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2008: Nick Lowe - Jesus of Cool
Every now and then, a "criminally overlooked" record gets picked up and re-released by a hip label to glowing reviews. The collective blogosphere, the music press, and rock lit nerds, anxious to latch onto a little piece of hidden history, are quick to extol said album's virtues and heap praise at its feet. It's easy to get desensitized to the whole process. I mean, can this "unknown classic" really be that great? If it's so amazing, why haven't I heard it?
Well, put your record industry mechanics aside, and let's cut straight to it: Nick Lowe's 1978 solo debut, Jesus of Cool is undoubtedly a rock 'n' pop masterpiece, and every single shining review you've read about it is right-freaking-on.
Perhaps you've noticed Nick Lowe's name on a few of your albums. A legendary knob twiddler, he's always been known as the man behind the boards on Elvis Costello's best records, as well as an in-house producer for Stiff Records, where his fast-paced recording style earned him the nickname "The Basher." But Lowe was a prominent performer in London's pub rock scene in addition to his production credits, playing bass and writing songs with Brinsley Schwartz, who's ruckus live shows paved the way for the burgeoning punk scene.
Cobbled together from various fly-by-night sessions and recorded on borrowed or stolen studio time, Jesus of Cool featured Nick flanked by a who's who of the London scene, featuring contributions from members of the Rumour, Larry Wallis (Motorhead, the Pink Faries), and longtime associate Dave Edmunds. The album was released in 1978 on Radar Records, former Stiff main-man Jake Rivera's new label, and was surrounded with ubiquitous sloganeering brought over from Stiff's ad department: "We've finally nailed the Jesus of Cool" read posters all over London. "The Jesus of Cool recordeth for your sins. The Jesus of Cool is a testament to the Church of Aural Sects."
Not surprisingly, "conservative" American audiences were given the same album under a different name (Pure Pop for Now People) and saw a slightly different tracklist. Fortunately, "Pure Pop" says as much about the album as the original title. With reckless abandon, Lowe tackles a variety of pop styles, and the results are exhilarating. We get tales of vicious show promoters sung through a Thin Lizzy-inspired lens and Jackson Five-style dancefloor pop that grinds its gears midway, launching into something like Paul McCartney's English reggae excursions.
"Tonight" recalls The Everly Brothers; "Rollers Show" chews the bubble gum of its subject matter, The Bay City Rollers; and "Heart of the City," recorded live, finds Lowe and company blasting their way through a straight-ahead rock tune with snarling punk rock intensity. It's not hard to see why audiences were more than a little confused with Jesus of Cool. It was too punk for the rockers, too rock for the punkers, too traditional for the new wavers, and too new wave for the pub-rockers.
Opener "Music for Money" chugs along with heavy menace, its lyrics reflecting Lowe's disdain for the music biz. "I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass," inspired by a trashed hotel room during a tour with Bad Company, is a perfect piece of new wave pop, it's bassline pogo-ing about while tinkling piano and syncopated drums dance around endlessly. Lowe's lyric "I love the sound of breaking glass/ Especially when I'm lonely" somehow manages to sound utterly goofy and poignant at the same time. The gleefully gruesome "Marie Provost" is similarly conflicted: a sly ditty about the silent film actresses' mutilation by her dogs, the track certainly sounds like it would appeal to a shock-hungry audience, yet Lowe sings over it with a wistfulness that paints a more complex picture -- at once sad, funny, and lonesome. It flew smoothly over the heads of the average listener.
Jesus of Cool is indeed Nick Lowe as pop prankster, but even more, it's Nick Lowe as pop fan -- a record collectors record: sonically all over the map, witty, charming, and fun without ever being easy. His later records maintained a master craftsman's quality, but would move in more subdued directions, embracing polite pop, rockabilly, and country sounds. "In those days I wasn't interested in creating serious art," Lowe states in Yep Roc's deluxe-edition liner notes. "I was much more interested in the mischief. I wanted to make music that was accessible, but just as you've hooked people in, you would screw it up and throw it across the room. I do regret it somewhat, but time was of the essence and it had to be disposable."
Lowe doesn't give himself enough credit. If Jesus of Cool is in fact disposable, then it can only be disposable in the best possible way.
2006: Los Lobos - The Town and The City
There's something very appealing – and to be immediately mistrusted – about the standard critical narrative of Los Lobos, a band that attained heights of popularity by perseverance and hard work, held onto their relevance through pure musicianship and, at 30 years going, continue to refine with every release. Certainly they've overcome a series of challenges, from a near-pigeonholing as "the Mexican-American band" to being continually confused with Los Lonely Boys (a slip that, speaking candidly, makes me want to stab myself). A critical reader who was unfamiliar with the band's work could be forgiven for harboring skepticism over new praise -- especially given the well-documented ability of narrative to overpower content, throw it out of the ring, and step on its throat -- and particularly in cases where aging artists are credited with a "return to form" or with "their strongest work yet," or anything along those lines.
It is with this expectation of skepticism in mind that I make the following statement: The Town and The City is the strongest, most focused work from Los Lobos yet. Moreover, in a year when national hysteria over immigration had begun boiling toward its present fever pitch, they made an album about the immigrant experience that crackles with feeling and relevance.
The Town and The City is located by a triptych of place-portraits. "The Valley" is an idyll from the perspective of a migrant farm worker, "The City" a breathless account of the splendor of urban America, and "The Town" a depiction of a poor neighborhood at dusk. These songs establish the feeling of movement and the allure and promise of what's beyond the horizon, as well as conjuring a faint hint of optimism to balance the darkness of many of the stories. Were it not for these establishing shots, the cynicism of "Don't Ask Why" and the plain desperation of "Hold On" might come to dominate the record – and those themes aren't the point. This isn't an album about hopelessness, only about hopes onto which, perhaps, too much is pinned. For example, the protagonist of the loping country-blues "Road to Gila Bend" is evidently leaving behind a whole life, but what comes across in the refrain ("Can they see me coming? Do they know I'm running?") isn't total resignation, but battered fight.
All of this sentiment would be wasted if it weren't for solid songs. Fortunately, Los Lobos grasped the current fashion for artiness in rock and turned in not only a set of catchy songs, but some of their prettiest, noisiest, and most experimental. I confess that in the past, I've been bored by some of their more traditional output – I'm simply not of a generation that can easily appreciate classicist strains in rock. I am cynical about blues pentatonics and doubly so about such shibboleths as tasteful noodling and impeccable guitar tone. The Town and The City won me over with sparkling cascades of delay ("The Valley"), blustering fuzz ("The Road to Gila Bend"), shiny, dream-pop organ (the retro-soul gem "Little Things"), and a rainbow-colored sheen on everything (particularly on "Chuco's Cumbia," a snappy Latin number that stands as one of their most fun songs to date).
That the music is cast after the themes and subject matter of the lyrics further removes The Town and The City from typical classicist exercises. "Chuco's Cumbia" is loaded with old Pachuco slang; "Hold On" is spare and dusty to match its strung-out subject; "The Town" is shaded with subdued, minor-key menace. Perez, Hidalgo, and Rosas evidently conceive of their songs as entire aesthetic experiences, which is a distinctly contemporary attitude when contrasted with other aged rockers, for whom subject matter is often treated like an afterthought – used either as an entry in an authenticity contest (hewing to the notion that the artist is always the subject), as a tedious formalist chore, or to make some cranky point with the full awareness that nobody is listening. Given the number of miles they've clocked, what's surprising about Los Lobos is the extent to which their songs continue to be treated as ends in themselves, rather than as exhibits in the case for the artist's relevance.
The Law of Rock Band Averages says that the next thing Los Lobos release will probably be an unpardonable dud. Of course, the whole appeal of the hard-work-and-perseverance narrative is in the way it implies that duds are the product of laziness or of style beating out substance, and not of the inevitability that talent eventually runs out. However, even if that winds up being the case – that is, if this is Los Lobos's final seminal statement – then they nevertheless deserve recognition as one of the longest running bands to defy the odds and remain in the stream of vital discourse.
1981: Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, and Paco De Lucia - Friday Night in San Francisco
It never gets fiercer in the high school cafeteria than during a good ol' Greatest Guitarist of All-Time Debate. In between sandwich bites, someone makes an innocent comment about Jack White being the all-time greatest and -- BOOM -- you instantly got yo' self lunchtime entertainment! The next thing you know, the kid with kind of long hair brings up Jimi; the angry kid wearing a black shirt makes his case for Kirk Hammett; the slacker kid in tie-dye throws Jerry Garcia in the mix; the kid with the older brothers mouths off about Yngwie Malmsteen; and inevitably, that lonely, awkward kid will come over and get worked up about John Petrucci.
Since American youth is typically enamored with the fastest and the loudest, the "greatest guitarists" normally come from the rock 'n' roll universe, unfortunately shortchanging the vast talent pool in other genres. I imagine that a high schooler would probably get punched in the crotch if, as a 15-year-old, he advocated for 1970s fusion jazz guitarists that (gasp!) his parents may have seen live. Unlike the "fastest is best" mentality of the rock world, jazz talent is typically merited upon rhythmic shifts, collaborative backing, and the melodic creativity of the improvisations. As solo artists, Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, and Paco De Lucia's music is not necessarily accessible by pre-driving license rock 'n' roll standards; but when in their collaborative trio, their shared tendency for constant, over-the-top one-upmanship should theoretically appeal to those who are enamored with guitar virtuosity. Especially on 1981 live album Friday in San Francisco, these three guitar greats transcend jazz stereotypes and rock out (acoustically) to make their respective cases for the greatest of all-time.
Originally recorded in late 1980, Al Di Meola (gypsy, Latin jazz legend) and John McLaughlin (fusion, electric jazz legend) teamed up with Paco De Lucia (Spanish flamenco legend) to record a live album and kickstart an ongoing joint tour. The five songs (the first four on the CD are from the actual concert, while the fifth is a studio recording thrown on the album for good luck) pair the trio in each possible twosome combination and together as a whole trio. Simply, Friday Night in San Francisco is a spectacular demonstration of what human beings can do with a guitar. The solos are mind-blowingly fast, the performance timing is tight, and even the backing Latin rhythmic guitar patterns are impressively difficult. Scales get climbed, strums become sonic blurs, and guess what – the assuredly laid-back (and probably culturally pompous) San Fran jazz crowd goes apeshit throughout the entire show! Careful not to take themselves TOO seriously, there are even lighthearted moments, such as Al and John's break into the "Pink Panther Theme" during the Chick Corea-composed "Short Tales of the Black Forest."
During its more user-friendly sections, Friday Night conjures tender images of drinking sangria on hot nights alongside Spanish cobblestone streets, all before transitioning to a frantic solo, faster and more extended than the one before. So, those who will most enjoy this album are other guitarists. In fact, the entire 41 minutes are tough to appreciate (and be passionate about) unless you have tried strumming an acoustic. Demonstrating a wide stylistic range, each song is based upon lovely melodies, but the album is not necessarily intended to be "beautiful;" if you want bachelor pad music, go purchase Di Meola's Elegant Gypsy. No, Friday Night is more akin to a "biggest is best" Las Vegas casino than a romantic European villa. From the first minute, Al, John, and Paco pull out all the stops – blazing past traditional flamenco/Latin jazz subtleties like patient buildups or overwrought dramatic tension in favor of cock-out showmanship.
Now, to keep up the high school debate theme, I've purposely avoided the nitty gritty guitar details of chromatics, melodic minors, and ethnic pentatonics that the "more Guitar Center than thou" crowd will use to rate this performance. Staying on our teenage level, I heard that Paco was, like, playing so fast that he literally burnt his fingertops off from all the string friction! Yuh huh! I read it online, assface! But seriously, playing an acoustic guitar in a live setting (without the benefit of amplification, excessive studio manipulation, or a backing band) is leaps and bounds more impressive than how most other "greatest guitarists" make their mark. Friday Night in San Francisco is the album that all young, aspiring guitarists should listen to right before they quit. No greater heights can be achieved on Meola, McLaughlin, and Lucia's instrument, so you might as well stop practicing and focus your efforts on accounting, dentistry, or another field where you stand at least a remote chance of making a mark some day.
1991: Teenage Fanclub - Bandwagonesque
I don't want to get into how or why Bandwagonesque beat Nevermind for Spin's Album of the Year, 1991. I don't want to discuss the obvious thematic similarities between the money bag and the baby with the dollar bill. And I'm not going to insist that, while Nevermind indeed shows some wrinkles 16 years after the fact (it's not particularly well-sequenced, and it drags a bit between "Drain You" and "Something In the Way"), Bandwagonesque is still pretty much perfect, because it's not.
In fact, when I decided I was going to cover a '90s power-pop album, I almost chose Matthew Sweet's Girlfriend, because I figured if I did Bandwagonesque I'd feel obliged to shovel through all that shit. It's a record a lot of people have made themselves forget about -- when Spin released their 25th anniversary top 100 list, they made damn sure they left it off. Their guilt, while regrettable, is understandable. This was 1991, the year of Loveless and Screamadelica, records that broke sonic barriers, records that screwed everything up for everyone. Bandwagonesque was derivative and retrogressive -- a ripoff, more or less, of classic Big Star, with a dash of Television's shredded guitar workouts.
What a beautiful ripoff it is, though. I remember watching Fanclub play "The Concept" on Saturday Night Live when I was but a mere boy and laughing out loud at the part that went: "She won't be forced against her will/ Says she don't do drugs but she does the pill." At the end of their performance, they all sort of hunched over and hopped around playing feedback for, like, 30 seconds. I was roughly 10 years old. I didn't know about grunge. I had no understanding of irony or artistic debt. I was sufficiently impressed.
And now I pause, fingers hovering over the keyboard. I'm almost finished with this album review, but have yet to actually review the album. It's just playing over on my Windows Media Player (which is what music critics do, by the way -- sit at the computer and listen to the record over and over again until something comes out; so now when any critic friend of yours starts talking about his or her "process," you can join in the conversation). What else can I write? Teenage Fanclub's music is near-impossible to intellectualize or describe without resorting to a batch of exhausted guitar adjectives -- sweet, crisp, crunchy, fuzzy, etc. The lyrics are inane. It's all trash, really. But Spin loved it.
1969: Lotti Golden - Motor-Cycle
I look forward to a time when labels will once again release hard-driving soul albums that play out like one long, campy musical. I guess R. Kelly's episodic soap opera "Trapped in the Closet Pts. 1-whatever" is sort of in the ballpark, but while Kels offers his own Serge Gainsbourgian lecherousness, Lotti Golden leads us into the bizarre excursions of the late-'60s underground freaks. So fertile was the music scene of that period that an album of restlessly epic roadhouse suites could be released on a major label.
Golden gets help on Motor-Cycle from an impeccably arranged Atlantic Records session band. They give the album a wall-of-sound heft when called for and lay the foundation, in the midst of all that brass, with a flawless, swinging rhythm team. Then, at key moments, the curtain goes up and they've got rows of saxes, trumpets, vibes, and churchfuckingbells behind them, and you begin to realize that this is not the same song and dance. Furthermore, everyone is committed never to repeat the same progression for more than, say, 30 seconds, but also knows that at some point the song will return to each segment, just to remind you how great it was the first time around.
So, there's that, and the emcee for this aberrant cabaret is Lotti Golden, nexus of the intemperate adventure starring a cast of sex fiends, drug addicts, and other proponents of the In The Now school of living. Motor-Cycle is exactly the sort of hazy deviant party you always hoped the late-'60s was. It plays out roughly like this: Lotti's got a thing for this kid Michael, who "lets me ride his motorcycle." But Michael's truth machine was starting to breakdown, so she heads to Fay's, the meet-up spot for her coterie of malcontents. Anabell's gonna be there, Silky's gonna be there, Billy is gonna drop by, Celia's gonna come by. But for Fay, whose French poodles keep her satisfied, it's her doctor's pills that keep her high, and she's in trouble with the meds.
"Hey man, did you hear what happened to Fay? Yeah, it's really a drag, what a bring-down. So where do you want to go? Rosie's? That's cool. Out of sight man, we'll dig it!"
And so the whole party up and moves to Rosie's. No pause for introspection on poor Fay's demise, no lessons learned, none of that crap; the good times must roll on. That's kind of the M.O. of Motor-Cycle. If something heavy happens, slow the music down for a second, give a wail, then move on. With a crowd this colorful, there's always another story to tell. Silky "had to get married quick in her mama's red dress in a civil courthouse in Georgia." Her baby was baptized on a Monday, an occasion for Lotti to sip milk from a champagne glass in the rain. Problem is, Silky's got a thing for drag queens, who have great parties but make shitty fathers. Silky wants a straight man this time, a real butch guy. A bit of soul searching ensues, but not enough to interrupt the groove. Fact is, that groove is so infectious and permeating that you really have to pay attention to pick up on all the freaky storylines. It's much simpler and just as pleasurable to latch onto that bass-line and horn hook and just ride along.
Motor-Cycle is that rare party record that's got a bizarre story behind it while still being a freak-show record that you can throw on at dance parties. To make a crude comparison, it's as if The Velvet Underground recorded for Motown. In short: debauchery with a beat. Dig it.
1971: String Cheese - String Cheese
After their 1971 debut album failed to register a blip in the marketplace, Chicago sextet String Cheese promptly faded away. Their failure is woeful, because with proper backing and encouragement, they could have been the next It's A Beautiful Day. Like that San Francisco band, String Cheese's sound was steeped in sparkling hippie subject matter, strongly delivered by chanteuse Sally Smaller and aided by the electric violin of Gregory Bloch. Unfortunately, their debut album was also their last.
12-string guitarist and co-vocalist Lawrence W. Wendelken wrote most of the songs on String Cheese, and there are some truly tasteful arrangements contained within. "Soul Of Man," for example, benefits from lush, live strings over folksy acoustic guitar picking and sparse drums, while a Larry and Sally duet muses on the winding road that is the human experience. Meanwhile, the harpsichord-led intro to "Woke Up This Morning" (not the theme to The Sopranos) comes straight out of a renaissance court, progressing to a summery, psychedelic electric sitar jam with lyricism glowing in sunshine-induced optimism. There is some serious talent on display here.
Sure, the electric guitar and bass on String Cheese sound more late-'70s than one would hope for, and the themes are a little vague considering America's involvement in an unjust war propelled by a criminal president, but another album or two surely would've worked the kinks out. C'est la vie, I suppose, and at least we have this Fallout reissue. There is nothing in the way of inflated liner notes or bonus tracks, but the new cover art is nice, the remastering has taken quite well, and it's the first time the album has made it to CD. The tape hiss and occasional pop noise are at worst minimally invasive and at best charming. It's doubtful you would ever find an original pressing that sounds better for less than $50, so this reissue might be your best bet. Consume this, lest ye be lactose intolerant.


