text: you asked... Q&A: Do mosquitoes bite pregnant women more? Is it true that mosquitoes are more likely to bite pregnant women? Want to participate? Log in to share your thoughts Re: Is it true that mosquitoes are more likely to bite pregnant women? We've heard this one too. And while nothing's been proven on the subject yet, there are definitely lots of theories floating around out there as to why. Here are two of the biggest:Theory 1: Mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide. Later on in pregnancy, you'll tend to breathe more heavily, releasing more air (21 percent to be exact) than non-pregnant women do. Some think the mosquitoes are drawn to the fact that you're giving off more CO2.Theory 2: When you're pregnant, your body temperature rises. This increase in body heat means that your skin releases more volatile substances, which make it easier for mosquitoes to find you.The larger amounts of carbon dioxide, mixed with the rise in body temperature, make pregnant women a feast for mosquitoes. Be sure to take precautions when you're outside -- mosquitoes can carry diseases that could be harmful to you and baby. Kerry Dougherty Q&A: Do mosquitoes bite pregnant women more? During my first trimester, this felt true. On Independence Day, it was so bad, while everyone else was walking around swatting the occasional mosquito, I was bundled up in a comforter with spray on, a wristband attached to my chair, and constantly swatting. Any flesh left untouched for more than 30 seconds was open season. It was horrible. The rest of the summer was not great either. I ended up getting a OFF fan and carrying it with me everywhere. kbgregoire | Q&A: Do mosquitoes bite pregnant women more? I live in Puerto Rico and the tropical weather gives us mosquitoes all the time. I am a human feeding ground for them! They loved me before I was pregnant....but now even more so! Anyone have any good natural remedies to keep them away since using repellent is out of the question??? Dawnjosue61111 | Q&A: Do mosquitoes bite pregnant women more? I can believe this is true also. I don't know how natural this method is, but I bought these mosquito repellant wristbands from QVC during my first pregnancy, & although I had to wear one on each arm, they worked very well! I didn't have as many bites once I started using them, only a few (less than 3 after an all day outing, and none on just everyday trips outside) so I would recommend them. DeeDaa313 | Q&A: Do mosquitoes bite pregnant women more? I swear this is true. I live in PA and we have not had a very warm Spring so far but somehow I got a mosquito bite on my foot!! email@example.com | Q&A: Do mosquitoes bite pregnant women more? I haven't been bitten once this summer! I usually get one or two that tastes me, but for whatever reason they stay completely clear now that I am pregnant. Thank goodness! jchanti711 | Q&A: Do mosquitoes bite pregnant women more? When I saw this question, I almost choked! I swear that now that I'm pregnant mosquitos suddenly love me, where before they almost never bothered me. It is definitely true!! And, I live in Florida, so it is going to be a long summer... Lizabethan | Want to participate? Log in to share your thoughts


text:
Henry Louis Gates Jr. Keeps Leading NYU On for the Cheap Apartment
The Harvard star pays the faculty rate, but doesn't work at the school.
Skip to content, or skip to search.
Skip to content, or skip to search.
The Harvard star pays the faculty rate, but doesn't work at the school.
Another excuse to stay indoors.
They both share the blame for that confrontation a year ago, a report says.
Plus: Tina Brown on the secret to web success, on our regular late-night roundup.
"I had to hold my arm down to keep from voting for the guy," Gates told us.
That's what we do when we're angry with Brad Pitt, too!
But in a bad sign for their relationship, it only lasted an hour.
When he said Henry Louis Gates Jr. was a 'banana-eating jungle monkey,' he didn't mean he was ACTUALLY a primate who lived in the trees and ate fruit — duh.
See, if James Crowley had known *that,* he never would have arrested him.
The beer summit was a success!
The Beer Summit is on!
Nothing racist about this at all.
She behaved as any good citizen should have. Should we throw her a ticker-tape parade?
That's what Obama will be drinking tomorrow, just so you know.
And why that's not as surprising as it first seems.
Powell thinks Skip Gates and the police could have been more reasonable.
They'll be meeting at the picnic table near the swing set.
Lee Landor thinks that Henry Louis Gates is a racist and racial profiling exists for good reason. Also, she doesn't work as the Manhattan borough president's press secretary anymore.
Great, glad we waited for these.
Teachable moment!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Low cost, large area, very robust Photo Voltaic solar panels which will not need any subsidies for installation or operation. These new forms of Solar cells will reduce the costs of generating electricity from sunlight to the same levels as the cost of generating electricity from conventional fossil fuels, greatly reducing CO2 emissions. A recent U.S. congressional review paper states that if 0.2% of the Earth's land surface could be covered with 9% efficient solar cells it will supply twice the electrical power used world wide.
The need to reduce CO2 generation world wide and the potentially disastrous effects on the World' s climate.
In advanced prototype development.
Other inventors like Brunell et al.
To create jobs and generate wealth in the Merseyside area.
Contact: Jeffery Boardman 01925 230928 www.atmos-technologies.com
Follow us on Twitter
© Merseyside Innovation Awards


text:
Judith "Judie" Ann Wilson, age 67 of Newport, passed away on August 8, 2013 at home with her loving family by her side. A Memorial Service will be held at 12:30pm on Saturday, September 7, 2013 at Frenchtown Missionary Baptist Church, 225 West Hurd Road, Monroe (734) 243-9483.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are suggested to Mercy Memorial Hospice or Heritage Baptist Church. Online guests may leave words of inspiration and comfort, share a photo, or make a donation by visiting www.merklefs.com and then selecting the Online Tributes page.
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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-110150212014-12-14T10:57:53.941-06:00ArchaeoTextureGiven enough time, even the roughest edges and the most acute angles will soften ... and so will the sharpest points of contention among us. We are more alike than we know, or care to email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-11015021.post-74299096540074155212014-02-03T19:05:00.000-06:002014-02-03T22:46:53.169-06:00Did you know ...That today was "Four Chaplains Day" in the United States?

No? Well, you're not alone. The 71st anniversary of that fateful night when four U.S. Army chaplains gave their lives that others might live, caused barely a ripple today. It has come and gone quietly, and largely unmarked ... including by yours truly.

And I might have remained ignorant fo the fact were it not for a stop by Wikipedia's home page, where I perused their "This Day in History" column. A link in that column took me to a Wikipedia page where I learned that, in 1988, the United States Congress established February 3 as "Four Chaplains Day." And get this ... Congress acted unanimously in doing so ....ah, those were the good ol' days!

The page went on to note that some state or city officials commemorate the day with official proclamations, sometimes including the order that flags fly at half-mast in memory of the fallen chaplains. In some cases, official proclamations establish observances at other times: for example, North Dakota legislation requests that the Governor issue an annual proclamation establishing the first Sunday in February as "Four Chaplains Sunday."

Notice the frequent use use of some variation or another of the word "some."

The day is also observed as the "Day of the Dorchester Chaplains" in the lectionary cycle of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. And there are memorials to the four chaplains - one Catholic, two Protestant, and one Jewish - in a variety of media around the country ... stained glass windows, stone monuments, postage stamps, building and chapel names ... and wax ... at least once upon a time.

I was reminded of a visit my family made to Washington, D.C. back in the sixties, while my father was posted to nearby Quantico, Virginia. One of our stops that day was to the National Historic Wax Museum. I don't recall the other exhibits ... but I remember the one devoted to the four chaplains, their commitment to their faith and their answer to their calling. It was a large exhibit, with the movement and noise that suggested a ship at sea, all set in a pool of water. The display - and the museum itself - is long gone. But I did find a picture ... ya gotta love the internet!

It is reported by the Four Chaplains Memorial Foundation that during the early morning hours of February 3, 1943, at 12:55 a.m., the USAT Dorchester was torpedoed by a German submarine in the North Atlantic. The torpedo knocked out the Dorchester's electrical system, leaving the ship dark. Panic set in among the men on board, many of them trapped below decks.

The foundation reports goes on to note that the chaplains sought to calm the men and organize an orderly evacuation of the ship, and helped guide wounded men to safety. As life jackets were passed out to the men, the supply ran out before each man had one. The chaplains removed their own life jackets and gave them to others. They helped as many men as they could into lifeboats, and then linked arms and, saying prayers and singing hymns, went down with the ship.

As I post this, there's less than five hours left of Four Chaplains Day 2014. Yet there's something about their story that could be/should be observed, cherished and shared with others throughout the year. May we never find ourselves in the desperate situation they faced ... but may we have at least a small portion of their courage, their love and their devotion for whatever life brings us.

firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-11015021.post-84877099049028111552014-01-24T19:05:00.000-06:002014-01-26T11:40:07.853-06:00Men of faith, men of steel

Earlier this week, in the course of an evening prayer gathering with @dreampcusa on Twitter, one of our partners offered up a prayer for the priests in Kiev. We joined in with that request, of course ... but part of me was wondering, "what's that about?" Once our gathering closed, I went and Googled "priests Kiev," then clicked on the 'News' option for search results ... and I found out exactly what he was talking about, and praying for.

The fact that there were protests in Ukraine in recent weeks was not news ... but it seems that the story had receded under the onslaught of more pressing news items ... Mr. Sherman's AFC Championship rant ... Justin Bieber's Miami vice ... the latest political scandals or rumors-of-scandal ... and, YES, some genuinely serious news items as well.

My Google search at that time produced few reports, the best of which appears below. In the last couple of days, a LOT more stories and images have appeared ... and that's a good thing. These are stories and images of people with the courage to step between warring factions, and stand firmly-but-peacefully between them, separating them at least for a moment, urging everyone in the streets of Kiev to listen to 'the better angels of their nature.'

