text:
Wildland firefighters are busy mopping up more than a dozen wildfires sparked by a lightning storm that rumbled through Jackson and Josephine counties Sunday evening.
"They are not burning with great deal of intensity," said Brian Ballou, spokesman for the Oregon Department of Forestry's Southwest Oregon District, which covers the two counties.
"But spring fires usually start popping up in late May," he added. "To have them come in the first part of May is definitely unusual. We have found 13 so far but we expect to find others."
The largest blaze covers about five acres in the Elk Creek drainage just north of Trail, he said.
"It burned pretty good when it was in brush and grass but when it hit the shadowy forest area, it just laid down," he said. "Most of the fires we have are small. Some are no more than a single tree."
While Jackson and Josephine county fared better than Douglas and Lane counties and Central Oregon where the fires were larger and more numerous, local firefighters are gearing up for an early fire season, he said.
"If we don't get much rain out of this weather pattern, then we will be looking at fire season starting soon, perhaps by this weekend or earlier," he warned. "It could be a long, hot summer with the potential for large fires throughout the region."
Local residents are being urged to be extra cautious with any activity that could spark a wildfire.
— Paul Fattig
Location, ST | website.com


text:
This item may be engraved with up to three letters. Please select letters and type style during checkout. To learn more about engraving options, click here.
Machine Engraving
You may pick up this item at the following location:
Wall St. Store
Learn More
Please select in-store pickup during checkout.
Like her jewelry, Elsa Peretti's designs for the home
exude warmth and sensuality. They represent a
generosity of spirit and the notion that beauty and
utility should go hand in hand.
—Elsa Peretti
A Design Revolution
Elsa Peretti gave sterling silver its exalted place in the world
of fine jewelry. When Tiffany introduced her
silver jewelry, it was an unprecedented move that sparked
a style revolution.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
February 15, 2006
Scary moments for an Augusta neighborhood when a house caught fire with four children inside. It happened Wednesday morning at 3212 Collier Road, that's off Lumpkin Road. Three of the children were able to get out of the house, but a four-year-old was trapped inside.
"The house is gone," said Mamie Hill, neighbor.
The call came in at 11:09 Wednesday morning. This house at 3212 Collier Road was engulfed in flames. Neighbor Mamie Hill heard screaming from inside.
"I saw smoke and the fire at the same time so I called the fire department and the lady told me the department was on its way," Hill said.
"While we were enroute we received additional information from the dispatchers that there was possibly children trapped or locked inside the residence," said Captain Alan Kneece, Augusta Fire Department.
Four children were inside sleeping, ages 15, 10, 5 and 4. The fifteen-year-old who was babysitting woke up and was able to get the ten and five year olds out safely. The four year old was trapped inside.
"I said the fire is so hot in there, but that baby got to be got out," Hill said.
Felice Rucker lives up the street and received the frantic call from her 15-year-old nephew.
"The only thing he could tell me was the house was on fire and my four-year-old nephew was caught in the house," Rucker said.
A driver passing by noticed the fire. No one knows who this stranger is, only that he is credited with saving a four-year-old's life.
"A person driving down the road they was able to stop, they spotted the four-year-old standing at the window, busted the window and pulled him out," Kneece said.
"I said there is a window back there you can go through that window he said well I'm going in, he went in and got the little boy," Hill said.
"To whoever did it thank you God Bless you all cause it would have turned out for the worse," Rucker said.
The fire department is investigating the cause. The four children were not injured and were taken to MCG only for evaluation. The fire department would like to speak to the man who pulled the four year old out of the burning house.


text:
The Brookfield High School basketball teams had a special series of games on Friday night at the BHS gym. The Dogs and Lady Dogs celebrated Courtmat, and also welcomed back the two most successful basketball teams in Brookfield history.
I'm the girls game, Alesa Frey scored nine of the first 11 points of the game for Brookfield, and helped the Lady Dogs open up a sizable lead early on. But, the Lady Cougars battled back with a late run. A buzzer-beater by Rebeca Kearns left the Lady Dogs with a 13-8 lead after one quarter.
Highland struck first in the second frame, and held Brookfield scoreless for just over the first two minutes of the frame. The drought ended with a basket from Courtmat Queen Miranda White. Kearns and Sassie Matzen would add bucket of their own to lengthen out the Brookfield lead. At the half, the Lady Dogs led 29-17.
Location, ST | website.com


text:
I am the former General Manager/CEO of the North Tahoe Public Utility District. I am impressed with the Community involvement and Fiscal responsibility of the current Board of Directors in addressing the needs of the NTPUD. Directors Bergmann, Ferrell and Mooney have been involved in all aspects of District business which is Sewer/Water and Recreation. It has been suggested that change is needed for a variety of reasons, one of which is that there is a lack of collaboration with other agencies. I did not find this to be true during my tenure.
The District always has been involved in service delivery for utilities and has cooperated with Placer County on the KBCCIP and other public projects, resulting in mutual cost savings.
They have managed limited Recreation/Park dollars and provided facilities with grants from the State of California, Placer County, and the Resort Association. They surveyed the property owners on increasing the Recreation Tax to improve recreation facilities and services. The property owners, while supportive of more services, would not support a fee increase. This Board supports the Boys and Girls Club, Little League, AYSO, NTBA, disc golf, improved lake access and parking.
This Board has effectively managed the District financially and made the tough choices when raising rates to improve capital replacement of the aged water and sewer system. The District has limited debt and that insures rate payers are not assuming greater liability and risk and increased rates for the future.
I would ask the voters to support the current Board (Bergmann and Ferrell) incumbents and Mr. Thompson, long-time resident of this splendid community. I am writing to express my full support for these three as I know they will continue to properly and effectively manage this Utility District and provide the oversight, services, and leadership this service District needs. They are your clear choice for November 2012.
Jon "Curtis" Aaron
Oak Hills, Calif.


text:
Main Content
This item ships within one business day.
$4.99 flat rate shipping. See other shipping options.
Go ahead — let that wave of delight overtake you when you slip on the Espathrill sidewalk surfers from Sanuk! They feature a handmade canvas upper with asymmetrical stitching, an easy-on easy-off flap and espadrille foxing detail.
- Sanuk signature Happy U embossed outsole
- Sidewalk surfers feature a shoe upper on a sandal bottom
- Vegan and vegetarian
- Woven Sanuk tag on upper
- Decorative stitching
- Easy-on & easy-off application
- Espadrille foxing detail
- Gum & rubber outsole
- Handmade canvas upper
- Hook and loop fastener strap
- Imported
- Lightweight "Vulc-Lite" footbed with canvas sock liner
- Made in the USA
- Brand: Sanuk
Other Customers also liked:
Special event items are produced by manufacturers only after the outcome of a game or event. These are advanced sale items and will ship immediately after they are received in our warehouse.
Manufacturer direct items are shipped directly from the manufacturer. These items are not available for international or expedited shipping.
Customized items can be personalized with options such as your name, your favorite number, and/or designs. Some options may be limited by league rules.


text:
Villa Oniria is a luxurious and unique 4 star boutique hotel located in the historic centre of Granada, in the San Anton Street. Its building dates back to the XIX century which was fully renovated in 2007, now providing an ideal accommodation for everyone wanting to explore this magical city.
Many of Granada's main attractions are located within easy reach such as the Cathedral, the Moorish Quarter of the Albayzín or wonderful Alhambra Palace, all of them World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Hotel Villa Oniria features a charming courtyard with two fountains and a small garden where guests can relax.
Other facilities available at this Granada hotel include restaurant, Spa and wellness centre and more


text:
Now available: Solaris 10 10/09 Operating System
By chhandomay on Oct 08, 2009
|Today we announced
the availability of the Solaris
10 10/09 Operating System. In this update, Solaris 10 has been
extended with new performance and power efficiency enhancements, more
streamlined management of system installations, updates and fixes, new
updates for ZFS and advancements to further leverage the functionality
of the latest SPARC(R) and x86 based systems.
I talked with Larry Wake, Group Marketing Manager, Solaris Software, about what is new and exciting in this Solaris 10 10/09 update. Listen to the short podcast for the details.


text:
PARKERSBURG - A new program at Parkersburg Catholic High School will help recycle plastic stick deodorant containers.
The school is one of 52 schools nationwide participating in the pilot program and is competing to win one of five $1,000 prizes for top recyclers. The initiative is made possible by FundingFactory, the nation's leading fundraising by recycling program, and Unilever, maker of deodorant brands Dove, Axe, Degree and Suave.
Community members can drop off any brand of empty solid, roll-on, and gel deodorant sticks at the school's 3201 Fairview Ave., Parkersburg, campus. A recycling bucket is provided near the hitch of the recycling trailer at the end of the building
Parkersburg Catholic High School parents, faculty and students can drop off their empty deodorant sticks in the specially marked collection bin outside the office in the front hallway. Aerosol cans are not recyclable at this time.
"We are very proud of our on-campus greening efforts and the impact we've made locally and globally through our FundingFactory recycling fundraiser and our recycling trailer," said Principal Karen Robinson. "We're very excited to pilot this innovative program, and grateful to Unilever and Earth911 for the sponsorship, and to NextLife for the technology."
Millions of deodorant sticks are manufactured each year and, and until now, their lifecycle ended in landfills. Through this unique partnership, there is now a way to collect and recycle them.
Fact Box
On the Web
Millions of deodorant sticks are manufactured each year and, until now, their lifecycle ended in landfills. Through this unique partnership, there is now a way to collect and recycle them.
For more information, visit:
* www.unilever.com/ sustainable-living
* nextlife.com
* FundingFactory.com
In November 2010, Unilever launched the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan and publicly committed to a 10-year journey toward sustainable growth. The plan broke new ground by pledging to take responsibility for the company's impacts right across the value chain, from the sourcing of raw materials all the way through to the consumer's use of its products to cook, clean and wash.
NextLife has developed a system that cleans the plastic and converts it into a sustainable resin that can be reused in consumer and commercial plastic products.


