie Brown (bass) and Atma Anur (drums). 2) A Norwegian hard rock band active in the early 80's, based in Trondheim. They released a self-titled album in 1984, issued in Europe on the Belgian Mausoleum label.
Hardline Metal Albums
Related Heavy Metal Bands
Danger Danger , House of Lords , Tyketto , Jaded Heart , XYZ , ,
hard rock , melodic rock , hair metal , rock , 80s , ,


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"True Grit" (2010)
Every so often in their career, the Coens transform themselves into the unlikeliest of crowd-pleasers, crafting sizable, audience-friendly hits while maintaining their oddball allure and idiosyncratic directorial flourishes. "True Grit" was their last such success, bringing in more than $250 million at the box office and scoring a whopping ten Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director for the Coens. While the brothers claimed in interviews before the film's release that it would be a new adaptation of Charles Portis' novel and not a straight remake of the 1969 western, there are a bunch of things the Coens borrow from the original film, including Rooster Cogburn's eye patch, worn lovingly this time around by Coen alum Jeff Bridges, who turns grizzled scowling into an artform. Also along for the ride were Coens discovery Hailee Steinfeld as the young girl seeking revenge for the murder of her father, first time collaborator Matt Damon (who engages with the material fully, to the point that you wonder why they haven't hired him again, though we guess they have only made one film since) and "No Country for Old Men" MVP Josh Brolin, here playing the murderous outlaw. Formally, "True Grit" is unparalleled, with Roger Deakins' cinematography reaching otherworldly levels of grandeur, but the reasons audiences and critics responded so enthusiastically to the film is how heartfelt and warm it is. You actually feel for the characters, in a way that many of the Coens movies sidestep altogether. "True Grit" was a testament to the fact that the Coens are capable of anything, even a good, old-fashioned crowd pleaser. [A-]
"Inside Llewyn Davis" (2013)
If the Ernest Hemingway quote "you make your own luck" is true, then Llewyn Davis, the titular character of the Coen Brothers' masterful, comedic and bitter '60s folk scene picture "Inside Llewyn Davis," is someone who unknowingly sabotages whatever remnants of good fortune he has at every turn. Loosely based on the story of Greenwich village folkie Dave Van Ronk who saw his popularity never quite catch on once Dylan arrived on the scene, the Coens take this basic idea and leverage it as a jumping off point to explore failure (the successful rock star story having been told the world over). The Coens, having deftly realized in recent years that life is a matter of fact, cruel, tragic comedy, almost let this character lose in the milieu of this world, watching him fuck up every opportunity he's presented. Anchored by Oscar Isaac's terrific, awards-worthy performance, he imbues Llewyn Davis with an artistic integrity that becomes a noose. It doesn't help the character is a bit of a bonafide asshole. But it's a testament to the actors and filmmakers that we still empathize with the character's attraction to self-destruction, whether it's fucking his best friend's girlfriend or the colossal miscalculation of playing a depressing song about abortion at his first big break audition. Ultimately, though surely not their intention, the Coens create a funny and morose cautionary tale about artistic endeavors: it doesn't matter how talented you are if you're your own worst enemy. Chance, fate and good timing are nice, but what makes a memorable loser, is indeed, practice. [A]
Honorable Mentions: For the Coens completists, there's a few other movies that they were involved with, but didn't direct. With pal Sam Raimi, they co-wrote "Crimewave," a wildly uneven, but enjoyable cartoonish satire that Raimi directed between "Evil Dead" movies. The pair also produced "Down With The Mountain," a concert movie based around the "O Brother Where Art Thou" soundtrack, and exec-ed on John Turturro's "Romance & Cigarettes," an ambitious musical that's better than its reputation, but still a long way from a success.
The brothers also got an executive producer credit on Terry Zwigoff's season classic "Bad Santa," having done uncredited work on the script (fact fans note, they also did an uncredited polish on the Judd Apatow-produced Jim Carrey vehicle "Fun With Dick & Jane"). Finally, Zhang Yimou remade "Blood Simple" in 2009 as "A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop," while the Coens picked up a rare writing-only paycheck for "Gambit," the 2012 remake of the 1960s caper classic, starring Colin Firth and Cameron Diaz. Eventually directed by Michael Hoffman, it's a film so bad that it makes "The Ladykillers" look like "A Serious Man," and it's little wonder that, a year on from its UK release, the film is still awaiting a U.S. date. Hopefully their scripting work on "Unbroken," Angelina Jolie's true-life survival tale that should be an awards player this time next year, will work out better.
Alex Krajci | December 31, 2013 3:37 PM
1996's Fargo And 1998's The Big Lebowski Are Two Of My Favorite Films.
Pavan | December 13, 2013 1:40 AM
There are the Coens. And then there's the rest.
It's odd that A Serious Man is my favorite movie of the Coens. There are much better movies of course, but, A Serious Man just stuck with me.
Cannot wait to watch Inside Llewyn Davis. I'm especially curious to watch the classy Carey Mulligan in a Coen movie. I'd never thought anything like that would happen.
Jason | December 8, 2013 12:22 AM
I feel like the writer of this retrospective purposely ignored Steve Buscemi. He was in Barton Fink, Fargo and The Big Lebowski and is fantastic in all three. How can anyone forget "Shut the f**k up, Donny! You're out of your element."? He only played a pivotal role in Fargo but he certainly made a significant impact on all three films.
Serena | December 5, 2013 11:09 PM
To add to the Big Lebowski cult, in Reykjavik, Iceland, there's the Lebowski Bar. They really went all-out, with a sideways bowling alley on the walls, stills from the film, a food menu corresponding to the characters (I think the chicken wings are called The Nihilists) and of course a White Russian menu of drinks. All the Americans plus the Game of Thrones crew went there.
alphabet | December 4, 2013 9:03 PM
Special recognition must be given to the 13-minute prologue in Raising Arizona, an amazing work in its own right, and perhaps the greatest all-time whistlin-dixie use of Beethoven's 9th via banjo.
wes | December 4, 2013 7:46 PM
Raise Blood Simple, Raising Arizona, and The Ladykillers.