Priest moves to stop Ukranian protester from
throwing Molotov cocktail at riot police.

The images being generated by the priests' intervention on the streets - and the emotions they generate within us - would be the stuff of dreams for Hollywood directors, who would be hard-pressed to capture the setting of a battered and burning street scene, the flickering light of bonfires, the hoarse screams of protesters, and the lines in the faces of a bearded, cassocked priest with crucifix in hand (looking for all the world like a centuries-old icon) who has kept watch through a freezing night, praying and chanting, and keeping wtch over the opposing battle lines. It is something far, FAR removed from West Texas ... but very, VERY close to the Christian heart! To borrow from that now-ubiquitous phrase ... we can talk the talk, but can we walk the walk? Can we walk into harm's way as they are, with eyes and hearts open?

And honestly ... I don't think you have to be a person of faith and/or religion to admire the courage being shown by these men … and there are some women, too, doing this on the streets of Kiev.

God bless them, and keep them ... in Jesus' name ... Amen.

Orthodox priests in Ukraine step into line of fire to stop deadly protests

By Carol Kuruvilla
New York Daily News

KIEV, UKRAINE - Holy nerves of steel. A group of Orthodox priests stepped right into the line of fire to stop clashes between protesters and police in Ukraine.

The priests braved bullets and walked into no-man's land between pro-European Union integration protesters and President Viktor Yanukovych's riot police. 'I'm here to placate the violence,' an Orthodox priest said.

• read the rest of this story, with photos

firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-11015021.post-15898225035271109572013-12-31T12:05:00.000-06:002014-01-01T08:11:30.151-06:00Did'ja hear the latest about Carnival? … probably notA little over a week ago, I was sitting at the bar on Deck 5 of the Carnival Valor, listening to a story about what had caused that ship to be late in its arrival at St. Maarten a couple of days earlier. It was an interesting piece of information, and I thought it would certainly prove newsworthy … unfortunately my nose-for-news is no match for the prominent proboscises one finds in America's major news organizations.

Carnival File Photo

According to this report on the Wall Street Journal's website (with a PRNewswire byline), "the Carnival Valor rescued five mariners from a pleasure craft that was sinking in inclement weather. Following the rescue, the five adults were brought on board Carnival Valor and evaluated by the ship's medical staff, and provided with food and water. Two of Carnival Valor's deck officers sustained minor contusions during the rescue effort."

I cite the WSJ report because there really aren't all that many reports to cite … at least from what one might consider major news media … WSJ, and USA Today. Oh, sure, there are the reports from PRNewswire, Cruise Critic and Trip Advisor and some cruise industry newsletters … but there readership is not as broad or (at least in some respects) as far-reaching as a CNN, an NBC News or even a Fox Noise.

True, a story about something going right does not have the same interest for news producers as something that goes wrong … the February 2013 Carnival Triumph cruise, for example. Want to know more about that? No problem … just Google "Carnival cruise from Hell" and you'll find a TON of reports … including some that document that the cruise was not nearly as bad as was reported by the media and some selective sources.

If it bleeds, it leads … I first heard that forty-some years ago, during one of first forays into a newsroom as a writer/producer, and it still seems to hold true today (though there seems to be as much preference for stories that bleed the mind and the spirit as much as the body). But when you think of something like the Carnival Valor responding to a distress call on a stormy night in the high seas – honoring an old tradition of seafaring – and then saving five lives? C'mon … couldn't we have trimmed a minute from the latest Miley shenanigans, or still another detailed analysis of what Washington ISN'T doing?

More than once, people have asked me something to the effect of, 'could you ever sail Carnival again?' Well, yes, because of stories like this. I'm glad I was on hand to hear first-hand reports, and that my family had a chance to meet the captain and bridge crew who participated in that rescue.

For what it's worth, I thought I'd share the news with you.firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-11015021.post-34103543123762757122013-07-02T12:05:00.000-05:002013-07-03T07:57:53.523-05:00A Prayer and Praise for FirefightersIt's been more than thirty years since I took the field as a substitute forest firefighter … but that brief service left me with a deep appreciation for the profession, and for those who embrace it. There remains to this day a place in my heart and my prayers for firefighters, which hasn't diminished one bit over the decades … in fact, it grew some on '9/11' … and it grew once again with this week's tragic news from Arizona.

In the summer of 1980, I was working a seasonal job as an archaeologist with the National Forest Service in Sequoia National Forest, in the mountains east of Bakersfield, California. Our team was posted to the Greenhorn District, and we shared accommodations with NFS Engine Company 5-2. There wasn't much to do in our off-work hours, so Chuck and I – both college students from the University of New Mexico – studied with the crew chief, familiarized ourselves with procedures and equipment, tested, and were eventually 'red-carded.' We were sub's, available to fill-out the crew when they were short-handed, and each of us ended up rolling on a few fires.

In the course of my service, I came to know some 'hot shots' and to watch them at work. There was about them a swagger, an attitude that they were rough and tough and scared of nothin'. Some might have called it arrogance … I know that I did, at first. But over the course of my own service – watching them go into a fire on direct-attack, knocking it down and watching them come out – I came to the conclusion that their attitude was merited … even after one unfortunate incident when a hot shot expressed his contempt for 'engine slugs' and almost started a fight between our crews.

Like I said, that summer – watching REAL firefighters at work, my brief service with them, and my own close call with wildfire on one occasion – left me with an indelible impression.

In his book, Report from Engine Co. 82, New York firefighter Dennis Smith suggested that there was good reason for the use of fire in images of Hell … as anyone who has been burned could tell you. I remember my training during that summer in California, and learning to prepare the ground around me and deploying my personal, emergency fire shelter in the event that the blaze shifted and trapped us … and I remember hoping that I never found myself in that kind of situation. Those who do find themselves in such a situation, on more than one occasion, and keep coming back? Let's face it … it's natural for people to rush out of a burning building - or a collapsing World Trade Center - in a mindless panic … but then there are those who mindfully, purposefully rush IN.

May God bless them and keep them, comfort their families and their friends, protect them and uplift them in their life, and welcome them in their passing. Amenemail@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-11015021.post-61513210433231145962013-05-23T17:05:00.000-05:002013-05-24T07:45:20.549-05:00Seeking a 'field of dreams' in ColoradoThe young men who comprise the Midland College Chaparral baseball team truly are the 'boys of summer' this year. At a time when most students are pursuing ventures off-campus - recreation, work, whatever - the team has remained on campus and at work, getting ready for what lies ahead. It's been two weeks since commencement exercises brought an end to the 2012/2013 academic year at our community college in Western Texas, and it will be another week before we kick-off the summer semester. It's a quiet time around campus ... unless you're a baseball player. They returned to Midland just a few days ago with a regional championship trophy in hand - the first ever for MC Chaparral baseball. And now they're in Grand Junction, Colorado for the JUCO World Series, the National Junior College Athletic Association's national championship tournament.

JUCO World Series-bound Midland College Chaparrals, 2013 NJCAA Region 5 Champions

This will be their first-ever trip to the national tournament. And while they have reached unprecedented levels of success, a difficult path still lies ahead of them, with the best junior college baseball programs in the nation standing between them and a national. But, you know what? I think they could do it ... I really do. They are a fine bunch of young men, good athletes, and we have a first-rate staff of coaches and trainers. They really could do it this year.

 And, no, I don't have the stats, the percentages or the research to back that up. Honestly, I'm not the baseball fan I was forty years ago ... and even then, I was out-of-sync with most of my friends and neighbors. The pro sports franchises that warmed their hears were mostly in Philly, just a two-hour drive south of my home near Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. But my heart was warmed by franchises at the west end of the Keystone State, on the banks of the Monongahela where Willie Stargell, Roberto Clemente, Steve Blass, Manny Sanguillén and the rest of my beloved Pittsburgh Pirates pursued America's pastime.

But even after all these years, and even after I've embraced 'the dark side' and begun following soccer more, I still enjoy a ballgame. Sometimes, I think I've been fortunate to have spent most of the past 35 years in areas where minor league ball is played ... in Albuquerque, NM with the Dukes, and in Midland, TX with the Rockhounds ... the venues are more intimate, the seats are affordable, there's an unusually high percentage of friends and acquaintances in the stands with you, and the players seem to be more concerned with playing than posturing as they work their way up to the majors.

In the time that has passed since the creation of "englische Base-ball" (or whatever), it still remains a favorite pastime ... and for all its appeal in other parts of the world, still a popular American pastime ...

It's like that line from "Field of Dreams" (one of the better speeches ever committed to film), adapted from Kinsella's "Shoeless Joe" (a great book on baseball, its magic and its appeal) ...

"The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good and that could be again."

... it reminds me of the fun I've had in the stands, which I later shared with my boys. And how the wife and I would whoop-it-up from the sidelines when their rec teams took the field. I hope they'll share it with their kids someday ... if not, Grandpa will be standing by!

In the meantime, I regret that we will not be able to make the drive up to Colorado this weekend, to watch my 'Chaps' play ... a Memorial Day break in the hills and mountains of Colorado, watching aspiring young players take their best shot at the title ... I can think of worse ways to spend a weekend.

email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-11015021.post-63663587715167334812013-03-20T07:55:00.000-05:002013-03-22T14:11:08.902-05:00Coming BackIt's been cooler - even cold! - these last few months ... and it's been grayer, too, from clouds that block the sun, yet deliver no rain ... and at times it's been way too windy for me. Eh, winter!