text:
Learn more about ClinSeq
CLINSEQ®: A Large-Scale Medical Sequencing Clinical Research Pilot Study
Study Overview
The CLINSEQ® Study is a project that seeks to learn about the role that your genes play in your health. We do this by getting a DNA sample from you, sequencing most or all of your genes, and then comparing that to what we know about your personal and family health histories. We are able to look at genes relating to a variety of health conditions. These include things like heart disease, breast cancer, and hearing loss.
Our goal is to enroll 1500 participants in the project. So far, we have over 900 participants, and we still need more volunteers for the study. Each member of the study has a clinical visit and tests to look at heart health. Study members also give us information on their family and medical histories. Finally, blood samples are taken for routine tests that look for health problems such as diabetes and high cholesterol, as well as for genetic testing. Participants get the results of all their testing (except the genetic tests) about one month after their visit. Study members receive the results of their genetic testing when they are available.
There are many goals of the study, including:
- To explain how genetic changes relate to health.
- To learn the best ways to share the results of genetic tests with people.
- To create new ways to analyze and store genetic data.
So far, our project team has published several papers and given many lectures on the study. This would not be possible without our participants! To find out more about the CLINSEQ® project, and see if you may be eligible to join, please explore the CLINSEQ® Study web pages.
CLINSEQ® is sponsored by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
Note: CLINSEQ® study recruitment will focus on the metropolitan Washington D.C. and Baltimore areas in order to minimize reluctance to participate because of travel limitations.
Principal Investigator
Leslie G. Biesecker, M.D.
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
National Institutes of Health
Last Updated: June 13, 2014


text:
Top Definition
when a person is acting shadey...kinda I guess talking smack behind ur back.. then acting like everythings peachy king when youre face to face with them
Man.. youre shiesty! =)
by Kerrianna Beck May 16, 2003
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?
someone who acts like there down with you, and behind your back is doing you dirty.
Mike Roman your so shiesty,...that's what we will call you. SHIESTY!!
by someone you fucked over!! December 12, 2004
adj.; another form of shiezer meaning sinister or shady
Man that guy is shiesty, he didn't pay me all my change!
by jd-squared September 29, 2005
Shiesty usually refers to an action that is greedy and/or inconsiderate. When someone is shiesty it means they dont think about others and do things that help them even if they know it harms someone else in anyway.
An example of when someone is shiesty is; You ask someone for gum and they say they don't have any, but he/she really did have gum but didnt want to give you any.
by Zane Lavallee February 11, 2010
low-down, dirty, corrupt
It was shiesty of his dad to my ass...
by L-dogg December 06, 2003
Based on the word "shyster," meaning "an unethical, unscrupulous practitioner, especially of law." It comes from the German term "scheisser," which literally means "one who defecates."
John Ashcroft got real shiesty after eating at Taco Bell.
by Venus May 27, 2004
Shady, A suspicious character
He is being Shiesty.
by geeked-out January 21, 2004


text:
LAKE TAHOE - The latest TRPA spin piece entitled, "TRPA's 21st Century Role is Fostering Regional Cooperation" once again incredulously fails to include any detail of the content of the proposed new Regional Plan. It's a lengthy bit of green washing that spews all the right catch phrases. Terms like TMDL, storm water infiltration, greenhouse gases and invasive species are thrown around like candy. You'd think TRPA is doing "God's Work," but what you have to pay attention to is what the PR piece doesn't say.
It doesn't mention:
• TRPA, at the behest of Nevada Gaming interests, proposes in the new Regional Plan Update to potentially allow casino structures be a maximum of 197 feet in height in the South Shore casino core in Stateline.
• South Lake Tahoe wanted more 95-foot-high structures ... not a problem.
• The rest of the Town Centers (Incline, Kings Beach, Tahoe City, Meyers) could allow 56-foot-high buildings with provisions for more height. A good example of a big bulky structure is the new Domas affordable housing building across from the Caliente restaurant in Kings Beach. It's 48 feet high and overwhelms the surrounding area.
• If approved, the RPU would increasing the potential allowed density for hotel, fractional and timeshare units by a whopping 160 percent. Multi-family concentration will increase 60 percent.
• The counties will have sole jurisdiction over large residential developments 50,000 square feet or less in areas like Incline and Kings Beach. The Kings Beach Safeway is 38,000 sq. ft. Placer County's Kings Beach biomass plant and the Washoe County tax revolt illustrates why county control is a problem for Tahoe. To the counties, Tahoe is just a revenue stream.
• In the plan, TRPA proposes to rezone 250-plus acres owned by the Edgewood Companies on the South Shore from conservation or open space to potentially allow single family, hotel, timeshare and commercial. How many other open space properties do you think will be developed once this precedent is set?
• TRPA is also a proposing to rezone 52 acres at the top of Ski Run Boulevard owned by Vail Resorts to single family, hotel, fractional/timeshare or commercial. There's the spirit of cooperation.
• TRPA is promoting the conversion of soft coverage (dirt roads) to hard coverage (asphalt). What will happen to the lake if California Tahoe Conservancy coverage inventory (millions of square feet) were to be used for large development?
The RPU, if approved as proposed, sets a bad precedent for the future of Lake Tahoe. It would allow communities who could be swayed by big developer and resort association special interests to submit proposals that include towering structures that further encroach on our lands. It's likely only a matter of time before these proposals get approved by future County and TRPA boards.
Approval of this ill-conceived plan is slated for November or December of 2012. If you want your children to be able to enjoy this beautiful, one-of-a-kind basin, with its unparalleled majestic waters and spectacular mountain setting, please speak up now - before it's too late.
Ann Nichols is a 42-year resident of the North Shore, a Real Estate Broker, president of the North Tahoe Preservation Alliance and member of the Lake Tahoe Federal Advisory Committee. She can be reached at email@example.com.


text:
SANTA CLARA -- Parys Haralson exchanged farewell hugs and handshakes with about 30 players in the 49ers locker room after the veteran linebacker was traded Monday to the New Orleans Saints.
As he exited, Haralson cordially deferred comment to the 49ers' front office, other than to say: "I'm outta here."
The 49ers would not confirm the deal until it becomes official. They are expected to fetch a seventh-round pick in the 2014 draft.
"He was a good mentor, taught me a lot, and best of luck to him in New Orleans," Aldon Smith said.
Smith replaced Haralson in the starting lineup last season at right outside linebacker, and Smith produced a franchise-record 191/2 sacks. Haralson started 68 games in six seasons before sitting out 2012 with a torn triceps.
Haralson's exit came a few hours after the 49ers cut five players: quarterback Scott Tolzien, offensive lineman Al Netter, punter Colton Schmidt, linebacker Joe Holland and running back D.J. Harper. The 49ers must cut 11 more players by 1 p.m. Tuesday to reach the 75-man limit.
Among those who shook Haralson's hand inside a stunned locker room was running back Frank Gore, who then shouted: "We play you. Be easy on me, dog." The 49ers visit New Orleans on Nov. 17.
Haralson played just 12 snaps in Sunday's exhibition win at Minnesota, after producing a sack and blocked punt the previous game at Kansas City. Last exhibition season, he tore his triceps and immediately was placed on injured reserve. Coach Jim Harbaugh said he regretted that season-ending transaction and wished Haralson could have returned in the 49ers' Super Bowl run.
Originally selected by the 49ers in 2006 as a fifth-round draft pick out of Tennessee, Haralson will join a Saints team that lost outside linebacker Will Smith to a season-ending knee injury Saturday. Haralson had 211/2 career sacks in 86 games.
Earlier this year, Haralson agreed to reduce his base salary to $1.15 million. Without Haralson, Aldon Smith and fellow starter Ahmad Brooks likely will be backed up by offseason acquisition Dan Skuta, formerly of the Cincinnati Bengals, and rookie Corey Lemonier, a third-round draft pick. Also on the roster is Cam Johnson, a 2012 seventh-round pick.
Haralson was highly regarded by his teammates and had the fifth-longest tenure among them, trailing Brian Jennings (2000, seventh-round pick), Andy Lee (2004, fourth round), Gore (2005, third round) and Vernon Davis (2006, first round).
Tolzien did not play in Sunday night's exhibition win over the Vikings after experiencing back spasms in practice last week. He completed 18 of 34 passes (team-low 52.9 percentage) for 188 yards with no touchdowns and one interception through two exhibitions.
Tolzien was claimed off waivers from the San Diego Chargers after the 2011 exhibition season, and he's never played in a regular-season or postseason game.
Harbaugh announced after Sunday's game that Colt McCoy would be Kaepernick's top backup.
"Hey, balls came my way and I tried to make a play for my team," Patton said.
Added Kaepernick: "He is someone that is easy to have chemistry with. He knows where windows are in defenses. He knows how to get open."
He was glad to hear tests revealed no ligament damage. Williams suffered a hyperextended right knee, and Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said after the game the team would probably send video to the NFL for possible punishment, according to The Associated Press.


text:
Poland Recognizes Same-Sex Unions' Tenancy Rights
WARSAW–Poland's Supreme Court Wednesday recognized the right of gay partnerships to succeed to tenancies in this staunchly Catholic country where legislators have for years stonewalled attempts to introduce civil unions.
The court issued an interpretation of an article of Poland's Civil Code, which states that the surviving partner in a marriage or an informal union assumes the rights of a tenant in a leased apartment.
It was asked to interpret the phrase "a person who factually remained in cohabitation with the tenant" for the purposes of an appeal lodged by a person denied tenancy by the city of Warsaw after his partner of nine years died. A district court in Warsaw, ruling in the first instance, upheld the city's decision, saying cohabitation is understood to be a union of a man and a woman.
The claimant, whose name wasn't disclosed, appealed that verdict and the court of appeals asked the Supreme Court to interpret the law. The Supreme Court said Wednesday that same-sex partners are entitled to inherit tenancies.
Because Poland's law isn't based on precedents, the Supreme Court's response to the lower court is binding only in the case in which it was given. The Supreme Court's responses aren't legally binding for lower courts in other cases, but are customarily observed due to the tacit assumption that the court would rule similarly in the future.
The country in 2002 lost before the European Court of Human Rights, which ruled in a similar case, Piotr Kozak vs. Poland, that "a blanket exclusion of persons living in a same-sex relationship from succession to a tenancy cannot be accepted as necessary for the protection of the family."
The country's society is largely against the introduction of same-sex civil unions, but in favor of allowing gay couples to enjoy some rights now available only to opposite-sex partners and married couples, a poll showed earlier this year.
In July, lawmakers in the Sejm, lower house of parliament, rejected without reading proposed legislation that would introduce civil unions. Polish conservatives have said homosexuals face no discrimination in Poland, and have referred to some of the rights gay activists are seeking as privileges given to families to ease their burden of raising children.
Draft civil unions legislation was proposed in 2005, but Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz, a left-leaning parliament speaker and a presidential hopeful at the time, didn't bring the bill to a debate before the house's term ended later that year.
Write to Marcin Sobczyk at email@example.com


