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I'm a list person. I love lists. Lists of things to do. Lists of things I want. Lists of things I've done. It makes me feel productive.
And I love music! And I love concerts!
Hence, here's a list of concerts I've been to! I have had an outdated list on a past blog. (Yeah, this isn't my first blog rodeo.) I wanted to recopy it, so that I don't lose it. Maybe you'll find it interesting, maybe not!
Bands I've Seen:
New Kids on the Block (5th grade!! First concert ever.) I was a Joey fan.
Boyz II Men (Sophomore year of high school)
Third Eye Blind (Their self-titled 1st CD is still one of my fave CD's…especially the songs I Want You, The Background, Motorcycle Drive By, and God of Wine)
Huey Lewis & the News
Richard Marx
The Calling
The Wallflowers
Better than Ezra–twice
Matchbox 20
Sister Hazel–twice
Sugar Ray
Spin Doctors
Goo Goo Dolls
Jars of Clay
Bryan Adams–twice, I LOVE Bryan Adams too. Summer of '69 is my FAVORITE SONG!!
Def Leppard
Bon Jovi
Dave Matthews Band–three times
Tom Petty–probably the best concert that I've been to
Chris Daughtry
Dashboard Confessional
Gin Blossoms
The Fray–twice
Mat Kearney–twice
Matt Nathanson–twice
Glen Phillips–lead singer of Toad the Wet Sprocket
Amos Lee–three times!! Amos Lee is my absolute favorite singer.
John Mayer
Justin Nozuka
Matt Wertz–twice
Ray Lamontagne
Jason Mraz
No Doubt
Ani Defranco
Matt White
Josh Kelly
This list would be longer if I still lived in Charlotte. There's not a lot of bands that come through Wichita that I want to see. Although I will get to add The Script to my list in September!
A quick update: I did see Horrible Bosses finally this week. HILARIOUS! Loved it! I'm going all out and saying I liked it better than Bridesmaids. I love me some Charlie Day.
And I wanted to talk about my dinner from tonight really quick. I've been internally battling myself at the grocery store lately regarding boxed mac & cheese. It's so good for dinner…except I'd eat the whole box for dinner and call it good. A box of mac & cheese isn't a good idea for dinner…at least not for this lady.
Last night, I saw on Sweet Tooth Sweet Life that Courtney had bulked up her mac & cheese though. Could I add a bunch of veggies and protein to make it a more complete meal and resist eating it all? YES!
Annie's Shells & White Cheddar, make per directions on box
While pasta is boiling, I sauteed up some zucchini, red onion, and baby bella mushrooms in some olive oil with salt and pepper. I added a can of white chunk chicken and a can of Muir Glen diced tomatoes. Mix together prepared macaroni to sauteed vegetables. I also added a wedge of Laughing Cow Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil cheese for extra creaminess.
Serves about 4. Estimated calories: 275 per serving
It was DELICIOUS! Very filling and I was satisfied after one serving. My only wish was that I would have added more mushrooms.
My other "tip" is my blue bowl above. I recently bought a few bowls marked "Primary" bowls, i.e. for small kids. They were fun colors and I love that I can fill up the bowl to "trick" myself into thinking I'm getting more food. I know this idea has been around forever, but it works for me!
Do you have internal battles with yourself at the grocery store or restaurants??
So, I ran out of dog food last night. And I was too lazy to go to the grocery store.
I poured Special K cereal into Haley's bowl instead. (Don't judge!) Haley didn't seem to mind. I often have cereal for dinner!
Okay, I think she minded a little bit. She about flipped out with excitement when I came home this morning with dog food. All is right in the world now.
Did you see last Sunday's True Blood?? Yes, I'm behind. Did you notice it was Mona from Who's The Boss playing Andy's grandmother?? I think she's aging very gracefully. Go Mona!
Back to the Special K. I recently made Special K dessert bars. Any dessert that doesn't require turning on your oven is great now! There's a ton of variations on these babies too. You can make them with cornflakes or rice krispies too. And just use your choice of baking chips that you love and/or have on hand. As with most dessert, I prefer these cold!!
Special K Dessert Bars
Recipe from Kate's in a Pickle
8 cups Special K cereal
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used closer to 1.5 cups.)
1 cup butterscotch chips (I used closer to 1.5 cups)
about 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Spray a 9×13 inch glass baking dish with non-stick spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, add 8 cups Special K. Add the peanut butter on top of the cereal. Set aside.
Bring the sugar and corn syrup to a boil in a saucepan.
Pour the boiling mixture over the Special K. Stir well.
Smooth the Special K mixture into your baking dish. Set aside to let cool.
Melt your chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a saucepan (or in the microwave in 30 second increments stirring in between) on low heat. Continue to stir. Add heavy cream as needed to get a smooth, pourable consistency.
Smooth the chocolate/butterscotch topping over the top of the Special K. Spread with a rubber spatula to get an even layer. Place the baking dish in the refrigerator to let the topping harder, at least 30 minutes.
Remove from refrigerator about 15 minutes before serving. Per Kate's suggestion, I used a pizza cutter to slice the bars and it worked quite well!
Thanks to Sarah for this cute polka dot plate that she got me while I was in Charlotte too!
Eh, winner winner chicken dinner sounds better.
Speaking of pork..did you watch Big Brother tonight?? Ha, loved Adam's shirt.
"I put bacon on my bacon." Sorry for the toothbrushing and earwaxing going on in the picture too.
Another good one…."Bacon makes everything Better." Yum, bacon.
That's an excellent lead in to what I made for dinner last night! Pork tenderloin, Lyonnaise potatoes, and sauteed green beans were on the menu. My guests were my Mom & Dad as yesterday was my Dad's birthday. Happy birthday again, Dad!!
I recreated a delicious dinner that I had in Charlotte. When I was in town, my friend, Kristie, and her husband, Jon, offered to make dinner so that we could catch up and I could see their new house. First off, oh.my.God.their.house.is.so.nice.and.I'm.so.jealous! Secondly, dinner was great! Kristie made the pork and potatoes (and dessert) and Jon made his famous green beans. Kristie had been telling me that Jon makes great green beans. You know, I grew up with canned green beans. I don't really eat fresh green beans at all. I was skeptical. But now I'm a believer. 😉
For the pork tenderloin, I went to Wal-Mart. They have several varieties of Hormel pork tenderloins already seasoned. I'd never heard of them, but the more people I ask…it seems I'm the last to know! Kristie assured me that they are all good (except not the lemon one!). I went with the Apple Bourbon Tenderloin.
She also recommended using a meat thermometer to ensure it was cooked completely. Can you believe I don't have a meat thermometer?? I made my Dad bring his over for me to use, ha! And funny this is….I'M the one that bought HIM a meat thermometer!
Sauteed Green Beans
fresh green beans (I just used a big handful per person you're cooking for…no biggie.)
olive oil
fresh thyme (or crushed red pepper)
Kosher salt
Snap off the ends of your green beans. Wash thoroughly. Add a generous amount of olive oil to a large saute pan/skillet and heat. Add your green beans. Add several teaspoons of fresh thyme and toss. (You can use crushed red pepper instead of thyme if you prefer more spicy food.) Continue to toss and cook on medium-low to medium for 25 minutes. Add Kosher salt to taste and cook for the last 5 minutes. Serve.
Lyonnaise Potatoes
3-5 large Russet potatoes, thinly sliced/chopped
1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced/chopped
1/3 cup chicken broth
olive oil
Kosher salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly coat a small baking pan (I used a cookie sheet lined with foil.) with olive oil cooking spray.
Wash your potatoes well. Cut into thin slices. Cut your onion into thin slices. (Really, I just did a combo of slices and chopped pieces on both.)
Layer potatoes & onion in pan. Season with salt & pepper. Pour chicken broth over the potatoes and onion; toss a bit to coat.
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil. Brush potatoes with a bit of olive oil and return to oven, uncovered, for 10 more minutes to lightly brown the potatoes. Serve!
I love to serve food in pie plates if you hadn't noticed!! Pie plates aren't just for pies!!!
I'm still trying to play catch up on blogging about my trip to Charlotte, NC. Sarah had asked me before I came if there were any places that I wanted to eat at while I was in town. I had remembered that she had told me about a new-to-me brunch spot that she really enjoyed. I immediately said…..that one place that you went to that one day for brunch!!! What?! That place you went to with Margot! Ohhhhhhh Terrace Cafe!!
I also immediately knew that I wanted our friend, Kat, to join as well. We had the best lunch last time I was in town in January and I wanted to recreate the funness.
A word to the wise: get to Terrace Cafe early on Sunday or be prepared to wait! We only had to wait about 20 minutes and then were seated upstairs.
I ordered some coffee to start. And Kat & I told the waitress to come back at 11:59 am to take our drink order! Does every state have that rule??? No alcohol before noon on Sundays…
I looked at the specials and my eyes darted toward the Cajun Chicken Benedict. Cajun fried chicken breast, buttermilk biscuit, poached egg & sausage gravy…..wow, sign me up!
It was SO good! I really enjoyed it! I wish that I could eat at the Terrace Cafe more often to try their regular eggs Benedict.
The best part of the meal happened at 12:05 pm though.
A Bloody Mary with bacon for garnish! I've never had a Bloody Mary with bacon before. It was great…..gave it some extra peppery flavor. Now the bacon itself, you don't want to eat as it's slimy from being in the great. But it was really good overall!
Sarah and I had tentative plans to see Horrible Bosses after brunch. But after eating so much and being seated upstairs….under these scorching lights….I was so hot! All I wanted to do was go home, change into comfy clothes and take a nap….and really, isn't that what we all want on a Sunday afternoon??
I've still yet to see Horrible Bosses.
Have you seen it??
Good morning!! I'm not much of a Wal-Mart grocery shopper. It's just too dang busy. I get overwhelmed…and frustrated…and annoyed, very annoyed.
But gosh darnit (did I just say "gosh darnit"?), I really wanted one of those egg muffin pans! And I'm making pork tenderloin for dinner and I know that Wal-Mart carries what I was looking for.
So I braved the store at 7 am this morning. 7 am is the perfect time to grocery shop at Wal-Mart!! It was quiet and peaceful and not crowded. I venture to say I might even go back. The lady checking out in front of me saw that I was buying cherries and offered me her match-that coupon to get a cheaper price even! Why thank you, kind lady!!
I remembered to brew some coffee last night too and put it in the fridge overnight. Best iced coffee made at home so far!!
I put just a dash of heavy cream into the egg muffin pan with salt & pepper. I microwaved it for 30 seconds only. Every microwave is different, but this did the trick for me….cooked enough to stay in place, but still runny. I served my on a bagel thin with a little Earth Balance and cheese on top with a side of green apple slices.
The only way my morning would have been better is if I would have exercised too. There's always tomorrow for that!!
Hello zucchini. Meet my friend, Bisquick. I think you two will hit it off.
I made zucchini squares for the 4th of July. I wasn't feeling them that day. They just didn't mesh well with the other items on the menu.
But I froze some of the leftovers. And on Saturday, I heated a couple of zucchini squares up to go with my lunch of Lentil & Vegetable soup. OH!! That's why you make zucchini squares!
They are great to go with soup!! I think they'll be even better with chili. Now if I could only get a break from the 100+ degree temperatures to be able to make chili!
Zucchini Squares
Recipe from Brown Eyed Baker
5 eggs, beaten slightly
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup grated cheese—I used a combination of Parmesan, Romano, & Asiago
2 tbl fresh parsley, chopped
1/ tsp salt
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped finely
2 cups Bisquick
3 cups thinly sliced zucchini
Preheat oven to 350.
Whisk together eggs, oil, cheeses, chopped parsley, salt, seasoned salt, oregano and garlic powder in a large bowl. Whisk in your chopped onion. Then whisk in your Bisquick. Stir in the sliced zucchini gently.
Pour the mixture into a greased 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Smooth the top. Bake about 30-35 minutes. The top will be golden brown.
Serve with your favorite soup or chili!
Where did the weekend go?? Come back, weekend!! We didn't get enough time together.
Okay, that's pretty much all I could come up with on what to write. Ha.
Let's just do this thing, shall we?
Book Review:
The Girl Next Door by Elizabeth Noble
I read The Girl Next Door on my flights to & from Charlotte last week. This book is yet another from my loot at the closing Borders store months ago. I remembered reading an Elizabeth Noble book before (The Friendship Test). So it was a pretty safe bet for my $.50.
The Girl Next Door is the story of Eve Gallagher. She moved from England to NYC when her husband gets a promotion at work. Eve & Ed moved into a Manhattan apartment complex. From there, the story is more of an ensemble type book with each chapter featuring a different tenant/s. Some of the stories co-mingle too.
In the beginning of the book, there was a list of 24(!) characters and which apartments they lived in. Yikes!! I'm glad I didn't see that list until after I started the book or else I would have been overwhelmed. The author really just focuses on 8 characters though, so that's very doable.
So this book…eh, it's alright. It served the purpose of keeping me entertained in airports. It was interesting enough that I wasn't bored. But I didn't find myself rooting for any characters. There were definitely a few twists that I wasn't expecting and that was a pleasant surprise. But in the end, I just found myself thinking….okay, that book is done. What's next?
The Girl Next Door: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Now on to something sweeter!!
Mud Hen Bars
Recipe from Taste & Tell
1/4 cup shortening
4 tbl unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg, whole
2 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chopped nuts–I used walnuts
1 cup mini marshmallows
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup packed light brown sugar
Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9×13-inch baking pan.
Cream together the shortening, butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add in 1 whole egg plus 2 egg yolks. (You'll be reserving the 2 egg whites for later.) Mix well. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients into the wet. Mix well
Spread the batter into a butter 9×13 inch baking dish. the prepared baking dish. You can use a spatula (or hands or both!) to spread & pat evenly. Sprinkle chopped nuts on top of batter. Sprinkle mini marshmallows on top of nuts. (I squished the marshmallows down a bit as they were close to brimming over the pan.) Sprinkle chocolate chips on top of the marshmallows. Set aside.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat your 2 reserved egg whites until stiff. (You'll need a beater or mixer for this one! I tried (and failed) to stiffen mine just with a hand-held whisk). Fold in the light brown sugar. Spread sugar mixture evenly over the top of the chocolate chips.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. The top will be lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.
These mud hen bars are best served warmed up with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Hey y'all!!
Yes, I'm channeling Tami Taylor. Tami Taylor is (or should I say WAS {tear}) my favorite character on Friday Night Lights. Her southern drawl, her boots, her aviator sunglasses (love!), and her hair (double love!!)….
I decided to wait to watch the series finale until this morning. I thought that watching it in the quiet of a Saturday morning would be more special. I'm weird.
But first, I had to make some iced coffee.
Thanks to Sarah for this insulated Starbucks cup! I only had a generic one up until now. I'm snazzy now.
I first brewed some coffee and stuck it in the fridge for awhile. The K-Cups say you just brew it over a cup with ice in it. That's ridiculous. The ice will melt instantly that way. It's even smarter to brew the coffee the night before. But I'm not much a planner.
I added some half & half, cinnamon, and Agave syrup. Check out my new KitchenAid food processor too.
Back to Friday Night Lights, I don't want to give away spoilers in case you haven't watched it. Let's just say I loved the series finale so very much. I teared up at least seven times and was all out bawling at the end. This series was so genuine and heartfelt. I loved every minute of every episode. I'm so sad that it's over. When the original "class" of Jason Street & Tim Riggins graduated 2 years ago, I thought that was the end of me liking the show.
And honestly, when Vince Howard started as quarterback I was very skeptical. But in the end, I enjoyed these last 2 years of the show even more….probably because more of the focus was on Coach Eric & Tami Taylor. I'm so happy that Kyle Chandler & Connie Britton are Emmy nominees this year. Well, okay I'm a bigger Timothy Olyphant fan that Kyle Chandler, but that's okay.
Okay, I lied about the spoilers. Stop reading if you haven't watched it!!!
One part I wasn't thrilled with: Tim & Tyra getting back together…or alluding that they would. Why didn't Tyra go see Landry instead? I always wanted those two to work it out.
And finally, I absolutely loved how they ended the state championship game with the 63 yard pass and then when the ball is mid-air it suddenly cuts to 8 months later. BEAUTIFUL!!! (That's when my bawling started!)
If you never watched Friday Night Lights, I highly recommend that you rent the past seasons. You won't regret it.
Texas forever!
Hey hey! I made it back to Wichita, KS today. Dang, it's hot!! I had a fun 8 days in Charlotte, NC staying with Sarah and catching up with lots of friends.
I hope to get back to a quasi-regular blog schedule again very soon!!!!
For now, I'll leave you with this:
After getting home today, I stopped by my aunt & uncle's. They are moving to Austin, TX (those lucky ducks!!) this weekend. My aunt asked if I wanted any food from the fridge and freezer. Ummmm YES!!!!! My fridge was bare from being out of town for over a week. I scored a ton of frozen veggies and fresh fruit and veggies. I got some MASSIVE zucchini. I'm especially excited about the dried cranberries and pecans. Hello salad fixins! Thanks again so much Ann!!!
And finally, this:
I'm happy to be reunited with my puppers, Haley. She's probably sad to be away from my parents. She loves being able to suntan in their yard and get cheese treats from my Mom. But hopefully I can win her back over with tummy rubs over the next few days.