But today, Spring is coming back. Today, I went out to the side yard of this place where we were staying, and was greeted not just with the head of the house's septic tank system, and the assurance that all was well with said system ... but by a bluebonnet, as well ... my first bluebonnet of the new year!

Today, spring is coming back.

I've lived in West Texas long enough to appreciate that we seem to have only two seasons in our part of the Lone Star State ... SUMMER, and NOT-QUITE-SUMMER.

But not today ... for today, at least, SPRING is coming back ... and I'm thinking that maybe there are ways I should be coming back, too. More on that later ... but, for now, enjoy my bluebonnet.

email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-11015021.post-81491725965288106442012-12-25T07:55:00.000-06:002012-12-25T14:32:02.439-06:00THE Christmas tradition ... Luke wrote it, Linus shared it, I believe it

Clutter's "Agnes Dei," from the Bowden Collections' "Christ Is Born"

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Luke 2
King James Version (KJV)

However you mark this day, a very Merry Christmas!May this find you and yours happy and healthy, this holiday season and in the new year to come!
email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-11015021.post-70775999497581174842012-12-24T23:59:00.000-06:002012-12-25T14:27:13.641-06:00A Christmas tradition, of sorts ...Even in the days of DVDs, when I could watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas" easily and inexpensively, whenever I wanted, I would still wait for the Christmas season to come around, so I could watch the broadcast, just as I did the first time it aired ... and have done every Christmas season since then ... at least until the last couple of years, when broadcasters made additional cuts to the original program. Made me glad I bought the DVD a while back ... I still wait for the Christmas season to come around ... I just watch it via a new medium.

I like the humor of the story, with characters and dialogue that doesn't drive adults out of the room, screaming ... and I like the fact that we are allowed to laugh - or not - spontaneously, without the urging of a laugh track.

And I LOVE the music! The soundtrack was composed by the late, great Vincent Guaraldi, and was performed by Guraraldi and his trio. It's one of my favorite holiday music albums, AND one of my favorite jazz albums.

And I like the idea that a story about Christmas has something to say about Christ ... with a wonderful delivery by Linus of Scripture from the Gospel of Luke (King James version, no less), answering Charlie Brown's question of 'what Christmas is all about.'

There are some wonderful anecdotes out there about the making (and the near UN-making) of "Charlie Brown Christmas," and how viewers and critics had the nerve to rear-up and roar-out their opinions of the show ... opinions that differed dramatically from what network executives had predicted.

Makes me wonder if such a cartoon special could be produced and aired on a major television network today ... I don't know ... maybe not. I remain a big fan of cartoons ... but I just don't see as much respect for viewers young and old as I see demonstrated in something like "Charlie Brown Christmas." And with contemporary cartoon production being what it is, would we ever again see a gathering of talent such as Charles Shultz (words), Bill Melendez (images) and Vince Guaraldi (music), all of whom were not only creators, but determined advocates for their project? Again ... I don't know ... maybe not.

Now, if there was just some way to add those old sponsor plugs for Coca-Cola and Dolly Madison.email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-11015021.post-48001242550754224292012-11-27T07:55:00.000-06:002012-11-27T09:44:06.784-06:00Kicking-off the 'giving season'
"We have a day for giving thanks. We have two for getting deals. This year help create #GivingTuesday, the giving season's opening day," writes givingtuesday.org. "On Tuesday November 27, 2012 charities, families, businesses and individuals are coming together to transform the way people think about, talk about and participate in the giving season."

"It's a simple idea. Find a way for your family, your community, your company or your organization to join in acts of giving. Tell everyone you can about what you are doing and why it matters. Join a national celebration of our great tradition of generosity, and together we'll create ways to give more, give better and give smarter."

firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-11015021.post-22771671213606014312012-11-25T07:55:00.000-06:002012-11-25T09:18:55.384-06:00Recalling old times through new connections ...
In the local media this past month, some attention devoted to the 25th anniversary of the rescue of Jessica McClure from a well in southwest Midland where she was trapped for three days. That attention also provided for me an opportunity to connect with a one-time co-worker of mine - someone I have not seen for many, many years - and gain a renewed appreciation for how much smaller our world has become through the world wide web.

It was for me, a singular and - I hope - a defining moment in Midland's history. I found it to be one that illustrated so well what a community - and the individuals who comprise that community - can accomplish.

We can better appreciate those individual and community efforts from that time because of people like Phil Huber. Phil was a photographer back then for KMID-TV, Big 2, which made him something of a point-man for what was West Texas' dominant #1 television news department of that decade. Me, I was a writer and assistant producer in Big 2's creative services department, as well as a public service director and umpteen other things. That's how we did it back then ... everybody did a thing or two, or three. But that flexibility and that willingness would serve us well in the days that followed a call that brought a a reporter from Big 2 News and his photog (Phil) to a home on Tanner Street.

Phil's job was just to shoot the video, then take it back to the station for editing, and presentation on the evening news. But this time around, there would be more to it than that. A couple of officers peering down the well hole, trying to see/hear something of the little girl who had fallen in. The solution was a shotgun mic mounted on the top of Phil's camera ... was it detachable? It was, and Phil had additional cable that allowed the microphone to be lowered to where the girl was trapped, and the earphones that would allow the officers to listen. That was the first contact between the girl and her rescuers, and Phil was part of it.

You have to remember the technology of the day. This was 1987, and we were a small television market to boot. Those of us who who have grown accustomed to instant, total coverage of breaking news from almost anywhere, might forget what technology was available for news coverage in those days, especially for those of us who were yet to equip with what was new and developing in our nation's larger television markets. When I think of what coverage of that rescue might have been like back then, with just the cell phone technology we have now? Wow.

It was a long three days and nights that followed. And most of the staff at our station spent much of that time awake. Even those in the front office (accounting, ad sales and so on) did their part by keeping our switchboard open around the clock, and providing updates to callers from around the world ... or shuttling back and forth between the rescue site with freshly-recharged batteries for the cameras, gasoline for the generator in our live unit, and food for the news crews on the scene. But those news crew were on point ... for us, and for the world ... and IMHO, they did a damn good job.

It all came to an end Friday night, when the little girl emerged from the well in the arms of a rescuer ... hurt, frightened, but alive.

The rescue effort was over, but the effects of those three days would be felt in the months and years to come. And that included the effect it had on the careers of local news personnel. Like I said before, ours is a small market ... many refer to it as a 'teaching' market where youngsters fresh out of school can get some experience, some seasoning, filling their resumѐ tapes and looking for opportunities to move up and out. Phil was one of many, many young men and women who moved on to pursue their careers in markets around the United States.

I have not kept in touch with them as I should have ... but I did reconnect with Phil by chance earlier this year ... through Facebook. Apparently one of my co-workers at the college was a classmate of Phil's ... Midland High School Class of '76 ... On, ye Bulldogs! Through her, I connected with Phil's Facebook page. And at the same time, I have also renewed acquaintances from other Big 2 News alumni. As for Phil, he's living in Alabama now ... but his health hasn't been good, and there are days when his communication is limited to reading 'liking' posts that friends have made on his Facebook page.

An amazing thing, really ... how we can connect (or re-connect) through the world wide web, and how we can communicate ... even in circumstances where, in the past, connecting and communicating would have been difficult at best.

An awfully long digression, really, to get to my initial point ... appreciation for a renewed connection, best wishes to former co-worker, and a prayer of wholeness and healing for him. firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-11015021.post-67825941512684161322012-11-24T12:05:00.000-06:002012-11-24T16:18:02.443-06:00So long to a good ol' boy

Count me among those mourning the death of stage, screen and (most of all) television star Larry Hagman, who passed away Friday in a Dallas, Texas, hospital. Hagman was 81.

 To many people around the world, Hagman - in his role as the charming and conniving oilman, J.R. Ewing - became the defitive Texan ... and that's alright by me. IMHO, he was a good ol' boy, and his role in the long-running (and recenty re-booted) television series, "Dallas," captured more than a little of the flavor, the spirit of the cowboy-hatted-and-booted, wheeling-dealing, go-for-broke characters that one still finds among independents in the Texas oil and gas industry.

Unlike myself, Hagman is a native son of Texas, and he brought some of his experience with the state and the oilfield to his role. A big fan of "Dallas" back in the 80s, I found myself back in front of the television for the series' reboot this past year, and felt amply rewarded by the experience ... especially seeing Hagman back at work. What I didn't know until earlier this year, was the back-story of Dallas and its inception, the evolution of the J.R. Ewing role, and the determined efforts by Hagman to elevate that role and its prominence in the series ... working in front of the camera and behind-the-scenes.

I STRONGLY recommend an article by by Harry Hurt III in the June 2012 issue of Texas Monthly, titled "Larry Hagman's Curtain Call." It offers a wonderful glimpse of the life and times of Hagman, and the fascinating road he followed in the course of his personal and professional life. "There's nothing like watching the real J.R. Ewing in action," Hurt writes in the opening of that article ... I have to agree.

Some will remember him as 'Buck,' while many more will remember him as 'Maj. Anthony Nelson.' But I suspect most of us will remember him as 'J.R. Ewing' ... I know I will ... and I wonder how long the re-boot of "Dallas," may last very without him ... not long on my television set.
email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-11015021.post-76739067116425457142012-11-22T07:55:00.000-06:002012-11-22T14:37:36.029-06:00A Thanksgiving Prayer

"Oh God, when I have food, help me to remember the hungry; when I have work, help me to remember the jobless; when I have a warm home, help me to remember the homeless; when I am without pain, help me to remember those who suffer; and remembering, help me to destroy my complacency and bestir my compassion. Make me concerned enough to help, by word and deed those who cry out for what we take for granted ... Amen."

