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MONTAGUE A fire captain from Schenectady died from injuries sustained in an all-terrain vehicle crash Monday afternoon in the town of Montague.
John Nicol Jr., 47, and a fellow off-duty firefighter were riding ATVs on Horace Forward Truck Trail when Mr. Nicol lost control on a gravel bed, ran into a tree and was ejected, according to Lewis County Sheriff Michael P. Carpinelli.
The riding partner notified local emergency officials, but Mr. Nicol, who was on the lead machine, was pronounced dead at the scene by Lewis County District Attorney Leanne K. Moser, also the county coroner.
An autopsy performed Tuesday afternoon by Dr. Samuel A. Livingstone, coroners physician, listed the cause of death as a basilar skull fracture, according to Lewis County Sheriffs Department Senior Investigator Dale W. Roberts.
About a half dozen firefighters on Tuesday showed up in uniform at Lewis County General Hospital to support Mr. Nicols family, Mr. Roberts said.
When you are working with people in dangerous situations like that, you really become close to one another, he said. You form a family bond you dont get in many other places.
Mr. Nicol was an experienced ATV rider but he was not familiar with this trail system, Mr. Roberts said.
That likely contributed to the crash, which happened on a windy section of the dirt-and-gravel truck trail that actually is closed to ATV traffic, he said.
Horace Forward Truck Trail also runs into the Jefferson County town of Worth and is one of 52 state forest and easements roads in the region that the state Department of Environmental Conservation closed to ATV traffic in 2008.
DEC officials at the time said the move was made out of concern that having the roadways opened to ATVs could violate state Vehicle and Traffic Law.
State forest rangers were on scene Monday and also are investigating, Mr. Roberts said, noting they would have jurisdiction since it took place on state forest land. A DEC spokesman was unavailable for comment Tuesday.
Mr. Nicol was a 23-year veteran of the Schenectady Fire Department and had been a captain since November 2006, according to the Daily Gazette newspaper in Schenectady. He leaves a son.
When the department celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2000, he was one of a dozen firefighters who received a certificate of meritorious service.
Well-respected guy, Schenectady Public Safety Commissioner Wayne Bennett told the Daily Gazette. Its a real shame.
Firefighters in that city learned the news as they fought two serious fires Monday, the paper reported.
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text:
The opposition
Clare: Let's turn our attention now to the 'two' series
of aspects. When the circle is divided into two, the result is the opposition
between planets that are 180° apart.
We have already studied the whole principle of duality and polarisation in quite a bit of depth, and so we know that this is going to be an aspect of maximum tension, with the planets at each end of the opposition appearing to be mutually exclusive and yet at the same time complementing and balancing each other. As we have seen, the usual tendency with an opposition is to polarise and project, identifying with one side of the opposition and dis-identifying with the other side, which means that we are always meeting it in the form of outer events or other people. This aspect is particularly unstable and frustrating, and can lead to feelings of paralysis, of being caught between two poles. The attraction of opposites is the counter-tendency to this polarisation, and its resolution depends upon finding some kind of conscious relationship between the two poles.
William Blake, 'The Ancient of Days' (1824)
Audience: So if you have an opposition, then your task is to recognise and then accept and integrate what you project outside?
Clare: Yes, although this is one of the hardest things to do. But our entire charts are constructed as a series of oppositions, opposite houses and opposite signs, so life itself seems to be an expression of this great drama of opposites. Having planets in opposition simply makes the drama more personal and immediate. However uncomfortable this may feel, nevertheless, planets in opposition ensure that neither side becomes too extreme. It is the nature of all the aspects created by the division of the circle into two, four or eight that the planets struggle and confront each other, which means that something can happen and the relationship between the two planets can become more conscious. And it is out of that tension that awareness is born. After all, there is no possibility of a conscious reconciliation if we don't have the struggle in the first place. Let's look at some oppositions, to get a feel for the way they work.
Mercury opposite Pluto
Sue: I have Pluto in Leo in the 9th house opposite Sun and Mercury in Aquarius in the 3rd house. I am obsessed with astrology - I have loads of books and am reading about it all the time, but I keep that part of my life very secret and never talk about it to anyone. Could that be because of Pluto?
Clare: This opposition is across fixed signs, and therefore
particularly resistant to integration. The Sun and Mercury in the 3rd house
indicate that learning is very important to you, and that you love being
a student. You have a clear, rational and objective mind, and I would imagine
that thinking astrologically comes very naturally to you, since Aquarius
is very comfortable with the conceptual clarity of models and maps. It
could even feel as if your fellow students are your true intellectual brothers
and sisters.
The addition of Pluto to the picture adds intensity and describes penetrating thought and your sense of the immense power of words and of ideas. But it is clear from what you say that you feel there is something unacceptable or dark or dangerous about your interest in astrology. And that could be for religious reasons, since Pluto is in the 9th house.
Chart data omitted for reasons of confidentiality
On the one hand, you are naturally attracted to unusual or unconventional ideas, and to the larger patterns that include us all. But on the other hand, Pluto in the 9th house no doubt appears to threaten your identity in some way, and to sabotage your studies. How would we interpret Pluto in Leo in the 9th house?
Audience: Breaking down the philosophy?
Audience: Total absence of belief?
Clare: Yes, a Sun-Mercury-Pluto combination describes someone who thinks very deeply, who is inclined to test their ideas to destruction, and who is not going to take anything at face value. We know that whenever you get into this 3rd house intellectual structure, you are also likely, in some sense, to feel you are being plunged into very deep waters which could even feel threatening and dangerous, because Pluto is always about survival. And it is to do with religion and philosophy, isn't it?
Sue: Well, I am a non-believer, but I do come from an Irish Catholic background.
Clare: This is a perfect description of Pluto in Leo in the 9th house. It sounds as if you have already tested your religious inheritance to destruction and rejected it, on an intellectual level at least. But Catholicism is a very powerful force, and no doubt there is a huge dilemma between pursuing your natural interest in learning, your belief in freedom of thought, and your fear of going to the devil - literally.
Sue: Yes, I think it was only a few years ago that the Pope forbade Catholics to consult astrologers.
Clare: You are very understandably caught in a conflict between your intellect and your instincts, and this opposition can easily feel like a kind of paralysis.
Audience: So Sue doesn't believe intellectually in God, but she does believe instinctively?
Clare: That certainly seems to be the case. Intellectually, there is no difficulty. Sue loves studying astrology. But if this is to become a powerful transformative aspect of her life and of her understanding, then she is going to have to find some kind of relationship between her love of astrology as a pure and clean, intellectual Aquarian discipline, and the issues which are haunting her about astrology being evil and dangerous. So the way she is dealing with this at the moment is to keep her astrology and her astrological studies secret, which is easier than 'coming out' because it means that her Sun-Mercury in Aquarius can just get on with studying, and Pluto can go underground. But, of course, it will always be there on some level. I imagine these are the kinds of things that you are going on for you.
Sue: Normally I am absolutely fine with this, but sometimes I have really bad nightmares about dreadful punishments and being burned at the stake and other things happening, and I don't seem to be able to shake them off.
Clare: That is exactly what one would expect. Having been consciously banished, Pluto is now communicating with you through your unconscious, while you are asleep. And, since this is a 9th house placement, whether or not you consciously believe in God, your God is becoming angry and destructive and you feel you will be punished for your ideas. The difficulty with this particular opposition is that Aquarius is so rational, civilised, detached and idealistic. The more extreme this becomes, then the more threatening, primitive and irrational the dark becomes. Your task, with a Sun-Mercury-Pluto combination, appears to be to recognise the real power of ideas by exploring whether true understanding of any subject might include both the light and dark, rational and instinctive aspects. We can find out more about this by looking at Saturn and the Moon, which rule your 3rd and 9th houses.
Sue: That's interesting, because I have Saturn in Virgo in the 10th house and my mother is a strict Catholic, very dutiful and into service.
Clare: With Saturn in the 10th house and ruling your
3rd house, mother is also, in some sense, the law.
Audience: Does that mean that Sue is going to have to reject her mother as well?
Clare: No. It means that she is going to have to become her own authority in these matters. Saturn is also the personal ruler of Aquarius, so it rules Sue's Sun and Mercury. This is about taking her own authority and giving herself permission to think what she thinks and to believe what she believes. And the transpersonal ruler of Aquarius, which is just as important, is Uranus in Gemini - the free thinker. We can begin to see where this particular struggle is going. It won't be easy, but Sue has Scorpio rising as well, so she is bound to live her life intensely, experiencing repeated periods of personal metamorphosis as she goes through the fires and regenerates herself. The other interesting feature of your chart is that your 9th house is ruled by the Moon in Pisces in the 4th house, so essentially we could say that you have an extremely devotional nature and that eventually you may be able to make peace with your God.
Sue: That is all really helpful, thank you. But it is also very hard.
Clare: Yes, particularly because this is a fixed opposition, so in addition to the compulsion to change, there is going to be a resistance to change. This theme is always present anyway in the sign of Aquarius with its two rulers - Uranus seeks change and Saturn resists change. If we have a cardinal opposition, we will feel challenged to actively resolve the tension. And a mutable opposition isn't going to be quite so tense or fraught, because both planets will be inherently more inclined to adapt and adjust and to be more flexible. But a fixed opposition will go on resisting until some kind of change is forced. And it can be a very stressful and tense experience.
Sue: I did in fact have a kind of mental breakdown when Pluto went over my Ascendant. That was a few years after my brother died in a car crash, and I completely lost my faith. It was a really difficult time in my life.
Clare: Learning astrology may well help you understand and come to terms with this very painful period in your life. You can see for yourself that the 3rd house describes your brother and your very close relationship to him, and how his death affected your faith. I think we can find great comfort from astrology, since it helps us make sense of the events that occur in our lives. After all, as Jung said, only suffering without meaning is unbearable.
Sun opposite Pluto
Tricia: I have something similar, with Sun in Aquarius in the 2nd house opposite Moon-Pluto in Leo in the 8th. Could we look at that?
