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DETROIT -- We are going to learn the truth about these 2013 A's over the next few days. We are going to learn if they learned.
If it feels like we have been here before ... it's because we have been here before. More or less. But mostly more.
And by "here," I am not referring strictly to the Tigers' home field at sprawling Comerica Park, which occupies approximately 83 square blocks of downtown Detroit, the bankrupt city where real estate is cheaper than a broken-bat single.
Although right now, the Tigers would take a broken-bat single. They haven't scored in 17 innings.
No, when I say we have been here before, I am talking about this best-of-five playoff series between the A's and the Tigers. It feels almost like an extension of last year's best-of-five playoff series between the A's and the Tigers, won in five by Detroit.
Back in 2012, the first four matchups in the series were all close and tense. No game was decided by more than two runs. Each team owned 11 runs after four games.
"It seems like in the postseason, for whatever reason, pitching rules the day a little bit more so," said A's manager Bob Melvin here Sunday. "Runs are tougher to come by."
Apparently so, because the same thing is happening this time around. After two games, the series is tied at 1-1. Both games have been decided by one run. Each team has scored three total runs. Each team's pitching has been exemplary.
"Two fantastic playoff games," said Tigers manager Jim Leyland. "Nip and tuck."
Nip and tuck redux, really. Now we have two more games here, the first beginning Monday at 10 a.m. Pacific time. The A's mission is to win at least one of the two and get the series back to Oakland for a decisive Game 5 -- and demonstrate that this time around, they can win it.
Last year, you will recall, the A's were blown out in Game 5 by a score of 6-0 at O.co Coliseum (because the 2012 series used a 2-3 format rather than 2-2-1). Tigers ace Justin Verlander held the Athletics to four hits and beat A's starter Jarrod Parker. Stephen Drew, then the Oakland shortstop, made an error. Relief pitcher Ryan Cook came on in the seventh inning and couldn't retire any of the three batters he faced.
That Game 5 defeat of 2012, at least in one man's opinion, was a result of the youngish A's roster finally succumbing to the grinding tension of those first four knuckle-gnawers against Detroit in the series -- as well as the last-week regular-season push to win the American League West. A letdown was inevitable. Understandable, even.
But this year? No. The youngish A's are 12 months less youngish. The A's should have learned last year that if an entire team keeps pushing and keeps an edge, it has a chance to win every game. When a team eases up and loses the edge, it can lose big.
So far, so edgy. The A's won Saturday's 1-0 thriller Game 2, despite Verlander's seven shutout innings. Monday's starter is Parker, ready to redeem his 0-2 playoff record and 4.26 ERA of last year. Parker said his 2012 postseason experience "is definitely a benefit" because he should "be able to settle in and slow things down right away -- it's not going to be so foreign."
The A's are in a very good position here. Detroit is feeling the heat, even in the cool autumn weather. Tigers fans, after seeing their team reach the World Series last year, will be satisfied with nothing less. Leyland even said Sunday that his team was "set up to fail" by the big expectations, though he believes winning the A.L. Central eased some of the weight.
However, while Leyland is not exactly panicking, he confirmed plans to insert Jhonny Peralta, a potent bat, in the Monday outfield lineup, replacing Don Kelly. The reason?
"Because we've got to try to score some runs, obviously," Leyland said.
You've got to love the man's directness.
Melvin is playing it more cool, relying on his usual platoons-and-pitching strategy. He hasn't needed to make many moves so far. But he made one brilliant non-move on Saturday. In the bottom of the ninth inning with the bases loaded and the game scoreless, Melvin permitted catcher Stephen Vogt to bat against reliever Rick Porcello. Vogt delivered a game-winning single.
Vogt is a .252 batter who accumulated just 34 hits in the regular season, at least partially because he was frequently replaced by a pinch hitter. However, this time, Melvin said he'd been impressed with Vogt's hardworking at-bat against Verlander earlier in the game -- which Vogt kept alive for 10 pitches with foul balls before eventually striking out -- and decided to give him a shot at Porcello.
Vogt was ready with a game plan.
"I told myself I wanted to see a pitch," Vogt explained Sunday. "I knew Porcello had a really good sinker, and I had never seen it. So I wanted to see a pitch. I was able to kind of see the sink in the first couple of pitches and then be able to gauge it and just look for it ... in a certain area and just go attack it. And fortunately, I was able to get it in the air. So that was good."
Yes. That was good. The next few days could be even better, if the A's absorbed their 2012 lesson.
Contact Mark Purdy at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/MercPurdy.
be Oakland's next
Mr. October? PAGE 6