text:
About the Book
"A villain so unique, he gave me nightmares and fantasies."
—Jeaniene Frost
When it comes to bad boys, no one beats Sammy Divine (a.k.a. Satan, Lucifer, Scratch). But whatever name he cares to go by, Sammy is one sexy devil—as New York Times bestselling RITA Award winner Terri Garey so delectably demonstrates in A Devil Named Desire. Sammy's second unforgettable appearance—after Devil Without a Cause—is tasty, tempting, and hotter than hell, as the irresistible Prince of Darkness sets out to prove to his archangel friend Gabriel that forbidden fruit, in the form of a beautiful woman, is impossible to resist. Garey delivers dark, edgy, wickedly wonderful paranormal fun that fans of Mary Janice Davidson and the Sookie Stackhouse novels of Charlaine Harris might eagerly sell their souls for.
And no one knows that better than Sammy Divine. Once an angel, now cast down, Sammy's out to prove he's not the only angel who can be led into temptation . . .
Hope Henderson's sister has disappeared without a trace, and Hope will do anything to find her—even make a deal with the Devil. An ancient text holds the key to unspeakable power, and it's the Archangel Gabriel's job to make sure it stays hidden, even if he has to become mortal to do it. Lives, love, and the fate of the world hang in the balance, as Hope and Gabriel learn that when passion's involved, desire can be a devil that's impossible to control.
Educator and Librarian Resources
Product Details
- Imprint: Avon
- On Sale: 01/31/2012
- Trimsize: 4.188 in (w) x 6.75 in (h) x 0.92 in (d)
- Pages: 368
- List Price: 7.99 USD
- BISAC1: FICTION / Romance / Historical / General


text:
Shop By Designer
Join Us
Home » Contest Sign Up
Contest Sign Up
Send in a photo of your pampered puppy to win a prize in our hugely popular monthly pet photo contest - the biggest monthly pet photography contest you'll find online! There are ten prizes available to be won. All you have to do is send in your photos and you could win!
Contest runs from:
The Rules


text:
Deadline Hollywood is reporting that Open Road films isclose to acquiring Jobs, the JoshuaMichael Stern helmed Bio-Pic of Steve Jobs life, for distribution. The filmstars Ashton Kutcher as Jobs and had been announced to close the Sundance FilmFestival this year. No specifics of the distribution, including possibletheatrical release, are being reported yet.<>>
Jobs was one oftwo competing Steve Jobs movies in development after his death. The other,based on his autobiography and written by Aaron Sorkin, has not yet beenfilmed. <>>


text:
22nd Annual CSBS Student Research Conference
The UNI College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (CSBS) organizes an annual student research conference for both graduate and undergraduate students engaged in research related to the social and behavioral sciences. The conference provides the opportunity for students to present their research, exchange ideas, learn about different disciplines and meet students from different departments.
The keynote speaker for the conference will be Cameron Weaver, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. The call for papers is now open. Both oral and poster presentations are welcome. Deadline for submission of abstracts is April 5, 2015.
All undergraduate and graduate students in the social sciences are invited to participate in this conference. Attendees are encouraged to register before April 10; registration is $15. A boxed lunch is guaranteed only with early registration (vegetarian and gluten free options are available).


text:
Personalized Adult Aprons (large)
Choose an apron to start:
or choose from our categorized designs to start personalizing:
Make Customized him and her aprons for the lady and man of the house
Does mom, dad, grandma or grandpa like to chop, sizzle and stir? Or perhaps it's your aunt, uncle, partner or friend who is the life and soul of the kitchen. Regardless of whether that special person is him or her, our large size aprons are big enough for any adult. If they're a passionate chef then a one-of-a-kind apron will sure be a welcome and treasured item.
The key to making the apron extra special is to find that perfect photo and message. Maybe it's a group photo of a memorable event in the past, or an image that brings joy and laughter, or it can even be a symbolic picture of an item they love. Once you've found that perfect picture, our easy-to-use online apron builder makes it easy to style the apron to your taste.
So if you have a dinner party or barbeque approaching and you want to remind them how much you love their food or give them something proud to wear – start designing your apron for them now…it'll take less than 3 minutes!
Custom large apron specifications:
- Made of durable, stain resistant and easy-to-clean white polyester (100%)
- Machine washable (cold water and no bleach)
- Adult apron measures width x length 28" x 32" (71 cm x 81cm) with image 13" x 19" (33cm x 48cm) (portrait) or 19" x 13" (48cm x 33cm) (landscape)
See other products
- Bandana
- Glasse Mug
- Sock
- Tank Top
- Wall Calendar
- Wood Cube
- Desk Calendar
- 3D Card
- Animated Cards
- Cap
- Clipboard
- Clock
- Doormat
- Folio Case
- Keychain
- Koozie
- LapTop Bag
- Luggage Handle Wrap
- Mat
- Mirror
- Mobile Phone Case
- Mouse Pad
- Necklace
- Ornament
- Pencil Case
- Photo BookMark
- Photo Clutch Bag
- Photo Coaster
- Photo Coin Purse
- Photo Cosmetic Bag
- Photo Cube
- Photo Flip Flop
- Photo Hoodie
- Photo Poster
- Photo Puzzles
- Photo T-Shirt
- Photo Wood
- PhotoBook
- Photo-SweatShirt
- Pillow Cover
- Pillow Cushion
- Placemat
- Premium Macbook Sleeve
- Reusable Bag
- Round Puzzles
- Strap
- Trader Card
- Water Bottle
- Wine Bag
- Photo Puzzles 10x8inch
- Tray Puzzles
- Invitation Card Puzzles 5x7 inch
- Heart-shaped Puzzle
- Gift accessories
- Playing Cards 1, 13 or 54 photos
- Button Magnets
- Button Pin
- Dog Tag
- Photo Magnets
- Photo Pendant
- Photo Tile
- Greeting Cards
- Invitation Cards
- Photo Memory Matching Games
- Tote Bag
- NoteBook
- Magnetic Puzzles


text:
Steve & Gina Talk WITH the Stars. Inside: Big & Rich, Tim McGraw and more!
Recent interviews with Steve & Gina on
" The Kat 103 Morning Show"
Big & Rich joined Steve & Gina to talk about their new label, new...
Read More »
Coming Up On "The Kat 103 Morning Show"
Win 4 tickets to our
CMA Awards Viewing Party
at Dave & Busters. Plus, you will be registered for our Grand Prize-a trip to the CMA Awards in Nashville.
Read More »
Your 1 stop shop resource page for thekat.com
Join the Kat 103.7 Lucky Listener Club HERE
Join the Rate 'Em Roadhouse HERE
Enter Contests that you hear about on Kat 103.7 ...
Read More »


text: I think we can include ones from the sci-fi genre as well, but posting it here will perhaps receive slightly more attention. Anyway, here's the next 10 books I hope to get through (I've numbered them, but they're not really in any order): 1) Ringworld by Larry Niven (am actually finishing it off) 2) The Iron Dragon's Daughter by Michael Swanwick 3) Behold The Man by Philip K. Dick 4) Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell 5) The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch by Philip K. Dick 6) The Forever War by Joe Haldeman 7) Jem by Frederik Pohl 8) Gateway by Frederik Pohl 9) Newton's Wake by Ken Macleod 10) Magician by Raymond E. Feist (I'm over half-way through but stopped reading a little while ago, I just need a break and then will go back to it, hopefully before christmas but time flies!) It will probably change a little, but they're the ones I've got my eye one. Obviously it's a fair mix of both Fantasy and Sci-Fi. Note: If you don't feel you have planned 10 books ahead, then just post 5 (or whatever you have lined up)


text: Matt Pemberton brings more than 10 years of experience to the Sunset Neighborhood Beacon Center with an extensive background and deep knowledge of expanded learning programs. Before his current role at SNBC, Matt served as a District Coordinator for the San Francisco Unified School District's ExCEL After School Programs office. In this role, Matt provided fiscal oversight, technical assistance, and support to after school programs throughout the city, including SNBC's successful after school and summer programs at our five local school sites. Matt has long been recognized for his outstanding work with high quality after school programs in San Francisco, and has a profound understanding of how to run expanded learning programs from the ground up. Prior to his tenure at ExCEL, Matt served as After School Site Coordinator at Marina Middle School, where he provided daily programming and services for hundreds of youth. Matt holds a bachelor's degree from San Francisco State University. As a lifelong resident of the Sunset District, Matt lends not only his deep knowledge and extensive administrative background to SNBC, but also his passion for the neighborhood and a real excitement that he can apply his vast skills and knowledge to strengthening his own community.


text:
Five Things to Look for in Friday's Jobs Report
Friday might be an awkward work day sandwiched between a national holiday and a summer weekend, but it also happens to be "Jobs Friday," the most important day of the month for economic data. Economists expect Friday's employment report to show that the U.S. added 160,000 jobs in June and that the unemployment rate ticked down to 7.5%. Tune in at 8:30 a.m. for The Wall Street Journal's full coverage of the numbers. Until then, here are five things to look for when the report comes out:
Watch the trend… The June jobs number will get the attention, but it's a preliminary estimate that's subject to a big margin of error and will be revised at least twice in the months ahead. So rather than get caught up in the month-to-month changes, look at the trend over several months. Doing so in recent months would have helped economy-watchers look past fears of a "spring swoon" (never well-founded) and see the real story of slow but steady job growth. June's data, coming exactly four years after the official end of the recession, represent an especially good opportunity to take a step back and look at the big picture: a recovery that's been painfully slow and has left many people on the sidelines.
…and the revisions: Many months, the most important numbers in the jobs report aren't the new estimates but the revisions to prior months' data. The preliminary estimate for March's job growth, for example, was a worrying 88,000 jobs; after two upward revisions, that figure now stands at a much less concerning (though hardly spectacular) 142,000 jobs. But the revisions aren't just important because they give a more accurate picture of previous months; they also provide critical clues about the months ahead. During periods of accelerating hiring, the Labor Department's initial figures tend to underestimate job growth, which means upward revisions can suggest better months to come. But the same logic works in the other direction, so beware downward revisions.
All eyes on the Fed: Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's press conference last month set off a wild ride for bond markets, which in turn led to a chorus of Fed officials trying to explain the central bank's thinking. When the dust settled, the major takeaway was that the Fed is on track to begin winding down its bond-buying program later this year, and to end it entirely by mid-2014. But that's contingent on employment and the economy meeting the Fed's comparatively rosy expectations for growth; Mr. Bernanke said he expects the unemployment rate to be about 7% when the Fed stops buying. No one jobs report will change the Fed's path, but the recent hubbub means markets will be closely watching Friday's report. According to a handy calculator from the Atlanta Fed, it would take about 167,000 jobs per month to bring unemployment down to 7% by next June—just about the recent pace of growth. Anything much faster or slower than that will be sure to get the Fed's—and markets'—attention.
Whither the workforce? Last month's employment contained some tantalizing signs of confidence from both workers and employers. The labor force, which has been shrinking as a share of the population throughout the recovery, grew by 420,000—including some 182,000 people who rejoined the job market even though they didn't yet have jobs. Meanwhile fewer people reported they were working part-time because they couldn't find full-time jobs, and employers added more temporary workers, which can be an early sign of permanent hiring ahead. But such numbers mean little on their own; another strong report on Friday would be a more meaningful sign of improvement.
Not all jobs are created equal: Much of the recent job growth has come in sectors that tend to be low-paying, such as retail and hospitality, which has given rise to fears that the economy isn't creating enough "good" jobs. Such analyses are imperfect—a minimum-wage cashier and the seven-figure CEO of a major clothing chain both count as "retail" employees in government data—but watching which sectors are adding workers can nonetheless give a sense of what type of jobs the recovery is creating. For perhaps a better indicator of job quality, at least on a month-to-month basis, watch hours and earnings: How many hours are companies asking employees to work, and how much are they paying them? Wages, in particular, have been slow to rise during the recovery, a sign employers are still seeing soft demand for their products and services. A turnaround would be welcome news for both employed and unemployed alike.