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|My oldest Toa MOC, drawn in a more "realistic" form.
|My oldest Toa MOC, drawn in a more "realistic" form.
"My roadmap in life was described in the Halo 3 Machinima, Flag Campers: "The last two hours of travel are confined to a small, hilly area. And it's all squiggly..."
Hello, I'm Prehistoric Echoes (AKA: Echo 1, or Xeno745). I'm a BIONICLE, Skyrim, LoTR, and Star Wars fan, and enjoy writing, drawing, and (to a lesser extent) playing video games. Basically, I'm you're average teenage nerd who happens to work out with an ex-army drill sergeant.
Most of my art is based on stuff I'm familiar with, such as Bionicle or some of the science fiction and fantasy stuff I've come up with over the years. Quarians are also fun to draw for me, probably because I'm a low-level Talimancer. I've finally gotten used to drawing people, so I'm working with humans a lot more now.

subset: commoncrawl


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Wolverine Time-Travels in New 'X-Men: Days of Future Past' Trailer
Joining the lineup of superhero blockbusters this summer alongside The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and Captain American: The Winter Soldier is the long-awaited X-Men: Days of Future Past.
20th Century FOX released the second trailer for the Marvel comics saga early Monday morning, showcasing the clash of fan-favorite mutants from the original X-Men trilogy and X: Men: First Class including Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique, Halle Berry as Storm, and Nicholas Hoult as Beast.
The trailer provides a sneak peek of the time-travel element, sending Wolverine on a mission to bring past and present mutants "side-by-side to end this war before it ever begins." The preview also provides a glimpse of James McAvoy (Young Charles Xavier) and Michael Fassbender (Young Magneto) joining forces with their older selves played by X-Men veterans Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen.
The star-studded film also casts Ellen Page as Shadowcat, American Horror Story's Evan Peters as Quicksilver, and Anna Paquin will reprise her role as Rogue.
The latest installment of the X-Men franchise is slated for release on May 23.


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Speaker's Bureau Directory Form
Resource Material
Find your Financial Future: A Directory of Banks and Credit Unions
Prepared by Southeast Louisiana Alliance for Economic Inclusion and Louisiana Appleseed
Payday Lending: Trapping Louisiana's Working Families in a Cycle of Debt
Report released by the Louisiana Budget Project – August, 2011
Reaching Generation Y
Making the Case for Financial Literacy – 2014
A Collection of Personal Finance Statistics Gathered by National Jump$tart from Other Sources
Report released by
the Louisiana Budget Project – August, 2011
Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial LiteracyNational Headquarters: 919 18th Street, N.W. Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006Phone: (888) 45-EDUCATE | Fax: (202) 223-0321 | Contact National Jump$tart | Billing AddressContact information for state coalitions is available on their respective websites.Copyright © 1997-2015 The Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy. All rights reserved.