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Brass stereotaxic apparatus, English, c 1905.
Image number: 10290010
Apparatus used by Sir Victor Horsley (1857-1916) and Richard Clarke, made by Swift & Son, London. This apparatus was used for pioneering experimental work on the physiology of the brain. It was used from 1905 in experiments to position needles inside the head of an animal, although by 1947 similar techniques were used on humans. In humans this field of application was broadly known as psychosurgery. Sir Victor Horsley was one of the earliest pioneers of neurosurgery.
- Image number:
- 10290010
- Credit:
- Science Museum/Science & Society Picture Library
- Date taken:
- 20 October 2003 12:48
- Image rights:
- Science Museum
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subset: commoncrawl


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The Dartmouth equestrian team has been competing in full force this fall, with notable improvement, and finished its season last weekend at a show on Cape Cod.
By placing second in the show sponsored by Boston University, the Big Green earned its highest place this year.
Dartmouth was in first place at the show until BU's top rider squeaked by with a win in the last division, boosting BU's score to 41. Dartmouth ended the day with 39.
"We were all really psyched," co-Captain Kate Mottinger '96 said. "It was really cool because of the setting, too. The ring was right on the water."
The Big Green were particularly pleased with the results since 11 other top teams competed, including last year's national champions, Colby Sawyer College.
Individually, Kate Rice '98 led Dartmouth's point riders in the open division with two second place finishes.
All three Dartmouth intermediate riders, Mottinger, Samantha Caldwell '98 and Sandy Marusek '96, won their divisions, allowing Dartmouth to sweep that division.
A first place finish by Cathy Emery '99 in the novice flat division also was essential in the Big Green's second place finish at their fourth competition this fall.
"I think we have a lot of talent, but we've been having bad draws and bad luck," Mottinger said. "We finally got it all together. We had good draws and good horses, so people could show their talent."
The Big Green will resume their season in spring, and although the team will not have enough points to qualify for nationals, several individuals will look to make it to zone competition, the qualifying show for nationals.
With two practices and one lesson per week, combined with weight lifting, the quality of the Big Green riders has improved.
"We cut down our team to a smaller size to promote team unity, and it has really worked well," Mottinger said. "We have also upped the commitment a lot, and I think that has helped a lot on how the team did."