Lower Miller's Crossing.
Then it's good.
Trevor | December 4, 2013 6:50 PM
It's "A Serious Man." Not "A Simple Man."
hank | December 4, 2013 6:13 PM
regarding those "clowns at the academy" ... they actually gave the coens a couple of those silly statues years earlier for writing FARGO.
Brad | December 4, 2013 4:33 PM
The Coen's have always been between my favorite filmmakers but reading this list and catching "O Brother Where Art Thou" on Amc by coincidence a couple of days ago made me realize how great they are. I think my favorite 3 films are "A Serious Man", "No Country for old men" and "Fargo". I can't wait to see " Inside LLewyn Davis"
Great Retrospective!!!!
gee i wonder who wrote this comment | December 4, 2013 3:08 PM
Climates was Ceylan's fourth feature.
Jake Bart | December 4, 2013 2:25 PM
I may be crazy, but I think BURN AFTER READING is worthy of much higher than a B. I think it's funnier than O BROTHER, HUDSUCKER, and even RAISING ARIZONA.
Xian | December 4, 2013 1:33 PM
"clowns at the Academy" = Their peers.
Rob | December 4, 2013 12:19 PM
A near perfect career. That's why they're the best.


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Your Transocean Benefits
At Transocean, we help you unlock your potential. We do that, in part, by offering competitive benefits to our employees. Use this website to learn about your Transocean benefits. You can select from the links above to explore the site or dive into the Benefit Guides below.
When your family changes (marriage, adoption, birth of a child or divorce), your benefits may need to change as well. The Life Events section explains what you should consider.


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|Ministry's loan repayment program offers medical students up to $200,000
The Ministry Medical Group (MMG) Medical Student Loan Repayment Program offers students enrolled in medical-education programs financial aid up to $200,000.
The loan repayment program requires students to return to, and work as a primary care provider for five years following residency in an assigned Wisconsin community in which Ministry Medical Group (MMG) has a facility.
MMG locations include Eagle River, Woodruff, Rhinelander, Amherst, Crandon, Iola, Laona, Merrill, Plover, Rib Mountain, Stevens Point, Tomahawk, Waupaca or Weston.The program also requires students to complete a qualified education program that prepares a student to become a licensed physician
|Tuesday, January 21, 2014 2:12 PM


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Ruby Webb celebrated her 100th birthday on Labor Day at her Tippecanoe Lake house with her extended family and lake neighbors.
Ruby enjoys excellent health, loves gardening, still drives, plays euchre and dominoes, and loves to cook for the holidays.
With her husband of 75 years, who passed away two years ago, she traveled the world many times and continues to travel internationally with her family, including a first time trip to Tunisia in the near future.
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Park the cars into the correct spot. Use spacebar to get into a car.
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Microsoft has been promoting Vista's SP1 as a big performance booster compared to pre-SP1 Vista, particularly when copying files. But my preliminary tests show that Vista SP1 can be as much as 20% slower than pre-SP1 when it comes to copying files. And XP's copying speed leaves both in the dust.
I found that copying a large file -- 2.49 GB -- to a local folder under SP1 Vista was 20% slower than performing the same operation in pre-SP1 Vista. Copying that same file to a network folder took essentially the same amount of time in pre-SP1 and SP1 Vista. And copying a 256 MB folder full of files to a local disk and to a network folder took essentially the same amount of time in each as well.
Copying the single 2.49 GB file to a network folder takes essentially the same amount of time in SP1 and pre-SP1: 233 seconds in SP1 versus 237 seconds in pre-SP1. Both versions of Vista beat XP, which came in at 296 seconds --- the only test in which XP was slower than both SP1 and pre-SP1. The following graph shows details.
When it comes to copying the 256 MB folder full of files, Vista SP1 and pre-SP1 performed just about identically, and dramatically slower than XP. Copying the folder to a local disk took 36 seconds in both versions of Vista, and only 12 seconds in XP. The following graph shows details.
Copying the folder full of files to a folder on another machine on the network took 101 seconds in Vista SP1, 98 seconds in pre-SP1, and only 39 seconds in XP, as you can see in the following graph.
The upshot of all this? On my test machine at least, copying in Vista SP1 is slightly slower than in pre-SP1, and much slower than in XP. There's of course one caveat here: These tests were performed on only one system, and as the saying goes, your mileage may vary. But on at least one machine, SP1 doesn't do as well as pre-SP1 when copying files.
See also, Preston Gralla's complete review:


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|By Marketwired .
Article Rating:
|December 19, 2012 06:00 AM EST
NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwire) -- 12/19/12 -- Varonis Systems Inc., the leading provider of comprehensive data governance software, announced that the Varonis Data Governance Suite has been named an Excellence Award finalist for Best Enterprise Security Solution in the 2013 SC Awards. The SC Awards recognize outstanding leadership and achievement in information security, acknowledging companies with superior security products that help customers tackle today's most pressing IT challenges.
Hundreds of IT security companies nominated their solutions for consideration in the SC Awards and entries are evaluated by a jury hand-picked by SC Magazine's editorial team for their breadth of knowledge and experience in the information security industry.
"SC Magazine's selection of the Varonis Data Governance Suite as a finalist for Best Enterprise Security Solution proves that the challenges organizations face for managing and protecting their critical data are paramount to successful and secure business operations," said Yaki Faitelson, CEO, Varonis.
The Varonis Data Governance Suite answers the big questions: Who has access to data and who uses it? Who does sensitive data belong to? Who has and should have access to it? How do I identify excess and unneeded permissions? Who accessed or deleted my data?"
