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"Winning isn't everything," the legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi used to posit. "It's the only thing." A quotable quip from the stoic bard of the '60s gridiron-actually first uttered by UCLA Bruins football coach "Red" Sanders in 1950-it's been memorialized over the years as a uniquely American sentiment. But there's little doubt that it also translates well into the "English" English spoken around McLaren's headquarters in Surrey, England.
The McLaren Technology Centre may reside in a land where footballers run around in shorts and don't wear helmets, but an unyielding commitment to maximum success-a.k.a. winning-has long been the guiding principle here. We mention this early because the new McLaren MP4-12C is a car designed from the start with the supremely ambitious goal of taking on the world's greatest supercars and winning.
I traveled to Woking, in Surrey, to see the new McLaren being built before flying to Portugal with the very first wave of journalists invited to drive the car. And having now driven it on and off the track, I'm declaring the 12C a winner. Call back in a while-things change fast-but for now it's the greatest supercar I've ever driven.
Supercars are blindingly fast, by definition, and drivers of the new McLaren, with its 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 (code-named M838T) won't have any difficulty remembering what league they're playing in. Built in England by internal-combustion specialists Ricardo to a McLaren design, the engine is blessed with 443 lb-ft of easily accessed torque (all of it available between 3000 and 6500 rpm) effortlessly dispensed via a magical, paddleshifted, seven-speed dual-clutch automatic supplied by Italy's Graziano. According to McLaren, the 592-hp car will knock off 0-to-60-mph runs in 3.0 seconds when its cast-aluminum wheels-nineteen-inch front, twenty-inch rear-are clad in optional, high-traction Pirelli PZero Corsa tires. (On standard-issue PZeros, it makes the run in 3.2 seconds.) It will assassinate the quarter mile in a heart-stopping 10.9 seconds, by which time it will be traveling 135 mph on its way to a maximum velocity of 205 mph.
When it's time to haul the 12C back down, massive ventilated AP discs-plus a standard, hydraulically controlled air brake-ensure that you'll need but 100 feet to stop from 62 mph. Optional carbon-ceramic discs, likely to add plenty o' thousands to your bill, slow you no more quickly but resist fade better and so are useful for serious track duty and those seeking extreme bragging rights.


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Last Tuesday we reported that an Ingham County Judge had issued a temporary restraining order against House Republicans. This information was reported to us by the House Democratic Caucus, but was based on a misunderstanding between the Court and the House attorneys. The Republican Caucus received the same message as the Democrats at the time. Their response:
House Republicans say they follow the rules and the constitution and they weren't given the chance to defend themselves in court.
On Wednesday we received word that the Judge had not yet signed a restraining order, and we had to wait until the hearing today to get the matter settled. The hearing went as expected:
Judge Clinton Canady III issued a temporary restraining order Monday afternoon compelling House Republicans in the majority party to hold recorded roll call votes when at least 22 Democrats request one.
Democrats in the minority party sued House Speaker Jase Bolger and the GOP leaders last week because Bolger or Speaker Pro Tem John Walsh, R-Livonia, would not recognize their request for a recorded roll call vote. The state constitution states that a roll call "shall" be conducted whenever requested by one-fifth of the House members.
"I don't see how the House Rules can circumvent the constitution that says they'd be entitled to a roll call vote," Canady told lawyers representing the feuding legislators. "Each citizen has a right to know — upon the appropriate request being made by members of the Legislature — how people vote on issues such as these."
Of course you can always count on God's Aspiring Governor, Bill Schuette, to jump in:
Attorney General Bill Schuette, representing the House's majority party, will ask the Michigan Court of Appeals to immediately consider an appeal later this week, said spokeswoman Joy Yearout.
On what basis?
Michael Murphy, an assistant attorney general representing the House Republican leaders, warned the judge that his order could make him the "referee forever" between the two "squabbling siblings."
"Whether we like the way they do business over there doesn't make it illegal or improper," Murphy told Canady.
The hypocrisy is stunning.
Anywaaaayyyy … now that the restraining order is in effect, the status of three bills are called into question. From the press release issued by Richard Hammel today,
"I appreciate the diligence of the court in making a timely ruling granting our request for a preliminary injunction. I look forward to a final decision affirming our claims protecting the Michigan Constitution and protecting against – as the Judge said – irreparable harm to the public. The preliminary injunction prevents the majority from ignoring Members when they demand a record roll call on immediate effect if one fifth of the House Members demand it. Judge Canady III also enjoined the immediate effect given to House Bills 4246, 4929 and 5063. HB 4246 prohibits graduate student research assistants from collectively bargaining. HB 4929 prohibits public schools from collecting dues for teacher unions. HB 5063 prohibits Michigan residents from circulating ballot petitions without the approval of the State Board of Canvassers. "
4246 in particular is a sticky situation, because it has already taken effect and negatively impacted the University of Michigan students that the Republicans had targeted with the bill. I'm not sure how that will play out. I have more detail in my earlier post here.
So to sum up the lesson here: Republicans worship the Constitution as an icon, they just don't respect it as law.

subset: commoncrawl


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Latest version of OneNote for Android is optimized for tablets and adds support for handwritten notes and text formatting.
Microsoft makes its note-taking app available for free for the Fire Phone and Kindle Fire tablets through Amazon's Appstore for Android.
Free versions of Microsoft's note-taking and organizational application are available for immediate download for Mac and desktop Windows.
Microsoft is looking to head off note-taking rival Evernote by introducing a free, full-fledged version of OneNote for Mac users.
Microsoft's new all-in-one Surface Hub lets users annotate on a giant 84-inch 4K display using a pen or touch, and interact with a host of apps, including Skype and OneNote.
Microsoft creates an 84-inch, Windows 10-powered digital whiteboard aimed at making meetings more productive.
Microsoft's note-taking app for the iPad has undoubtedly improved for the iPad, but it still leaves out a couple basic features that limit its appeal. Learn how to use its new features and what's still missing.
Microsoft introduces a holographic system baked into Windows 10, along with more mundane features such as universal applications and Cortana as a personal assistant.
Normally $329, the PC that works as both a tablet and a notebook can be had for just $199 -- but only on Thursday.
Microsoft is continuing its cross-platform push, bringing a number of its MSN-branded consumer apps to devices beyond those running Windows and Windows Phone.


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Afterward, Laurel talks to a fire chief about the recent string of deaths. She tells him that three of the men who belonged to Fire Company 15 all died in the past six weeks, except for one, who died two years ago in the Nodel Tower tragedy. This piques Oliver's interest. He joins the conversation and asks the chief to explain the Nodel Tower tragedy. "How do you not know?" the chief asks. "I was wi-fi free for a few years," he retorts. The captain says the tower came down after a gas line blew, killing 34 civilians and six firemen. Turns out the construction company behind the tower used sub-standard materials.
Later, Oliver asks Laurel what the conversation with the fire chief was all about. She tells him it was nothing and rushes off to call Arrow. A few feet away, Oliver picks up the phone. She asks him what she's supposed to do, and Arrow tells her it's his turn to takeover. And he's back (almost)!
Cue flashback to the island: Oliver drags himself out of the lake and realizes he's killed the man who was after him.
Meanwhile, back at home, Thea tries to get her mom out of the house, but a reluctant Moira tells Thea she just doesn't get it. Thea points out -- and rightly so -- that she in fact does know what her mother is going through. After all, she lost her dad and Walter too. Still, Moira is too busy moping and looking through old pictures to care, which prompts Thea to ask her mom to well, start acting like a mom. Their actions seem a bit out of character -- since when is Thea the responsible one? -- but hey, if it gets Moira to quit sulking I'm all for it.
Back at the lair, Diggle apologizes for giving Oliver such a hard time earlier. Oliver finally opens up and says he was never afraid of death until he realized he had something to lose, including his family, Laurel and Tommy. Diggle suggests he change his perspective: Instead of fearing what he has to lose, he should use those closest to him as a source of strength to survive. Well said, Diggle. After their heart-to-heart, Oliver directs the convo back to the case at hand. He's got a new theory: What if Firefly (a.k.a. Garfield) didn't die in the infamous tower fire? What if he was just presumed dead? (We all saw this one coming, right?).
At the fundraiser, we get a weird slo-mo shot of Laurel's legs (for a second I thought maybe Helena was back). She locks lips with Tommy and checks in to make sure they're good on "drawer-gate" (okay, I'll hand it to her, that was cute), only to be interrupted by Oliver.
He pulls her aside to speak to the fire chief, who seems to be having a good ol' time until Oliver starts asking him questions about the Nodel Tower fire again. He wants to know why Garfield's coat was found, but not his body. The chief admits that there's more to the story. Apparently, Garfield refused to leave the burning tower, though the chief had ordered all his men to evacuate. Though Garfield begged the chief to send a unit back in, he refused. The chief says he essentially left him to burn. Talk about killing the mood.
Oliver informs the chief that Garfield is back. For some reason, Laurel doesn't seem surprised that Oliver pieced all this together, and that surprises me. After all, didn't Oliver spend the entire first half of this season convincing people he only cared about partying? Wasn't that a part of the master plan so he could make sure no one caught on to his alter-ego?
While the chief insists Garfield couldn't have made it out of the tower alive, Firefly shows up behind them and throws a flame into the party. Firefly tells Oliver and Laurel to run and douses the chief with kerosene. Meanwhile, Oliver heads downstairs to change into his Arrow gear. Too bad he didn't inform anyone, because Tommy and Laurel seem to think he's in danger and decide they can't leave the building without him. Inevitably, this puts them in danger. (The next time we see Laurel, however, she's back at work, so I'm assuming the fallout from their decision to stick with Oliver was left on the cutting room floor).
Before Garfield can set the chief on fire, Arrow shoots the lighter out of his hands. Garfield tells Arrow he's not afraid to die, and then Arrow responds with this soapy gem: "I know. You're afraid to live." Oof.
Arrow wants to help Garfield, but it's too late. "Thanks," says Garfield. "But I'm already burned." With that, he walks into the fire.
Back at home, Moira makes amends with Thea and decides to get back to work.
Meanwhile, Laurel's co-worker says she wants Arrow to have her late brother's badge as a thank you. She's not the only one giving Arrow props. Even Det. Lance says it's a good thing the hood got involved. More surprisingly, when Laurel hands over Arrow's phone, Det. Lance suggests that it might be better if she holds on to it. Looks like someone is coming around! Or not. Turns out her dad implanted a speaker in the phone so that the next time Laurel calls Arrow, the cops can eavesdrop on their conversation. Oh, dad!
At his lair, Oliver has another flashback to the island. This time we see him in a military vest of sorts, looking considerably more put together, while examining a map.
Back in the present, Oliver thanks Diggle for setting him straight. Diggle wants to know what's next. Perhaps more training? Nope, says Oliver, "We go hunting."
Count me in.
What did you think about tonight's episode? Leave your thoughts in the comments.