Clare: Yes, and once again we will be working with the
themes of light and dark, the intellect and the instincts. The Sun is how
and where we seek to shine, to be recognised. However, with Pluto opposite
the Sun, we can feel that our true identity is buried or sabotaged or somehow
unacceptable. As a result we can build a kind of 'false self' which poses
as our identity but which never feels completely authentic. With the Sun
in the 2nd house of self-worth, no doubt your journey will be to learn
to value yourself, just as you are, which will involve some kind of conscious
integration between your Sun, Moon and Pluto.
Sun in Aquarius is clear, rational, detached, idealistic and very civilised. The Moon with Pluto is deeply instinctive, primitive and archaic, and in the 8th house it is not only deeply buried, but also likely to be projected onto mother and onto women generally. Again, this opposition is across fixed signs, and the Sun-Moon opposition points to a fundamental split between the masculine and the feminine principles, with the masculine being light and clear and the feminine being very intense, dark and mysterious. You may well have experienced this in your own life as deeply entrenched power struggles between your mother and father.
Chart data omitted for reasons of confidentiality
Tricia: That's right, and I also experience this as a power struggle with women. I always get the feeling that women think I am too powerful and that they fear me, so they want to break me or subdue me, or something like that.
Clare: Yes, that is exactly the feeling you are likely to have. A useful image for Moon-Pluto in the 8th house is the witch, which can, of course, be both positive, in the form of the wise woman, or negative, in which case you may feel that women want to sabotage you or wipe you out altogether.
Tricia: Yes.
Clare: And that can lead to a powerful conviction that you are not allowed to be who you really are. And so, like Hades himself, you have to wear a cloak of invisibility and keep your true identity hidden.
Tricia: If I try and be sweet and nice, with my Venus in Pisces, then they think I am a wimp and walk all over me. But if I try to be strong, then they think I am a powerful, dominating bitch. Either way, I can't win. I don't seem to be able to find that balance. Although I am quite well balanced in myself, I always find that other people try to control me. I feel really strong within, and men always say they like strong women. Perhaps that is my own experience of the Moon-Pluto coming out.
Clare: Although power struggles are something you experience in relationships, we could say that this is something as yet unresolved within you, which is constellated in relationships. That is exactly how oppositions function. Outside the arena of relationships you can no doubt function quite comfortably as an Aquarian, and keep all your ideals intact. But it is close emotional relationships which plunge you into that Plutonic realm of power and survival and issues about who is controlling whom.
Tricia: Is there anything I can do about it?
Clare: Yes, recognise it, which ultimately means some kind of conscious relationship between your intellect and your instinctual nature, and learning to express your solar purpose and personal authority as an expression of your intense and passionate nature, rather than trying to be who you think you ought to be according to the values of others - which will never really work.
Tricia: I think I used to be much more intense and passionate, but nobody seems to be able to handle that. When I was younger, I was always being told not to be so intense.
Audience: I have been thinking about this during the week. If you have Pluto in aspect to your Sun or Moon or Venus or whatever, then when one is triggered, Pluto will be triggered at the same time. This can be quite a burden to carry.
Clare: Yes, it can, particularly if the Sun or Moon or Venus otherwise wants to be very light, detached and rational.
Audience: And there is nothing really that one can do about it, apart from trying to understand and accept it and work with it?
Clare: There is a tremendous depth to Pluto, and Plutonic people - by which I mean people with Scorpio rising, or Sun in Scorpio, or strong 8th house placements, or several Pluto aspects - are going to go deeper on an emotional level, and seem to have to spend periods of their lives in the underworld. But the underworld is a place of immense wealth, and the purpose of being there is to connect to the life force itself and to the wisdom which comes from that.
Tricia: It helped me to understand Pluto better when I started thinking of it more as a goddess than as a god. There is a whole other model of feminine power that is very ancient, but is judged and condemned in the world, or just not understood properly. You have to go right back into history, where the high priestess was honoured. I think that learning how to be powerful in a feminine way is an issue of our times, instead of trying to be like GI Jane and taking on male values. My favourite saying is that there is nothing so powerful as true gentleness, and there is nothing so gentle as true power.
Clare: Although I understand what you mean, it seems to me that this is your Aquarius Sun speaking, because it sounds so rational and detached, and because slogans are usually Aquarian things. There is an immensely destructive aspect to Pluto that has to do with the force of nature itself. For example, earthquakes, tidal waves and hurricanes are anything but gentle. They are absolutely ruthless and destructive. And there is nothing gentle about the dark and destructive side of human nature. The question is whether we can bear to look our own darkness in the face and accept that it belongs to us.
Tricia: Well, I know that when Pluto is active in my chart, it is always horrible and shocking. But at these times I also feel intensely alive and energised, in a way. When it is not active in my life, I tend to feel rather frozen and dead.
Clare: That is a good example of the black and white
quality of Pluto. We cannot negotiate with Pluto; it is totally uncompromising.
It will either be in its ice phase, completely cut off from our consciousness,
or in its fire phase, in which we find ourselves burning - and there is
very little in between.
Audience: In one of our lessons, you mentioned the word 'scapegoat' in relation to Pluto aspects. How does that work?
Clare: Scapegoating occurs whenever a group, family,
tribe or society refuses, either consciously or unconsciously, to take
responsibility for its own primitive darkness - in other words, for its
own Pluto. In these cases, the darkness will be projected onto an individual
or another group, tribe or race. They are blamed and scapegoated for the
qualities that the group is not prepared to own. In families, there is
often a kind of unconscious contract, in which one member of the family,
usually the most sensitive one, lives out the family taboos because they
can't bear the weight of the dishonesty or the poison of the unconscious
collusion. This person will not only bring the taboos to the surface, but
will also be blamed for doing so. This is where the idea of the 'black
sheep of the family' comes from, which is another aspect of the scapegoat.
Take, for example, the case of a white European family, outwardly civilised,
well adjusted and morally upstanding. Suppose this family is secretly harbouring
racial prejudices. With what seems like uncanny predictability, the adolescent
daughter who takes on the role of the family scapegoat may find herself
in a relationship with a young man from a different culture and with a
different skin colour. Imagine, then, the scene when she introduces him
to her family. Pluto has been evoked, and all hell will be let loose.
This same mechanism occurs with all kinds of collectives, and with countries as well. Other groups or nations or races will be scapegoated in an effort to maintain the moral high ground. Someone or something else has to carry the evil and the darkness that are not being recognised within. Jung wrote a great deal about this phenomenon in terms of racism, apartheid and religious hatred, and he believed that, until we are each prepared to accept our own individual burden of darkness, we will continue to see it only 'out there' in others, and not in ourselves.
Sun opposite Neptune
Laura: Can I ask something about Neptune? My Sun is in the 1st house in Pisces, opposite Neptune in the 7th in Virgo.
Chart data omitted for reasons of confidentiality
Clare: Well, let's start by looking at the Sun-Neptune principle. What does that say about our identity and about our experience of the masculine principle, which will include our experience of our father?
Audience: There is something nebulous and hard to grasp about this combination. Does that mean that Laura finds it difficult to reach her father, and difficult to find her own identity too? I have read somewhere that this could describe an alcoholic father.
Clare: Neptune is the dream. It describes ever-changing images and impressions and feelings. Neptune is our access to realms and landscapes that exist in the imagination. Questions of a clear or fixed identity are not really relevant to a Sun-Neptune person, because their identity is fluid, likely to change shape all the time, reflecting the environment they find themselves in. In so far as the Sun-Neptune aspect is associated with father, then we would expect that he was not around very much, certainly not available on a psychological or emotional level. It seems that he was lost to you in some way. This can lead to an idealisation of father and of the masculine, as well as a longing for him, since Neptune is where we are always thirsty. And, of course, this aspect may well describe more concrete manifestations, so your father may be a priest, or in the navy sailing the seven seas, or he could even be an alcoholic, as someone suggested.
Laura: My father was around, but he wasn't around. He was usually too busy.
Clare: And presumably you idealised him or adored him from afar?
Laura: When I was younger, I suppose. I didn't know him very well.
Clare: We are also talking about your own identity,
of course, and with Neptune in the 7th house, it is unlikely that you received
any kind of clear mirroring in your childhood. So on some level, you may
even be a mystery to yourself. This means that you can easily find yourself
becoming whatever other people want you to be, because you have no personal
investment in being a particular shape, so any one identity may well be
just as good as any other identity.
This is an immensely creative and artistic combination, ideal for photography, dance, acting, film-making or painting, for example, since you have a heightened sensitivity to beauty, form and shape. Because this opposition is across the 1st/7th houses, your sensitivity to others is also particularly strong, and you have a remarkable ability to devote yourself to the needs of others. The question is whether this devotion drains you or energises you, and this could go either way, depending on the strength of your personal ego container. With a strong enough ego you can choose whether and when to make yourself available to others. You can define your own boundaries, so that you are not left exhausted by others.
Audience: But isn't the opposition the struggle between the self and the other?
Clare: Yes, because we know that the theme of the 1st/7th house axis is to do with self-definition in relationship, and about discovering where the boundaries are between who I am and who the other is - defining what is me and what is the other. So it is particularly easy for Laura to seek to define herself through relationships, and in addition to that, with a Pisces Ascendant, the boundary between herself and her environment is likely to be diffuse. This adds to the general theme of the Sun in Pisces and Neptune in the 7th house. It is all so transpersonal and collective that we need to make it more personal by bringing in Jupiter, which is the personal ruler of the chart and of the Sun, and also Mercury, which is the ruler of the Descendant. This should help us get a better handle on the way this opposition works.
Audience: Why is Jupiter the ruler of the chart?
Clare: Because Pisces, the sign on the Ascendant, has two rulers. The personal ruler is Jupiter, and no doubt you can see how important Jupiter is, because it is also the ruler of the MC, which is in Sagittarius, so Jupiter rules both angles. With Jupiter in Aries in the 2nd house, the picture changes quite dramatically, because this indicates a particularly strong sense of self-worth and an ability to fight for one's own values and beliefs. In this chart there is a particularly strong relationship between the 1st and 7th houses, because there is a mutual reception between Neptune and Mercury. A mutual reception between two planets occurs when they are in each other's signs or houses. In this case, Neptune, the ruler of the 1st house, is in the 7th house, and Mercury, the ruler of the 7th house, is in the 1st house. Can you recognise these patterns in your own life, Laura?