The SC Awards, now in its 16th year, are the premier global recognition for IT security professionals and products that fend off the myriad security threats in today's corporate world. The annual awards showcase the best solutions, services and professionals while recognizing achievement and technical excellence.
"This year's SC Awards are possibly the stiffest competition we've ever had," said Illena Armstrong, vice president and editorial director of SC Magazine. "As information security continues to grow in importance this has only added more weight to our program. Recognition for the tireless efforts of the men and women providing information security to the organizations around the world is paramount to SC Magazine and we look forward to celebrating them at the SC Awards gala."
The winner will be announced at the 2013 SC Awards U.S. ceremony to be held on Feb. 26, 2013 in San Francisco.
Varonis Data Governance Suite
To date, many big data analytics are associated with "machine generated" data like trade information, location data, etc. However, 80% of organizational data is unstructured (source: IDC). This human-generated content lives on file servers, intranets, NAS devices and email systems in the form of spreadsheets, presentations, audio files, video files, blueprints and designs.
The Varonis Data Governance Suite leverages big data analytics to help organizations better manage, and protect unstructured data by:
- Aligning data sets with business areas and data owners
- Connecting disparate teams and data sets
- Discovering access patterns and collaborative flows
- Identifying areas of high risk and users with too much access
- Baselining access patterns, flagging potential abuse
- Enhancing data access control, ownership, classification, entitlements and authorization processes
- Identifying stale, unneeded, or non-business data for archiving or deletion
It aggregates all data access events -- without requiring native OS auditing -- to build a complete picture of who can and who is accessing data, and who should have their access revoked. It also leads IT to rightful data owners, so the right people can ensure appropriate access and usage. With the Varonis Data Classification framework, IT can immediately identify folders with excessive permissions that also contain quantities of sensitive data.
The Varonis Data Governance Suite includes the Varonis Metadata Framework and integrated products for automated unstructured data protection and management: Varonis DatAdvantage for Windows, Exchange, Directory Services, SharePoint, UNIX/Linux; Varonis Data Transport Engine; Varonis DataPrivilege; and the Varonis IDU Classification Framework. Varonis monitors users' data access and quickly gathers enough metadata to accurately determine and recommend who should and should not have access to data.
About Varonis
Varonis is the leader in unstructured and semi-structured data governance software. Based on patented technology and a highly accurate analytics engine, Varonis solutions give organizations total visibility and control over their data, ensuring that only the right users have access to the right data at all times from all devices, all use is monitored, and abuse is flagged.
Varonis makes digital collaboration secure, effortless and efficient so that people can create and share content easily with whom they must, and organizations can be confident their content is protected and managed efficiently.
Voted one of the "Fast 50 Reader Favorites" on FastCompany.com, and winner of the SC Magazine Innovation, Product or Service of the Year, and Best Network Security Awards, Varonis has more than 4,500 installations worldwide and is headquartered in New York, with regional offices in Europe, Asia and Latin America.
Varonis, the Varonis logo, DatAdvantage®, DataPrivilege® and the IDU Classification Framework® are registered trademarks of Varonis® Systems in the United States and/or other countries and Metadata Framework, DatAnywhere, and Data Transport Engine are under a registration process in the United States and/or other countries. All other product and company names and marks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners and are mentioned for identification purposes only.
- Red Hat Announces General Availability of Red Hat Enterprise Linux OpenStack Platform 5
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I smell a mid-July rally! Maybe! All I know is...the questions are longer this time. That means they're better, right?
1. So the NCAA is throwing its weight around right now regarding the whole "sports agents paying college players" issue. They've hit the Pac-10 and are investigating schools in the ACC and SEC…
My question, then, is 3-fold:
a) Do you expect the NCAA to expand its investigation into a program in the Big 12?
b) If so, which program would you expect to be the likeliest target?
and, I know none of us want to think about something like this, but
c) Is there any chance Mizzou ends up a paof this investigation?
You know, assuming the NCAA decides to eradicate this whole issue once and for all and penalize every program with even a whiff of impropriety.
2. How do I convince my girlfriend to root for Mizzou Men's Basketball? She is a former college athlete (she played basketball for Wyoming when they won the NIT a couple years ago).
She refuses to support or even acknowledge that the team is good. In her mind, its just "create havoc, drive to the lane, fouls, and full court pressure that doesn't work on big teams capable of preparing for it. They don't have any real shooter (Kimmeh is not legit yet) and they don't play 'Team Basketball' i.e. they play one-on-one a lot and rarely have a real half-court offense (just look at the games they lost in the last two NCAA tournaments)." She also does not have a high opinion of Mike Anderson's recruiting.
Basically what I'm looking for is a clear argument that point-by-point outlines why she should change her mind and give MU Basketball a chance. This has been a main point of contention regarding sports in our relationship (she's all for MU Football). Perhaps you could expand upon the subject and address other arguments against rooting for Mizzou. This would be a great post I could use to debate with her since my ability to argue basketball with her is underwhelming at best.
3. I just got done watching the first 3 seasons of 30 Rock on Netflix. Liz Lemon – Hot nerd, or hottest nerd?
4. What is your favorite war movie and why?
Michael Atchison: Going to be late to the party today.
ZouDave: Me too, bheading into a meeting right now
Bill C.: Beheading in a meeting??
ghtd36: A beheading in a meeting? Damn. Corporate America really is cutthroat.
ghtd36: Let's rock this.
1- Yes, I expect the NCAA to expand its investigation to the Big XII at some point. It's never been a matter of if; it's a matter of when. It's not like impropriety just stops at the border of Big XII country.
If I had to take a guess, I'd expect it to come down on someone like Oklahoma: prestigious program with a big-name coach that could feasibly take a substantial step backward in the coming years, while still maintaining the "NFL factory" visage.