– Samuel F. Pugh

email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-11015021.post-38684716492888237812012-11-16T12:05:00.000-06:002012-11-16T12:26:57.665-06:00So long, it's been good to know ya'

In recent years, it's been nice to start my day online with a colorful, yet calming image of a creation by artist Dale Chihuly ...

... that ends today.

"Background images are going away on November 16, 2012," Google tells me. "Thank you for using background images. As we build a more streamlined Google Search page for everyone, we'll no longer be able to support customization with background images. So you will no longer be able to see your background pictures starting November 16, 2012."

I'm sure Google has all sorts of wonderful (though less-customized) new opportunities for me ... we'll see.

So long, it's been good to know ya'

firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-11015021.post-24394749101445343032012-10-14T07:55:00.000-05:002012-10-14T12:30:45.673-05:00Now THIS is 'must see' TV ...All this time, I've been away from this forum ... and when I return, it sort of picks up where I left off with something in our part of the country, where humans are once again venturing into ... well ... not space, I guess, in this case ... but the edges of space, at least.

Viel Glück, Felix Baumgartner!

Also, at http://www.redbullstratos.com/live/email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-11015021.post-85256912786299541642012-07-09T23:59:00.000-05:002012-07-10T18:25:35.776-05:00Is THIS the time for aerospace in West Texas?A lot of space and time in the local news - and in discussion of said news - being devoted to a recently-concluded deal between a private aerospace firm, the Midland City Council and the Midland Development Corporation, to bring that firm's headquarters and research-and-development operations to the Tall City.

"Never before have humans flown into space from Texas and that's going to happen," Col. Richard Seafross, USAF (retired), chief test pilot for XCOR Aerospace said in a related article. "You're helping XCOR continue with our dream."

This isn't the first time that West Texas has been proposed as a location for aerospace research and operations, that a West Texas community has pursued that dream ... but according to promoters of this current deal, it could be the most successful. Detractors, of course, have another opinion. Me? I'd like to see it work out ... just as I did in Fort Stockton, back in the 90s, during one of the first efforts to attract an aerospace venture to West Texas. And if this latest effort does indeed 'take-off,' we just might owe a tip-of-the-hat ... not to Rick Perry and his bunch ... but to Gregg McKenzie and HIS bunch.

It was about 15 years ago, and I was managing editor of the Fort Stockton Pioneer, a Thursday morning weekly. In that capacity, I was covering a meeting of the Pecos County Commissioners Court when Pct. 1 Commissioner Gregg McKenzie first raised in public discussion, the topic of a spaceport in West Texas, particularly in our very own Pecos County. Initial discussions, back then in Fort Stockton, covered some of the same ground as the recent discussions being reported now in Midland ... economic impact, educational opportunities and so on.

But why West Texas? Well, apparently many of the conditions that made this region such an ideal location for flight training bases back in the 40s, preparing American air crews for World War II, made it an ideal location for aerospace ventures in the modern day. For one thing, we had a lot of open ground. And back in the 90s, that ground was pretty cheap. And we had a lot of open airspace. And that is still true today, even with increased private and commercial air traffic. And while there are other barren areas in the southwest, they might be encumbered in one way or another. At that time, there was competition from a site in Nevada to provide a location for a spaceport ... but it was surrounded by so many secure or off-limits areas run by various branches of the U.S. military and the U.S. government, that any effort to locate a private enterprise in the middle of it posed serious bureaucratic challenge. Proponents of a spaceport here also noted a pro-business attitude among people and governments in Texas, that was harder to find in a state such as California.

Needless to say there were some smiles in the room over McKenzie's suggestion ... but there was enough consideration to provide for a second hearing, and a third. It also was well-covered in the local newspaper. Gregg was a pro at working the media, and in me he found a sympathetic audience ... even if we were separated by a generation or two. He was a member of a pioneer ranching family and a life-long West Texan, while I was a newbie ... and a dang Yankee from back east, to boot. But we still connected over childhood memories of adventures in the stars ... Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon for Gregg, Dr. Who and James Kirk for me.

And we were both mindful that some of America's pioneering rocket research was done just up the road a ways ... 60+ years earlier in southeast New Mexico, where Dr. Robert Goddard once set-up shop and dremed of reaching then unheard-of heights.

For a while, there was even some excitement over the idea, especially following a visit by representatives of the Washington (state)-based Kistler Aerospace. They were strong on conception ... but execution fell short. Kistler was later acquired by another company, underwent some re-branding, then closed it's doors in 2007.

Still, though, there was some buzz generated among companies 'out west' ... not just by the Kistler Aerospace venture in Pecos County, but also by efforts of Blue Origin (another Washington state-based company) in nearby Culberson County. Add to that another, later venture back in Pecos County by the California-based JP Aerospace.

And now comes another California-based company, XCOR Aerospace, and what may be one of the more serious proposals yet ... I wish I could say THE most serious, but there's just not as much information about Blue Origin's venture ... THEY may be the ones with the edge, to be the first to 'have humans flown into space from Texas.'

But, hey, whatever ... good luck to XCOR ... or whoever makes it work. I think Gregg had an inspred - and inspiring! - dream, and a good idea ... and I would love to see that dream be realized, that idea take flight at long last.email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-11015021.post-86318287306780251202012-04-14T07:55:00.008-05:002012-04-15T07:31:44.450-05:00A most remarkable 'nobody'From a post and link on Jimmy Patterson's Facebook page, I have just now learned of the passing of one of the more remarkable individuals I have ever met ... one who was once without hope, but went on to find hope and share it with countless others ... one who described himself as a 'nobody,' yet was anything but.

Denver Moore, a most remarkable 'nobody,' has entered the church triumphant. According to this report from worldmag.com's Mickey McLean, "on Saturday, March 31, after several years of ill health, Moore, 75, died, or, as Ron Hall shared in an email, 'The gates of heaven swung open … and Denver Moore went walkin' in!' A memorial service for Moore was held [Thursday] at McKinney Memorial Bible Church in Fort Worth."

So many of us came to know Moore and Hall - and a third remarkable individual, Hall's wife, Deborah - through their book "Same Kind of Different as Me," and it's follow-up, "What Difference Do it Make?" It's hard to imagine two such men ever meeting each other, let alone becoming such friends ... so maybe it should be no surprise that the meeting and the friendship led to such a wonderful and inspiring story, and mission.

That mission included many, MANY appearances on radio and television, in the newspapers and magazines, and on the road, speaking to crowds of every shape and size. It was during one such appearance that I got to meet them. It was four years ago, and Moore and Hall were in Midland, speaking at an evening praise service organized by First Presbyterian Church and True-Lite Christian Fellowship.

To say that the main sanctuary at First Prez was packed, would be putting it mildly ... every seat was filled, people were standing along the walls, seated on the floor in front of the first row of pews, some had even hopped up onto the sills at the foot of our stained-glass windows ... the house WAS packed, and it ROCKED ... due in no small part to True-Lite's music ministry, which set the perfect tone for the evening.

Hall was the first of the two to speak, and then it was Moore's turn. His testimony was delivered in a manner unfamiliar to some ... at times, he spoke, and told a story .... then he'd quote Scripture ... other times he'd break into song. Our friends from True-Lite were in the groove from the start ... but it was incredible to watch how Moore brought some of my fellow Presbyterians (I've heard us called the 'Frozen Chosen') to their feet, then their hands went up, and then they started shouting in response to the testimony.

WHAT A GREAT EVENING!

I've already spoken to a couple of others who were there at First Prez that night, and they had the same response as mine ... a mix of sadness and happiness ... "Well," said one, "he's with Miss Debbie now."

"Tell 'em I'm a nobody that is tryin' to tell everybody about somebody that can save anybody," Moore once told Ron Hall.

"That 'Somebody' was Jesus," Hall wrote shortly after Moore's passing, "and Denver woke up in His arms on Saturday. His famous quote and the final words in his book are 'We are all homeless workin' our way home.' Welcome home friend; you were a good and faithful servant."

... and a most remarkable 'nobody.'
firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-11015021.post-4596376896808206972012-04-07T17:05:00.004-05:002012-04-07T20:54:44.730-05:00the day before The Day
Big day, tomorrow ... and not just for all Christians, but for all peoples ... that's what I believe.

"We are the Easter people," Pastor Jim Miles of First Prez-Fort Stockton reminds us ..... and that is what we affirm tomorrow, the day for which we have prepared over the past six weeks, the day for which we live at all times. A promise was made on a joyful, star-lit night, in a stable in Bethlehem ... but that promise was kept on a bloody, storm-darkened day, on a hill outside of Jerusalem.

Big day tomorrow, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ ... big day ... THE day, really. But I find myself wondering what it was like the day before The Day ... what was it like during those long hours that passed between Christ's crucifixion and his resuurection? I can't help but think it's easier for us, two-thousand years later, with the benefit of hindsight. But back then ... right then, right there? What was it like for the followers of Jesus on THAT very first day before The Day?

I've always felt a little sorry for Peter, one of the first (and perhaps the greatest) of Jesus' disciples. How many times have I listened to some discussion in Sunday school that included talking some smack about Peter and his shortcomings ... it's especially pronouced now, as we are reminded for the umpteenth time of his denial of Jesus outside the house where Christ was being held. What must it have been like - that day before The Day - for Peter?