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Claire Berglund Worked as a nurse
Claire Berglund
Born on April 4, 1923, in Luzern County, Foster Township, Pa., she was the daughter of the late Neal and Mary Gallagher. Claire was a cadet nurse during World War II and graduated from Jersey City Medical Center as a registered nurse. She worked as an operating room nurse at Jersey City Medical Center. After the war, she traveled to Hawaii and worked at Queens Hospital in Honolulu. She later worked at Charity Hospital in New Orleans, Providence Hospital in Washington, D.C., and New York Ear and Eye Infirmary in New York. She was a volunteer nurse when the family lived in Goluk, Turkey, while her husband William was there on naval duty.
Claire was the first president of the Fleet Reserve Wives Branch 67 in Washington, D.C., a member of the Connecticut Trials Council of Girl Scouts as a former leader and service unit chairman. She was an active member at Zion Lutheran Church in Waterbury as a Sunday school teacher, member of WELCA, the Altar Guild and Outreach Committee. She resided in Wolcott for 48 years.
She is survived by her six children, Celeste Rich and her husband, Ned, of Westborough, Mass., Peter Berglund and his wife, Paula, of Norwich, Christine and her husband, Dr. Kevin Wolter, of Mystic, John Berglund and his wife, Patty, of Vernon, Joe Berglund and his wife, Kim, and Nancy and her husband, Jim Cosgrove, all of Wolcott; her 13 grandchildren, Erin Daniels, Lindsey Burke, Sarah and KT Rich, Jason, Rachel, Kara, Sean and Ryan Berglund, Tom and Claire Cosgrove; five great-grandchildren, Emily, Justin and Matthew Daniels, Kaelyn and Corbin Burke; and several generations of nieces and nephews. Besides her husband, William, she was predeceased by her brothers, Neal Jr. and Jimmy Gallagher, and her sisters, Mary O'Neil, Loretta Spahn and Kathryn Gallagher.
Claire's family would like to thank the caring and compassionate staff of the Alzheimer's Resource Center of Plantsville.
Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Thursday at the Zion Lutheran Church, 1555 Hamilton Ave., Waterbury. Everyone is asked to meet directly at the church. Claire will be laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery next to her husband at a later date. Calling hours are from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the DellaVecchia Funeral Home, 690 Woodtick Road, Wolcott. Visit www.dellavecchiafh.com for online condolences and directions.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Resource Center, 1261 South Main St., Plantsville 06479; or Zion Lutheran Church, 1555 Hamilton Ave., Waterbury 06706.
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Andrew and Sally Krey wrote on May 25, 2013 12:00 PM:
" Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. Claire was a trooper. Now she can actually HEAR the angels singing. Andy and Sally "
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Jun 09th 2014
The Week Ahead: June 10 to 16
Fort Lauderdale's Polynesian party says its final aloha, a cult novel becomes a cult musical, and our region's best indie bands get a two-stage showcase. Plus, Steven Seagal, James Van Praagh, "Summer Shorts" and more in your week ahead. Read More


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Product Description
Raptor Performance Dual Stage Shift Light with Blue Housing and Blue LED for all Mustangs.With the help of a Raptor Performance shift light, you don't need to worry about missing a shift. You will get consistent results, shifting at the exact desired engine RPM each and every time. The dual stage shift light adds a shift indicator capable of 20,000 RPM. At only 3-1/8" long and 3/4" in diameter, this is the most compact shift light out there. You can mount it virtually anywhere in your vehicle.
Includes an RISC processor for extreme precision and easy user interface. The Raptor Performance Shift Light is self-contained with no RPM activation modules or "pills" needed. A 1000-9900 RPM range is adjustable in 100 RPM increments (RPM range can be doubled to a maximum of 19,800 RPM by doubling the cylinder select switches for your vehicle and setting the RPM to 1/2 of the desired RPM activation point). All you have to do is turn the two rotary RPM switches for the desired setting, select the cylinder setting to match your vehicle and cycle the power. The settings are stored in the shift light's memory and you are ready to go!
The Raptor Performance Dual Stage Shift Light allows the user to set a desired launch RPM, upper and lower launch limits, pulse/rev and shift point setting. Signals to the speedometer or Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS) are used to determine launch or shift mode. For example, program the launch to 3000 RPM, +/- 200 RPM and a shift point at 6200 RPM. This creates a launch window of 2800 to 3200 RPM. When the vehicle is not moving, the unit enters launch mode automatically. If the RPM is under 2800 RPM, the LEDs will not light. If the RPM is over 3200 RPM the LEDs will flash rapidly. However, when the RPM is between 2800 and 3200 RPM, the LEDs are lit constantly. After the launch, the unit automatically disables the launch mode and enables the shift mode which, in this case, is set at 6200 RPM. This helps you keep your attention off the tach and on the tree so you can focus on your reaction times.
- Seven bright LEDs that are visible even in direct sunlight with four different colors to choose from
- Housing constructed from 6061-T6 aluminum and available in four different anodized colors or chromed aluminum
- Easy wire-up: power, ground and tach signal
- Ten foot long black cable (no need for extra wiring)
- Two different style mounting brackets
- Color matching vinyl covers for reducing emitted light intensity during night racing
*Will not work on cable driven speedometers. However, they can be factory programmed to use a signal from the clutch switch or brake light to determine launch of shift mode.
Installation Instructions
Mustang Applications
This product will fit the following Ford Mustang years:
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See who's on Catholic Mingle:
I absolutely adore this beautiful earth we live on and all the healing with it. I give Thanks for my God and the beautiful way He teach...
HisBeloved is a 30yr-old single woman in Phoenix, Arizona
Eclecticism, funky, humorous, intensely passionate, intrinsic
Tmacup is a 28yr-old single woman in Phoenix, Arizona
Hello! I moved to the Valley in 2008 from Chicago for a job opportunity. Outside of work, I am an aspiring singer. I put my heart into ...
cactusflower83 is a 30yr-old single woman in Phoenix, Arizona