And yes, Mizzou is absolutely in play. Fair or not, it's a school with a history of NCAA violations, so there's always going to be that red flag. That said, I think Mizzou earned some brownie points with the NCAA by being ahead of the curve on the whole setting-up-a-compliance-department thing after the Quinpocolypse.
2- First of all, tell your girlfriend that I said hello.
Now, on to the topic at hand. It seems to be a total non sequitur that your girlfriend who played women's basketball -- a sport that not only requires sound fundamentals, but whose game is almost solely based on sound fundamentals -- would fail to acknowledge one of the most fundamentally sound squads in the nation. It's a team built on defense; I don't think there's any questioning that. In a sport that has become as much about outscoring opponents as stopping them, Mizzou is an old school mentality team that prides itself on stopping the ball first and foremost.
As for the argument about the offense, she really couldn't contradict herself any more. They don't have any real shooter, yet they play one-on-one a lot? Then how do they score? I'm not going to disagree that they lack a true shooter; we all said last year that Mizzou was a scorer short.
But to say that they don't play "team basketball" would seem to indicate that they just run isolation constantly to the shooter they don't have, which couldn't be farther from the truth. Nine players averaged at least an assist a game last year for Mizzou. For national champion, play the game the right way, gritty, fundamentally sound, Coach K-tested, mother-approved Duke? Four players with an assist a game.
They drive the lane, sure, but everyone drives the lane. That's like saying, "God, I hate the Yankees; they bunt."
I'm not going to argue with her about recruiting; that's subjective.
Basically, my argument is that she's wrong. But do tell her that I said hello.
3. Ahem.
And she was on The freakin' Wire. QED.
4. Star Wars. Breathtaking visuals.
The Beef: Looks like I picked a hell of a week to be coaxed back into a roundtable…these questions go WELL beyond my attention span. So…the longer the question, the shorter my answer
#1a – yes
#1b – Oklahoma State
#1c – yes
#2 – Find a new girlfriend…clearly the one you have is dumb (about Anderson's recruiting at least, and about her understanding of TEAM defense, as I am guessing she was evidently far too slow a player to grasp what it is Mizzou does). Yeah…that's what you get for a long, drawn-out story about someone you are slumming with from a standpoint of basketball IQ.
#3 – Gonna go with hot nerd, though I still have occasional longing to see Fey back at the Weekend Update desk. Her cameo for the Betty White episode (as with most things in that episode) was great.
#4 – I will say Glory, but I am REALLY not a war movie person. Never seen Saving Private Ryan in its entirety, and never seen a single episode of anything HBO has done.
ZouDave: Typos FTW!
First, welcome back BEEF! Glad to see you back among us, making it happen. When's Baby Beef's debut?
1 - They sort of did already with kansas, and I wouldn't be surprised if they went back there again to "tie up loose ends" with some of the latest scandals. I don't think they'd target Texas because I think Texas is still considered pretty untouchable, but it's not out of the question.
There's always a chance your school can end up in an investigation, but with the two coaches we have running our major programs I say bring it on. We could have faced some problems with the whole text message thing from the basketball program within the last year and it couldn't have been less of a problem, because Mike Anderson runs a clean program. Gary Pinkel has never even had the appearance of impropriety to my knowledge, and he's such a stubborn and straight-arrowed person that I think he'd refuse to get involved in things that would get him in trouble simply because that's not how Don James did it.
2 - Just find a girlfriend that isn't retarded.
3 - Hot nerd. I'll have to look around for the hottest nerd, but I think I'm going to start with Danica McKellar:
4 - Wow, now that's just an awesome question. What qualifies a war movie? Are we talking wars that the USA was involved in, or can we go back to movies like Spartacus or Braveheart? Or something more fictional like Gladiator, that is more representative of the time as opposed to portraying real events?
If I can say "Band of Brothers" as my answer, then that's my answer. It's not a movie, but it's the length of like 3 movies and it's certainly movie quality. But if we're just talking about actual theater release movies, answering the question literally...
Medieval-ish Wars - Braveheart
Revolutionary War - The Patriot (not sure I have much to choose from here)
US Civil War - Glory
World War I - All Quiet on the Western Front
World War II - Saving Private Ryan
Vietnam War - Full Metal Jacket or We Were Soldiers...can't call this one
Modern Wars - Blackhawk Down
Overall favorite movie from this list - Braveheart
ZouDave: Ok...I should have read Seth's response first before truly welcoming him back.
YOU'VE NEVER SEEN SAVING PRIVATE RYAN OR BAND OF BROTHERS?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!!!11111oneoneone!!!?????ZOMG?!
I.....I don't........I can't........it's.......you.........elephant.........what?
The Beef: I suppose in saying I am not a fan, it really means they don't do anything for me. I've seen the opening of SPR, and the scene is impressive from the standpoint of its enormity, but it does nothing for me. The depiction of war does not cull the same feelings it does in many others, so it is not a genre I really spend any time in.
And to update the Roundtable…Baby The Beef is due is 6 short days…and the Tailgate Queen and I are literally down to the "any minute now" stage.
ZouDave: Well that just seems foreign as an idea to me, Beef, but I guess I'll have to just accept that explanation.
Best wishes to you and the Tailgate Queen and the soon to be little one! Will be praying for everyone to remain happy and healthy, can't wait to see pictures, and I know without asking that you guys will both be at full speed for the McNeese State home opener on 9/11/10!
The Beef: Consider it unpatriotic or unmanly or whatever…but I have little to no draw to the military and likely would come off as aloof to many regarding my feelings on those who defend Am'r'ca and our freedoms. Just is what it is, but it certainly seems to project to my movie tastes.