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Cool weather can cause tomatoes and other vegetables to ripen less quickly.
- Filed Under
Are your tomatoes not ripening as quickly as you would like? This is not an uncommon event when the weather turns cool for more than a few days.
Hot days and sultry nights that make for poor sleeping are great for many garden plants. The tomatoes, peppers and sweet corn ripen quickly in the constant heat. Cool days and cooler nights slow ripening to a rate more common to September than August. Rest assured, after daytime temperatures get into the upper 80s and nighttime temperatures stay in the 70s, the tomato crop will ripen faster than you can make salsa, sauce and ketchup.Looking for local ...


text: In a cross-pollination of design unlike any other, CONVERSE comes together with both nightclub owner Andrew Saravia (aka Monsieur A) and Olivier Zahm's French magazine, Purple, to rework the iconic Chuck Taylor All-Star silhouette into two special edition versions. Last week, we detailed the ins and outs of the off-white colorway option, which comes with either a pink or purple outsole to match the appropriately-colored beading wrapping around the midsole. But now we also can introduce to you a black version of the vintage kick that also carries leather lining, a colorful outsole, and the co-collaborators' branding on the tongue. Further distinguishing this pair from the others is the appearance of the names of Saravia's Le Baron and Le Bain night clubs in place of the typical CONVERSE badge on the ankle of the hi-top shoe. Both editions are exclusive to CONVERSE First String shops, including Canada's HAVEN, who has them currently in stock online and in-store.


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Our Vision
& Objectives
Our objectives are to raise awareness of the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people in Birmingham and beyond, to advocate for their needs to the wider community and to promote opportunities to LGBT people in Birmingham and beyond to enable them to fully participate in the lives of their community.
To act as the voice of the LGBT third sector in Birmingham, based on a knowledge and evidence of real need, creating a positive and visible LGBT community.
Create a highly skilled LGBT third sector that has opportunities for volunteering and service development.
To raise awareness of the needs of the LGBT community in the city and develop appropriate services where needs exist.
To challenge negative stereotypes about LGBT people and combat homophobia


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By Taddeo Bwambale
The performance of the aviation industry has improved significantly, with the number of international and domestic flight passengers reaching over one million.
A performance report of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) shows that the number of international passengers grew from 964,274 in 2012/2013 to 1,025,391 in 2013/2014.
The number of domestic passengers almost doubled from 13,464 to 21,448 over the same period, presenting a significant growth in air transport.
The CAA Managing Director, Dr Rama Makuza attributed the performance to the rise in the number of aircraft operated by airlines.
"Some airlines operated bigger aircraft than budgeted, attracting higher aviation charges," Makuza said at the 9th Joint Transport Sector Review Meeting at Hotel Africana on Thursday.
He also attributed the rise in revenue to interest on investments, citing fixed deposits that matured during the period. Another key source of revenue was interest charged on debts.
As a result, revenue performance grew from sh36b to sh54b between the first quarter (July-September 2013) and the second quarter (October-December 2013).
The report shows that commercial aircraft movements grew from 22,370 to 23,091 while over flights (transiting flights over territory of a foreign country) rose from 10,502 and 10,438.
CAA owns and manages 13 other national airports which include Arua, Gulu, Kasese, Kisoro, Jinja, Kidepo, Lira, Pakuba, Tororo, Masindi, Mbarara and Moroto.
Under a 20-year Masterplan, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) plans to expand Entebbe Airport by building a new terminal, airplane maintenance hangers, a second parallel runway and taxi ways.
Makuza, however, warned that plans for a $300m expansion of Entebbe Airport were being curtailed by inadequate land and encroachment on its land in Entebbe.
The statements, comments, or opinions expressed through the use of New Vision Online are those of their respective authors, who are solely responsible for them, and do not necessarily represent the views held by the staff and management of New Vision Online.
New Vision Online reserves the right to moderate, publish or delete a post without warning or consultation with the author.Find out why we moderate comments. For any questions please contact firstname.lastname@example.com