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We will meet with legislators and hear from experts on issues that affect our region. Plan now to join us and MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD! Register Now
From utility bill savings to employee trainings, Chamber Membership has you covered! Being a member of the Chamber of Commerce provides many benefits to your company and helps promote a healthy business climate in Midland. To see if Chamber Membership is right for you, click the link below. More Information
Our vision is to "Create the Best Business Climate on the Planet!" Your Midland Chamber of Commerce is constantly striving to provide the best resources, tools and services for our 1300 + members. In addition to the array of cash flow and promotional benefits for our members, the Chamber has launched MidlandFirst. Designed as a framework for ongoing, community-driven transformation, MidlandFirst seeks to create the highest possible quality of place in our community - allowing employers to recruit and retain the best possible workforce! To learn more or provide input, visit www.Midland1st.com


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Revised Standard Version (RSV) | New International Version (NIV) |
1 But the LORD said to Moses, "Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, yea, with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land." | 1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country." |
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. (Revised Standard Version - Holy Bible) | Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |


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Last Monday, Paranormal Activity star Katie Featherston walked into her local L.A. Starbucks and got a dose of just how dramatically her life had changed over the weekend. ''I didn't think my barista knew my name, but he was like, 'Katie! Your movie made $7 million!''' says the actress, 26, speaking exclusively to EW. ''I was like, 'Uhh...yes. Can I have a latte?'''
Actually, not to quibble, Starbucks guy, but Paranormal Activity grossed $7.9 million at 160 theaters, averaging a phenomenal $49,379 per screen and setting a record for films in such a limited release. That's quite a feat for a scrappy little horror pic about a couple's demon-haunted house a movie that was made for $11,000 in seven days and almost didn't get a theatrical release at all. When DreamWorks bought Paranormal for $350,000 in 2008, the plan was to remake it as a glossy star vehicle and release the original on DVD. ''At that point, we were just thankful for a DVD release,'' says Micah Sloat, 28, who plays Featherston's boyfriend. ''I was fine with that if that's what had to happen, but I'm really glad it didn't.''
Being the talk of Hollywood is certainly unknown territory for the fresh-faced pair. Featherston's only prior film experience was a bit part in a straight-to-DVD flick called Mutation. Sloat, who earns a living as a computer programmer out of his L.A. home, had none and was ready to give up acting altogether. Now they can both count Steven Spielberg among their fans. ''They created such a reality that you just sit back and say, 'Well, they're not acting. This is happening,''' says the filmmaker, who championed Paranormal when DreamWorks was part of Paramount and suggested the film's current ending. ''For two actors to make you feel like that, you've got to admire them.''
In the coming weeks, as the movie continues to expand, Featherston and Sloat will hit the promotional circuit and go on as many auditions as they can. They're already taking meetings. And of course, they're on the phone with their agents constantly. ''I'm surprised I haven't received 10 text messages and three voice-mails just now,'' Featherston says mid-interview. ''I have!'' laughs Sloat. ''My phone keeps ringing and vibrating.'' Go on, take the call.


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Consumer Product
I come not to praise the Paleos, but to understand them.
Our story starts with the premise (which we will not unpack here, for reasons of brevity and taste) that running barefoot, or as close as possible to barefoot, is a more healthy means of locomoting. Under this premise, being immediately in tune with one's physical terrain is beneficial to the body and mind, requiring greater intentionality and physical dexterity in order to cover rough ground without injury. For those who cringe at the idea of walking barefoot to the mailbox, this might be a lost point, but the "natural running" school of thought has seen major conversion over the last ten years. While the overall claims seem understandable, there are some basic logistical difficulties with barefoot running. Namely, that the bottoms of feet are pretty smooth. This means that wet/uneven/slick surfaces can be dangerously low traction, and hard textured surfaces like rocky paths and concrete can chew you up after a while.
What to do, that won't deny naturalist runners the high levels of bio-feedback they crave? Designer/barefooted thinker Jörg Peitzker's answer: chainmail. Though "Paleo" brings to mind very little I'd associate with chainmail, the Paleo Barefoots are an interesting take on nekkid feet. The good: They provide traction, they're breathable, zero-drop, and minimal enough to conform to all the uncomfortable and delightful bumps and lumps of a trail. They also offer minimalist liners, paw-print styled sole pads to increase traction and better fit different environments, and can stave off archery attacks to your arches while LARPing. The odd: they're made of chainmail, not a material known for its ergonomic charm, so you're basically just putting snow chains on your feet.
A good application of unexpected material to niche need? A misapplication of minimalism? All I can think of is medievally shaped blisters, but I imagine my stylish high-viz trail-running shoes leave me well outside the target demographic.


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Created: 02/11/2014 6:43 PM KAALtv.com
By: Sean Boswell
(ABC 6 NEWS) -- A massive transformer was been unloaded in Pine Island on Tuesday, and it will have an impact on energy consumption across Southeastern Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin.
"This is reinforcing service to all of the consumers in this general area," said David Olson with Xcel Energy.
CapX2020 is a project that has been in the works for years. Tuesday marked a landmark in fulfilling all of its goals. A 385-foot trailer came down from Randolph with a police escort carrying the transformer. The 34 mile trip took about five hours. The device will bring voltage down to a usable level for the area.
"You need to make sure you have the infrastructure in place to get that electricity into Rochester and that's what CapX2020 will help do," said Tony Benson with Rochester Public Utilities.
RPU has asked in previous years for residents to cut down on energy consumption as the decades old transmission grid has reached "peak" levels during the summer.
"Everybody throws on their air conditioning and their appliances and everything and it uses a high amount of electricity," said Benson.
The transformer will increase reliability for Rochester and surrounding areas, stretching 150 miles from Hampton to Rochester to Lacrosse, WI.
"Two lines will eventually go into the city of Rochester to reinforce the Rochester system, there's circuit breakers on each line, controls on each line," said Olson.
Overall, this transformer took about a year and a half to build, and it weighs over 500,000 lbs.
CapX2020 is the most expensive expansion of the Midwest power grid in more than 40 years.
Eyota Woman Accused of Stealing Identities to Get Prescription Pills |
Middle School Students Face Criminal Charges Following "Sex Party" |
Fifth-Grader in Custody after Threat Found at Rush City School |
Missing Colorado Girl Could be in Rochester |
Wis. Police: Registered Sex Offender Removed GPS Device, at Large |


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1963 Jaguar E-Type Series I 3.8L Roadster Chassis No. 879848 Engine No. RA2965-9 Here is an exceptionally original and highly favored 3.8L 1963 OTS, that has been sitting in... More
1972 Jaguar E-Type Series III V12 Roadster A particularly well kept example, ready to drive and enjoy. Chassis No. UC1S20676BW Engine No. 7S6295SA GearBox No. 11343 Body No. 4S2043 Beautiful Early Series III Roadster... More


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Free People January '14 look book
Bringing together Sasha Pivovarova and their trademark boho styling is Free People's January 2014 catalogue. And it's more personal than you might initially think: the images were photographed by Sasha's husband, Igor Vishnyakov, at the couple's home – while the artworks featured through the shoot are her own.
Read 'Free People January '14 look book' »