At this point, we plan to have the kid with us at the MU/ILL game as sort of a test run. Both my family and my in-laws will be joining us for the McNeese State game, and we will go from there. We realize our Friday nights in Como before a game are pretty much done, and it will make for a lot of loooooong Saturdays, but we are going to try to do the best we can. Some tailgates may just not start quite as early as they used to :-)
ZouDave: Well for me it's not about my patriotism or defending Am'r'ca or anything, but I do happen to love those kinds of action movies. Now, I also do have draws to the military (especially with The Captain as a father) so I'm sure that has more than helped shape my tastes for these things but I can be just as happy watching a war movie taking place in 10th century England as I can watching one about USA's fight against the Nazis. I love the conflict, I love the heroism, I love the action, I love the drama.
Band of Brothers is so much more than a war movie, though, because so little of the 10+ hours actually takes place on a battlefield. Getting to learn about the men of Easy Company is really a privilege more than anything else. Those men are American treasures, every one of them.
ghtd36: I can vouch for Band of Brothers. It's excellent.
The Beef: Agree to disagree on this one, as my saying any more will just further drive an already crappy Roundtable further down the drain
ZouDave: I don't agree to that!
Bill C.: I don't agree to your face.
ZouDave: Your brain's the one with the shell on it.
Bill C.: I'm rubber and you're glue?
ghtd36: And Beef, I'm not a parent. But I feel like I should offer you the same advice I read on the Internet once:
You only give the baby whiskey when they're teething.
The Beef: I appreciate the clarification, as I thought the whiskey was for me whilst the kid was teething
ZouDave: oh there's no limitation on when you can be administered whiskey. Unless you're doing the breastfeeding...
ghtd36: Allow me to offer the first derailment of this already swimming roundtable:
Go see Inception. Right now. Don't even finish this roundtable. Go right now. Quit your job if you must. It immediately vaulted into my top 5 ever.
ZouDave: You're not the only person who's had that opinion of the movie. I know nothing about the movie (which is the way I like it, I go in with zero expectations). I will try to see it this weekend, though. Is that acceptable?
ghtd36: That is acceptable. And really, I'm trying very hard to keep from overhyping the movie, because there's no way it can live up to the amount of hyperbole heaped upon it; I call it Napoleon Dynamite Syndrome.
Suffice to say that I believe you will enjoy it.
RPT: 1. Yes, investigations will absolutely expand to the Big 12's footprint, though I refuse to speculate on which program will be the target. Like ghtd said, we're not immune here either. No matter how well a program is run, it's sickening how easy it is for a player to do something stupid like attending an agent's party (Bama's Marcel Dareus) or even doing some that seems illegal then lying about it (Dez Bryant). That's why, even though I agree with ZouDave's sentiments about Pinkel and the way the program is run, I think it's really out of everyone's hands but the agents and the players.
2. A former women's basketball player who does not appreciate watching Mizzou's brand of basketball tells me everything I need to know about women's basketball.
But in all seriousness, I understand people that don't appreciate the aesthetic value of Mizzou basketball. It's blue collar basketball that'll leave you bruised. It's not a fundamentals training video and it's not five white guys playing the Princeton offense on black and white film setting up set shots. Here's the thing though: Mizzou's style is an equalizer. Some systems, especially ones that might be more pleasing to the eye, require supreme talent. You can label the Fastest 40 Minutes a gimmick if you want. I'd rather have a gimmick that wins than a "normal" system tha produces middling results.
3. Olivia Munn in this conversation?
4. I'll defer to others on this one.
Doug: Really? You had to go for the longest questions?
1 - I think with the NCAA anything is possible. They have all the money and the vast majority of the power. I also think the NCAA is more than a little pissed off with the BCS at the moment, and any chance to tag a traditional football power like USC or Florida, and they will jump at the chance.
Eventually, someone in the Big 12 will be investigated, it's only a matter of time. And, the most likely candidates in my mind, are Oklahoma and Texas. Big programs, lots of boosters, lots of money, and plenty that can go on under the table, which Oklahoma has already proved once recently.
And, yes, Missouri could become the target, but thankfully for the Tigers, they pumped a bunch of money into regulation oversight, just like KU did. I'm fairly certain the NCAA does not care if a school is getting dicked out of money by it's own employees. That's why I would put it at a much higher probability that the NCAA starts sniffing around in Manhattan before Lawrence or Columbia.
2 - Has Mrs. Bill C. met your "girlfriend" yet?
I do see where she's coming from. At times, the Tigers can play a beautiful sort of up-tempo game, raining in threes, running the break, forcing turnovers. But, when they come up against a more talented team, it turns into an absolute nightmare on the court. Multiple fouls, called and uncalled, shot-clock draining possessions, and 16 point first halves. Just really everything you hate about Big 10 basketball on display.
3 - Yeah, I'll have to second the nomination of Danica McKellar.
4 - I do prefer Band of Brothers, and really want to see The Pacific when it comes out on DVD. But, for my money, Black Hawk Down is an unbelievable representation of the modern battlefield.
ZouDave: The best endorsement I ever heard on Blackhawk Down came from one of my closest friends, whom I grew up with, that went into the Air Force out of high school and is still in today. He's been deployed 10 times in his now 16 years in, been in Iraq 3 times, been in Bosnia, been in Korea, etc. He told me he watched the movie once and will never watch it again, because it was too real.
That's worth noting.
Bill C.: I have to veto Olivia Munn. She's hot, but I get the impression she has marketed herself toward nerds more than she actually IS a nerd...VETO.
Michael Atchison: 1. This is a nearly impossible question to answer. I think people fundamentally misunderstand the way that NCAA enforcement works. They operate with a relatively small staff that oversees hundreds of institutions (there are 300+ Division One basketball programs, and lots of DII and DIII schools). Virtually every investigation starts with a source outside the infractions staff, be it self-reporting by a school, a tip from another program or person, or a news story. Do I expect a Big 12 program to be investigated at some point in the future? Sure, I can all but guarantee it. But I can't tell you which school or how it will come about. If you want odds, look at two things: (1) How other schools feel about a particular coach (I would imagine that Scott Drew is the most likely guy to get ratted out by another program), and (2) How much fan intensity there is around a program. If a lot of people care fanatically about a particular football or basketball team, the odds increase that someone is going to cross a line. Finally, is there any chance that Missouri ends up as part of investigation? Our history tells us that there's always a chance, but I do feel good about the people in charge of the revenue programs. I'd be very surprised to find Mizzou at the heart of any significant scandal in the short term.