Laura: Actually, I can't take too much - it's almost the opposite.
Clare: I wonder if the people you tend to attract are Neptunians - people with no boundaries, who are both unavailable but at the same time completely merged with you. You can feel drowned by their demands, and need to define the boundaries yourself.
Laura: That's true, but the strange thing is that they are not needy to start with, only when you get to know them.
Clare: Funny how that happens. And as you get to know them in all their Neptunian ways, you increasingly find yourself taking the opposite, Virgoan, attitude and becoming very boundary-conscious and self-contained.
Laura: That's exactly right.


text:
Fort Myers News-Press
QUOTE 9:38 A.M. The ceremonial groundbreaking for the new Boston Red Sox spring training complex is scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 27, 2010, at the site, 11581 Daniels Parkway. That's a little more than a mile east of I-75.
Commissioner Frank Mann will be the master of ceremonies.
The date was selected because the Red Sox will be playing the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg that weekend and Red Sox officials may be able to attend the event.
Preliminary site work on the project has already begun.
The facility is expected to be ready in time for 2012 spring training.
The Red Sox have one more spring training remaining at City of Palms Park, their home since 1993.
Prior ST site threads here, here and here.
Edited by mabrowndog, 11 December 2010 - 02:39 AM.


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CANTON A SUNY Canton student is in St. Lawrence County jail after a search of his dorm Thursday uncovered drugs, paraphernalia and thousands of dollars, according to the St. Lawrence County Drug Task Force.
Nasir M. Cisse, 21, Manhattan, is charged with felony counts of third-degree criminal sale of marijuana and fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana and unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation.
Members of the task force said Mr. Cisses arrest at 11:30 a.m. came after an investigation into his alleged sale and possession of marijuana in the village.
We set up confidential informants for the controlled purchases, said Canton Police Officer Christopher Flint, a task force member. We went to do an arrest on a sale that had happened during the investigation, and when we got to his door, we smelled marijuana.
A search warrant for Mr. Cisses dorm room was issued by Pierrepont Town Justice Robert G. Camp, which led the task force to uncover $13,000 in U.S. currency, approximately 20 grams of marijuana and digital scales.
Mr. Cisse was arraigned in Town Court by Justice Cathleen E. OHoro and was sent to jail with bail set at $5,000 cash or $10,000 bond. He is scheduled to return to court Nov. 20.
The Drug Task Force consists of Canton police, Potsdam police, SUNY Canton police, SUNY Potsdam police and members of the St. Lawrence County Sheriffs Department.
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Read: Dave Maloney Thinks that Michael Del Zotto Can Be Really Good
Former Rangers captain Dave Maloney was asked during an interview, with Sportsnet 590 about the Rangers defense and then more specifically, how good of a player Michael Del Zotto can become.
Maloney said, "I think he can be really good. I don't know if he would admit who has been really good for him has been Tortorella. The coach is such a demanding character and there are players who are going to be better players when the game behind the bench demands so much. I think Michael is at a point where he has bought into what the coach demands of him and he has to stay that way. He can bring that threat and imagination that you need off the blue line"
Del Zotto was on with Sportsnet 590 on the day he decided to go to play in Switzerland and said that he was looking forward to using this year as another year to get better and become the player he wants to be.
John Tortorella said that for Michael Del Zotto to take the next step, he needs to play at a high level consistently.


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TuckerBlair89 wrote:Torsten Boss promoted from Aberdeen to Frederick
ofahn wrote:
What's your opinion of that two level jump?
TuckerBlair89 wrote:I wasn't going to even judge him really until Frederick.
ofahn wrote:
If he can show he belongs there he'll return to Frederick at age 22 next year as a legitimate prospect.
TuckerBlair89 wrote:
Well to be fair, this season is almost over so probably can't judge his play there this year (playing well never hurts though!).
But correct, he will definitely start at Frederick next season.
ofahn wrote:
He should get between 50 and 60 ABs (not including the post season) and that should provide some early indications as to whether he's ready for A+ ball.
I like the idea of challenging players in a stretch run and playoffs. The better ones seem to rise to the occasion (see Machado, Manny).
Jordan Tuwiner wrote:I am heading up to Frederick to catch Tim Berry.
mcpd wrote: What do you think of Berry? You think he could be close to top 10 for oriole prospects by the time the season over.
TuckerBlair89 wrote:
Indeed they do. Either way, it's a good idea to move him up to Frederick. I said about a month ago they should just move him up there. (along with Christian Walker before he was injured). Of course, I'm going to Aberdeen tomorrow so I'll miss Boss now LOL. But I was going for Branden Kline anyways (and hopefully Josh Hader )
orioles wrote:
Not sure who's scheduled after Rutledge tonight for Aberdeen but tomorrow you may also see Coffey or Parry. They have kept Parry on a pretty regular 4-Day rest schedule, and he pitched last Friday, so if Coffey comes in tonight then I would guess Parry tomorrow. Did you hear when Hader was going to make his debut?
birdwatcher55 wrote:Is Tim Berry on our radar screen now??
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Phone: 503-823-7300
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1900 SW 4th Ave, Portland, OR 97201
Phone: 503-823-7300
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1900 SW 4th Ave, Portland, OR 97201
The Bureau of Development Services is holding a free "How to Buy Simple Trade Permits Online" Lunch & Learn event on Friday, February 17, 2012 from 12:00 - 1:00 PM at the 1900 Building.
This Lunch & Learn is designed for both contractors and homeowners and we encourage anyone interested to bring their lunch and join us.
Simple trade permits – electrical, plumbing and mechanical – can be applied for and issued immediately 24 hours a day through the City of Portland online permitting system.
This hour long event will provide an overview of how to use the system and provide time for attendee questions. Staff will also be available to provide hands on computer assistance to attendees in the BDS computer training lab after the presentation.
The class will be held at 1900 SW 4th Ave., Portland, 2nd Floor, Room 2500A. [Google Map]
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Jordan McRae
Guard Jordan McRae of the Tennessee Volunteers during the game... NachrichtenfotoBasketball,Basketball-Verteidiger,Erwachsene Person,Freiwilliger,Horizontal,Jordan McRae,Knoxville,Männer,NCAA,Sport,Sportbegegnung,Tennessee,Tennessee Volunteers,Thompson-Boling Arena,USA,Universitätsbasketball MännerPhotographer Collegiate ImagesCollection: Collegiate Images 2012 Tennessee AthleticsKnoxville, TN - November 26, 2012: Guard Jordan McRae #52 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the game between the Oakland Golden Grizzlies and the Tennessee Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, TN. The Volunteers won 77-50. (Photo by Wade Rackley/Tennessee Athletics/Collegiate Images/Getty Images)


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During Sunday's 2015 Golden Globes telecast, the 38-year-old "Imitation Game" star hilariously photobombed Meryl Streep and Margaret Cho during a comedy skit.
Model Chrissy Teigen's husband John Legend won a Golden Globe award tonight for his original song in Selma--along with Common--and while he was receiving his award, the cameras panned to his supermodel wife, who...
Check out all the big winners at the 72nd annual Golden Globe Awards.
All the fun and great moments from inside the 2015 Golden Globe Awards.
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George Clooney, wife Amal Clooney and other stars showed support for Charlie Hebdo at Sunday's Golden Globes.
The Golden Globes red carpet was a parade of white, silver and red — with some black thrown in a la Amal Clooney with a pair of long white gloves to match.


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Submission Microsoft's Creepy Retail Experience-> 1
lee1 writes: "The author peers into a Microsoft store and spies a sea of Microsoft employees, vastly outnumbering the few customers. Later, he notices an animated crowd of civilians surrounding a Microsoft display. But it's not the product that they're excited about."
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June is coming to an end, which means the coupons on many popular sites will be changing soon. Today may be your last chance to print the June coupons before they disappear.
Don't fret. New ones will be appearing tomorrow and I'll let you in on my favorites!
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RUSSELL A decision by the Edwards-Knox Central School Districts Board of Education to fire a long-time bus driver has been upheld by the state Supreme Courts Appellate Division which ruled the districts decision was justified.
Rita F. Thornton, 50, of Edwards, filed legal action against the board that claimed her 2011 firing was excessive punishment.
I just want my job back, Mrs. Thornton said Wednesday. I have had very good community support.
She said she plans to hire a new attorney and continue her legal battle.
The firing, she said, was prompted by a personality clash with School Superintendent Suzanne L. Kelly.
Everything was blown out of proportion, Mrs. Thornton said. The very same things I was fired for are still going on.
Ms. Kelly said the Appellate Courts decision supports the boards decision to fire Mrs. Thornton, who was employed by the district for roughly 22 years.
It validates what was done and that proper procedures were followed, the superintendent said.
Ms. Kelly said shes unaware of other bus employees violating record-keeping or other procedures.
After working as a bus driver since 1989, Mrs. Thornton was promoted to the position of senior bus driver in 2006. The position entailed supervisory and administrative duties including record keeping.
In 2010 the district eliminated the senior bus driver position and Mrs. Thornton returned to her job as a bus driver.
District officials allege that after she returned to the bus driver job they discovered Ms. Thornton had failed to complete required records for the 2009-10 school year.
After an investigation, the district charged her with nine counts of incompetence and misconduct for allegedly failing to properly complete and maintain records required by several state agencies.
She was also accused of providing bus drivers with advance notice of random drug and alcohol testing and sending a disparaging email about the school district to transportation supervisors in other districts.
Following a hearing pursuant to Civil Service Law Article 75, a hearing officer found Mrs. Thornton guilty of of seven charges and recommended she be discharged. The district adopted the findings and fired Mrs. Thornton in January 2011.