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My wife bought me a Cat Eye Stealth 90 cycling computer with speed and cadence meter and heart rate monitor for Christmas last year. I was very excited because it uses ANT technology so I could eventually add a power meter when the price came down and it had GPS and an online fitness tool. The excitement ended pretty quickly. Right off the bat I was never able to sych this thing to any computer. My laptop saw it as a storage device so I couldn't take advantage of the online aspects. The unit was difficult to setup because it has two recessed buttons on the rear that you need to press to enter programming mode and then press one of the buttons to toggle between modes. Its hard to feel the buttons and even when I did the sequence correctly I would have to repeat it multiple times to enter the setup mode. In setup mode the computer would synch to my heart rate monitor but not the speed and cadence meter. I tried two other batteries in the S/C sensor and hitting the reset button on it for 10 seconds and moving the magnet back and forth near the sensor. it just wouldn't see it. I used it for a few months with GPS and the HRM for commuting but recently it started having a hard time locking onto the GPS satellites. I rode 20 miles to work and it never picked up my location. That was the last straw so I took it back to REI and traded them for an Garmin Edge 500.
OMG! What a joy the Garmin is! It instantly detects the HRM & S/C meter when I turn it on. The programming was intuitive just straight forward questions like sex, age, weight. The buttons are all easily accessible and they work! The screen is larger and you can configure several custom screens. My computer instantly recognized the device and uploaded my rides into the Garmin Connect website I had already been using for running.
I think it's no contest unless I got a bad computer. But I also bought a Cat Eye for my wife for her Birthday and hers was just as bad. Hers was also upgraded to the Edge. The Cat Eye makes a lot of promises it can't deliver on. On paper the Cat Eye the Cat Eye looks like a hands down winner over the more expensive Garmin but it fails to follow through on its promises.


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corporate associates
responsible tourism
The Charity Challenge mission statement:
At Charity Challenge we see Responsible Tourism as much more than a travel industry buzzword. We think carefully about how each trip affects the environments in which we operate, and aim to minimise this impact at every step. Through offsetting all of our participants' carbon emissions, using local people and resources wherever possible, travelling in small groups and supporting a local project on every challenge, we ensure that every challenge we run benefits both the charity being supported, and also the local communities with whom we interact.
The impact of tourism is already immense and it will increase. The travel industry can bring many benefits to local communities, including an injection of cash and employment for local people, preservation of native habitats and indigenous wildlife, and cultural exchange. However, without care, tourism can also have a negative impact: destruction of natural habitats; diversion of scarce resources; disturbance of wildlife; and the violation of tribal peoples' rights.
"Charity Challenge is very good at considering the local environment and local customs and encouraged the group to do the same at all times." Lee-ann Orwin, Great Wall of China
Comments from Queen's Award for Enterprise in the field of Sustainable Development :
"The company, which provides a series of inspiring team challenges that develop and motivate staff, aimed at providing assistance to the developing world and fundraising for charity, is to be commended on producing an application that shows evidence of a thorough and committed understanding of all aspects of sustainable development, both within the company itself and in its core business activities. It is clear that sustainable development is at the heart of the business. The examiners were thoroughly impressed with the company's commitment to social sustainability; in this rapidly expanding market, it represents outstanding performance and is an example to others."
Our Allies:
We also work alongside organisations such as the International Porter Protection Group, Rainforest Alliance and Climate Care to ensure that our expeditions are beneficial for everyone involved, and don't have a negative impact on the environments and communities we visit. Have a look at these websites for more information on what these excellent companies achieve in their daily activities.
Keep in touch :
As always, if there is anything that you feel we can do to improve our responsible tourism standards and further benefit the local communities in which we operate, we welcome your feedback. Please get in touch at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Happy reading!
Simon Albert & The Charity Challenge Team


text: On April 15, Dan Karleskint, a member of the Citizens Financial Task Force and a proponent of the Utility Tax, provided an interesting overview of the cost efficiencies to be obtained through Process Flow Analysis in his letter (April 15 News Messenger, page A4, "Creating revenue in the city is a real solution) on the merits of creating revenue. In the article, he argues the city has done a good job of removing the "fluff." And he suggests there may be nothing more to be done to further reduce service costs. Strictly speaking, from a "process perspective," he may be right. But there is more to the "cost of operations" than process costs. There are also the "input costs." These costs, referred to by economists as "factors of production" include land, labor and the cost of capital. Lincoln's General Fund problem, the impetus behind the utility tax, is not directly impacted by the cost of land or capital. The General Fund, as Mr. Karleskint argues, is almost entirely comprised of the cost of "labor" for police, fire, library and recreational services. As a member of TEAM Lincoln, a group of citizens focused on the general health and welfare of the city, I contend our citywide labor costs are excessive. Five executive managers receive yearly salary and benefits valued at more than $1 million. Twenty-five middle managers receive in excess of $150,000. All 200-plus employees "automatically" receive both cost of living adjustments of 2.5 percent and merit increases of 2.75 to 5 percent. The city pays 100 percent medical, reimburses 100 percent California SDI, and in addition to the "Employer" Pension expense, the city also pays 71 percent of the "Employee's" Pension contribution". As a consequence, the city today spends nearly $20 million in salary and benefits on 200 people – that's $100,000 per city employee! I ask each Lincoln citizen, do these labor costs seem reasonable to you? Kirk Lubbes, Lincoln


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Must-knows when job entails repainting walls, ceilings
Must-knows when job entails repainting walls, ceilings
Bill and Kevin Burnett
Inman News®
Q: I love the Sweat Equity column, especially the exotica about French drains. My question is more mundane, I'm afraid, but important to me. It's a sort of "project management" query.
I live in a Berkeley, Calif., brown shingle. The living room walls and ceiling badly need painting.
But the living room also has an old carpet, beneath which we believe is a hardwood floor that could be refinished into something nice.
Which project should we do first: the paint job or the floor? If we paint first, and the rug gets messed up, that's OK. But does the process of sanding and refinishing the floor somehow mess up the look of those new walls with dust, etc.?
A: French drains -- exotica? It's just digging a trench and putting some gravel over a perforated pipe to channel water away from the foundation.
Your "chicken or the egg" question has more heft. Your concern about sanding dust on the newly painted walls is well taken. Likewise, there is a concern about plaster grit from the painting preparation process marring freshly refinished hardwood flooring.
Here's how we suggest you go about the project to end up with the best of both worlds: a freshly painted room and a pristine hardwood floor.
First verify that you have hardwood underneath the carpet. Lift a corner of the carpet and see what's underneath. You'll probably need a pair of pliers to pull the carpet off the tack strip. The typical Berkeley brown shingle has oak hardwood flooring. It was cheaper than carpet back then and allowed the occupant to choose area rugs to suit his or her taste.
Presuming there is hardwood under the rug, leave the rug down. Because you'll be filling, sanding and priming first, the old carpet can live its last days as a drop cloth. Then seal off the room by taping plastic sheeting over the doorways.
Patch the walls and ceiling. "V" out any cracks with a teardrop paint scraper and fill them with Spackle or patching plaster, and sand the patches smooth. Next, repair any dings in the woodwork by sanding the edges of any chips smooth. Prime any bare wood with quick-drying primer.
A word of caution here: Even if the trim has been painted recently, in all likelihood many of the previous coats are lead paint. Lead is toxic and poses a health risk. In the next few weeks we plan to do a detailed treatment of dealing with lead paint, but for now you can find information about the right way to remediate lead paint at www.aclppp.org, the Internet home of the Alameda County Lead Poisoning Prevention Program.
Now it's time to take up the old rug and along with it a lot of the grit and sanding dust from the patching. Give the floor and walls a quick vacuum to get even more dust. This completes the paint prep work.
With the paint prep done, switch gears and have the floor sanded and refinished. It's best to call a professional. They have the tools and the experience that even an outstanding do-it-yourselfer can't match.
After the floor finish has cured -- give it at least three days -- cover it with a layer of thick construction paper made for protecting floors during construction. Tape the edges to the floor with a low-adhesive painter's tape, and make sure to tape any seams. Then wash the walls and wood trim with a solution of trisodium phosphate. Rinse with clear water and allow it to dry. Prime any patches. Finally apply two coats of high-quality latex paint in the color of your choice.
We are aware that some paint manufacturers tout a paint that is a primer and finish in one. But since we have no experience with these products, we're hesitant to recommend them.
We'd let the paint dry a day or two before removing the paper to reveal a freshly painted room and a handsome new floor.
Tip: Remove all switch and outlet plates and cover the switches and plugs with a strip of blue painters' tape before painting.
Do you know who plows this street?
ZIP code profile: 94110
What's Your Home Worth?
3-D home of the day: Where luxury and sophistication meet
LA mortgage defects dipped strongly on monthly basis
App and stabilizer tailor-made for DIY listing videos
Looking to invest? Apartments are the way to go


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I have finally been approved by Adversal
The thing I noted is that the approved site of mine in the dating miche only generates codes for pupunders and interstitials. Have the they stopped the banners?
Actually, I have applied to Adversal to monetize proxies better, but I could think of some of their banner ads on other sites.
So please let me know if you know!