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''So you say that I'm a fake, think, you must really be a fool/I been in jail more times than you have probably been in school/Shot at, shot back, hit, and seen my buddies killed/That's the foundation upon the raps of Ice-T are built!''
The guy who wrote those feral lines they're from the title track of one of his top-selling rap records, Power is sitting next to me on a plush couch in his house in the Hollywood Hills. His fourth album, O.G. Original Gangster, has just been released, and his record company, with obviously great expectations, has trumpeted its arrival in trade papers with costly, full-page ads. The movie in which he starred, New Jack City, is a surprising box office hit that has launched a new career for him as an engrossing and credible actor. Miles from South Central L.A., the rough city district in which he grew up and which is the setting for most of his records, he's home and happy in his tastefully decorated house with its bleached hardwood floors and its picture window overlooking West Hollywood and the wide, wealthy reaches of Beverly Hills.
Spot the dichotomy: On his new album's cover, he's decked out in a tuxedo in one shot, a sleeveless undershirt in another. Today, as magazine photographers pack up their cameras to depart, he's slick once more decked out in casual but expensive clothes of the sort he might wear at Spago, L.A.'s enduringly glamour-packed eatery a few blocks down the hill from here. Running around on the back porch are Chopper, his bulldog, and Felony, his pit bull. Like others in the household, they look tough but are friendly.
Two hours ago, I was in my car driving on Sunset, listening to Ice-T tell the world he's a ''nigga'' and expecting to confront the toughest, meanest, most badass dude around. Now he's here telling me that his new role model is Cher. ''She'd do Silkwood and get the Academy Award,'' he explains, ''then flip and be butt naked on a battleship, and nobody would question it. Because that's her singing, not her acting.'' He's referring to Cher's video for her 1989 hit ''If I Could Turn Back Time,'' which featured her cavorting half-nude in front of a crew of horny sailors. But Ice-T whose real name is Tracy Marrow, and who, in his early 30s, is older and more seasoned than most rappers is more interested in Cher's juggling prowess here than in her body. Balancing two careers is his newest priority.
I had wondered, of course, exactly how much of a gangster Ice-T really used to be. Maybe 10 years ago, he says, he and his crew lived in South Central L.A. Hollywood and Beverly Hills nowhere in sight and did ''lots of things.'' Like what? ''Jewelry-store robberies, credit card fraud, insurance fraud, burglaries and stuff,'' he says. ''I got boys in jail for armed robbery, kidnapping for ransom, murder lots for murder, two, three for murder. So, you know, I was riding with some bad cats.''
Once he establishes that, though, he falls quiet. It's part of the Ice-T dilemma. He was bad, but now he's a role model, and he's unsure how to merge the two. He moves around on the couch. ''In one respect I like talking about it,'' he says looking over at me, his face serious. ''In another, I don't really like pushing it. A lot of times I'm talking to these kids and they got such a chip on their shoulder that they don't think that nobody can talk to 'em. So sometimes I gotta spill, like, my pedigree. Let 'em know where I been, get more in-depth with 'em on it, and then they go, 'Okay, cool.'''
Ice-T spills his pedigree for a reason. He knows the attraction of gangs and guns and crime: ''It is glamorous, you know? I was in a gang and it was fun. It's not fun when you get shot, it's not fun when you end up in jail, but until then, it's fun.'' He wants kids in the black community to know he knows this, but he wants them to know the criminal life is a dead end. He has voiced his feelings repeatedly in his songs, at speaking engagements, at panel discussions, and, in 1988, even before the Congressional Black Caucus. When he was asked there about the Los Angeles gang situation, he recalls, the questions were ''just stupid. Because it doesn't take much to understand why gangs happened, why they bred. We don't have the education system set up to where the kids think they got a chance to do anything else. Right now, crack is the No. 1 employer of minority youth in America.''
That, of course, is a major theme of New Jack City and, as Ice-T notes, the cop he played in the picture ''had a lot of the same ideals I have. He possibly , could have been a drug dealer, if something didn't turn him the other way.''


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Putting Birds on the Map From dawn to dusk, armies of volunteers are fanning out across America, pinpointing the places most critical to birds' survival. By
Keith Kloor At 6:05 a.m. in a remote corner of a state forest in central Pennsylvania,
it takes Deuane Hoffman just three minutes to learn what's awake in
these woods besides him and John Zwierzyna, his survey partner, who
is standing a few paces to the side. Arms folded across his chest, Hoffman
gazes upward into the dark woods, listening intently to the sporadic
birdsong. "Two red-eyed vireos," he whispers. "One junco."
A slight orange tint is breaking across the early-morning sky, providing
just enough light for Zwierzyna to scribble the names on his clipboard.
Ten seconds later Hoffman picks up the tsik tsik call of a chipping
sparrow. He cups his right ear and tilts his head to the side as a burst
of different melodies ricochet off the treetops. "One pewee, one
rose-breasted grosbeak, and another red-eyed vireo," he says in
quick succession. At 6:08and two more red-eyed vireos, one ovenbird,
and one mourning dove laterZwierzyna consults his stopwatch and
calls out, "Time!" If you could spend a weekend morning doing anything you wanted, you might not choose to get up at an ungodly hour and count birdsespecially if you couldn't see them. But don't tell that to Hoffman and Zwierzyna, or to the 18 other volunteers who have spread out across the southern part of the Sproul State Forest on this Saturday morning in mid-June. They all came to count birds. "What we want to do," says Hoffman, 32, who has been an avid birder since he was 10, "is really scour the area at a minute level to find out what's here." Zwierzyna, 52, a museum curator and an Appalachian Audubon member, has been "birding casually" for the past 30 years; Hoffman, who sports a goatee and a hoop earring in his right ear, is a pharmacist. Both men drove three hours the night before, from their homes in Harrisburg. Among the others conducting separate counts elsewhere in the oak-maple forest are a high school student, a dentist, and the owner of a software company. Although they share an affinity for birding, what brought them together on this weekend is the Important Bird Areas (IBA) program, a burgeoning worldwide conservation initiative that applies science-based criteria to identify and protect essential habitat for feeding, breeding, and migrating birds. Audubon is leading the charge across the United States, marshaling a cadre of volunteers to help identify, conserve, and monitor IBA sites, from Arizona to Alaska. To date, Audubon has programs up and running in 46 states, in which more than 1,500 IBAs have been selected, and it expects to have state-level IBA programs in all 50 states by next year. "There are many tools for the conservation of birds," says Steve Hoffman (no relation to Deuane), Audubon Pennsylvania's director of bird conservation. "But the IBA is a very important one, because it identifies a place on the mapon the groundthat says, 'This place is special for birds.' "
Instead of being regulatory-driven, the program's aim
is to protect birds and habitat by building alliances with landowners,
state and federal agencies, and land trusts. The conservation prescription
differs from site to site, depending on the existing land uses and the
bird species that rely on the habitat. Audubon North Carolina's IBA
program, for example, has forged a partnership with state officials
and land trusts to acquire a barrier island's sensitive tracts, which
support nesting seabirds, shorebirds, and sea turtles. Audubon New York,
an early IBA program leader, has successfully teamed up with the state
to protect close to 200,000 acres of critical habitat, from "the
high peaks of the Catskills and Adirondacks for Bicknell's thrush habitat
to the wetlands of Montezuma for cerulean warblers," says David
J. Miller, Audubon New York's executive director. In Pennsylvania, the
southern part of the Sproul State Forest has already been named an IBA
for its concentration of breeding migratory songbirds, including scarlet
tanagers and blue-headed vireos. Audubon Pennsylvania would like to
have a voice in the management of this landscape, which has already
been scarred by logging, mining, and natural gas development. Volunteers
know how valuable they are to the effort. "Our surveys will help
provide a database that can be used to make any recommendations to state
officials," says Zwierzyna, "which will enhance the habitat
for birds." Even more important, says Bob Perciasepe, Audubon's senior vice-president of public policy, the IBA program will become "a guiding blueprint we can use to focus our advocacy for the conservation of bird habitat and to make sure that state and federal programs benefiting IBAs are adequately funded." A big part of this strategy will include using existing environmental statutes, such as the Clean Water Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, as a means to strengthen the protection of IBAs. "In a sense," Perciasepe adds, "the IBAs will be used as tools to advocate how those laws should be implemented to better protect birds." The IBA program started in Europe in 1989, when biologists from BirdLife International, a British-based global coalition of more than 100 groups, identified 2,444 sites in 32 countries, from Greenland to the Soviet Union. Growing concern over the continuing fragmentation and loss of bird habitat sparked them to establish a network of vital areas that would protect not only birds but a wider swath of biodiversity as well.
To qualify as an IBA, a site must meet at last one of four criteria,
each associated with a different type of vulnerability. It must support
endangered or threatened species; species that are not widely distributed;
species that are restricted to a single extensive habitat or biome;
or high densities of congregating species, such as waterfowl or shorebirds.
IBAs vary in habitat and sizesites range from a few acres to several
thousand. Today IBAs are being designated in 156 countries, with more
than 4,000 sites now identified in Europe. According to BirdLife International,
official IBA designation has led to better conservation at thousands
of these sites. As a starting point, Pennsylvania dug up an atlas of breeding birds
that was compiled in the 1980s with the help of 2,000 birders across
the state. "Then we went out to Audubon chapters, bird clubs, and
the general public, and asked for their input," says Audubon's
Steve Hoffman. "Most birders bird in their backyards and in their
local area, so they know where the best habitats are. One of the exciting
aspects of the IBAs is reaching out to local communities and getting
them behind the protection of these sites." With Pennsylvania's program in full swing, IBA nomination forms were made available over the Internet, and site suggestions were solicited for a couple of years. Out of 160 nominations, 73 sites were eventually picked by an ornithological committee of 15 scientists in the state. Most states with IBA programs have adopted a version of this process. Some rely more on Audubon chapters; others, more on official data and scientists. But when it comes to harnessing the grassroots to help with the actual
surveying, Pennsylvania is the model that other states are looking to
emulate. "We're at the cutting edge of citizen science, in terms
of developing long-term monitoring programs of the IBAs and keeping
track of how the birds are doing," says Hoffman. "The only
way to do this is in June, when the birds are breeding and singing."
And since the only way to count birds in the woods is when they're singing,
he trains volunteers at daylong workshops to identify different birdcalls
and songs. After the volunteers become proficient enough to distinguish
between warblers, thrushes, vireos, and other assorted songbirds ("You
gotta study your tapes!" he says), Hoffman organizes weekend surveying
trips to various IBAs around the state. Last summer 70 people participated in 17 IBA inventories, though not
all came straight from the workshop. Deuane Hoffman already had an expert's
ear. "Most people worry too much about what they're seeing,"
he says, "but when it comes to being a really good birder, it's
hearing that puts you over the top." Then again, not many people
regularly bird at least 20 hours a week as he does, crisscrossing Pennsylvania
so much that he estimates he has logged 45,000 miles on state roads
in some years. Hoffman even plans his vacations around three passions:
birding, beer, and the blues. Last year he combined all three on a trip
out West with his wife, Carolyn, and his "best bird crony, Dick
Colyer." The trio traveled through California, Nevada, and Utah;
they would bird in the morning, stop at a microbrewery for lunch, bird
some more, and then catch some blues acts at night. "In a 10-day
trip, we hit 18 brew pubs and saw 250 species," Hoffman says. Since Pennsylvania Audubon is the first state IBA program in the United
States to train volunteers how to do a "point" counta
standardized surveying methodbirders like Deuane Hoffman, who
come equipped with a finely developed sense of hearing, are much appreciated.
The counts are conducted for three minutes, carried out by two-person
teams (one person records the birds, and the other counts) at specific
"points" along walking trails. Because most surveys can't
possibly cover the entire acreage of an IBA, volunteers are assigned
(or choose) different types of habitatmaybe second-growth forest
or streamside areas or upland terrain. When survey volunteers return home, they enter the data online and beam it to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, where it is combined with any preexisting species data for the same area. Using the results, Audubon's Steve Hoffman can begin to draw up a preliminary management plan to safeguard the habitat. (In the Sproul forest, one of the biggest concerns is pending access roads for logging and natural gas wells.) But even Hoffman admits that doing this for all of Pennsylvania's IBAs is an unrealistic goal. "We can't do on-the-ground conservation work for 73 IBAs," he says. "But we can get the word out, put the partners together, and make it work on a local scale." By 7:00 a.m. Deuane Hoffman and John Zwierzyna have hiked from a mixed
oak-hickory woodland to rolling grasslandsthe site of a reclaimed
strip mine. "This was a wasteland 15 years ago," Hoffman says,
looking around, awestruck by the transformation. Still, black shards
of coal on the side of the road attest to an ugly legacy. The grasslands,
planted by the coal company (the restoration was mandated by state law),
will eventually revert to forest. The two IBA volunteers are fascinated
by the changeover. "We don't normally see this kind of habitat
in Pennsylvania," says Zwierzyna. Overhead, a Cooper's hawk is spotted chasing a red-tail down a ridge. "He probably has a nest over by those trees," Hoffman says of the Cooper's hawk, pointing to a copse of black locust. It's time for another point count, but for the moment, Hoffman and Zwierzyna are transfixed by their surroundings. In the past hour they've done six point counts (with six more to go) and have catalogued dozens of breeding neotropical migrants that make the forest their home. "There's an incredible diversity and concentration of species up here," Hoffman marvels, ready to turn back to the business at hand. "We need to know what the crucial areas are if they're going to be saved and protected." Keith Kloor is a senior editor at Audubon. The print version of this story has a pullout map on Audubon's Important Bird Area program, including illustrations by contributing editor David Allen Sibley.


