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The Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program provides Federal credit assistance in the form of direct loans, loan guarantees, and standby lines of credit to finance surface transportation projects of national and regional significance. TIFIA credit assistance provides improved access to capital markets, flexible repayment terms, and potentially more favorable interest rates than can be found in private capital markets for similar instruments. TIFIA can help advance qualified, large-scale projects that otherwise might be delayed or deferred because of size, complexity, or uncertainty over the timing of revenues. Many surface transportation projects - highway, transit, railroad, intermodal freight, and port access - are eligible for assistance. Each dollar of Federal funds can provide up to $10 in TIFIA credit assistance - and leverage $30 in transportation infrastructure investment.
Today's TIFIA Interest Rate
2.35 %
for a 35-year loan as of Tuesday, January 27, 2015
183-A Turnpike - Austin, Texas
The 183-A Turnpike is an 11.6-mile controlled access north-south tolled highway east of the existing US 183 in metropolitan Austin. This regionally significant project connects to the Central Texas Turnpike System, previously funded in part with TIFIA credit assistance. 183-A was developed by the state's first Regional Mobility Authority - CTRMA - which was legislatively authorized in 2001 to form at the county level if a regional toll authority did not already exist to construct, operate, and maintain toll roads. CTRMA opened a northern 5-mile extension of the 183-A in April 2012, fully funded with the sale of toll revenue bonds.
Central Texas Turnpike System
The Central Texas Turnpike System consists of three contiguous toll highways serving the Austin metropolitan region and the Austin-San Antonio corridor: SH 45 North, Loop 1, and SH 130 (Segments 1-4). State and local funding sources were combined with a Federal TIFIA loan to finance the project. SH 130 (Segments 1-4) was delivered via a design-build contract procured through Texas' first application of legislation permitting expanded private sector involvement.
Chicago O'Hare International Airport Consolidated Joint Use Facility Project - Chicago, Illinois
The Project, a multimodal transportation center, consists of a Joint Use Facility, which includes a Consolidated Rental Car Facility (CRCF) with an associated Quick Turn Around facility, an extension to the Airport Transit System (ATS), including the purchase of new ATS vehicles, and a public parking component. The Joint Use Facility will serve as a major access point for O'Hare International Airport and will accommodate rental cars, public parking, bus services, off-airport hotel shuttles, and other commercial shuttles with connectivity to the adjacent O'Hare Metra Rail station and the Chicago Transit Authority O'Hare Blue Line station through use of the ATS.
Cooper River Bridge Replacement - Charleston, South Carolina
North America's longest cable stay span replaced the existing truss bridges connecting the City of Charleston and the Town of Mount Pleasant along Highway 17. Financing relied on the state's infrastructure bank, which provided a grant and loan backed by TIFIA.
Crenshaw/LAX Transit Corridor Project - Los Angeles, California
The Crenshaw/LAX Transit Corridor Project is a new 8.5-mile light rail transit line extending from the existing Exposition Line south to LAX, including a minimum of six transit stations (with off-street parking), the procurement of a minimum of 20 light rail vehicles, and the construction of a full service maintenance facility. The project is supported by a TIFIA loan backed by local sales tax revenue, as well as other state funds, including those from general obligation bonds, and additional local sales tax revenue.
CTA 95th Street Terminal Improvement Project - Chicago, Illinois
The CTA 95th Street Terminal Improvement Project at the terminus of Chicago Transit Authority's Red Line consists of a redesign of the existing terminal building, surrounding sidewalks, and rail platforms. This project also includes the additional construction of a new south terminal building. The existing 95th/Dan Ryan Terminal is a critical intermodal hub connecting downtown commuters to the Far South Side communities and suburbs through bus connections. The project is being delivered through traditional design-bid-build, funded by TIFIA, federal, state, and local funds.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit Project Orange Line Extension (I-3) - Dallas, Texas
The DART Orange Line is a partially open, light rail transit line connecting downtown Dallas with the City of Irving and Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport northwest of Dallas. The 14.5-mile, $1.3 billion project is being opened in three sections. The TIFIA loan for this project will advance construction on the third phase of its light rail Orange Line extension project.
Denver Union Station - Denver, Colorado
The Denver Union Station project is a public-private development venture located on approximately 50 acres in lower downtown Denver. Redevelopment of the site as an intermodal transit district surrounded by transit-oriented development will include light and commuter rail stations, a regional bus facility, new transit service, and pedestrian improvements. The project is being sponsored by a public benefit corporation formed by the City of Denver and its elements will be transferred to the Regional Transportation District as they are completed. Financing includes TIFIA and RRIF loans, federal grants and stimulus funding, and state, regional, and local contributions.
Downtown Tunnel / Midtown Tunnel / MLK Extension - Cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia
The Downtown Tunnel / Midtown Tunnel / MLK Extension consists of five construction components involving three facilities in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia. The $2.1 billion project will be built on a design, build, finance, operate, and maintain (DBFOM) concession basis by Elizabeth River Crossings LLC (ERC) composed of Skanska Infrastructure Development and Macquarie Group. ERC will operate the concession for 58 years. Tolling of the existing Midtown and Downtown Tunnels to help finance the project will commence in January 2014.
Eagle Project - Denver Metro Area, Colorado
The East and Gold Line Enterprise (Eagle) Project is part of RTD's FasTracks, a voter-approved program to expand rail and bus transit throughout the Denver metropolitan region. The Eagle Project is being procured through a concession agreement between RTD and Denver Transit Partners to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain the project's components for 34 years.
East Link Extension - Seattle, Washington Metropolitan Area
The $4.031 billion East Link Extension and included I-90 Two-Way Transit project will provide a new 14.5-mile Light Rail Transit (LRT) line across Lake Washington linking the Eastside communities of Redman and Bellevue with Mercer Island and Downtown Seattle and eight miles of High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes across the I-90 Floating Bridge. This multimodal program will be paid for with an innovative financial plan backed by federal, state, local and private stakeholders.
Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement Project - Long Beach, California
The Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement Project is the replacement of the existing bridge, a major access point to the Port of Long Beach, downtown Long Beach, and surrounding communities in the Los Angeles region. The replacement bridge will be a six-lane, cable-stayed design with a bicycle/pedestrian path, and a 205-foot clearance to accommodate the newest generation of cargo ships accessing the Port. The project is being delivered through design-build procurement and financed through Port of Long Beach funds, federal, state and local contributions, and a TIFIA loan.
Goethals Bridge Replacement -Staten Island, New York to Elizabeth New, Jersey
The Goethals Bridge project is the reconstruction of a new six-lane, cable-stayed bridge adjacent to the existing bridge and the demolition and removal of the existing bridge. The reconstructed bridge will include a bicycle/pedestrian lane along the northern edge of the New Jersey bound side, as well as a central area between eastbound and westbound lanes to accommodate future transit service. The project is being delivered as a 40-year, design-build-finance-maintain (DBFM) public-private partnership (P3) concession by the NYNJ Link Partnership. The project was financed with a TIFIA loan, private activity bonds, and equity from the private partner.
Grand Parkway (SH 99) Segments D-G - Houston Metropolitan Area, Texas
Grand Parkway (SH 99) Segments D-G (the Grand Parkway Project) is a 53-mile segment of the planned 180-mile circumferential Grand Parkway System toll highway around the Greater Houston Metropolitan Region. The Project includes five segments, located in the northwest portion of the Grand Parkway from just south of I-10 to I-69/US 59N (Eastex Freeway). The completed Project will be a four-lane, 53-mile toll road in Harris County and Montgomery County. The TIFIA loan will go toward the design and construction of specific sections of the Project.
I-4 Ultimate - Orlando, Florida
The I-4 Ultimate project is the reconstruction and widening of 21 miles of I-4 from west of Kirkman Road in Orange County, Florida through downtown Orlando to east of State Road 434 in Seminole County. The project is adding four express toll lanes to median of the rebuilt stretch of interstate through a 40-year design-build-finance-operate-maintain availability payment concession, financed in part by a senior bank debt, a TIFIA loan, and private equity.
I-495 Capital Beltway HOT Lanes - Fairfax County, Virginia
The I-495 Capital Beltway HOT Lanes project is a P3 between VDOT and Capital Beltway Express, LLC, a joint venture of Fluor and Transurban. Improvements include 14 miles of twin HOT lanes in each direction, the replacement of more than 50 bridges and overpasses, and interchange upgrades. Financing includes the first-ever combination of TIFIA credit assistance and private activity bonds (PABs).
I-595 Corridor Roadway Improvements - Broward County, Florida
The I-595 Corridor Roadway Improvements project consists of the reconstruction and widening of 10.5 miles of the I-595 mainline from the I-75/Sawgrass Expressway to I-95. The project is being implemented as a P3 between FDOT and a private concessionaire, I-595 Express, LLC, to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain the roadway for a 35-year term. FDOT will make availability payments backed by Federal and state resources for the concessionaire's successful completion of construction and ongoing operations. The concessionaire's financing, backed by these availability payments, includes senior bank debt, a TIFIA loan, and private equity.
I-95 HOV/HOT Lanes - Fairfax, Prince William, and Stafford Counties, Virginia
The I-95 Express Lanes will be the second step in creating a regional network of tolled managed lanes in Northern Virginia. The project consists of the development, design, finance, construction, maintenance and operation of 29.4 miles of high occupancy toll lanes along I-95 and I-395 from Garrisonville Rd. in Stafford County to Edsall Rd. in Fairfax County over a 76-year concession period.
IH 635 Managed Lanes - Dallas County, Texas
The IH-635 (LBJ Freeway) Managed Lanes Project will relieve congestion north of Dallas on a 13-mile stretch of the LBJ Freeway with reconstruction of its main lanes and frontage roads and the addition of six managed lanes along I-635 (subsurface) and I-35E (elevated). The project is being built as a P3 (Comprehensive Development Agreement [CDA]) between TxDOT and LBJ Infrastructure Group, which will operate and maintain the facility for 52 years.