text:
Sunday, February 5, 2012
CITY OF AIKEN, S.C. --- Investigators report a 19-year-old man is dead after he was shot in the head in Hahn Village.
Coroner Tim Carlton identified the victim as Moses Williams of Aiken.
Aiken Public Safety Officers were called to the scene on the 300 block of Bradby lane just after 11:30 p.m. Investigators believe Williams was shot while sitting in the driver's seat of a parked vehicle. Williams' girlfriend then moved him into the passenger's seat and rushed him to the hospital.
Aiken Public Safety's Lt. David Turno says, "They didn't want to want to wait on an ambulance, and we understand that. They did get him to the hospital, but his injuries were too severe."
Investigators responded to both Hahn Village and Aiken Regional Hospital to process evidence in the car and at the scene at Hahn Village.
Officers believe the gunman left on foot. There is no description of a suspect at this time. Investigators were back at the scene today searching for witnesses and evidence. "Last night nobody was talking. so this morning we're back out in the neighborhood, canvassing the areas, we're just asking everybody, pretty much pleading with them, to please talk to us. Let us know what went on," says Lt. Turno.
Lt. Turno says by all accounts, Moses Williams wasn't one to be in trouble. He has no known record of run-ins with the law, and no evidence to suggest a drug crime. "Everything we can tell this morning, from his background, he was a good young man. Perhaps had just fallen into the wrong crowd here lately. We've never had any issues with him before so it looks like just a tragic event for this young man."
"I was shock about the shooting. Then to find out- it was a friend of mine's son. That bothered me a lot, too," Catherine Lightsey moved to Hahn Village about four months ago. "The reason I moved out here was I heard the neighborhood had changed. That it was a better neighborhood."
Now, she says this shooting has her worried about her family's safety. "The violence has gotten really bad with the young folks. I've got kids myself, and I worry about them. It makes me think, it could have been my child."
Lt. Turno points out, "Hahn village has had its rollercoaster times. And the neighborhood out there is trying. They've had some success in the past. There are camera systems out there so we're looking into those. They've also implemented ID systems."
He's hoping any video and witnesses will come forward with information so they can piece together what really happened Sunday night.
"I really hope they get the person who done this. Because that make you really feel unsafe to have a killer on the loose,"Lightsey adds.
Lt. Turno points believes, "This is not an isolated random event. Somebody knows something."
If you have any information in this case, you can call or text Crimestoppers of the Midlands at 888-274-6372. They offer rewards up to $1,000 for information that helps in a case. Tipsters may remain anonymous.


text:
- Sep 28:
- Deer Valley 37, San Leandro 34
- Freedom 48, Castro Valley 21
- College Park 32, Hayward 20
- Concord 30, Heritage 18
- Chabot 20, Diablo Valley 17
- Encinal 14, Vallejo 7
- MVAL football roundup: Slater, Kennedy defeat Moreau Catholic
- James Logan 26, Berkeley 7
- Northgate 45, Antioch 8
- DFAL football roundup: Campolindo tops Acalanes 24-14
- EBAL football roundup: Amador Valley runs past Monte Vista
- Sep 27:
- Regional football roundup: Big second half lifts Kennedy past Moreau
- De La Salle rolls past San Ramon Valley
- Granite Bay downs Pittsburg High 39-35
- East Bay high school/community college scoreboard for Friday, Sept. 27 events
- Hercules 62, San Lorenzo 13
- Friday's East Bay high school and community college football scores
The host Pinole Valley High football team scored 21 points in the third quarter to help get past Salesian 41-28 on Friday night in the Tri-County Athletic League-Rock Division opener for both teams.
Sophomore quarterback Troyante McConico connected on 9 of 13 passes for 168 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead Pinole Valley (1-4, 1-0 TCAL).
Senior running back D'Angelo Hernandez was the workhorse for Salesian (3-2, 0-1). Hernandez finished the night with 286 yards on 31 carries and a pair of touchdowns. However, the pivotal third quarter turned the tide for Pinole Valley.
Leading 20-6 at the intermission, McConico fired a 37-yard scoring strike to senior running back Isiah Lewis as Pinole Valley pulled ahead convincingly, 27-6 early in the quarter.
Shepherd added a 10-yard scoring burst in the quarter and McConico hustled over from 2 yards out after the Spartans blocked a Salesian punt attempt. The Pride were hurt by three lost fumbles, including on the opening kickoff of the game.
Salesian scored two late touchdowns but couldn't make up the difference as Pinole Valley ran out of the clock in the waning moments.
St. Patrick-St. Vincent 29, Berean Christian 0: The Bruins' Jalen Canty is known around campus for blocking shots and rim-rattling dunks for the boys basketball team. Against Berean Christian, he became known for something else.
The 6-foot-8 Canty helped the Bruins post their third shutout this season, this one over Berean Christian in the TCAL-Rock opener at Dante Magnani Field.
Canty led a defense that posted 12 tackles behind the line of scrimmage against the Eagles.
"We're a defense built to stop the run but he did a good job stopping the pass today," said Canty, who was talked into playing football by his uncle as well as the coaches at St. Pat's. "We haven't had a shutout the last two seasons and now we've posted goose eggs three times this year."
Bruins coach Brennan Marion was pleased to see his team's defense play so well considering it allowed 65 points to Moreau Catholic last week.
"We decided to switch things up after allowing a lot of yards last week on a lot of very basic plays," he said. "The adjustments worked really well for us."
The Bruins (3-2, 1-0) led 21-0 at halftime. While their offense sputtered at times in the second half, the defense was consistent for all four quarters against the Eagles (2-3, 0-1).
The Bruins' first score came in the first quarter when running back Justin Marion walked in from four yards out. Matthew Rapolla ran in the two-point conversion on the swinging gate play for the 8-0 lead with 8:03 left.
St. Pat's scored again on a Ivan Hudson 12-yard reception from Anthony Williams with 4:48 in the first quarter. The Bruins missed the PAT and settled for the 14-0 lead. The touchdown was set up earlier in the drive by a 44-yard reception to Hudson.
Hudson gave the Eagles' defensive backs trouble all night, although he was called for an unusual offensive pass interference penalty on one play in the second quarter. That call negated a 56-yard touchdown.
In the second quarter Williams ran in a score of his own from two yards out with 10:16 left in the second quarter to make it 21-0. Berean Christian had gone for it on fourth down to set up the short field for St. Pat's. Marion had runs of 12 and 14 yards on the drive to set up Williams' score.
Williams was 11 of 31 for 211 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions, all of those coming in the first half. Williams also had an 8-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Oducado with 58 seconds left in the third quarter.
St. Pat's other score was a two-point safety earlier in that period when Berean's snap on a punt attempt rolled through the back of the end zone.
Berean quarterback Dax Cuddihy was held to 4 of 15 passing for 44 yards. Cuddihy was under pressure all day from the Bruins' defense.
The Eagles defense forced six turnovers overall, four interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
-- Matt O'Donnell, Vallejo Times-Herald


text:
News 12 at 6 o'clock / Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013
ATHENS, Ga. (WRDW) -- Your college-aged daughter may be looking for more than love this Valentine's Day. More college students in Georgia are looking for a "sugar daddy" to pay their tuition.
This isn't your grandfather's website ... or maybe it is. The creator of SeekingArrangement.com says his website is place a where younger women, mainly college aged, go to find rich older men.
"SeekingArrangement.com is a dating website that matches sugar daddies with sugar babies," said Brandon Wade, founder and CEO.
"College has become so expensive for you women that they feel like they have to seek help from somebody else," said Indura Martinez, a senior at the University of Georgia.
Martinez receives scholarships, loans, help from mom and still works a part-time job to make ends meet.
"The way that I'm living my life and the stress that I've put myself through just to pay my bills and feed myself I can understand how someone would be driven to that," she said.
She isn't a sugar baby, but plenty of her classmates are at UGA.
According to SeekingArrangment.com, UGA now ranks eighth in the country for the most college sugar babies and 148 members claim to be students. No. 1 on the list is another school in the Peach State -- Georgia State University -- with 292 sugar babies calling themselves GSU students on the site.
"In Georgia, perhaps the sugar daddies/sugar babies lifestyle is more acceptable than in other parts of the country," Wade said.
"Why are college students drawn to your website?" News 12's Elizabeth Owens asked.
"I think there are a lot of reasons. First off all, the cost for a college education is very expensive. College tuition has really gone up much faster than inflation or even the cost of living adjustments," he said.
Wade is right on the money. According to the College Board, this school year the average overall sticker price for students that don't receive any financial aid rose 3.8 percent to a record $22,261. Tuition accounts for about half of that increase. Public university tuition and fees alone rose 4.8 percent to $8,655.
"It's all about companionship, I guess, but I really don't see how someone could give thousands of dollars a month and only want companionship," said UGA student Rachel Quester.
The site's terms and agreement prohibits anyone from promoting illegal activities and bans escorts. Yet, one has to wonder with some the wording in profiles: Is it legalized prostitution?
One profile reads, "Forty-six years old. I am looking for a young, attractive female who can take care of my sexual needs. In return, you will receive a comfortable monthly stipend. My budget, $10,000 to 20,000 monthly."
"My mother is a housewife and she gets a monthly allowance from my dad, so money is always exchanged within a relationship. The question is whether it is a business transaction or is it a relationship? And that's where we draw the line," Wade said.
There are definitely no lines when it comes to age on SeekingArrangement.com. Middle-aged men and even seniors state they want a young babe.
"It grosses me out. Honestly, how big the age difference," Quester said.
Maybe an even bigger ew factor? Forty percent of the sugar daddies on the site are proclaimed married men.
"It's funny you should mention how it's immoral and things like that. I sort of remember some of the passages from the Bible and there is this section that says knock and it shall be open unto you and ask ye shall receive," Wade stated. "Men simply want beautiful women and women want men with means."
News 12 did reach out to several sugar babies in the CSRA, but none wanted to go on camera.