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Sahaira Salon manicurist Jeanie Gutierrez paints Dave Waldroup toenails pink.
- Filed Under
Men in Mesquite are being challenged to support of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the Mesquite Cancer HELP Society (MCHS) by getting their toenails painted pink at one of three local salons.
Terry Luzier of Print Management Services is daring local men to participate throughout October in Pedi-CURES an MCHS fundraiser by getting the pink paint job.
Luzier said he got the idea last October when he decided to decorate his toes with pink polish to support breast cancer awareness. He posted a picture on Facebook and told friends he would donate money to MCHS for every guy who did the ...


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The Dental Provider's Guide to Managing Insurance Participation
In an ever-changing insurance world it is becoming increasingly harder for dentists to manage insurance restrictions while providing quality dental care to patients. Dentistry is supposed to be about creating smiles not paperwork. Our company specializes in analyzing dental practices involvement with PPOs. If you currently already participate with PPOs we look at your practice to see which insurance plans you are in-network with, the fee schedules and profit associated with each one and how many patients are involved with each plan. We first examine which plans may be eligible for a fee schedule increase, give a detailed recommendations on which codes to focus on and we negotiate fee schedules on your behalf. After maximizing fee schedules, we then determine which plans, if any, you should consider dropping. After our detailed analysis, should you be in a position to drop a PPO we'll make recommendations about which one(s), the process and the timing to follow. If you are currently trying to increase new patient flow or production by considering adding additional PPOs to your practice we present a detailed view of which plans to consider adding and which ones would not be beneficial to your practice growth.
- Personalized strategy based around each dentist's individual practice goals
- Gradual approach that gives dentists the tools to monitor progress
- Insurance tips to help focus on maximizing fee schedules and most relevant codes used by each office
- Front desk support to ensure changes are communicated effectively with patients
- Real financial analysis giving dentists clear information about the cost associated with each plan
- Updates on insurance industry changes and tips, be sure to check out our blog
- Real world experience from 18 years in the dental industry
- Common sense approach encouraging dentists to make smart financial decisions rather than abruptly dropping all plans
- Relationships with insurance company reps that we have worked hard to create and maintain to be considered the leaders in this part of the dental industry
Who do we work with?
We are committed to supporting the solo/small practice business model and do not accept contracts from chains or corporate practice models. We work with offices with 1-2 locations and seek to serve as an advocate for the solo practice owner.
How exactly does this work?
Visit our About Us page to see the answers to frequently asked questions and details about what to expect from our service packages. See how easy it is to let us do the work for you!
Overwhelmed with where to start? Don't be!
Contact our office toll free at 855-327-9125 for a complimentary phone consult or visit our Contact Us page to email us for more information.
I wanted to thank you and your staff at Unlock the PPO for guiding me through my startup insurance process. If it wasn't for you, I would have been completely lost! I (or any dentist for that matter) do not have the expertise, time or patience to go through this extensive insurance setup process.
Lisa, you were very professional and understanding at the same time. I would love to recommend you to anyone who work with insurance. I have no doubt they will be thanking you (and me for sending them your way!).
-Sara Seo, DDS
We were extremely pleased with the level of service from Sandi. She takes the time to understand your office so she can create a more custom approach to the process.
She then supports you with the necessary forms and guides you so you can feel confident in any future negotiations or communication with insurance companies.
-Kellen Tadano DDS
After working with Sandi for only a short period of time, I have to say that I am more than pleased with all the help she has provided. Her thoroughness and help has been extremely beneficial to my practice. Thank you!
-Daniel Casel, DMD
The knowledge that Sandi has of the insurance industry was invaluable to me as a new dentist buying an existing practice. With her help I was able to quickly and clearly see what plans I needed to focus on or even try and phase out to increase my bottom line immediately. Often just working with the insurance companies to increase reimbursement rates instead of raising the fees to the patients was what I needed to do. Everyone wins with that situation. I would have spent countless hours on this to do it myself. But with Sandi, I was able to focus on other issues in the new practice; all the while knowing that my new office was on a solid path to maximizing its financial success.
-Dr. Hodge


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I really wish I were Neil DeGrasse Tyson.
I feel like that's what it would take to do justice to Back in Time by Landka Apps. This beautiful app gives you the history of . . . well . . . everything, and it really seems like something our friend Neil should know about. It's an overwhelming amount of information, but Back in Time makes it accessible through a 24-hour clock and linear timelines that allow you to put everything into its proper context. This trip across the universe will keep you (oh, and your child) completely mesmerized with video clips, fun facts and an amazing soundtrack worthy of a film.
Continue reading "Gotta get Back in Time with this amazing app from Landka" »


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How to Sell Your Puppies
If your dog just had puppies its pretty easy to sell. You can try all kinds of ways that are helpful. Follow these steps and it won't be a problem.
This article has been tagged as a stub.
That means it's off to a good start, but still has room to grow into a more helpful resource. Until the article reaches its full potential, it will be hidden from search results. Can you help it flourish? If you think the article offers complete and accurate instructions, feel free to remove this tag.
1First you should look at some websites regarding the location and price range you are looking for. If you are selling for an expensive price, search for sites that have puppies that cost a lot.
2Or, you can find people in your neighborhood that are willing to take them off your hands.
3You can put up adds or fliers that tell all the information, but the Internet is better.
4Get information on the parents because most people want to know about their personalities.
Give us 3 minutes of knowledge!
- Make sure that the puppies are clean or else little kids might not want them because they think that is how they look.
- Beware of people that just want to buy and then sell at a bigger price. If it's a happy family with children or a nice couple you should know if they aren't going to sell them.
- Don't put them in a pet store! They have lower chances of getting adopted there; people tend to avoid pet stores since they are such a humongous puppy mill outlet.


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How Often Do You Take OTC Pain Meds?
by Fitness
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I consider myself fortunate that my time of the month is not usually accompanied by intense cramps, but when I do experience that gnawing sensation in my pelvis I take whatever over the counter (OTC) pain medicine happens to be in my medicine cabinet. But, other than that I don't take OTC pain meds much more than once a month. What about you though?
Read More Pain MedicationAdvilAleveTylenolPoll
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CanadianAlissa 6 years
Sinutab for sinus headaches.... nothing else works for me. Pamprin for cramps and extreme irritability, once a month.
redpapaya 7 years
I don't take OTC pain meds. I go see a chiropractor regularly. Many people assume chiropractic is only for back/neck pain, but this is HUGE misconception. Chiropractic removes any interference in my nervous system, restablishes neural connection between my nervous system and my body, and therefore allowing my body to HEAL ITSELF. The power that makes the body, heals the body. :D
foxie 7 years
I haven't since I read Skinny B!tch. So, it's been about a year.
jennjennnbubba 7 years
as little as possible. maybe twice a month
taratootie 7 years
I take an antihistamine about once a week. Everyday during my trigger times (can you say ragweed?). Less sometimes too. I also take ibuprofen when I have cramps. I usually take three doses (per month) then theyre over, but man alive theyre painful! I have to take 5-6 pills. I know your *supposed* to max out efficacy after 800 mg but I need more. Oh and sometimes melatonin to sleep.
Spectra 7 years
Not sure if this counts, but since I have a genetic disorder called thrombophilia, I take baby aspirin every day to keep my blood thinner.
4blankwalls 7 years
I usually take an excedrin every other day for my morning migraine, then I'm on a daily NSAID for arthritis (at 23, so that's pretty sad), but I'm working on other ways to combat the arthritis so I can wean myself off of it.
bigsee 7 years
i'm taking a lot of ibuprofen right now for a very painful and infected wisdom tooth...and i will have to take it again when i get them pulled. i am allergic to hydrocodone and codeine...so the pain medicine prescribed to me just won't do the job...but 800 mg/day ibuprofen does.
amh 7 years
The only time I take OTC pain meds is when I'm uber sick - major body aches and can't function sick. Since discovering arnica and rescue remedy, I'm pretty set.
Red-Sharpie 7 years
I don't remember the last time I took OTC pain meds. It's been several years at least. I just don't get any severe cramps or headaches and I never get sick.
GlowingMoon 7 years
Rarely. Maybe once a month on the first day my monthly girlfriend arrives. For me, the first day is the worse. I would especially consider taking some medication if I want to exercise that day (and it's the first day of her arrival).
CoralAmber 7 years
I probably take something almost every day. Right now I have a bad cold and am on Dayquil. I get headaches and a lot of neck pain from the bad ergonomics at work.
TidalWave23 7 years
Probably more than I should :oy:
beram1220 7 years
I get some serious headaches (have gotten them since I was 5!) and the only thing that works is Excedrin so depending, I could take it every other day for the week or not for a couple months. Oh and maybe some Pepto Bismol if I know I'm going to be out and drinking a lot (bad, I know! but it doesn't happen that often :)) Even at 25, I'm starting to feel more side effects from a night out on the town!
kiwitwist 7 years
vary rarely but I did say a few times a month because I am sure that is my norm
mtiger 7 years
I take benadryl every night to help me sleep...and sometimes an ambien. I only take advil or tylenol when my cramps are really bad or I have a bad headache.
Ikandy 7 years
I take anti-histamines pretty often :(
cravinsugar 7 years
I don't ever take them anymore. I can't because they interact with a medication I am on to get rid of a ote nail fungus i caught at a salon (take your own pedi tools ladies!). I need some now, but have to deal with my pain. (I can't take any because the med i am on interfere's with the liver, so nothing else sould be taken that interacts with the liver or else I could go into liver failure) and yes, that also means no alcohol lol. I am handling that though. a week before my wedding, i am off the meds though regardless so I can party down at my bachelorette party and toast on my wedding day!
JessicaLE 7 years
Due to bad shin splits, Achilles tendinitis, and plantar fasciitis, doc recommended taking one anti-inflammatory OTC (Advil) daily 30 minutes before running. So one daily. =( I hate it though.
Jyramiah 7 years
I take them all. The. Time. Which I suppose is bad. But when I have headaches bordering migraines, I try everything (medicine wise). And when I start feeling sick, I start popping pills for that, too. Bad, I know. But I'm working on it.
wackdoodle 7 years
Oh, as been said before by many a member, including myself, for cramps, bloating etc - I drink mugs of RASPBERRY LEAF TEA. At first my female friends refused to believe that the RL tea works but now they swear by it.
wackdoodle 7 years
Very rarely if ever. I have to crush ever pill I take and Tylenol is not a very pleasant taste on the tongue when crushed - so I avoid it. Plus it doesn't work for my migraines and when I have body aches and pains I'll soak in a tub of Epsom Salts and stretch to relieve the ache and pain over taking Tylenol. I cannot take NSAIDS, cause after the GBS my stomach could immediately start bleeding from the harshness of the med. And I cannot take Benadryl or anything with Diphenhydramine because I'm severally allergic and would end up in the hospital. So it's only laxatives, stool softeners and zyrtec OTC for me and prescription medications as recommended by my doctors...ummm when I remember to take them.
tlsgirl 7 years
I try not to take them too much, but I usually pop a couple if a get a headache, which only happens once a week or so, and even then I usually try some caffeine first. I don't really try to avoid them though.
kikidawn 7 years
I used to take OTC pain meds quite a bit... but now I try to stay away from them. I was getting to where I'd take some medication and be fine and then in exactly 24 after I took it I would wind up with a horrible headache. I don't usually take it for cramps (I can usually just deal with it), but this last time I did take some b/c I had cramps and a headache. So I'd say "very rarely".
Swen 7 years
I usually need something for 2 days of my period, otherwise not much, just for the occassional cold.