Intercounty Connector - Maryland
The Intercounty Connector (ICC) is a toll highway linking existing and proposed development areas between the I-270/I-370 and I-95/US 1 corridors within central and eastern Montgomery County and northwestern Prince George's County, Maryland. The project is largely supported by GARVEE and toll revenue bonds, as well as a TIFIA loan and State Transportation Trust Fund and General Fund revenues.
Interlink (formerly Warwick Intermodal Station) - Warwick, Rhode Island
Interlink, formerly the Warwick Intermodal Station project, is an intermodal project connecting air, rail, bus, automobiles, and rental cars at T.F. Green Airport in Warwick, RI that serves the Providence area and Southern Massachusetts. The project consisted of construction of a new commuter rail station with an enclosed walkway connection to the airport and a consolidated rental car center and parking garage.
LA 1 Improvements - Leeville, Louisiana
Phase I of this project has replaced approximately 10 miles of elevated highway and the Leeville Bridge in Southern Louisiana, which had suffered from subsidence, erosion, and frequent storm damage. The highway features open road tolling and was constructed within an area of sensitive wetlands.
Regional Connector Transit Corridor Project - Los Angeles, California
The Regional Connector Transit Corridor Project is a 1.9-mile underground light rail connection between the Little Tokyo/Arts District Station to the 7th Street/Metro Center Station in downtown Los Angeles, California. The Regional Connector extends from the Metro Gold Line and will allow passengers to transfer to the Metro Blue, Exposition, Red, and Purple Lines, bypassing Union Station, while providing one-seat ride for travel across Los Angeles County. The project will be delivered as a design-build project. It will be financed through federal, state, and local sources, including a TIFIA loan and an FTA New Starts Full Funding Grant Agreement.
Miami Intermodal Center - Florida
Located next to the Miami International Airport (MIA), the Miami Intermodal Center is a large ground transportation hub incorporating a Rental Car Center, the Miami Central Station serving local rail transit, commuter rail, Amtrak, and intercity bus transit, major roadway improvements, the MIA Mover and future joint development. Federal, state, and local funding is supporting this $2 billion program.
New NY Bridge (Tappan Zee Bridge Replacement) - Westchester to Rockland Counties, New York
The "New NY Bridge" will replace the Tappan Zee Bridge spanning the Hudson River between Westchester and Rockland Counties 20 miles north of New York City. The new bridge is a tolled, eight-lane, dual-span twin bridge, being constructed alongside the current bridge to provide the least traffic disruption to users. The project is being delivered under a design-build contract and is financed with a combination of bonds and a TIFIA loan. The project is expected to be completed in 2018.
North Tarrant Express Segments 1 and 2A - Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex
TxDOT awarded two Comprehensive Development Agreements (CDA - equivalent to a P3) for the North Tarrant Express project to NTE Mobility Partners. The Concession CDA for Phase 1 includes the design, development, construction, finance, maintenance, and operation of 13 miles along Interstate (IH) 820 and SH 121/SH 183 north and east from Fort Worth. The duration of the concession is 52 years. The roadway is being reconstructed with the addition of two managed lanes and an additional general purpose lane in each direction. The CDA for Segments 2-4 includes developing master plans for the remainder of the NTE.
North Tarrant Express Segments 3A and 3B - Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex
Segments 3A and 3B of the North Tarrant Express (NTE) are part of a planned 36-mile network of managed lanes and widened and rebuilt freeways in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The project includes design, construction, operations, and maintenance of approximately 12 miles of managed lanes, associated improvements to adjacent cross-roads, frontage roads, and ramps, and the intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and tolling systems on IH-35W in Tarrant County, Texas. Segment 3A will be designed and constructed via a public-private partnership between the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the NTE Mobility Partners Segments 3, LLC. TxDOT is responsible for the financing and construction of Segment 3B, excluding Tolling and ITS. The concessionaire will perform operations and maintenance for the entire facility, including the 3B portion constructed by TxDOT.
Northwest Corridor - Atlanta, Georgia
The Northwest Corridor project will include extensions of existing HOV lanes and the addition of reversible tolled managed lanes along sections of nearly 30 miles of I-75 and I-575 northwest of Atlanta. The nearly $850 million project will delivered using a design-build-finance approach.
Ohio River Bridges Downtown Crossing - Louisville, Kentucky/Southern Indiana
The Ohio River Bridges Downtown Crossing project is one half of the bi-state Ohio River Bridges project, which also includes the East End Crossing project, that together are addressing cross-river capacity and mobility needs in the greater Louisville-Southern Indiana region. The project consists of a new Downtown Bridge carrying northbound I-65 across the Ohio River between Louisville and Southern Indiana. In the background is the existing Kennedy Bridge that will carry the southbound lanes. The Downtown Crossing project also includes the reconstruction of the Kennedy Interchange in downtown Louisville to eliminate design deficiencies and safety hazards. The project is being delivered an availability-pay design-build-finance-operate-maintain concession.
Pocahontas Parkway / Richmond Airport Connector - Greater Richmond, Virginia
This $354 million project was financed by tax-exempt toll revenue bonds issues by a 63-20 corporation. It is the first transportation project implemented under Virginia's Public-Private Transportation Act of 1995. The Parkway was leased to a private toll road operator in 2007. The deal defeased its underlying debt and included the construction of the 1.6-mile Richmond Airport Connector, which opened in January 2011.
Port of Miami Tunnel - Florida
The Port of Miami Tunnel will improve access to and from the Port of Miami, serving as a dedicated roadway connector linking the Port (located on an island in Biscayne Bay) with the MacArthur Causeway and I-395 on the mainland. The project is being developed as a P3 with Miami Access Tunnel, LLC (MAT). The state has agreed to pay for approximately 50 percent of the capital costs (design and construction) and all operations and maintenance, while the remaining 50 percent of the capital costs will be provided by the local governments. FDOT will make milestone payments to MAT at various stages of project development, followed by availability payments during a 30-year concession. Senior bank debt, a TIFIA loan, and private equity have been used to finance the project.
President George Bush Turnpike Western Extension (SH 161) - Dallas, Texas
State Highway (SH) 161, the President George Bush Turnpike Western Extension (PGBT WE), will provide a new, approximately 11.5-mile link between SH 183, I-30, and I-20 as part of a western loop around Dallas through the cities of Irving and Grand Prairie south of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. This toll road was completed in four phases. The first three were constructed by TxDOT and the remaining phase and overall ownership and operation has become the responsibility of the North Texas Tollway Authority under a concession agreement signed in 2008.
Presidio Parkway - San Francisco, California
The Presidio Parkway project is a replacement of Doyle Drive, the southern access to the Golden Gate Bridge. The current structure, built in 1936, does not meet current highway standards and is seismically deficient. Through a competitive procurement process, Caltrans selected a private consortium, the Golden Link Concessionaire, to deliver Phase II as a design, build, finance, operate, and maintain (DBFOM) availability-pay concession. The P3 Project Agreement with GLC allows for milestone payments following substantial completion and quarterly availability payments through the concession period, based on performance.
Riverwalk Expansion/Wacker Drive Reconstruction Project - Chicago, Illinois
The Riverwalk Expansion, which includes the final phases of the Wacker Drive Reconstruction Project, is a planned pedestrian walkway running six blocks along the Chicago River from State Street to Lake Street. Each block will feature a distinct theme, facilitating different recreational and transportation activities. The TIFIA loan will fund substantially all of the remaining Riverwalk work, covering Phases 2 and 3, and will be repaid with project-generated revenues, including tour boat, retail leasing, and advertising fees.
Reno Transportation Rail Access Corridor (ReTRAC) - Reno, Nevada
Traffic congestion and safety concerns brought about the largest public works project ever undertaken in Northern Nevada, the Reno Transportation Rail Access Corridor, or ReTRAC. The project depressed a 2.3-mile stretch of freight rail that ran through downtown, eliminating 10 at-grade street crossings.
SH 130 (Segments 5-6) - Austin, Texas Metropolitan Area
SH 130 is a four-lane, 91-mile toll road east and south of Austin designed to relieve congestion on the heavily traveled I-35, the primary north-south route through Central Texas. Segments 5 and 6 have been developed through a 50-year concession (Comprehensive Development Agreement) with the SH 130 Concession Company (a joint venture of Cintra and Zachry American Infrastructure). They were financed with senior bank debt, a TIFIA loan, and private equity. Segments 1-4 were constructed under a design-build project as part of the Central Texas Turnpike System.
South Bay Expressway (formerly SR 125 South Toll Road) - San Diego County, California
The South Bay Expressway toll road is a 9.2-mile privately-funded southern extension of SR 125, extending from SR 905 near the International Border to SR 54 near Sweetwater Reservoir in San Diego, California. The original operator, South Bay Expressway, L.P., held a 35-year franchise with the State of California under which it financed and built the highway, then transferred ownership to the State. The concessionaire emerged from bankruptcy in April 2011 as South Bay Expressway, LLC, and sold the toll road to the San Diego Association of Governments in December 2011.
SR 91 Corridor Improvement Project - Riverside County, California
The SR 91 Corridor Improvement Project is an eight-mile extension of the Orange County SR 91 express lanes into Riverside County through conversion of existing HOV lanes. Two general purpose lanes will also be added, along with improvements made to interchanges and bridges. The project is supported by a TIFIA loan, and project is almost exclusively paid for with local funding through a combination of toll revenue and voter-approved county-level sales tax proceeds.