text:
Shop by Age
Toys for 5-7 year olds
Princess Olivia Magnetic Dress-Up Set
View Larger Image
3+ years
Item #
: 8590
With her lovely blushing face and a charming collection of skirts, tops, and tiaras, this pretty princess reigns over one exciting wardrobe! Prop her up in the wooden stand, then place the magnetic garments over the magnetic surface. The child gets to decide what this royal model will wear today or just for the next few minutes! It's easy to change and rearrange the magnetic pieces to dress Olivia for a ball or a garden party. Kids can find coordinating halves to the same pretty ball gown, or mix and match the pieces to make their own designs! The durable wooden storage tray comes stocked with one wooden doll, wooden stand, and 33 magnetic dress-up pieces.
Extension Activities: More Ways to Play and Learn:
Dimensions: 8.5" x 11.75" x 1.25" Packaged
Please share your thoughts about this toy with your Facebook friends in the Comment box below.
Previous Product
Next Product
Track My Order
Return Policy
Shipping Policy
Ordering Info
Safe Shopping
Our Promise
Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
Affiliate Program
Contact Us
Product Registration
Product Information
View My Account
About Melissa & Doug
Why Shop Here?
Find a Retailer
Your browser does not support iframes.


text:
BARBOURVILLE, Ky. - Former Union running back Armond Smith saw his first action of the season Sunday as he saw time on the special teams unit in the Carolina Panthers' 30-20 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
Smith returned three kickoffs for the Panthers for a total of 54 yards, averaging 18 yards per return. He had a long return of 26 yards and had two returns over 20 yards. In addition, Smith recorded one solo tackle.
Signed as a free agent during the summer, Smith had been on the Panthers' practice squad since Sept. 1. On Dec. 4, he was signed as a free agent from the practice squad and placed on the active roster.
Smith is with his second NFL team, having spent the 2011 season in the Cleveland Browns organization. He appeared in three games for the Browns, rushing for 2 yards on a three carries with a long run of 6 yards. Smith also had a tackle when with Cleveland.
During his senior season at Union in 2010, Smith led the Mid-South Conference in rushing, averaging 125.1 yards per game en route to being named MSC West Offensive Player of the Year. He also led all running backs with 16 rushing touchdowns. Smith was MSC Offensive Player of the Week twice during the season and MSC Special Teams Player of the Week once.
Smith set numerous program records including most rushing yards in a game (312), most rushing yards in a season (1,376), most rushing touchdowns in a game (five), most rushing touchdowns in a season (16), most points scored in a game (30) and most points scored in a season (102 - 16 rushing touchdowns and one kickoff return touchdown).
For his career, Smith rushed for a total of 1,404 yards and 16 touchdowns on 157 carries in two season. He ranks eighth on the Bulldogs' all-time rushing list.
The Panthers are 4-9 on the season and next play at San Diego on Sunday.


text:
Many women with large thighs avoid leg exercises for fear of adding inches to their legs. What they don't consider is that exercise burns fat, and that fat, not muscle, is the culprit when it comes to thunder thighs. Strong, muscular legs are lean and shapely. Fat legs are, well, the opposite.
Below are some exercises that use stretching and body weight only — the same moves that give dancers those enviable gams. You can use a chair, a counter, a table or any other stable structure for balance. Add some good cardiovascular exercise, such as walking or jogging, and a low-fat diet, and you should be on your way to looking great in those skinny jeans.
1. Stand with your back against a chair, table or kitchen counter — wherever you can find balance.
2. Extend one leg, lift, then lower in a controlled motion, toes pointed, 20 times.
3. Flex the foot and do 20 more repetitions. Switch to the opposite leg and repeat.
1. Stand next to a chair or other point of balance, holding lightly with your right hand.
2. Leaning slightly forward, bend your left knee slightly. Raise and lower the right leg behind you, toes pointed, 20 times.
3. Flex the foot and do 20 more reps. Switch sides and repeat with the left leg.
For maximum results, keep heels lifted (ballet term: relev�) throughout the exercise.
1. Squat with knees pointing out while facing your point of balance. Lift your heels and adjust position until you feel leg muscles fully engaged.
2. Hold position for 60 seconds, or lift yourself up 1 inch, then down 1 inch. Do not move your rear below your knees. Repeat 20 times. Break for a moment and repeat.
1. Stand with arms lifted in front, one knee slightly bent, the other leg behind you at a 90-degree angle.
2. With toes pointed, lower the leg so toe touches the floor, then come back to the 90-degree angle. Concentrate on keeping hamstrings tight throughout. Repeat 20 times.
3. Break momentarily and repeat 20 more times, with foot flexed. Then repeat on the opposite leg.
1. Assume a lunge position with the right leg at a 90-degree angle in front, right foot firmly planted, then extend the left leg behind you. Be sure to keep left heel lifted.
2. Fold arms into a prayer position. Swing shoulders to the left and hold.
3. Repeat on the opposite leg.


text:
Under Armour South Carolina Gamecocks Legacy Tri-Blend College T-Shirt
Keep it comfy while you are root on your favorite college football team in the Under Armour South Carolina Gamecocks Legacy Tri-Blend College T-Shirt. The durable crew neck and feather-soft cotton are a guy's best friend, not to mention your favorite school's logo proudly displayed on the front. The premium performance of Under Armour teams up with your school pride to equal a winner for every game, every season.
- FABRIC: 50% Polyester/37% Cotton/13% Rayon
- FIT: Athletic
- CARE: Machine wash


text:
State testing more gasoline pumps
Published: Thursday, October 17, 2013 at 9:00 p.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, October 17, 2013 at 9:24 p.m.
MONTGOMERY | Alabama drivers now can have a little more confidence in the accuracy of those lower pump prices that are being posted around the state, and the quality of gas that they're getting.
Tuscaloosa gas prices
Here's a look at the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in the Tuscaloosa area:
Thursday: $3.20
Wednesday: $3.19
Week ago Thursday: $3.16
Month ago: $3.22
Year ago: $3.51
Source: AAA Fuel Gauge Report
Gas prices drifted below $3.10 a gallon at sites across the River Region this week, and prices statewide were down 17 cents in the past month according to GasBuddy.com. The site is predicting that pump prices could drop below $3 a gallon across much of the nation by Thanksgiving.
Meanwhile, new technology has sent the state's pump testers into overdrive.
A handful of workers are charged with checking the accuracy and quality of the state's 100,000 gas pumps, something they used to do with handheld containers. They could test about 200 pumps a day using those devices, said Stacy Boshell, who heads the state Agriculture and Industries Weights & Measures division.
In April, the department bought $18,000, high-tech testing trailers for each of their five field workers, and predicted the equipment would double the number of pumps they could cover each day.
They were wrong. Testers now can check nearly 800 pumps a day and with more accurate results.
"We were amazed," Deputy Commissioner Brett Hall said. "We thought maybe they'd become twice as efficient and it actually worked out a lot better. One person can go out and do the work of four people. It takes so much less time to go out and test a gas station."
It's part of the department's push toward using more training and better technology to do more work with fewer people.
Hall said the department has had to cut 100 people since 2011 as it operates under a slimmer budget amid state belt-tightening. The priority, he said, is on protecting the integrity of plant, meat and food safety inspections.
"We've cross-trained a lot of our inspectors, so those people are doing two jobs," he said.
The department used to have 25 gas pump testers. That fell to five by this spring. The Weights & Measures Division has since hired a sixth field tester, Hall said.
"You give them the tools to become more efficient, and we're working on that," he said. "It's a struggle."
In some cases, they've had help.
The department used a $1.5 million grant from BP to radically upgrade the seafood testing equipment in its food safety lab last year. And state agencies joined forces — and resources — to form a new rural crime investigation unit this year after cutbacks forced the Department of Agriculture and Industries to disband a similar unit two years ago.
Hall said the department will end 2013 with about a $5 million budget surplus. Long-delayed air conditioning and roof repairs are underway at the department's 1971 building in Montgomery, and there may be more technology on the way to help its field workers be more efficient.
"We're going to be investing more and more in technology to upgrade their capabilities, because a lot of those people we had in the field were filling out paper forms in triplicate and handing those in," Hall said. "The different numbers of processes they were going through to handle that paper is so expensive, so that requires more people. Since we don't have the people, we have to work smarter."
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


