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Perennial Native Echinacea purpurea Height: 24-36 Bloom Season: Summer/Fall Seeding Rate: Use 125 seeds/sq ft (~960 seeds/pack) Facts of Note: Moderate water, sun to part shade, 2-4 flowers, good for cut flowers, medicinal, finches love seed heads.
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text:
Orlando Magic 101, Atlanta Hawks 76
I had lunch with my dad yesterday — bagels, if you were wondering — and we got to talking about the playoffs, because that's what we do. The Hawks/Magic series came up and I told him that if there were ever a team tailor-made to blow a 3-1 series lead, it's the Hawks. He couldn't agree more. This is Exhibit A in that theory, a 25-point loss in a close-out game where two of Orlando's starters hit the pine within seven minutes of the tip. Not so good, Atlanta.
Chicago Bulls 116, Indiana Pacers 89
Finally, the Bulls. All they have to do is get five threes a game from Keith Bogans — something he did last night for the second time in a month-and-a-half — and they'll be fine. Totally fine.
Los Angeles Lakers 106, New Orleans Hornets 90
Six Lakers in double-figures, a 42-25 rebounding advantage for L.A. and zero points in 14 minutes for Aaron Gray. Basically, if you'd have asked anyone how this series would go, a game like this is what they'd describe. Series goes back to New Orleans on Thursday, and that's where things can get wacky.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Agencies Seek Comment On Basel II In their first official step towards U.S. implementation of the Basel II capital accord, the FDIC, Federal Reserve, OCC and OTS have jointly issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) seeking industry comment. The document, which runs about 300 pages, presents an overview of the new accord and spells out the details of the proposed implementation in the U.S. International regulators began working four years ago to develop a more detailed and more risk sensitive capital adequacy framework. U.S. regulators plan to require the advanced approach of Basel II-known as the Advanced Internal Ratings-Based approach or A-IRB-for the ten or so largest internationally active banks. These banks will use internal risk models to determine their regulatory capital requirements for loans and other assets. They will also be subject to a capital charge for operational risk. Other large institutions will be able to opt-in and calculate capital requirements under the A-IRB if they meet supervisory standards to do so. The banking agencies expect another ten or so large banks to opt-in. Banks not subject to Basel II will remain subject to the current Basel I capital rules. Competitive Impact on Community Banks. The industry and regulators are concerned about a number of issues posed by Basel II. These include the impact on overall capital levels at large institutions, costs of adopting the new approach, the competitive impact that Basel II will have on smaller institutions that remain subject to Basel I, and a variety of other technical issues posed by the complex accord. For example, Basel II banks are expected to have lower capital charges for certain lines of business, including mortgages and retail credits to consumers or small businesses. Will this result in pricing advantages for Basel II banks? Competitive or market pressures to qualify for the new accord could also help drive industry consolidation. Regulators hope industry comments will help illuminate the practical consequences of the Basel II capital regime, and position them to make necessary changes to the proposal at the international level. Comptroller Jerry Hawke said the OCC will not begin implementing a final revision to the Basel capital rules until it has "fully considered all comments received and conducted whatever cost-benefit and impact analyses are required." If this process shows changes to the proposal are necessary, "we will not approve any revisions to our capital rules until appropriate changes are made," he promised. FDIC chairman Don Powell also stressed the importance of the comment process, and signaled a degree of discomfort with the current proposal. "I hope that this comment period will result in a better understanding of the Agreement's impact on bank capital and on competition, and in exploration of alternatives to the current Basel II approach that would result in a better alignment of bank regulatory capital to risk." The Federal Reserve has generally been viewed as most positive on the new accord. The greater risk sensitivity and transparency of the new accord "would contribute to a safer and sounder banking system here and abroad," Fed vice chairman Roger Ferguson said. But he also hopes industry comments will "help us think through the remaining issues and, possibly, simplify an admittedly complex framework." Comments will be accepted for 90 days after publication in the Federal Register. Congress Weighs In. Meanwhile, Congress weighed in on Basel II this week when a House Financial Services subcommittee approved a bill 42-0 that would create a federal committee responsible for developing uniform U.S. positions on issues before the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. Congress is concerned about differing viewpoints of the agencies on the proposed Basel II capital rules. The panel consists of the secretary of the Treasury, the Federal Reserve chairman, the comptroller of the currency, the FDIC chairman, and the OTS director. The bill also requires the new panel to submit a detailed report of its position and its findings regarding the impact of Basel proposals in the U.S. before taking a position on Basel issues. The Treasury's position would prevail if a consensus position cannot be reached. The agencies have said they already work well together and will not sign off on Basel II until they have reached a consensus. The agencies are concerned that the formalized mechanism created by the bill will impair their negotiating ability in Basel. House Financial Services Committee chairman Mike Oxley (R-OH) noted that since Basel II could have a "dramatic impact" on U.S. institutions, Congress should play a role to ensure that "... any changes to the Basel Accord will have a positive effect on both competition and our economy." Subcommittee chairman Spencer Bachus (R-AL) said, "Proposed changes to the Basel Accord could raise costs and create competition disadvantages for many U.S. financial institutions. Congress must maintain its oversight responsibility on this important matter and ensure that a greater level of transparency is applied to the Basel negotiations." |