2. I think other people have answered this question pretty sufficiently. Clearly, this relationship can't last. It's OK for a significant other to be indifferent to Mizzou basketball, but to be antagonistic is a deal-breaker. A few other thoughts: If Mike Anderson can't recruit, he apparently has inferior talent. And if he has inferior talent, and they don't play team basketball, the only explanation for all the games they win must be sorcery. Also, if ranking at the top nationally in assists and A:TO doesn't convince her that they play team basketball, she doesn't want to be convinced. As for their style not working on big teams capable of preparing for it, I suppose I would refer her to the coaches at Kansas, Kansas State, Texas, Oklahoma State, Memphis, Illinois, Marquette, Clemson and others who have lost to the Tigers in the past couple of years.
Finally, there are no gimmicks. There are rules. You play within them. The funniest thing I ever hear in sports is "yeah, they beat us, but they had to use that crazy style to do it." That's what the British said about the Yanks in the Revolution.
3. Hottest nerd. I want to go to there.
4. I don't know if it's my favorite, but I've never been as emotionally shattered walking out of a movie theater as I was after I saw Platoon.
ghtd36: You know what's going to be fun?
Football season, and the subsequent alcohol abuse that comes with it.
/will attempt to black out at Mizzou-Illinois game
RPT: Sobriety:
Bill C.: Since I haven't responded to much yet, I'll just say that I did see Saving Private Ryan in the theater...a) my mom was crying 90 seconds into the movie, b) I thought it was great, and c) I don't ever feel the need to see it again.
The biggest issue with the agents thing is, as has been said here, a lot of it is completely out of coaches' control. A lot of it is relying on the players themselves to avoid these things, and...well...20-year old males are not usually the best decision-makers on the planet.
I do love, though, that Nick Saban is ALL SORTS OF PISSED OFF about this (now that it might have snagged one of his players too)...says agents should be banned from even scouting players and they should do it all at the Combine. Good luck getting them out of the building, of course, but if Saban's railing on it, there might actually be a change...
ZouDave: Once again, Atch pulls out the best line of the discussion re: Brits vs Yanks. Atch, you really ought to consider a future in writing. Not sure if that's something that interests you or not but you may be missing some opportunities there.
It is always crazy to me when fans/teams complain that they were beaten by a "system". No, you were beaten by a team that (as Atch so perfectly put it) was playing the game completely within the rules. How odd that people will say Mizzou beats you with a gimmicky system (both in football and basketball) but yet when Mizzou lost to Navy in the Bowl Game last year it wasn't that we were beaten by a "system", it was just simply that we got beat and therefore sucked. Isn't the Triple Option just as much a system as the Spread? Is the only thing that's not a "system" the kind of football they play in the Big Ten? Because if so, Nebraska will be right at home I guess.
(Two hours later...)
The Beef: So this is what I have been missing?
ghtd36: RPT killed a guy.
RPT: No, Beef. You have it backwards. You're what the Roundtable's been missing.
Now save this one and we'll call it square.
The Beef: Well let's be honest here…I bring very little to the table on these to begin with.
I don't have the stats like Bill C
I don't have the pop culture like…well…just about anyone.
I don't have the music/reading love like some.
I don't have the movie taste of most (already covered)
In the end, all I can do is this…
ghtd36: Thank you for your courage, Beef.
The Beef: I am just a man with very little to do on his last day in the office for awhile
(30 minutes later...)
Bill C.: In other news...SWEET MERCIFUL CRAP AM I TIRED OF 90s > RAIN > 90s > RAIN > 90s ... this is the most miserable summer I can remember since the last one I spent in DC ...
ghtd36: 102-degree-every-day Dallas waves.
Bill C.: I'll take 102 degrees and half the humidity. Sign me up.
(An hour later...)
ZouDave: I just got back from running 30 100-meter wind sprints in this heat, so blow me where the pampers is!
The Beef: Why were 30 different guys chasing you over short distances?
ZouDave: because I'm that damn awesome
Michael Atchison: It was 15 different guys, and they had to rest in the middle.
ghtd36: Dave, that's the worst case of scoreboarding I've ever seen.
In related news, I just ate another 100-calorie pack of Cheez-Its in the air conditioning. Suck it.
(An hour later...)
My office has been without power for three hours. And you know that DC heat Bill was referencing?
Yep, it's been a fun afternoon here just outside our nation's capital.
Michael Atchison: Dude gets his dream internship and bitches about the heat.
The Beef: Next he is going to tell us how he cant take all the attractive women in the office complaining about their shirts sticking to their sweating bodies
ghtd36: For his next act, RPT will complain that the clouds are too puffy.
Michael Atchison: Reminds me of the big leaguers complaining about the All-Star game being in Kansas City. "Sure, I make $12 million a year and people worship me, but on one Monday in July 2012, I'm going to be subjected to the humiliation of having to drink and hit on hot women in a bar on the Country Club Plaza."
RPT: I think Beef overestimates the female:male ratio at an office housing a professional sports franchise.
But, point/meme well taken. Rabble rabble.
ghtd36: RPT: "Gaaaah, this beer is WAY too cold."
ZouDave: This reminds me of one of my favorite Chandler Bing quotes from friends:
"Oh, I know, this must be so hard. 'Oh no, two women love me. They're both gorgeous and sexy. My wallet's too small for my fifties AND MY DIAMOND SHOES ARE TOO TIGHT!' "
RPT: Dave just quoted FRIENDS?