In response, Mrs. Thornton filed an Article 78 proceeding against the district, which was dismissed by State Supreme Court. Through an attorney provided by her union, Paul Clayton, Albany, Mrs. Thornton appealed that decision.
In its written decision, the Appellate Court said it was unpersuaded by Mrs. Thorntons argument that in light of her unblemished record as a bus driver she should not be fired for actions that allegedly took place while she was still in a supervisors position because those duties are not part of her work as a bus driver.
The panel of four justices said Mrs. Thorntons actions raise concerns about her conscientiousness, judgment and professionalism.
According to the courts written decision, Mrs. Thornton acknowledged before she left the senior bus driver position in August 2010 that she had forgotten to maintain certain required certifications for the school districts bus drivers for nearly a year. As a senior bus driver, Mrs. Thornton was paid roughly $38,000 with her salary dropping to an estimated $17,000 when she returned to her bus driver position.
Instead of maintaining the records, Mrs. Thornton wrote a note to her successor, put it in a drawer and left for vacation, according to the Appellate Court ruling.
This failure, not discovered until just before school was scheduled to reopen in September 2010, necessitated last-minute testing and certification of the drivers on an emergency basis and nearly prevented the opening of school, the decision states.
It also placed the district at risk of losing state transportation aid and placed the district at risk of fines and other legal and financial consequences, according to school district employees who testified at the hearing.
Most seriously, the Appellate Court wrote, the safety of the school districts students was jeopardized by Mrs. Thorntons warnings to drivers of the dates of random drug and alcohol tests.
Thus, we find that petitioners termination was neither disproportionate to her conduct nor to the risk of harm it posed to the school district and we will not disturb it, the decision states.
Mrs. Thornton said she told bus drivers a few hours in advance that they would be drug and alcohol tested, which would not have affected their results.
They wouldnt know days in advance because I didnt know, she said. It was hours, not days in advance, and it wouldnt have made a difference.
Ms. Thornton said some bus drivers are still being notified in advance of their drug and alcohol testing.
Ms. Kelly said, No such concerns hve been brought to my attention.
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While unemployment nationwide remains above nine percent in the United States, the State Department continues to bring in foreign exchange students to work for American employers. And at least some of the students aren't happy about it when they get here.
More than 100 student workers walked off the job for the second straight day yesterday and gathered in front of the Hershey Story Museum in downtown Hershey, Pennsylvania, for a protest demonstration over pay and working conditions at the candy maker's Eastern Distribution Center III in nearby Palmyra. About 400 exchange students from as far away as China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Turkey, and Romania are employed for the summer at the plant, at wages ranging from $7.25 to $8.35 an hour. But several of the protestors said lifting heavy boxes in a warehouse all day is not what they expected and that the payroll deductions, including rent for the mandatory company housing, leaves them with barely enough to live on.
"I pick up boxes that are 40 pounds — I weigh 95 pounds," Yana Bzengney, a 19-year-old student from Ukraine, told the Patriot-News of Harrisburg. She paid $3,500 for the chance to come to the United States and to see the country and its people and maybe visit New York and Washington, D.C, she said. Instead, she has seen little more than the inside of the warehouse.
Click here to read the entire article.
Photo: A smoke stack of the Hershey chocolate plant is seen in Hershey, Pa.: AP


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BANGOR, Maine (NEWS CENTER) --- City police have now released the name of the man who was fatally stabbed Tuesday night at a housing complex in Bangor.
Investigators say 30-year-old Thomas Neil Taylor died last night after being stabbed in the chest. The investigation into his death is now being ruled a homicide. However, police say at this point no arrests have been made.
Authorities say they spent time interviewing several people who were at the Birch Circle housing complex Tuesday night. The complex is located off of Ohio Street.
Police say they were also able to locate a vehicle which was placed at the complex Tuesday. Those connected to it have also been identified and questioned.
Authorities say Taylor was stabbed Tuesday during some kind of altercation that took place outside of his apartment in the evening. Paramedics rushed him to Eastern Maine Medical Center where he later died.
On Wednesday, neighbors who knew him described Taylor as a kind man. He had been living at Birch Circle with his wife and two sons --- both of whom are young children.
"You'd always see him out here with his sons," said Katie Horton, who also lives in the complex, "whether he was strolling the other one in the cart or whatever...so it was just horrible...and I hope that his family is okay...and I wish the best for them."
"I'm shocked today," remarked neighbor Greg Martin, who lives only a few doors done from Taylor, "I mean I've lived here 12 years and in this building and in this neighborhood..we've never really had anything major...we're kinda all in shock and awe about this."
Bangor police say all parties interviewed in the case have been cooperating with them. Investigators have now turned the matter over to the Maine Attorney General's office, which will determine if any charges will be brought against anyone.
In the meantime anyone with any information on the incident is asked to contact the Bangor Police Department at (207)947-7382. You can leave an anonymous tip by pressing 6.


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TYR Alliance Team Backpack II
Product Information:
For a stylish bag to store all of your training essentials choose the TYR® Alliance Team™ Backpack II. Its larger dry compartment helps it dry fast, reducing unwanted odors. Its features also include reinforced inner pockets so your items stay safe and secure. Grab all your gear and head to the pool with the TYR® Alliance Team™ Backpack II!
- Goggle saver pocket on inside pouch
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Country of Origin: ImportedWeb ID: 4103143
Customer Reviews:
Rated 4.4 out of 5 by 12 reviewers.
Rated 1 out of 5 by Abbie Do not buy!!! We've had this bag for close to a year and the bottom has completely ripped from the body of the bag, rendering it useless. Customer service from TYR, the manufacturer, refuses to replace. Do not buy this bag! September 29, 2015
Rated 5 out of 5 by S.O. Nice bag I really like this bag. It's a very good size for the price, and it has lots of aerated pockets which is great for keeping swim gear exposed to the air, especially if you are not going home right away. January 18, 2014
Rated 5 out of 5 by MomInMO HUGE My high schooler uses the backpack to carry everything and it holds all of his stuff. Plenty of small pockets too. December 29, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by dude60 Great Pack. I like this a lot, it is light, big, fits my shoulders and back great, should have gotten one along time ago. I like the design of it, the mesh pockets are very handy and I hope that onyone reading this will seriously consider buying one. You must like a big main pouch and not to many inside pockets, but it stores allot and is very strong. November 30, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Dantheman Great Backpack This is a very cool backpack, larger than I expected but a great size. Holds everything for my grandson's soccer games & serves as a week end bag for myself. I would recommend this to anyone as a sports bag or a travel bag. June 26, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Nellie great for swim teams this is a good quality, sturdy bag. the botton is tough so the kids dragging it around the pool doesn't do too much damage. would buy another March 23, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Lynnear My daughter loves this bag! Quality pack, big enough for your gear plus big towels, vibrant colors, lots of pockets. December 19, 2012
Rated 3 out of 5 by Swim Chick Color is not accurate Color does not match photo. It is a great swim bag. November 18, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Shoe Great Product! I love TYR products. This is my first backpack. I love it! I use it for carrying my gear to the pool. I can leave my backpack poolside during workouts. The pockets are great for my wet gear.. My fav is the pocket for my wet swim suit! I have nothing poor to say. July 23, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Mo Perfect! Before my first triathlon, I was using a bucket to carry my swim gear--I had spent enough on the bike and the wetsuit! Now that I have decided to do more, I bought this bag. I can now haul all my gear to work on my motorcycle and hit the pool on the way home. Beats using all the gas my SUV uses! The bag looks HUGE, but it's very comfortable and has lots of compartments. I would definitely recommend this bag! July 15, 2012


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Need a hand with yard work? Garden hands pick up leaves, grass clippings, twigs and other debris better than your own two hands! Grab hold of these jumbo-sized claws and scoop away; they protect against cuts and scratches while keeping hands clean. Comb-like teeth grip plant trimmings and leave no mess behind. Durable, rinse-clean plastic. 20" L x 13½" W.
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ATLANTA - The Georgia Senate handed homeowners a mixed bag with two property tax bills that cleared the chamber Friday.
One would double the statewide homestead exemption. The second would fund a state property tax break worth about $200 to $300 per household this year but could scrap the state-funded grants in future fiscal years.
SAVANNAH - A year after he escaped badly burned from a huge blast at the nation's second-largest sugar refinery, Jamie Butler still needs physical therapy once a day to stretch the skin grafts on his arms, hands and legs.
He still takes painkillers. And he needs steroid injections to reduce scarring on his face, now covered by a black mask that applies healing pressure to the skin.
ATLANTA (AP) - The Georgia House has voted to adjourn in late March and possibly return in late June to give lawmakers flexibility to deal with a possible federal economic stimulus package.
The measure approved Friday allows them to meet three days a week through March 25 and then come back in late June if they need to amend their spending plan. Lawmakers are bound to a 40-day legislative session but don't have to meet consecutively.
BRUNSWICK - A judge refused to relocate the death penalty trial of a man charged in the sexual assault and murder of a 6-year-old Brunswick boy, but agreed to pick a jury from a county 90 miles away.
David Edenfield, 59, is scheduled to stand trial May 4 for the slaying of Christopher Michael Barrios, whose body was found wrapped in a trash bag by a roadside a week after he went missing from a mobile home park in March 2007.
ATLANTA - The Georgia Senate is set to vote on a transportation plan Tuesday that would allow residents to boost the sales tax to pay for road and transit projects.
The bill would permit regions to band together to charge a one-cent sales tax to fund transportation initiatives. Residents in the affected areas must vote to approve the tax hike.
ATLANTA - The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) reported today that the state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 8.1 percent in December, the highest rate in almost 26 years. The jobless rate was up 3.6 percentage points from 4.5 percent at this same time last year. The December unemployment rate was up seven-tenths of one percentage point from a revised 7.4 percent in November.
The last time Georgia posted a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate at this level was in March of 1983 when the rate was also 8.1 percent. The state rate remained above ...
ATLANTA - Georgia legislative leaders are returning to the Capitol to begin dealing with a $2 billion budget shortfall.