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Deciphering what 'vacant' really means
Here's an important question when you try to access a community's economic health, as Florida and the rest of the country rebound from an historic recession:
What does "vacant" mean?
Last week, this column took a national news website to task for a poorly researched report titled: "American Ghost Towns."
The report, published by the Huffington Post, listed Bonita Springs near the top in "vacant" housing units while branding it one of the ghost towns. City leaders and merchants were aghast.
The evidence used was a 2-year-old satellite photo of a subdivision with no cars in the driveways and 2010 U.S. Census figures.
The caption beneath the photo read:
"The empty driveways in this satellite photo from Google Earth are testaments to the astoundingly high number of vacant homes in Bonita Springs and across Florida. Of the town's 23,455 total housing units, 8,522 homes were vacant last year. See more shocking aerial images of the foreclosure crisis at the Huffington Post."
My column pointed out that an aerial shot of empty driveways is a poor way to judge which houses are being lived in and which have been abandoned because of a struggling economy.
I also pointed out that the U.S. Census report of 8,522 vacant homes raised eyebrows back in 2010 when they were first made public in a report on foreclosure rates. I went on to write that census takers listed as "vacant" any house that was unoccupied when neighborhoods were canvassed. I opined that a census taken in late spring, summer or early fall would give an inaccurate assessment of the true housing market in Southwest Florida.
I found out there's more to it than that thanks to longtime Naples resident Chuck Mohlke, a professional researcher and an expert in demographics.
He explained that it doesn't matter when U.S. Census takers do their counts, be it in June when our snowbirds are gone or February when they are here in full force.
He said that if the owner of a house is domiciled in another state, his Florida property will be listed as "vacant" even if the person is at the house when the census worker knocks on the door.
"In discussing 'census vacancy rates,' one should always be mindful of the distinction between a 'held-for-occasional-use' residential unit and a true vacancy," Mohlke told Daily News columnist Brent Batten. "If the census determines that the occupant of a residence is technically domiciled elsewhere than Collier County (or Lee County, in Bonita's case), the held-for-occasional-use unit they reside in is deemed 'vacant' and the occupant is not counted for census purposes as domiciled here."
That means that some homes being lived in when a U.S. Census worker dropped by back in 2010 could be listed as "vacant" while homes that no one was living in at the time of the census could be counted as "occupied."
That's further evidence that U.S. Census figures on vacant housing units shouldn't be used to assess foreclosure rates, nor, as was the case with the Huffington Post report, can they be used to assess what is and what isn't a "ghost town."
The Huffington Post called Bonita's vacancy rate "astounding" when it cited the census figures. Those numbers show a vacancy rate of 36 percent.
If the Huffington Post reporters really wanted to hone in on a ghost town, they should have checked out Naples, where the vacancy rate, based on the same U.S. Census, was 42 percent.
Or, they could do a little homework.
High vacancy rates, as computed by the U.S. Census, could just as easily be used to pinpoint great places to own a second home.
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This is the first time it's happened, and it's not that omphalitis thing (infection), at least I don't think so. I've been having a very delayed long drawn out hatch this time, possibly due to temperature spikes in the incubator, or because the temperature was too high during the hatch. Anyway, the one keat was born with a tiny bit of something outside its body. I figured it was the yolk sac because I could see that chalzae thing sticking out at the end of it (at first I thought its intestines prolapsed out of its bum, but then I remembered it's too low for that.
So far I have another one that hasn't absorbed their sac, is there anything I can do? Also, could too high a temperature cause this early hatch and their sac not being absorbed? As I type this, I'm thinking that maybe the temperature was too high. Anyone else had this happen? =:O |
Follow-Up Postings:
No idea here. Gut instinct tells me either they absorb it or they dont, in which case they won't make it. Brendasue |
I had had that happen on occasion from inky raised chicks. I think you are right in that it's caused by hatching just a little too early because of conditions in the inky. It can also happen if you 'assist' a chick out of the egg when it is trying to peck out. Sometimes that particular issue is caused by humidity too low, or not turning them frequently. If you can keep them clean and not have the sack adhere to something and pull from the body, I have had them live. I do not put them in loose bedding if they have an exterior yolk sac, but usually on sanitary cloth for a day or two until the issue is resolved. It's really not a desireable thing to happen. Good luck. |
I had that happen before when I was using the el cheapo hovabator foam incubator that just couldn't reliably hold a temperature. Two chickens back in a hatch in the 1990's had this and both of them survived it and lived to be like 5-6 years old for me and were great layers. If it's not too major, if the unabsorbed yolk sac is smaller than a nickle, say, they often can pull through if they seem ok otherwise. As said above, keep them clean and dry, and keep them in the incubator or a separate brooder with the temp right up there at 99.5 -100.0 degrees -- I think the extra warm temps help them to absorb it faster. If the yolk sac is really big and soft, it may not work, but you aren't out anything for trying to pull them through unless they're obviously suffering, at which point you should probably humanely cull. |
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The Texas Ethics Commission has ruled that email sent by two Katy Independent School District administrators on district computers – the subject of highly publicized TEC complaints – did not amount to a violation of election law.
FortBendNow has learned, however, that the commission's findings may not end the matter for the two.
Katy ISD Communications Director Kris Taylor said ethics complaints filed against Ronald Jetton and Janine Phillips both have been dismissed. Jetton, executive director for campus administrative support, and Phillips, executive director for elementary instruction, chose to allow the district to make public the fact they were exonerated, Taylor said.
Letters from the Ethics Commission "essentially said that a single email does not constitute political advertising" especially without containing a specific political endorsement, Taylor said. "It was pretty cut and dried."
Phillips said she is "pleased, though not surprised, at the Texas Ethics Commission's decision to dismiss the complaint.
"When you dedicate 27 years of your life to educating children, it is difficult to have someone question your integrity, professionalism and your ethics in any manner, let alone in such a public manner," she said. "That is a bell you can't 'un-ring.' The TEC's ruling, however, provides a sense of satisfaction, resolution and closure."
"As I have always done," Phillips said, "I will continue to focus my attention and energy on educating the children of Katy ISD."
Jetton also said he is "pleased with the dismissal of the complaint by the Texas Ethics Commission," adding, "This will hopefully provide some resolution to this issue."
There's a possibility it may not. Fort Bend County District Attorney John Healey is expected to send several dozen complaints to the Ethics Commission on Monday or Tuesday.
And while Healey would not reveal any of the names in the complaints from his office, he also would not rule out the possibility that Jetton and Phillips are among those named in the new complaints.
Healey's office, and the Texas Rangers, have spent months investigating use of Katy ISD school computers for political purposes.
The probe began after Jetton, then-executive director for secondary education, sent an April 20 email to school principals suggesting the district would be better off if incumbent board members won the upcoming election.
Fred Hink, a 2004 candidate for the Katy ISD Board of Trustees, filed a complaint with the Ethics Commission against Jetton after Jetton's email was made public and filed similar complaints in July against Janine Phillips, executive director for elementary instruction at the district, and retired Katy High School swim coach Dana Abbott.
Hink said on Thursday he hasn't received documentation from the TEC and can't comment on why the complaints were dismissed.
"Because the email scandal is still under investigation by the Fort Bend District Attorney's office, I also do not want to comment about further action until Mr. Healey releases the results of his investigation," Hink said. "I wish both Ms. Phillips and Dr. Jetton luck for I am sure they feel vindicated."
Meanwhile, Abbott said neither he nor his attorney has heard from the Ethics Commission about the status of his case. And while he believes the complaint against him also will be dismissed, the process has left him angry.
Abbott said he sent an email from his home computer to friends on his email list, some of whom were at the school district. He said he made a statement that because "these are dire financial times" for the district, "this may not be the time to change horses in the middle of the stream."
However, Abbott said that while his statement could be construed to favor incumbent candidates, his email never mentioned a candidate by name, and urged recipients, regardless of which candidates they favored, to exercise their right to vote.
Abbott also said the complaint against him made mention of statements on his personal web site, and that there was a link to it from the Katy High School site. But until the complaint was filed, Abbott said, he had been unaware anyone had linked to his site.
He said he learned that, in order to save time, someone had decided to link to his personal site, which includes significant information about high school swimming, rather than create a web page on the Katy High School site devoted to the high school swim team, which Abbott used to coach.
"It's hurt me tremendously. I'm very hurt by it," Abbott said of the complaint. "I've lived in the Katy community for 25 years and I've got, essentially, a sterling reputation. And nothing I did broke any of the rules. It seems the complainant is making it personal, and that bothers me."
For his part, Hink has maintained that there was nothing personal in his actions.
"Regardless of any findings, the purpose of my actions was not a witch-hunt," Hink said. "Actions by certain administration officials and other KISD employees during the campaign for school board in May exposed a serious breach of public trust."
"It is paramount that regardless of the findings by any legal authority that the KISD School Board investigates the actions of all KISD employees during this election and the institutional controls which obviously failed and releases the findings to the public as soon as possible," Hink said. "The integrity of future KISD elections rides on the board's actions, not the Texas Ethics Commission or the Fort Bend DA."