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Thieves swipe ATM
Police investigating gas station break-in
February 1, 2013
PARKERSBURG — Authorities are investigating a breaking and entering Thursday morning at a gasoline station where the thieves broke out the front doors and stole an automatic teller machine,......
Not to smart. Most of these machines don't have very much money in them to start with, and to let a camera tape the whole thing? This could end up on a TV show about dumb crooks.
14 Agrees | 2 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
We need more prisons like the one in Arizona. Pink underwear, your tv only has the weather and religion channel. Lunch is your plain bologna sandwich and tomato soup made with water everyday. No air conditioning !
9 Agrees | 3 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Aw yea 10 to 15 years ago when Bill Clinton was president we had a man who could run the country.Plenty of good paying jobs,good intrest on your saving,no war and low gas oline prices.That was the Good Old Days,low crime rate to,thanks for reminding me Mr Alex
6 Agrees | 2 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
makes you wonder if these geniouses know that there is a dye pack installed in the atm machines that goes off ruining their ill gotten gains as soon as the glass panel inside is busted. this was done about ten years ago to stop this sort of crime. our area is so far behind the times these guys didnt think the banks would protect their interests
2 Agrees | 1 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
friday60,we do not need any prisons like the one in Arizona. What we need are active furnaces like those used in Auschwitz during the Holocaust.Indeed proper use would eliminate the criminal and all others thinking of doing the same thing or getting involved in any other crime,including drug dealing and drug using.
1 Agrees | 2 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
BOlO,I draw the line to not eliminating those criminals that do no harm to decency(the good folks in society).Moreover, all other criminals who do harm,whether it be physical or a pontential threat to decency have no right to share the limited resources of this planet with those of us that are decent and have a clean track record.However,are there any good criminals out there who are not a threat to the good?
0 Agrees | 2 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Bolo,it has been a long time since this retired history professor has been referred to as a "puppy"!!!
0 Agrees | 2 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Showing 7 of 7 comments


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BERKELEY -- A month after losing the confidence of Cal's coaching staff, sophomore cornerback Kameron Jackson earned it back with the biggest game of his life.
Jackson had three interceptions in the Bears' 43-17 win over UCLA on Saturday night to erase a season-opening performance that cost him a spot on the field.
The victory for the Bears (2-4, 1-2 Pac-12) snapped a three-game losing streak and sends them into Saturday night's game at Washington State (2-4, 0-3) with some momentum.
Jackson, certain to face the pass-happy Cougars, acknowledges his poor play against the Wolfpack.
"The Nevada game I made some mistakes -- I can own up to it," Jackson said. "I just had to prove in practice every day that I'm still trying to compete. Let them know I'm still here, I'm not going to give up."
Jackson was the Bears' starting nickel back Sept. 1 when Cal opened with a disappointing 31-24 loss to the Wolfpack.
Defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast later said Jackson played his way out of the position.
"He cost us some plays throughout the course of that game I wish we had back, mistakes he shouldn't have made," Pendergast said at the time. "So he's got to kind of earn his way back in the mix."
The opportunity came Saturday when senior starter Marc Anthony, nursing a bruised knee, left the game in the first quarter.
Jackson responded with three interceptions and a deflected pass that was picked off by Michael Lowe. Jackson was named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week.
Asked if Jackson would have played if Anthony were healthy, coach Jeff Tedford said, "Probably not."
But Jackson is appreciative that Pendergast gave him another shot.
"He threw me in there, and I'm glad he did that," Jackson said. "It feels good. I didn't want him losing hope in me."
Anthony's status for this week is uncertain, but the Bears have more confidence now in Jackson as the understudy.
Jackson ended a UCLA threat by deciphering a hand signal from quarterback Brett Hundley, following the pass route better than the receiver and picking him off in the end zone late in the first half. He picked off two more in the second half.
"Those were great interceptions because he wasn't catching them in the chest," Tedford said. "He went up in the air and was catching them at the high point."
Cal was 6 for 11 on third-down efficiency vs. the Bruins, mainly because it faced just one such play of longer than 6 yards.
"That tells you what we've been talking about," Tedford said, "that having some success on early downs and running the football and staying in manageable situations is a total difference."
For more on Cal sports, see the Bear Talk blog at ibabuzz.com/beartalk. Follow Jeff Faraudo on Twitter at twitter.com/CalBearsBANG.