SR 520 Floating Bridge - Seattle, Washington Metropolitan Area
SR 520 is one of two major east-west roadways crossing Lake Washington, located within King County and the Seattle metropolitan area in the State of Washington. The SR 520 Floating Bridge and Eastside plus West Approach Bridge Project includes the replacement of the existing floating bridge across Lake Washington, the widening of the roadway to the east and accommodation of a transit/HOV lane, and the west approach project connecting to the floating bridge on the Seattle side. Project financing includes toll-backed revenue bonds and a TIFIA loan supported by tolls collected on the existing and replacement bridges, in combination with other federal and state funding.
Staten Island Ferries and Terminals - New York
The Staten Island Ferry provides over 21 million people a year (65,000 passengers a day not including weekend days) with ferry service between St. George on Staten Island and Whitehall Street in lower Manhattan. With the help of a $159 million TIFIA loan, the project included the redevelopment of the two ferry terminals and the purchase of three ferry boats.
Transbay Transit Center - San Francisco, California
The Transbay Transit Center Project will replace the current Transbay Terminal with a new multimodal transportation center and centralize the region's transportation network by accommodating nine transportation systems under one roof. The project consists of replacing the outdated Transbay Terminal with a modern transit hub, extending the Caltrain rail line from its current terminus and accommodating high-speed rail, and redeveloping the area surrounding the Transbay Transit Center.
Tren Urbano - San Juan, Puerto Rico
The Tren Urbano is a 10.7-mile, fully automated rapid transit that serves the metropolitan area of San Juan, which includes the municipalities of San Juan, Bayamón, and Guaynabo. The Tren Urbano consists of 16 stations along a single line, a vehicle maintenance and storage facility, rolling stock, and other supporting infrastructure.
Triangle Expressway - Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina
The 18.8-mile Triangle Expressway, composed of three sections, provides congestion relief on existing north-south routes serving the Research Triangle Park region (including I-40) between Raleigh and Durham. The project is being financed with toll and state revenue bonds and a $386 million TIFIA loan.
U.S. 36 Managed Lane/Bus Rapid Transit Project: Phase 1 - Denver Metro Area, Colorado
The U.S. 36 Managed Lane Project Phase I is an initial 10-mile phase of improvements along 16 miles of roadway between Denver and Boulder, Colorado. This $306 million first phase is being delivered under a design-build contract.
U.S. 36 Managed Lane/Bus Rapid Transit Project: Phase 2 - Denver Metro Area, Colorado
Phase 2 of a 15-mile reconstruction and expansion of U.S. 36, a four-lane divided highway connecting Denver and Boulder, extends the 10-mile Phase I project five miles further northwest to Boulder. The corridor is being reconstructed and augmented with a single HOT lane in each direction. The project also includes the reconstruction or rehabilitation of three bridges, accommodations for bus rapid transit, provision for ITS, improvements to a commuter rail station, and a bikeway. Phase 2 is being delivered as a DBFOM P3. In addition to the Phase 2 construction, the concessionaire will operate and maintain the entire U.S. 36 HOT lane corridor as well as the existing I-25 Express Lanes that start at its southern terminus.
Washington Metro Capital Improvement Program - Washington, D.C.
The WMATA capital improvement program (CIP) replaced vehicles and rehabilitated facilities and equipment on the rail and bus systems. Individual components of the CIP included procurement of new buses and rail cars; major maintenance and rehabilitation of electrical and mechanical systems, communications, and track and structures to improve system-wide performance; escalator and elevator rehabilitation and other station enhancements; parking lot improvements; and upgrades to several maintenance facilities.
Westside Purple Line Extension, Section 1 - Los Angeles, California
The Westside Purple Line Extension comprises a three phase, 8.9 mile station-to-station subway heavy rail line that would operate as an extension of the LA Metro's existing Purple Line from its current terminus at Wilshire/Western Station to a new western terminus in West Los Angeles near the Veterans Affairs (VA) Hospital in Westwood. Section 1 will extend the Purple Line 3.9 miles from Wilshire/Western to Wilshire/La Cienega and includes three stations. Section 1 is being procured as a design-build, and will be financed through federal, state, and local sources, including a TIFIA loan and an FTA New Starts Full Funding Grant Agreement.


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I use GNU Screen a lot - as in basically all the time, and when I SSH somewhere I like to set the title of the screen I'm in, so I can easily keep track of loads of them.
To do this I've pulled together ideas and suggestions from a bunch of people to come up with a script which can be executed by SSH when it connects to a remote server.
You'll need to edit
and set something like this:
Host * LocalCommand /path/to/screen_ssh.sh $PPID %n PermitLocalCommand yes
This will set the screen title to the name of the machine you SSH'd to and do its best to chop off extraneous Top-Level-Domain information (i.e. if you ssh to foo.company.com the title will be "foo").
You can download the script here: screen_ssh.sh
This is an example, if such a thing were needed:
If you want the blue line to appear at the bottom of your Screen sessions, add this to ~/.screenrc (all on one line):
hardstatus alwayslastline "%{= bw} %{= bc}[%{-}%0c%{= bc}]%{-} [%-Lw%{= bW}%{+b}%50>%n%f* %t%{-b}%{= bw}%+Lw]%<"

subset: commoncrawl


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Can you beat all the 15 obstacles and obtain all the 3 badges? Some obstacles can be extremely easy, some can be extremely hard. Good luck on trying. Have fun!
Processing Transaction
ROBLOX, "Online Building Toy", characters, logos, names, and all related indicia are trademarks of ROBLOX Corporation, ©2015. Patents pending. ROBLOX is not sponsored, authorized or endorsed by any producer of plastic building bricks, including The LEGO Group, MEGA Brands, and K'Nex, and no resemblance to the products of these companies is intended. Use of this site signifies your acceptance of the Terms and Conditions.


text:
Your personal retreat, this 8 room home has a full kitchen, washer, dryer, wireless internet, sun room, porch and patio. We provide guests with a generous supply of in-season fruit, linens and towels, and basic toiletries. The Cottage sleeps up to 10 people in three bedrooms, with a hide-a-bed in the living room, two queen size beds, two twins, one double and two baths.
Score Breakdown based on
2 Reviews
5 on August 24, 2012
My partner and I stayed at the seven sycamores in the spring and it was such an magical experience!!! We got to talk around the orange grove, play with peacocks, and pick fresh oranges and fruit straight from the trees. The sunsets out there are also AMAZING. It is also very intimate and quiet ... and the perfect escape from our city lives. Mikka (the property manager) was also super friendly to us and had fresh fruit and complimentary continental breakfast for us every day that we were there. This place is the perfect country escape nook and a hidden gem!!!!
1.0 on July 20, 2012
We spent 2 nights in the Seven Sycamores Ranch. It was a really bad experience. We have to wait almost 1 hour under the sun until, after several calls, somebody came to open the door. We had booked the "Bunk House", that is a tiny and dirty cottage close to the big house. We tried to have a shower, but we only had extremely hot water. We called the owner, Bob, that is a very kind gentleman. He came and invited us to stay at the Hummingbird Cottage. It is a farmers house nice but dark and dirty. At least we could have warm water and have a shower. We did not have proper breakfast but a basket with fruits and a cake made by Mikka, the person in charge of reservations, the first day. She promised to refresh the fruit but she did not come the second day. Nobody took care of us and I paid $50 for cleaning although nobody came to clean and make the beds. So, in short a horrible experience.
Innkeeper Response
I'm very sorry you had a bad experience here at Hummingbird Cottage. We strive to make every stay here as comfortable as possible. While both places, The Bunk House and Hummingbird Cottage are older homes, they are cleaned thoroughly before each stay, we are not a hotel so the cleaning fee is not for the cleaning during the stay but for the cleaning afterwards, which is specified in the details of the online listing, as well as our website. We offer fresh fruits and baked breads as well as a continental breakfast of assorted packaged pastries, a variety of flavored oatmeal & cereals, breakfast bars and more, but have not ever promised a full fledged breakfast- the Bunk House does not come equipped with a full kitchen. We upgraded this guest to a larger home (which does have a fully functional kitchen) due to the problems with the hot water and sincerely apologized for the mix up in checking in. We hope to have another chance with this guest and others and show exactly how charming the Hummingbird Cottage really is.
Includes all 3 bedrooms; 2 with queens and one with 2 twins and 1 full size bed, 2 bathrooms, exclusive use of full kitchen and living area (with full size hide-a-bed in couch), basket of locally grown fruit. Close to both Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks!
Nightly Rate: $150 - $200
Completely renovated in the fall of 2007, the bunkhouse has two rooms, with a full size bed and two stacked bunks, to accommodate 4 people.It also has a bath with shower, microwave oven, a mini-refrigerator, toaster, desk, Satellite TV, WiFi, electric heat and air conditioning.
Nightly Rate: $150 - $125
Bedroom with 1 queen bed
Nightly Rate: $150 - $200
Bedroom with 1 queen bed and attached bathroom
Nightly Rate: $150 - $200
Living room with DirectTV and a full size pull out sofa.
Nightly Rate: $150 - $200
1 full bed and 2 twin beds
Nightly Rate: $150 - $200
Sequoia National Park, United States, Countryside, Mountains, Ranch, Small town
Fresno, CA (FAT-Fresno Air Terminal)
Historical interests, National/State parks, Nature area, Sequoia National Forrest, Picnic area
Private Home Bed and Breakfast, Cottage, Country Inn, Homestay, Farm
Amenities Basket, BBQ grill, Clothes dryer, DVD Player, Outdoor grilling, Parking, Washer/dryer, Wedding Facilities , Eco-Friendly Shampoo, Conditioner, and Soap. Coffee with creamer and tea also provided.