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Meadowbrook Bait Casting Fishing Reel. $10.00
No 3123460. Looks to be chrome plated and engraved. Has blue/green plastic like handle. It is a Level Wind and seems to be all there and in working condition.
To see this and many other items please visit our Shoppe.
Breezy Acres Country Shoppe,LLC
9191 Youngstown-Pittsburgh Rd
Poland, Ohio 44514
We're on Rte 170 just south of Western Reserve Road between Poland and New Middletown.
Where Quality and Good Service Still Matter!
Business Hours will vary in January & February. As a rule we'll be Open Thursday Friday & Saturday 11 -4 Weather Permitting. It's best to call before coming out to make sure we're there or to set up an appointment.
For more information or to schedule an appointment please call either
between 10 am and 7pm.
To see other great items we offer visit
Visa, MasterCard & Discover accepted
Layaway Available
Location: Poland, Ohio


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Grip4orce is the inventor of the #1 Patented performance enhancing grips for all athletes in all sports. The truth is, whether you're an athlete or someone trying to improve their fitness level, we all benefit from a stronger grip in sport and life. The new Grip4orce trainer bar grips attach quickly to barbells, dumbbells and cable attachments which increases the gripping diameter to 2". This bigger diameter more evenly distributes the weight in the hands eliminating any uncomfortable pinch points. One of the unique features of this hand strengthening equipment is that they force you to squeeze the grip closed as you exercise. In time, this constant squeezing of a much bigger diameter bar will beef up your forearms and give you crushing grip strength, not to mention better sustained strength for sports like wrestling and MMA. Grip4orce bar grips are quality made right here in the USA.
Sports teams that have discovered the benefits of training their athletes using bigger diameter grips are the LSU Tigers, USC Trojans, Texas A & M and ASU.


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Tag Archives: John Allison
BB&T Former CEO John Allison to Speak
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John Allison on the Financial Crisis
BB&T CEO John Allison on the Financial Crisis from BBT Economics on Vimeo. Former BB&T CEO John Allison speaks about the financial crisis in 2008. Location: Winston-Salem.
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Blogs on IT-Director.com
If you a technology / business professional and would like a blog on our website, please contact us.
Recent Blog Posts
CA Technologies: business re-written by software - is there a need for paranoid optimism?
Mike Gregoire gave a wonderfully upbeat keynote at CA World today and I take no issue with some (or even all) of the CA Technologies innovations he was talking about, all enabling the re-writing of...
The Norfolk Punt | By: David Norfolk, Bloor Research | 27th November '15
Warehouse Management and the Mobile Supply Chain - Theme of the moment?
It is interesting to see that this month has seen 2 white papers issued on the subject of warehouse management.
The Holloway Angle | By: Simon Holloway, Bloor Research | 26th November '15
SAG unveiled the world's smallest RFID HF aluminum antenna.
SAG has unveiled the world's smallest RFID HF aluminium antenna, measuring 0.4 x 0.4 inches, or 10.5 x 10.5 millimeters. This new micro-sized antenna is already being used in the healthcare...
The Holloway Angle | By: Simon Holloway, Bloor Research | 23rd November '15
ODF - the state of play - The future of ODF under OASIS, now that the standards war is won.
ODF - open document format - is an open, XML-based rich document format that has been adopted as the standard for exchanging information in documents (spreadsheets, charts, presentations and word...
The Norfolk Punt | By: David Norfolk, Bloor Research | 18th November '15
BizSlate: Weaving QuickBooks Into ERP for Small Businesses
We focus on helping small businesses improve how they manage everything "customers, orders, vendors, inventory, logistics of the supply chain" and give them the tools that they need to succeed this...
Laurie McCabe | By: Laurie McCabe, SMB Group | 13th November '15
ARM and IoT - Everybody is innovating for IoT, but some IoT platforms are already here, and are just maturing
ARM has an interesting business model, which contrasts with that of, say, Intel. Like Intel, it designs many of the chips behind modern automated applications, but unlike Intel, it doesn't build the...
The Norfolk Punt | By: David Norfolk, Bloor Research | 13th November '15
Jive makes headway towards profitability with Q3 results
Earlier this week, social collaboration vendor Jive Software announced its Q3 2015 results, highlighting revenues that were up around 7% over 2014 at a smidge under $50m, combined with year-to-date...
MWD Advisors | By: Angela Ashenden, MWD Advisors | 12th November '15
Digital Disruption: Future Opportunities for the Print Industry
Printer vendors are having to make major changes to their business models to sustain their leadership and relevance. Long term survival will depend on their ability to adapt to market disruption...
Louella Fernandes | By: Louella Fernandes, Quocirca | 12th November '15
Intuit: Finding New Footing In the Small Business Cloud
Intuit's tack to build new, data-driven services for small businesses - such as its new lending service which provides the company with exciting opportunities to disrupt the status quo and create new...
Laurie McCabe | By: Laurie McCabe, SMB Group | 10th November '15
Cloud Cover: Cloud Management and Security for SMBs
As cloud adoption grows, so does the complexity of managing and securing data in the cloud.
Laurie McCabe | By: Laurie McCabe, SMB Group | 4th November '15
Oracle Digital: almost invisible, but really, really important
As I walked through Moscone North at 5.30pm on Wednesday, the vast majority of Oracle OpenWorld attendees had already left - in a rush to get to the Customer Appreciation Event on Treasure Island.
MWD Advisors | By: Neil Ward-Dutton, MWD Advisors | 2nd November '15
Panorama issue the latest version of the Clash of the Titans ERP report
Panorama have just released their annual report on the clash of the titans looking at the 4 major ERP players: SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics and Infor. There are some very interesting conclusions...
The Holloway Angle | By: Simon Holloway, Bloor Research | 29th October '15
The Oracle Co-ordination Cloud
At Oracle OpenWorld this week, nobody can escape one simple thing: Oracle has taken its commitment to cloud platforms and services to a whole new level. This is a drum that's being beaten loud and...
MWD Advisors | By: Neil Ward-Dutton, MWD Advisors | 29th October '15
Making The Internet of Things Real For SMBs
The Internet has delivered its latest game changer: the Internet of things, or IoT. Yet, IoT is barely on the radar of most small and medium business (SMB) decision-makers. SMBs need help to better...
Laurie McCabe | By: Laurie McCabe, SMB Group | 27th October '15
Samsung Means Business: A Strategy Shaped by the Internet of Things
At its recent Samsung FutureScape event in London, Samsung emphasised its commitment to deliver printing solutions that address the needs for today's mobile, collaborative and connected workplace....
Louella Fernandes | By: Louella Fernandes, Quocirca | 27th October '15
Making sense of Digital: is "look at Uber and Airbnb" the best we can do?
Companies like Uber and Airbnb are disrupting industries, while owning no assets. They take advantage of digital technologies and platforms to build relationships with customers quickly and at low...
MWD Advisors | By: Neil Ward-Dutton, MWD Advisors | 26th October '15
Getting Notes down on Paper with Box and Dropbox
So you've got a cloud-based file storage / collaboration business? Well then, what you need to offer alongside is a real-time collaborative document editing tool based on open source Etherpad...
MWD Advisors | By: Craig Wentworth, MWD Advisors | 23rd October '15
Sharp Unveils New Strategy for the Interconnected Office
At its recent Inspire Expo event in Malta, Sharp Europe unveiled a new strategy and vision for broadening its portfolio of products and services to address the needs of the interconnected office
Louella Fernandes | By: Louella Fernandes, Quocirca | 19th October '15
Where now for the ECM in EMC, after Dell's $67 billion takeover?
$67 billion is a lot of money in anyone's book. Yes, it can buy you (at current prices) all the bitcoins that will ever be made. Twelve times over. But it's also what Dell is set to pay for EMC...
MWD Advisors | By: Craig Wentworth, MWD Advisors | 19th October '15
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Kerberos R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn - translation: "In his house at R'lyeh dead Kerberos waits dreaming".
If you have been following the news, you may have noticed that the EU is getting increasingly serious about its Data Protection directives - and that there aren't any easy safe harbours left -...
The Norfolk Punt | By: David Norfolk, Bloor Research | 13th October '15