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The weekend of the 11th/12th/13th December 2015 is a great time to come to Epernay, where the Christmas street party takes place on the Avenue de Champagne. Usually, not many of the big champagne houses on the Avenue are open to the public, but on this weekend, they all are! And not only are they open, you are invited to join in, with champagne flowing, food to go, live music, fun and fireworks. If you've never been to Epernay for this brilliant event, then put it in your diary for 2016.
The "Habits de Lumiere" event (which literally means "dressed in lights") is where the Avenue de Champagne is lit up like Disneyland, with even a Disney-esque procession and spectacular fireworks on the Friday night, cooking demonstrations and champagne and food matching on Saturday, and a vintage car procession on Sunday.
Hundreds of locals flock to the event, and you should be there too! email us at email@example.com or call us on 0033 (0)3 26 48 20 52 to find out more about how you can be at this event next year


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Result: Beat UCLA 35-17
Grade: A+
Comment: Stellar performance by the defense, which held high-powered UCLA to two touchdowns and just 334 total yards. Stanford also recorded seven sacks. ... The game turned during a 13-second span midway through the third quarter, when touchdowns by Stepfan Taylor (1-yard run) and Usua Amanam (11-yard fumble recovery) pushed the lead to 35-10. ... Taylor needs 36 yards to break the school's career rushing record (Darrin Nelson, 4,169 yards) ... Stanford scored touchdowns on all three trips inside the red zone. ... The Cardinal is No. 8 in the latest BCS standings.
Next up: vs. UCLA (Friday)
The matchup: It's as simple as checking the film from Saturday's game -- that should give the teams a good idea what they're up against. ... Both figure to tweak their game plans but won't (and cannot, at this stage) make major changes. ... The Bruins must protect quarterback Brett Hundley and limit Stanford's big plays in the running game; the Cardinal must improve its third-down efficiency and ball security: It fumbled four times, losing possession once.


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Today's topic is heat. Though the name of my column does include the word 'rambling,' that doesn't mean this one won't end with the majority of the copy being about coldness. Or bicycling, as we all know that rarely does a day go by without my mentioning of pedaling or the prospect of it.
I'm told, there is no such thing as cold. It simply does not exist. There is only a lack of heat. Likewise, there is no such thing as darkness – there is only lack of light. The duality we find ourselves in the midst of which can boggle and amaze. Does this mean that there is no such thing as death? Perhaps death is only the absence of life. I'm digressing. This was supposed to be about heat.
Often, when writers write, they have little tricks they employ to make themselves sound smarter than they actually are. Many have a thesaurus handy. A normal word can be replaced with a googled thesaurus synonym. In between the lines of the last few sentences, I checked for an alternate word for 'stifling,' to address the nature of the heat we're all experiencing.
I was unimpressed with the results. I'm sticking with stifling in all its appropriateness. There is no word that can outdo such a term. Sometimes the simplest descriptor is the finest. It's hot enough to make breathing inward a difficulty. It hurts. It's hot enough for me to avoid my bicycle several days in a row now.
I'm more than familiar with heat. I grew up in Jordan, which borders the Dead Sea. I've floated in it without trying – I've done the National Geographic poses. I've smothered myself in medicated mud. When you rise up from a dip, one's body is coated in an oil and salt sheen that cakes and cracks. It's very uncomfortable and how an entire tourism industry has been built on mud and salt is beyond my abilities to comprehend.
The point is this. The Dead Sea can get hot. 120 degrees farenheit is not abnormal. In my wisdom and genius, I decided to go camping there with my older brother and a friend during the height of the summer sun. My early high-school brain had not developed enough to understand the danger we were putting ourselves in.
There isn't much to say, really. I'm paid to write, so I'm expected to turn ten words into 100, but a short summation is a short summation. I can't turn the events of nothing into Shakespeare. On my Dead Sea camping venture, nothing really happened. It was too hot.
We arrived on the shores early in the a.m. Israel could be seen across the horizon and the sun had yet to bake. Keep in mind there is no tillable ground anywhere near the shoreline. There are rocks, big and small, some coated in dried salt. You won't find animals, save a scorpion perhaps. Somehow, we managed to piece together a tent overhang. By the time we were done, the sun had started to cook. We did nothing but sit underneath a tarp for two hours.
Page 2 of 2 - By noon, it was approaching 105 degrees, and we were desperate for relief. The lifeless body of water does not coolly greet you like the ocean. The water is hot and unfriendly, aside from being laden with oil and salt. You can't hop in to cool down. There are natural springs around its edges that flow within, so the three of us hitched to an oasis about one mile away in distance. Yes, an oasis – the kind you see in the movies with palm trees and a couple of cliffs –and that may not actually be there. The kind that gets hallucinated by thirsty soldiers and adventurers.
Arrival was joyous. We ran and dove in the water. One problem. Natural springs they were. But, natural springs, most often, carry with them the heat of the inner earth. We substituted the Dead Sea atmospheric heat with the heat of warm springs. A monumental let down.
We left immediately. Back at our makeshift rock campground, we tried to drink our water, which had been cooked in the now 115 degree sun. Undrinkable. Our food could not be swallowed. The lowest point on earth had taken everything from us. A knife would not save you – only coldness, which does not exist.
We lasted a total of 4 hours that day. We hitchhiked back to the capital, Amman, and drank water. It was the first time in my life that the anticipation of drinking water placed butterflies in my stomach. Wonder met my lips in liquid form.
Location, ST | website.com