Air conditioning, Alarm clock, Ceiling fans, Coffee/Tea facilities, In-room internet, Fridge, Hairdryer, Internet Service, Ironing Board, Microwave, Private entrance, Satellite/Cable TV, TV, Wi-Fi
Bicycle riding trails, Bicycles, Bird watching, Boating, Canoeing, Fishing, Golfing, Hiking trails, Horseback riding, Kayaking, Mountain Bike trails, Sequoia National Forrest, Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, Shopping, Sight-seeing, Snow shoe rental, Snow shoe trails, Swimming, Water sports, Whitewater Rafting
Brittany McMahan
Peacocks, chickens, roosters


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The Medieval Monastery (Shire Library 687)
By: Roger Rosewell (author)PaperbackMore than 4 weeks availability
A concise, superbly illustrated guide to Britain's medieval monasteries. Rosewell provides basic information on the different monastic orders, the monastic layout and architecture, the administration of the monastery, the round of prayer, food and drink, sign language, illness, learning, charity and pilgrimage.Create a review
About Author
Roger Rosewell is a former journalist, and News and Features Editor of Vidimus, the free online magazine about stained glass. He has studied medieval ecclesiastical art in detail and is the author of 'Medieval Wall Paintings (Boydell).Contents
i"?Introduction / The Four Monastic Orders / Becoming a Monk / The Architecture of Monasteries / Managing a Monastery / Daily Life I: Prayer, Study, Work / Daily Life II: Personal Life / Daily Life III: Domestic / Beyond the Cloister / Nunneries / The Other Orders / Dissolution / Further Reading and Websites / Places to Visit / IndexProduct Details
- publication date: 12/10/2012
- Format: Paperback
- Number Of Pages: 80
- weight: 136
Delivery Information
- Saver Delivery: Yes
- 1st Class Delivery: Yes
- Courier Delivery: Yes
- Store Delivery: Yes


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Edwin Jackson leads Cubs to 3-0 win over Cardinals
BY GORDON WITTENMYER email@example.com July 11, 2013 10:30PM
Updated: July 12, 2013 12:19AM
Apparently, reports of Edwin Jackson's demise were premature.
The Cubs' big offseason free agent, whose $52 million deal has been widely and often criticized, was at his best Thursday night against the top lineup in the National League. He pitched seven scoreless innings without a walk to beat the first-place St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 in the opener of a four-game series at Wrigley Field.
Jackson (6-10), who had been booed during a 1-8 start as a Cub, delivered his most dominant performance in his final start before the All-Star break. He's 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA in his last three starts.
"For [starters], it's a 32-start season, and you let things go," manager Dale Sveum said. "Obviously, things have come together a lot better his last four or five starts. When he's got that kind of slider, that's what we all know him for, that kind of wipeout slider."
His fifth win in seven starts helped the Cubs to their 10th victory in 15 games.
"I've had some slow [starts]. This is probably the craziest start I've ever had in baseball," said Jackson, who won a World Series ring with the Cardinals in 2011. "It's a game of grinding it out. As long as you believe and you have the confidence that you can turn things around.
"No one expected me to start like I did — myself, the front office, the team, the manager. No one. But you can either sink or you can swim. I'm definitely one of those guys that won't give up."
Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo delivered back-to-back hits twice from the 2-3 spots in the order for the Cubs' scoring in the game.
Castro singled in the first, with Rizzo driving him home with a double.
After Luis Valbuena led off the third with a walk, Castro singled again. After both advanced on a wild pitch, Rizzo slapped a single to left for two more runs.
Rizzo had three RBI in eight games this month before collecting three more in the first three innings Thursday.
"Hopefully, this is a sign of things to come [for the team] in the second half," Rizzo said.


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Ugh. I have an armadillo tearing up my yard and garden beds every night. And he must have been in the neighbor's yard, too, because his yard now just REEKS of mothballs (which, according to many websites, are proven to be ineffective). Do you have any good (successful) methods? I want to get rid of this armadillo. Did you hire a trapper/pest remover? How much did it cost? I wonder if my neighbor would split the cost with me. Ugh. Honestly, it is always just one more thing and today it is the armadillo. Ugh. |
Follow-Up Postings:
- Posted by bamboo_rabbit 9A Inverness (My Page) on Mon, Jun 28, 10 at 17:18
Love the yard, I am a farm boy and back in my youth when we had trouble with critters in the crops we simply shot them no questions asked. Perhaps as I get older I am getting softer but when my armadillo problems started I tried everything to get rid of them....moth balls didn't work so decided to trap them. I made funnels from wire to guide the armadillos to the mouth of the live trap cage...could not get them. With the rabbits and the organic rich soil we have a lot of earthworms and that was what he was after. Heck even tried baiting the traps with earth worms. I finally came to the realization that my options were to fence every bed...impractical.......live with the immense damage......could not do that......or thin them out with the help of a small bit of lead moving quite fast and losing some sleep while I waited up. I went with the 3rd option which worked but I still was not happy about it. We still have a couple around but these have much better manners and keep the damage to a minimum which I can live with. If your trapper can get them that is great, hope you only have to pay per captured and removed animal. |
Amadillos eat live bugs and worms they dig from the ground. Thats why they tear up our lawns and yards at night they are hungary. To make them move onward to another area treat your entire lawn/yard with a good insecticide grandules for lawns so that all of its food is gone from your yard. Doing that worked great for me when I had a resident amadillo visiting my yard nightly a few years ago. Doing this works great for getting rid of moles too. |
Alternate armadillo relocation plan is to stay up all night with a baseball bat in hand. When you see the little digger quickly surprise it and get some batting practice. Although be forwarned that when startled they jump a few feet straight up in the air and thats when you gotta swing the bat quickly and accurately...LOL. In all seriousness be aware that many armadillos are infected with Hansens disease, commonly known as lebrosy and yes they can spread it to people so don't touch or get to close. |
- Posted by loufloralcityz9 (My Page) on Mon, Jun 28, 10 at 21:30
I agree with the rabbit, I have a digital night vision scope and I shoot the suckers with my 22 rifle. End of rat-in-a-can, end of story. Lou |
- Posted by love_the_yard z9A Jax FL (My Page) on Mon, Jun 28, 10 at 22:44
I sure do wish you boys lived closer. I would love for you to have some target practice in my yard! Carol |
I'm a member of the "shooting club" too. I was always a live-and-let-live kinda guy until I started seriously growing fruits and vegetables. Then I was introduced to the wonderful world of pests. Now, I've become a psychopath. I've lost count of the number of coons, possums, armadillos, rabbits, squirrels, and rats I've trapped or shot. Back when I was Mr. Nice Guy, I went to great lengths to live-trap and relocate these critters. Try as I might, I never successfully lured an armadillo into a live trap. I tried every suggestion I heard. No dice. Here's one supposed method for live-trapping armadillos I've heard about, but have never tried. You'll need a 24" length of large-diameter PVC pipe, probably at least 8" wide, and one matching end cap for it. Dig a hole going in the ground at a 45-degree angle. Place the pipe in the hole so the entrance is at ground level. Backfill the dirt around it. Go to the bait shop and buy a container of nightcrawler worms and dump the contents into the pipe, pushing it all down to the bottom. Supposedly the amadillo will enter the pipe headfirst and be unable to back out again at the 45-degree rise because the plastic will be too slippery. Then, you'll need somebody strong to grab the armadillo by the tail. Then you can dispose of it any way you see fit. It also seems to me that it would be a good idea to keep rainwater out of this pipe somehow. You ought to try this just to see if it works. |
- Posted by love_the_yard z9A Jax FL (My Page) on Tue, Jun 29, 10 at 9:19
Brute aka "Mr. Nice Guy", I was with you until I read, "Then, you'll need somebody strong to grab the armadillo by the tail." I have a strong arm, but a weak stomach. There is just no way! I am laughing at the thought - "grab them by the tail". LOL! I have already asked two neighbors: if I get a humane trap and catch it, would they put it in their car and take it somewhere and release it for me. I don't want to deal with it at all after it is trapped. I mean I don't even want to look at the armadillo in the cage, pick up the cage, carry the cage, put the cage in the car, none of that! One neighbor said he "might". Carol |
- Posted by imagardener2 9-10 (My Page) on Tue, Jun 29, 10 at 10:00
We had an armadillo tearing up our newly laid bahia lawn, very frustrating. It was after the grubs that were under the sod from when the grubs destroyed the St. Aug. grass. For some reason the armadillo left our neighbors yards alone even though they had bad grubs too. Eventually the animal went away probably after the grubs all died or were eaten. The lawn looks like hell but that is 50% due to no rain and 50% armadillo. If you have a small enough area maybe you could do an electric fence. |
Carol, I've grabbed live armadillos by the tail, and believe me, when I say you'll need "somebody strong" to handle them, I'm not kidding! Your strongman should probably be wearing work gloves as well. If you grab a coon by the tail, you'll be bitten and intentionally clawed. An armadillo won't bite or intentionally scratch, but he will put up a FURIOUS struggle and should be held at arm-length away from your body until you can dump him into a waiting sack or something. Good luck! |
- Posted by love_the_yard z9A Jax FL (My Page) on Tue, Jun 29, 10 at 11:36
brute, I can't stop laughing! You sound like you think I'm actually going to try this! LOL! LOL! LOL! PLEASE, will you come over and do it for me? You can have your pick of any plant in the yard! Carol |
I just grabbed this one up barehanded the other day and put it in a cage then relocated it the next morning, away from people. |
- Posted by sultry_jasmine_night Florida z9 (My Page) on Wed, Jun 30, 10 at 10:01
No way could I grab an armadillo I'd be scared too. The meanest thing I grab are my roosters when they get outta line lol. We have a pesky oppossum that wants into the screenporch every night. There is nothing in there but furniture (no pet food or anything) but he still trys to get in. Dh chased it off one night but it came back a week later. I am thinking the previous owners of this house must of fed him out there or something. As long as he stays away from my chickens he can live lol. |
- Posted by karen_florida 9 (My Page) on Wed, Jun 30, 10 at 16:07