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- Jun 23:
- Texas Supreme Court declines to hear ballpark email lawsuit
- Feb 27:
- City of El Paso ballpark emails case may head to Texas Supreme Court
- Sep 2:
- City Council approves contract to begin construction on Downtown El Paso pedestrian bridge
- Jun 10:
- Ballpark critic Joe Mock: El Paso baseball stadium 'a masterpiece'
- May 14:
- Southwest University Park may have set construction record among Triple-A stadiums
- Apr 30:
- Video: Time-lapse of Downtown El Paso ballpark construction
- Apr 15:
- El Paso City Council approves reserved, metered parking around Downtown ballpark
- MountainStar may pour more money into Downtown El Paso ballpark
- Mar 27:
- El Paso Chihuahuas, county fail to reach agreement on parking spaces
- Mar 26:
- Downtown El Paso parking meter changes get first of two needed approvals
A petition submitted to the city on Tuesday by a local group is proposing an initiative that could have ramifications for the $50 million Downtown ballpark approved earlier by the City Council.
The group, Quality of Life Voters for Democracy, was spurred to gather signatures for the petition by the lack of involvement in the decision to approve the Downtown ballpark.
They submitted more than 2,300 signatures to the city clerk and ask that all quality-of-life projects get voter approval before the City Council funds them. The petition also states that change be retroactive to June 26, when the Downtown ballpark was approved by a 6-2 City Council vote.
"We are not opposing the ballpark; we are in favor of democracy," said one of the group's organizers, Stephanie Townsend Allala. "We want our voice heard. We want an open government. With all the corruption we've had here, El Paso deserves better."
The group's proposal still has a long way to go, said City Clerk Richarda Momsen.
The city attorney needs to review the wording and the legality. In addition, Momsen and her staff must verify that at least 1,548 of the petition signers -- five percent of voters who voted in the latest general city election -- are registered voters.
If the signatures are verified, the proposal would then go to a vote of the City Council. If the council rejects it, the group could get more signatures and it could appear on the November ballot.
"That's why we're doing it so quickly," said Ray Rojas, another of the group's organizers.
About 30 supporters, including Barbara Carrasco, the Republican candidate for U.S. representative in District 16, delivered the petition. Many spoke about the need for transparency and said taxpayers should have a voice in how government spends their money.
Some asserted that the City Council was supporting interests of the wealthy while ignoring more pressing needs such as street repairs, parks and infrastructure.
City leaders, most of whom were in the City Council meeting, understood the concerns but said the quick decision on the ballpark was necessary.
On Tuesday, a group of local business leaders received word that they had been approved to buy a Triple-A baseball team, which may be the Tucson Padres.
"To wait until November was to say no to Triple-A baseball," city Rep. Steve Ortega said. "This was an issue where we were presented with a question and we had to make a decision."
Evan Mohl may be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com; 546-6381. Follow him on Twitter @EvanMohl.


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Lester Leaps InItem #: HL.07010592
Our Price:
Unrated ( Be the first to review this item )
Composed by Lester Young. Arranged by Mark Taylor.
Young Jazz Classics. Band Level: 3. 9x12 inches. Published by Hal Leonard. (HL.07010592)
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Found in: Jazz Ensemble Sheet Music
The sax section gets a turn in the spotlight on this enjoyable chart of Lester Young's jazz classic. This medium up-tempo chart features a great swing feel and a flexible solo section with ensemble backgrounds.
Songs Include:


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- Filed Under
"The Bush team should admit that the war on Iraq was a mistake," so goes the headline in today's paper.
Also, one of Mississippi's lawmakers should admit that the war was a mistake and apologize to the Mississippi families who lost loved ones.
Just before the killing began he looked Mississippi families in the eye and declared, "American casualties will be light." ...


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Right click toobar area > Customize > Toolbars tab
Checking flags for
- Search and Bookmarks (Suchen & Lesezeichen)
- Text formats (Textformate)
has no visible effect.
The described error has been added to the official bug list.
Thank you for your report.
Find & Bookmarks
Maybe they are old? Resetting the user interface does not work. Just tried it.
Tino Weinkauf


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|Project letters combined for personalization as you would combine yours.
Project features lace edges from Little Laces4 and WithThisWedding2 accent
corners,available seperately, additional hand beading added.
|From The Needle Of: Anne
|FromTheNeedleOfAnne Designs and Samples are copyright. Violators will be BANNED.
Designs or images are not to be used on another site without consent.


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Be inspired by Perth community guides written by our community (6)
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Swapping homes with a couple in Fremantle, Western Australia, gave us not just a stylish apartment to live in, but a chance to see Rottnest island with its marine park, reefs and exotic wildlife ... read more »
Hidden away from the outside world. Reachable only by crossing oceans, vast deserts or endless skies, Perth is a paradise far, far away... read more »
In Western Australia, Perth and Margaret River can offer foodies everything from fabulous wineries to a fine line in bush tucker ... read more »
A long way from anywhere, the Western Australian capital of Perth is a laidback, leafy metropolis with a style all of its own... read more »
Sydney to Perth on the Indian Pacific is one of the world's great rail journeys – 3,000 miles taking in vast deserts, mountain ranges, tiny ghost towns and some the finest cities you'll ever see.... read more »
Nestled in a quiet valley, four hours' drive south of Perth, lies the little town of Pemberton. Surrounded by forests of the world's largest hardwood trees, it's the perfect spot for a romantic break... read more »
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William G. Scheele has lived his life immersed in the Arts and Natural History. He was born in 1948 in Cleveland, Ohio to parents Joann and William E. Scheele, who were both artists from the Cleveland area. He grew up with two younger brothers, John and Paul, in the woodland countryside East of Cleveland, in Chardon. His father became Director of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History in 1949 and young Bill spent much time among the wonderful collections from around the world, triggering visions of fabulous creatures and wild environs. After graduating from Hawken School in 1966, Bill explored higher education at Miami University, the Cleveland Institute of Art, and Ohio University. In the Spring of 1969, he was lured away from academia by his friend Jon Taplin, who offered him a job working as part of the Albert Grossman management team for The Band. This whirlwind of music business activity occupied the next seven years, with Bill taking intermittent breaks to return to art studies back in Ohio. When Bill finally left The Band in 1976, he returned to Cleveland and worked in commercial lithography, architectural graphics, and trade show exhibits.
In 1984, Bill established and directed a non-profit organization called the Cleveland Artists Foundation, dedicated to honoring the artistic heritage of Northeastern Ohio. He had first learned about the old Cleveland School of Art and it's wonderful teachers through his parents who had both attended the school. During the next several years, Bill curated numerous exhibitions and presented programs highlighting the finest of the "Cleveland School" artists, including William Sommer, Henry Keller, Frank Wilcox, Grace Kelly, Carl Gaertner, Paul Travis, Charles Burchfield, and others. By late 1988, Bill was ready to expand his artistic ventures and started his own gallery called Scheele Fine Arts. The new effort now included artwork in all media from around the world, by both historic and contemporary artists. Taking advantage of his experience and connections in the natural history museum world, Bill published a catalogue on Natural History Art in 1991, and began a global advertising effort that brought him international recognition.
As the fine arts market slipped in the mid-nineties, Bill reconnected with another old friend, Dr. Harold Gerdes, and joined his Centrak Lasers company. Once again he was immersed in the entertainment field and helped produce multimedia shows throughout the country. In July of 1998, Bill was torn away from Centrak by news of his father's cancer diagnosis, so he moved to the Portland, Oregon area to help his family. After his father passed away and his mother was re-settled, Bill returned to Cleveland interested in a new type of art gallery. In 2001, he started his second non-profit arts organization, the New Center for Art & Technology (NewCAT), dedicated to promoting digital creativity through exhibitions and educational programs. The inaugural exhibition in the Fall of 2002 brought an international collection of computer graphic art called The Digital Hall of Fame to Cleveland, the first time the work had ever been exhibited in the United States. Over the next four years, NewCAT presented work from the annual Macworld Digital Art Gallery; produced a forum and exhibition on Creative Industries at CASE University; and participated in the first two Ingenuity Festivals in 2005 and 2006 in downtown Cleveland.
The current art business operates as a multi-faceted venture, WGS Productions -Kokoon Arts Gallery. The production side of the business publishes giclee prints and greeting cards of artwork by artists represented in the gallery. Scheele also develops educational programs and curates art exhibitions.
The gallery side of the business, Kokoon Arts, exhibits and sells artwork of all types, from traditional to digital media. The art inventory is strong in local historic Cleveland School artists such as Frank Wilcox and Paul Travis, as well as natural history artists William E. Scheele, Charles R. Knight, Robert Hainard, Walter Anderson, John James Audubon and Alexander Wilson. Contemporary art is represented by regional and national artists Gary Spinosa, Donna Webb, Mary Wawrytko, Paul Jacklitch, Michael Nekic, Keri Gortz, Judith Brandon, Richard Taylor, Darren Waterston, Karen Kunc and Alfredo Arreguin.
The headquarters for WGS Productions - Kokoon Arts Gallery is on Cleveland's near westside in the Detroit Shoreway - Gordon Square Arts District in the former American Greetings Creative Studios, now known as the 78th Street Studios. With a number of other art galleries, artist studios, auction and music businesses in the facility, it has grown into Cleveland's largest arts center. Annual seasonal openings are drawing larger crowds of people to "Experience" 78th Street Studios, so please check out the offerings at 78th Street Studios.
You can visit our virtual gallery here: Kokoon Arts Gallery