text:
11 & 2
Zine | ||
Title: | 11 & 2 | |
Publisher: | Otter Limits Press | |
Editor(s): | Paulie | |
Date(s): | 1986-1991 | |
Series?: | yes | |
Medium: | print zine | |
Size: | ||
Genre: | gen | |
Fandom: | Man From U.N.C.L.E. | |
Language: | English | |
External Links: | ||
Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | ||
11 & 2 is a gen Man From U.N.C.L.E. anthology fanzine. There are six regular issues and two holiday specials.
From Agent With Style: "Using Illya and Napoleon's code numbers as their titles, these zines focus on various assignments and affairs of the U.N.C.L.E. agents, much like the show did, but with a little more leeway. Come join our intrepid duo as they fight Thrush and sometimes their own agency to save the world--one more time!"
Issue 1
11 & 2 1 was published in 1986 and contains 118 pages.
- Conference Room by Tam and P.J. (1)
- LoC Column by Various (3)
- The Level Zero Affair by D.L. Balmer—UNCLE's security is breached by THRUSH agents with inside information—and the primary suspect is Illya. (11)
- The Teacher, Teacher Affair by Stewart J.--A young woman stumbles on an amnesiac Illya. (27)
- The Dirty Diaper Affair by J.E. Wells—Comic strip; a THRUSH chemical de-ages Napoleon to a baby. (37)
- The Cat And Mouse Business by Teresa Sarick—Poem. (47)
- PORTFOLIO: A Matter of Communications by Paulie—Art portfolio (48)
- The Kentucky Dam Camping Affair by J.E. Wells (51)
- The Milton-Freewater Affair by Terry N. & Anne D. (71)
- Whispers in Empty Halls/Tall Tales by Hindman—Poem. (91)
- U.N.C.L.E. OFFICIAL MEMO by Jan Lindner—Sir John Raleigh describes Hans Dietrich's career as an UNCLE agent. (92)
- The Courier Affair by Lorretta G.--Post-movie; UNCLE is receiving anonymous threats on Illya's life. (93)
- Tie Him Up by Tweety Diamond and the Thrushettes—Filk by Paulie. (109)
- Solo Impressions by Tam (112)
- Kuryakin Impressions by Paulie (113)
- Paulie (Front Cover), AD, Judith Boguslawski, CAK, Howarth, Kurz, Rene, Spurlock, Stanford, Tami Marie, and Dover
Issue 2
11 & 2 2 was published in January 1987 and is 108 pages long.
- The December the 24th Affair by Gina Martin (13)
- The Rain, Rain, Go Away Affair by Tami Marie (21)
- Napoleon Noel by Teresa Sarick (38)
- U.N.C.L.E.'s Niece by Teresa Sarick (39)
- The Chilling Chicken Affair by J.E. Wells (47)
- The Pool and the Well by Jean Graham (59)
- The Big Top Affair by Stewart Johnston (65)
- Happy New Year and All that Jazz by Rachelle S. (76)
- The Alpine Affair by Loretta Greco (77)
- Tall Tales by Mary Gerstner (97)
- Review: The Zine from U.N.C.L.E. #2 by Jan Lindner (100)
- Workin' for the Man by Tweety Diamond (101)
- The Events of December the 24th, 1996 by Illya Kuryakin as told to T.M. Allen (103)
- Last Laugh by Hindman (105)
- Paulie (Front Cover), Rain, Stanford, C.A.K., Ruth Kurz, D.Y.A., M.L. Johnston, Kathleen J. Easley, and Vixen.
Issue 3
11 & 2 3 was published in December 1987 and contains 164 pages.
- The First Affair by Mara St. James (21)
- The Nevermore Affair by Stewart Johnston (29)
- The Sorority Rush Affair by Jennifer Adams (39)
- The Fly the Friendly Spies Affair by Gina Martin (49)
- The Musical Affair by L.B. Sternmacher (65)
- Portfolio: "Wishful Thinking" by Hindman (84)
- The Princess and the Pea Affair by Terry Neill & Anne Davenport (87)
- Station to Station by Teresa Sarick (124)
- The Mentor Affair by Loretta Greco (125)
- The Still Crazy After all These Years Affair by Paulie (145)
- Paulie (Front Cover), C. Case, C. Kirby, Ruth Kurz, Cheryl Newsome, and Stanford.
Issue 4
11 & 2 4 was published in 1988. It contains 8 stories and is 128 pages long.
- The King of Beasts Affair by Lisa Bradzil—A mad scientist is physically changing lions, in his plot to create a new super army. Napoleon and Illya stumble across the madman's plans, and find themselves caught up in an insane attempt to rule the world. (3)
- The Science Must Be Served Affair by Jennifer Adams (19)
- The Cactus Rose Affair by Nan Mack (35)
- Portfolio: "A Piece of the Action" by Paulie (62)
- The Multiple Choice Affair by L.B. Sternmacher—You get to choose your own beginning, middle and end for this hilarious offering. (67)
- Interlude by Hindman (84)
- The Toxic Chemical Affair by J.M. Florentine (85)
- The Thrushette Affair by Loretta Greco—In this present-day affair, Napoleon's starry-eyed over a woman suspected of being a double-agent...and he refuses to listen to a suspicious lllya's warning. Wedding bells may ring for long-time bachelor Solo, if Kuryakin doesn't act quick! (97)
- The Illya Kuryakin School of Fine Cuisine and Handy Household Hints Handbook by Pasha Sokolnikov (118)
- So Vain by L.B. Sternmacher (125)
- Friday Night Anticipation by Kathy Norton (127)
- Paulie (Front Cover), Tami Marie, Stanford, Pasha Sokolnikov, Cheryl Newsome, Scott Rosma, and Anne Davenport
Issue 5
11 & 2 5 was published in May 1990 and contains 124 pages.
- The Nice Red Suits Affair by Jennifer Adams—Python comes to call on April and Mark. (3)
- The Now You See Him, Now You Don't Affair by Charlie Kirby—Illya's been dead and buried for thirteen years now. and what Napoleon discovers is the surprise of a lifetime. Crossover with The Invisible Man (1975). (7)
- The Twenty Minutes Into the Future Affair by Gail Mihara (13)
- The Miscellaneous Affair by Terri Sarick (39)
- The McCallum Affair by Loretta Greco (41)
- New Year's Resolutions of My Favorite Uncle by Teri Sarick (45)
- Portfolio: "The Grab Bag" by Various Artists (46)
- The One the Suit Was Made For Affair by Gina Martin—Crossover with The Greatest American Hero. (49)
- The Ballad of John and the Time Lords by Jennifer Adams—Crossover with The Beatles and Dr. Who. (69)
- The City of Lies Affair by Nan Mack and C.W. Walker. Crossover with The Equalizer. (93) (reprinted in The St. Crispin's Day Society #4 and Black Jag #4)
- The Top Ten List from the Offices ISI by Sue Anne Sarick (121)
- Paulie (Front Cover), Tami Marie, Hindman, and Dover.
Issue 6
11 & 2 6 was published in May 1991 and contains 149 pages.
- The Not-So-Safe House Affair by Peggy Hartsook and Deb Stewart (3)
- The 'Today Salzburg, Tomorrow the World' Affair by Grace Kanninen (17)
- The Deluxe Crystal Affair by Anne Collins Smith (33)
- The Extreme Prejudice Affair by Gina Martin (47)
- Waverly by Anne Collins Smith (55)
- I See You've Come to Rescue Me by Jane Standford Gravitt—Art portfolio. (56)
- The Seventeen Days in October Affair by J.M. D'Agostino-Toney & Terry L. Neill (59)
- The Turbuff Affair: One to Remember by Michael Macomber (92)
- The London Affair by Loretta Greco (93)
- Symbiosis by Jody A. Cummings (110)
- The Worm in the Apple Affair by Hugh Williamson (111)
- The CBN Affair by Paula Smith (139)
- Accusation by Melissa Mastoris (143)
- Rebuttal by Melissa Mastoris (144)
- The Affair Affair by Teresa Sarick (145)
- Cheryl Newsome, Anne Davenport, Deborah Franklin, and Stanford.
Reactions and Reviews: Issue 6
[Peeve Alert #1: comments on the correct use of "lie," "lay" and the evils of spellcheck omitted]11 & 2, # 6 has, as usual, a great cover, in color, by Paulie, and contains a wide selection of artwork, poems, and stories that range from the sublime to the ridiculous. The intentionally ridiculous, namely, Paula Smith's "The CBN Affairs-is a hoot. But here and there are those unintentional moments...
(Peeve Alert #2) The aired MUNCE had cleverly-titled Acts, four per episode, a formula some fan writers duplicate. Alot of things happened during those Acts to qualify them as sections in their own right (also, it's a nifty way to come back from commercial breaks that'll be there whether the story wants/needs it or not). A Prologue, four Acts, and an Epilogue in a ten to twelve-page story look pretentious, andare, in a word, unnecessary. There isn't enough of a story to justify breaking it into pieces. Locale, point of view, or time changes, or clever headings, do not necessarily an Act make.
The zine opens up with "The Not-So-Safe-House Affair," by Peggy Hartsook and Deb Stewart, a haunted house story (I think; being ill-versed in supernatural lore, I'm not sure. Do vampires qualify as instruments of haunting?). It's a trying day. Illya is battered and bruised, Napoleon has a raging case of the flu (must be a new strain, as it seems to have gone from making a kissable female feel "funny" to becoming a full-fledged case for Napoleon within some hours of the same day; if the woman had been shivering, sweating.and coughing up her lungs, one assumes Napoleon would not have gone prospecting for her tonsils), and they're caught in a blizzard. They take refuge in an "abandoned" house, which turns out to be inhabited by two Thrush agents and a, er, ghost, uh, vampire, well, something nasty. They encounter the Thrush duo, pitch them down the stairs-and ignore them. Leave them roaming around the same house! "Let them go," Solo says. "If that's the best Thrush has in this house, we have nothing to worry about." (!?) Personally, I had a few worries, such as what a can of gasoline and a match might do to two agents who are ensconced--sIeeping!--in an upstairs room of an ancient house. But, hey, what do I know? The Thrush boys know enough, though, to come back with a flame thrower. The "something nasty" intercedes, and then turns the nasties on our duo. To ward her off, Illya fashions a cross, only to drop it at the crucial moment. I'm all for juicy jeopardy, but, if possible, without hints of incompetence on the part of the heroes, please.
All that aside, believe it or not, I enjoyed one major aspect of the story: the solid feel ofpartnershipbetween the two UNCLE agents, in the best "where thou goest" sense.
Next is Grace Kanninen's "The Today Salzburg, Tomorrow the World' Affair," a title far too good for its story. It has a plot, of sorts, a narrative, after a fashion, and the ubiquitous Acts. The style of writing holds as much excitement and enthusiasm as that of a cub reporter forced to cover the Annual Bazaar of the Ladies' Temperance Society Sewing Circle. The plot hasenough holes to require the services of that sewing circle. The agents operate in a haphazard way, and, to complete the fiasco, we have not one, but two, Mary Sues. The first one, a chamber maid, deals efficiently with a bomb and saves Ilya's life. Gets to kiss him, too. I don't know, maybe today, in view of the terrorism threat, European hotel maids are trained to cope with explosives, but the '60s were more naive, weren't they?
The second, told by Solo to stay behind because she is, after all, a girl (wash that man's mouth out with soap!), is of the plucky variety, who saves both agents in the nick o' time. Sigh.
"The Deluxe Crystal Affair," by Anne Collins Smith, reads like the digest version of a regular episode. It's got a plot, minus holes. Except, perhaps, for a half hour that seems stuck. A trap is set for half an hour hence. A captive breaks some lab flasks (the resultant noise somehow escaping the attention of her captor), saws through the ropes that bind her, and makes a call to warn U.N.C.L.E. about the trap-after which there's still half an hour for the trap to spring. That's not fast, that's not even warp speed That's some kind of time-distort speed.
(PeeveAlert #3) Do not try this at home, but envision it, if you will. At one end, we have rough, tensile, insensitive material; at the other, bare skin, flesh and nerves. In the middle, we have a shard of glass. Tell me, which end is going to give first? No, I'm not advocating discarding such a time-honored escape ploy, but it seems to me that a small "reality check" is in order. Let's not have the woman merrily going off on adate afterward, unmarked, minus even a bandaid or two. Apart from that, the story tracks just fine; it's decendy written, and even has some humor. My favorite is when Napoleon is given (by Waverly, no less!) some safe sex aids wrapped in black plastic and embossed in gold with the U.N.C.L.E. logo. My funny bone found that irresistible. Ikept wondering if the condoms were also proudly embossed with the same logo. The notion of not letting down one's end took on a whole new meaning.
"The Extreme Prejudice Affair" is by Gina Martin. There are hard realities in the life of a spy. Assassinations, even the killing of a colleague, are part of the trade. What price duty, obedience.and loyalty to an agency, though, when you put your finger on the trigger and your eye to the scope-and unexpectedly find the crosshairs on the face of yourdearest friend, the one person you can't bear to lose? All right, this story is sometimes too fancifully written (what starts out as evocative, atmosphere-laden phrasing takes a nosedive into purple prose as emotional jeopardy mounts), has only a heroic hold on reality (a man tortured to within an inch of his life is not going to be put to rights with a first aid kit and good intentions), and there's nothing subtle about the angst that comes gushing over the page to deluge the reader, but hang it all, I'm a sucker for this kind of stuff. So sue me.
Ahhh.... That's a sigh of pure satisfaction, for the next story we come to is "The Seventeen Days in October Affair," impeccably crafted by J.M. D'Agostino-Toney and Terry L.
Well. Ah, that's more like it. In fact, that's exactly like it. Some of us remember those days in October of '62 when we held our collective breath the world over, hoping desperately that it wouldn't be the last one.... The writers take the fact of the Cuban missile crisis, skillfully weave in the fiction of U.N.C.L.E. (which if it existed, certainly would've been a component of those events), and present us with a multi-layered story that works beautifully on every level. They also have a writing style I envy and admire in equal measure,aclean,crisp,almost brisk way with words which nevertheless moves you, makes you feel. It made me hold my breath alongside the U.N.C.L.E. agents waiting for the out-comeof the first confrontation of the blockade, sent chills down my spine when Illya looked up at the skies and realized he was expecting to see incoming missiles—and to me, it's history I know how it turned out. That's Good Writing. From the political to the personal, from historical proportions to daily details, from conflicting loyalties to fledgling friendships, all the way to the quotes scattered throughout the story, there's nothing in this work that strikes an off chord. (Why, though, may I ask, were capitalizations used in this text for stressed words, instead of the underlining utilized in others? It's jarring to the eye, and confusing alongside the many acronyms.) Paulie's illos complement it smoothly.
"The London Affair," by Loretta Greco. Advance -warning: I've a prejudice against this type of story. Apart from Solo and Kuryakin's somehow neglecting to put so much as a tracer on the captive they hope will net them a bigger fish, thereby losing both and never getting either back, I suppose there's not much wrong with this story. There isn't much right with it, either. It's primarily a Dempsey and Makepeace story and my overwhelming reaction was to wonder what it wasdoing between the covers of my MUNCLE zine.
I don't have anything against cross-universe stories, as long as there's a valid and interesting purpose to the mixture. It isn't all that valid to me when a situation is contrived so that the divergent duos can spend time together and exchange a few confidences, and the older partners can impart words of wisdom to the younger set in matters of the heart. Further, moments like an unexplained speaking look between Dempsey and Makepeace at the mention of the name of a club leave a reader who hasn't watched that show lost and irritated. This story belongs in a multimedia zine. I groaned when I saw the title page of Hugh Williamson's "The Worm in the Apple Affair," a computer-generated graphic of a computer, plus computer-style lettering. Oh, dear, I thought, he's gonna throw technical stuff at me, probably loaded with computer jargon, and I'm gonna feel like a prize idiot. Happily, the story turned out to be not only comprehensible, but damn' fine. Some whiz-kids (the genius hacker variety that's been in fashion since Wargames), who have made high security computer networks their personal playground, get into one system too many, and find themselves in the middle of a tug-of-war between U.N.CL.E. and Thrush. I'll stop there, for Mr. Williamson tells the story immeasurably better than any reviewer can.
There's poetry in the zine. I'm indifferent to poetry in zines, unless a poem grabs me by the brain cells and makes me think, or by the guts and makes me feel. I'm indifferent to the poetry in this zine.
The artwork is a mixed bag, from the Great Stuff by Paulie, to Good Work by Tami Marie; from Decent by L. Brown to Mediocre by C L. Crouch and D. Franklin. There are five pages devoted to a portfolio (well, seven, actually, with two more pages used to introduce it in glowing terms) by Jane Stanford Gravitt. While the humor and continuity of concept are just fine, and the composition shows much promise, the rendering leaves something to be desired.[1]
Issue Holiday 1
11 & 2 Holiday 1 was published in 1987 and contains 123 pages.
- Wish List to Santa by Sue Anne Sarick (3)
- The Santas of Sin Affair by J.M. Florentine—Deadly candy canes? Sinister Santas? lllya and Napoleon are just as confused, when they have to go undercover to stop Thrush from making this holiday a real blow—out! (5)
- Winter by Teri Sarick (16)
- The Ho-Ho-Ho Affair by Gina Martin—Napoleon is lost in the Arctic wilderness during a recent assignment, and there's no one for miles around who can help him .... Or is there? (17)
- The Jolly Old Saint Nick Affair by Paulie—It's Christmas again, and lllya falls somewhere between Greta Garbo and Ebeneezer Scrooge. Solo devises a plan to bring the spirit of the season to his partner and friend. (21)
- Wasn't That Fun? by L.S. Katt—Poem. lllya's cat, L.S., gives us the story of Christmas from his poinl-of-view. (36)
- The Christmas at Ground Zero Affair by Jennifer Adams—Ritchie Cartmel was the nerd everyone picked on in school...and now he plans to get even with his entire hometown, on Christmas Eve! Dancer and Slate try to figure out the details in this excitingly fun GFU story. (39)
- Russian Rudolph by Teri Sarick (58)
- The Man from the N.O.R.T.H.P.O.L.E. by Teri Sarick (59)
- Holiday Humbug by Paulie (60)
- Otter Limits Press Christmas Follies by Paulie (62)
- The Spirit of Christmas by Hindman—Solo "bah-humbugs" the holiday. Can Illya succeed in showing him the true meaning of Christmas? (63)
- The Thrush Man Cometh by Terry L. Neill (71)
- Mr. Kuryakin's Day Off by Lisa Bradzil—A strange woman comes into Kuryakin's life, and shows him one day he'll never forget. (73)
- The 11:59 Affair by Tami Marie—An assignment to "babysit" a VIP's kids on New Year's Eve turns into a night of chilling suspense for lllya and Napoleon. With the help of April and Mark, they must thwart Thrush's present plans and save New York City...before time runs out. (83)
- Paulie (Front Cover), Tami Marie, Anne Davenport, Sandy Nelson, Joy Riddle, M.L. Johnston, Stanford, Charlie Kirby, Kathy Norton, C. Case, Cheryl Newsome, Hindman, Pam Spurlock, and KOZ.
Issue Holiday 2
11 & 2 Holiday 2 was published in 1989.
- The Greenselves Affair by Tami Marie (3)
- Home for the Holidays by C.W. Walker (21) (reprinted in The St. Crispin's Day Society #4)
- How I Spent My Christmas Vacation by Lisa Bradzil (29)
- Once Upon a Yuletide Eve by Paulie (43)
- Christmas Wishes by Rene Schneider-Reimer (51)
- The Victorian Connection by Paulie and Tami Marie (52)
- Starbright by Kathy Norton (55)
- The Spirit of Christmas Affair by Hugh Williamson (69)
- From Berlin With Love by Jody Cummings (99)
- Tami Marie, Anne Davenport, Paulie (front cover), Diane Wickes , and Lana Brown.
- ↑ from Psst... Hey Kid, Wanna Buy a Fanzine? #3. The reviewer gives it "3 trees." The reviewers in "Psst... Hey Kid, Wanna Buy a Fanzine?" rated zines on a 1-5 tree/star scale.