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Well, somebody made the mistake of letting me fill in for Christine today and tomorrow, so the entire round up will be on ALEC… Just kidding, but take TIME for that story, will try not to mention it again today.
Did you know? The daily Front Pages of Michigan Newspapers are posted by the Newseum in DC (great place to visit) as pdf images. Michigan Papers included are:
Battle Creek Enquirer – Detroit Free Press – Grand Rapids Press – Jackson Citizen Patriot – Kalamazoo Gazette – Lansing State Journal – Midland Daily News – Muskegon Chronicle – Petoskey News-Review – (Port Huron) Times Herald – Traverse City Record-Eagle
You can't get the Detroit Snooze, but then again what's the point of reading their Fox News / Mackinac Center babble anyway? There is also a RSS feed of headlines of Michigan media outlets HERE. But as you all know blogs like BFM are carrying the news the Michigan corporate press can not. As one Michigander put it recently "If it wasn't for Eclectablog [a BFM contributor] I wouldn't have any Michigan news."
The controversial Wisconsin Governor, Scott Walker is coming to Michigan, apparently to raise money to fight his recall. This makes one wonder if he will be meeting with Rick Snyder and who will be giving who advice on how beat a recall and how to make their state the top US state for political acrimony. According to a Walker/Snyder Protest Flyer posted by the Voice of Detroit seems that a number of organizations are preparing a welcome for Walker in Troy, MI on April 17 including (partial list): 99% Pastors, AFL-CIO, AFSCME, Good Jobs Now, Jobs with Justice, Michigan Welfare Rights, Michigan Rising (Snyder Recall), National Action Network, UAW, and various Occupy Michigan groups. They are calling for support for the 99%:
"Michigan Republicans are hosting a fundraiser at the San Marino Club in Troy featuring Wisconsin Governor Scoot Walker, a fellow conspirator with Governor Rick Snyder in the assault on working class families. In peaceful protest, we will deliver a subpoena calling on Walker and Snyder to account for the shared agenda of cutting taxes on the corporate rich, shifting taxes to the 99%, slashing social services for people in need, and stripping voters and working people of their rights."
From the Freep we learn that the US Army, basically the only major organization left still staunchly dedicated to working on vehicle related fuel cell technology (rather than electric battery/motor based vehicles) is TARDEC investing in Michigan at the Detroit Arsenal:
U.S. Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan will attend the 10 a.m. ribbon-cutting with Joseph Westphal, undersecretary of the Army, at the new Ground Systems Power and Energy Lab, otherwise known as GSPEL. The lab is part of TARDEC, the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center in Warren. About $30 million in federal funding — including $15 million from the 2009 stimulus legislation — went to the project, which increased the available lab space at TARDEC for the development of new engines, fuel cells and energy-storage devices that will aid the military in the future.
US Representative Hanson Clarke will attend a rally to stop foreclosures on April 12, Home of Willie Delbridge, 18370 S. Bassett in Detroit to introduce a new federal bill, presumably similar to a Michigan bill Clarke introduced in 2009 (without immediate effect BTW) in the Michigan State Senate. An email notice for the rally by MoratoriumNow Michigan states:
At a Press Conference/ Rally this Thursday, April 12, Congressman Hansen Clarke will announce the introduction of a federal bill that would that would place a three year moratorium on foreclosures, and mandate principal reduction to fair market value when the moratorium ends. The bill would require an immediate pause in the foreclosure process for nearly any homeowner with a federally related mortgage who requests it.
The Trayvon Martin case continues to have impacts in Michigan. This AP Story on the firing of a Michigan teacher for her involvement in a student protest:
"A teacher fired from a Michigan middle school after encouraging students to raise money for the family of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin said Tuesday she is confused by the dismissal and wants the school's administration to explain. Brooke Harris was dismissed in March from Pontiac Academy for Excellence after she supported students' efforts to plan a wear-a-hoodie-to-school day. (break) Harris gave the students an editorial-writing assignment on the shooting. But the students wanted to raise money for Martin's family and asked the school's administrators if they could each pay $1 to wear hoodies instead of school uniforms for a day."
Dang it, just can't do it, have to mention ALEC because just saw someone at the Detroit News slipped up and allowed an Op-Ed by the Teamsters President James Hoffa Jr. in "Public is right to be skeptical of ALEC" who writes:
"[ALEC] corporate members' goals are corporate profit and corporate power. They want more tax breaks, an end to unions, monopolies and contracts to run private prisons and schools. (break) Michigan lawmakers understandably aren't publicizing their membership in ALEC. But its influence in our state can't be missed. ALEC, for example, worked through the Mackinac Center to pass Public Act 4, which gave the governor enormous power to appoint unelected officials, sell off the public assets of Michigan's cities, break up employee unions and privatize public services."
As penance for mentioning ALEC ties to the Mackinac Center on Emergency Manager Law, some fun with a new type of feature…
What was Happening in Michigan Today a…
100 Years Ago on April 11, 1912 a headline in the Hutchinson News read "The Republican State Convention is Surrounded by the State Militia and all the Policemen of Bay City". Another version and a clip:
"The Michigan Republicans split today in a convention featured by fist fights and the calling out of the state troops. The Roosevelt men after electing their national delegates withdrew. The Taft men claimed the regular convention and elected six delegates to the national convention. (break) All attempts to quiet the excited delegates went useless."
Seems that bashing moderates or any progressives, even the Teddy Roosevelt ones during the Progressive Era, was and still is a Michigan tradition/sport.
Nearly 50 (49 actually) years ago on April 11, 1943 there was rally of 10,000 workers sponsored by the NAACP and UAW in an attempt to improve race relations in Detroit and the "War Industries" from "Jobs and justice: Detroit, fair employment, and federal activism during the Second World War" by Andrew E. Kersten:
"To demonstrate public support for the Fair Employment Practices Commission (FEPC) and protest discrimination in war industries and housing, on Sunday, 11 April 1943 Gloster Current, head of the NAACP's Labor Committee, sponsored a mass rally in Cadillac Square [Downtown Detroit]. Ten thousand whites and blacks jammed into the square to hear addresses by Reverend Charles Hill, Detroit NAACP president James McClendon, the UAW's Walter Reuther, and United States Army Colonel George E. Strong, a white industrial relations expert who had worked with the FEPC and the UAW's leadership to end many racially motivated wildcat strikes. After Strong finished his speech, the assembled group was presented with the "Cadillac Charter," a document summarizing the UAW's demand that "all industry participating in the war effort treat all labor alike, regardless of race, color, creed, religion, or national origin, in hiring, upgrading, and training of men and women…"
Unfortunately, they failed and there were three days of riots in June 1943.
25 Years Ago on April 11, 1987 student protests at the University of Michigan resulted major changes in policy, funding for a Black Student Union, push for more minority students and the beginning of the collection of racial incidents:
"Other resolutions include the formation of an anti-racial harassment policy, and the creation of budgetary incentives to attract minority faculty members, The (Michigan) Daily reported. With the resolutions, the university hopes to attract a number of Blacks proportionate of the 12.9 percent Black population of the state of Michigan. During the recent protests, students complained that the university reneged on its 1970 promise to attract and maintain a 10 percent minority enrollment."
The Michigan GOP and the whackos at the Mackinac Center did a job great job fixing that situation. This year they want even more control of public universities, higher education policy (and a privatized K-12 school system of course), blurring their intentions by sweetening the deal with bribes in the form of corporate grants and such, letting the presidents of major Michigan universities sit quietly in the corner at Business Leaders for Michigan meetings, where Snyder's policy papers are written based on ALEC reports and papers by Mackinac Center education/academic "Scholars" and ALEC subject matter experts like the drunk (he admits it) Richard Vedder from the Center for College Affordability and Productivity at Ohio University.
5 Years Ago on April 11, 2007 a report by the Michigan Campaign Finance Network (MCFN) made the case for political financing and influence peddling reforms in Michigan. From Media Mouse at GRIID:
"The report, titled "A Case for Political Reform in Michigan," provides a detailed rationale for thirty-three political reforms in the areas of campaign finance, lobbying, ethics, term limits, redistricting, election administration, judicial independence, and enforcement."
Of course just recently Michigan ranked poorly at 43rd out of the 50 US States in terms of "risk of corruption" by getting "D" or "F" in 11 of 14 measures by the State Integrity Investigation, a project of the Center for Public Integrity, Global Integrity, and Public Radio International. From the Columbia Journalism Review quoting Chris Andrews, former political editor at the Lansing State Journal:
"[Michigan] has major flaws in tracking money spent to elect officials and shape policy. The set of laws regulating campaign spending, lobbyist activity, and financial disclosure guarantee essentially says to the public: Mind your own business."
Benchmark and dashboard that Mr. Nerd.