Of course, that was Peter before The Day, and before Pentecost. The man that emerges from all that is someone and something else entirely. There is still a growing, learning, developing spirit and awareness in him ... but there is no longer any doubt, or any denial.

But before that? I can only imagine ... because I know, now, and I believe ...

He is risen ... Christ is risen, indeed ... Alleluia! Amen!

email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-11015021.post-39897343861433399752012-03-23T23:55:00.008-05:002012-03-26T18:20:36.814-05:00Day 6 at Sea: A Variety of Experiences and BeersOur sixth day at sea aboard Carnival Glory began with a wonderful dose of the unexpected, brought us to the Island of Grand Turk for a day full of EXACTLY what each and every one of us wanted to do, and ended with an appreciation for the many different interests of many different passengers, for how our ship and shore-based businesses cater to those interests … and for the variety of Caribbean beers and rums.

I'm an early riser, even when on vacation, and my luggage usually includes some reading material and a notebook computer, brought for use during those morning hours as I'm lingering over breakfast, and the rest of the family is catching up on one or two months' worth of sack time lost while living and working 'back there' in the real world. Our cruise ship's galley presents an incredible breakfast, served buffet style in the dining area. As light as a cup of coffee or a glass of juice, or as heavy as you want – with all the usual offerings, plus a few that may not have made it to menu, yet, at your favorite diner back home. There's even a member of the crew wheeling a cart through the dining area, ready to mix and serve some 'hair of the dog' to those who may have over-imbibed the night before.

Meanwhile, the view out the window is another inducement to linger, a step - or seven! - up from what one usually sees out the window of that diner back home.

This morning's offerings included an unexpected feast for the eyes … whales! During the last few miles into our port at Grand Turk, we were accompanied by a pod of humpbacks swimming parallel to our ship for a while. It's not something I'd seen live before, and I was soaking it up. Usually on a cruise, my camera is permanently fixed to my shoulder … but I didn't have it with me that morning … and I'm still kicking myself over that.

They went their way, I went mine, and it wasn't long before it was time for us (the people) to go ashore …

… or not … it's up to you. And the cruise line is ready to accommodate you. Sure, most of the passengers will take a chance to go ashore … but some don't … and the ship's selection of on-board services – food and drink, entertainment and activities, all of the above or none of the above - continues unabated, even while in port. And that's fine … I can think of worse ways to spend your day than lounging in a deck chair, sipping something colorful from a tall glass with a little paper umbrella, cool breezes in your hair, enjoying a a first-rate view of clear blue water and sea turtles, palm trees and colorful cottages, and incredibly white, pristine beaches with row after row of chairs lined up, waiting for us.

For those that go ashore, there are still a variety of options … you can remain in the small cruise village south of Cockburn Town where you come ashore, or enjoy a stroll down the beach to the legendary Jack's Shack. You canhead into town, or venture further afield … on foot, by bus, by dune buggy, by boat, you name it. Today, we stayed close by, renting a cabana in a beautiful, almost park-like setting for the day … shaded by clusters of palm trees, close to paths and a large pool - or to that beach I mentioned, and an even larger ocean. There's quiet, air conditioned comfort indoors for those who prefer, or you can enjoy a sit on the porch outside, and the music coming from the pool area. In either case, we also had room service from the Maragaritaville next door.

Maragaritaville has plenty of large, well-known American brands on tap or on the shelf. But they also serve local brands predominant in that area … which in this case turned out to be Turk's Head Beer and Bambarra Rum. Had both, liked both, and planned to purchase some of both at the duty-free store on my way back to the ship.

You know, it won't be all THAT long before I need to start thinking seriously about my senior years, and perhaps making the move to a retirement, assisted living community … Grand Turk in general – and the cruise village at Cockburn Town in particular - would suit me just fine! Now, if I could just get Medicare to agree with me!firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-11015021.post-70416258283203756042012-03-22T23:55:00.001-05:002012-03-22T23:55:00.827-05:00Day 5 at Sea: Andrew Likes 'em, and So Do IWe're heading out to sea after an all-too-brief visit to San Juan, Puerto Rico. A lot of us are clustered on the starboard side of the ship, enjoying some great shots of Castilio de San Moro, one of the iconic images of this city and of Puerto Rico. It's an opportunity for some great photos with an offshore perspective of the old battlements.

But it's also a reminder that I have to get back here again, someday … and when I do, to plan on staying longer. Today's visit really WAS all-too-brief, and I had barely scratched the surface of all there is to see and do in this city, not to mention other parts of this island.

A short day … but it got off to a GREAT start, with a walk uphill into the heart of Old San Juan, and breakfast at a century-old restaurant and pastry shop I learned about from a television show.

That show was Bizarre Foods on the Travel Channel. Host Andrew Zimmern started his visit to San Juan with a stop at La Bombanera, and I was following his lead. Many know Zimmern for his forays into cuisines - both the foods and the preparations - that might give the average American palette more than a little pause.

But he also finds a place at tables serving foods that would make us feel right at home. And such was the case for La Bombanera. I was there for the coffee and the mallorcas. That's what has made this eatery a breakfast-before-work staple with local residents since 1902, and what has gained the attention of food and travel programming on television, and the attention of tourists such as myself.

The staff was welcoming, and took good care of us The orange juice was fresh-squeezed, and refreshing after our walk up the streets. The coffee was dark-roasted and strong, and prepared - then topped with foam - from an espresso service that was probably as old as I am.

And the mallorcas? Imagine a large, fresh-made Danish, served with butter, or sliced open and filled with any combination of egg and ham, cheese and bacon … all of them topped off with a generous dusting of powdered sugar.

Andrew likes 'em ... and do do I.

And that was just the start of the day. There was also a ferry trip across the harbor, a tour of the Bacardi distillery, and a quick visit to one of the colonial fortresses that are a significant part of Old San Juan.
At the end of day, we boarded the ship with plenty of pleasant memories, some photos and some souvenirs. But there was also the knowledge that we had barely scratched the surface of all there is to see and do … heck, we'd barely scratched the surface of scratching-the-surface.

Sigh .. someday.firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-11015021.post-35503216085514729132012-03-21T12:55:00.004-05:002012-03-24T15:20:35.936-05:00Day 4 at Sea: Docking Near the 1%Our fourth day at sea aboard the Carnival Glory brought us to the U.S Virgin Islands of St. Thomas and St. John's, a place where we enjoyed wonderful sailing across incredibly blue waters, some reasonably-priced bottles of some reasonably-good beer, and a chance to admire one of the largest private motor yachts in the world ... talk about something for everyone!

I had never been to the Virgin Islands before, so everything was new for me. We pass by some smaller islands, in our approach to St. Thomas, and we are accompanied by a number of seabirds, while here and there small fishing boats are already out plying their craft. Some beautiful natural scenery - of course! But there seems little else to recommend the island of St. Thomas from a distance. That changes dramatically, though, as you draw closer, as large and prosperous communities come into view, and you see parks devoted to the remains of Colonial-era structures. A variety of commercial and private aircraft pass overhead en route to or from the airport, and as you hove into sight of the main harbor, you see an impressive gathering of cruise ships already anchored for the day, or waiting their turn to depart for their next destination. In another part of the harbor, a LOT of small, private vessels of all shapes and sizes and means of propulsion.

A lot of attractions and a lot of people visiting to enjoy said attractions, a lot of traffic of all kinds coming and going, and a lot of commerce. Plenty of hustle and bustle around the port and the city ... but also many different ways to escape that hustle and bustle, to get out and enjoy one's self where it's a little more quiet, a little more remote and even more beautiful. That was the course we pursued when we signed-up for one of the umpteen-zillion excursions offered (for an additional fee) to our cruise's passengers ... a catamaran excursion to a national park on the neighboring island of St. John's, then relaxing on a pristine white beach and snorkeling in waters that are so very clear and so very blue ... the likes of which a landlubber such as myself doesn't see from the banks of the Rio Grande or the Susquehanna.

The return trip featured island music and PLENTY of rum punch and champagne, and we got back to the port with plenty of time for me to belly-up to a seaside bar and sample the local brews ... if this was even remotely close to a day-in-the-life in the U.S. Virgin Islands, I'd be scanning the classifieds there, looking for job openings at a local community college!

At other times the excursion seemed like one of the 'Hollywood homes of the stars' tours as our guide noted homes on St. John's belonging to well-known figures such as Barbara Streisand, Kenny Chesney, Alan Alda, Kelsey Grammar (a hometown boy), Michael Jordan and many others. I've read on cruise discussion boards, posts by people asking the best times/places to bump into celebrities ... and I find myself agreeing with some of the respondents, those noting that the celebrities - like us - are trying to 'get away from it all' for a little while, and maybe we should respect that.

Okay, that's cool ... I'm not much of a celebrity hound, anyway. But how about celebrities' conveyances? Well that's a different matter ... and as it turned out, we didn't bump into one ... our crusise ship docked less than a hundred yards from one, and the balcony of our cabin offered the perfect vantage point for admiring that conveyance and others like it.

'Googling' the words Lürssen and Rising Sun, I learned that we were docked next to the Rising Sun, a motor yacht built by the Lürssen company. According to the boat's Wikipedia page, "it was originally purchased by Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle Corporation, and is currently owned by David Geffen. The yacht is the 8th largest in the world with a length of almost 138 metres (453 ft). It reportedly cost over US $200 million to build."