text:
Hot aviation footage from the father-and-son team of Tim and Evan Brand of Pacifica:
Eddie Andreini in his P-51 Primo Branco:
Vicky Benzing in her Extra 300S:
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Dell Software Speeds Backup And Recovery With Tighter Integration Between NetVault And DR4100 Appliance
- NetVault Backup and the DR4100 are available direct from Dell and through the channel.
Scott Mills, chief security strategy officer, ISC8
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hmm...looks like something I would just quickly browse thru and so would not wait in line for.
these pictures are form allearsnet.com
click on the link below
........................view photos.....................
Around here, however, we don't look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things... and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. - Walt Disney
hmm...looks like something I would just quickly browse thru and so would not wait in line for.
It's a Disney thing. If you understood, your only question would be "can I go?"
FOR MORE INFO CLICK THIS LINK http://inside.unicefusa.org/goto/Meghyn
Oh my gosh! I feel the complete opposite. To be able to actually walk through the wardrobe! I've been wanting to do that since I first read the books when I was a child! I hope it's still open when I go back down there!
"What ARRRRGH you doing?"
"What are you doing?"
"No, What ARRRRGH you doing?"Cap'n Jack lives again!"I'll try anything once or twice, that's the kind of mouse I am"
Okay gang I got the same shots and no you couldn't take photos. It was such a total waste of time. Like I said before. We stood in line for for about 45 minutes and all we saw was a 20 minute part of the film that we already had seen on Starz before we came. It was such a let down. They hype it up as you stand outside the wardrobe and then you go in and see the lamp post and then the film and then you walk pass like maybe 4-5 things they use in the movies. This was a very dissapponiting part of lour trip. As soon as I get my pictures back I will post as well.
After seeing the movie for the first time with my wife last night, I hope that I get to WDW to see this attraction.
WDW fan since 2002!
The attraction was all right, I suppose...I was hoping for more of a set walk-through. Turns out it was some trees, the lightpost, and then you watch some scenes from the movie. All spoiler-free, of course...except for after the screen goes dark and the Narrator Guy comes on and ruins the entire movie. After that, you round a corner and look at all of about 6 props/costumes.
On my Olmec-Scale, I give Narnia 2 Olmecs out of a possible 5 Olmecs.
Por favor mantanganse alijado de las puertas.
hmm, would love to see more "unofficial" photos if anyone "unofficially" captured some with a decent low light camera.
Fine Art Photographer & Digital Storyteller
Vacation Photo to Canvas Prints