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STOCKTON – About a year ago, Stockton Unified lowered the number of credits required for graduation from high school from 230 to 210. The move was made for financial reasons related to the California budget crisis.
The Class of 2013 will be the first to graduate under the new, lowered credit requirement. District officials say they do not believe the change has made it easier to graduate, because when the change was made, the core curriculum requirements were left intact. If anything, they say, the change has given students who have completed core requirements more flexibility in the electives and internship opportunities they can participate in during the latter stages of high school.
"I don't think this necessarily dumbs down the curriculum or dumbs down what the kids are getting," Superintendent Steve Lowder said.
Stockton Teachers Association President Ellen Old acknowledged it is "too soon to tell how this plays out." But she is concerned. "It seems like it's absolutely the wrong message," Old said.
Read Thursday's Record for more on this story by staff writer Roger Phillips.
Location, ST | website.com


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Adding to its star-studded summer lineup, Constellation Brands/Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center (CMAC) has announced American country music singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, Hunter Hayes will headline in concert on Sunday, Aug. 17 at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 5:30 p.m.
A four-time GRAMMY nominated artist, Hayes is a musician, producer, and writer. His albums include Hunter Hayes, Hunter Hayes Encore, Songs About Nothing, and Storyline. Sharing the stage at the Hopewell venue will be Dan + Shay, and Sam Hunt.
Tickets go on sale Friday, April 4, at noon, for $45 and $35, pavilion seating; and $25, lawn. Tickets will be available at Ticketmaster online, by phone at (800) 745-3000, and at ticketmaster outlets. Tickets will also be available at The Blue Cross Arena Box Office.
For more information visit www.cmacevents.com, Facebook.com/CMACfan, or follow @CMACevents in Instagram and Twitter.
Location, ST | website.com