The General Assembly opened its 2009 session on Jan. 12. Lawmakers took Monday off for Martin Luther King Day and Tuesday for the inauguration of President Barack Obama.
SAVANNAH - Modular interior manufacturer DIRTT has announced plans to open a new assembly plant in Savannah.
The Canadian-based company said it plans to build an 81,000 square foot facility this spring.
ATLANTA - Governor Sonny Perdue today delivered his annual State of the State address before a joint session of the General Assembly detailing how the state continues to fulfill its core mission through challenging economic times. The Governor's Amended FY 2009 and FY 2010 budgets and policy initiatives continue his commitment to education, economic development and government transformation to deliver better value for the taxpayer's dollar.
ATLANTA - As promised, supporters of Sunday sales of alcohol in Georgia are renewing efforts to change Georgia's law.
A bill filed Tuesday by Republican Sen. Seth Harp of Midland says local governments could call elections to let voters decide if they want to allow Sunday sales of beer, wine and liquor at grocery, convenience and liquor stores.
ATLANTA - Gov. Sonny Perdue says he wants to reward Georgia principals and teachers who boost student achievement.
Perdue said Tuesday they would receive bonuses and merit pay.
The faltering economy's effects on Georgia's and expected cuts in state spending and benefits is the 500-pound gorilla sitting in area lawmakers' front rooms. They do have other fears and priorities for the 2009 General Assembly, which starts Monday. Here's how the sum up their plans and hopes:
ATLANTA (January 5, 2009) - A new Georgia law gives Internet users access to information on billions of dollars in state spending. The "Transparency in Government Act" authored by Senator Chip Rogers requires state spending information be placed on a searchable website allowing Georgia taxpayers easy access to where their tax dollars are being spent.
"This is a great day for Georgia taxpayers. We have taken a major step toward transparent and easily accessible accounting information of how every state tax dollar is spent," said Senator Rogers. "The very best way to prevent wasteful government spending is to let those paying ...
Saturday, U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston will have his annual Friends of Jack Kingston Barbecue. This year's is in Long County.
Claxton City Councilman Jerome Woody was indicted today on 25 counts of acquiring or obtaining a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge, according to Edmund A. Booth Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
Presidential hopeful Ben Carson incited controversy last month when stating he "would not advocate" a Muslim becoming president, according to The Guardian.
A recent study indicated the age listed on people's birth certificates might not matter as much as another figure: the age of people's ...
People often say only God can judge them, when it all comes down to it.
In a push to pass legislation, 18 Florida lawmakers hope limiting their spending to $17 a day will show those on both sides of the ...
A new study suggests pregnant women diagnosed with cancer — a group having to make difficult decisions in regards to delivering children — don't need to ...
Low pay isn't the only aspect that makes experienced and new teachers alike question if they can stay in education.
What started as standard red-inked feedback in regards to a class assignment morphed into another rendition of the debate over cursive writing when a teacher ...
Consumers purchased 13 million of Apple's iPhone 6s and 6s Pluses since Friday, setting a record, according to Reuters.
With two workplace advancements going viral this week, there's a chance you could take a nap at your desk in the near future — or ...
SEATTLE — A Washington state real estate ad pitting working moms against child-free men is going viral.
What kids see in film and TV heavily influences them, and the top children's costumes for Halloween 2015 prove as much, according to Consumer ...
It wasn't too far different from other parent-child talks about etiquette in public places — except for one detail: the kid gave the lesson with ...
When it comes to smiling, babies expect a little something in return — especially from mom and dad, according to a new study.
Lewis Mandell got an allowance as a kid.
The United Nations is meeting this week to set new benchmarks on eradicating extreme poverty. Sub-Saharan Africa will, yet again, be a particular concern. While ...
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The beginning of MLS scheduling season came and went today with the announcement of all team's First Kick and Home Opening matches for the 2013 campaign.
Praise to the heavens, for the first time in four years, the Fire won't be charged with opening up a new stadium but that's likely only because no new MLS grounds are set to open until 2014. See you then, San Jose.
In case you missed it, the Fire open up at two-time defending MLS Cup champions on Sunday, March 3 before returning home to host the New England Revolution for Opening Day at Toyota Park on Saturday, March 9.
Because Sporting KC opens up their first two matches on the road, we also found out that the Fire will be their opponent when they open their third season at LiveStrong Sporting Park on March 16.
Some interesting things you should know about the team's first three games and opponents…
· If you felt a slight frost come over you with today's announcement, it's because both the March 3 First Kick match and March 9 Opening Day game will be the earliest competitive matches in club history.
· The earliest game in Fire history came in a CONCACAF Champions Cup match on March 16, 2002 at Guatemalan side CSD Municipal as the Men in Red used a 55th minute goal from Dema Kovalenko to take the first leg 1-0.
· The earliest home game in Fire history also came in the return leg four days later when Ante Razov and Carlos Bocanegra scored to give the Fire a 3-0 aggregate win and push them to the next round of the tournament.
· The Fire have actually played four of the team's previous 15 home openers against New England, going 3-0-1 against the Revolution (2003: 1-1 draw, 2006: 3-3 draw, 2007: 1-0 win, 2008: 4-0 win)
· The Fire have faced at least one of their three opening opponents in 2013 in their first three matches 10 times out of 15 seasons.
· Much like the team opened up at home three years in a row against New England, they also had a spell between 1998-2000 that saw them face Kansas City in one of their first three matches of the year. In total, they've played Kansas City six times (1998, '99, '00, '03, '04, '11) inside their first three games of the season, going 3-2-1 in those instances.
· The First Kick match on March 3 marks the first time the Fire will open up a season against the LA Galaxy. It also marks the first time in club history the Fire will kickoff against the previous season's MLS Cup champion.
· Overall, the Fire are a combined 5-3-4 when facing the three sides in their first three regular season matches of a campaign.
So what do you think of the first three matchups? What date are you picking in the "Full Schedule Release" pool?
While the MLS offseason continues to grow shorter and shorter, at times it can be slightly boring compared to the fast-paced nature of what comes from January to October (and hopefully November).
With #cf97withdrawals inhabiting my brain as I await the very big schedule announcement that will allow me to figure out what away cities I'd like to visit, I did have one thought and request from Major League Soccer…
WATCH: Nyarko's Blast from Distance (10/27/2012)
Over the last three seasons, MLS has found a way to schedule a match between the Fire and D.C. United in October and whether deserved or not, to their credit those games have always been memorable…
In 2010, the Fire's last home game came against United, with perhaps the 0-0 draw being overshadowed by American soccer legend Brian McBride taking his final bow in his hometown of Chicago.
In 2011, who could forget the Fire's incredible, "Capitol Comeback" which saw the team score two stoppage time goals to win the match after just conceding a Dwayne DeRosario penalty kick at RFK?
The 1-1 draw between the teams this past October was less memorable because of the result but still provided some excellent moments. Among them, Patrick Nyarko's stunning goal from distance in the first half as well as the Fire's late barrage on United goalkeeper Bill Hamid with playoff positioning on the line.
Maybe it's just dumb luck or the MLS scheduling computer has psychic powers but each instance has provided moments that fans of at least one team won't forget.
With that in mind, my request to the MLS league office as well as United:
Keep things going for 2013 and have the Fire host D.C. on Friday, October 25 to mark the 15 year anniversary of MLS Cup 1998. Why not package it as one of NBC Sports Network's Friday night broadcasts?
With both teams showing reinvigorated form this past season, coupled with the famous Austin Berry/Nick DeLeon Rookie of the Year battle, perhaps the flames of rivalry that waned over recent years have been fanned once again.
Even better, Frank Klopas and Ben Olsen both played against each other in the match as did Josh Wolff who now serves as an assistant in D.C.
The storylines going in would be as good as any and if there's as much to play for as when the two sides met this past October, it would have all the makings of being another memorable game, one that the Fire would hopefully win 2-0.
The openers are set to be announced any day now but there's plenty of time to make something like this happen before the full schedule release.
Hopefully we can see it happen.
WATCH: The Run to MLS Cup '98
Happy 12/12/12!
What better way to celebrate the day then by taking a look back at the men who have worn 12 for the Chicago Fire Soccer Club…
Ante Razov (#12 from 1998-99)
Ante began what would go on to be an illustrious club goal-scoring record wearing 12 in his first two seasons in Chicago. As he did almost every season he was with the Fire, the young striker led the team in goals across all competitions both years he wore the number, tallying 11 to go with an apt 12 assists in 1998 before bagging 18 and seven assists the following season.
In all, Razov wore the number 12 in 75 competitive matches over the two seasons before Jerzy Podbrozny's departure allowed him to switch to the number 9 for the 2000 seaosn.
Carlos Bocanegra (#12 in 2000)
Many forget that the future U.S. Men's National Team captain, who came to wear lower defensive numbers later in his career, began his rookie season in 2000 with the number 12.
It would suit Boca well, as he tallied one goal and one assist in 39 competitive matches, en route to helping the Fire to the 2000 U.S. Open Cup title, an MLS Cup final appearance and that season's Rookie of the Year honors.
Following Sam George's retirement in early November 2000, Bocanegra would switch to the number 4, wearing it until his departure for Fulham following the 2003 MLS season.
Justin Evans (#12 in 2001)
In 2000, midfielder Justin Evans had been a Fire call-up from the A-League's Pittsburgh Riverhounds when national team commitments left Bob Bradley with a thin lineup. The following season, the Fire actually selected Evans in the MLS SuperDraft with the defensive midfielder appearing in seven competitive matches wearing the number 12 that year.
In July 2001, he was traded to Dallas for future considerations and would go on to have a fruitful career in USL and indoor leagues. Evans has been the head coach of the Riverhounds since 2010.
Logan Pause (#12 from 2003-06, 2010-present)
After the 12 shirt sat vacant during the 2002 season, Fire rookie midfielder Logan Pause would begin occupying it the following season. In his first stint with the number, the defensive midfielder and sometimes right back would make 117 appearances, tallying five assists and would go on to win the 2003 and 2006 U.S. Open Cups as well as the 2003 MLS Supporters Shield.