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I'm looking for plant that is drought tolerant, deep rooting, shade tolerant, offers erosion control and provides screening. Any suggestions? I'm in S. California. |
Follow-Up Postings:
A tall order, to be sure. You may have to choose which of those qualities is most essential. Ligustrum japonicum (privet) is in the running, to be sure. If erosion control is your top priority, however, there may be other choices you would prefer. Kay |
This post was edited by onederw on Sat, Mar 23, 13 at 7:58
- Posted by desertdance So CA Zone 19 (My Page) on Sat, Mar 23, 13 at 10:02
Junipers grow very large and do fine in shade. We have a jungle of them under a grove of pines. The previous owner had a thing for them, and I much prefer anything BUT them! They do have the qualities you seek. Suzi |
I should have been more specific. I'm doing a border between me and my neighbor which is on a 3-4ft slope, so the screen I would need should be 6-8ft, as I also wanna keep some light. This may be unusual, but I was thinking that once a strong root system was in place, I could add more soil to flatten out the slope. I was thinking possibly upright rosemary, Phormium Tenax, or ceanothus. |
Ceanothus was my first thought, but they do need some sun to grow. |
Keep in mind roots grow at a depth "right" for them--if you add more soil on top (is that what you meant about adding more soil?) the roots will all of a sudden be getting less oxygen and might die as a result. (Roots need oxygen as much as they need water). You are better off terracing the slope by making short walls of concrete blocks or pieces of recycled concrete or stones rather than counting on root systems to flatten your slope for you. Do it right the first time and be done with it. Ligustrum will be your most reliable and quickest choice, if a quick screen is your priority. I planted a new screen from one gallons late last summer and they're nearing 5' tall already and filling in quickly. |
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Scooby-Doo: The Mystery Begins
September 24, 2009 by Scooby Fan
Filed under Scooby Doo: The Mystery Begins
Product Information
What brings best friends together? For Daphne, Velma, Fred, Shaggy and Shaggy's spunky pup Scooby-Doo, it's a mystery! The feature-length live-action Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins original movie takes you back to when four teenage sleuths (plus one dog detective) first met. Unjustly accused of staging a spooky practical joke complete with ghosts, the kids are suspended from Coolsville High. To clear their names, they team to solve the supernatural mystery…and head straight into nonstop laughs and adventure. Special fun, special friends and extra-special effects make this "how-it-all-began" story – from boy-meets-dog to the first trip in the Mystery Machine and more – a doggone great time!
Customer Reviews
Unless otherwise provided the price listed does not include shipping or sales tax (if applicable). The displayed item was available (as of 2011-05-23 18:56:57 GMT) and the price for that item (as of that time) is shown above. The price and availability are updated daily and were accurate as of the date and time indicated; however, both are subject to change without notice. Up to the minute pricing and availability will displayed at check out and that will apply to your purchase.
Additionally, the pictures are for display purposes only. Not all items and products displayed in the pictures may be included in the price of the item shown. Check the description and details of the item that you are considering to determine the items included.
Scooby Doo 3 Update
July 2, 2009 by Scooby Fan
Filed under news
We have a little more information on Warner Bros.' scheduled release of Scooby Doo 3, which is a prequel to two prior live action films. The release is a little unorthodox, in that, it is a joint production and distribution with Cartoon Network and simultaneously released on Dvd. The official release date is now September […]
Scooby Doo 3 | Scooby Doo: the Beginning
March 18, 2009 by Scooby Fan
Filed under Everything Else
There is a new Scooby Doo movie coming this fall and I am not referring to Scooby Doo and the Samurai Sword, which is scheduled to be released on March 31, 2009. No, I am talking about Scooby Doo 3. Yes, that's right there is a new Scooby Doo live action movie coming out in […]


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You know it's going to happen. Some of the best-selling classics out there. Why not release them in the eShop? :P
If Red and Blue or Gold and Silver were released in the eShop for the 3DS, what kind of stuff do you want to see in them?
The only thing I would change would be fixing the glitches that could screw up your game and making it so that you could trade with others through wireless communication. Other than that, I would keep them completely untouched and release them for the Virtual Console. Or even better, make them 3D Classics. :D
Now to wait for all the nostalgia fans to take over... xD


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| Email | Full Article (TrendHunter.com/id/96836) |
If you're looking to update your headphones, consider the EOps NOISEZERO i+ ear-buds a serious contender. These are the first earphones to ever be made out of cornstarch—an eco-friendly alternative to what is available on the market right now.
Designed by Japan-based Michael Young, the EOps NOISEZERO i+ ear-buds also feature a unique horn-shaped chamber that optimizes acoustic performance. Its sleek design is just the icing on top of the cake.


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Marijuana rules in Denver: City Council's 39 key decision points
The Denver City Council has been toiling for months on new retail marijuana regulations -- and the members' work is far from over. Today at 3 p.m., the Amendment 64 committee will meet at the City & County Building, Room 391, to discuss retail marijuana licensing ordinance issues, with specific focus on what are described as 39 "key decision points" to be considered.Big photos below.
See all 39 below, along with descriptions of draft proposals and art from our marijuana porn slide show.
Continue for more of the Denver City Council's 39 key decision points for a new marijuana ordinance.
Sponsor Content


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Using Urgent Detective you can find any record you need fast and easily!
Urgent Detective operates under its own domain name HERE
Idaho Marriage License Laws > ID Wedding OfficiantPlease Note: State and county marriage license requirements often change. The above information is for. Teton County Recorder Driggs, ID 208.354.2905.
Idaho Counties Birth Certificate, Death Record, Marriage License .All the Birth & Death records for Ada County have been moved to Idaho State Vital. Teton County Clerk 89 North Main Driggs, ID 83422 (208) 354-2905.
Idaho Birth Certificate, Death Record, Marriage license and other .Marriage certificates are legally confidential in Idaho for 50 years. Earlier records are with County Recorder in county where marriage license was issued..


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Picture Perfect Post Modern
A long country drive leads to this picture perfect Post Modern home. A double height entry foyer leads to an open living area with fireplace, dining area, kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances, and a generous first floor master suite with master bath. The second floor offers an open loft 3 additional bedrooms including a junior master suite. The lower level is complete with a gym, lounge and game area. The grounds are highlighted by decking perfect for entertaining, Barry Block designed landscaping, a heated free form pool and hot tub. and a detached 2-car garage. Call for an appointment today.


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Area students to show off robotic skills this weekend
UPDATED 8:12 AM CST Dec 16, 2013North High Magnet School's gym will play battle field for robots built by high school and middle school students from around the Midwest this weekend.
Video TranscriptSTUDENTS FROM NORTH HIGH MAGNET SCHOOL WILL PUT THEIR ENGINEERING SKILLS TO TEST TOMORROW. THEY'RE HOSTING ONE OF THE LARGEST ROBOTIC COMPETITIONS IN THE REGION. NEW AT SIX..K-E-T-V NEWSWATCH SEVEN'S JOBETH DEVERA GIVES US A SNEAK PEAK. (NATS drill) NORTH HIGH'S GYM IS TURNING INTO A BATTLE FIELD THIS WEEKEND... BUT IT'S NOT STUDENTS WHO WILL BE IN THE RING...(NATS robot moving) THE ROBOTS THEY'VE BUILT WILL TAKE CENTER STAGE. (John Vinchattle, Cirriculum Specialist "we're going to have 120 schools here, 40 middles schools and 80 high schools, potentially about 500 kids") ENGINEERING STUDENTS SPENT MONTHS BUILDING, PROGRAMMING AND DRIVING THEIR ROBOTS. JUNIOR ELIZABETH CHRISTENSEN IS A MEMBER OF TEAM NEBRASKA NERD-HERD. SHE SAYS IT'S A COMPETITION...BUT A GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE TOO. (Elizabeth Christensen - Junior "the most amazing thing about it is all the different possibilities you could find in a robot")(NATS robot doing tasks) BUT IT'S NO EASY TASK...(Grace Siy - Junior 23:24 "some of the trials of the game this year are getting under the bar or reaching up to the goals and going over the bump") SOMETIMES THEY RUN INTO PROBLEMS...("it's not working right now, sorry) BUT THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT THEIR ROBOT IS RANKED AS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW.(28:30 "i'm proud about everything we all work well as a team") AND THEIR TEACHERS ARE PRETTY PROUD TOO.(John Vinchattle, Cirriculum Specialist "it's just incredible how involved they are and how much time they put into these robots so get to see them put it all in motion and compete is really where it all comes together and the kids love to do that") IN OMAHA, JOBETH DEVERA, KETV NEWSWATCH 7. THE ROBOTICS COMPETITION BEGINS TOMORROW MORNING AT 8-30 AND IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. THEY'RE EXPECTED TO HAND OUT AWARDS -- AROUND 4:30.
The views expressed are not those of this site, this station or its affiliated companies. By posting your comments you agree to accept our terms of use. Your comment will not appear here until you verify your email address with Disqus. KETV NewsWatch 7 encourages users to report violations of our terms of use by flagging the inappropriate comment. Hold your mouse over the comment to reveal the flag on the right side, then click the flag.blog comments powered by Disqus