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Archive for Army Corps of Engineers
Expert panel discusses diversions as a coastal restoration toolJanuary 17, 2014 | Posted by Delta Dispatches in 2012 Coastal Master Plan, Army Corps of Engineers, Diversions, Meetings/Events, Restoration Projects, Science
By Alisha A. Renfro, Ph.D., National Wildlife Federation
Last week in Baton Rouge, The Water Institute of the Gulf hosted the inaugural meeting of the Expert Panel on Diversion Planning and Implementation. The panel – comprised of 12 experts in natural and social sciences, engineering and economics – was selected from more than 60 nominees from across the country. Panel members are all from outside Louisiana, in order to foster critical and constructive review of work being led by Louisiana-based experts. Under the direction of The Water Institute of the Gulf and meeting up to three times a year, this independent panel will provide technical review, input and guidance as the state moves forward and refines its plans for diverting fresh water and sediment from the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers to build, maintain and sustain coastal wetlands. For this first meeting, the panel was asked to consider the most suitable approaches to addressing current or perceived uncertainties in the planning and design of sediment diversions.
The first day of this meeting was open to the public and included a series of presentations outlining the urgent need for restoration in coastal Louisiana as well as various perspectives on sediment diversions. Kyle Graham, Deputy Executive Director of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), summarized Louisiana's 2012 Coastal Master Plan. In his presentation, Graham pointed out that there was no single restoration project type that can address the state's land-loss crisis in one fell swoop, but that a suite of restoration projects are needed, including barrier island restoration, marsh creation, oyster barrier reefs, shoreline protection, hydrologic restoration and sediment diversions. Barrier island restoration and marsh creation can mechanically create land in strategic locations, but sediment diversions convey sediment to not only build new land but also to maintain existing wetlands that would otherwise be lost.
Brigadier General Duke DeLuca, Commander of the U.S Army Corps of Engineers' Mississippi Valley Division, presented the Corps' perspective on sediment diversions. DeLuca discussed some of the questions that the Corps would like to see answered as sediment diversions move from plan to implementation. Many of these outstanding questions should be directly addressed through the Mississippi River Hydrodynamic and Delta Management Study, a joint project being conducted by the State of Louisiana and the Corps. The study will use historic and field data, along with models, to do an assessment of large-scale restoration features to address sustainability of the Mississippi River Delta.
Additional presenters included Jim Tripp from Environmental Defense Fund, Michael Massimi from the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program, Dr. Ehab Mesehle from The Water Institute of the Gulf and Dr. Alaa Ali from South Florida Water Management District.
In a late afternoon panel, Mark Wingate and Martin Mayer of the Corps' New Orleans District, John Ettinger of the Environmental Protection Agency and Ronnie Paille of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, discussed their federal agencies' views on diversions. Afterwards, the public was given the opportunity to voice their thoughts and concerns about coastal restoration directly to the panel.
The following day, panel members met in private to discuss the uncertainties discussed and the science that needs to be done to address these uncertainties. A report on that meeting will be given at a CPRA meeting in the coming months.
Bold solutions are needed to halt the rate of catastrophic land loss in coastal Louisiana. Every year, communities throughout the coast inch closer to disaster, becoming more and more exposed to the destructive forces of storm events. Infrastructure, which is vitally important to the economy of Louisiana and the nation, becomes more vulnerable, and important habitat for wildlife, fish and birds vanishes.
Limited by money and sediment resources, there is no one type of restoration project that is a cure-all solution. A suite of restoration projects that strengthen and sustain the landscape is necessary. Sediment diversions use the natural power of the river to build new land and help maintain the existing wetlands. To do nothing or to only implement the least challenging types of restoration projects would doom the resource-rich Louisiana coast.No Comments
The Billion Dollar Question: Who pays for MRGO ecosystem restoration?December 10, 2013 | Posted by Delta Dispatches in Army Corps of Engineers, Community Resiliency, Hurricane Katrina, Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, Water Resources Development Act (WRDA)
By Amanda Moore, National Wildlife Federation
Last Tuesday, the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority authorized the state attorney general to file suit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in an effort to get the federal government to pick up 100 percent of the expense for the federal plan for ecosystem restoration of damage caused by the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO). Since 2008, there has been an ongoing dispute between the state and the Corps involving interpretation of Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA) of 2007 legislation, in which Congress directed the Corps to develop a plan for restoration of the MRGO ecosystem at full federal expense.
The $3 billion plan, mandated for completion by May of 2008, was finally completed in 2012. Yet, there is still disagreement over what cost share Congress intended, leaving this critical federal restoration effort at a standstill. The state contends that construction is a 100 percent federal expense, while the Corps contends that the typical cost share on restoration projects, 65 percent federal and 35 percent state, applies. This billion dollar question will now be determined by a judge.
The MRGO Must Go Coalition, a group of 17 conservation and neighborhood organizations working since 2006 to see the MRGO closed and the ecosystem restored, has researched this cost share issue for several years. We believe that Congress intended for the MRGO projects under WRDA to be at 100 percent federal cost for construction, responding to the catastrophic flooding of New Orleans and St. Bernard Parish during Katrina and the devastating role the MRGO played in this event.
Given the extent and urgency of the restoration needs, however, we call on the state of Louisiana, the Corps and potentially other federal agencies to work together to identify all available funding sources and ensure restoration moves forward in a timely manner. All parties involved should be present to work, first and foremost, to ensure timely implementation of comprehensive MRGO ecosystem restoration, as mandated by Congress. We are painfully aware that, every day, the MRGO ecosystem further deteriorates and communities remain at risk.
We welcome this opportunity for the federal court to resolve the cost share dispute. But no matter how the ruling comes down, the bigger question remains: Where will the funds come from to pay for the $3 billion in restoration projects outlined in the MRGO ecosystem restoration plan? Billions of dollars will have to be appropriated by Congress. It is our job, as stakeholders in the resiliency and safety of the Greater New Orleans Area and as citizens who care about justice being served for the communities and ecosystem torn apart by the MRGO, to ensure that our leaders in Congress clearly understand the importance of this restoration effort and that they find the will to get it done. Learn more and take action at www.MRGOmustGO.org.No Comments
Recap of Wednesday's Mississippi River Hydrodynamic and Delta Management Study Technical MeetingOctober 25, 2013 | Posted by Delta Dispatches in Army Corps of Engineers, Diversions, Meetings/Events, Restoration Projects, Science
By Alisha Renfro, Coastal Scientist, National Wildlife Federation
The Mississippi River is one of the most managed river systems in the world. However, that management has focused on navigation and flood control needs to the detriment of the economically and ecologically important coastal Louisiana landscape. This week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Louisiana's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) hosted a public meeting in New Orleans to present information and preliminary results of their joint effort on the Mississippi River Hydrodynamic and Delta Management Study. This large-scale, long-term study is developing tools to evaluate different combinations of restoration projects in an effort to address the long-term sustainability of the Mississippi River and its delta while balancing the needs of navigation, flood protection and restoration.
The scope of the study extends from Vicksburg, Miss. south to the Bird's Foot delta. The study is actually comprised of two coupled, but somewhat distinct, efforts. The hydrodynamic portion of the study will focus on characterizing the dynamics in the river and developing models that can be used to evaluate river-side changes due to proposed freshwater and sediment diversion projects. It will also inform location and design of these projects to maximize their effectiveness and minimize the potential for shoaling in the river's navigation channel. The delta management part of the study will focus on the basin-side benefits and changes caused by these restoration projects. The delta management portion of the study has not yet begun. Currently, the state of Louisiana and the Army Corps are working to define the depth and breadth of that part of the study.
The afternoon session of the meeting focused on detailed technical presentations on the study. The different tasks of the Mississippi River Hydrodynamic and Delta Management Study include a geomorphic assessment, data collection and an extensive modeling effort. The geomorphic assessment focuses on compiling historical river data, dredging records and satellite imagery to document the historical trends in the river. The data collection effort will compile existing data and conduct field work to fill in gaps in understanding of the water and sediment dynamics that currently exist in the river. The historical data and present data will be integrated into the modeling work to inform the models and to ensure that the models capture the dynamics of the river system. The modeling effort includes a suite of models that each has different strengths and weaknesses. These models will be used to forecast the large-scale, long-term and shorter-term regional changes expected in the river in both a future without river diversions and a future that includes different combinations of diversion projects.
The presentations from the technical meeting indicate that this collaborative state of Louisiana and Army Corps effort has moved forward significantly since it began. The geomorphic assessment has been completed and a final report on its results is expected by the end of this year. The data collection effort is ongoing, having captured the low discharge of the river last year and the higher flow discharge from this past spring. Many of the preliminary model simulations have begun, and the preliminary results presented at this meeting emphasized the dynamic nature of the Mississippi River system, where water discharge, sediment transport and deposition can not only vary greatly from year to year, but also from week to week. The preliminary results also point to the importance of appropriate size, location and operation of sediment diversions in order to maximize sediment conveyance into adjacent wetlands and to reduce potential riverside impacts.
The Mississippi River has been a key feature in the growth and development of the U.S. However, for more than 80 years, the management of the river has focused on balancing the needs of navigation and flood control. A shift away from that management scheme towards one that balances navigation, flood control and restoration is absolutely critical for the survival of the delta ecosystem and, ultimately, the communities and navigation industry that depend on the Mississippi River Delta. The Hydrodynamic and Delta Management study is poised to be the effort that changes the way we think about management of the river and how we build a more sustainable, holistic system for our future.No Comments
City of New Orleans, National Wildlife Federation host coastal restoration public forumMarch 14, 2013 | Posted by Delta Dispatches in 2012 Coastal Master Plan, Army Corps of Engineers, BP Oil Disaster, Clean Water Act, Meetings/Events, Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA)
By Amanda Moore, Greater New Orleans Program Manager, National Wildlife Federation
Last Thursday evening, the City of New Orleans hosted their 2nd in a series of coastal restoration public forums. Community members came to hear Drue Banta, Counsel to the Louisiana Governor's Office of Coastal Activities, talk about ways to advance coastal restoration in Louisiana through use of BP oil disaster funds. Ms. Banta spoke to a crowd of about 75 people, including neighborhood leaders, parish officials, landowners, fishermen, legislators, academia and non-profit leaders. The forum explored topics such as the difference between the Natural Resource Damage Assessment and the Clean Water Act, the process through which those dollars will be coming to Louisiana, and who is responsible for planning and implementation of projects with each source of funding.
Since July 2012, the coastal restoration forums, held in partnership with National Wildlife Federation, have brought New Orleans community members face to face and in direct dialogue with coastal decision-makers from the Army Corps of Engineers, the governor's office, and staff from U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu's office. As coastal restoration efforts continue to build momentum, National Wildlife Federation and the City of New Orleans will continue to provide these opportunities for public engagement, in an effort to inform not only the community about the latest developments, but also to inform officials closely tied to the restoration process about community concerns and interests. This communication is critical for strong project planning and a healthy coast.
Charles Allen, Director and Advisor for Coastal and Environmental Affairs with the City of New Orleans, explains the purpose of the public outreach effort. "Our goal is to keep the people in the New Orleans area informed and engaged about the many complexities of coastal restoration and the urgency of advancing the Louisiana Coastal Master Plan to protect our communities for generations to come. There is a great promise that new funding sources will eventually start to flow into our state to address this need. As a result, we feel our community should be kept informed so they can further shape the state's coastal restoration agenda as it evolves and moves forward."
Check back for information on future coastal restoration public forums.1 Comment
The People Have SpokenOctober 1, 2012 | Posted by Delta Dispatches in Army Corps of Engineers, Congress, Hurricane Katrina, Mississippi River Gulf Outlet
By Amanda Moore, National Wildlife Federation
On September 6, restoration along the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO) passed another important milestone with completion of the final public comment period for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' planning process. It's a milestone worth honoring, because almost 49,000 people commented on the plan and the need to prioritize restoration of the area. These comments were collected through nonprofit organizations affiliated with the MRGO Must Go Coalition, and since last year, over 75,000 people have shared their voice of support for the Coalition's recommendations for MRGO ecosystem restoration during the public comment process. That is, by far, a record for the Corps of Engineers New Orleans District and goes to show how important this restoration effort is for the Greater New Orleans area.
"The corps needs to listen to the will of the people and address the ecosystem damaged by the MRGO. It's time for the corps to step up to their responsibility and move on this work," said John Koeferl, member of the Holy Cross Neighborhood Association in the Lower Ninth Ward.
Despite this loud demand for urgent and comprehensive restoration, the Corps of Engineers is considering a recommendation of no further action on the MRGO ecosystem restoration report, due to a dispute over who will pay for the projects. A formal decision is still being made on the recommendation by the Chief of Engineers and is expected this week.