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Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Spicy Deviled Eggs
Of course by "you," I mean me. And before you send an emergency makeover crew to my house, please know that I've ditched the Frampton hair do.... but I still own the "I Love Lucy" dress.
Anyway, deviled eggs are sacred ground to me. Mayonnaise, mustard, a little vinegar, a little sugar, and some salt and pepper. That's it. Don't be screwing with perfection. It shook my nerves and it rattled my brain to try this newfangled way of making deviled eggs, but I did it. And next week when I visit my therapist, I'll receive accolades on my ability to change things up a bit. Baby steps folks, it's all about baby steps...LOL
Spicy Deviled Eggs (from a Kroger flyer, no less)
12 hard cooked eggs
1 packet ranch salad dressing mix
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 TBSP sweet pickle relish
1/4 cup mayonnaise (I used reduced fat)
1/4 cup bottled ranch salad dressing (I used Hidden Valley Light Ranch Dressing)
1 tsp prepared yellow mustard
Peel hard boiled eggs and slice in half. Place yolks in a small bowl and mash with a fork into a grainy consistency.
In another small bowl combine remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth. Add about a third of the dressing to the egg yolks and stir until creamy and combined well. Add enough of the remaining dressing to reach the desired consistency you like your deviled eggs to be.
Spoon or pipe into egg whites. Garnish with chives, dill sprigs and paprika if desired
18 comments:
- Sue Sparks said...
You are FAR MORE adventurous than I am! I still make deviled eggs by adding mayonnaise(ONLY!) to chopped hard boiled eggs:) My husband would probably loves your version!
BTW, I think I had that same hairdo:)
- July 13, 2010 at 5:55 PM
- Karen said...
I like the sound of spicy! I avoid making deviled eggs only because I hate to peel boiled eggs, especially if I get one of those shells that just refuses to come off except in 10,000 little pieces!!
- July 13, 2010 at 6:08 PM
- Amanda said...
OMG you are so hilarious! The eggs look pretty rockin'!
- July 13, 2010 at 6:14 PM
- Ms. Meanie said...
Haha! I am totally loving that picture of you. The hair is the best part too. :) BTW, the eggs look AMAZING. I love the piping you did for them. I need to learn your tricks because I am awful and piping things.
- July 13, 2010 at 6:19 PM
- Haden News said...
Your deviled eggs sound Eggcellent!!
- July 13, 2010 at 6:44 PM
- Moogie said...
Mags... having another birthday has brought out the spicy adventurous woman. Welcome back.
- July 13, 2010 at 7:25 PM
- Julie said...
Beautiful! I these sound delicious. Unfortunately hubby doesn't like deviled eggs...
I had the same hairdo, although mine had a touch of the Farrah Fawcet flip.
Hope the BD and vaca were wonderful.
- July 13, 2010 at 8:25 PM
- Jane said...
Just never know what little gem you might find on something as seemingly insignificant as a grocery store flier! Though I am not a fan of deviled eggs, I must say yours look very tasty, and your photos are beautiful. As for your Peter Frampton hairdo (of yesteryear, that is--duly noted!), I applaud your courage for revealing it to us. You are a brave gal, Mags!
:) Jane
- July 13, 2010 at 8:44 PM
- Lyndsey said...
You crack me up! :D Didn't we all go through a "stage"? Your deviled eggs are gorgeous. I like them every which way, but not with vinegar and sugar.:P I like your spicy version!
- July 13, 2010 at 9:36 PM
- Grumpy and HoneyB said...
I think its cute you got all "Jerry Lewis" over deviled eggs. I would never admit to anyone that I do the same thing. ;) he he.
- July 14, 2010 at 3:36 AM
- stephchows said...
lol rock that hairstyle girl!! (but am loving your current picture one more :) ) mmmm deviled eggs are such such HOME food, I agree with the stick to the norm... but your version sure does look tasty!
- July 14, 2010 at 8:19 AM
- June said...
Wow - I'll be makin' these by the dozens. They look divine and we love 'em spicy! BTW, love the dress, Lucy!
- July 14, 2010 at 11:57 AM
- Nanan said...
You know what is the only thing better than a deviled egg? A Deviled Yard Egg!!!! Your photos are stunning!
- July 15, 2010 at 12:16 AM
Mmm, those are the perfect deviled eggs. I shall take one...
- July 15, 2010 at 11:53 AM
- Barbara @ moderncomfortfood said...
You could be describing me here. I've also been taking a walk on the wild side of deviled eggs lately, something I've always made in exactly the same conservative (mayo and mustard) way. Gulp! What next: platinum hair, red lipstick...? Love your heated up version of this classic summer appetizer.
- July 15, 2010 at 12:34 PM
- Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction said...
These look pretty good... I would have a hard time deviating from my mom's deviled egg recipe, though. You are braver than I!
- July 15, 2010 at 12:37 PM
- angela@spinachtiger said...
You have made these look quite beautiful. But, the ingredients didn't look so good. I think I like your originals the best. Love the I Love Lucy dress.
- July 22, 2010 at 1:37 PM
I love this recipe - so good and so different! Instead of pickle relish, I use a dash of vinegar and 1/4 of a small finely chopped onion.
- July 5, 2014 at 9:36 AM


text: Greetings and salutations, to all knights and swordmaidens of the Realm! Fantasy Freak started a thread in which he spoke of a fantasy series he loves and wanted to share about. I think that's a stellar idea. The main SFF site has about 1,000 recommendation threads--some great stuff to be sure. I'd like to start One Comprehensive Recommendation Thread in my forum--one Thread to Rule them all and in the darkness, uh...make them stay up and read? And, not trying to be a control freak or anything, but it would be nice if we could all kind of use a similar format--though, I'd rather not set down a rule, but rather let it grow organically. Feel free to recommend any fantasy/sciFi/SpecFic book you've read. The book does not need to be Christian per se, but please mention if it is as some of us are looking for that. Also please mention if the books is family friendly--maybe what age would be appropriate. This is a chance to shamelessly plug authors you love. Go for it. Include links to other sites where folks can learn more. I'd love for folks to read my books, but God's work and this genre are MUCH bigger than me. Besides, there are more than enough readers to go around. Have at it!