Can someone un-lame the Roundtable?
The Beef:
Bill C.: I was going to make an "And boom goes the dynamite" reference here, but I felt it might be misinterpreted.
ZouDave: $20 says Atch has no idea who that is
Michael Atchison: Is "random girl on the internet" not right?
ZouDave: it's a very specific girl, both on the internet and in many adult movies
Michael Atchison: Your sister?
Bill C.: AND BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE.
ghtd36: MY GOD HURRY PUBLISH BEFORE DAVE HAS A REBUTTAL.


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[Source Description: 1 September 1826. "Account of disbursements by William Nichols." University of North Carolina Papers (#40005), University Archives, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.]
Acct. of disbursement by Wm. Nichols for labour and materials in repairing the President's House and Steward's Hall; getting timbers, making brick, and building the new Chapel; taking down Cupola from South College, repairing the roof, and building a Belfrey [sic] in the yard agreeably with instructions given by the Building Committee in March 1824.


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Katharine McPhee's Do-Good Summer Plans
July 9, 2010 at 1:43 pm , by Lisa M. Gerry
American Idol alum, Katharine McPhee, has teamed up ConAgra Foods Foundation and Feeding America for an amazing project called, Hunger-Free Summer. 19.5 million American children are on free or reduced meals during the school year, and when school lets out, only 2.2 million of them are getting that free food over the summer. That leaves 17 million kids who go hungry during the summer because they're no longer getting government-funded meals. "We're working with 23 food banks and trying to bridge that gap," says McPhee. "Our goal is to feed 25 percent more kids this summer than last."
I spoke with Katharine about what drew her to this cause, how she's helping, what we can do to eradicate hunger in America—and I couldn't let her go without finding out what other projects she has up her sleeve.
Were you surprised by the hunger crisis in America?
When I heard that 1 in 4 kids don't know where their next meal is coming from, I was shocked. A friend of mine is a schoolteacher in Minnesota and she said she had a student who was sneaking sandwiches because they were starving. And when kids are hungry, they can't focus in school and they sometimes cause problems in the classroom. I just didn't think about hunger existing in this country—especially not in LA where I grew up.
You'll be visiting food banks in at least six cities. What will you being doing there?
My main duty is to talk to food bank representatives and see how we can make the program better every summer. Many of the kids' parents will be working, so they'll be dropped off at supervised areas close to the food bank. And they spend their days there because they get lunch and dinner. So I'm there just to remind them that they're kids, play with them and maybe sing a couple songs with them.
What can our readers do to help?
You can go to my website, katharinemcphee.com, and there are links to the programs that I'm working on. There are so many ways you can make a difference. In these economic times, it's really hard to ask people for money. I get that, but this issue is not just about money. It's about giving time.
Find out what Katharine is up to next…
Can we look forward to another album from you sometime soon?
Yeah, I'm working on a Christmas record right now. In between traveling to the different cities for Hunger-Free Summer, I'm going to be in the studio in LA recording it.
And you've done some acting as well. What do you get from acting that you don't get from singing?
They fulfill me so differently. Acting is a real passion of mine—I love every part of the process: I love rehearsing, learning the lines and being on the set. With music, the real reward for me is performing it live, and vocally, I perform better. There's just nothing like performing in front of an audience.
You should do a live album.
Oh yeah! I've never even thought about that. That's a good idea.
Categories: Do Good, Entertainment, Ladies' Lounge | Tags: American Idol, Feeding America, Hunger-Free Summer, Katharine McPhee | 4 Comments
4 Responses to "Katharine McPhee's Do-Good Summer Plans"
Written on July 9, 2010 at 2:31 pm, by Ron
You can also help LHJ help Feeding America's Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, as they ramp up their efforts to aid victims of May's flooding. Visit http://bit.ly/admARD for more info on our volunteer afternoon in TN with Coldwater Jane, or go to http://bit.ly/9tpDdw to donate directly.
Written on July 9, 2010 at 3:35 pm, by Tweets that mention Katharine McPhee's Do-Good Summer Plans | The Ladies' Lounge -- Topsy.com
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Ladies' Home Journal, vickiboutwell. vickiboutwell said: Great blog post about all that @katharinemcphee is doing to #fightchildhunger with @ConAgra Foods Foundation – http://bit.ly/az94Q8 [...]
Written on July 9, 2010 at 6:52 pm, by rocky
So nice to read a story about a celeb NOT behaving badly! I am especially moved that Katharine is giving her time and talent to such a needy cause. The thought of children going hungry is too much to bear. Thank you, Lisa, for bringing us a much-needed message…we need to do our part to make our world a better place for all!
Written on July 11, 2010 at 4:20 pm, by Marge
Never heard of her. They should have gotten someone higher profile.


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Company Commanders: Are You In Charge or a Figurehead?
As a fire officer, it is your duty to develop your subordinates to the best of both your and their abilities. If you don't feel that your firefighters will make the right decisions without you, maybe your parenting skills need a tune-up.
I think one of the hardest things for a parent to do is to know when to let go and let the child spread their wings. I am in the process of this happening for the second time and I see many parallels to the fire service. As an officer it is your duty to develop your subordinates to the best of both your and their abilities.
This is going to be hard for some to relinquish control while still being in charge without some misgivings. Some may feel that they are the only ones that can perform the job to their satisfaction. Oftentimes those that are closer to the workflow may have a better handle on the issues and are able to arrive at the best solution. How many times have we seen something come from "on high" and shake our heads because it was so far from actual practice?
Delegating Responsibilities
Management books will tell you how a good manager delegates responsibilities. Let your crew have the opportunity to fly while you can assist them. Allowing the crew to make mistakes in a controlled setting is much preferable to making a mistake in the middle of a chaotic scene. Many business coaches will say not to make yourself irreplaceable, because you limit your upward mobility and the crew feels that their input is neither valued nor are they an important part of the team.