Of course, the need for restoration transcends a policy dispute. The MRGO report, which is more than four years beyond its congressional deadline, contains the corps' plan to restore a portion of more than 600,000 acres of coastal wetlands and waterways impacted by the MRGO shipping channel. The MRGO has been directly linked to intensifying the destruction of Hurricane Katrina by destroying the wetlands that once buffered the Greater New Orleans area from storm surge.
In addition to the Coalition's recommendation that the Corps of Engineers move forward on plan implementation, other major recommendations were offered to the corps, including prioritizing the 19 projects listed in the corps' report that are also addressed in Louisiana's 2012 Coastal Master Plan, as well as expeditiously moving forward the Violet Freshwater Diversion. The majority of marsh creation, marsh nourishment and swamp creation features depend on river reintroduction, and the Violet Diversion project will allow for salinity control, sediment delivery to the Central Wetlands area, and better adaptation to sea level rise.
To learn more about the MRGO Must Go Coalition and our recommendations, please visit www.MRGOmustGO.org.No Comments
Statement: Army Corps Should Act Quickly to Restore MRGO DamageSeptember 27, 2012 | Posted by Delta Dispatches in Army Corps of Engineers, Media Resources, Mississippi River Gulf Outlet
Amanda Moore, National Wildlife Federation, 504-442-2702
John Lopez, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, 504-421-7348
For Immediate Release:
(September 26, 2012—New Orleans) The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed its March decision on Army Corps liability for catastrophic flood damage related to the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO) during Hurricane Katrina, giving the Army Corps immunity under the discretionary-function exception of the Federal Tort Claims Act. Still, the Court acknowledged the MRGO "greatly aggravated the storm's effects on the city" and the Corps "abused its discretion."
"MRGO operation followed a multi-decadal pattern of failed policy and inadequate execution, which blithely ignored the egregious wetland loss and ominous threat the MRGO posed to St. Bernard Parish and New Orleans," said Dr. John Lopez, executive director of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation. "Due to the Corps' failure to correct the issue, the MRGO destroyed communities and cost lives."
Today, the MRGO damage remains unmitigated. Over 600,000 acres of coastal habitat were impacted by the MRGO, including tens of thousands of acres of protective wetlands that surround the Greater New Orleans area. Despite a call to action by Congress in 2006, an Army Corps plan for environmental restoration along the MRGO is still incomplete and facing a recommendation of "no further action" by the Corps due to a policy dispute over who will pay for the restoration projects.
"The stakes are too high for this to end here. The government must do what is right and fix the damage caused by the MRGO before the next catastrophe," said Amanda Moore, greater New Orleans program manager for National Wildlife Federation.
This statement is supported by National Wildlife Federation, Environmental Defense Fund, National Audubon Society, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, Gulf Restoration Network, Sierra Club, Levees.org, American Rivers and Global Green.No Comments
Conservation groups laud funding for restoration efforts from U.S. HouseJune 1, 2012 | Posted by Delta Dispatches in Army Corps of Engineers, Congress, Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA), Media Resources, Restoration Projects
Federal funds will support critical restoration construction projects, jobs in Louisiana
(Washington, D.C. — June 1, 2012) Today, local and national conservation groups applauded the U.S. House of Representatives for approving $10 million in new funding for critical Louisiana coastal restoration projects.
Passed as an amendment to the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, the measure was sponsored by Louisiana Representatives Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Cedric Richmond (D-La.) and directs $10 million to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers construction account for the Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA) program. This funding allows the Corps of Engineers to begin construction on federally approved restoration projects that will restore and rebuild Louisiana wetlands and barrier islands. In April, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $16.8 million for LCA ecosystem restoration projects. This funding supports President Obama's fiscal year 2013 budget request for coastal restoration projects.
"This funding is an important step in breaking ground on federally approved projects that will restore critical wetlands around the Mississippi River Delta and protect Louisiana's coastal infrastructure and natural resources," said the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, Environmental Defense Fund, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, National Audubon Society and National Wildlife Federation in a joint statement. "Thanks to the efforts of Representatives Scalise and Richmond, these funds will allow Louisiana to move forward on these projects that are so necessary to the long-term viability of our coastal communities."
Since the 1930s, Louisiana has lost more than 1,900 square miles of wetlands, an area roughly the size of the state of Delaware. The decline of the Mississippi River Delta's wetlands has dramatically weakened protection from hurricanes by wiping out much of the natural buffer against storm surge and other disasters. The loss of wetlands also threatens:
- One of our nation's most important fisheries
- One of our nation's most significant port complexes and navigation systems
- Wildlife, including tens of millions of migratory birds and waterfowl
- Domestic energy production and processing
- Communities all along the central Gulf Coast
The federal funding was provided in the House's version of the FY13 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill.
More restoration projects like the ones funded through this budget request would be possible with passage of the RESTORE Act. The legislation would dedicate 80 percent of oil spill penalties paid by BP and others responsible for the 2010 oil spill towards gulf restoration. The RESTORE Act has received strong bipartisan support in both the House and Senate and is currently under consideration as part of conference committee negotiations of the House and Senate transportation funding bills.
Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, firstname.lastname@example.com
Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, firstname.lastname@example.com
Kevin Chandler, National Audubon Society, 202.596.0960, firstname.lastname@example.com
###No Comments
Take action: Help protect Louisiana's coastMay 15, 2012 | Posted by Elizabeth Van Cleve in 2012 Coastal Master Plan, Army Corps of Engineers, BP Oil Disaster, Diversions, Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, Restoration Projects
By Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund
The Myrtle Grove sediment diversion is a linchpin of Louisiana's groundbreaking plan to restore the coast and repair damage inflicted by the BP oil disaster. However, the State and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are considering permits for the construction of a massive coal export terminal right next to this critical restoration project. Allowing these permits to proceed could stop the Myrtle Grove project in its tracks.
RAM Terminal, LLC has recently applied for permission to locate a coal export facility immediately adjacent to the location of the Myrtle Grove sediment diversion. The proposed facility will likely have a significant impact on the water and sediment flow in the river — and would therefore impact the Myrtle Grove sediment diversion's ability to restore the surrounding wetlands and marshes.
For a state that has lost nearly 2,000 square miles of wetlands and barrier islands, Myrtle Grove represents one of the best opportunities to build and sustain our coast. By harnessing the river's water and sediment, Myrtle Grove can sustain coastal communities and ecosystems for decades to come. Allowing the RAM coal export facility to proceed without demonstrating that it will not have a negative effect on Myrtle Grove would set a dangerous precedent. As the Coastal Master Plan moves through the State Legislature, Louisiana and the Army Corps must make restoration a top priority.
The public has been invited to comment on the project, but the deadline is close of business today!
Louisiana residents: Please take action and tell the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and State of Louisiana to demand proof that this coal export facility will not interfere with plans to restore our coast.
Environmental Defense Fund: Take Action: Put Louisiana's Coast over Big Coal
National Wildlife Federation: Defend Habitat Restoration for Brown Pelicans
Since the 1930s, Louisiana has lost almost 2,000 square miles of coastal wetlands and barrier islands. Not only are these vital for species such as the brown pelican, they provide critical hurricane protections for Louisiana's coastal residents. Louisiana's 2012 Coastal Master Plan estimates that restoration projects like the one at Myrtle Grove will create as many as 800 square miles of new healthy coastal habitats for pelicans and other wildlife over the next 50 years.
Take action and tell the State of Louisiana and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that restoring the coast is a national priority and should not be blocked due to a new coal facility.
Mardi Gras Pass: A new diversion on the Mississippi River springs to lifeMarch 21, 2012 | Posted by Delta Dispatches in 2011 Mississippi River Flood, 2012 Coastal Master Plan, Army Corps of Engineers, Diversions, Science, Videos
By John Lopez, Ph.D., Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation
The Bohemia Spillway, located along the east bank of the Mississippi River two miles south of Pointe a la Hache, La., is a rare opportunity to observe the natural processes and potential benefits of the Mississippi River flow into the Louisiana wetlands. Because there is no artificial river levee to obstruct flow during high water, the river has been flowing into the adjacent wetlands for 85 years. In 2011, the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation (LPBF) conducted a hydrologic study of how much water enters the spillway and where it flows during floods. It was over the course of this work that LPBF researchers made an unexpected discovery: a new channel was being cut by the flowing water from the Mississippi River.
As the 2011 flood waned, we began noticing this new channel, and in July, the channel made a dramatic breach into the nearby roadway. On Mardi Gras Day 2012 (Feb. 21), scientists noted that the channel had reached the bank of the Mississippi River and shortly after, a complete breach into the river occurred. With this milestone, the channel is now an extension of the Mississippi River that helps distribute the river flow through the new distributary channel.
At this time, the distributary flow through the newly-dubbed "Mardi Gras Pass" is small, estimated to be less than 1% of the river's peak discharge (5,000 to 10,000 cubic feet per second). The channel is 30 to 40 feet wide near the river but deep enough to capture river flow continuously even under very low water. This new diversion was not manmade – it was the result of natural river forces seeking a shorter outlet to the sea.
It can be expected that Mardi Gras Pass will expand over time. The rate of enlargement is of great interest because this process has not been observed in modern times, and the concern is that the diversion may become too large. However, enlargement of the pass may be desirable, because just one mile away, the new draft Louisiana Coastal Master Plan recommends a large diversion of about 4% of the river's peak flow (50,000 cubic feet per second). This new diversion is estimated to cost $220 million, so LPBF is encouraging the state and Army Corps of Engineers to consider Mardi Gras Pass as an alternative, since it may provide the same wetland benefits for a much smaller cost and much sooner than a constructed diversion.
Another exciting aspect of Mardi Gras Pass is the rapid emergence of the riverine ecology. When the channel was just a few weeks old, schools of fish were observed migrating up current toward the river. These pogy fish were feasting on the plant detritus being washed into the pass from the river. The influx of fish to the area attracted river otters, which have been commonly observed feeding in the pass. Additionally, beaver, heron and other critters have begun taking advantage of the bounty created by the river flow in Mardi Gras Pass.
Support for this research is provided by The McKnight Foundation, Environmental Defense Fund, The Walton Family Foundation, Surdna and The National Audubon Society. To learn more about LPBF and the Bohemia Spillway, please visit SaveOurLake.org (go to Coastal > Technical Reports > Bohemia Spillway Documentation).
Additional resources:
- Video: Bohemia Rising: Exploring the Mississippi Delta in South Louisiana, (Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation).
- Resiliency of the Bohemia Spillway and the Evolution of Mardi Gras Pass, Southeast Louisiana, (Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation).
NGOs urge federal government to restore coast damaged by Mississippi River Gulf OutletMarch 15, 2012 | Posted by Delta Dispatches in Army Corps of Engineers, Hurricane Katrina, Mississippi River Gulf Outlet
(March 7, 2012 — New Orleans) On March 2, the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals upheld the November 2009 landmark decision that found the Army Corps liable for catastrophic flooding in the Lower Ninth Ward and St. Bernard Parish during Hurricane Katrina due to the grossly negligent management of the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO). In 2009, Judge Stanwood Duval ruled that the dangerous condition of the shipping channel was clearly acknowledged by the Corps for decades, but the Corps chose not to take a course of action to remedy the ongoing destruction and degradation of the protective wetlands. The MRGO impacted over 700,000 acres of coastal wetlands and waterways. These wetlands once buffered the Greater New Orleans area from storm surge.
This second ruling reaffirms the direct linkage of the MRGO to the deadly destruction of Hurricane Katrina. Urgent restitution for all impacted by Corps negligence and restoration of the MRGO ecosystem is imperative. Still, the federal government is expected to continue to appeal, further delaying resolution.
"Nearly seven years have passed since Hurricane Katrina. It's high time for the federal government to step-up to the plate by compensating those affected and by funding MRGO restoration," said Dr. John Lopez of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation.
Although the closure of the shipping channel was long-advocated by environmental and community groups, and even though the funneling effect of the MRGO was predicted by storm surge researchers, it took the drowning of entire communities to achieve congressional action for MRGO closure and restoration planning.
Restoration planning is ongoing. Both the Corps' draft MRGO ecosystem restoration plan and the State of Louisiana's draft 2012 Coastal Master Plan call for upwards of $5 billion in restoration projects in the area impacted by the channel. The need for funding prevents implementation of this immensely important restoration effort. Settling this case could provide a major source of those funds.
"As an advocate for both the environment and reduction of flood risk, I believe the Court of Appeals decision will push government engineers to look long and hard at how other channels similar to the MRGO along the Gulf Coast increase risk and damage the environment. More importantly, we need to fix them before the next catastrophe," said Dr.Paul Kemp, Vice President at National Audubon Society and a member of Team Louisiana.
Statement supported by: American Rivers, CAWIC, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, Environmental Defense Fund, Global Green-USA, Gulf Restoration Network, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, Levees.org, Louisiana Environmental Action Network, Lower Mississippi Riverkeeper, Lower Ninth Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development, MQVN Community Development Corporation, National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club – Delta Chapter, Tierra Resources, LLC, and St. Bernard Parish Government.No Comments