I've got one too! It looks kinda small and young, probably not much more than a teenager, and I hate to hurt it, or have it claw up my 3 little dogs who can't resist chasing it all over the yard when I let them out to pee late at night. I can't tell you how many nights this summer I've been flailing around in the bushes in the dark trying to pull my dogs off this freaked-out and screaming armadillo while they bark their heads off and my neighbors do a little freaking out and screaming of their own. You'd think with 3 dogs harassing it every chance they get, it would pack up and leave - but it doesn't seem to be happening so far. I wonder if it is needing to stay close to my dog's water dish? Maybe with the rain we're getting now, it will move on. I sure hope so! |
I have a recipe for Armadillo Sauce Piquante if anyone is interested. It's from Quelque Chose Piquante, Acadian Meat and Fish Recipes. |
- Posted by loufloralcityz9 (My Page) on Thu, Jul 1, 10 at 16:07
If you put a half pound of black powder in a baggie, insert a wick and tie it off with a bread tie. Then drop that into the 45 degree angle tube, wad up a couple of your hubby's old 'T' shirts and tamp that down at the bottom, tape the wick a couple places to the inside top of the tube leaving 2 or 3 inches sticking out, then add the worms. When you see the armadillo inside the tube poke him with a sharp stick so he will ball up, light the fuse and stand back a few feet and block your ears. That will launch the sucker clear across town and your neighbors will think it was only the kids shooting off fireworks again since it is so near the 4th of July. NOTE: There may be some puzzlement why it rained worms during the night right after the thunder clap. hope this helps, |
- Posted by flyingfish2 9b w stuart (My Page) on Thu, Jul 1, 10 at 16:39
OK Lou , I award you the most novel way to rid one of these pests. Glad I live in an unincorporated area and the HOA has no qualms about shooting wild pigs which dig up the grass taxiways and runway. We also dispose of other varmits such as mango eating racoons (3 cases of rabid ones in our area this spring), possums. I haven't reverted to shooting the rabbits, the bob cats and florida panthers take those out when they make a pass through the airpark. I have to put a chicken wire around anything set out in the yard or the rabbits will cut it off. Carol, Lou's idea sounds like a great way to celebrate the 4th, be sure to aim it away from the neighbor's houses LOL bernie |
LOL. Great thread. |
- Posted by girlsaylorz9a 10 Ft Lauderdale (My Page) on Mon, Jul 5, 10 at 8:16
I think I heard the newscaster telling about a recent earthworm population explosion scientists are studying here in FL. Something about it correlating with an increase of gun sales or something..... |
- Posted by sherryocala 9A Florida (My Page) on Mon, Jul 5, 10 at 14:26
After severely dredging through my rose beds for almost two months I think this bulldozer animal has left. He hasn't been here for at least a week. Do they have seasons of activity? Does all the rain we've been having bother them? Thankfully, I have no grass to be damaged. The grubs mostly did away with it and then I removed the rest, opting for granite gravel instead. I would be interested to know if anyone thinks the animal is gone for good. Sherry |
I would think that all the rain encourages grubs in areas other than your watered garden during a dry spell. Good luck. |
- Posted by bamboo_rabbit 9A Inverness (My Page) on Mon, Jul 5, 10 at 19:29
Sherry, Who knows....perhaps he was run over by a car, maybe a neighbor of yours did away with it or maybe he just found a good food supply somewhere else. Sadly if he isn't dead he will be back. |
- Posted by loufloralcityz9 (My Page) on Mon, Jul 5, 10 at 21:09
Sherry, Maybe your neighbor blew him across town with HIS 'dillo-mortar' and it's taking the armadillo time to waddle his way back to your yard following the trail of wounded worms. Lou |
- Posted by sherryocala 9A Florida (My Page) on Tue, Jul 6, 10 at 18:36
Rabbit, your optimism has me depressed. Lou, I loved and belly-laughed at your dillo-mortar. You're a definite nut. :)) You point out the one flaw of your "ultimate weapon" - the trail of wounded worms. You'll have to develop a stealth version. Sherry |
- Posted by sultry_jasmine_night Florida z9 (My Page) on Tue, Jul 6, 10 at 20:24
Will armadillo eat amaryllis bulbs? I have some potted ones which I just discovered that something ate big bites out of the bulbs grrrr. I know there are armadillos around here because I have seen a smashed one down the street from us. I am wondering if that is what is eating the bulbs. They are...'were' large bulbs. |
- Posted by loufloralcityz9 (My Page) on Tue, Jul 6, 10 at 21:52
SJN, I know the moles eat bulbs, I lost $200 worth of tulip bulbs when I lived up north and I know we have moles here in Fla too. I have no clue if armadillos eat bulbs. Lou |
just the past few days i have been noticing big holes all around my pond and trailier i immeditley knew what it was those darn armadillos so i set a trap with fresh fruit and earthworms but it did not pay any attention to it i want to know were i need to shoot it. all i have is a 22 revolver do i aim for the chest? can anyone help me |
Lou, I about had to change my underwear after reading about your 'dillo cannon! We have this problem every year and right now it's bad. I think the rain has brought them closer to the house, I guess the grubs are nice and fat and juicy right now. I know that if we use a bunch of chemicals to get rid of the grubs it would help, but that costs lots of dinero and although I do occasionally use them, I don't like to because we have a well and I don't like to pollute our drinking water with anything. When I learned that armadillos can spread leprosy I freaked, because when I was about 10 I caught one. (I was a critter nut.) I managed to lure it out of a culvert into a garbage can, quickly put the lid on, and dragged it into the house. Well, you better believe they can jump high, because this thing jumped up and banged against the lid for hours. Finally, my mom insisted that I get it out, so I tipped the garbage can over, opened it and let it out. It went into a corner in the living room and stayed there for 2 days. Finally I decided that there was no way to make a pet out of it and let it out. They have very large, sharp claws and will use them. I do know that they can't see very well. If you are real quiet and sneak up on them, they can't see you until you get real close. I don't like to kill anything but these things are a nuisance. We are in the process of fencing in our property, (posts are in, but no fencing or gates yet.) Maybe when that gets done and we get a dog things will get better in the critter department. |
We caught an armadillo in a have a heart trap using an apple as bait. We also sprinkled apple juice around the cage. We took him to a nature preserve where it was very difficult to get him to leave the cage. |
I hate to say it, but since they're so destructive to Florida's native insect and plant populations, I would have to say extermination is the best option, cute as they may be. The famed naturalist Archie Carr despised them and blames them for the loss of prodigious amounts of subterranean insect life. This elderly woman next door to us in GA would bludgeon them with shovels, but I would have a hard time doing that myself... I say, trap them and have animal control euthanize them. |
it seems when i go out there with my gun he is no were to be found when i am out in my pastor tending to my animals i find all these deep hole that could really injure my goat and horses.i as well cant do poison becouse we have a well.to me they are such a pest i cought a little babby one last night so i am going to see if i can use him for bait to get his brother sister and mom to come out i am tired of dealing with these pest i am just about ready to set there homes on fire with deasel are kerosene |
- Posted by babalu_aye z9b - St Pete, FL (My Page) on Fri, Sep 10, 10 at 20:31
Tank, Wouldn't diesel or kerosene pollute your well also? John |
I was born n raised here, 60 yrs and believe me man has and does far more harm then the armadillo and every critter that has ever been. Just think about the countless parking lots, 846 walgreens,621 cvs's,1,681 supermarkets, who knows how many wally worlds and other big box stores, and then theres a few subdivisions, one or two strip malls, one or two malls, and a few miles of paved roads. I cant really say how I feel because it would surely upset the apple cart, just consider giving the critters a break. And im not tree hugger whatever you believe. Plant em if you got em. Sam |
- Posted by loufloralcityz9 (My Page) on Fri, Sep 10, 10 at 21:45
I now trap them and bring them over to the back woods of the Florida USDA plant testing station and dump them over the chain link fence. I'll let the Govt. deal with them. I'm lucky I live around a mile or two from the back end of their preserve. I figure they were here long before I showed up. Lou |
- Posted by love_the_yard z9A Jax FL (My Page) on Sun, May 13, 12 at 13:59
My armadillo problem has returned and somehow I stumbled onto my own old thread. Too funny - before I realized that, I was reading the top post and thinking, "Me, too. Me, too." And then I realized that *I* was the one who posted it! Lou, I'm still giggling at the thought of you giving all those armadillos to the USDA. That is just tooooo funny. Carol |
I have this problem, too. I don't mind them far out in my back yard, but these are making holes closer to the house. I was wondering if planting a border of pepper plants might repel them? |
- Posted by shear_stupidity 9B (My Page) on Tue, May 20, 14 at 17:36
We brushed our Golden Retriever and put the fur in each hole we found (one in the berm in the back yard, the other three at the fence lines) Never saw it again. |
My granddaughter is bringing me some dog hair! But she also recommends a motion activated water spray. Has anyone tried this? I see them advertised for dogs and cats, also for deer, but nothing about armadillos. What do you think? |
This thread is halirious, having lived here for too many generations to count it feels odd to tell how we dealt with these critters, but I will :-) They are fast and hard to catch by hand but it can be done, we simply pounced on them like a loose football, putting a lot of weight on them as their sharp claws give them great traction for escape, but once you've got your fingers up under their shell and webbing in the MIDDLE it is easy to pick them up and do whatever you want with them without fear of being scratched...brings up fond memories of the good old days of innocent and cheap entertainment :-) :-( Tom |
BTW, we didn't kill them, they were "relocated" ;-) |
- Posted by TheTradition 9b (My Page) on Sat, May 31, 14 at 13:28
It's my understanding that cars are the natural enemy of these things. When you see one, hop in the Buick and take him out! |
I had this problem too. I got so mad at those armadillos and borrowed a trap, I got one armadillo plus 3 possums. I called animals control to relocated and they said $150.00 each time. Heck....we killed each one of them after we trap. Still one more coming around, but I used pepper in front yard and it seems to work. Marie |
- Posted by imagardener2 9-10 (My Page) on Sat, May 31, 14 at 22:49