Dang!

That page goes on to list of variety of the ship's specifications ... but I'm tempted to log-into Wikipedia, edit that page, and and one more spec ... it really is a very, VERY beautiful craft. And that was an added and unexpected attraction to our fourth day at sea ... to my list of first-time experiences such as catamaran-cruising, snorkeling and Virgin Island beer-drinking, I could now also include 'docking near the 1%.'

All-in-all, a good day ... a great day, really.firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-11015021.post-52105161314589494092012-03-20T23:55:00.002-05:002012-03-21T16:13:04.710-05:00Day 3 at Sea: The Journey of Junior SteelerThe first port o' call on our cruise, bright and early on a Tuesday morning, was the city of Nassau, in the Bahamas. Our first port o' call, but also the last stop on our journey for the fourth-and-a-half member of our company, Junior Steeler.

This was not my first visit. It was three years ago, and while the wife and kids were enjoying an excursion to the nearby Atlantis Resort, I was enjoying a walk about town, guidebook in one hand, camera hanging from my shoulder, traversing the hills overlooking the town, and the port where my cruise ship was docked. It had been a long morning and part of an afternoon, with plenty of historical/cultural points of interest and a LOT of photos .. and I was more than ready for some lunch

I was working my way back towards the coast road - still a few blocks from the clusters of bars and eateries that cater to visitors - when a yellow placard on a sidewalk caught my attention, informing me that the Bahamian Kitchen was just inside the door. That suited me since I was ready for a taste of the local cuisine, so in I went …

… to be greeted by a street sign that designated reserved parking for Pittsburgh Steeler fans. The walls of the bar and dining room were a colorful mixture of junkaroo masks, posters for the local Kalik beer, and Steeler banners and bumper stickers. I was in the unofficial Steeler Nastion consulate of the Bahamas … I'd come home.

Good beer, great food and our fellow citizenship in the Steeler Nation made for a wonderful meal, and a wonderful memory of my all-too-brief time in the Bahamas.

And now were on our way back, and I was determined to re-visit Bahamian Kitchen, catch up with Mike Brice and Tom Kessler, and maybe bring them a special Steeler tribute … like an old bobble-head, maybe?

Our journey with Junior Steeler was all-too-brief. But in the course of that journey - from Midland to Houston, Houston to Miami, Miami to Nassau - we saw some neat sites and met some great people, many of whom paused to have their photo taken with my perpetually-smiling, perpetually-nodding little friend, and become a part of his journey

Nassau at last! Bahamian Kitchen didn't open until lunch, so I had some free time to do a little souvenir shopping, and to spend some time at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Kirch and catch-up on Lenten devotionals I had missed during Sunday's hectic rush of embarkation. Having enriched the local economy, and my soul, I proceeded to lunch …

... and saw from the start that there had been some changes made The junkaroo masks were still their, and the Kalik posters … but all of the Steeler memorabilia was gone, as were the one-time proprietors of Bahamian Kitchen. Tom, a splendid old gentleman from Ohio, had passed away last year. And Mike, a local man with excellent taste in American football, was now working elsewhere in Nassau. The kitchen staff was much the same, and the old woman who ran the kitchen was as charming - and as skilled a chef! - as I remembered. Another wonderful meal, and another wonderful time .. this one with new friends and new experiences - including one of the locals leading us in the singing of a number of old-school American country western songs such as "Crying Time" and "Streets of El Paso."

It was there, on the streets of Nassau, that Junior Steeler and I parted ways. The new proprietor, Rudy, knew Mike well, and promised to take Junior on the next leg of his journey, while I embarked once again for the next leg of my journey. Part of me already misses the little guy, but I am comforted by the knowledge that he will be in good company.

And I am also comforted by the knowledge that, wherever we go, it will be - as the locals here say - 'no problem, man … is alright.' Also comforting … wherever we go, we take the Steeler Nation with us.
firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-11015021.post-9908087622785987242012-03-19T23:55:00.002-05:002012-03-21T16:07:52.020-05:00Day 2 at Sea: Seascpaes and Sea BreezesMaybe it's the years I've now spent away from the coast, but a broad ocean vista has a tremendous appeal for me. Our ship will be entirely at sea today, en route from yesterday's port to tomorrow's. So from first light to last, there is nothing out there but the sea and the sky and the straight line dividing the two … and I'm enjoying every minute of it.

In some way, it is comfortingly familiar. My part of Texas is different from the rest - with a different look and a different 'feel' from those parts of the Lone Star State that make it into film or television It's flat out in West Texas, and in parts of North Texas. They also have the winds, and those cause the mature grains to ripple, to create land-borne waves. Looking across this seascape right now, I can't help but think … "add a couple of grain silos and a Dairy Queen, and I'd feel like I'm back in the Panhandle."

Similar in some ways, and different in others. There are no grain silos, and no DQ anywhere to be seen. It takes the definition of 'remote' that one learns in West Texas, and takes it to a whole 'nother level Occasionally another ship will pass nearby (this is a relatively well-traveled sea lane), but other than that we appear to be completely alone in this world defined by the limits of our vision.

And the winds. Again, we have them in West Texas … but there is nothing comforting about them, hot and dry and dust-filled as they can be. Here, the winds that blow across our deck are a cool, moist caress that refreshes me … though some old salts sharing our journey (including one who has sailed the Straits of Magellan) have told me just how punishing those caresses can be. My father, a thirty-year career Marine, would share similar stories of gales in the North Atlantic and typhoons in the South Pacific.

A sobering thought, really. I have experienced tornadoes in Texas, and I'm pretty sure I would NOT care to experience a severe storm at sea. Right here? Right now? No need to worry. During the summer, though? When hurricane season approaches? That's a different matter, experienced cruisers tell me, and the reason cruise lines will divert some of their fleets to the northeastern U.S., and to Europe.

But here and now, it's just me … 'the old man and the sea' … and the sky … and the breeze … and some colorful 'rum-punchy' kind of drink with a little paper umbrella.

Not bad … pretty good, email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-11015021.post-48590491312870156372012-03-18T23:55:00.002-05:002012-03-20T20:59:56.099-05:00Day 1 at Sea: Safety FirstEach year, as we move into March, a common topic of discussion around the workplace and around town is some variation of ... "so, you got plans for Spring Break?" This is usually followed by some analysis of what we are doing, what we could be doing, what we should be doing, and so on.

This year, though, our announced plans to take a cruise are followed by some analysis of safety issues, whether we are concerned about going out to sea, and the difficulties that could arise therefrom.

Easy to understand their analysis, really. Earlier this year, there was the story of the cruise ship Costa Concordia, its tragic accident off the coast of Italy, the lives that were lost in that accident, and what is still being revealed in the ensuing investigation. With this story on their minds, more news outlets have been keeping an eye on the wires, looking for more cruise ship-related stories to share with their readers viewers ... in the U.S., a number of passengers becoming sick on two consecutive cruises of a single ship; at sea in the Indian Ocean, a cruise ship loses power and has to be towed to port; in Mexico, there is the armed robbery of a busload of passengers ashore for a cruise ship sponsored excursion.

There was another story from the U.S., and this also shapes my answers to to those concerned about my family's safety aboard Carnival Glory this week. According to this story from the wires, the departure of another Florida-based cruise ship was delayed to allow a passenger to be removed from the ship. Reportedly, the passenger declined to participate in the ship's mandatory safety briefing and muster drill, and the cruise line was within its right to remove him from the ship.

According to our briefing today. ships of this class/function are required by international law to have this briefing/drill within 24 hours of departure. In my experience - all with Carnival, all departing the U.S. - we have these before the ship is set in motion. And we are warned that failure to participate will result in our debarkation.

And that proved to be the case this time around, as well. We experienced the alarm system - a combination of the shi[ps horn, and very loud tones from speakers in our rooms and in public areas. We didn't have to retrieve and don our life jackets, but we did learn where they were stowed in our rooms. Directions to our muster station were delivered by the overhead speakers, and reinforced by crew members all along the way.

Something different this time around - once we reached our muster station, everyone was asked to please be quiet during the briefing ... and that was fine, it didn't take that long, and even I was able to be quiet for its duration. And that was it. The ship blasted its horn, and we were off.

And I was headed for one of the bars on deck, to enjoy watching the City of Miami passing by, and a cold beer with a sandwich from the ship's deli. Let the vacation begin ... I'm safe and satisfied.email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-11015021.post-77107994756586166242012-03-14T08:05:00.001-05:002012-03-14T08:05:00.504-05:00Two Outta Three Ain't BadOne look at me, and it's obvious that food is a big - perhaps TOO big - part of my enjoyment of life. That includes my time on the move, traveling, which I'm preparing to do later this month. Looking at our itinerary, I'm already looking forward to making a couple of stops at places I've seen on the Travel Channel.

TC has three shows on their prime time lineup devoted largely to food at various locations around the country and around the world. Two of them - Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" and Andrew Zimmern's "Bizarre Foods" - are really, really good, and encourage me to set my feet and my palate along the paths they have followed. Then there's then there's Adam Richman's "Man vs. Food" … oh, well - two outta three ain't bad.

In some ways, all three are alike .. each has a camera-friendly host inviting the audience to join them on their personal journey of culinary discovery. None of them forget us here, on the other end of the camera lens, and there are more than a few asides to us - winks and nods, arched eyebrows and sotto voce comments.