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Cirrus SR22 Ground in a Relaxed Atmosphere: Using Air Trek North's SR22, we will go through the basics of the Avidyne Entegra Glass Panel and Avidyne Auto-Pilot, Propeller operations, Specifications and Systems including the parachute systems.
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Sheboygan A's baseball
- Filed Under
The Sheboygan A's baseball team's biggest night of the year - the night the club demonstrates their wares to their investors - has been rained out once again.
Originally scheduled for June 11, Sponsors and Friends Night was rained out and rescheduled for Thursday, but weather cause yet another postponement of the event as it will now take place June 20 when the A's host the Northern Illinois Legends at 7:30 p.m. in what will also be Fish Fryday Night and College Night.
Anybody that attends a ...


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|ICP monitoring: complications and associated factors.
MedLine Citation:
|PMID: 975699 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE
|1. Patients with complications when compared with those not developing a complication: a. Were older, 44.4 vs. 34.5 years; b. Were monitored longer, 14.0 vs. 6.5 days; c. Were treated with steroids longer, 18.3 vs. 10.3 days; d. Were hospitalized longer, 35.7 vs. 27.7 days; e. Are twice as likely to die; f. Average age of those dying is older, 46 vs. 30 years; g. Have no clear relationship to antibiotics; h. Do not have a preponderance of single diagnostic category to account for these differences; i. Complications were always controlled with standard therapy; j. An ICP complication was almost never responsible, per se, for death. 2. Over all complication rate was 18%; due to monitoring was 4.5 to 11.5%. 3. Monitoring was responsible for, or contributed to, 25 to 60% of the complications. 4. No complications occurred when monitoring was discontinued within 3 days. 5. Long periods of treatment with steroids increased the risk of a complication developing. 6. Long periods of monitoring were associated with an increased risk of complication. 7. "Individual" factors are partly responsible for the development of a complication, and death. 8. There are two groups of complications: "early" and "late." A. Those most likely to be monitor related occur "late" and account for 35% of the complications. B. Those developing "early" infection account for 65% of the complications and are most likely caused by factors other than monitoring. While there are complications directly attributable to monitoring, the rate is low and they are readily controlled by standard neurosurgical management. While monitoring may increase the morbidity, it does not increase the mortality. We feel that the over-all risk is small and that the returns are great--both in terms of knowledge and patient benefit.
|M J Rosner; D P Becker
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Publication Detail:
|Type: Journal Article
Journal Detail:
|Title: Clinical neurosurgery Volume: 23 ISSN: 0069-4827 ISO Abbreviation: Clin Neurosurg Publication Date: 1976
Date Detail:
|Created Date: 1976-12-23 Completed Date: 1976-12-23 Revised Date: 2004-11-17
Medline Journal Info:
|Nlm Unique ID: 2985141R Medline TA: Clin Neurosurg Country: UNITED STATES
Other Details:
|Languages: eng Pagination: 494-519 Citation Subset: IM
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|APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex
|MeSH Terms
Age Factors
Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
Brain Diseases / mortality
Brain Injuries / mortality
Catheterization / adverse effects
Craniotomy / adverse effects
Infection / etiology
Intracranial Pressure*
Meningitis / etiology
Monitoring, Physiologic* / adverse effects
Postoperative Complications
Steroids / therapeutic use
Time Factors
Reg. No./Substance:
|0/Anti-Bacterial Agents; 0/Steroids
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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Monday, November 30, 2015
Jackie Mason was ordained as a rabbi (like his father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and brothers) when he was 25, and while he left the synagogue after three years for a career as a standup comic, the idiosyncrasies of Jewish-American life have always been one of his favorite topics. It was only appropriate that Mason should make a pilgrimage to Israel to present his acclaimed stage act; Jackie Mason: In Israel captures the comic delivering his often politically provocative act on the road. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi


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PHOTOS: Dolphins practice Wednesday
Published On: Sep 05 2012 03:03:40 PM EDT
Miami Dolphins face Houston Texans in season opener
The Miami Dolphins held practice Wednesday ahead of the season opener against the Houston Texans.
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Feb. 21, 2009
The Eastern Washington University women's basketball team suffered a blow to its postseason hopes with an 80-58 road loss to Northern Colorado on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 21). The Bears put the difference between the teams with a 21-0 run in the first half.
Eastern Washington is now tied for sixth place (and the final postseason spot) in the air-tight Big Sky standings at 5-8, sharing that position with Idaho State. The Eagles trail third-place Montana State (6-7 BSC) by a game and are ahead of eighth-place Sacramento State (4-8 BSC) by half a game. The Hornets play at Northern Arizona (5-7 BSC) tonight.
The game was close throughout the majority of the first half, as neither team took greater than a four-point lead until the Bears went on their 21-0 run to go up 36-16 with 1:31 showing on the clock. The closest Eastern Washington would get the remainder of the game would be 13 at 42-29 after Kyla Evans nailed a three with 18:05 to go in the game.
Leading the Eagles in scoring and rebounding was Nicole Scott, who had 11 points and seven rebounds this afternoon. Also scoring in double figures were Julie Piper and Evans (10). Evans had the best shooting performance, making 66.7 percent of her attempts (4-of-6) and was a perfect 2-of-2 from three-point range.
Chene Cooper, who had the first start of the freshman's career today, finished with a team-high four assists and two steals. Pauline Ferrall had four blocks, tied for the most by any Eagle this year (Scott also had four on Nov. 28 at UNLV).
The Eagles will next play at Portland State (19-7, 12-1 BSC) in the Rose City at 2:05 p.m. on Saturday (Feb. 28). The Vikings are tied for first with Montana (12-1 BSC).


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FY 2014/2015 Low-Income Energy Programs
Federal | Utility | Charitable
LIHEAP Contacts
Public Inquiries: 1-800-582-5706
LIHEAP Administering Agency Contacts
Weatherization Assistance Program
Local Administering Agency Contacts
LIHEAP FY 2016 Funding (including tribal awards)
$18,869,957 (Initial CR Release)
LIHEAP Income Eligibility Level
60% State Median Income (150% FPG for households with 7 or more members)
LIHEAP FY 2016 Benefit
Heating and Cooling: $75 minimum, $640 maximum
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LIHEAP Households Served in FY 2014
Heating: 9,282
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Summer Crisis: 4,409
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Low-Income Rate Assistance
Arizona Public Service
Energy Support (E3) and Medical Care Equipment (E4) Programs
Offers a discount up to 65 percent off the cost of electricity for customers who meet certain income guidelines. The income guidelines are based on 150% of the federal poverty guidelines and change every July 1st. The discount varies depending on how much electricity is used each month. Application forms are available online or can be picked up at all APS business offices.
Unisource Energy Services
Low Income and Medical
- Customers whose income does not exceed 150% of the federal poverty level may be eligible for a discount on their electric and natural gas bills. Customers pay a discounted customer charge of $3.50 per month which is $4.50 less than the standard residential charge. They also receive discounts on their UES electric service. The total discount is applied to the entire bill. The amount of the monthly discount is calculated based on monthly usage, with larger percentage discounts available to customers who use less energy. An application is available on the website.
- Medical Life Support Program
Similar discounts are available at higher usage levels for qualified low-income customers who require the use of life support equipment in their homes. The total discount is applied to the entire bill. The amount is calculated based on monthly usage, with larger percentage discounts available to customers who use less energy. To be eligible for the CARES Low Income Life-Support Program, an electric service customer must submit to UES annual verification by the physician to remain eligible for the program beyond one year. You can find the physician's form on the second page of the application that is available on the website.
Salt River Project
- Economy Price Plan
Customers with limited incomes can receive $17 off SRP charges each month through the Economy Price Plan. To receive an application or for more information, call SRP at 602-236-8888 in Phoenix, or from outside the 602, 623 or 480 area codes, call toll-free number at 800-258-4777.
- Medical Life Support Discount
Qualifying medical patients or their family member can receive an $17 monthly discount on their SRP bill while using life-sustaining equipment.
Call 602-236-8888 or 1-800-258-4777 if outside Maricopa County
Southwest Gas
Low Income Ratepayer Assistance (LIRA)
For customers whose household income does not exceed 150% of the federal poverty level, a 20% rate discount is applicable to the first 150 therms per month during the winter season (November through April.)
(877) 860-6020
Tucson Electric Power Company
- Low-Income Discount
Customers whose household income is at or below 150% of the federal poverty level, may qualify for an $8 discount off their bill each month.
- Lifeline/Medical Life-Support Discount
A discount is available to households that meet the financial eligibility guidelines for the Residential Lifeline Program and where certain medical situations exist. The discount is based on monthly use: 0 - 1,000 kWhs, 35%; 1001 - 2000 kWhs, 30%; over 2000 kWhs, 10%.
Navaho Tribal Utility Authority
Senior Citizen Discount
Life Support Discount
NTUA offers a 7% discount to customers who are 60 years or older and have an annual household income of $ 16,000 or less. A 7% discount is available to customers who require utility services to be maintained for a life-threatening health condition that is certified by a licensed physician.
Low-Income Energy Efficiency
Tucson Electric Power
Since 1982 the Tucson Urban League and Pima County have been assisting low-income residents in reducing energy use and lowering their utility bills by implementing year-round weatherization measures - at no cost to eligible customers. TEP conducts energy audits and provides funding for weatherization measures.
Pima County: contact Jesus Duran, 520-243-6787 x 2600
Tucson Urban League: contact Juan Godinez, 520-791-9522
Salt River Project
SRP provides up to $6,000 per eligible household for energy-efficiency home improvements on top of federal funding. Improvements could include:
- Insulation
- Window shading
- Low-flow showerheads
- Faucet aerators
- Air conditioner duct seals
- Space heating and cooling system equipment maintenance and tune-up
- Evaporative cooler tune-ups or motor upgrades
- ENERGY STAR-labeled compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs
For more details on this program or to see how you can qualify to participate, contact the Community Action Association in your area:
- City of Phoenix: (602) 262-6666
- Mesa Community Action Network: (480) 833-9200
- Maricopa County - outside Phoenix/Mesa: (602) 506-5911
- Pinal County: (520) 466-1112
Southwest Gas
Low-Income Energy Conservation Program
Energy-saving measures are available to income-qualified customers, at no cost.
Examples of energy-saving measures are caulking, insulation, weather-stripping, ductwork repairs and windows.
Contacts and web site, http://www.swgasliving.com/content/northern-nevada-low-income-energy-conservation-program.
UniSource Energy Services
Low-Income Weatherization Program
This program complements the federal weatherization assistance program to provide energy efficiency measures and improvements to more UES customers. UES partners with Community Action and other agencies located within the UES service territories who are responsible for outreach, arranging of the installation/work, and submittal of invoices to UES. Contact your local agency for more information and enrollment, https://www.azdes.gov/Landing.aspx?id=7431
Emergency Charitable Assistance
Please note these charitable funds are last resort emergency funds with limited resources and limited times of operation.
Home Energy Assistance Fund
Provides funds for low-income families experiencing extreme financial hardship to help pay overdue utility bills and prevent potential electric or gas shutoffs. Administered by the Arizona Community Action Association (ACAA) through Community Action Program (CAP) offices in every county. May provide eligible individuals annual one-time financial assistance of up to $500 to restore utilities to avoid disconnections. Individuals may only apply once in a 12-month period for funding. Contact your local CAP office (www.azcaa.org/community-action-agencies/) or call 602-604-0640 for more information.
Arizona Public Service
Project S.H.A.R.E. (Service to Help Arizonans with Relief on Energy)
Project S.H.A.R.E may be able to help pay energy (gas, electric, oil, wood) bills for seniors over 60, living on a fixed income and facing a financial emergency or for customers under age 60 and experiencing special hardships or for disabled with no source of income. Contact your local Salvation Army.
Mohave Electric Coop
Members Helping Members
The energy-assistance program is available for members who live at or below the current Federal poverty level and are facing a crisis in their household. Financial assistance will be determined on a case by case basis up to a maximum of $200 per household. Funds will be used for Mohave member's electric bills only, paid directly to the member's account. Required documentation for consideration includes: Driver's License or government issued identification, social security card, proof of income and current Mohave Electric bill. After completion of the application members can call The River Fund to schedule a confidential interview 702-298-0611. Applications are available at our Customer Service Office.
Salt River Project
Customers in need of SHARE funds can request assistance by calling SRP Customer Resource Counselors at (602) 236-3000. An SRP Customer Resource Counselor can refer you to the appropriate Salvation Army office and advise what information you will need.
Southwest Gas Corporation
Energy Share
Energy Share is an emergency fund that provides direct assistance to qualified people with unexpected financial difficulties, such as the loss of a job or a medical emergency. All Energy Share donations are managed and distributed by The Salvation Army. www.swgas.com/residential/specialprograms/share.php
Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Operation Roundup
Customer donations help families cope with emergencies, illnesses and special medical needs and aid community and emergency service providers. An application is available on the website or at your local SSVEC office.
Trico Electric Cooperative
Operation Roundup
Customer donations help Trico members in emergency situations. Requests for assistance are evaluated by the Trico Charitable Trust Board. Applications are available online and can be emailed to: email@example.com or mailed to:
T rico Charitable Trust
c/o Coleen Tom
P.O. Box 930
Marana, AZ, 85653
Tucson Electric Power Company
- Help with Emergency Energy Relief Operation (H.E.E.R.O.)
H.E.E.R.O. provides one-time payments on energy bills for low-income customers. Customer donations fund the program, which is administered by the Salvation Army.
- Low-Income Fund for Emergencies (LIFE) Fund
In 1996, Tucson Electric Power Company set aside $4.5 million in shareholder funds for the Low-Income Fund for Emergencies (LIFE) Fund. The interest generated from the fund – about $250,000 per year – has been used to offset cuts in LIHEAP. The fund is administered by the Salvation Army.