It was so funny to stumble on this oooold thread and see my post. Armadillos have moved on with no assistance from me. Had moles a couple months ago but after digging tunnels all over the front yard they seem gone too. Neighbors cats have been climbing and putting holes in our screened pool cage so we put deterrents (slinkys and wire fencing) in places we saw them getting a leg up. Always something. New pit bull down the street but he's a good boy. |
- Posted by gracefulfish none (My Page) on Tue, Jul 22, 14 at 21:58
I am horrified at people wanting to get rid of armadillos. These animals eat the dreaded fire ants. Have you ever been bitten by one of these wretched ants?! It's as bad as being stung by a bee and itches much longer. Ever since moving to Florida, I am THRILLED when I spot an Armadillo!! Mail them all to my house, please. |
Please Help with suggestions on my Armadillo Problem. I used chilli powder, hot sauce, jalapino's and the juice. It seemed to help for a little while, but he's back. I bought a trap, and the armadillo set it off, but he's not in the trap! I'm planning to put down Rye Grass in the next few days but I think this armadillo will ruin that. Can I put down a grubb insecticide and then within a few days put down the new grass seed. Also, I have hard clay soil and want to put down cow manure that is sold in lawn stores. I'm worried that it will actually exacerbate the Grubb problem. Any suggestions will be appreciated! HELP! |
The just left earlier in the summer, but now they're back. They dug two burrows under my backyard shed. I poked a full dry bag of cement into each burrow, jabbed it till it burst, then watered very slowly. My concern was not so much to get rid of them as to stop the undermining of the concrete floor. Can't see any new burrows, but again seeing little holes in the yard. Only thing I can think to do is to pour some sidewalks where I need to go in my yard, and stay on them. I need them anyway, getting kind of unsteady on my feet! |
I had a dog that would crunch one in one bite....wish I still had her :( However, we don't seem to have the armadillos we had when I was a kid...maybe a couple of cold winters got rid of most of them. They only appeared during my lifetime this far north anyway. |
"I wouldn't get the gun out because it would just encourage a couple of neighbors to get theirs out and then OMG." Interesting (to some of us with small rifles and food-marauding pests) fact is when you shoot, through an open window a critter that is outside, and you are seated on a comfortable chair that is well inside, no one but you will hear the shot. |
A few years back I roto tilled and re-sodded about 400 sf of our front lawn. Over the next few months an armadillo(s) re-roto tilled it for me. Oddly enough they ignored the rest of the lawn and plowed up only the new turf. By late fall I would swear there wasn't a blade of grass left. The armadillo(s) moved on an then next spring a funny thing happened. The St. Augustine came back like gang busters. It became the lushest part of the lawn. I'm not recommending this as a method of growing turf but thought I would add it to the discussion---which by the way has been very civil and entertaining. |
I'm trying to trap the darn Armadillo. I'm using plastic erosion control fencing. Almost got him last night. I'm also going to rid the food supply. Hopefully once the food supply is gone, the Armadillo won't want to come onto the property. I'm planning to overseed with winter rye, but must get rid of this pest first. Wish me luck! |
This sounds interesting. How do you use the fencing? Is there a burrow that you are covering? I'd like to try this! |
- Posted by kitchendetective (My Page) on Tue, Sep 30, 14 at 11:52
It's a losing battle. And if they eat fire ants it's news to me. Obviously they don't eat enough of them. DH had a magnificent begonia bed in a little microclimate area here and the dang armadillos uprooted every. single. one. They are the only animal besides humans that carry M. leprae, so if you are pulling the blasted critters out of traps, glove well! We have relocated a few (to heaven). |
Medium to large dogs |
Around 1958-59 at U of F homecoming just as the players were coming back on the field at halftime somebody turned several armadillos loose on the field. That same somebody also disrupted a swim meet the same weekend by throwing several in the pool. Although I was not in on the scheme I immediately recognized the perpetrator as my college roommate who later became a Volusia County Vet. |
i found a great trap that caught my little pest the first night. defiantly spring for the scented trapits well worth it !! http://thearmadillotrap.com/ |
Can only relate my one brief experience in getting an armadillo to go away for good ! A few days after I bought this mobile home on a 1/4 ac lot I realized I had an unwelcome visitor. Across the back of my lot there is a wide wire fence that separates our park, from an RV park behind us that has tiny lots. Early every morning, ( while still dark ), this large aggressive armadillo would scratch his way under the fence at a small gulley he had dug in the grassy soil. I was shocked at first, ( city boy, 1st one I had ever seen ), and ran at him, he'd turn & scurry back under the fence at the spot he dug out, and disappear into the RV park. I would see the rutted holes he dug in my garden after he left. In the beginning I wasn't persistent, but soon I was up at the crack of dawn every morning and ran back out there scaring him off. I even closed up his entryway by placing a large brick over the hole. He just dug another entryway. I believe it was my consistent harassment however, every single morning, for three ( 3 ) consecutive weeks, that caused him to burrow in someone else's yard. Never saw him again ! About a year later I found a large armadillo lying dead on my front lawn early one morning,...no way near where the original activity was. Not sure if he was the same critter. Buried him in raised bed garden out back. Have never seen another armadillo here, ( it's been 5 yrs ),..so my theory is that constant harassment over a period of 3, 4 weeks will discourage the rodent and make him do his rutting elsewhere,..just MHO. |
Just to let everyone know, I think the Armadillo problem has been solved. I removed the food source by using a product that killed grubs within 24 hrs.. I then fertilized the lawn will a product call Kow. After that, I reseeded my yard with winter rye. I also closed any areas that the Armadillo could use to enter my backyard. I wasn't able to trap that guy, but I think with all the stuff I put on the lawn, it deterred him. Hopefully, he won't be back! |
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In 1925, the Lord told Bishop Charles Harrison Mason to send Elder O.T. Jones to pastor a large mission in Philadelphia. Elder Jones asked if my husband, Elder E.H. Dabney, and I could assist him. Bishop Mason said yes, and told me my job was to pray and write for the church.
One afternoon the Lord called my attention to [a bad] situation in the neighborhood. I asked God if He would give us the victory if I made a covenant with Him to pray. He said He would. God told me to meet Him the next morning at the Schuylkill River at 7:30.
I went home and asked my husband to take me to Riverside Drive the next morning. ... I was so afraid I would miss the appointment with the Lord that I sat up all night and crocheted. I dared not put my trust or confidence in an alarm clock. We arrived at a place where a tree was bent over the road, and the Lord said: "This is the place." read more


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"These are excellent, and easy to make too! I was running low on Nutella, so I used 1/2 cup of Nutella and a 1/2 cup of peanut butter. Also, I didn't have any brown sugar so I used white sugar instead. All I can say is sooooo gooood! I know I'm going to have to fight my kids for them...lol! And a old glass of milk to top it off........ :-)"


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Justice -- As was the case with South Africa, you have no real complexity at all. The racist Apartheid regime was equally supported for decades by western nations while black South Africans were being treated as sub-humans. Black South Africans and Palestinians have experienced virtually the same problem, inequality, loss of land and no meaningful self-determination. Eventually the people of the world woke up and with peoples movements and boycotts and increasing awareness western governments were forced to follow the will of the people. Only when people come together in meaningful ways are significant gains accomplished, this is what has to happen with Palestine and the tide definitely appears to be turning. With the help of the latest (2008-9) Israeli invasion of Gaza, which is resulting in formal war crimes charges, people finally seem to have reached their limit of complicity and non-action. It seems sadly true that it requires this kind of blood bath to really galvanise people and thus, with this process underway the opportunities to challenge the Zionist agenda are ever greater. Justice will require convictions of war criminals but more than this the people will have to maintain consistent and relentless pressure, only with this will justice be possible.
Peace - The idea that peace can come from a so-called "two-state solution" is to me a complete farce. I imagine this agenda will be pushed very hard with the Obama the saviour illusion in full swing, and if somehow the Palestinian people allow themselves to accept the scraps of Palestine that will be on offer then truly the chance of peace will be gone for a generation or more minimum. The solution, just as it was in South Africa, is in the Palestinians adopting a document similar to the African National Congresses "Freedom Charter", this document outlined a platform that demanded one state, with equality for all. And that platform had overwhelming international support. The idea that this is not possible lies mostly in the rightful claim that "the Israeli's will never accept one state"; at this moment this is almost assuredly true, but that was also the case with racist South African regime as well, they never developed a conscience and simply did the right thing; they were forced to accept the will of the people both inside and out which was overwhelming; the truth is that their position became untenable. We have a very similar situation today with the Zionist's who are all to fairly compared with the rabid racist Apartheid leaders and loyal's of yesteryear. I agree they will never voluntarily relinquish stolen land which they see as God given land, but just like the Apartheid regime, the power of humanity and justice can overcome the seemingly insurmountable. The one constant in life is change.
The key to peace for Palestinians and Israeli's alike lies in adopting a cause that not just the people of Palestine and Israel will support, but which the whole world will support, and that cause must surely be the cause of human rights and equality, just as it was with South Africa.
Videos of Palestine by Ken O'Keefe


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I sucked my thumb up with the vacuum
I fell up a mountain skiing and sprained both my ankles Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: philadelphia, pa
Posts: 3,256
Friends go to Disney for dinner and turn it into a week long trip! New updates 12/4
To old friends Hi! To lurkers stop in and say hello, pull up a chair and welcome.