Sometime between the end of 2006 and start of 2007, Pause switched to the number 7, wearing it for three seasons before switching back to 12 in 2010.
I asked Logan about the reasons behind the switch earlier this year and perhaps channeling Yogi Berra just a tad he responded saying, "At the time I felt more like a number seven and around 2010 I felt like a number 12 again."
Pause has worn the number each of the last three seasons, scoring two of his three career goals while in it. Much like he's one of the longest all-time tenured members of the club, Pause has occupied the 12 longer than any other Fire player, wearing it in 211 competitive matches across seven seasons.
Paulo Wanchope (#12 in 2007)
The legendary Costa Rican striker joined the Fire from FC Tokyo midway through 2007 and wore the 12 shirt in 13 matches that season, scoring two goals before bringing an end to his illustrious career.
Patrick Nyarko (#12 in 2008)
Much like forgetting Bocanegra wore the shirt, I'd forgotten Patrick Nyarko briefly suited up as #12 during his rookie year of 2008. This is perhaps because Nyarko didn't play for the Fire in the first half of the season as he finished his degree at Virginia Tech.
Before moving to the number 14 the following season, Nyarko tallied his first-ever goal in the 12 shirt, scoring the lone strike in a 1-0 home win over Chivas USA on August 2, 2008.
When we unveiled the #Fire15 players list in conjunction with the club's 15th anniversary earlier this year, I spoke about how spectacular most of the goals Marco Pappa scored in a Fire uniform were. Off the top of my head, I can think of only three that the Guatemalan scored from inside of the box in his five seasons in Chicago.
Since the Fire Goal of the Year tournament began in 2010, Pappa has always had at least one entry make the final four with the current Heerenveen midfielder getting there with high margin defeats of his early-round opponents.
Ironically enough though, that support seems to wane in later rounds.
In 2010, Pappa's bending strike against San Jose (which went on to win MLS Goal of the Year) was narrowly defeated in the final by Logan Pause's equally stunning long-distance bomb at Toronto.
Last year, Pappa's hat trick clincher at Real Salt Lake (one of his four entries in the tournament that year) fell at the semi-final stage to the now legendary long-distance blast "through the guise of smoke" from Jalil Anibaba in an early round U.S. Open Cup qualifier vs. Colorado.
At the very least, it's an interesting phenomenon.
I say that because having managed the Fire Facebook and Twitter accounts for nearly three years, there is no player that evoked as much consistent response in terms of Likes, Retweets and web traffic then Marco. An update on his play in a friendly with Guatemala, a photo of him from training or even a post about another player would even bring a comment or six about "El Chapin del Fuego".
With Pappa no longer a member of the Fire, this has all died down a bit but how ironic when you consider that his latest defeat came against a player that could take on the mantel of sentimental popularity in 2012 MLS Rookie of the Year Austin Berry.
Berry has barnstormed to today's final, where he's facing down another fan favorite in the team's 2012 MVP Chris Rolfe and his stunning quick kick in little space (9/22 vs. Columbus).
While Rolfe's goal could have been a number one seed (his strike vs. San Jose was), neither of today's finalists were top seeds in their respective brackets. As we learn every November, anyone can win.
As we have when deciding the top 15 players, goals and matches in Fire history or just putting fans on season tickets, we at Chicago-Fire.com feel it most important to utilize fan input and engagement in determining valuable pieces of our club.
Happy voting everyone!
It's been exactly 23 days since I last did a Five Things article. Just because there won't be another Fire game until sometime in January doesn't mean this great piece of content can't be repurposed with a little holiday twist... With that, I give you "Five Fire-related Things I'm Thankful For..."
1) MLS Live – In my opinion, perhaps the most significant technological success Major League Soccer has had in 17 seasons. MLS Live is reliable, affordable and provides an absolutely crystal clear picture of up to 230 games that don't involve the Chicago Fire.
While it was great to see the league sign a deal with NBC Sports this past year, with 19 teams now in the league, the peacock, ESPN and Univision networks simply can't carry every game nationally. What's more, the product even got better from 2011 to 2012 providing more interactivity.
Trust me when I say that the Playoff Math pieces that you all loved this fall wouldn't have been accomplished quite as easy without MLS Live. Now if only they can turn the corner on local blackouts...Something to improve upon for next year perhaps?
2) The Chicago Fire PR and Digital Team – My job sort of fits me into both categories but the two sides almost always work hand in hand. There's never an idea too wacky or too out of bounds for us to go after…
Get Logan Pause to eat a million Chewy bars to launch a Quaker jersey? Uh huh.
Pester an MLS owner to change his stadium's flag policy? Sure, why not.
Create a Twitter campaign to beat the Crew in the digital realm? Of course.
Create another campaign to potentially get Pat Nyarko on the All-Star Team? Yup.
Partner with Quaker to help Austin Berry win Rookie of the Year? Did that.
Dress up as eachother to ease tensions ahead of a Halloween playoff game? And that.
Stupidly race Dominic Oduro with a jelly doughnut on the line? Sure.
Risk suffocation by jumping in a large equipment bag for a blog promo? Still can't breathe.
Interviewing a stuffed tiger during for a live blog piece to Columbus? Roar.
The list goes on and on but I just have to say I'm proud to be a part of this team. Thanks Emigdio, Brendan, Eunice, Leo, Nick and all of our trusted interns over the past year.
3) The Chicago Fire First Team – Getting to work with professional athletes on a daily basis is a fan boy's dream. With that said, athletes don't always reciprocate with the same feelings.
That isn't the case with the Fire where there is a true sense of family that emanates from the locker room. From Frank and his staff, to stars like Arne Friedrich, Pavel Pardo and Logan Pause all the way down the roster, these guys are a pleasure to work with.
To all the players and staff, I appreciate your tolerance of a digital recorder often being in your face.
4) Having my own tifo – I've checked with the MLS Team Writer's Union and discovered I'm alone among my counterparts when it comes to having their own dedicated two-pole display. Contrary to popular belief, my favorite song is not Fun's "We Are Young" though I do think it's an appropriate song to be sung at Fire games (just need to work on timing).
To the few fans (you know who you are) that took this from conception, made it a reality and hoisted this as my birthday present from the Section back on July 8, you are truly amazing.
Every time I see the two-pole and hear that song, I get chills, so thank you.
5)Traveling and getting to know Fire supporters – I was able to take in 11 of the team's 18 road matches in person this season. While I was working at some, I was a fan at seven of those games. Those matches provided me a nice release that I don't get to have at Toyota Park -- mainly the opportunity to scream, shout and support the guys I work with on a daily basis.
Beyond just taking a game in, I came to appreciate the camaraderie that is formed by fans on the road. There's something to be said for what a nine-hour bus ride to Toronto or Kansas City to bring folks together.
Even better are the times where the away city is so far away that you are FORCED to spend a night out on the town in a fun city such as Montreal before cramming six people into a tiny hotel room (not to say this ever happened…).
When you work for a club, you don't ever really feel like you're not part of it. However, I've gained even more love for the Chicago Fire by returning to my roots as a fan and getting to better know and understand this club's most ardent supporters. If you can travel away next year, please do!
There are plenty of other things I'm thankful for but you'd be here all day.
Happy Thanksgiving Fire Fans!
As was widely expected, Fire defender Austin Berry was named as a finalist for 2012 MLS Rookie of the Year Thursday along with former Louisville teammate and D.C. United midfielder Nick DeLeon and Vancouver Whitecaps forward Darren Mattocks.
Austin becomes the first Fire player since Chris Rolfe in 2005 to be a finalist for the award and sixth for the club all-time. Here's a breakdown of the rookie seasons the others had…
Josh Wolff (1998) – As a member of Nike Project 40 (the precursor to Generation adidas), Wolff (right)played only part-time with the Fire appearing starting just four of his 14 appearances. It didn't keep him from tying for the then rookie goal scoring record with Jeff Cunningham, tallying eight goals and three assists en route to helping the team to the 1998 MLS Cup double.
In a strange twist of fate, Wolff was a finalist with future Chicago Fire player Andy Williams (Columbus) and his future boss Ben Olsen (D.C. United). Olsen would go on to win the award and ironically enough Wolff serves as a player/assistant coach under him at the moment…
Carlos Bocanegra (2000) – Left on the bench as the team went 1-3-0 through their first four matches, Bocanegra was used in 27 of the team's remaining 28 matches, helping the team to the Central Division title and a tie for the most points in MLS that season. Boca would also help the Fire to the MLS Cup final where they dropped a 1-0 result to Kansas City but would have to miss playing in that year's U.S. Open Cup final win after being sent off in the semi-final against LA.
In the only all-defensive Rookie of the Year finalist class in MLS' 17 year history, Bocanegra went up against former UCLA teammate Danny Califf (LA Galaxy) and Kansas City's Nick Garcia. Though he tallied just a goal and two assists on the campaign, Bocanegra's play outshined the others as he became the first Fire player to win the Rookie of the Year award.
Kelly Gray (2002) – The fifth overall pick for the Fire in the 2002 MLS SuperDraft, Kelly Gray played mostly as a winger during his first season in Chicago. The University of Portland product would go on to tally two goals and five assists across 27 of the team's 28 matches to cap a strong rookie season.
Gray would go up against other finalists in midfielders Kyle Martino (Columbus) and Brad Davis (MetroStars) and though he and Martino shared the exact same number of goals and assists, the Crew midfielder likely won because he achieved his numbers in less matches played (22 to 27)…
Damani Ralph (2003) – Though he wasn't even the first forward the Fire would select in 2003, future Jamaican international Damani Ralph set the highest bar for MLS rookies by tallying 11 goals and six assists en route to helping the Fire to the club's first and only Supporter's Shield as well as a trip back to MLS Cup and scoring the game-winner to clinch that year's U.S. Open Cup.
Teaming with Ante Razov after the departure of Josh Wolff in the offseason, the pair didn't skip a beat, combining for 25 of the team's 53 goals and contributing 12 assists.