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The index to Travelblogue: Toronto 2011 for Theatre and Dining.
This lists the posted stories for my two week stay in Toronto, Ontario. I check out the restaurant and summer theatre scene including the Summerworks Festival, and also visit Stratford for more theatre and dining.
Friday 12th August Toronto Summerworks 2011. Theatre Reviews Part I. Out at Sea Freda and Jem's Best of the week Waterfront: The Blessing
Wabora Fusion Japanese Restaurant (Restaurant Review)
Bier Market (Restaurant Review)
Saturday 13th August
Hoops Sports Bar and Grill (Restaurant Review)
Toronto Summerworks 2011. Theatre Reviews Part I. Eurydice Hannah's Turn
Sunday 14th August
Fran's Restaurant (Restaurant Review)
White Biting Dog by Judith Thompson Directed by Nancy Palk Soulpepper Theatre Company Michael Young Theatre, Young Centre for Performing Arts August 18 to Oct 1st , 2011
Toronto, ON: Two years ago I became a Judith Thompson fan when I saw Palace of The End performed in Vancouver by Alexa Devine, Russell Roberts and Laara Sadiq. I called it "a stunning theatrical experience" and the three monologues still rank in my mind as among the most compelling dramatic writing I have experienced.
White Biting Dog was written much earlier; it won the 1984 Governor-General's Award for Drama. Having also appreciated other earlier Thompson plays, The Crackwalker, and Lion in the Streets, I was eagerly anticipating this show.
The 10 PM show on the last day of Summerworks 2011 completed my theatre marathon of nine shows in three days. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat!
I was tired but exhilarated by the variety of works available to see, and the wealth of talent from established to emerging artists that was part of the Festival. When I come for Summerworks again however, I will make sure that I have more than just the final three days in which to see the Festival so I would have time to catch some of the music acts as well as see many more of the plays. As it was I saw 8 of the 42 that were staged.
So we come to Sunday, the last day of the Festival and I am planning to see four plays. The dilemma is how to chose what to see, juggling priorities, time slots and distances. And selection of what to see is a subject to which I will return later.
My first choice was Hannah Moscovitch's "Little One." I first heard of her when I saw "East of Berlin" and really loved her writing. A year later I saw Mexico City and The Russian Play, two short plays by Moscovitch and although I was not as "blown away" by them as by East of Berlin, I thought her work was well worth seeing.
My second choice was "The Trolley Car" by Amiel Gladstone because I received a Facebook invitation, it was developed in Vancouver, and I had not had a chance to see it before.
That took care of the 4 PM and 10 PM slots, conveniently leaving me able to see White Rabbit, Red Rabbit at 7:30 PM. I was told by several sources not to miss this as it was a Volcano/Necessary Angel co-production and had to be good.
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Why a Blender Made Me Very Happy.
My happiness-project resolutions include Indulge in a modest splurge and "Eat better," and I successfully combined these resolutions recently, with one of my favorite healthy recipes, for fruit smoothies. It's filling, nutritious, and delicious: a cup of skim milk; a cup or so of frozen strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or peaches; several packets of artificial sweetener (I like things very sweet); lots of ice. Dump it all into a blender and blend.
I make a smoothie almost every day, but my blender was driving me crazy. It leaked, and it needed to be stopped and started constantly to keep blending.
My brother- and sister-in-law had my family over for dinner, and while I was there, I noticed their incredibly powerful blender. After they told me how great it was, I decided to "Indulge in a modest splurge" and buy one myself. It was quite expensive for a blender, but it has been absolutely worth the money. I use that blender every single day, and every single day, I notice what a great job it does.
Money can't buy happiness, but used wisely, it can contribute mightily to happiness. The secret is to spend money in ways that promote the areas of life that boost happiness: social ties, physical health, valued causes, learning, novelty and challenge, and the like.
Have you ever indulged in a modest splurge that got you a huge boost in happiness?
The days are long, but the years are short.


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can put quest token, can look at the top encounter card for free…why do we still need Denethor and Henamarth Riversong?
Posted 01 March 2013 - 02:30 PM
can put quest token, can look at the top encounter card for free…why do we still need Denethor and Henamarth Riversong?
Posted 01 March 2013 - 03:21 PM
Because there is a risk to use Longbeard Elder… he may get -1 to willpower.
Besides, Denethor can place the encounter you look at to the bottom of the encounter deck, which Longbeard Elder cannot do so.
Every card is slightly different, so it is difficult to compare them straightly.
Posted 01 March 2013 - 05:25 PM
Even get -1 he still has 1 willpower and every time he commits to quest he can look at the top card from the encounter deck. Hes better than Henamarth Riversong(with only 1 HP) from the coreset for sure.
You need to exhause Denethor to use his ability and sometimes if you use denethor to defend theres no chance to look at the top card. The Longbeard Elder is the best cause you can use him each round with 1 willpower at least and quest token rewards.
Posted 01 March 2013 - 05:51 PM
player commits all the characters he wish to commit to quest -> resolve response or forced effects in order you desire -> reveal encounter deck.
How is knowing the top card of encounter deck AFTER you commit characters to quest useful at all?
The whole point of knowing top of the encounter deck is so you know exactly who you want to be questing and who to be holding back.
Hes better than Henamarth Riversong(with only 1 HP) from the coreset for sure.
In my opinion Henamarth is infinitely better because you can use his ability at the end of combat phase and know exactly what card will be coming off of encounter deck BEFORE you commit characters to quest.
Posted 01 March 2013 - 06:08 PM
i see…i was looking at the top card after i committed him to the quest…then i committed more characters to the quest, so i was wrong.
Posted 01 March 2013 - 11:10 PM
Ellareth is right.
But you can still combine Longbeard Elder with Needful to Know or Expecting Mischief.
Posted 01 March 2013 - 11:21 PM
Very creative idea, i will buy more expansions.
Posted 04 March 2013 - 08:57 AM
You do have to commit all of your own characters before using his response, however, if there are other players going after you in the turn in a multiplayer game then you can warn them about what to commit, so he still is very useful.
That being said, I wouldn't say he is necessarily better than Henamarth for the simple fact that he is the cost of three Henamarths.
Both are different and have great uses at their price point.
Posted 04 March 2013 - 12:17 PM
I was going to say what Matt0polis said, but then he already said it. Excellent multiplayer card!


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Climate Models and Global Climate Change (Released December 2007)
The vertical domain in the CCSM3 is represented by 26 levels, but is complicated by the fact that the atmosphere is compressible and gets exponentially less dense as you move up in altitude. Therefore, the model levels are irregularly spaced so as to have the most levels in the troposphere where most of the weather and interaction between climatic processes occurs. In addition, topography on the Earth's surface creates difficulties with using pressure as the vertical coordinate because in many locations the ground intersects pressure levels. The CCSM3, as most models, uses a variation of the terrain following coordinate called sigma ( and is defined as:
σ = p/ps where p = pressure and ps = pressure at the surface.
After the atmospheric core of the model has been constructed modelers must try to incorporate all of the other climatic processes and feedback mechanisms that influence climate so as to have an accurate, dynamic representation of the climate system. While the models of the past focused on the atmosphere and sometimes included the oceans, today's models contain separate modules for the land surface, oceans, and sea ice and sometimes include atmospheric chemistry and advanced treatment of aerosols.
The land surface component of the CCSM3 uses the same horizontal grid as the atmospheric component and has 10 subsurface layers to account for soil-atmosphere interactions. The land surface can also be classified as a variety of types including ice, water, urban, and vegetation. These distinctions are important for the radiation balance because the albedo of the land surface can change dramatically. For example, the albedo of urban black top is very close to 0, meaning it absorbs almost all radiation whereas the albedo of snow cover or white sand is closer to 1 meaning it reflects most radiation.
The ocean and sea ice modules of the CCSM3 use a slightly different horizontal grid from the atmosphere, although they have similar horizontal resolution. In addition, the ocean component uses either 25 or 40 vertical levels defined by depth, extending down to the ocean's deepest basins.
These components make up the newest version of the CCSM3 GCM and can be run in different configurations, primarily by varying the horizontal and vertical resolutions. It should be noted, however, that running the finest resolution configuration takes more than 1100 hours of computer time to simulate one year of the atmosphere. That is approximately 46 days and experiments looking at trends even 10 years into the future take significant time to complete. That is why, for the longer period experiments, scientists use the more coarse resolution.
GCMs have become integral for helping scientists study the Earth's large-scale circulations, forecasting interannual variability such as ENSO, and evaluating the possibility of climate change in the decades to come. GCMs differ from other models mostly in their spatial and temporal domains and the inclusion of many processes not needed for other models because of the longer time scales involved. Their spatial domain covers the whole globe as opposed to, for example, a numerical weather prediction (NWP) model which may cover only North America. On the temporal scale they attempt to simulate earth's atmosphere from periods of several months to several decades, whereas NWP models can forecast for periods as short as a few hours and up to several days relatively well.
Go To Climate Models in Action


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Various shots as Kitbags are loaded onto plane. Various shots, soldiers gathered round transport plane for departure to Congo. Various MSs. and CUs. Indian soldiers lined up some wearing turbans LS. Man looking as if he is conducting community singing LS. Soldiers being wished goodbye by priest. Various shots a medical equipment etc. Is carried to aircraft. Two LSs. U.S. Air Force transport plane taxing for take-off. Various shots, as personnel make their way towards plane.
(Mute. Orig. Neg.)