You read that title right. My friend and I went to Disney for a dinner and turned it into a week long trip. Some background to all of this. Several years ago I was surfing the net and decided to search for Disney. I found a site called the DIS boards. I joined. I read, I lurked, I planned a trip and I really enjoyed the trip reports. I came home and decided to start a report of my own. I was discouraged. Not many people commented but I kept posting updates. I met ScottNY through this report. Through Scott I met other people including Lesprivate. One day we had a mini meet here in Philadelphia. I was nervous. I can be very shy. My husband Jim was beyond happy because this was totally out of my comfort zone! We went to Bugaboo Creek, sadly now closed, and met Scott, Leslie and her husband Frank. We chatted as though we had known each other for years. The internet brought me new friends I knew I would have for a very long time. As I read Scott's reports I met another person here on the boards, LazyDoxy66. Jim and I had a trip planned for Disney at the same time she would be there with a friend and we were all staying at CBR. We planned to meet. Sadly it was not to be. I didn't know how to text. I found a teenager to help me but Lazydoxy had already left the resort and it was our only chance to meet. I have since become very tech savvy and text very well now. Fast forward to the next year. Scott had plans for something called an Ip Dip dinner. I was intrigued. What is this Ip Dip? Can anybody go? Still not sure what it is Jim and I decided we would go to it. We like Disney in October. He likes to trick or treat and I like to eat around the world. We finally met Lazydoxy aka Kristel and her husband Doug. Here we are the first time we met We spent a half hour at AK chatting away. We made plans to meet later on the trip to eat around the world. I had another friend courtesy of the internet and the DIS. We had so much fun visiting and at the Ip Dip dinner. Still not sure what it is but I'm proud to be an Ip Dip. Fast forward a year. I wanted to go to Ip DIp 4 but Jim was out. We had a trip planned in August with our daughter and her family. My husband does not love Disney the way I do. He didn't care if I went but I didn't want to go alone. I had spent many hours chatting with Kristel on line since the last trip and she wanted to go but wasn't sure about it yet. Sadly she had lost her husband not long after our previous trip. We chatted and decided we were going. Kristel came to NYC over the summer so I went up there and we met with Scott and Leslie and her family. We had a really great time so I knew the October Ip Dip trip would work out great. My kids were a little worried but they shouldn't have been. We had a fantastic trip. It felt as though we have been friend our whole lives. Here we are last year So that brings us to this year finally! Kristel and I had talked about going to Ip Dip 5 this year. She had a lot of things to do at home and really wasn't sure about going. She came to Philly and stayed with me for a week. We toured the Philly area. Scott came down for a couple of days and we had a lot of fun. She decided right before the Philly visit that we could do Disney again but she wanted to stay at a moderate and wanted to stay for a week. Would that work for me? I watch my grandkids during the week so she knew I had more to work out than just taking vacation time. Right!!! I told my daughter that I was going to Disney, these are my dates - work it out! While Kristel was in Philly we planned ADR's usually after a long day of touring. Of course I wrote everything down because we would have both forgotten what we were doing. We were set for October. So that brings us to this trip. We went from October 7th to the 13th. We stayed at POFQ, a first for both of us. And 2 weeks before the trip I almost backed out. I fell and sprained my ankle, badly. I had to be in Frankensteins boot for 4 weeks and I was to limit my walking. I didn't want to be a burden to Kristel or anyone else. Thankfully Scott and Kristel talked me out of cancelling. So there is the background of the trip. Stayed tuned for the fun or not so much fun trip itself. I promise it gets better from here.
Last edited by tazdev3225; 12-04-2012 at 01:04 PM. |
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Week 1 was a pretty big disappointment for me from a financial perspective. This is the third straight year in which I've been decimated in the first week of the season, and I really can't explain why. Maybe it's because I fall in love with certain games when the lines are first released a couple of months before the season, or maybe it's just coincidence, but regardless, it's not unusual for me to get off to a slow start.
I really don't like the Week 2 board too much. I'm looking for spots where the general public may have overreacted to what they saw in Week 1, but that's going to lead me to picking a lot of bad football teams this week just based on line value. Hopefully I can bounce back from my 4-9 ATS record last Sunday, going a paltry 1-3 ATS on my recommended bets.
Buccaneers @ Giants: The Giants aren't deserving of being more than a touchdown favorite at home. Their secondary is a complete abomination with all of the injuries that they've suffered to start the season, and their run defense can be easily exploited. This is not the same dominant defense that we saw in last year's postseason run. New York gave up over five yards per carry against Dallas in Week 1, while Bucs' rookie Doug Martin was slashing his way through the Carolina defense. Tampa's offense didn't look great in Week 1 but the presence of a running game allowed them to control the ball for more than 37 minutes and keep the Panthers' offense off the field. I think we'll see more of the same here. New York typically struggles to start the season and get better as the year progresses. Big upset potential here. Giants 17, Buccaneers 16
Cardinals @ Patriots: The Cardinals could pose a bit of a threat to the Patriots in this contest. With New England traveling to Baltimore next week to take on the Ravens, this could be a potential letdown spot. I'm not ready to completely change my tune on Kevin Kolb, but there's no question he looked much more comfortable in the pocket last week against Seattle than the Kolb of last season. He'll be looking to target Larry Fitzgerald early and often, which should presumably work out well since Fitzgerald is four inches taller than both of the Patriots' starting cornerbacks. Arizona's running game should also fair a little bit better this week with New England having to respect Fitzgerald's big play presence on the field. Defensively, Arizona's defensive line, which consists of two beasts in Calais Campbell and Darnell Dockett, poses a big threat to the offensive line of the Pats. Furthermore, Arizona's linebackers and safeties are extremely athletic and will have as good a chance as anyone in the league at stopping New England's tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. That's not to say that they will though. Patriots 28, Cardinals 20
Vikings @ Colts: I don't like this situation for Minnesota. They're coming off of an emotional home overtime victory over Jacksonville with games against San Francisco and Detroit on deck in the next two weeks. Indianapolis, after getting blown out in Chicago, will be highly motivated to win in Andrew Luck's home debut. The Colts really struggled to defend the run all of last season and again in last week's matchup with Chicago. I'd anticipate that they're going to stack the box and do everything it takes to limit Adrian Peterson, forcing Christian Ponder to have to win the game with his arm. In games where Ponder had to throw the ball 30+ times last season, the Vikings went 0-5, and Ponder had an average quarterback rating of 65.0. Minnesota has a great receiving weapon in Percy Harvin, but Indianapolis has a pair of formidable cornerbacks in Vontae Davis and Jerraud Powers. I really think that despite being a rookie, Andrew Luck is the better of the two quarterbacks in this contest. Opposing quarterbacks posted some colossal stats against Minnesota last year and I'd expect the same here. Colts 24, Vikings 16
Saints @ Panthers: I love the Panthers here. New Orleans is in complete disarray and will essentially be going up against the same type of quarterback that absolutely shredded them last week. The Saints couldn't mount any pass rush whatsoever against the Redskins and had to resort to a lot of cornerback and safety blitzes to get any sort of pressure. A repeat of that this week will leave New Orleans' defense susceptible to a lot of big runs, whether it be by Cam Newton himself or one of his two running backs. The Saints gave up 153 yards rushing to Washington and will face a better backfield this weekend, so I'm not liking their chances of generating stops. Offensively, the Saints were far from the well-oiled machine that we've grown accustomed to in years past, and it largely had to do with some terrible play calling. The loss of head coach Sean Payton is a far bigger blow than most people realize as he was an expert play caller. The Saints were tops in the NFL in converting third downs last year, but converted only 18 percent of their third downs in Week 1. If the Saints can't extend drives this week then they're doomed, because their defense is pathetic. Panthers 38, Saints 24
Chiefs @ Bills: I'm not sure what to make of this game. Once again, the Bills have been decimated by injuries early in the year, while the Chiefs return stud cornerback Brandon Flowers from injury and linebacker Tamba Hali from his one-week suspension. However, this is Buffalo's home opener, and they're due for a bounce back game after bringing the Jets' offense back to life last week. Buffalo's defensive line is very talented but was flat in the team's opener. I think they'll create all sorts of trouble for Matt Cassel this week. On offense, the losses of Fred Jackson and David Nelson will hurt, but the Bills have shown an ability to plug-in players on offense. Meanwhile, Kansas City has to go on the road after a tough home loss. Last season they laid an egg against Buffalo in Week 1, losing 41-7. This is a spot where Kansas City will need to show some pride, so I don't think the Bills will run away with the game like they did last year, but I do think they'll pull off the win. Bills 24, Chiefs 20
Ravens @ Eagles: I'm going with the Eagles in a bounce back spot here. The Ravens looked amazing on Monday night against the Bengals, but I'm not going to overreact to a big home win against one of the more overrated teams in the league. Baltimore has shown a propensity in the past to follow up a big win by laying an egg. Last year, the Ravens destroyed the Steelers 35-7 in Week 1, only to lose 26-13 to the Titans as a 6.5-point favorite in Week 2. The Eagles, and particularly Michael Vick, looked atrocious against the Browns last week, but Philadelphia's defense was as dominant as advertised. The Eagles allowed a total of 210 yards and only 12 first downs, while forcing four turnovers. Baltimore's no-huddle offense was very effective against Cincinnati in Week 1, but Philadelphia is much better equipped to handle it. On the other side of the ball, Vick's costly mistakes last week will ensure that Philadelphia gets LeSean McCoy more involved in the offense. Baltimore gave up 5.1 yards per carry to BenJarvus Green-Ellis last week, so I'm sure they'll have their hands full with McCoy. Eagles 27, Ravens 23
Raiders @ Dolphins: If the Dolphins are going to win one game this season, it's going to be this one. Oakland is awful. "Captain Checkdown" Carson Palmer refuses to throw the ball more than five yards downfield, and on top of that, the Raiders still haven't figured out how to avoid taking penalties. It also looks like they'll be without their most valuable player, long snapper Jon Condo, which is a huge blow since apparently no one else on Oakland can snap a ball. The Dolphins just held the dynamic Texans' rushing attack to just 2.4 yards per carry so I have faith that they'll keep Darren McFadden in check. Defensively, the Raiders are a very physical team, but they're also very slow. Miami is by no means an offensive powerhouse, but the majority of their weapons on offense are burners. Reggie Bush and Davone Bess will be heavily involved in the short passing game, and Miami will do just enough to pull out a narrow victory. Dolphins 13, Raiders 9
Browns @ Bengals: It would really make me happy if I could just skip this game entirely because I'm about to get an ulcer just thinking about these two teams. If you've been reading my blogs up until this point, you know what I think about the Bengals. They're one of the most overvalued teams in football because the general public believes that Andy Dalton is a capable quarterback, despite the fact that he has the arm strength of John Hawkes. Dalton catches a break with Browns' cornerback Joe Haden missing the game due to suspension, but ultimately, I don't want to lay a touchdown with an inconsistent quarterback. Cleveland quarterback Brandon Weeden was brutal against the Eagles last week, but most of his mistakes came when he made poor decisions under pressure. Cincinnati doesn't boast the same type of pass rush that Philadelphia does, meaning that Weeden will have more time to try to connect with his receivers. The key word being 'try'. If anyone other than Weeden was starting this game I'd take the Browns to win outright. Instead, I'll say they keep it close. Bengals 17, Browns 12.