I have seen officers with a to-do list that filled the entire page, but when help was offered the answer was always "no thanks." What messaged is received? Was it that input is not important and that they are the only one that can do anything? If so, they are sending the wrong message. Another point is what happens when you leave and take away the institutional knowledge gained throughout your career and never pass any of it on to your replacement? Why should they have to re-invent the wheel? Hopefully someone took you under their wing and gave you a good foundation to build on. Pass on this knowledge while you can. Your replacement will thank you for letting them hit the ground running. The first day promoted is not the ideal time to find out how little you know.
An important part of crew resource management is realizing that:
a) You are not an expert at everything, and
b) Others have skills that they can bring to the table.
The team synergy is stronger than any one individual, regardless of rank. Delegating responsibility can help your crew appreciate your job while helping them to grow in their career. Don't be offended if someone comes up with a better idea than yours. Praise them and value the skills of your people. Utilize your people, but don't abuse them. They can make you look good or they can make you look bad. I remember hearing about a supervisor who felt challenged by the informal leader of a cohesive shift. Instead of seeing this as a gift, they saw this negatively and wasted a valuable resource. The supervisor could have made their job easier by co-opting someone that already had the ear of the shift. It is easier to bring one person on board versus trying to reach a consensus with the whole station.
Communicating Needs and Expectations
One of the key points in this process is the need to communicate your goals while letting the project be completed by others. Have the goals restated in their own words to ensure they are understood. If the goals are not communicated, the crew will not know which direction to go. I remember a pastor saying one Sunday that it was better to be going full speed in reverse instead of drifting aimlessly stuck in neutral. He said at least you knew that you were headed in the wrong direction and needed to change course. You cannot be angry at the shift for your inability to set the goals, nor should you get your underwear in a bunch if they step up and try to determine their own destiny.
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Choronzon - Magog Agog
1998 Nocturnal Art Productions
Psychedelic Back Metal
1. Intro: Dust
2. Love. Strength: Lies
3. Perdurabo (Magog Agog)
4. Under the Leaves
5. Crimson Awakening
6. Demon
7. Void
8. 333
9. Choronzon
Review in Pit Magazine Issue # 28
Choronzon-Magog Agog-Nocturnal Art Productions
Releases like Magog Agog are far and few between here at Pit. Predictability is fairly common on most metal albums. Te strange, psychotic flair of this one definitely doesn't fit that bill. The first half sounds similar to mechanized aggro-metal, but heavy electronics eliminate a substantial link. The opening track utilizes layering or multi-track technique of instruments and sounds producing a disorienting effect. It almost sounds like a chaotic "test" track,to immediately weed out the nimble minded "brutal" listeners from the adventurous ones. Perdurabo(MagogAgog) follows with aggressive metal tendencies, but warps, explodes and reconstitutes itself from the meshing disarray of sound and structure. Eventually, the material calms down to reveal a black metal musician basking in the electronic light. Be warned! this record is an acquired taste! For the dark eccentric weirdo in the metal crowd only.
-Kurt Hubert
Blackened Electro Metal from America
Choronzon (USA) is a one-man project under the command of Mr. P. Emerson Williams.
The music of Choronzon is a find blend of Black, Thrash and Industrial, but you also find strong Gothic elements and some out of the ordinary psychedelic/ Ambient elements.
If you've had anything to do with the goth scene or read any occult oriented magazines in the early nineties you would almost certainly have come acress the art of Peter Emerson Williams, or read interviews with his band, Veil of Thorns. What was less known at the time was the evil Demon he was giving brith to: Choronzon.
P. Emerson Williams had spent the late eightees trying to get a Black Metal band going that was sincere about its occult involvement. Finding nothing but baseball-capped thrashers who were content with aping Exodus, Metallica and Anthrax he decided to withdraw from the world for a while to concentrate on art, Veil of Thorns and perfecting his vision of Metal.
Choronzon was first brought out from the underworld with "Emotional Hunger", a heavily Death-tinged three song affair that had its good points but barely hinted in -92 at what was to follow. It was with the second self-titled demo Williams' vision was brought lightyears closer to realization, and the public interest was immediately felt to the point at which it was difficult to get review copies sent out as the tapes were sold almost as soon as they were duplicated.
What most characterized the second demo was a ritualistic experimentalism that was not quite the amorphous devilry of Abruptum and some eighties style riffs that weren't quite retro. This demo was without a doubt a far purer Black Metal release than the preceeding demo and the subsequent album.
"Magog Agog" is taken from James Joyces "Finnegans Wake". It is to be found in a passage of epithets hurled at, written down and collected by a much derided derilict in the town. It fits perfectly with the way P. Emerson Williams was treated by many in the goth scene, and the words have a very meaningful occult meaning which fits Choronzon to a T.
Choronzon "Magog Agog" CD (ECLIPSE 009)/ Nocturnal Art Productions:
"The music of Choronzon is a fine blend of Black, Thrash and Industrial Metal, but you also find strong gothic elements and some out of the ordinary psychedelic/ambient elements." What could be more fitting description? This outstandingly weird and unordinary release by P. Emerson Williams of Veil Of Thorns surely covers all the mentioned genres and almost everything else, and furthermore combines them incredibly well so that the wide spectrum doesn't disturb. It's hard to say anything collective about "Magog Agog", it's not just anything. Every single field is handled with skill and true artistic sense, and recording technology is being used very colourfully. If you're into really chaotic and original stuff, get "Magog Agog" in your hands as soon as possible! It's simply brilliant!
(5) Review by Ville Sorvali
Panic {RE}_Programming. Extreme avant-garde music and silent horror. A million tendrils of dark video art from P. Emerson Williams.


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