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When Frackers Write the Laws, Everyone Loses
When the oil and gas industry gets to write the rules supposed to govern them, public health and the public good are left by the wayside. Unfortunately that is exactly what is happening with the regulation of hydraulic fracturing in New York and other states.
In New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo's administration has been accused of conspiring with the fracking industry to develop regulations that limit the states ability to oversee fracking.
Documents recently uncovered by Environmental Working Group show that industry representatives were given drafts of the state's proposed regulations before they were released to the public. Industry representatives then used the privileged information to lobby against commonsense rules, like testing for radioactivity in waste-water.
In other states, like Ohio, fracking laws written by corporate front groups like the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) have already been passed.
Currently, the major federal environmental laws regulating hazardous waste, air pollution and water pollution all have significant loopholes and exemptions for fracking. This is because the fracking industry has fought hard to keep regulation at the state level, where it is easier to influence and harder to enforce. As a recent report by the OMB Watch illustrates, state laws, many of which may have been written by the fracking industry, have failed to protect public health.
For more on the environmental, public health, and community impacts of fracking, see Greenpeace's recently updated fracking page.
We don't want the oil and gas industry writing the laws that are supposed to regulate them.
Here's why:
The fracking industry does not have the health of the public in mind. As Josh Fox's latest video discusses, the oil and gas industry continues to publicly deny that fracking leads to poisoned water wells, though internal industry documents show that they have acknowledged and attempted to address the problem (unsuccessfully). The industry has even deployed military personnel and tactics against Pennsylvanians, which one company executive referred to as "insurgents." Frackers want cheap access to the hydrocarbons in the shale, which means externalizing environmental, public health, and community impacts.
The frackers don't care about American jobs, the economy, or "energy independence." One of the most popular talking points used by the oil and gas industry is summed up by the bumper sticker "drill here, drill now, pay less." The idea being if we allow oil and gas corporations to exploit our land and water to extract fossil fuels, it will benefit the average citizen by lowering energy prices, reducing independence of "foreign" energy supplies, etc. This is completely false, as Rex Tillerson, CEO of Exxon Mobil will tell you. Companies involved in fracking want to increase the price of natural gas by exporting it out of the country. They want to sell it on an open market, to the highest bidder, no matter who that is.
The fracking industry's short-sightedness hurts everyone involved, including themselves. When the fracking boom took off a few years ago, the oil and gas industry treated it like a gold rush. Companies like Chesapeake Energy put every dime they had into acquiring land and drilling wells, while taking out massive loans to finance the expansion. The frackers produced so much gas that gas prices dropped through the floor, to historically low prices. Right now, these companies are losing money and can't even afford complete the wells they have already drilled. In Pennsylvania there are 5,000 wells awaiting completion, sitting idle, as their well casings deteriorate. Like the bankers responsible for the financial collapse, the fracking industry's ravenous approach to drilling created a bubble, which the public will pay for with toxic water and a landscape ravaged by heavy industry.
How ALEC and Exxon Secretly Fracked North Carolina
Remember that controversial law last year, legalizing fracking in North Carolina after being vetoed by the state's governor? The law bears tell-tale signs of being written by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a corporate front group with ties to the fracking industry.
Like the Exxon-backed fracking loopholes in Ohio and numerous other states, the new North Carolina law contains the same "trade secrets" provisions that ensure the public will not have the right to know which chemicals gas frackers are pumping underground to retrieve shale oil and gas. The "trade secrets" provisions are key to ALEC's model bill in order to allow Exxon, Shell, Duke Energy and other ALEC member companies to more quickly extract, pipe and burn gas without having to bother with pesky transparency laws.
Here's a list of NC ALEC legislators who co-sponsored the bill legalizing fracking: S820 or HB1052 -- the so-called "Clean Energy and Economic Security Act"
- Sen. Tom Apodaca
- Sen. David Rouzer -- member of ALEC's Energy, Environment and Agriculture task force, which created the frack fluid disclosure loophole bill with internal sponsorship by ExxonMobil.
- Rep. Mike Hager
- Rep. Tim Moffitt
- Rep. Fred Steen -- ALEC's State Chairman in NC
Rep. Fred Steen co-sponsored the House version of the so-called "Clean Energy and Economic Security Act." Steen was ALEC's State Chair in North Carolina, and his job is to ensure ALEC models are introduced and, ideally for ALEC, passed. Rep. Steen was the only state legislator serving as State Chair in North Carolina (other states often have multiple legislators serving as co-chairs), and according to ALEC's tax forms, his position implies the following responsibilities (emphasis mine):
State Chairmen duties shall include recruiting new members, working to ensure introduction of model legislation, suggesting task force membership, establishing state steering committees, planning issue events, and working with the Private Enterprise State Chairman to raise and oversee expenditures of legislative 'scholarship' funds.
As ALEC's state chairman in NC at the time of this vote, Rep. Steen appointed a "Private Sector Co-Chairman" to help oversee ALEC activity in NC. In this case, Rep. Steen worked with North Dakota lobbyist Joel Gilbertson, who represents clients like AIG, PhRMA, and Crop Life America (a front group for pesticide and chemical fertilizer interests). Rep. Steen was listed on ALEC's website as its State Chairman since at least late 2008, suggesting that he has been re-appointed to that position at least once--a term lasts two years.
Ironically, co-sponsoring Rep. Mike Hager has been asked about his role in ALEC before, telling the Charlotte Business Journal that, "I'm not a big fan of model legislation." Apparently, keeping toxic chemicals secret from constituents is something Rep. Hager is a big fan of, in which case ALEC models are pretty useful. Rep. Hager has received $15,500 from oil, gas and electric utility interests in this election cycle, on top of $3,250 from his first successful election bid in 2010. One of the utilities donating to Rep. Hager is Duke Energy, his former employer, which operates natural gas pipelines that deliver to over 500,000 customers and is expanding gas generation at its power plants.
North Carolina's fracking loophole law has drawn attention from around the country, including a statement of support from Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. The new NC law barely overturned a veto by former Gov. Beverly Perdue, in a heartbreaking twist involving one Democratic legislator being bought out at the last minute and another accidentally voting in favor of the bill and refused the opportunity to correct her vote, something that is commonly acceptable when such a mistake is made. The Charlotte Observer explains:
Rep. Becky Carney, a Democrat from Mecklenburg County who opposes fracking, pushed the wrong button and accidentally voted with Republicans to override the veto. A maneuver by Wake County Republican Paul "Skip" Stam prevented her from changing her vote, giving the GOP a historic one-vote margin of victory. "It was a huge mistake," Carney said afterward. "I take full responsibility." Democrats denounced Stam's quick parliamentary maneuver as a dirty trick that resulted in the passage of a landmark energy overhaul that could create a natural gas production industry in the state. [...] Carney said it was the first time in her 10-year legislative career that she pushed the wrong button on a vote. Mistaken votes are not uncommon and letting lawmakers change their votes is routine practice in the state legislature.
This local news clip posted by the Voter's Legislative Transparency Project, which tracks ALEC activity in North Carolina, includes more on Rep. Carney's error:
Study: Koch and Tobacco behind Birth of Tea Party
A new report in the peer-reviewed academic journal Tobacco Control offers a deeper look at the history of the Tea Party. Commonly thought to be a grassroots uprising spurred by a TV rant in 2009, the report documents how tobacco companies and a front group established by Charles and David Koch were attempting to begin the revolt years earlier.
The study, titled "'To quarterback behind the scenes, third-party efforts': the tobacco industry and the Tea Party," shows that the Koch front, Citizens for a Sound Economy, set up a website in 2002 for the "U.S. Tea Party." Here is an archived image from that website, which is now owned by FreedomWorks.
As previously reported by DeSmogBlog's Brendan DeMelle on Huffington Post:
The two main organizations identified in the UCSF Quarterback study are Americans for Prosperity and Freedomworks. Both groups are now "supporting the tobacco companies' political agenda by mobilizing local Tea Party opposition to tobacco taxes and smoke-free laws." Freedomworks and Americans for Prosperity were once a single organization called Citizens for a Sound Economy (CSE). CSE was founded in 1984 by the infamous Koch Brothers, David and Charles Koch, and received over $5.3 million from tobacco companies, mainly Philip Morris, between 1991 and 2004.
The ties between the Koch brothers' Citizens for a Sound Economy and tobacco are extensive, with Charles Koch's right hand man, Richard Fink, getting direct praise from the Tobacco Institute for his leadership in urging the U.S. Surgeon General to avoid foreign trade restrictions on tobacco products. The Checks and Balances Project has a report on Koch Industries executive Richard Fink and tobacco:
In 1988, Fink wrote to the Surgeon General to express concern about the Interagency Committee on Smoking and Health's inquiries into the subject of tobacco and U.S. trade policy. He warned that it would be unwise to suggest any foreign trade barriers, ending, "we hope that you will keep these thoughts in mind as your department discusses U.S. trade policy toward tobacco." This letter was tracked down by the Checks & Balances Project in the Tobacco Archives, with an addendum from Samuel Chilcote – President of The Tobacco Institute – urging others to follow Fink's lead and support.
For Fink's efforts, Chilcote thanked Fink in a hand-signed letter on behalf of the tobacco industry, writing, "When an advisory body such as the Interagency Committee on Smoking and Health ventures into the field of U.S. trade policy, it is vitally important that the public record be balanced by the sound economic views and sensible business judgments that you provided."
In summarizing the significance of the Koch-Tobacco-Tea Party insight from the report, DeSmogBlog's DeMelle hits the nail on the head:
Finally, this report might serve as a wake-up call to some people in the Tea Party itself, who would find it a little disturbing that the "grassroots" movement they are so emotionally attached to, is in fact a pawn created by billionaires and large corporations with little interest in fighting for the rights of the common person, but instead using the common person to fight for their own unfettered profits.
Americans for Prosperity and FreedomWorks have been successful in co-opting the Tea Party, directing millions in corporate and wealthy donor funding to steer the "grassroots" agenda of Tea Party activists.
Grassroots? Try astroturf.
VIDEO: Romney Wants to Play Dodgeball in a Hurricane
For the second time today, Mitt Romney dodged a question about Hurricane Sandy and climate change.
After standing by as his supporters drowned out a question about climate change with chants of "USA! USA!", Mitt Romney was confronted again at a rally today in Virginia about his climate silence. An audience member on the rope line asked Mitt Romney "Given Hurricane Sandy, how would you address climate change as president?"
The opportunity to connect the dots was there for the second time today, but once again Romney dodged.
"Take a look at my book," he said, "there's a whole section on it."
He then makes a gesture as if he's writing a book (or asking for the check at a restaurant) and moves on to shake more hands.
What does his book have to say about climate change?
In No Apology, Romney lays out, in very careful language, the case both for and against human-caused global climate change. Some believe in it, he writes, some don't. And then, in what has become his go-to move, the former governor comes to this fork in the road and takes it:
"Whether or not you agree that the climate is changing and that human beings have something to do with it, assume for the sake of argument that both positions are accurate."
Which he has done, saying the expedient thing at different times: In New Hampshire, he is open to human beings having something to do with climate change: "Do I think the world is getting hotter? Yeah, I don't know that, but I think that it is. I don't know if it's mostly caused by humans. . . "
In Pittsburgh, he isn't: "My view is that we don't know what's causing climate change on this planet. And the idea of spending trillions and trillions of dollars to try to reduce CO2 emissions is not the right course for us."
In both cases, he says he won't change his energy policy based on climate change. He dodges.
Hurricane Sandy has shown that the time for taking both sides of this issue is over. Climate change is real. It's here. We need our leaders to address it, not dodge it.
New York City's mayor Michael Bloomberg knows this. Just today, Bloomberg cast his lot with Barack Obama in an op-ed with the headline, "A Vote For A President to Lead on Climate Change": "Our climate is changing. And while the increase in extreme weather we have experienced in New York City and around the world may or may not be the result of it, the risk that it may be — given the devastation it is wreaking — should be enough to compel all elected leaders to take immediate action."
Sandy didn't dodge New York, and Romney can't dodge climate change.
EXPOSED: How Koch Bros Secretly Launder Donations to Dirty Front Groups
Earlier this year internal documents from the Heartland Institute, a major hub of climate change denial and right-wing extremism, were publicly leaked. The documents exposed the Heartland Institute's funders and strategies for attacking climate science, and led to a mass exodus of Heartland's corporate funders.
Today, a newly updated report based in large part on Heartland's internal documents has revealed two new insights into the way in which the anti-climate science movement has been supported and financed over the last decade.
- A billionaire named Barre Seid is the Heartland Institute's main sugar daddy. He is the "Anonymous Donor" listed in Heartland's fundraising plan who finances climate science denial operations to confuse children, the general public and policymakers over global warming. Seid has been the biggest booster behind Heartland's attacks on climate science, donating millions of dollars to keep the Heartland Institute's anti-science work afloat.
- The Koch brothers and other ultra-wealthy industrial ideologues are now hiding much of their donations to conservative political outlets through an obscure group of foundations that specialize in secrecy.
In total over $311 million has been put through twin organizations known as Donors Trust and Donors Capital Fund which share an address in Alexandria, Virginia. The people running these organizations are close to the Kochs and have numerous ties to the groups that the DONORS network funds, such as the Koch-founded Cato Institute, the Heritage Foundation, the Independent Women's Forum and the Manhattan Institute. The Kochs have a little-known foundation that only donates to these "DONORS" groups called the Knowledge & Progress Fund, according to the report detailing this network.
The report, written by a silicon Valley scientist turned public interest watchdog John Mashey, is titled "Fakexperts," and details how right-wing foundations associated with the Koch brothers, Richard Mellon Scaife, the Bradley family, and others have been using a secret finance network to support extremist right-wing groups. Most of these groups are associated with the State Policy Network, a band of corporate apologists who have made careers denying everything from the dangers of smoking cigarettes to the existence of climate change.
Some of the sketchy groups that have received big chunks of their 2010 budgets through Donors Trust and Donors Capital Fund, including top climate change science deniers:
- Americans For Prosperity Foundation got $7.6 million from DONORS groups in 2010, 43% of its budget. AFP Foundation is chaired by David Koch and has received millions in direct funding from Koch foundations since the Koch brothers founded it.
- Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT) got $1.3 million from DONORS in 2010, 45% of its budget.
- Cornwall Alliance (through the James Partnership) got $339,500 from DONORS in 2010, 75% of its budget.
- Heartland Institute got $1.6 million from DONORS in 2010, 27% of it's budget, which came from Chicago billionaire Barre Seid (see p. 67).
- State Policy Network got 36% of its 2010 budget ($4.8 million) from DONORS. SPN members include just about every climate-denying organization and every conservative think tank in the country, including AFP and Heartland.
The twin DONORS organizations are advertised as a way for very wealthy people and corporations to remain hidden when "funding sensitive or controversial issues groups," which creates a lack of accountability that is troubling. DONORS also promises to only funnel money to groups with an extreme anti-environmental bend, so industrial billionaires need not worry about their money winding up here at Greenpeace, as Donor's Trust co-founder Whitney Ball explains:
"...if a donor names his child a successor advisor, and she wants to give to Greenpeace, we're not going to be able to do that."
Expect to hear more about Donor's Trust and Donor's Capital Fund as we continue to track the dirty money of Koch Industries and their allies. For more, check out PBS FRONTLINE's recent dig on climate deniers in a special called Climate of Doubt, which includes descriptions of the DONORS groups from Drexel University's Robert Brulle.
Koch Brothers Produce Counterfeit Climate Report to Deceive Congress
The octopus has a remarkable ability--it can blend seamlessly with its surroundings, changing its appearance to mimic plants, rocks or even other animals.
Similarly deceptive is an upcoming junk study from a Koch-funded think tank that has taken on the format and appearance of a truly scientific report from the US Government, but is loaded with lies and misrepresentation of actual climate change science. The false report is a tentacle of the Kochtopus--with oil and industrial billionaires Charles and David Koch at the head.
UPDATE: Climate scientists at the University of Maryland's Center for Environmental Science lambast the counterfeit Cato report for mimicking the scientific report they authored:
"As authors of that report, we are dismayed that the report of the Cato Institute, ADDENDUM: Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States, expropriates the title and style of our report in such a deceptive and misleading way. The Cato report is in no way an addendum to our 2009 report. It is not an update, explanation, or supplement by the authors of the original report. Rather, it is a completely separate document lacking rigorous scientific analysis and review."
The report's disgraced author, Patrick Michaels, has made his largely undistinguished career shilling for fossil fuel interests, including his stay at the Cato Institute, which published the counterfeit report. After admitting to CNN that 40% of his funding is from the oil industry alone, even Cato was embarrassed enough to clarify that "Pat works for Cato on a contract basis, not as a full-time employee. Funding that Pat receives for work done outside the Cato Institute does not come through our organization."
Koch Industries Chairman and CEO Charles Koch co-founded the Cato Institute in 1977, and David Koch sits on Cato's board of directors. Both brothers are Cato shareholders.
The Kochs' combined $62 billion in wealth comes from Koch Industries operations in oil refining, pipelines, tar sands exploration, chemical production, deforestation and fossil fuel commodity trading, all of which contribute to global climate change and the types of extreme weather Americans are now starting to recognize as symptoms of global warming.
Wary of how public concern over climate change could drop demand for fossil fuel products, the Kochs have spent the last 15 years dumping over $61 million to front groups telling us that global warming doesn't exist, or that it would destroy our economy to stop runaway climate change. Other billionaire families like the Scaifes and companies like ExxonMobil have funneled tens of millions more to the same groups to bury climate science in public relations schemes designed to delay solutions to global warming. While Cato got over $5.5 million from the Kochs since 1997, it received over $1 million from the Scaifes, $125,000 from ExxonMobil and tens of millions more from other fossil fuel interests and ideologues in the top 1%.
In a highly public battle earlier this year between the Koch brothers and libertarians at the Cato Institute, some Cato employees didn't want their work to become what David Koch calls "intellectual ammunition" for other Koch fronts like Americans for Prosperity. Cato's deceptive climate report is exactly the type of fake science that AFP needs in order to continue lying to the American public about the reality of global warming.
Cato's counterfeit report is classic global warming denial that is clearly designed to be confused for actual science. Its author, its publisher and its billionaire supporters have all been key to the coordinated public relations effort that has blocked climate policy in this country by making climate science a partisan issue in this country and rallying the American public behind the very lies they themselves fabricated. The junk report has already been circulated by other climate science deniers and even cited in a Congressional presentation.
With climate change already contributing to 400,000 deaths each year and costing $1.2 trillion to economies worldwide, such dubious doubt-peddling should be considered criminal. If you are an elected official or a journalist and spot the Cato Institute's bogus new report, call it for what it is: malarkey!
Check out criticism of the fake report from climate scientists at the Daily Climate and additional comparison from Professor Scott Mandia.
For more on the Koch brothers' climate denial machine, check out this illustrative video and keep your eyes out for Cato:
Romney's "War on Coal" TV ads mirror coal industry advertising
Mitt Romney released new TV ads this week about Obama "ruining" the coal industry, conveniently timed with a sudden House Republican push for the so-called "Stop the War on Coal Act."
A Greenpeace investigation released last week highlights the recurring themes of Big Coal advertising, with decades of ads from coal mining companies, coal-burning utilities, and industry front groups. The Big Coal industry advertising machine has been working for decades to "keep America stupid," as Rolling Stone put it.
This week's political messaging about a supposed "war on coal" illustrates a troubling trend that the Big Coal public relations machine is co-opting America's elected leaders.
New Romney TV ads on coal mirror the industry's old and new ads
One of Big Coal's main advertising themes since the 1970s has been abundance of coal and energy security. Romney's new TV ad highlights this theme, featuring a stump speech clip with Romney declaring "We have 250 years of coal! Why wouldn't we use it?"
The 250-year coal supply figure is an extreme overestimate, since US coal reserves can only be confirmed to last about 100 years, according to a National Academy of Sciences report five years ago. So, where did Romney get that number?
Maybe Romney got it from this coal industry front group advertisement, claiming that using less coal will make dictators smile. Check out the ad up close.
Or maybe Romney got the 250-year claim out of this internet ad from ACCCE, the coal industry's public relations association.
Coal industry estimates of incredible abundance are notoriously incorrect. At least Romney's estimate was slightly more accurate compared to this National Coal Association ad from 1977, claiming coal would last 500 years. In 1976, an American Electric Power ad used the 500-year coal supply along with an estimate that America would run out of oil and natural gas by 1988. People say hindsight is always 20/20.
Not only does the coal industry provide talking points for Romney's stump speeches and TV ads, but it also provides the human props. The Romney TV ad features shots of the candidate speaking with a crowd of coal miners behind him. Murray Energy Company forced these miners to miss a day of work without pay, and told them that attendance was mandatory at the Romney event.
Obama also influenced by Big Coal advertising
Unfortunately, the Republican candidate is not the only one susceptible to coal industry public relations. The Obama campaign aired radio ads criticizing Romney for saying a dirty coal plant "kills people" when he was Governor of Massachusetts. Obama has made so-called "clean coal" and CCS technology part of his energy platform. As a way to keep their industry alive, Big Coal invests heavily in "clean coal" advertising, even though the touted CCS technology that captures carbon dioxide is unproven at scale and exorbitantly expensive. Check out this nonchalant Peabody Energy ad from 2009.
The clean coal advertising theme existed decades before CCS technology, when simply "washing" coal meant that it was now "clean," like in this AEP ad from 1979.
Congress is another vehicle for coal industry public relations
The coal industry advertising doesn't only influence presidential politics. Republicans in the House Friday morning passed the so-called "Stop the War on Coal Act." The Act is several coal-friendly bills packaged into one big wish list for the coal industry, including stripping EPA authority to regulate greenhouse gases, restricting EPA from regulating coal ash and delaying the EPA mercury rule. The bill package will be dead-on-arrival in the Senate.
The Act provided Republicans with the opportunity to lambast the EPA for protecting public health from coal pollution. As two Republicans wrote in a Sept 20th op-ed, "President Obama and his extreme EPA have issued new rules and regulations that are crippling the coal industry" and "this 'Train Wreck' of new EPA regulations is already…costing jobs in places where unemployment is staggering."
Considering that energy experts will tell you that competition from renewable energy and natural gas are actually causing the decline in coal, why are these Republicans so focused on EPA regulations? One could list several political reasons but, coincidentally, blaming the EPA has been a regular theme for Big Coal advertising since Nixon established the EPA in the 1970s.
In this 1974 ad, EPA is blamed for blocking the use of coal which somehow, in a bizarre twist of logic, would result in Middle Eastern oil moguls buying American coal fields from under our noses.
Another 1974 American Electric Power ad criticized EPA for encouraging the use of pollution scrubbers on coal plants. In comparison, the coal industry now celebrates scrubber technology for making coal "clean" while still attacking the EPA for new clean air rules. This ACCCE internet ad claims the EPA will cost 1.65 million jobs.
Coal advertising themes like "coal is abundant," "coal is clean," and "EPA kills jobs" are completely integrated now into Presidential and Congressional debates. After decades of Big Coal advertising efforts, some of our elected officials have mutated into Big Coal spokespeople.
UPDATE: Student activist Ben Wiley details his question to Duke Energy's Vincent Davis about support for ALEC, which was ignored.
Yesterday, members of Greenpeace, Energy Action Coalition, and other groups sent a message loud and clear to Duke Energy that we want them to dump ALEC (the American Legislative Exchange Council) before the end of the Democratic National Convention.
ALEC is a rightwing bill mill group that connects corporations with our elected officials to draft model legislation in support of corporate profits over the welfare of people and our planet. ALEC has written legislation including Arizona's racist immigration law SB1070, Stand Your Ground Laws relating to the murder of Trayvon Martin in Florida, and many voter suppression laws such as Voter ID here in North Carolina. But that's not all, ALEC also has an Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force which is working on legislation to stop regulation of coal fired power plants and to prevent laws from being passed that support renewable energy.
Duke Energy, headquartered in the heart of Charlotte and at the center stage at the 2012 Democratic National Convention this week, is a major contributor to this dirty front group. Last May, Duke Energy spent $50,000 to bring ALEC's annual meeting to Charlotte. Especially in South Carolina and Indiana, Duke representatives work very closely with ALEC to draft such legislation.
This is why yesterday, dozens of activists gathered in Charlotte to ask Duke Energy's CEO Jim Rogers to make the call and dump ALEC! We gathered in front of the Knight Theater where Rogers was speaking on a panel and urged passersby to make a phone call into the Duke Headquarters. Then we hand delivered 150,000 petition signatures that have been collected in the past week. At the same time in Ohio, local activists gathered to deliver the message to Duke's Midwest corporate headquarters. And all throughout the day yesterday activists took action online on Facebook and Twitter sending their messages directly to Duke Energy.
We know that it's working. We ran into Jim Rogers at an event and he said that he's listening. The question remains, will Duke act?
Written by Monica Embry, Greenpeace field organizer in Charlotte, NC.
I spoke with Duke Energy's Jim Rogers at the DNC. He's hearing from us! And 150k people. And Senators.
Written by Whit Jones, Energy Action Coalition Campaign Director, crossposted from We Are Powershift
Coalition to Duke Energy: Dump ALEC!
Today Greenpeace joins a coalition of environmental, civil rights and democracy reform groups that are calling upon Duke Energy to join the 38 other companies that have left the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC -- see the letter the coalition sent to CEO Jim Rogers this morning.
Why, you ask? And WTF is ALEC??
ALEC is a corporate bill mill--it brings companies like Duke, Exxon, Koch Industries, Phillip Morris and other bad actors together with conservative state lawmakers in order to draft laws. You may have noticed how certain controversial state laws spread like wildfire across the country, including voter suppression, union-busting bills, attacks on clean energy programs, and other items you wouldn't expect the average person to ask their politicians to do. ALEC was behind all of these on behalf of its corporate members, who are eager to dodge lobbying laws and get relatively cheap access to our Statehouses.
Duke Energy in particular has deep ties to ALEC, sending it tens of thousands of dollars in support, helping ALEC oversee state operations in South Carolina and Indiana, and supporting the creation of ALEC's anti-environmental bills.
Duke Energy has distinguished itself from other polluters with rhetorical commitments to tackling global warming and implementing clean energy, but stops short of meaningful action. By dumping ALEC, Duke would take a step in the right direction toward the potential it has to become a cleaner energy company.
The full text and coalition signatories of the letter is posted in full here:
We, the undersigned, a coalition of environmental, civil rights, and democracy reform groups are writing to express our concern for the extensive support provided by Duke Energy to the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), and request Duke Energy disassociate and stop funding ALEC immediately.
ALEC is not only responsible for drafting model state laws attacking renewable energy programs and climate policies, it is also intentionally crafting and supporting Voter ID bills and other legislation designed to suppress people from voting and participating in our democracy. We are concerned about this fundamental attack on our democracy and civil rights, and Duke Energy's support for it.
Duke Energy has repeatedly stated concern over climate change, yet is participating in ALEC's Energy, Environment and Agriculture task force, which includes notorious climate skeptics like the Heartland Institute and the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (which we understand Duke Energy disassociated from in 2009 due to its role in obstructing national climate policy). In direct opposition to Duke Energy's position on climate, ALEC's Energy, Environment and Agriculture task force continues to advance legislative efforts that attempt to deny the realities of climate change.
ALEC more broadly demonstrates an attack against state action on climate change and renewable energy, promoting laws and resolutions that undermine state's abilities to address climate change and expand clean energy. While Jim Rogers has called for the US to "wean [itself] from the use of foreign oil,"[viii] Duke works alongside multinational oil companies like ExxonMobil, BP, Shell and Chevron within ALEC, all of which are known for their heavy obstruction of U.S. climate and clean energy policies.
Perhaps most alarmingly, ALEC is spearheading attacks on our democracy and civil rights, promoting Voter ID legislation and other bills intended to make it more difficult for people to vote and participate in our democracy. These bills will most dramatically hit young people, people of color and poor people, suppressing them and their ability to vote.