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Activists who want the California Public Utilities Commission to investigate health concerns raised about PG&E's SmartMeters received support this week from the commission's own consumer advocacy division.
If left unaddressed, such health concerns could pose "a very great risk that PG&E's SmartMeter deployment will turn out to be a $2.2 billion mistake that ratepayers can ill afford," the Division of Ratepayer Advocates said in written comments submitted this week.
Sandi Maurer, founder of the Sebastopol-based Electromagnetic Field Safety Network, cheered the division's stance, saying it bolsters the group's efforts to have state regulators formally take up their concerns.
"We're very grateful for the DRA's support," she said. "We're hopeful that the commission will give us the opportunity to be heard."
PG&E contends there are no health risks posed by the radio frequencies emitted by the high-tech gas and electric meters, which the utility hopes to install at every home and business it serves.
The World Health Organization, American Cancer Society and other major health organizations have found no definitive links between radio frequencies and ill health.
But activists have urged for more study, not just on SmartMeters, but on the cumulative effects of radio frequencies emitted by laptops, cell phones, TVs and other electronic devices. They also claim that current exposure guidelines set by the Federal Communications Commission are outdated.
An administrative law judge, acting on a request made by PG&E, tentatively denied the EMF Safety Network's request for state regulators to address the health concerns raised about SmartMeters.
The Division of Ratepayer Advocates, however, essentially argued that the judge's tentative decision was based on flimsy evidence about the safety of the devices provided solely by PG&E.
The FCC's jurisdiction over radio frequency levels does not preclude the PUC from "exercising its broad powers to protect public health and safety" and investigating concerns raised by anti-meter activists, the division stated.


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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) has authorized 60 Texas counties for emergency grazing use of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres.
Each local FSA office must request approval from the Texas FSA State Committee. There is no automatic approval due to drought conditions, as in previous years.
A 90-day emergency grazing period for 59 of the 60 approved counties will end Sept. 11, 2014. Ochiltree County is the 60th named county to receive emergency grazing on CRP acres, but the grazing period will end on Sept. 18, 2014. For a complete county listing, please click here.
Farmers and ranchers must request approval before grazing eligible acreage and must obtain a modified conservation plan from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) that includes grazing provisions.
There will be no CRP annual rental payment reduction for 2014 emergency grazing authorizations.
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The very first Student Design Show to exhibit the work of students from all three campus locations was held in Kenosha in the Madigano Theater Commons in 1999. Prior to that, smaller shows had been held locally at each campus, and later each region.
Its hard to believe that we are on our 16th year of the district-wide combined show, and our 18th year overall! The show originally rotated among each of the three main campuses (Kenosha, Racine, and Elkhorn) annually. We now rotate at locations between the two campus regions offering the Graphic Communications Program, and are excited to be holding the show at a brand new venue this year (the S.C. Johnson iMET center in Sturtevant). We also have a touring show component that visits additional venues.
Since 2007 we have maintained a show presence on the web (we have documentation of some of the more recent shows–2010 onward–in the main menu).


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December 1, 2015
GRAND JUNCTION - The Palisade Bulldogs scored two fourth quarter touchdowns, but it wasn't enough to erase a 21 point deficit as the Central Warriors get their first win of the season 21-14 on Friday night.
Joe Trujillo carried the ball 23 times for 86 yards and the final touchdown for the Warriors in their win.
On the ensuing drive, the Bulldogs scored on a 55 yard pass play to cut the lead to 14, but the comeback was started too late.
Next up for Central is Thunderridge on September 8 at 7:00 p.m. The Bulldogs will be on the road at Steamboat Springs on Friday, September 7 at 7:00 p.m.
To see highlights from the Palisade vs Central game, click the link above.
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or email@example.com.


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Hawks Notes is an occasionally subjective, always stream-of-consciousness rambling on the state of the NBA in the ATL.
Teague continues to out-perform his man
We mentioned back at mid-month that Jeff Teague had a string of comparatively-strong performances against some of the game's best point guards. Since then, Teague's numbers compared to the opposing team's starting point guard have only gotten better.
Teague followed up the previously-mentioned run by limiting John Wall to 13 points on 22 shots in a Hawks win. For December, Teague is averaging 14.1 PPG and 7.9 APG on 42% shooting from the field and 41% shooting from 3-point range. During the same stretch, the opposing team's starting point guard is averaging 10.8 PPG and 6.9 APG on 36% shooting from the field and 26% shooting from 3-point range. As I mentioned on Twitter, Teague's defense is becoming a thing.
Eric Spoelstra's praise of Coach Bud not just coach speak
I went on a bit of a Twitter rant earlier today about superstar officiating (you can see the timeline for @BuddyGrizzard to view it in all its glory). It may be my personal opinion that the league's referees handed Miami both the conference and NBA titles last season, but this does not diminish my respect for Eric Spoelstra. The only reason the Conference Finals were close enough for the officiating to make a difference was that Spoelstra clearly out-coached Frank Vogel.
As such, when Spoelstra was effusive in his praise for Mike Budenholzer and the speed with which the Hawks have bought into and implemented his systems, I don't think it amounted to generic platitudes. Spoelstra, in my opinion, has only one peer in the NBA coaching fraternity: Greg Popovich. When Spoelstra holds forth at length, citing specific examples of positive signs for an opposing ball club, one does not simply dismiss it as coach speak.
A final thought on Omer Asik
The Hawks entered last night's contest with Miami having won six of the previous eight, including three in a row by a margin of 14 points or greater. Combine that with a strong showing against the defending world champions and it's possible to be optimistic about the team's prospects for the balance of the season.
That's an optimism I wouldn't necessarily share, given the brutal upcoming schedule in January. I will be shocked if the Hawks emerge from January better than the two games above .500 where the team currently sits. As such, I have no problem standing by my opinion that the Hawks should trade for Omer Asik (although my editor, Bo Churney, apparently disagrees).
Bill Reiter with Fox Sports recently opined that the acquisition of Robin Lopez was a major factor in Portland's emergence as one of the top teams in the West. Reiter believes that Lopez' ability to clog up the middle has freed Aldridge to focus more on his offensive game, especially the mid-range. Asik could have a similar impact on the Hawks and Al Horford, but it's fair to question if adding another one-dimensional player would improve the team. By contrast, Portland has two-way players on the wing in Nicholas Batum and Wesley Matthews. The Hawks have no such luxury.
It's also fair to question if a straight-up Asik-for-Paul Millsap swap would be a good value for the Hawks. Millsap is clearly the superior NBA player, and he's on a more favorable contract. Houston likely failed to receive the offer it was seeking due to the $15 million balloon payment in the last year of Asik's contract.
Next season both Asik and Millsap will have expiring contracts. However, Millsap's cap hit and money owed will be a straight $9.5 million, a figure his production more than warrants. As such, Millsap will become more and more valuable as the trade deadline approaches next season. Asik's contract won't be attractive until around next year's trade deadline, by which time Houston will have paid off a pro-rated portion of that $15 million balloon payment. Look for trade rumors to heat up regarding both players by this time next season if nothing happens in the interim.