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Jul 26, 2012
What's up Islander fans?!
Welcome to another addition of A Dunn Deal Senior Year. In the next four weeks I will be bringing you the latest on our new fish aka our newcomers. Each week I will meet up with each of them so you can get to know them by the time we step on Stripes Court.
This week I spoke with Ashanti Plummer aka Shan. She's a freshman out of Manhattan, N.Y. The only New Yorker on the team as a matter of fact ... lol. She stands at 6-foot-2 so I had to look up at her the whole time haha... but anyways check out the video!
See you all next week when I catch up with another fish Zenobia Winbush.


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- Tea Pouches
- Loose Tea
- Iced Tea
- Teaware
- Gifts
- Sale
- Why Mighty Leaf?
Abaca Tea Box - Red
Our Abaca Holiday Tea Box, makes the perfect eco-friendly holiday gift. Handcrafted of tree-free Abaca plant fibers and cogon grass, our sustainable Abaca Holiday Tea Box is fastened with a whittled coconut-shell button
Each box comes filled with 30 of our whole leaf compostable tea pouches that includes the following seasonally festive blends: Organic Darjeeling Estate, Orange Dulce, Green Tea Tropical, White Orchard, Chamomile Citrus and Rainforest Mate.
Please note that red box shown is for box color only. The tea pouch flavor assortment is as noted above.
Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required.


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The June 2010 newsletter has been mailed and should reach all currently paid-up members soon. It is also posted on the member-only site which can be accessed from the link at the top right column of this page.
An updated member contact list (as of July 1, 2010) has been uploaded to the member-only site.
Filed under: From The Editor, Publications


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First of all, i'm trying to set my chromecast with PMS. The chromecast have a very limited range of supported codec:
- Code: Select all
Video codecs: H.264 High Profile Level 4.1, 4.2 and 5, VP8
Audio decoding: HE-AAC, LC-AAC, CELT/Opus, MP3, Vorbis
Image formats: BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, WEBP
Containers: MP4, WebM
I made my own renderer configuration file and i got stuck in the TRANSCODING AND MUXING CAPABILITIES section. More specifically, at the parameter called TranscodeVideo.
I understand that i must choose one of the 4 profiles, but the profiles doesn't match what i'm looking for.
Is it possible to choose my own video AND audio codec?
I want to use H.264 AND AAC rather than H.264 and AC-3.
I installed FFmpeg since it's supposed to be the best mkv transcoder. Would it be a setting done directly on that application?
Sorry if it was asked before but tried to google it and use the search option on this forum and didn't find what i was looking for.
TL;DR: Can you create a new transcodeVideo profile?
If you managed to transcode for chromecast, i would be interested in how you did it.


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On 19 June 2014, volunteers in coordination with Debris Free Bonaire will conduct a beach cleanup of Bonaire's eastern shoreline. The cleanup will focus on removing recyclable trash. The eastern coastline of Bonaire accumulates a large amount of plastic trash that has drifted along the current from South America. More and more floating plastic arrives every hour. It is extremely dangerious to the ecosystem and Bonaire's sea turtles. Not only can marine life become entangled in the debris, they can also mistake it for food and eat it. Plastic slowly breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces, and it's slowly poisoning the entire food chain.
Beach Clean Up - Bonaire
Submitted by David Imschweiler on May. 26/14
Bonaire's Eastern Shoreline
Netherlands Antilles12° 2' 29.526" N, 68° 13' 40.278" W
Report your Dive Against Debris data here! LEARN MORE


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Winter is just around the corner, so it's time to winterize your motorcycle. Winterizing is an essential step before you put your bike away for a couple cold, wet months. Freedom Road Cycles has some tips for this important step in motorcycle maintenance:
1. Clean your bike. Putting away your motorcycle dirty, and you're risking rust and deterioration. Spend a few minutes washing and waxing your bike before you put it away.
2. Change your engine oil. Oil absorbs water, which can lead to condensation in your engine cases with the changing of temperatures in the winter. Fresh oil holds more water, which makes condensation less likely to happen.
3. Fill your gas tank and add fuel stabilizer. Filling your tank with gas leaves less room for water caused by condensation. Adding stabilizer will also help with condensation.
4. Check your tire pressure. Your tires can get flat spots when you leave your bike sitting for long periods of time. Combat flat spots by filling your tires to the appropriate pressure. If you're parking your bike on concrete for the winter, it's also a good idea to move your bike periodically to fight flat spots. Also, consider putting down old carpet remnants.
5. Charge your battery. Make sure your bike still have battery at the end of the winter by fully charging it before you put it away. Doing so also extends the life of your battery. To charge your battery at home, invest in a Battery Tender.
6. Cover with a breathable, soft cover. Keep your bike safe from dust and dirt with a good cover. It needs to be breathable to your bike can avoid condensation build up, which causes corrosion.
Another great tip for the winter is not to start your bike unless you plan on riding it- starting it for a couple minutes is one of the worst things you can do. It will drain your battery and create condensation in your exhaust. Once you put away your motorcycle for the winter, keep it parked.
When the cold winter is over, and you're ready to ride your bike again, take it for a long ride to burn off the old storage fuel. Replace your fuel tank with fresh gas as soon as you can.
To find out more about Freedom Road Cycles, visit them online at http://www.freedomroadcycles.net/.
Disclosure: This content is provided by or on behalf of a local business. The content is not subject to the editorial policies of the FetchToto newsroom and is not reviewed for accuracy, objectivity or balance.