But there are other, significant ways that Bourdain's and Zimmern's shows differ from Richman's. And that's where I part company with fans of "Man vs. Food." Bourdain and Zimmern, for all their personality and all their camera time, manage to keep the focus on the food, while Richman manages to keep the focus on himself. For Bourdain and Zimmern, food - and what they can learn from its preparation and service - is the real star of their show, while for Richman, the real star is him and how much food he can cram down. For Bourdain and Zimmern, food is celebration, while for Richman it is a competitive event. For Bourdain and Zimmern, food is a practice in discovery and hospitality, while for Zimmern it is a practice in gluttony.

I enjoy the cutaways on Bourdain's and Zimmern's shows, with quick shots of some interested locals watching the proceedings. I find the pre-arranged crowds on Richman's show with their forced (cued?) yee-HAW'ing and woo-HOO'ing less than appetizing.

When all is said and done, I find myself wanting to visit the locations Bourdain and Zimmern visited … so far, I have found their recommendation and observations to have been spot-on. Not so with Richman … at least not yet. During one episode of his show, he visited a place that had been a campus hangout of mine during my college years, where I had spent many, MANY hours drinking coffee, eating one of their famous sweet rolls, catching up on reading assignments and cramming for exams - I hardly recognized the place from its portrayal on television as a Mecca for enthusiasts of huge, belly-busting entrees.

But you know what the neat thing is? Television viewing is a matter of personal choice. I an turn it off, I can turn it on, I can change the channel, I can read a book, and I can get the heck off the couch and get out of the house. For now, at least, I still look forward to my next serving of "No Reservations" and "Bizarre Foods." "Man vs. Food?" I'll pass, thanks.firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-11015021.post-79630184916339888722012-03-02T12:05:00.000-06:002012-03-02T12:00:26.522-06:00A Yankee's Toast to Texas ... 2012These are thoughts I've addressed before ... but somehow they gained a new relevance for me, a new perspective after Rick Perry - our state's governor - tossed his hat into the ring, seeking the Republican party's nomination for President of the United States. And while that candidacy has long since come and gone, some of its impact still resonates within me. More than once Governor Perry used the states rights (some would say 'secessionist') rhetoric that has endeared him to so many here in the Lone Star State, encouraging that 'Austin versus Washington' or 'Texas versus the rest of you guys' attitude that still has its staunch defenders.

And that's fine ... at least for them. For me, I remain a 'dang Yankee from back-east' ... not much I can do about that. Yet Texas is my home ... the place where I have now spent more years than any of the other states where I have resided these last fifty-some years ... a place where I have enjoyed new and exciting experiences that I had not attempted elsewhere ... and I place I truly love. And while I have a skewered and way-below-average view of it all, I still celebrate Texas independence and I honor the ideals that inspired it, and those who made it possible. And THAT's something Rick Perry will NEVER be able to take from me.

"To Texas . . .
Joyous and sparkling,
Evergreen when it rains,
enduring in drought,
Timeless, endless in boundaries, exciting,
Home to the adventurous of yesterday and today,
With shrines from the past, and space and spirit for the future.
To Texas.
Everlasting in the hearts of your people!"

I've told this story before ... it was back in the 90s when, as editor of the Fort Stockton Pioneer, I was handed a letter from one of our readers, for publication in the next issue ... a letter admonishing our paper for not devoting adequate space to Texas Independence Day. She may have been DRT (I honestly don't remember for certain), but she was certainly something of a Lone Star zealot ... a perception of mine that was reinforced by her comment as she handed me the letter ... "You probably won't realize the importance of this, not being from around here."

Well, actually, I do, and so do a lot of dang Yankees from back east, such as myself. True, I am someone who - to borrow the old saying - wasn't born in Texas, but got here as fast as I could. And the same could be said for Stephen Austin, William Travis, Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, Mirabeau Lamar and Sam Houston.

Don't get me wrong! I do NOT equate myself with them. But it doesn't hurt to remember that, with the exception of Juan Seguin and his company of Tejanos, there wasn't a 'native Texan' to be found on the Texas side of the revolution.

And the Keystone Stater in me would like to point out that there were an estimated 13 Pennsylvanians defending the walls of the Alamo, and offering up their lives for the revolution and the ideals it represented. And well they should. Because it was something that had been important to them, their parents and their grandparents for more than half-a-century.

Maybe that's what bugged me about the woman's remark ... the fact that, 'not being from around here,' I would be unable to understand what was being decided in the Texas revolution. To my mind, it was something that all free-thinking people know ..... or should know.
You see, it wasn't just men that came to Texas ..... the ideals adopted at Washington on the Brazos had been conceived many years before, in Philadelphia ..... and the determination to defend those ideals in Goliad and Gonzales, San Antonio and San Jacinto, had been inspired - again, many years before - by what took place at Bunker Hill and Valley Forge, Lexington, Concord and Cowpens.

And the material needed to pursue that defense came from all over the United States, from the decision by Alabama to strip its state arsenal of muskets and send them west, to the Twin Sisters -- a pair of canons donated by the 'People of Cincinnati, Ohio' and arriving just in time to blast a hole in the Mexicans' makeshift breastworks at San Jacinto.

And so, I lift my glass, and I will join the toast heard statewide today ... but mine will be a private affair ... and while I may follow closely the words printed near the top of this post, I will deviate on one point, and replace the word 'Texas' with 'America' ... God Bless email@example.com


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Meeting Calendar
Since sales tax collection began for the 2000 Measure B on April 1, 2002 to the end of Fiscal Year 2012-13, Alameda CTC has collected and distributed approximately $640.0 million in Direct Local Program Distribution Funds, including grant funds, to local agencies, transit agencies, jurisdictions and nonprofit organizations for transportation purposes. Measure B fund recipients are required to report on their Measure B expenditures annually.
Measure B Audited Financial Statements and Program Compliance Reports appear below.
Vehicle Registration Fee Audited Financial Statements and Program Compliance Reports are available here.
Contact Alameda CTC staff at 510-208-7400 for prior year compliance report information.


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About Us & Our Services
News & Press Releases
Sarcoidosis Inspires RN to Shift Career Focus
Boca Raton, FL April 2, 2008
Dashing to high risk deliveries and pushing isolettes was no longer an option for Cathy Trumbull, RN. After being diagnosed with Pulmonary and Osteo Sarcoidosis six years ago, the physical challenges of NICU nursing became increasingly hard to endure.
Cathy did not permit her condition get in the way of her nursing career, or from helping others cope with this debilitating malady. Transitioning her hospital nursing position to a corporate Clinical Coordinator for American Traveler in 2002, Cathy utilizes her 20 years of NICU nurse expertise to support, guide and nurture successful travel nurse careers as a liaison to high ranking Children's hospitals. More nurse professionals like Cathy, who, for a number of reasons choose to leave hospital nursing, have found making the switch to healthcare staffing with American Traveler a viable and rewarding career move.
In addition to her numerous professional achievements at American Traveler, Cathy has formed the East Tennessee Sarcoidosis Support Group (ETSSG) and is involved in a national Sarcoidosis research project spearheaded by Dr. Wonder Drake at Vanderbilt University as part of a unified effort to one day beat this incurable disease.
Cathy's diligence in the field, and her work with the ETSSG, had led to Dr. Wonder Drake to visit East Tennessee this April to present an update to Sarcoidians and Physicians on the remarkable research underway at Vanderbilt University. An expert at scheduling interviews for travel nursing professionals, Cathy utilized her corporate acquired expertise to arrange a news interview with Dr. Drake to be aired on the nationally syndicated Dr. Bob Show, a finalist for the prestigious 2007 Telly Awards.
"Nurse's are often ideal people to start a medical support group due to their professional and personal background and their strong desire to help those in need. The ETSSG has been a great opportunity and it has been rewarding on many levels. Additional information on Sarcoidosis can be found on the www.stopsarcoidosis.com website." - Cathy Trumbull, RN.
About American Traveler:
The Joint Commission certified American Traveler staffs the most prestigious hospitals and outpatient facilities in the U.S. From world-renowned university teaching hospitals to rural medical facilities, American Traveler specializes in short-term travel nursing jobs, per diem, and permanent positions for RNs, Physical Therapists, RTs, STs, and other allied health professionals.
Diane C. Bok