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Sigma SD1 Merrill
Sigma SD1 Merrill : Front The Sigma SD1 Merrill probably isn't the first D-SLR camera that comes to mind when you think of a high-end shooter, but it is the one that's the most different from others in its class. It ships without a lens, so you'll have the option of pairing it with glass that suits your shooting style.
1 / 8


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Is keybiotics.com a scam or legit | keybiotics.com reviews, How did keybiotics.com get a trust score of 77% ? when checking keybiotics.com we looked at many factors, such as the ownership details, location, popularity and.
Whole body research reviews – legit or scam?, I have used other probiotics such as align and the sams club brand probiotics which worked much better than the keybiotics i foolishly diecided to try for 1 mon.
Total beauty guide | everything you need to look your best, Everything you need to look your best everyone seems to always be reminded of the powers of probiotics. these 'good bacteria' help replenish our intestinal.
Whole body research – garcinia cambogia review – thetoprate, Garcinia cambogia is a new weight loss "miracle herb" that has everybody talking. in some recent clinical trials, it was shown to prevent the absorption of.


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Quick, before the connection goes out againDecember 14, 2006 at 11:28 pm | In December 2006 windstorm, Fauntleroy, West Seattle weather, Westwood | 6 Comments
The lights are flickering; the Internet connection is wavering … Sounds out there like This Is It — the wind wallop the weather experts warned about. The National Weather Service "current observations" say it's gusting to 58 mph at Alki Point! (Look for "K91S" here, under the "GS" column for gusts, "SP" next to it for ongoing wind speed.) E-mail and online reports mention a variety of problems around WS already, including some sort of sinkhole at Northrop and Thistle, up the hill from Lincoln Park, and power outages in Westwood and at the Fauntleroy end of the WS Bridge. We might be too powerless to post later, so to speak, but please keep everyone updated by adding a comment to this post with a report from your 'hood. (And if you want to know what's up elsewhere, the RPIN appears to provide decent updates.)
6 Comments
I just drove home to Alki down Admiral Way. It looks like power is out from west of Modern Care (49th SW) all the way down to hill until you get to Alki (59th SW). Our lights are flickering down here too, so don't know how long we will have power.
Comment by Kathy — 11:39 pm December 14, 2006 #
Woke up this morning at 530a and the power was out. I heard on the bus that the power has been out since 1am. I live where Beach Drive and the Fauntleroy neighbors meet up. Since I ride the bus to work, I started up Murray to Holly and then drove down Holly to turn left onto Lincoln at the Beach Drive intersection. Then I drove up Lincoln (tree down going up the hill) to turn left onto Fauntleroy. Started driving towards California intersection and there was a police car and cones set up. So I took a left onto one the side streets to meet up with California, but as I turned on my brights not to hit anything I came face to face with a large tree and down power lines. (Personally I have never seen anything like that up close. To the people in the homes I hope everything is all right and someone is taking care of the tree that is down across the road.) I got myself turned around and I came back to Fauntleroy. Went up another side stree and got to California. Street lights were out and so was all of the businesses around the intersection. Turned right onto Fauntleroy and headed toward the Alaska intersection. The lights seemed to be on starting around Raymond all the way to the bridge.
Since I ride the bus, I normally take the 54 Express but that I safely assumed wouldn't be airing due to the down trees. The 54 Local seems to be running a altered schedule, but still going from the Alaska Junction to Downtown. I rode the 21 Express, so I would say the 21 bus line is runnning on 35th.
Hope all is safe with everyone and the power isn't out long.
Comment by Schulz — 8:08 am December 15, 2006 #
Pretty much all of the power is out in Highland Park and Delridge. Last night there was a pretty bad flood at the bottom of Highland Park Way SW, but this morning it was dry.
Some major street intersection signals are out as well. On our way to work we found the following without power:
- Highland Park Way SW and W Marginal Way
- 509 and E Marginal Way (had traffic enforcement officers directing traffic)
Most of SoDo seems to have power, but there are a few pockets here and there without.
Stay safe out there!
Fairmount Avenue is entirely blocked by a 6 foot wide tree at the top (Forest Street) end of the ravine. Fortunately it didn't hit any people or houses or vehicles.
Comment by Holly B — 10:32 am December 15, 2006 #
At Hiawatha Park in the Admiral area, a large evergreen is down, roots and all by the wading pool area. Might be something interesting for all the kids out on early winter break to see.
Comment by gina — 2:28 pm December 15, 2006 #
That beautiful poplar tree that smashed across Fairmount Avenue at the top of the ravine is still there and it is WAY bigger than 6 feet wide. It looks more like 30 feet across, counting all the gnarled trunks and pulverised branches.
Comment by Forest — 1:13 pm December 16, 2006 #
Sorry, comment time is over.
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Get your fill of the blues at the 13-hour Red Hot Blues Festival in Cherry Hill on Saturday.
- Filed Under
Got the I-miss-hearing-local-blues blues?
Enjoy a buffet of live, local blues from noon to 1 a.m. Saturday at the 2nd Annual Red Hot Blues Festival in Cherry Hill.
Hosted at Red Hot & Blue - the Memphis smokehouse adjacent to the Holiday Inn in Cherry Hill - the event features 13 hours of the area's finest musicians.
Acts on the bill include Don Evans; Mikey Jr. and The Stone Cold Blues; Heart Fulla Bluz; Pinewolf and the Pack; BD Mylo and the Go Daddys; April Mae & The June Bugs; Scoville Blues; and more.
As the blues are howling, the kitchen will be serving up a barbecue feast with dinner specials ranging from $25 for two people to $50 for four patrons. Drink specials include $2 Yuengling and Coors Light.
Admission at the Cherry Hill bar, located at 2175 Marlton Pike West, is free for all ages.
For more information, call (856) 665-7427 or visit www.redhotanblue


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High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and anti-HMGB1 antibodies and their relation to disease characteristics in systemic lupus erythematosus
Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands
Arthritis Research & Therapy 2011, 13:R71 doi:10.1186/ar3332Published: 6 May 2011
High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) is a nuclear non-histone protein. HMGB1, which is secreted by inflammatory cells and passively released from apoptotic and necrotic cells, may act as a pro-inflammatory mediator. As apoptotic cells accumulate in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), HMGB1 levels might be increased in SLE. HMGB1 may also serve as an autoantigen, leading to the production of anti-HMGB1 antibodies. In this study we determined levels of HMGB1 and anti-HMGB1 in SLE patients in comparison to healthy controls (HC) and analysed their relation with disease activity.
The study population consisted of 70 SLE patients and 35 age- and sex-matched HC. Thirty-three SLE patients had quiescent disease, the other 37 patients were selected for having active disease. Nineteen of these had lupus nephritis. HMGB1 levels were measured with both Western blot and ELISA. Anti-HMGB1 levels were measured by ELISA. Clinical and serological parameters were assessed according to routine procedures.
HMGB1 levels in SLE patients could be measured reliably by Western blotting only, and were significantly increased compared to HC. During active disease HMGB1 levels increased, in particular in patients with renal involvement. Serum HMGB1 levels correlated with SLEDAI, proteinuria, and anti-dsDNA levels, and showed a negative correlation with complement C3. Anti-HMGB1 levels were significantly increased in SLE patients compared to HC, and positively correlated with HMGB1 levels.
Levels of HMGB1 in the sera of SLE patients, in particular in those with active renal disease, are increased. Serum HMGB1 levels are related to SLEDAI scores and proteinuria, as well as to levels of anti-HMGB1 antibodies. These findings suggest that besides HMGB1, HMGB1-anti-HMGB1 immune complexes play a role in the pathogenesis of SLE, in particular in patients with renal involvement.


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Zillertal was the starting point for our Tirol trip, James McKnight and Alex Evans made the trip by road from Morzine which took them the best part of 8 hours. I flew into Munich airport and grabbed a transfer taxi which took around 1.5 hrs door to door.
We spent 2 days riding and filming in the area and discovered some amazing trails. A great start to riding in the area would be the Penken mountain as it has a couple of way marked trails that start off relatively easy and gradually get more technical as you descend towards the valley floor. I would grade them using UK trail guide lines as Red with more demanding Black sections, our guide was riding a XC hard tail and made it down most however he did walk down quite a lot of the technical sections.
The second part of the edit highlights the other side of the valley from the Penken, this started with a bit of a road climb to the tele cabin which took us up a further 500m, we basically traversed in a southerly direction across the hillside which brought us out above the town of Brandberg. The decent was amazing in places with some really unique trails that don't look like they have been ridden.
Again we only scratched the surface of what was potentially on offer in our two days of riding, we were well looked after by our hosts and guides who couldn't have been more friendly or helpful.
Many thanks to
Sabine Katschke - Zillertal Tourist Board
Hotel Wöscherhof - woescherhof.com
Günther Burgsteiner - raw-burgsteiner.com


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