Texans @ Jaguars: The Texans are a solid football team and will probably win this game, but covering a spread of more than a touchdown on the road can be a daunting task. The style of offense that Jacksonville runs can really slow this game down. Maurice Jones-Drew will see a heavy dose of the ball, and Jacksonville will try to counter Wade Phillips' heavy blitz packages with a lot of quick throws and screens. Houston's defense is solid all around and will likely be able to limit the Jaguars' yardage totals, but I don't see Jacksonville turning the ball over and giving Houston short fields to work with. The Texans' offense wasn't as dynamic against the Jaguars last season in large part due to the fact that Jacksonville was able to contain Andre Johnson. Considering Johnson is Houston's only game changing weapon in the passing game, that's a pretty good strategy. Blaine Gabbert is starting to show signs that he can be a moderately effective quarterback, and while I doubt the Jaguars will win this game, I don't see them getting blown out either. Texans 20, Jaguars 14
Cowboys @ Seahawks: Last week, the Seahawks would have been favored over the Cowboys here, but all of a sudden they're a three-point home dog. Dallas did a lot of great things against the Giants last Wednesday, but it all started with their ability to pound the rock with DeMarco Murray. The Cowboys are effective when they can establish a running game, but Seattle has one of the best run stopping units in the league. Another thing that Seattle does really well is use their big cornerbacks Brandon Browner and Richard Sherman to press receivers at the line of scrimmage—something that Cowboys' receivers have struggled with in the past. I'm pretty confident that you're not going to see the same explosive Cowboys' offense that you saw just over a week ago. Russell Wilson's first career NFL start was a disappointment, but he'll take comfort in the fact that the Dallas defense has really struggled against mobile quarterbacks in the last couple of years, as evidenced by two beatings at the hands of the Eagles last season. With Cowboys' nose tackle Jay Ratliff unlikely to play again this week, Seattle should be able to establish their running game en route to a tight victory. Seahawks 19, Cowboys 17
Redskins @ Rams: I'm not yet a believer in the Redskins. Robert Griffin III had a fantastic NFL debut, but he'll face a much tougher St. Louis secondary this week. Veteran cornerback Cortland Finnegan and rookie cornerback Janoris Jenkins both have excellent man coverage skills, which will allow the Rams to use multiple blitz packages to put Griffin under pressure. With Pierre Garcon a game-time decision for Washington, the Redskins may be without any sort of game changing receiver. Under a constant stream of blitzes, Griffin will have to make quick decisions in the pocket this week—something that we didn't see from the rookie signal caller last week. I really like what Jeff Fisher has done with this Rams team since taking over, especially with his quarterback Sam Bradford. Bradford regressed heavily last season after enjoying a solid rookie campaign, but he looked poised in the pocket against the Lions. Stephen Jackson was a non-factor last week but that's not too surprising given the stout defensive front of Detroit. If the Rams can get Jackson heavily involved in this game, they'll pull the upset. Rams 20, Redskins 16
Jets @ Steelers: Well it didn't take long for the Jets to get back into the good graces of the public. New York put in a complete effort and dismantled the Bills last week, but I doubt they're going to enjoy the same success offensively against Pittsburgh. The Steelers defense is superb against the run, meaning that Mark Sanchez is going to be facing a lot of third-and-long situations. I'm not quite sure Sanchez has turned the corner after one good performance, so I'd venture a guess that he'll commit at least a couple of turnovers. Pittsburgh has a big defensive front seven and you can bet that they're going to test the often criticized offensive line of the Jets. On the other side of things, Pittsburgh's offense was moving the ball quite efficiently against Denver on Monday night until a couple of their offensive linemen went down. Neither right guard Ramon Foster or right tackle Marcus Gilbert are listed on this week's injury report, which means that the Steelers offensive line will be intact for the heavy blitzes of the Jets. With both teams presenting a threat defensively, I trust Ben Roethlisberger much more than the ever inconsistent Mark Sanchez. Steelers 27, Jets 17
Titans @ Chargers: The Chargers are not a good football team, and the Titans are not a poor football team. It would seem as though San Diego was dominant against Oakland on Monday night, but they were mired in a dogfight until Raiders' long snapper Jon Condo got injured, and replacement Travis Goethel proceeded to piss all over himself. Ronnie Brown was highly ineffective at tailback and forced Philip Rivers into many long third down passing situations. The Titans are by no means a defensive juggernaut, but with the Chargers' offense posing no threat in the running game, Tennessee will be able to concentrate their efforts on stopping Rivers. The Titans offense really suffered from the absence of Kenny Britt last week. With no legitimate downfield threat, New England was able to stack the box and limit Chris Johnson to just 4 yards on 11 carries. San Diego's defense was able to shut down Darren McFadden last week, but the Raiders were also missing their top receiver in Denarius Moore. The presence of Britt immediately changes things. The Chargers are forced to devote more players to pass coverage, and the running game should open up behind a talented Titans' offensive line. I really don't think there's much difference between these two squads so I'll go with the upset here. Titans 20, Chargers 17
Lions @ 49ers: When I checked the line for this game a couple of weeks ago, the 49ers were 3.5-point favorites. I get it, they looked great in Week 1, but 6.5-points is a bit of a stretch here. Detroit struggled with turnovers when they barely scraped by the Rams last weekend, but believe me when I say that Jim Schwartz has had this game circled on his calendar since the "Handshake Incident" last year. Schwartz will have his team ready for this contest, and it's worth mentioning that Detroit led last year's meeting with less than two minutes remaining in the 4th quarter. Matt Stafford should be able to find success against San Francisco's defense after throwing for 293 yards and two scores against them last year. Defensively, Detroit will get back Chris Houston to boost a banged up secondary, while the front line that was able to limit Steven Jackson to just 53 yards on 21 carries should have more success this time around against Frank Gore after he averaged a season-high 9.4 yards per carry in last year's meeting. For the 49ers, as long as they continue to employ a game manager at quarterback, I can't trust them to cover a big spread like this one. I expect another tightly contested battle that comes down to the wire, and the Lions may even be able to pull off the upset, but I'll pick the Niners to win a close one. 49ers 23, Lions 20
My general rules of thumb for making survivor picks are:
a) No division games
b) No road teams
c) No underdogs
Based on my rules of thumb and general common sense, here are the games that I would consider for this week in order of confidence:
1) New England vs. Arizona – Pats are the biggest fave on the board and great home team, no reason to look elsewhere
2) NY Giants vs. Tampa Bay – HUGE drop-off in confidence from #1 to #2
3) San Francisco vs. Detroit – 49ers should win but Lions have huge revenge factor
4) San Diego vs. Tennessee – I don't trust the Chargers at all, I predicted Tennessee to win outright
Take New England and don't look back. If you're one of those guys (or gals) that doesn't want to take the same pick as everyone else, then I don't know what to tell you. There really isn't another solid, safe option.
Week 1 – Houston Texans – W 30-13
Week 2 – New England Patriots – ?
Week in and week out, you will get a look at my spreadsheet which shows my confidence in each selection.
The 'Strength of Pick' column indicates how confident I am in my selection with 1 being the most confident and 16 being the least confident.
The 'Initial Reaction' column indicates my confidence when the game lines were first released.
The 'Mid Week' column indicates my confidence on Wednesday.
The 'Final Selection' column indicates my final picks against the spread.
Strength of Pick | Initial Reaction | Mid Week | Final Selection | 2012 Record |
4-9 |
It's one thing to show you a table indicating who I like in each game, but it's another thing to actually show you where I'm throwing my money down.
I rate my plays on a scale of 3* to 6* with a 6* play qualifying as my top play. I would estimate that 1 out of every 25 plays earns a 6* distinction, with approximately 50% of my plays earning a 3* distinction.
Last week's results: 1-3, -7.45 units
Three picks this week:
3* Carolina Panthers +3 (-110) – SportsInteraction
Grab the three points now. SportsInteraction is the only spot with a three on the board. I've seen the line as low as 1 at Pinnacle.
3* Tampa Bay Buccaneers +8 (-120) – 5Dimes
Grab anything you can find that's over a touchdown. This game will probably close at seven points.
3* Tennessee Titans +7 (-110) – SportsInteraction
You could probably hold off on betting this one until game time. I can't imagine there are a bunch of people lining up to bet the Titans.


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American Standard Version (ASV) | New International Version (NIV) |
12 Fight the good fight of the faith, lay hold on the life eternal, whereunto thou wast called, and didst confess the good confession in the sight of many witnesses. | 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. |
The American Standard Version is in the public domain. (The American Standard Version Bible Online) | 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) |