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Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 9
Colorado in April
Hitting up Colorado for one last trip before calling it a season. I'm going to be staying in Silverthorne and was wondering if you guys had some advice on what resorts to hit. Looks like I'm close to Copper, Breck, Vail, Beaver Creek, and A-Basin. I'm gonna be there for 4 days. Also, what would be the best deal on lift tickets. Is there a pass that will allow me to hit up multiple resorts? I'm probably between Beginner and Intermediate and not planning on hitting the park too much. Thanks!
|#2 (permalink)
BoardTard Xtrordinair
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,476
If you are a beginner any mountain would be fine. I might avoid Breck because it is a really flat mountain and if you aren't good at carrying speed you will be stuck and skating a lot. If you get tickets to Keystone they should be good at A-Basin, Breck, and Keystone so if you want to see more than one mountain that may be the way to go.
When the fuck did we get ice cream?
|#3 (permalink)
Veteran Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Denver
Posts: 2,967
Really depends on what you want.
If you want pretty easy, but rolling groomers, hit up Breck. You can now get from peak 7 and 8 by the Gondola if the traverse is to much of a pain to do.
Keystone has a bit of everything, but is far more aggressive than Breck. Keystone is one of my personal favorites around here as the trees are excellent. Overall Keystone is amazing, and has everything.
A-Basin is an interesting place. It's not very big, the riding is never epic, but you ALWAYS have a good time at A-Basin. They have a place at the base called the "Beach" and people bring there dogs, grills, etc. and grill and ride. It's a very unique atmosphere that I havn't seen before.
Beaver Creek is also an interesting place. It's a bit farther of a drive then the other mountains, and the head count on the slope shows it. Usually lift lines are short, and the riding is good. Beaver has some of the best trees around as well. But at the same time it has some nice groomers.
Vail is my personal favorite.... Amazing trees, usually short lift lines, and more area to ride then you could do in a couple or even a few days. The down side to Vail is that it is so big and it takes ages to get from the front to the back and around in general.
As far as deals go, most mountains right now are offering 3 days of riding for $99...
I would personally recommend Keystone to you, as it's plenty big, and will have anything you would want.
|#4 (permalink)
Veteran Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Mountains
Posts: 11,671
Keystone is the biggest fucking shit hole in summit county. Don't bother wasting your time with that piece of crap resort. It's fucking nazi central.
Angry Snowboarder Because someone has to call it how they see it!
|#6 (permalink)
Veteran Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Denver
Posts: 2,967
As much as I don't want to slow down either, as I am in full control, it's a shitty situation that we gotta work thru.
Sad to see you throwing Keystone into this category, as it's a sick mountain. But it is even more sad that they're incorporating more policing into things. So don't get me wrong, I don't like the cops being there either.....
Other mountains also have policing going on, you just happened to get popped at Keystone. That cop could've been at Breck, Copper, Vail, whatever...
But on the flip side.... What if you were someone riding the hill, and teaching your small child how to shred, and some lunatic comes and wipes out your kid, injuring the girl or boy.
What I mean is these types of rules aren't necessarily put in place for riders that know wtf they're doing, but it's put in place for the idiots. It's just like rules on guns, and speed limits on cars, etc. I dunno about you, but if you look at it that way, I see the picture slightly different.... I'm still leaning way more towards not liking the cops on the hill, but I can ultimately understand why some people would want a real threat for people that go to fast in areas where noobs are.
|#7 (permalink)
Veteran Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Denver
Posts: 2,967
I would make a phone call just to check it out.
|#8 (permalink)
Veteran Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Mountains
Posts: 11,671
Now look at the amount of passes Keystone has pulled for this year. They advertise it every Wednesday in the Summit Daily they're pushing close to 600 I believe last time I looked. Who in their right mind wants to go to a resort that advertises this? Who are they attracting?
Also I got passed by 3 skiers but I was the one that was "out of control". I've got more days on snow than all of the yellow jackets put together, guaranteed. To get that job you go take a 2 hour course it's offered to second home owners so they can get their free pass for them and their family. So you're telling me you want someone that can hardly ride themselves trying to police people?
I've been on snow since 1984 in that time I have been hit 5 times, the only one that was remotely my fault was this year at Loveland. She was in my blind spot carving up hill under a roller, I buttered around just in time to see her and tossed her. Neither of us were hurt but it was a close call. I did what I had to do to make sure she was Ok and then went on my way.
But hey you want to ride a resort where their slope patrol and the head of ski patrol say snowboarders have no place on the mountain have fun with that. I've never had a problem at Copper, Breck, A basin, Beaver Creek, Steamboat, Winter Park, Snowmass, Loveland only at Keystone. They're the ones with an issue and they know it. I'll do my part to tell people to avoid it. Why is it that Keystone has the least amount of skier visits in the county?
Angry Snowboarder Because someone has to call it how they see it!
|#9 (permalink)
Veteran Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Denver
Posts: 2,967
I'm not sure of the actual numbers that Keystone has, and would be shocked if they fell short of A-Basin, even though the Basin stays open longer. But I suppose it's possible. That won't steer me away, I'm actually attracted to shorter lift lines in general. Hell I hope everyone that rides Keystone decides they like Loveland more, and then I can fly around wherever I want.
My attraction to Keystone is the trees.... I really don't care if the Gandola is crooked, if the mountain house needs dozed, or even the amount of snow they get because there are options other than Keystone when the snow does fall. And honestly I prefer Vail over Keystone, and Vail does get a lot of snow... But if Key gets dumped on, it's a nice change from Vail, or Beaver for me.
But when Keystone does get snow, I absolutely love the trees there. So to me it ultimately boils down to what you like, as I stated above.
I also flew down the face of Keystone yesterday and was lucky and never got in any shit, but thank you for making your situation public. I will now be more careful when entering "slow" areas. And again I am sorry that you got into the situation that you did.
Much respect Burton Avenger, as I do not know your name. Everyone is entitled to there own opinion, and obviously you are very opinionated. ( =
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Apple OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion
Apple OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion : Docs In Cloud Apple's up-to-date apps like TextEdit, Preview, and the iWork suite give you an option to store documents in iCloud or on your Mac. Here's a list view of documents I've got in the cloud that can be opened in TextEdit, complete with the share sheet that lets me send a document via mail, message, or Apple's "Air Drop" transfer system for nearby Macs.
9 / 20


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Shepperton Studios set to host Pullman film
The new UK tax credit looksto have already paid dividends, luring New Line's $150m adaptation of PhilipPullman's His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass away from the Czech Republic to Shepperton Studiosjust outside London
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|PE 109 - Indoor Rock Climbing
|(1 cr.) This is a basic course in rock climbing, utilizing indoor climbing walls at an off-campus facility. Students are taught proper technique, safety and knots, as well as the purchase, use and maintenance of equipment. Off campus: Prime Club, Wallingford. Student must provide their own transportation. Course fee. Every Year, All
|Fall 2015


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November 26, 2015
A five-day space shuttle mission to deploy a satellite and more was launched on this day in history.
STS-54 was the third mission for the space shuttle orbiter named Endeavor and launched on January 13th, 1993.
The mission had a crew of five including Commander John Casper, Pilot Donald McMonagle, and three mission specialists: Mario Runco Jr., Gregory Harbaugh, and Susan Helms.
The orbiter carried the Tracking Data and Relay Satellite F (TDRS-F) in its cargo hold. That satellite was successfully put into orbit.
Other experiments took place during the mission including a study of X-Ray radiation, microgravity, bone movements and plant growth.
Endeavor would safely land back on Earth on January 19th, 1993 after nearly a nearly six day mission.
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Jaquvis Hart
- Filed Under
BATON ROUGE - Airline High posted its highest point total in recent years, and ran up 45 points to place third in the Class 5A boys competition Saturday evening at the LHSAA state track and field championships.
The Vikings surpassed their pre-meet goal of 40 points, and also bettered last year's total of 29 in the meet held annually at LSU's Bernie Moore Stadium.
Catholic High of Baton Rouge was the Class 5A winner with 116 points, West Jefferson was second with 46, and Airline followed in third. ...


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- Filed Under
So many times over the years, Toms River South has won a game with what is called "A South Finish" by those associated with the Indians' program.
However, Friday night at Toms River South's Ken Frank Baseball Stadium, the Indians were the victim of a dramatic finish by the other team.
Southern scored four runs with two out in the top of the seventh inning to record a dramatic 4-3 win in a Shore Conference Class A South game to deny legendary Toms River South coach Ken Frank career win No. 800 . ...


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How Growing Up in Oklahoma Got Daniel Wilson Excited About Robots
Former roboticist Daniel Wilson made a huge splash several years ago with his non fiction book How to Survive a Robot Uprising, and then set his optical implants on writing fiction. His debut novel Robopocalypse was a huge bestseller, and is set to become a Steven Spielberg flick. And now he's got a new novel out, … »


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FastMall Interactive Shopping Maps for Malls. Never get lost at the mall again!
Do more in your calendar with one tap. Tempo finds what you need and saves you time and hassles. Accolades from TechCrunch, Entrepreneur, Wired,...
***Named one of TIME's 50 Best iPhone Apps of 2013!"Swell is quickly becoming my favorite way to listen to spoken-word content." - Anthony Ha,...
* Number 1 Music App in the US, UK, Canada, Japan, Australia, and across Europe.* Featured multiple times by Apple in the US, Australia, Canada &...
Now you can navigate any mall map WITHOUT the need for GPS or WIFI. Once you download any mall map you can get interactive navigation even without...
AisleFinder helps shoppers create shopping lists and find the in-store location of items on their shopping lists. 15000+ Stores, Over One Million...
Commentary: Forget the privacy issues -- it was a long list of other shortcomings, social and technical, that doomed Glass. Can Google learn for the next go-round?
Two years ago, the South by Southwest conference in Austin, Texas, was sprinkled with people wearing Google's smart eyewear. This year, it seemed like no one was wearing it. Except me.
When Google unveiled its smart and controversial eyewear three years ago, some early tech adopters tried to do their part by eagerly pushing for Glass acceptance. The world pushed back.
commentary Before we call Google Glass the next big revolution in tech, remember that it cannot answer one essential question.
After a two-year absence, Caroline McCarthy finally makes her return to the show to tell us about her time at Google and why she did the impossible and left.
The Glass display is on when in record mode, but it's not easy to detect from a distance or if you are unaware that someone with strange glasses is staring at you.
While Robert Scoble posts pictures of himself wearing Google Glass in the shower, those of a more intellectual bent offer that there are historical reasons why Google Glass may never catch on.
Tech personality Robert Scoble boldly declares that he wears Google Glass in public restrooms. Is this a recipe for a brouhaha?
Android chief says he just lends free office space to the startup at the center of the rumor and has no plans to leave the Web giant. Also: 900,000 new Android devices activated every day.
Google co-founder Sergey Brin is photographed at a charity event sporting a pair of the augmented-reality specs.