Ralph went up against New England attacker Pat Noonan and MetroStars holding midfielder Ricardo Clark for the award. Though Noonan had near identical stats to Ralph (10 goals, 7 assists), the Fire forward made bigger contributions in helping his side to the regular season title and deservedly earned the award.
Chris Rolfe (2005) – One of the lowest drafted Rookie of the Year finalists in league history, Rolfe picked up the load left in the wake of Damani Ralph and Ante Razov's exit and surprised many by leading the team in goals with eight, adding five assists in the process.
The club's future second all-time leading goal scorer's competition would be Kansas City forward Scott Sealy (nine goals, two assists) and New England defender Michael Parkhurst. Though he didn't have the stats, Parkhurst appeared in all of the Revolution's 32 regular season matches and was long the consensus favorite to win the award.
Austin Berry (2012) – Since making his first Fire appearance back on May 4, defender Austin Berry would go on to play in 28 consecutive regular season matches, tallying three goals in the process. It was in that 2-1 win over Chivas where Berry showed his resolve, conceding a penalty early on only to score minutes later. With that goal, he became just the eighth player in club history to tally in his first Fire appearance.
On the defensive end, Austin formed a solid partnership in the middle of defense with Arne Friedrich, helping the Fire tie for the second best defensive record in the league.
Berry is the only defender among the finalists, joining D.C. United's Nick DeLeon and Vancouver's Darren Mattocks. DeLeon tallied six goals and four assists in a season where his form certainly dipped midway while some of Mattocks' seven were highlight reel strikes but the Jamaican international disappeared in the second half of the season.
Based on play throughout the 2012 regular season, Berry should be the winner but the voters are fickle… We'll find out on Monday.
Following Wednesday's disappointing knockout round exit to Houston, taking in the rest of the MLS Cup playoffs this weekend didn't sit all the way at the top of my "want to do" list.
Being the seasoned Team Writer that I am, I decided it was a good idea to take in the four games from Friday to Sunday…
Real Salt Lake 0, Seattle Sounders 0 – Friday
With the Fire out, I have to say there are few teams in the league I would feel alright about winning MLS Cup and you know the Sounders do not fall in that category for me.
On the flip side, RSL has Fire legend C.J. Brown, defender Kwame Watson-Siriboe and even former Fire beat writer Sam Stejskal slingin' PR in Sandy, so if someone has to win MLS Cup, I wouldn't mind for it to be our friends from the Sawatch Front?
Playing on the Seattle Seahawks outlined pitch at CenturyLink Field Friday night, it was Nick Rimando who stood tall in net, making five big saves for RSL and even suffering a broken nose and laceration in the 67th minute after a collision with the Sounders Christian Tiffert.
The display left RSL head coach Jason Kreis to say, "I think it would have to go down as one of the best individual performances by any player that's ever worn an RSL jersey."
In my opinion, Rimando's historic performance will likely go down as one of the best ever in MLS postseason play.
In the end, RSL escaped Seattle with a 0-0 draw and head back to the friendly confines of Rio Tinto Stadium for Thursday night's second leg.
D.C. United 1, New York Red Bulls 1 – Saturday
Knowing that one point at any time during the regular season would have had the Fire playing in this series, I had the most trouble watching this game of any during the weekend. With that said, it was nice to see D.C. switch home legs with New York after Hurricane Sandy left Red Bull Arena unplayable for the weekend.
WATCH: D.C. United 1, New York Red Bulls 1
Come the 33rd minute of the tie, United looked to be in good shape when Red Bull defender Connor Lade was whistled for a handball in the box, forcing referee Jair Marrufo to point to the spot. Chris Pontius' take however wasn't the greatest, allowing Red Bull 'keeper Luis Robles to make one of his five saves on the night.
Despite the save, United would get on the board just after the hour mark when Chris Korb's dangerous cross to the six left Red Bull's Roy Miller with an attempted clear, instead roofing into the top of his own net.
In what seemed to be a comedy of errors, Red Bull would pull level with a United own goal just four minutes later. Off a corner kick from the right, defender Heath Pearce headed the ball back across goal, catching United goalkeeper Bill Hamid wrong footed before catching the ball inside his own goal and clearly across the line.
Perhaps most comical was Hamid's insistence that he'd been fouled on the play. A replay shows Red Bull defender Markus Holgersson ducking even as United's Dejan Jakovic is pushing him towards Hamid.
Own goals aside, the story of the match would be DC right back Andy Najar's sending off in the 71st minute. Shown a yellow card for his foul on Joel Lindpere in the 71st minute, the Honduran international threw the ball at Maruffo, forcing the referee to show the Honduran international a second yellow and then a red card, forcing United to play a man down the final 19+ minutes of the match.
United will definitely be without Najar as they head back to Red Bull Arena for leg two and if they advance, it's a fair bet they could lose him throughout a potential Eastern Conference Final series.
Houston Dynamo 2, Sporting Kansas City 0 – Sunday
In the surprise of the weekend, Houston came away with a dominant 2-0 victory over Sporting KC in leg one of their Eastern Conference semifinal series at BBVA Compass Stadium.
WATCH: Houston Dynamo 2, Sporting KC 0
Having defeated the Fire 2-1 on Wednesday night, the Dynamo were charged by the partisan crowd in Houston and went ahead in the 18th minute off of Adam Moffat's wonder-volley from outside the area.
On the other side of halftime, Will Bruin would score his third goal in two playoff matches, connecting once again with former Fire striker Calen Carr to seal the 2-0 victory in the 75th minute.
It's interesting to note that though the two sides finished even with 13 shots each, the Dynamo held just a 2-1 advantage in shots on goal, finishing both of their attempts for the win.
Houston can now go to LiveStrong Sporting Park on Wednesday, lose 1-0 and still advance to the Eastern Conference finals, knocking out the team with the second best record in the process…
San Jose Earthquakes 1, LA Galaxy 0 – Sunday
While the Dynamo didn't look like they'd played at midweek, the LA Galaxy certainly did, looking tired a times throughout Sunday night's home encounter.
Despite that, LA threatened just as much as San Jose but as so many other teams have this season, would fall victim to a late, late Earthquakes goal.
This time the marker would come from Honduran midfielder Victor Bernardez, who hit a low free kick underneath the jumping Omar Gonzalez and past Josh Saunders in the 94th minute, allowing the Quakes to stick with their "Goonies never say die" tagline.
The star-studded Galaxy will have a tall but not impossible order to overcome the 1-0 deficit in Wednesday's second leg at San Jose…
Second Leg Picks
New York Red Bulls 2, D.C. United 1 (NY Advances)
Sporting KC 2, Houston Dynamo 1( HOU Advances)
Real Salt Lake 2, Seattle 1 (RSL Advances)
San Jose Earthquakes 1, LA Galaxy 1 (SJ Advances)
#2 New England Revolution vs. #3 Chicago Fire – Eastern Conference semi-finals (total goals)
Chicago Fire 1, New England Revolution 0 (Game 1)
Toyota Park; Bridgeview, Ill.
October 22, 2006
After finishing the regular season one point shy of second place New England, the Chicago Fire would welcome the Revolution in the first-ever playoff game at Toyota Park.
Despite being outshot 12-8, the Fire would find the game's only goal in the 35th minute when Justin Mapp's placed his left footed free kick over the Revolution wall and inside the right post.
Fire goalkeeper Matt Pickens would come up huge in goal, making eight saves to tie Zach Thornton's record for most in an MLS playoff game.
#2 New England Revolution vs. #3 Chicago Fire – Eastern Conference semi-finals (total goals)
New England Revolution 2 (4), Chicago Fire 1 (2) asdet (Game 2)
Gillette Stadium; Foxboro, Mass.
October 28, 2006
The Fire looked to have command of the series early on when Mapp beat his marker to the end line on the right before centering for Nate Jaqua who touched his effort past Matt Reis at the near post, taking the aggregate score to 2-0.
New England didn't relent though and pulled things level in the 41st minute when Andy Dorman helped put Joey Franchino into the box on the left. The Revolution captain quickly crossed and picked out Taylor Twellman whose shot beat Pickens inside the left post.
The Revolution continued to threaten after the break and would bring things level when Jeff Larentowicz's shot from outside the box was stopped by C.J. Brown but the ball deflected straight to Pat Noonan who calmly finished past Pickens, eventually sending the match to extra time.
Both teams traded blows in the overtime periods but couldn't convert, pushing the game to penalty kicks.
Fire midfielder Thiago would miss the first take while New England converted each of their first four. Ivan Guerrero stepped up and saw his low shot to the left saved by Reis leaving Taylor Twellman to send home the winning penalty and the Fire in the process.
WATCH: 2006 Eastern Conference Semifinal Leg 2
After going all the way to MLS Cup 2003, the Fire missed the postseason for the first time in club history the following year, losing 2-1 on the final day of the regular season at New England. The team regrouped and finished third in the East the following season, setting up another first round clash with D.C. United…
#2 D.C. United vs. #3 Chicago Fire – Eastern Conference semi-finals (total goals)
Chicago Fire 0, D.C. United 0 (Game 1)
Soldier Field, Chicago, Ill.
October 21, 2005
In what would be the club's final competitive match at Soldier Field, the Fire had the better of the play, outshooting D.C. 8-4 and holding United without a shot on goal.
In turn though, United played strategically, just trying to leave Chicago without a blemish and conceded only two shots on goal, both from Chris Rolfe in the 58th minute.
WATCH: Chicago Fire 4, D.C. United EC (Semi-final Leg 2)
United would get their wish, earning a 0-0 draw and leaving all to play for at RFK Stadium for the second leg nine days later.
Chicago Fire 4, D.C. United 0 (Game 2)
Soldier Field, Chicago, Ill.
October 30, 2005
United's plan for the series would backfire early on in Game #2 when Thiago's corner from left bounced through the six yard box to find Jack Stewart streaking in at the back post. The then-Fire rookie would tally one of only two goals in a Fire shirt, sneaking his header past Doug Warren in the 10th minute.