text:
The Rewired Customer
Ready. Set. Change. Repeat.
How can companies shape and sense consumers' rapidly evolving modes of engagement—with retailers and with each other—to support future growth?
Neuroplasticity describes the capacity of the human brain to "rewire" itself in response to injury and dramatically changed circumstances. This phenomenon provides a powerful metaphor for understanding how consumers continuously and fluidly adapt their behaviors in the face of new technologies, challenging economic realities, and shifting cultural norms.
"Things that one day seemed impossible seem inevitable in retrospect."1
—Condoleezza Rice
What a difference 30, 20, or even 10 years makes when it comes to consumer behavior.
Go back 30 years to 1983. 24×7 shopping means mail-order catalogs and telemarketing. Commercial access to the Internet will take another 12 years, and AOL's online service, based on a proprietary dial-up network, has yet to launch. Self-service means you go to a supermarket and fill your cart before going to a cashier who rings you up and bags your groceries. You may belong to newly launched loyalty programs from an airline or a hotel, and carry a retailer-specific credit card in your wallet. Call centers are starting to implement interactive voice response capabilities, but you shudder when you encounter them because they seem so unnatural.
Get the full Business Trends 2013 report.
Move forward 10 years to 1993. You have more and different shopping alternatives. Cable channels, such as Home Shopping Network, and "big box" stores are the rage. AOL's signature greeting, "You've got mail," will be featured in a movie starring Tom Hanks. Amazon will soon ship its first product, and consumers will have widespread access to the Internet.
One more leap forward, this time to 2003. Although the iPhone and iPad have yet to appear, Apple has opened its first retail stores, which will soon generate the highest sales per square foot of any retailer in the country. Self-service and 24×7 gain new meaning with a broad array of Internet-based shopping alternatives and proliferating self-service options, ranging from automated ticketing machines in airports to self-checkout in supermarkets. Mobile phone use is high, with the shift from 2G to 3G and smartphones. While Mark Zuckerberg is still a Harvard student, the launch of MySpace signifies the arrival of social networks.
Now back to today. Your 2013 shopping choices include real-time price checking, daily deals, self-designed rewards programs, mobile phone-based payment systems, ubiquitous rating sites, and more than a billion people and companies you can "friend" via social media.
What happened? Clearly, there has been an astonishing stream of innovations in retail, as well as in health care, financial services, and other consumer-oriented sectors. But are changes in consumer shopping behavior simply the inevitable response to innovation? Or are there other factors that help explain the seismic shifts in consumer behavior that have taken place?
What's driving this trend?
Through extensive research, Michael Merzenich and other neuroscientists have observed that the human brain is incredibly plastic, even in adulthood, constantly adapting to shifts in our circumstances and experiences.2 Although the research originally described how brains adapt to trauma, scientists now believe that it has broader applications.
"We have learned that neuroplasticity is not only possible but that it is constantly in action,"3 writes Mark Hallett, head of the Medical Neurology Branch of the National Institutes of Health. "That is the way we adapt to changing conditions, the way we learn new facts, and the way we develop skills."4 "Plasticity," says Alvaro Pascual-Leone, a Harvard Medical School researcher, is "the normal ongoing state of the nervous system throughout the life span. Our brains are constantly changing in response to our experiences and our behavior, reworking their circuitry with each sensory input, motor act, association, reward signal, action plan, or [shift of] awareness."5
If smartphones, tablets, and social media were not part of the discussion 10 years ago, how can we plan for what's on the horizon in the next two or three years, let alone the next decade? Are there factors other than technology that contribute to these radical shifts in behavior that we need to understand, as well? There are indeed.
Do it yourself
Over the past 30 years, American consumers have become consummate devotees of do it yourself (DIY) across wide-ranging elements of the shopping and consumption experience. The Internet and smartphones have been critical enablers of the DIY consumer. From 1990 to 2010, the percentage of the US population using the Internet grew from 1 percent to 68 percent,6 while the percentage of smartphone owners grew from 11 percent in 2007 (when the iPhone was introduced) to almost 50 percent today.7 By 2016, smartphones used as a part of a shopping experience could influence between 17 percent to 21 percent of retail sales, representing between $627 billion and $752 billion.8
Where it's happening
Expanding consumer use of price-checking capabilities is a good example of DIY in action. Amazon's PriceCheck mobile app allows customers to scan the barcode of a product in a store and immediately see Amazon's price for the product—and purchase it. This app has made competitive pricing awareness a necessity for retailers, as it has made instant comparison shopping easier than ever.9
Initially, DIY in the retail environment meant allowing consumers to perform relatively simple tasks without having to involve sales associates. These tasks ranged from printing airline tickets to checking product availability to finding store locations. Over time, the complexity of DIY tasks has increased to include such activities as checking product price and availability across a number of retailers and geographies, allowing the DIY consumer to perform tasks far more efficiently than might be done by an associate.
One consequence of this shift toward DIY is that consumers who now contact associates are often:
- The "Have-Nots" who have no Internet and/or smartphone access
- The "Exasperated" who give up on self-service options
- The "Perplexed" who have incredibly complex challenges that don't lend themselves to DIY
As a result, expectations for associates are increasingly high: they now help the least competent, the most frustrated, and the most demanding consumers. Deloitte's 2012 Annual Holiday Survey found that 56 percent of respondents are more likely to complete an in-store purchase from a retailer that offers knowledgeable store associates.10 This suggests that, even in a DIY world, selecting, training, and retaining highly skilled associates is increasingly important.
Where it's happening
Savvy retailers are bringing anywhere-anytime concepts to their stores. British retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) has equipped store associates with iPads to help customers find and order items online. They also offer Quick Response (QR) codes and free Wi-Fi to enable customers to access product information, including reviews, recipes, and alternative product options. These moves bring the full line of M&S products into smaller stores and demonstrate a role reversal for the usual customer interaction with a store's website and retail location. Rather than simply using its website to help guide in-store shopping, M&S facilitates in-store research to enable an online purchase.11
Consumers are sometimes referred to as multi-channel or omni-channel customers, but it may be more appropriate to think of them as anywhere-anytime consumers.
Today's consumers can make purchases via laptops, tablets, or smartphones at any time of day from almost any location, thanks to increasingly ubiquitous Wi-Fi and expanding 4G networks that are now available to 75 percent of the US population.12 Sixty-eight percent of smartphone owners responding to Deloitte's 2012 Annual Holiday Survey said that they will use their phones to assist with holiday shopping. More than 90 percent of consumers who responded to Deloitte's 2012 Hospitality and Leisure loyalty survey book their own travel via airline or travel sites.13
Technology has even allowed online retailers in certain categories to best the immediacy offered by brick and mortar stores. The collapse of bookstores, with their ample selections of CDs, is an example of what happens when the need to go to a physical location to take physical possession of a product disappears.14
To some shoppers, however, physical location is still important. It provides immediacy for many aspects of the shopping experience—the opportunity to browse, examine, compare, select, purchase, and take physical possession of the purchase. For other shoppers, a lower online price may be sufficient incentive to forego the gratification of taking home a purchase from a store, thus relegating stores to the de facto showrooms for online sites.15 And with major retailers now offering same-day home delivery for online purchases in select markets, they're discovering that a few hours' delay is proving to be sufficiently "immediate" for eager buyers.
The challenge for retailers is to make the shopping experience relevant to the way consumers want to shop. Whether it is exclusive products, an enhanced in-store experience, or site-to-store delivery capabilities, engaging Anywhere-Anytime consumers requires supporting the cross-channel experiences that consumers have come to expect.
The wisdom of my tribe
We consumers have long asked for the advice of our tribes—family, friends, and colleagues—when it comes to making purchases. We also rely on third-parties that specialize in evaluating and rating products and services. What's different today is that we now operate with a much more expansive definition of who is a member of our tribe.16
It's hard to pinpoint exactly when this shift began. In 1979, for example, Tim and Nina Zagat surveyed their friends regarding their dining experiences and published their first guide.17 Since then, ratings sites ranging from Angie's List to Trip Advisor to Yelp have proliferated. Amazon adopted "collaborative filtering" technology to make recommendations,18 which are now a common feature on many shopping sites.
In our 2012 surveys of consumers, 28 percent said they would "significantly increase" or "increase" reliance on online reviews prior to purchases this year compared to 2011.19 Many shoppers routinely interrupt their in-store browsing to check ratings on their smartphones. The 2011 Deloitte Shift Index found that younger consumers "generally rely less on brand names as an indicator of product reliability, turning instead to the Internet for product and service information, user reviews and feedback, as well as substitutes. Older consumers have historically relied on 'tried and true' brand names and consumer product assessment agencies in the absence of other forms of reliable published information."20
Social media has been a significant enabler of this expanding definition of tribe. The average number of daily visitors on social networking sites increased from 46 million per month in 2007 to 90 million per month in 2011, while the percentage of time spent using social media increased from 7.4 percent in 2007 to 14.4 percent in 2010.21 Furthermore, executives have made it their top priority when it comes to customer engagement (figure 1).22
Our tribes and the wisdom they offer are likely here to stay. The challenge for retailers is to incorporate tribes into marketing and outreach efforts, without compromising their authenticity.
Lessons learned: What works and what doesn't
Companies can capitalize on this consumer rewiring trend in two ways. They can proactively deliver new experiences that help shape rewired behaviors—or they can react to new customer behaviors by providing experiences that take advantage of the latest developments. Innovators will likely do both.
Where it's happening
Gamification—the use of game mechanics and game design in non-game contexts—provides an example of how the "wisdom of my tribe" can play out. Samsung worked with Badgeville's suite of Behavior Lifecycle Management solutions to develop Samsung Nation, a "social loyalty program" aimed at fans who are already engaged with Samsung's corporate website. Samsung Nation lets users earn badges for engaging in tribal activities, including writing reviews, watching videos, and participating in forums. Two of Samsung's gamification goals are to increase engagement and the number of product reviews. Early reports suggest strong results on both counts.23
For those who want to proactively shape customer behaviors, an innovative culture supported by "test and learn" capabilities is important to delivering new experiences. This requires an agile approach to marketing planning rather than a traditional planned marketing calendar. It also requires deep analytics capabilities to measure which experiences are valued by customers. In addition, since social media tracking shows that experiences that combine brands tend to generate higher positive sentiment, enhanced partnerships among brands will be important.24
To reactively address the rewired customer, an advanced sensing capability is important for detecting and understanding evolving customer behaviors. By using new engagement mechanisms, such as gamification and the use of a "second screen" (e.g., smartphone), while consuming entertainment from another device,25 companies can gain new insights about how customers are rewiring. These insights are the foundation for developing new ways to interact with these customers.
Whether a company chooses to shape rewiring behaviors by experimenting with innovative concepts or react to changing trends by sensing how consumers are rewiring, new and deeper capabilities will likely be needed, including:
- Active, rather than static, marketing planning
- Delivery of smooth customer experiences across all customer touch points
- Enhanced partnerships to deliver across the experiences
- Flexible engagement processes
- Sensing and insights analytics
Looking ahead
What developments should companies be monitoring when it comes to anticipating the next generation of consumer rewiring?
- National same-day shipping may allow companies to address the desire of DIY and anywhere-anytime consumers for immediate fulfillment.26 Amazon.com has offered same-day delivery since 2009 and now provides it in 10 cities. eBay recently launched a trial of eBay Now, which hires couriers to deliver goods directly to customers' doorsteps within an hour of an online order. Other companies, including Google, are racing to offer same-day delivery of online orders. Startups such as Shutl, Instacart, and Postmates are also tackling same-day delivery.27 Instantaneous fulfillment via 3D printers may soon trump same-day shipping by allowing customers to fabricate a wide range of products from the comfort of their own home.28
- Social shopping will likely increasingly tap into the "wisdom of my tribe" phenomenon. Pose, Feyt, and Lifestyle Mirror are examples of existing social shopping networks that allow fashionistas to collaborate with like-minded individuals.29 Facebook's newly announced "Gift Store" will allow the social network to make automated, yet highly personalized gift recommendations for a user's "friends."30
- Augmented reality may drive additional customer rewiring. The MIT Media Lab has developed a system that overlays interactive product information onto product counters in retail stores. Google has created eyeglasses that pipe the functionality of the smartphone (and more) directly into the user's visual field.31 As augmented reality technology matures, customers can expect visually immersive, interactive, and real-time engagement with companies, their products, and their services.
Despite the challenges of predicting how and when consumers will rewire their behaviors, companies should focus in three areas. First, strong sensing capabilities are important when it comes to detecting and interpreting the impact of new technologies, changing demographics, and shifting economics. Second, memorable and compelling customer experiences often trump whiz-bang technologies that may look dated by the time they are fully implemented. And third, given the unpredictable speed of customer rewiring, agility and nimbleness will likely be important competitive differentiators.
My take
John Hagel III, co-chairman of the Deloitte Center for the Edge, Deloitte Consulting LLP
New digital technology infrastructures are redefining relationships across customers and vendors. As soon as we think we have it figured out, new technology capability can change the game yet again.
Let's take just a couple of examples. Consumers are seeking more and more value from the products and services they buy and use. This is putting pressure on vendors who in the past aspired to establish a one to one relationship with each customer, building walls to prevent anyone else from coming in between them. However, with the expansion of and reliance on our "tribe" facilitated through mechanisms such as online rating sites, customers want to connect with each other and with specialized third parties to get more value both in the initial purchase and subsequent use of products and services. This will likely give rise to collaboration marketing where vendors increasingly become orchestrators, creating platforms to help connect customers with a broader array of participants that can help them to realize more value. Johnson & Johnson's BabyCenter is an early example. It's a rich online platform that brings together mothers who have just had babies as well as a broad array of third party specialists who can help them navigate through the challenges of rearing their babies. Instead of one to one, J&J is connecting many to many.32
These same trends are likely to drive a transformation of large swathes of physical retailing. As physical retailing faces increasing competition from Internet-based vendors that allow consumers to make purchases anytime-anywhere, we are likely to see retailers increasingly repositioning themselves as gathering spots to help connect customers with each other and relevant specialists. Some early examples include independent bookstores convening reading circles around shared interests like children's books or science fiction, as well as providing a platform for authors to speak with their audiences. Some photography stores bring together gatherings of amateur photographers to share and compare techniques, helping them to get more value from their cameras. We're still at a very early stage of this development, but one can speculate that, over time, storefronts may become important platforms for collaboration marketing, bringing people together to get more value from the products and services they buy.
EndnotesView all endnotes
- Vialouge, "Global Leadership Summit: Condoleezza Rice—No Higher Honor," http://vialogue.wordpress.com/2012/08/09/global-leadership-summit-condoleezza-rice-no-higher-honor/, accessed on February 19, 2013.
- Michael Merzenich, PhD, is Professor Emeritus, University of California, San Francisco and Chief Science Officer at Posit Science. He has written and spoken extensively on neuroplasticity. Additional information on his research can be found at "'On the Brain' with Dr. Mike Merzenich, PhD," http://merzenich.positscience.com/, http://www.ted.com/talks/michael_merzenich_on_the_elastic_brain.html, and http://www.childrenofthecode.org/interviews/merzenich.htm.
- Mark Hallett, "Neuroplasticity and rehabilitation," Journal of Rehabilitation Research & Development, Volume 42, August 2005, pp. xvii-xxii, http://www.rehab.research.va.gov/jour/05/42/4/hallet.html, accessed February 19, 2013.
- Ibid.
- Alvaro Pascual-Leone, quoted in Nicholas Carr, The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2011).
- The 2011 Shift Index: Measuring the Forces of Long Term Change, Deloitte Development LLC, 2012, http://www.deloitte.com/assets/Dcom-UnitedStates/Local%20Assets/Documents/us_tmt_2011shiftindex_111011.pdf, accessed February 19, 2013.
- "Changing the Game: The State of the Media," http://orfe.princeton.edu/~alaink/StateOfTheMedia_Deloitte.PDF, accessed February 19, 2013.
- Mobile Retailing: Are You Ready for Radical Change?, Deloitte Development LLC, 2011, http://www.deloitte.com/assets/Dcom-UnitedStates/Local%20Assets/Documents/Consumer%20Business/us_retail_mobile%20retailing_091212.pdf, accessed February 19, 2013.
- Amazon, "Is That Deal Really a Deal? Use the Price Check by Amazon App to Make Sure," December 6, 2011, http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=176060&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1636655&highlight, accessed February 19, 2013.
- Deloitte's 2012 Annual Holiday Survey: Will Retailers' Registers Jingle This Holiday Season?, Deloitte Development LLC, October 2012, https://www.deloitte.com/assets/Dcom-UnitedStates/Local%20Assets/Documents/RetailDistribution/us_retail_2012-Annual-Holiday-Survey_102412.pdf, accessed February 19, 2013.
- Stephen Cotterill, "Marks and Spencer Spends $400 Million on Web Projects," Internet Retailer, September 7, 2012, http://www.internetretailer.com/2012/09/07/marks-spencer-spends-400-million-web-projects, accessed February 19, 2013.
- Verizon Wireless, "Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Network Available to More Than 75 Percent of the U.S. Population," August 15, 2012, http://news.verizonwireless.com/news/2012/08/pr2012-08-15aj.html, accessed February 19, 2013.
- Deloitte's 2012 Annual Holiday Survey.
- American Marketing Association, An Empirical Investigation of the Impact of Gasoline Prices on Grocery Shopping Behavior, March 1, 2011, http://www.marketingpower.com/AboutAMA/Pages/AMA%20Publications/AMA%20Journals/Journal%20of%20Marketing/TOCs/SUM_2011.2/an_empirical_investigation.aspx, accessed February 19, 2013.
- Miriam Gottfried, "Big-Box Stores Wrestle e-Commerce Gorilla," The Wall Street Journal, November 25, 2012, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324712504578137363799396202.html, accessed February 19, 2013.
- Edelman Trust Barometer, "Trust on the Brink," 2012, http://trust.edelman.com/, accessed February 19, 2013.
- Zagat, "Our History," 2012, http://www.zagat.com/about-us/our-history, accessed February 19, 2013.
- JP Mangalindan, "Amazon's Recommendation Secret," CNNMoney, July 30, 2012, http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/07/30/amazon-5/, accessed February 19, 2013.
- Deloitte's 2012 Annual Holiday Survey.
- The 2011 Shift Index: Measuring the Forces of Long Term Change.
- Social Media Activity, Deloitte Development LLC, 2011, http://www.deloitte.com/assets/Dcom-UnitedStates/Local%20Assets/Documents/TMT_us_tmt/2011%20Shift%20Index%20-%20Social%20Media%20Activity.pdf, accessed February 19, 2013.
- Deloitte conducted a LinkedIn poll survey from November 29, 2012 to January 4, 2013 of CXO, VP, director-, or manager-level employees at companies with more than 5,000 employees across numerous manufacturing sectors.
- Natasha Singer, "You've Won a Badge (and Now We All Know About You)," New York Times, February 14, 2012, http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/05/business/employers-and-brands-use-gaming-to-gauge-engagement.html?_r=0, accessed February 19, 2013.
- As conveyed to Deloitte by CMOs at major financial services and retail companies.
- Lance Ulanoff, "11 Big Tech Trends You'll See in 2013," Mashable, December 6, 2012, http://mashable.com/2012/12/06/tech-trends-2013/, accessed February 19, 2013.
- Knowledge Wharton Today, "Same-day Delivery: This Time, It Might Actually Work", December 12, 2012, http://knowledgetoday.wharton.upenn.edu/2012/12/same-day-delivery-this-time-it-might-actually-work/, accessed February 19, 2013.
- Spencer Ante, "Order it Online, and…Voilá," The Wall Street Journal, December 3, 2012, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324712504578133602774225678.html, accessed February 13, 2013.
- Ashlee Vance, "The Era of Retail 3D Printing Begins," Businessweek, September 21, 2012, http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-09-21/the-era-of-retail-3d-printing-begins, accessed February 19, 2013; Warrick, "Engineers Pave the Way Towards 3D Printing of Personal Electronics," November 22, 2012, http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/engineers_pave_the/, accessed February 19, 2013; Wired, "Portable and Affordable: New 3-D Printers That Cost Less Than $500," November 27, 2012, http://www.wired.com/design/2012/11/portabee-printrbot/, accessed February 19, 2013.
- J.J. Martin, "The Shopping Social Network," The Wall Street Journal, October 26, 2012, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204425904578073320375105606.html, accessed February 19, 2013.
- Somini Sengupta, "With a Billion Birthdays on File, Facebook Adds Gift Store," The New York Times, November 27, 2012, http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/28/technology/facebook-gifts-urges-users-to-shop-while-they-share.html?pagewanted=2, accessed February 19, 2013.
- Fluid Interface Group, "Augmented Product Counter," 2011, http://fluid.media.mit.edu/projects/augmented-product-counter, accessed February 19, 2013; Nick Bilton, "Google Glasses, $1,500 Each, Make a Splashy Entrance," New York Times, Bits, June 27, 2012, website, http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/27/google-glass-has-entered-the-building/, accessed February 19, 2013.
- Johnson & Johnson's BabyCenter, http://www.babycenter.com/help-about-company, accessed February 27, 2013.