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"If I had to choose one moment To live within my heart, It would be that tender moment Recalling how we started. Darling, it would be when you smiled at me, That way, that Sunday, that summer." –Nat King Cole Written by: George David Weiss and Joe Sherman Release date: June 6, 1963 ——————————————————————————————————– If you had to choose one moment to live within your heart forever as the most ideal, classic moment, which would you choose? We all are …
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Press Release Distribution
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marketing campaigns Press Releases+ XML/RSS
By ZinMobi
· Mobile seen as best for speed of set-up, delivering an effective ROI and triggering customer visits · 68% plan to increase mobile marketing spend · Social media vies for attention but not seen as delivering effective ROI yet · Offer messages have...
By Modern Postcard
Professionals learn smart direct mail marketing tactics to help increase sales.
By PRLOCAL
PRLOCAL ANNOUNCES VISIBILITYPLUS® MARKETING CAMPAIGN PLAN PRLOCAL, A Los Angeles based firm specializing in local marketing, announced a new value added listing/promotion service.
By www.marketylink.com
A new online tool to help manage campaign coded URLs and redirects.
By Strategic eMarketing
Arcata Economic Development Corporation helps businesses meet the challenge of acquiring capital and re-financing and is now collaborating with Strategic eMarketing to increase its online presence via social media.
By Postcard Services
Postcard Services has been chosen as a winner in the 2011 QuickBooks National App Showcase.
By Postcard Services
Postcard Services' new app for QuickBooks users allows them to quickly and easily generate direct mail postcard campaigns from within their QuickBooks platform.
By Reality PR
London, England– Syncapse, the social media management company confirmed details of its latest event. The morning event will be held at The Prince Charles Theatre, London WC2 on 16 June 2011.
By Scott Rich
AuraPortal launches the MC (Marketing Campaigns) module to automate the entire life cycle of a marketing initiative, from the design, planning and execution, to the analysis of the results.
By iLoop Mobile
iLoop Mobile Coupons Provide Huge Opportunity for Retailers to Create Engaging and Measurable Experiences on Mobile Devices
By AuraPortal
- Blueciate, Inc. and AuraPortal to jointly provide BPM and Information Management Solutions and services to technology forward organizations -
By DMC Software - Sage CRM
Many businesses have become more vigilant following the economic climate of 2009. The release of Sage CRM v7 in March 2010 addresses these concerns by providing tools which helps increase employee productivity and as well as improving usability.
By Scott Kelly
MyTekLife Magazine announced today the appointment of Scott Kelly, as Director of Marketing.
By Covenant Communications
Covenant Communications is a fan of the new Facebook initiative, which is a game-changer on the Web and in the social media marketplace.
By Covenant Communications
Covenant Communications of Orlando, FLA receives three Silver 2010 ADDY® Awards for its work in the healthcare industry by the American Advertising Federation – Space Coast.
By Laura Nuttall
Social media could be the way forward for businesses says Adrac, as Facebook beats Google to the top spot of most visited website.
By Joy Lee
New webinar How to Win in 2010 discusses successful retail strategies of 2009 and marketing pitfalls to avoid in the new year
By Michael Dugan
Thrill Street Entertainment, Inc., has created hundreds of Direct Response Television Commercials, ecommerce websites, email direct marketing campaigns, and even mobile text marketing programs.
2 Levels Above Sparks Interest As Frontrunners In Generating 1st Page Rank In Organic Search Results
By 2 Levels Above
2 Levels Above generates interest among small business owners with their success in producing first page rankings in organic search results for their clients
By 2 Levels Above
2 Levels Above recently announced their latest web marketing packages aimed at helping small businesses and entrepreneurs maximize their web presence at minimal cost.
By 2 Levels Above
Internet Marketing and Web Development Firm, 2 Levels Above, which specializes in developing websites for its clients and providing cutting edge marketing solutions, recently launched its redesigned website, www.2levelsabove.com
By Deb Lupo
Group Publishing Inc. and Dovetail—The Marketing Database Company presented "Access the Value of Marketing Data in Minutes, Not Days!" at the Rocky Mountain DMA luncheon December 3rd, 2008.
By Magnifi Online
Magnifi Online, a Leading Search Engine Marketing Agency, to Provide Full Range of Services for ThePeloton.com
By Corfun Inc
CorFun, Inc., a leading provider of eServices on the Web, has announced a new suite of marketing solutions aimed at helping marketers tap into the explosion of mobile text messaging.
By Imedia International, Inc.
Proprietary audience reporting and tracking system now available for all CD-ROM and DVD producers and replicators
By Dovetail
Dovetail, the Marketing Database Company, celebrates their 10th anniversary. Dovetail's foundational premise is that excellence in direct marketing begins with a well-developed, well-maintained marketing database.
Page updated every 10 minutes


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Outlook Inbox.pst can become corrupt, may be you are facing such situation.
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Liverpool defender Glen Johnson will be out for around a month with a groin injury, British media reported on Wednesday.
Liverpool defender Glen Johnson tore his groin during the first half of Liverpool's 3-0 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Genoa's second-choice goalkeeper Eugenio Lamanna saved a penalty with his very first touch of the ball in Serie A on Sunday, although it was not enough to stop his side losing 1-0 at home to second-placed AS Roma.
Jeremy Menez struck a second-half brace in a 2-0 win over Udinese as struggling AC Milan grabbed their first success in six matches to move up to provisional fifth in Serie A on Sunday.
Celtic booked their place in the Scottish Cup fifth round with an emphatic 4-0 win over Hearts at Tynecastle on Sunday after the Edinburgh side played 82 minutes with 10 men.
FC Krasnodar narrowed the gap to Russian Premier League leaders Zenit St Petersburg with a hard-fought 1-0 win at Terek Gronzy on Sunday.
Mali striker Cheick Diabate's sixth goal of the season helped Bordeaux beat Lille 1-0 on Sunday to move provisionally level on points with third-place Lyon in the French league.
Bruno Peres ended Torino's 12-year wait to score against city rivals Juventus in the Turin derby with a stunning equaliser halfway through the opening period on Sunday.
One man died and 11 others suffered minor injuries after a fight broke out outside Atletico Madrid's soccer stadium between its fans and those of visiting team Deportivo La Coruna, officials said Sunday.
Empoli drew Atalanta 0-0 in a Serie A match.
Fiorentina beat Cagliari 4-0 in a Serie A match.
Palermo beat Parma 2-1 in a Serie A match.
Genoa beat Cesena 3-0 in a Serie A match.
AC Milan beat Udinese 2-0 in a Serie A match.


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Professional Tools
Administration and Management
This ALA wiki provides a collection of great resources to help tackle many of today's library issues, including:
Careers in Public Libraries
Learn more about careers in public librarianship.
Digital Literacy
Digital literacy resources for librarians and patrons.
E-book resources for librarians and patrons.
E-Government resources for librarians and patrons.
Financial Literacy
Financial literacy resources for librarians and patrons.
Performance Measurement
PLA is developing easy-to-implement performance measures and support tools to aid libraries in capturing consistent service outcomes.
- See also:
Overcoming Our Habits and Learning to Measure Impact
This article by Moe Hosseini-Ara and Rebecca Jones and published in Computers in Libraries (June 2013) is about using logic models to measure success in libraries.
Additional Resources
GED® Closeout Campaign
In 2014, the 2002 series of the GED® test will expire, along with any incomplete scores. This website has a wealth of resources for librarians to alert test-takers of the impending expiration and help them finish incomplete tests. It also has details and communication tools to promote the computer-based GED® assessment coming in 2014.
Online Tools for Job Searching
This is a robust list of web-based tools from the Department of Labor that provide solutions for unemployed workers, career counselors, economic developers, educators, parents, students, businesses, workforce professionals, and job seekers.


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Price: New $
The Mantis 300 has an exceptional blend of maneuverability, comfort, and control, with enough power to keep your opponent off balance. Great for intermediate and advanced players seeking a more predictable response on big swings, while possessing more than enough feel on touch shots and shorter strokes. The head light balance is an asset on defense, making it easy to position the racquet under pressure or hit an effective recovery shot on the run. Aggressive players will not be disappointed. This one whips powerfully through the hitting zone, producing explosive spin on both groundies and serves. With its impressive maneuverability and stable feel, the Mantis 300 offers outstanding control from all areas of the court.
|Head Size:
100 sq. in. / 645.16 sq. cm.
|Length: 27in / 68.58cm
|Strung Weight: 11oz / 311.84g
|Balance: 5 pts HL
|Swingweight: 313
|Stiffness: 67
|Beam Width: 22.5mm / 25mm / 23mm /
|Composition: High Modulus Carbon
|Power Level: Medium
|Stroke Style: Medium
|Swing Speed: Medium
|Racquet Colors:
Black/ Red/ White
|Grip Type: Mantis Synthetic
|String Pattern:
16 Mains / 19 Crosses
Mains skip: 7T,9T 7H,9H
Two Pieces
No Shared Holes
|String Tension: 50-65 pounds
|Similar Racquets
Head Graphene Speed MP
A solid choice for intermediate and advanced players looking for the precision and feel of a player's racquet in a maneuverable package. Easy access to spin and power. Headsize: 100 in². Strung weight: 11 ounces. Swingweight: 320 (RDC).
Pacific X Fast Pro 100
This fast feeling, versatile racquet from Pacific offers ample power with excellent access to spin. String Pattern: 16x19. Strung weight: 11.2 oz. Balance: 5 points HL.


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text: W-2 Wage and Tax Statements for 2011 now Available on Murphy Online St. Thomas Newsroom January 24, 2012 W-2 Wage and Tax Statements for the calendar year 2011 are now available on Murphy Online. A paper W-2 will be mailed to home addresses by Wednesday, Jan. 25. The link to Murphy Online is https://banner.stthomas.edu. To log in use your UST ID number and PIN. Your UST ID number is printed on your UST ID card. If you do not remember your PIN, follow the instructions on the login screen. Once you are logged in to Murphy Online, click on "Employee Services." Select "Tax Forms" from the "Employee Services" menu. Select "W2 Year End Earnings Statement" from the "Tax Forms" menu. Select the Tax Year "2011" from the "Select W-2 Menu" and click on the "Display" button. You will then view the "W-2 Year End Earnings Statement" information. To print a W-2 form you can use with your tax returns click on the "Printable W-2" button at the bottom of the display. When you see the printable W-2 form, click on the "Send to the printer" button at the bottom of the page. Note: For security reasons, the University of St. Thomas does not send tax documents via email nor does it ask employees for confidential wage information or their Social Security numbers via email. RelatedUST 2006 W-2 forms were mailed to your home address Jan. 25Update: W-2 Wage and Tax Statements available via Murphy OnlineW-2 Wage and Tax Statements for 2010 are Available in Murphy OnlineW-2 tax statements were mailed to employees' home addresses