Just before the half, another Fire rookie would help make his mark. This time Chris Rolfe danced into the box on the left and chipped in a cross from the end line before Brandon Prideaux headed away. The ball fell perfectly for Ivan Guerrero and the club's 2005 MVP buried his left footed effort in the 37th minute.
Guerrero would show why he earned the award deep into first half stoppage time. Again Rolfe danced like a ballerina on the ball just outside the area before laying back for Guerrero who hit first-time blast that left Warren flat-footed as the ball sailed inside the left post.
#1 New England Revolution 1, #3 Chicago Fire 0 – Eastern Conference Final
Gillette Stadium; Foxboro, Mass.
November 6, 2005
The Fire and Revolution would begin a five-year consecutive streak of postseason meetings with the Eastern Conference final at Gillette and once again an early goal would play the part.
The Revs would go up 1-0 in the fourth minute when Daniel Henandez's ball over the top found Shalrie Joseph in the box on the right. The veteran midfielder hit a low effort towards the back post which connected with Clint Dempsey sliding through to give New England the lead.
A chippy first half made things difficult for either team to find the goal but Jack Stewart provided the best effort in the 45th minute when he ran through midfield before unleashing a low shot that just went wide of the right post.
The Fire came close again in the 63rd minute as Ivan Guerrero collected the ball on the left before cutting inside and hitting a blistering right-footed effort that Matt Reis punched away at the far post.
A minute later Chad Barrett and Thiago played a quick combination which saw the Brazilian blast a drive towards the left post that Reis did well to hang on to.
A number of dangerous crosses and displays of Reis rolling on the ground later, the Fire found themselves with an apparent equalizer in stoppage time when Thiago's forward ball out of midfield found Gonzalo Segares in stride and saw the rookie defender tap the ball past Reis and into the net.
Stepping out of the goal, Segares' immediate joy turned to disbelief as linesman George Gansner held his flag up on the sideline resulting in a number of Fire players to crowd him. In the melee, Segares' fellow countryman Andy Herron was red carded for dissent, effectively ending the Fire's chances of sending the match to overtime.
The replay would vindicate Gansner's call, showing Segares was just a shade past the Revolution backline when Thiago hit the ball, leaving the team to rue a missed opportunity at a fourth MLS Cup appearance in eight years.
WATCH: 2005 Eastern Conference Final
As we get set to complete yet another regular season, it donned on me yesterday to look back at this masterpiece that Fire defender Dan Gargan captured and put together with the help of MLS videographers Scott Riddell and Albert Lanzillo.
Shot throughout preseason and the team's opening day 1-1 draw at Montreal's nearly sold-out Olympic Stadium, Dan's video showcased the preparation and work the team went through to get to that very monumental game back in March.
Looking back on it now, one of the most striking things is seeing how much the Fire have changed since January as you see a number of faces that are no longer with the club while also being reminded of just how many new faces have been added over the course of the year.
More than that though, this beautiful video reminds me as a fan and a writer of the cautious optimism we all had going into the year. Back then, if you'd have told Fire fans that had experienced the previous two years the team would be playing for second place in the East on the final day of the, everyone would have taken it.
Flash forward to today and that's exactly where we are and yet we know the opportunities were there to go even higher.
Still, today the Fire play arguably the most important game at Toyota Park since the last time the team was in the postseason.
And so, re-watching this inspiring video is special to me for multiple reasons, but the most important is that it serves to remind how far this team has come in the three years I've been here but also the hard work that was put it back in January to get to this point.
Before heading out to Toyota Park today, take 2 minutes and 23 seconds out of your regular pre-game ritual, watch this video, and soak in how far this team has come in 2012.


text:
Democratic News
Washington, D.C. – Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., called for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to allow the Northwest to maintain control over its power future, by providing flexibility regarding compliance with FERC's Order No. 1000 on transmission planning and cost allocations, in a letter sent today.
"As you know, the majority of the Northwest power system is composed of utilities that generally are not subject to FERC jurisdiction and that are the creation of, and subject to, state or federal statutes," Wyden wrote. "This makes the Order No. 1000 process akin to trying to hammer a square peg into a round hole for the Bonneville Power Administration and other governmental utilities."
Wyden asked FERC not to use the Order No. 1000 compliance process to attempt to take away the authority of Bonneville and other governmental utilities to decide what transmission they build in the Northwest and who pays for it. Instead, Wyden suggested the Commission show that it is truly committed to the principle of regional flexibility in the Order No. 1000 process.
Order No. 1000 is a FERC rule that changes transmission planning and cost allocation requirements applicable to transmission entities subject to its jurisdiction. The Commission initiated the Order No. 1000 rulemaking process in 2010. A final rule was issued in 2012 and FERC has shifted to consideration of compliance filings, including, in the Northwest, ColumbiaGrid.
The letter is below.


text:
Photo by Sang An
YIELD: Makes 4 servings
- 3 eggs
- 2/3 cup fresh orange juice
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
- 1/2 envelope unflavored gelatin
- 12 ounces frozen mixed berries
- 2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint plus 4 mint sprigs
In a glass bowl, whisk eggs, juice, zest and 1/4 cup sugar. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 inches of water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and set bowl over pan. (Bottom of bowl should sit above the water without touching it.) Cook egg mixture, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to coat a spoon, about 20 minutes. Whisk in gelatin until fully dissolved. Remove bowl from heat; pour curd evenly among four 5-ounce serving glasses; refrigerate until solid, about 2 hours. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, cook berries with remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, stirring occasionally, until berries break down, liquefy and start to bubble, about 10 minutes. In a bowl, strain one third of hot berry mixture; add cornstarch and whisk until fully dissolved. Pour juice-cornstarch mixture into same saucepan; cook over medium-high heat until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in chopped mint; let cool completely. Spoon berry sauce evenly over curd. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 24; remove from fridge 30 minutes before serving; garnish with mint sprigs.
Per serving: 215 calories, 4 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 39 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 7 g protein per serving
Nutritional analysis provided by Self


text:
Giovanna Mezzogiorno
From Italy
March 17, 2010
Vincere IFC Films Mid-August Lunch Zeitgeist Films Here, remarkably and remarkable, is a new film by Marco Bellocchio, a survivor of the Italian post-World War II directing galaxy. His first two films, Fist in His Pocket (1965) and China Is Near (1967), announced the arrival of a talented troublemaker. His subject was the bourgeois family in relation to a changing society--"the connection between the family and the wider political universe," the film historian Peter Bondanella said.


text:
MONTREAL 3 ISLANDERS 1Failure to backcheck costs NYI at least one point
10:20 pm, Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum: One breakdown was all it took, and now the Islanders have lost three straight games in regulation.
Struggling to keep up with the Canadiens for the first ten minutes of the game, the Islanders got their legs, turned it around and forced the majority of play for the next 40 minutes. But the Islanders' failure to get back on defense led to a 3-on-2 for the Canadiens and a goal by Benoit Pouliot at 7:19 of the third period to break a 1-1 tie.
"Lack of backcheck," Scott Gordon said about the game-winner that sunk his team to 4-4-2.
After creating space for himself by going after opponents and to the net hard, Matt Martin scored his first NHL goal when he converted a Frans Nielsen feed at the crease past Alex Auld at 16:45 of the second period. Tomas Plekanec opened the scoring with a power play goal just 2:42 into the game. Travis Moen closed it out with less than two minutes remaining in regulation.
John Tavares drew back-to-back penalties 17 seconds apart to Hal Gill and PK Subban to give the Islanders a 5-on-3 mid-second period. However, the Islanders failed to score.
Summarized Gordon: "At the end of the day, we couldn't find the back of the net."
1. Alex Auld – You have to tip your hat to a backup goaltender for playing his first game of the season and stopping 30 of 31 shots.
2. Roman Hamrlik – The ex-Isle may have lost a step, but plays smarter than ever. Logged a team-high 24:05.
3. Matt Martin – First NHL goal and a physical presence for most of his eleven minutes.
4. Tomas Plekanec – One goal, 12-8 at the faceoff dot and smooth playmaking.
5. Frans Nielsen – Not sure why he only got 15 minutes, while some struggling teammates played more than 20.
Honorable Mention: Josh Gorges – Montreal's stay-at-home dman is one of the game's most underrated players and leaders.
NYI Performance – 6: The latest heartbreaking lesson in the slow-and-steady rebuild: You can play great for two periods, but fail to finish and have one lazy breakdown, you can go home with zero points.
Special Teams – 3: The Islanders were 0-6 on the power play and allowed one power play goal on just two opportunities. As much as they moved the puck around well, failure to score on the 5-on-3 for 1:43 was a killer.
Goaltending – 6: Not the reason they lost, not good enough to help his team win, Dwayne Roloson stopped 23 of Montreal's 26 shots.
Opponent – 7: Montreal went with their backup goaltender, who played well, and took two points on the road. They struggled to execute against the Islanders' forecheck after the opening period, but they got what they came for.
Game/Event – 8: The influx of Canadiens fans the last few years have given these games a World Cup feel. Islanders fans can get their tickets for the next one, Dec. 26.
Crowd – The crowd of 11,922 included some loud and proud Canadiens fans close to the benches and penalty boxes and, it appeared, many Islanders fans still streaming into the Coliseum after the opening faceoff who took advantage of the $20 special.
Scott Gordon revealed after the game that Rick DiPietro will start in Philadelphia on Saturday. The Islanders have not won there in a while with DiPietro on the shelf, so perhaps this will change the karma.
Career-long defenseman Bruno Gervais played right wing on the fourth line for 6:08 with Jon Sim and Zenon Konopka. The last time Gervais played as a forward, briefly, was 14 years ago.
Matt Martin stirred the crowd by knocking 6-6 Canadiens defenseman Hal Gill on his seat twice with hits in the first period. Martin crunched Jaroslav Spacek into the boards in the second period…Matt Moulson took a shot from a teammates off his arm in the third period, but later returned to action.
NYI first power play unit: Parenteau – Tavares – Comeau, Wisniewski/Weight
2nd: Bailey – Nielsen – Moulson; Mottau/Martinek
Matt Martin
PA Parenteau
Comments on Friday's game.