text:
Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press file photo
Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press file photo
The numbers and the standings will change, but heading into this week�s games, they were lined up too perfectly to ignore.
Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning reached the halfway point of the season with a 5-3 record and 2,404 yards passing.
Colts quarterback Andrew Luck reached the halfway point of the season with a 5-3 record and 2,404 yards passing.
Though Manning, the 15-year veteran, and Luck, the rookie out of Stanford, hardly are mirror images, their fates over the last 12 months have been as interconnected as their numbers were entering this week.
And so far, this all has the makings of a win-win situation for both quarterbacks and both teams.
Colts� interim head coach and offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, who also worked with Manning when he was a rookie, said Manning was great in his first year, and Luck is every bit as good.
�He�s light years ahead of where we thought he would be,� Arians said. �There�s nothing really left to put in the playbook that we haven�t installed, and he�s been extremely good in clutch situations.�
Had the Colts chosen not to part ways with Manning � the quarterback who essentially defined the franchise for a decade and a half � they still may have picked Luck first in the draft. But chances are he�d be watching, not playing.
There�s no crystal ball to tell how that would�ve gone. But installing Luck as the starter is working out just fine.
If the playoffs had begun at the season�s midpoint, the Broncos and Colts, who beat Jacksonville 27-10 on Thursday night, would have been matched up for a first-round game. Despite that, despite the winning record and the 10 touchdown passes, Luck only gave himself a �C� when asked for his own midseason grade.
�I think a perfect grade would be if you won every game, didn�t have any incompletions, no interceptions, so we�ll keep working until we get to there,� he said.
Some things he�s doing, however, go well beyond average.
This week, Luck�s jersey was sent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame after he threw for a rookie record 433 yards in a 23-20 win over Miami on Sunday. With that performance, he joined Manning as the only other player to throw for 300-plus yards four times in his first year.
While many teams will dumb down offenses, or build them to fit specific skills of rookie quarterbacks (see the Redskins and Robert Griffin III or the Seahawks and Russell Wilson), Luck essentially is working with a complex, pro-style offense � and also is asked to pick up the slack for a running game ranked 19th in the league.
Despite the running game, and despite receiver Reggie Wayne standing as Indy�s only �big-name� playmaker, the Colts have the NFL�s fourth-ranked offense. Luck has won close games (three-point wins over Miami, Minnesota and Green Bay and an overtime win over Tennessee), has engineered big comebacks (from 21-3 down against the Packers) and quickly has gained the confidence of his teammates.
�He has definitely come in and helped us win games,� Wayne said. �For the offense, he�s put us in good situations to make plays. He�s made some unbelievable throws, especially on the run. He�s used his feet well.�
While Luck has been piling up yards, his quarterback rating was only 79.0, 25th in the NFL, in part because he�s completed only 56.5 percent of his passes and was averaging an interception per game. The Colts, meanwhile, still have two games left against AFC South leader Houston and one game at New England. Daunting.
Still, with a rookie quarterback and coming off a 2-14 season, there weren�t many people picking the Colts as playoff contenders in 2012.
�I�m really pleased with where he�s at, his competitiveness, his spirit, his grit, leadership,� Arians said. �Those are things you hope you have in a quarterback, and he�s got them all.�
Denver�s schedule was frontloaded � Houston, New England, Atlanta and Pittsburgh were among the first five opponents. Because of that, and because Manning was coming off injury and starting with a new team, expectations weren�t that high for early in the season.
But after a 2-3 start, the Broncos have won three in a row. It�s an understatement to say Manning has been rounding into form. He has completed nearly 76 percent of his passes over the last five games. He leads the league in passer rating (108.6) and has 20 touchdowns and only six interceptions. He said he always expected to improve as the season wore on.
�I think you never stop learning,� Manning said. �Eight games and I�m in my 15th year, you�re still learning, but I think we�re working to try to get on the same page and trying to be more productive each week than we were the week before.�
When he chose Denver, Manning�s ability to bounce back from his injury was every bit as big an unknown as how Luck would respond to his first year in the NFL. As the season has gone on and the Broncos� offense has risen to the top of the AFC West behind the league�s fourth-ranked passing game, questions about Manning�s arm strength have all but disappeared. The chemistry Manning built with Wayne, Marvin Harrison and Dallas Clark in Indianapolis slowly is seeping into the offense in Denver, where Eric Decker, Demaryius Thomas and Joel Dreessen are getting the hang of doing things Manning�s way.
�I think the more we get on the same page, the more we understand nonverbal cues, certain routes and how to read defenses,� said Decker, who has caught touchdown passes in five consecutive games. �All of those things, you can use to your advantage offensively. We�re definitely clicking more as a unit offensively.�
When Manning chose Denver, he was very clear about his goals: The decision, he said, was about winning now. At 36 and with the injury he was returning from, he knows there aren�t many more seasons left to win another Super Bowl.
�I realize I don�t have 14 years left, by any means,� Manning said on the day he signed.
Luck, on the other hand, might. And he certainly wasn�t joining a team that was one, or even two or three pieces away from Super Bowl contention.
Or so the Colts thought.
Asked to compare the quarterbacks at this stage in their careers, Arians said he�d give Luck the nod, mainly because they�ve asked him to do more than they asked from Manning.
�Peyton, we gave two or three plays in the huddle, he was great at that phase of it, but we didn�t do the no-huddle until his second year,� Arians said. �I think (Luck�s) a step ahead only because of what we�re asking him to do. And he�s doing it with a bunch of rookies, whereas Peyton had some really good players on that team.�
AP Sports Writer Michael Marot in Indianapolis contributed to this report.
Michael Keating/Associated Press file photo