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Author Neil Gaiman is 'baffled' by Alamagordo, N.M., objections to his award-winning novel 'Neverwhere.'
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A parent in Alamogordo, N.M., has created a stir by putting Neil Gaiman's "Neverwhere" under review, claiming that it is R-rated material that Should Not Be Foisted Upon The Young Without Parental Consent, because of its Deeply Objectionable Content - specifically, a paragraph or two on Page 86. Specifically. (You can tell how objectionable the book is because the offense can be cited to the paragraph.) Now the book is off a list of supplemental reading and under review for additional censorship.
Alamogordo Public Schools Superintendent George Straface told the local newspaper that he ...


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|Total subaxial reconstruction.
MedLine Citation:
|PMID: 20887139 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE
|OBJECT: Certain cervical spinal conditions require decompression and reconstruction of the entire subaxial cervical spine. There are limited data concerning the clinical details and outcomes of patients treated in this manner. The object of this study was to describe the specific technique employed to perform a total subaxial reconstruction and review the postoperative outcomes following surgery. METHODS: The author performed a review of data prospectively collected in 27 consecutive patients undergoing complete anterior decompression and reconstruction of the anterior cervical spine and followed by posterior instrumented arthrodesis with or without decompression. RESULTS: There were 16 men and 11 women whose mean age was 59 years (range 35-86 years). The minimum follow-up was 12 months and the mean follow-up period for all patients was 26 months. One patient underwent C2-7 surgery, and in all others the procedure crossed the cervicothoracic junction. Following surgery patients remained intubated for an average of 3.3 days (range 1-22 days). The mean hospital length of stay was 11 days (range 3-45 days). One patient died 6 weeks following an uneventful surgery. Pneumonia developed in 5 patients, 1 patient experienced a minor pulmonary embolism, and 2 patients had posterior wound infections. No patient was neurologically worse following surgery. A single patient presented with a C-8 radiculopathy 6 weeks after surgery. At final follow-up no patient complained of dysphagia when specifically questioned about this potential problem. In all patients solid fusions developed at each treated levels. Preoperatively the mean sagittal Cobb angle was 15.4° (kyphosis) and the postoperative mean angle was -10.9° (lordosis) representing a total average correction of over 25° (p < 0.0001). The mean preoperative Neck Disability Index was 27.6; this score decreased to 15.5 (p = 0.0008) postoperatively. The mean pre- and postoperative visual analog scale neck pain scores were 6.0 and 2.1, respectively (p = 0.0004), and mean visual analog scale arm pain scores decreased by 3.7 following surgery (p = 0.001). Based on Odom criteria, the author found that 8 patients had an excellent outcome and 14 patients a good outcome. There were 4 patients in whom the outcome was judged to be fair and the single death was recorded as a poor outcome. The mean preoperative Nurick score was 2.68. Postoperatively the group improved to an average score of 1.5; the difference between the 2 was statistically significant (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Segmental anterior decompression and reconstruction of the entire subaxial cervical spine, combined with an instrumented posterolateral fusion, can be performed with acceptable morbidity and is of significant benefit in selected patients.
|Vincent C Traynelis
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Publication Detail:
|Type: Journal Article
Journal Detail:
|Title: Journal of neurosurgery. Spine Volume: 13 ISSN: 1547-5646 ISO Abbreviation: J Neurosurg Spine Publication Date: 2010 Oct
Date Detail:
|Created Date: 2010-10-04 Completed Date: 2010-10-28 Revised Date: -
Medline Journal Info:
|Nlm Unique ID: 101223545 Medline TA: J Neurosurg Spine Country: United States
Other Details:
|Languages: eng Pagination: 424-34 Citation Subset: IM
|Department of Neurosurgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa, USA. firstname.lastname@example.com
Export Citation:
|APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex
|MeSH Terms
Aged, 80 and over
Bone Plates
Bone Screws
Cervical Vertebrae / radiography, surgery*
Decompression, Surgical* / mortality
Disability Evaluation
Follow-Up Studies
Infection / etiology
Length of Stay
Middle Aged
Neck / physiopathology
Pain Measurement
Pneumonia / etiology
Postoperative Complications
Postoperative Period
Prospective Studies
Radiculopathy / etiology
Reconstructive Surgical Procedures* / mortality
Spinal Fusion*
Thoracic Vertebrae / surgery
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Treatment Outcome
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
Previous Document: Cordotomy for patients with thoracic malignant astrocytoma.
Next Document: The effect of spinal instrumentation on kinematics at the cervicothoracic junction: emphasis on soft...


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As North Carolina collected the program's fifth National Championship last night via a convincing 89-72 win over Michigan State, one theme seemed to resonate most among many potential storylines: teamwork.
The manner in which the Tar Heels played all season lent itself to using some of sports journalism most boring and repetitive clichés when analyzing why they were successful.
Truisms such as "the whole of Carolina's team was greater than the sum of its parts" seem obvious because they have been said so many times before. Hearing Leninst ideals about "players sacrificing for the group making all the difference" can hold the same significance as worthless ideas about giving "110%".
The twist is that this cliché, like most actually, is that its true.
Carolina was successful not because of one player's staggering individual excellence or game-changing ability, but because of the collective talents of their entire roster. They found success via collectivism.
The Heels became champions in large part because they did not have a once-in-a-generation talent that their entire team's success hinged upon. Though four of their players may be drafted to the NBA this June, only one is thought to be a lottery pick. Instead of having a solo marvel like Blake Griffin, they relied on a number of specialists, players who all had considerable ability but who alone could never have carried a team to this kind of success.
The almost predictable truth of course is that this 'team-trumps-transcendent talent' formula, this attitude of 'many-over-one' is something Carolina has used successfully before. Though it has produced arguably the most prolific set of individual NBA talent of any program in the country, the team has rarely achieved ultimate triumphs when it had its greatest individual stars.
Three of its four prior championships bare this out. For proof, one needs only to go back to 2005 to when the Tar Heels defeated Illinois for the national crown. Just as was the case this year, that roster was filled with blue-chip talent but was without an awe-inspiring superstar that was destined for further greatness.
If the 2009 Heels were lead to a large extent by Tyler Hansbrough, the 2005 squad was similarly guided by their own brawny big man, Sean May.
Both were First-team All-American during their time in Chapel Hill (Hansbrough was National Player of the Year last season as well) and more than capable of dominating in college, but neither was/is thought to have a triumphant pro career. Each of these big men were able to captain a highly talent roster towards great team success yet neither player's game translates well towards the NBA.
The similarities between these rosters only continue when one considers the impact of each team's dynamic, Ferrari-fast point guards, Ty Lawson and Ray Felton, respectively.
Lawson has the ability to score in traffic and became the emotional leader of his team this spring, just as Felton was similarly critical to the 2005 team's success. While Lawson has emerged during the NCAA tournament as a viable NBA point guard, he has never been viewed as a star-in-the-making. The same was also true for Felton: he was universally praised as an excellent collegiate floor general but lacked the elite talents of his contemporary ACC rival, Chris Paul.
It was behind this set of little-big duos that each team was guided, in each case seeing one lean on the other to account for potential deficiencies in their own game.
Finally, the parallel between the rosters is not complete without mention of their prolific outside shooters with NBA-talent (Wayne Ellington and Rashad McCants) and do-everything dynamic swingmen with mountains of potential (Danny Green and Marvin Williams).
If we now look further back to Dean Smith's second championship in 1993, we also see a team lead by excellent collegiate players who derived their strength from playing in harmony and balancing their individually assets into one unit.
That team was lead by Donald Williams, George Lynch and Eric Montross, none of whom rose to prominence as individuals, yet together they defeated the more individually talented Fab Five from Michigan, lead by future Hall of Famer Chris Webber.
This trend can be traced even further back to the Tar Heels first NCAA Championship in 1957 under coach Frank McGuire. That team was led by Lennie Rosenbluth. Rosenbluth lead an extremely athletic, offensively-balanced Carolina team to the title over none other than Wilt Chamberlain and the Kansas Jayhawks.
Rosenbluth was comparable to Hansbrough: he was named National Player of the Year as well as ACC Player of the Year in the same season, yet he only ever went on to have a brief professional career (82 total games) with the Philadelphia Warriors, averaging a mere 4.2 points a game.
Another approach to examining the level of success that team-oriented Carolina team that are balanced in talent throughout the roster is to consider the catalog of star players that did not win a championship while in Chapel Hill.
Phil Ford was National Player of the Year in 1978 and a three-time All-American, yet never won a ring. Antawn Jamison's collegiate resume is similarly impressive with having won both the Naismith and Wooden awards, yet he was also denied a championship. So too was National Player of the Year Kenny Smith.
Other notable Tar Heel players, including many first-team All-Americans, saw great individual success without winning a championship. That incredible register of players includes Billy Cunningham, Bob McAdoo, Bobby Jones, Jerry Stackhouse, Rasheed Wallace, Jeff McInnis, Vince Carter, and J.R. Reid.
The only true notable exception to the idea that only collectivist Carolina teams are successful is the most obvious and probably the best team UNC has ever produced: the 1982 NCAA Champions.
That team had National Player of the Year and future Hall of Famer James Worthy, as well as future NBA champ Sam Perkins… and some scrawny freshman from Wilmington by the name of Michael Jordan.
As always, Jordan is the exception that proves the rule: a sole Superman talent seems hurts Carolina's chances when it comes to raising another banner in the Dean Dome.
Whether or not a collaborative unit always serves Carolina best is a thought for another day though. Today, this team, this allied group, has their one shining moment.