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"I can't even count how many cupcakes I have made from this recipe in the last 1 1/2 years since finding it here at Food.com. It is definitely my go to recipe for cupcakes. Everyone I make them for raves about them and says they are the best cupcakes they have ever eaten. I make the recipe exactly as written and it always comes out moist and del..."
"This cupcakes are yummy!!! I made them for a work function and they were gobbled up in minutes. Just the right amount of Pink Lemonade flavor. I topped them with a Pink Lemonade Buttercream. I used the Pink Lemonade concentrate to flavor my basic Buttercream recipe and added the zest of one Lemon to give it some additional tartness. Once deco..."
"These are delicious and super easy!!! I made them for a work Pot Luck and for a friends Birthday and everyone raved. The combination of Pumpkin Spice with the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting is amazing. I dusted the icing with some Cinnamon Sugar...YUM!!! I'll definitely be making these alot as I love pumpkin. They would be great with the addi..."
"This frosting was a hit with my coworkers. I used it to frost some mexican vanilla cupcakes and it was just the right amount of tartness. Be sure to add the zest of the lemon to the recipe. It makes a huge difference in the flavor. Use a stand mixer, if at all possible, to really whip the air in to make it light and fluffy. Yum!"


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Each year a faculty member is asked to write a statement for the incoming class about the value of a liberal arts education here at Butler. This year's essay, "Getting the Message," was written by Dr. Hilene Flanzbaum, Allegra Stewart Professor of English.
Everywhere you go, you receive messages. On a normal day, you hear or read thousands of words - words arranged in infinite patterns. In the first ten minutes of the morning, your alarm clock goes off and lyrics play: "For some reason I can't explain, I know St. Peter will call my name." The back of the toothpaste tube promises you whiter teeth and you already have a text from a friend that says," school, so far, is okay." You understand all these messages: they seem to require no close attention or interpretation. Yet even the simplest of messages requires the act of interpretation: you no longer notice it because the process has become so automatic. Coldplay's lyrics require that you know who St. Peter is; you hope, but really don't believe that Colgate will give you whiter teeth than your last toothpaste. It takes a bit longer, however, to figure out what your friend's text means. When she says "okay," does she man okay/good or okay/bad? You call on your shared history and recall that once she said a guy in your math class was just "okay" looking and it turned out he was really cute. When she is really excited about something, she tends to downplay it. On the basis of this information you decide she must be pretty pumped about her college choice.
But what happens when we do not know the transmitter of the message? We have enough experience with advertisements to know that we cannot always, or often, trust them. We have come to expect, perhaps cynically, that both Colgate and Crest will claim that they are the best toothpaste. Because these messengers have profit motives, we have learned to read them more critically. If as an adult you remained as gullible as you were as a four -year -old watching commercials during Saturday morning television, toys and computer games would soon crowd you out of your own house.
Advertisers are not the only messengers that can be misleading or contradictory. We live in a world of competing truth claims, or to put it more plainly, constant contradiction: A guy tells you he wants to hang out, but won't return your text; Fox News reports that the US had a good week in Iraq but CNN reports that 26 people were killed in a suicide bombing; sipping a Diet Coke you remember that you read an article that says aspartame causes cancer and quickly put the can down; then you remember another article that claimed that it didn't and pick it up again. People can disagree, dangerously, when the issues are crucial and life-changing: why, for instance, are some people saying that this mild summer indicates that global warming is a myth, while others insist that such a wet summer proves that global warming is a reality? When the fate of the planet is at stake, why can't Americans find consensus? Follow any political debate, or watch a legal trial, and you will understand that people honestly and earnestly hold different things to be true.
The recent skirmish between Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates and Cambridge police officer James Crowley well illustrates that two human beings of good intentions and high intelligence can perceive a situation in entirely different ways. Anyone can spout off about who he or she believes was right or wrong, but a careful and considered point of view requires asking and attempting to answer good questions. The task of learning about, evaluating and judging human nature, actions and motives calls on many of the subject areas that, in a University context, are called the "liberal arts.'" For instance, a student of history asks, "What past events have contributed to Gates' and Crowley's behaviors?" A psychology student asks, "To what degree did fear determine each of the men's behavior?" A math major uses statistics to determine if Gates had ample reason to suspect racism. You can probably figure out the questions that students in other fields of the liberal arts would ask - from sociology, English, political science, philosophy, religion, biology, chemistry, physics and communications, students research the complex, ambiguous and contradictory nature of human interactions and perceptions.
The skills developed by studying the liberal arts enhance every human interaction, including both broad and narrow professional circumstances. A business major learns how to balance ledgers and estimate profit margins, but how can she decide where to build the next Starbuck's? How does she anticipate the needs and desires of a particular population without understanding the methods of psychology and sociology? And once she thinks she knows, how can she best convince her associates that she has the right solution without learning the skills of argumentation and critical thinking? A dance major masters a jeté, but she will perform the part of Giselle more beautifully when she feels the depths of love and jealousy that so prevail in nineteenth-century poetry and fiction. To be a good physician's assistant, a student studies biology and learns the anatomy of the heart - but he also must recognize that there is more to human beings than their ventricle chambers.
The actual business of learning about humanity - what people do and why they do it, what they say and how they say it, what they want and what they need--is the project of the liberal arts. The educators you will meet in your four years at Butler University share the conviction that studying the liberal arts gives you the tools to understand more fully, and to respond more effectively, to the human challenges that surround you.
Hilene Flanzbaum, Ph.D. Allegra Stewart Professor of English Butler University August 2009


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We're giving away four tickets to a live screening of "The Clean Guys of Comedy," showing 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, at the AMC Mesa Grande 14 and Cinemark 16 theaters in Mesa.
Featuring the "unbleepable" stand-up talents of Dave Coulier, Jamie Kennedy, Andy Hendrickson, Ralph Harris and Heather McDonald, it's a live big-screen event taking place in select movie theaters that doesn't resort to expletives or vulgarity. It's one live comedy show everyone can enjoy together.
We're giving away two four-packs of tickets, one to each Mesa theater. To enter, go to http://evtnow.com/cleanguystix.
Alternatively, you may send an email to email@example.com. Be sure the subject line reads "Clean Guys tix," and include your full name and phone number and which theater location you prefer.
Two winners will be drawn at random.
NOTE: You may enter only one time; one entry per person will be permitted, and all duplicate entries will be discarded.
This giveaway ends at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 16, 2013. Winners will be notified by email or telephone right away and will need to come to the East Valley Tribune office in Tempe to pick up their prize.


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I'm 32 years old, married with two children. My first, I was young and it was easy to get pregnant, my second child took about 8-9 months to get pregnant. After my second child, I decided to get the Mirena, which I had no problems with and only spot with it. I had it for 5 years and on 10/28/13, I decided to get it taken out so my husband and I can try again for our 3rd child. I bled for about 7 days after removal, including the day of removal, and I am pretty sure it was removal bleeding/period. My doctor told me that normally women get their periods (after Mirena removal) within 2 months and if I hadn't gotten it within 2 months, to make an appointment to get checked out and then he'll prescribe me Provera. Within those two months, I tried to track my ovulation but it was difficult if my observations were accurate since I didn't get any type of bleeding at all. Also, within that time frame, my husband and I had (unprotected) sex. My husband is a over the road truck driver who only comes home maybe twice a month, so even if I was tracking my ovulation, it really didn't matter because we had sex whenever he came home. My husband and I had sex on December 24, 25, 26 of 2013 (and also days around Thanksgiving). Yesterday, after two months of no bleeding at all (after my removal bleeding), I spot only when I wiped yesterday and today. It is a pinkish brownish color and I have a few possible "pregnancy" symptoms. I made an appointment (which was today 1-2-14) in which my doctor checked me (vaginal exam), did a urine pregnancy test, had blood drawn, and prescribed me Provera. He didn't do an ultrasound or check me with the wand (they insert in your vagina to check if your pregnant/other issues as well) and the pregnancy test came out negative. The concern or issue that I feel may be going on is that that bleeding is implantation bleeding. Should I hold off taking the Provera until I try to take another pregnancy test in a few weeks (my husband MAY come home next weekend-hint, hint)? If I start taking it and find out that I am pregnant, is it harmful to the baby? I truly think I am pregnant (after having 2 children, you just know, lol) but at this point, I don't know what to do. I apologize for the long post/question, but just wanted to give a clear summary of my "baby-making" life (if you will), LOL.
Implantaion bleeding only occurs in about 10% of women. If the blood test was negative, you probably aren't pregnant. And since you haven't had a peiod, you haven't ovulated. AND let's say you ovulated on dec. 26th, then you are 3 weeks pregnant.
Just to ease your mind, provera doesn't harm the baby. As long as you don't take a high dose.
Provera takes a while to work. I take it from the 1st-10th and don't get my period until the 20th.
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This recently came up and I am not sure how to handle this. My group has a Rune Priest that wants to sustain multiple instances of Living Lightning. Now, my first reaction was to say that this would break the system, as having two Psy-rating 2 LLs seems better than having one Psy-rating 3 LL (at least when fighting Hordes), but then I realized that on the other hand it seriously reduces the ability to harm (and shock) Elite and Master enemies. Not to mention the chance of worse Psychic Phenomena as normal for sustaining multiple powers.
The only thing I could find on this topic, is a note in the errata saying that a Rune Priest can only sustain one instance of Tempest's Wrath. Seeing that here it seems to explicitly make an exception, this leads me to believe that normally you can sustain multiple instances of the same power.
What is your take on this, my dear forumites?