text:
The hairiest experience Chuck Langrill ever had while he was out 'Sasquatching' in the Sierra Nevada took place one night as he followed a riverbed into the mountains. Searching for signs of the elusive bigfoot in the soft mud, he heard whooping vocalizations coming from both sides of a nearby valley. So like any good Sasquatch searcher, Langrill sat down and waited as the sounds got closer.
"I was sitting there with my camera in my hand. I just had a feeling something was going to happen. Then the trees start to move and I see this black, furry thing," Langrill said.
The shape that emerged turned out to be nothing more exotic than a resident black bear, but Langrill said he's convinced he was surrounded by a group of Sasquatches that night. The whooping sounded just like a primate's cry, he said.
Langrill, who runs the website Sierra Tahoe Bigfoot Research, didn't catch a glimpse of a bigfoot on that trip. In fact, during the four years since he founded the site that's dedicated to research of the giant primate and its habitat in Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada, he's never seen one.
But that hasn't damped his confidence in the species' existence.
"There are just so many sightings in the Tahoe area, and they're credible people who have seen them. Everything I've witnessed at night, no one can tell me they're not real. And all these people who have seen them, they're obsessed," Langrill said.
California is second only to Washington state when it comes to reported bigfoot sightings, according to the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization. More than 420 Californians have posted alleged sightings online, 24 of which occurred in El Dorado County.
But in an arena overrun by amateur researchers, the anthropological has morphed into the mythological. Photos of the eight-foot primate are too blurred to make out, bones decompose rapidly or are scavenged too quickly to find again, and some sightings turn out to be people masquerading in hairy ape suites.
"Probably what it's going to take is someone is going to have to capture one. I don't think a picture is going to do it," Langrill said.
Even a recent DNA study led by researcher Melba Ketchum that purports to confirm the existence of the large primate has already lost some credibility in the ensuing "soap opera," Langrill said. Though the study hasn't been published, findings suggest that the animal emerged about 1,500 years ago as a hybrid species related to modern Homo sapiens and another unknown primate.
The report, leaked through Facebook, didn't follow the traditional methods of academic dissemination and it's unclear where the DNA came from. According to Langrill, the sample came from a piece of meat, called "The Steak," that was cut off a Sasquatch killed in the Sierra Nevada, but he admits there are many ways it could have been tainted.
Jeffrey Meldrum, PhD, doesn't believe in the Sasquatch. He thinks it exists, but faith doesn't play a role in his hypothesis.
The researcher and professor with the Department of Biological Sciences at Idaho State University saw alleged Sasquatch footprints for the first time in the wild about six years ago outside Walla Walla, Wash. No matter what the skeptics say, he said, the footprints exist and warrant evaluation.
Meldrum, who also worked at Northwestern University's Department of Cell, Molecular and Structural Biology, specializes in primate and bipedal locomotion. The muddy footprints sparked his curiosity and he started collecting casts of the bigfoot tracks.
"From my vantage of experience, it's the most comprehensive evidence that they're out there. I'm not trying to proselytize or gather converts to a belief. I'm just saying here's some really interesting evidence and follow it to see where it leads. Belief has no role in my suspicion, and that's why I'm determined to continue this in the face of prejudice, or pre-judgment," Meldrum said.
He's confident enough that the prints aren't elaborate hoaxes to start a new project this year under the auspices of Idaho State University to prove the existence of the Sasquatch. One of his challenges is to turn the search from a New Age tabloid to a legitimate scientific exploration, and he thinks the new Falcon Project might quiet the skeptics for good by capturing high-quality images of the animals on film.
"When you have a creature with those characteristics - they're solitary, nocturnal, far-ranging and intelligent - they're notoriously difficult to study, and the solution to the proverbial moving needle in the haystack is to get up to a falcon's viewpoint," Meldrum said.
Meldrum hopes to launch the Falcon Project's Aurora Mark II --a 50-foot, unmanned blimp that can carry up to eight pounds of camera equipment --by April 2013. Controlled from the ground, the stealthy airship will hopefully capture photos and thermal images of the wild primates, he said.
Prepared for every eventuality, Meldrum said they'll send volunteers dressed in hairy suits to test the equipment, ensuring that when the times comes researchers can differentiate between costumed humans and real Sasquatch.
In the meantime, Langrill will keep searching for the primates using more low-tech methods. It's just fun, he said, but he'd love to see one of the animals someday.
"We just look for any evidence we can. We usually don't hear much in the daytime. We don't like to bang on trees, hoop-and-holler - that's a little silly. They're more intelligent than that. It's kind of disrespectful," Langrill said.


text:
Weather Could Ground Thanksgiving Parade Balloons
It is possible that the giant balloons at the Macy's Thanksgiving day Parade may not fly if the city experiences severe weather, New York Police Department Commissioner Raymond Kelly said during a news conference Monday.
The National Weather Service predicts a northwest wind of 18 to 23 miles per hour on Thanksgiving day, with gusts as high as 37 miles per hour. This comes after very heavy rain and winds predicted for Tuesday night into Wednesday.
Mr. Kelly said the balloons can be made to fly at various heights, depending on the weather.
"They can be lowered all the way to the ground or a determination is made not to fly them," Mr. Kelly said.
The NYPD has assigned a sergeant to each of the balloons during the parade, Mr. Kelly said.
"Unless there are reports of a major storm system, the decision would be made that day," with officials at the city's Office of Emergency Management, Mr. Kelly said.
Mr. Kelly said past incidents are reason to be cautious about the weather. In 2005, two people were injured when an M&M balloon struck a light pole in high winds and brought part of the fixture to the ground. And in 1997, a Cat in the Hat balloon brought down part of a lamppost, injuring four people.


text:
A North Dakota man has pleaded guilty to driving drunk and killing another man.
U.S. Attorney Timothy Purdon announced Wednesday that 36-year-old Louis John Dunn, of Fort Totten, pleaded guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter.
Prosecutors say Dunn drove drunk and into on-coming traffic on the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation before striking another vehicle. The driver of that car, Andrew Greywater, died from his injuries.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of eight years in prison.
Sentencing is set for May 29.
Location, ST | website.com