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Tuesday, July 30, 2013 - 8:52am
GRAND ISLE, LA (WGNO-CNN) — A Lafayette-based team reeled in massive catch at the annual Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo.
Ben Bernard of Lafayette says it took him and his buddies more than 13 hours to reel it in. It weighs a whopping 712 pounds, the 4th biggest ever caught at the tarpon rodeo.
Hundreds jammed the marina weigh station to get a glimpse of it!


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28/06/2013 The company is set to sponsor the 5th International Creative Contest 2013 that aims to raise awareness of violence issues centered on children and young people.
Hasselblad as an official partner is not only a member of the jury, whose decision will be announced during a gala in September in Munich, but will also offer the loan of top camera equipment for a week to a winning entrant for completing work on a photographic idea.
This prize also includes the presentation of the resulting images across various media and as a special a DVD edition with a DVD cover and TV spot.
Explained Uwe Moebus, Managing Director Hasselblad Germany: Agi ArbeitsGruppe International and the non-profit organisation Glückliche Familie e.V. - organisers of the 5th International Creative Contest 2013 - are seeking out ideas that will actively help promote the prevention of violence around the world, with a real emphasis on societal and social values. This is a commendable cause and one with which we are particularly keen to be associated."
Contest entrants will compete for valuable prizes across a range of categories, including: photography, short films, animated films and game design, plus painting, illustration, advertising, PR and journalism. Participants can enter as many genres as they wish.
Added Moebus: "All those interested in this exceptional contest need to hurry. The submission deadline is July 10."
More information: http://www.foto-film-game-contest.de/en/call-submissions.html


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I assume $3600 is the mortgage payment? Seems rather high, but I guess that is what they chose to buy. Now, missing one payment will not put you into the street, so it seems this is not the first missed payment. So, we have a mom with a disabled parent, a child, and a live-in boyfriend who has not had a job in over a year. I need to stop now or I might say something like, "kick out the boyfriend!!" "Downsize!"