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Hallucinations involve sensing things while awake that appear to be real, but instead have been created by the mind.
Alternative Names
Sensory hallucinations
Common hallucinations include:
- Feeling bodily sensations, such as a crawling feeling on the skin or the movement of internal organs
- Hearing sounds, such as music, footsteps, windows or doors banging
- Hearing voices when no one has spoken (the most common type of hallucination). These voices may be critical, complimentary, neutral, or may command someone to do something that may cause harm to themselves or to others.
- Seeing patterns, lights, beings, or objects that aren't there
- Smelling a foul or pleasant odor
In some cases, hallucinations may be normal. For example, hearing the voice of, or briefly seeing, a loved one who has recently died can be a part of the grieving process.
Common Causes
There are many causes of hallucinations, including:
- Being drunk or high, or coming down from such drugs as marijuana, LSD, cocaine (including crack), PCP, amphetamines, heroin, ketamine, and alcohol
- Delirium or dementia (visual hallucinations are most common)
- Epilepsy that involves a part of the brain called the temporal lobe (odor hallucinations are most common)
- Fever, especially in children and the elderly
- Narcolepsy
- Psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and psychotic depression
- Sensory problem, such as blindness or deafness
- Severe illness, including liver failure, kidney failure, AIDS, and brain cancer
Call your health care provider if
A person who begins to hallucinate and is detached from reality should get checked by a health care professional right away. Many medical and psychiatric conditions that can cause hallucinations may quickly become emergencies.
A person who begins to hallucinate may become nervous, paranoid, and frightened, and should not be left alone.
Call your health care provider, go to the emergency room, or call the local emergency number (such as 911) if someone appears to be hallucinating and is unable to tell hallucinations from reality.
What to expect at your health care provider's office
Your health care provider will do a physical examination and take a medical history. Blood may be drawn for testing.
Medical history questions may include the following:
- How long have the hallucinations been occurring?
- Do the hallucinations occur just before or just after sleep?
- Has there been a recent death or other emotional event?
- What medications are being taken?
- Has alcohol been used?
- Are illegal drugs being used?
- Is there agitation?
- Is there confusion?
- Is there a fever?
- Is there a headache?
- Is there vomiting?
Freudenriech O, Weiss AP, Goff DC. Psychosis and schizophrenia. In: Stern TA, Rosenbaum JF, Fava M, Biederman J, Rauch SL, eds. Massachusetts General Hospital Comprehensive Clinical Psychiatry. 1st ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2008:chap 28.
Review Date:3/7/2012
Reviewed by:Fred K. Berger, MD, Addiction and Forensic Psychiatrist, Scripps Memorial Hospital, La Jolla, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M. Health Solutions, Ebix, Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorousstandards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information andservices. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorialpolicy, editorialprocess, and privacypolicy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch.)
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatmentof any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 2015 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication ordistribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.


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Megan Abbott is the Edgar®-winning author of the novels Queenpin, The Song Is You, Die a Little, Bury Me Deep, and The End of Everything. Her latest novel, Dare Me, was chosen by Entertainment Weekly and Amazon as one of the Best Books of 2012 and is soon to be a major motion picture.
Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Salon, the Los Angeles Times Magazine, The Believer, Los Angeles Review of Books, Detroit Noir, Best Crime and Mystery Stories of the Year, Storyglossia, Queens Noir and The Speed Chronicles.
Born in the Detroit area, she graduated from the University of Michigan and received her Ph.D. in English and American literature from New York University. She has taught at NYU, the State University of New York and the New School University. In 2013, she will serve as the John Grisham Writer in Residence at Ole Miss.
She is also the author of a nonfiction book, The Street Was Mine: White Masculinity in Hardboiled Fiction and Film Noir, and the editor of A Hell of a Woman, an anthology of female crime fiction. She has been nominated for many awards, including three Edgar® Awards, Hammett Prize, the Macavity, Anthony and Barry Awards, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the Pushcart Prize.
Megan Abbott and Sara Gran discuss their latest books with each other on their blog.
Listen to Megan discuss Bury Me Deep on Memphis's Book Talk
Big Adios, Crime Fiction and Film Forum: Interrogation with Megan Abbott
Mystery News: The Streets Are Hers
Detroit Metro Times: The New Queen of Noir
The Queens Courier: History as Mystery
hardboiled wonderland: Noir Literature, Film and Culture: Hell of a Woman
BookSlut: The Ladies of Noir: A Roundtable Discussion
Megan Abbott In for Questioning
Detectives Beyond Borders: Noir, Sex and Betrayal: An Interview with Megan Abbott
An Interview with Megan Abbott (Simon & Schuster) Interviewed by Theresa Schwegel
© 2014 Megan Abbott
::view the sitemap::


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Reviewed The Ultimate Cheesecake
Aug 19, 2013 in Food Network Community Toolbox on FoodNetwork.com
"This is by far the best cheesecake recipe I've tried so far. The water bath makes a huge difference and I think the hardest part is waiting:). After making the recipe above I had to do a few modifications myself:
Replace 1 package of cream cheese with Mascarpone
Reduce Sugar a little - to taste
Eliminate lemon..."


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I have been accepting the fact the Hosta are gone for the year, I always quit posting as they start to fade away. But that doesn't mean I haven't been working on something for the yard/garden! I have been wanting to build a windmill like the old farm ones you see along the roads. So i started scratch building one from flat metal, and a bit of old steel rod, I used a old bicycle for the bearings at the hub, and the base.. I have a ways to go and need to find more angle iron in the right sizes to build my tower..but its looking just the way I wanted so far... Lots of work ! |
Follow-Up Postings:
- Posted by almosthooked 5 a BC (My Page) on Tue, Nov 5, 13 at 23:29
I showed my husband and he is in envy . He said he has an old part from a hay rake to make it and it already has the hub. ( just quoting so i may have it wrong) Anyway you have him thinking about it again and he is impressed. An old bed frame may work for angle iron unless you need it heavier. |
Hey, pretty darn impressive so far, Leafwatcher . Just be real careful around those raw sharp edges of the blades. Could you use some discarded galvanized poles from tall galvanized fencing for your tower? |
- Posted by mountainy_man 8 (My Page) on Wed, Nov 6, 13 at 0:06
That's a nice piece of work there, I can tell from your "Toys" behind it that you know what yer at. Takes a fair bit of engineering skill to get it right, are you going to generate power or pump water with it? Looks like the real deal, nice winter project, be sure and show us the end result. |
- Posted by leafwatcher zone 5 (My Page) on Wed, Nov 6, 13 at 0:52
I would love to make it pump water ... I think that would have to be done as an illusion, I don't think I have my design right to make it physically work... Could you imagine it spilling from a red pump down into a small stream in a hosta bed ? hahahah it would be cool. Bed frame angle iron might be perfect, I would like the tower to be about 7 or 8 feet high... with the 3 foot fan I think that would look good. I hope to get it apart and paint the steel structure before winter. But I imagine this project won't be finished for quite awhile... |
- Posted by MadPlanter1 5 Nebraska (My Page) on Wed, Nov 6, 13 at 9:00
Wow! I quit posting once the hostas die back, too, but you have a much better excuse. That looks so impressive, am in awe of your building skills. |
- Posted by Don_in_Colorado 6a (My Page) on Wed, Nov 6, 13 at 9:18
Oh, hi leafwatcher. Glad to see you're not dead! Cheers, |
- Posted by leafwatcher zone 5 (My Page) on Wed, Nov 6, 13 at 11:11
hahahah, no just hibernating, and I am on a rc airplane binge lately, I also got a good deal on some alumalite molding silicone and resin, been playing with that a lot as well. |
- Posted by almosthooked 5 a BC (My Page) on Wed, Nov 6, 13 at 12:02
leafwatcher . I will attach a picture I took and always wanted to build. We were on a road trip with the MH and I made my husband turn around to take these pictures. So far it is just pictures.but now I don't know where I would put it anyway. Are you inspired yet? Next project. winters can be long lol |
- Posted by leafwatcher zone 5 (My Page) on Wed, Nov 6, 13 at 13:10
That Cabin Mill is amazing ! I have a friend that is hand building a log cabin right now, from Power line poles ! It is enormous, and he weighs about 130 pounds wet... I will see if I can get you some info on THAT garden accessory ..hahahhaha |
- Posted by hostahillbilly 4 (My Page) on Wed, Nov 6, 13 at 16:06
nice!, but the parasol needs wings & is getting jealous... ^_^ |
- Posted by leafwatcher zone 5 (My Page) on Wed, Nov 6, 13 at 17:03
hahaha, Parasol? the plane behind on the table? Thats a 1/3 scale Sopwith Pup. Keep in mind this was built by one guy, and the peak of that roof is about 17 feet high ! some of the logs were 2 feet across... |
- Posted by Hostanista 5B (Ont) (My Page) on Wed, Nov 6, 13 at 17:25
- Posted by almosthooked 5 a BC (My Page) on Thu, Nov 7, 13 at 10:41
What a nice heritage house but also see new addition in the front. Our daughter and her husband build and live in a log house in the mountains where they have a lodge. This is a picture of one of the cabins they built.. The little one I showed first is only about 5 ft square and has water pump or flowing over the waterwheel into a small recirculaing rock pit. |
- Posted by Don_in_Colorado 6a (My Page) on Mon, Nov 11, 13 at 21:48
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Yeah this one really came out of nowhere, definitely a nice surprise. Can't wait to sink my teeth into it. I had sold my Snes before it came out so I've never really played it for any length of time.
User Profile
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- Sun 20th January, 2008
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Trend Watch
Pope Reaches Out to Non-Catholics for Shared Ministry
Pope Francis I is already distinguishing himself from his predecessor. Praised by many evangelicals for his respect of other Christian traditions, Pope Francis met last Wednesday with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of the Eastern Orthodox Church, the first such meeting since the 1054 schism.
Beyond Christendom, Pope Francis urged the West to embrace dialogue with Islam and even reached out to the "nones"—those who don't belong to any religious tradition—saying that people of various religious backgrounds can be "precious allies" in promoting human dignity and care of the creation.
But it is still very early in his papacy, and many American Catholics are waiting to see how Pope Francis deals with difficulties such as the many sex abuse scandals that have plagued the church.
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Jim Medford serves as Litigation Practice Area Leader due to his substantial experience in a number of varied areas of the law. He concentrates primarily on intellectual property litigation, white collar criminal defense and international business agreements with an emphasis on intellectual property and the CISG. His litigation practice has emphasized patent infringement, unfair competition, trademark and trade secret litigation.
Jim's criminal law practice emphasizes white collar criminal defense, especially Qui Tam cases and Medicare fraud and abuse counseling, investigations and trials. He has tried numerous criminal cases to a jury verdict, including criminal antitrust bid-rigging cases as well as crimes of violence. He is a member of the White Collar Crime Committee of the ABA Section of Criminal Justice, and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
He has been actively involved defending hospitals in HHS and Justice Department national initiatives such as lab unbundling and pneumonia upcoding as well as regional matters such as MRI overreach.
As head of the firm's International team, Jim also provides intellectual property counseling to a number of large corporations, domestic and foreign, including licensing, joint research and development, and joint venture work in the NAFTA region, Western Europe (with emphasis on Germany, Switzerland, and Denmark) as well as China and India. He counsels and represents foreign companies regarding the formation and further representation of their US subsidiaries He also oversees patent prosecution for these companies in the US and coordinates patent and trade secret litigation and opposition proceedings in Europe with similar matters in the United States. His clients include Evonik Corporation, Emery Oleochemicals GmbH; Ducon GmbH and Genan Inc.
* CV, BV, and AV are registered certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedure's standards and policies.
Patent and other Intellectual Property cases include:
Commercial cases include:


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Iglesia de San Miguel, del siglo XI, una de las iglesias románicas más antiguas de España.
This photo was shot on film. Taken by area51delcorazon with a Holga 135 BC (available in our Online Shop) loaded with Fuji Superia 200 (35mm) film in san esteban de gormaz, Spain. These tags describe this photo: spain, españa, san esteban de gormaz, holga 135bc, 135bc, holga, fuji superia 200, 200iso, superia, fuji, soria, románico, san miguel, siglo xi, dobles, and doubles. Date: 2011-06. Time: Afternoon. This photo can also be found in the album Black Corners.Please login to get more out of this site
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Inspired by vintage bombers and land speed racers, streamlined contours of lightweight C-5™ alloy kick out with dimension on Wiretap®, a fresh new look for semi-rimless frames. The lightweight fuselage of this iconic Oakley design is made with five metal compounds, and integrated spring hinges provide a comfortably secure fit. It stays in place because Unobtainium® components actually increase grip when you perspire. Wiretap offers a wide view of the world with 8-base lens curvature and the clarity of High Definition Optics®.
This clean, confident style comes in your choice of six frame finishes. Each one is matched with a premium Oakley lens tint and Plutonite® lens material that filters out 100% of all ultraviolet light. Select editions with HDPolarized™ lenses filter out 99% of reflected glare. Made for frame storage and lens cleaning, a Microclear™ bag comes with whatever lens/frame matchup you choose.
Designed to balance light transmission and reduce glare, this premium lens coating is made with superheated metal oxides. It is available in a spectrum of colors for optimizing vision in virtually any light condition.
Improving safety, comfort and performance, Oakley HDPolarized lenses filter out 99% of reflected glare without the haze and optical distortion that can come with polarized lenses made with conventional manufacturing techniques.


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Molly Maid Social
Employment Opportunities | Gift Certificates
• Shower Curtain Hurtin' - Learn how to clean your shower curtain liner in the washing machine. • Coffee Talk - Removing those coffee pot stains are easier than you think. • Silver Stains Away - Brighten up the silverware in no time for that upcoming special occasion. • Coffee Table Crop Signs - Make water stains on your coffee table disappear. • All Hands on Deck - Get your kids involved in the house cleaning with these helpful hints. • Dirty Dishes Dirty Sink - Don't forget about the sink when doing the dishes next time. • Sweat Stain Woes - Freshen up sweat stains on t-shirts with this easy tip. • Cloudy with a Chance of Wine - Make wine glasses crystal clear with little effort. • Jurassic Furniture - Don't be scared to move furniture ever again with this simple cleaning secret. • Body Oil Be Gone - Get the ring out of the collar in no time. • Take Me Out to the Ballgame - Your favorite old hat getting dirty? No problem. Try this. • About Molly Maid Services - Reasons to choose Molly Maid for home cleaning help. • Molly Maid Gift Certificates - Give someone more free time in their busy schedule. • Ms. Molly Foundation - Help victims of domestic violence near you.


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Weather Alerts 12 View »
NFL running back arrested for DUI. License plate reads: "SAUCED"
CREATED Feb 7, 2012
Some things you just can't make up.
Denver Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno was arrested on a suspected DUI last week in Denver. Moreno was pulled over and arrested about 1:30am on February 1st after being clocked driving 70 MPH in a 45 MPH construction zone.
The kicker in the story is that the personalized license plate on Moreno's Bentley convertible reads, "SAUCED".
- Latest


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Las Vegas -Installing Granite Countertops is a wise decision and superior choice when a homeowner is planning his dream living space. Whether it is a new construction or a remodel of an existing Kitchen Countertops or Bathroom Countertops and it doesn't stop there, there are many different uses and functions when you use Granite. For example any flat surface can be enhanced by the installation of Granite, like floors, showers, fireplaces, barbeque grills, night stands, bookshelfs, tables, window sills and the list goes only limited by your imagination. Granite is one of the hardest and most durable natural materials known and has been used in construction for thousands of years in the most exclusive and prominent homes and places since artisans have acquired the knowledge to harness its beauty. When polished the natural Granite colors are highlighted and can be used to compliment any home decor whether you have dark or light colored, natural or modern theme.
It has been noted that the overall value and appeal of Granite as an upgrade for any Home will not only add beauty and the impression of luxury but there are many benefits besides asthetics when you are looking at Granite as the premium choice for your needs such as non-porous, heat resistance, scratch resistance, extremely durable and the best choice when you are looking at overall value for any upgrades you may be considering. If you are ever looking at selling your home it is also one of the most rated when someone is considering purchasing your home.
The importance of selection, not only the color and quality of Granite but the contractor that you hire to perform the custom installation is very important. When you call T&S Custom Flooring we have an extensive portfolio of our work with great attention to detail. Not only are we the most competetive but our workmanship speaks for itself. We offer FREE Estimate and Consulting for all your needs. We can help make your Dream a Reality.
Please Call T&S Custom Flooring at (702) 372-7277 for an appointment we are fully Licensed, Bonded and Insured.


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You love that smilie! ;););) :woohoo1::woohoo1::woohoo1:
Printable View
OK...looking for my siggie too.
Maybe it takes a while.
ETA...its there...just had to post.
Wow, Don't post on here much but it feels like home already. :)
I guess I need to get working on a sig soon. :dizzy:
Deb's mom surprised and got me Epic Mickey for Christmas. I had no plans to get a copy until after the holidays were over. Just started playing it tonight. So far it's fun and not too frustrating. But I stink and have only gotten to the 3rd level - "Ticket Booth". Enough for today. Got Deb started but she got stuck in a few spots. Love the music and visuals in the game!
Hi friends! Great to see everyone! Having fun down in Florida, went to Edison house tonight, shopping, dinner and a movie. Fun day. Little chilly here, windy and high of 65 but mostly in the high 50's today. Same for tomorrow, our last two days are suppose to be nice and warm though.
All our :pixiedustSparkly:pixiedust friends are finding our new home :pixiedust:pixiedust:sun::pixiedust:pixiedust
So since we are in a new place, do I still have to be sparkly? I wanna be dull and hairy!
Look!!!! George has his own smilie!!! :amigo:
Loving the other fun smilies too :thumbs:
Who knew there was a smilie just for John?!?!? lol :cheers2:
I'm working through Thursday this week. Hoping for several nice quiet days so I can go through files and other paper. Time to do some paper management.
Hope everyone has a great day.


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El Paraguas
This Salamanca's Recoletos neighborhood restaurant debuted in 2004, serving Asturian (Northern Spanish) cuisine, stews, and fresh seafood. Unusual dishes by chef Sandro Silva include grilled sea urchin in its own shell and oxtail meatballs. For another dish, he stuffs colmenilla mushrooms with foie gras. Dark-tone lampshades, stained glass panels, and plush seats give the ground-level dining room a European elegance, while copper pots add a slight country-kitchen note. Of the more than 100 wines available, most are tintos (reds) from Rioja vineyards such as Valenciso and Ramon Bilbao. The restaurant has valet parking and there are shaded outdoor tables in summer, each with its own ice bucket.
Insider Tip:
A couple of doors away, the Rafael Lozano Gallery focuses on Spanish works from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Open / Closes- Accessible by Public Transportation
- Parking Available
Cuisine Type:: Spanish/Tapas