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Ralph I. McCrary, 83
Published: Friday, December 7, 2012 at 4:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, December 6, 2012 at 3:46 p.m.
HENDERSONVILLE— Ralph I. McCrary, 83 of Hendersonville, died Tuesday, December 4, 2012 at Pardee Hospital following a period of declining health. Born in Transylvania County, he was a son of the late Volney and Fleta Hensley McCrary. He was a US Army veteran of the Korean War, and a self-employed brick mason. He was a member of Refuge Baptist Church and loved gospel singing.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers, Linney, Clifford, Alvin, Bill, Yancey and Palmer McCrary; and his sisters Nell Nicholson, Ada George, and Julia Barton.
Surviving are his wife of 59 years, Joyce McCrary; seven nephews and eight nieces.
A funeral service will be held at 2:00pm on Saturday, Dec. 8 at Refuge Baptist Church. Revs. Alvin Melton and Roy Perry will officiate. Burial with Military Honors will follow in Fair Haven Baptist Church Cemetery. Mr. McCrary will lie in repose for one hour prior to the service. The family will receive friends following the service in the Refuge Baptist Church Family Life Center.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to a scholarship in his name to Tri City Gospel Music Camp, c/o W.C. Taylor, Jr., 253 Centenary Road, Blountville, TN 37617.
To sign the online register book, visit www.shulerfuneralhome.com. Shuler Funeral Home is assisting the family.
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.


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SANTA CLARA -- The 49ers are about as healthy as can be hoped for as they prepare for the NFC Championship Game after three straight high-stakes games in which they expended a ton of emotion and energy.
On Tuesday, cornerback Carlos Rogers and fullback Will Tukuafu sounded optimistic about returning from recent injuries in time for Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks.
"I think I'm going (to play)," Rogers said during media access Tuesday. "It depends how practice goes and if there's no setbacks."
Rogers suffered a hamstring injury in the 49ers regular-season finale against the Arizona Cardinals and missed the 49ers first two playoff games.
The first hurdle for Rogers is showing that his hamstring has healed enough so that he can practice. His first shot comes Wednesday, when the 49ers go through their first full-blown practice.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said last week that Rogers needs to practice at some point during the run up to a game if he's going to be cleared to play in the game.
Rogers has not practiced at all the past two weeks. However, he said that he is running more now than he did since his injury.
Tukuafu suffered a left knee injury early in Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers. Coach Jim Harbaugh said Tukuafu underwent an MRI on Monday, though the team has not revealed the results.
"I'm here walking around and getting ready for the game," Tukuafu said Tuesday. "It's day-to-day."
Tukuafu seemed to be moving without any lingering effects from the injury he suffered while being tackled after a short reception. He refused to confirm whether the injury is a medial collateral sprain.
Beyond that, the 49ers figure to be at or near full strength for the Seahawks game, with a berth in the Super Bowl at stake.
That's an impressive feat, given the 49ers played three road games during a two-week span against the Cardinals, the Green Bay Packers and Panthers, and they weren't in a position to rest anyone because of the must-win nature associated with those games.


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Game 1 Boxscore | Game 2 Boxscore
CORPUS CHRISTI – The Texas A&M - Corpus Christi softball team opened play at the Best Western Marina Grand Islanders Classic today splitting their first two of four games over the three-day event.
The Islanders (2-7) dropped the first game 2-0 to North Dakota (5-5) to open play. The two teams were held scoreless through six innings of play until the Sioux's Brittany Baker homered over the right field fence on the opening pitch of the top of the seventh frame. The Islanders bounced back to win 7-4 over Ole Miss (5-4) to garner their first home victory of the season and split on the opening day of competition. The Islanders were powered behind 12 hits including doubles by Karissa Haleman and Sandy Schumann.
The Islanders will continue play tomorrow at 9 a.m. when they face North Dakota.
Game 1: North Dakota 2, Texas A&M - Corpus Christi 0
Hurler Vianca Pesina held the Sioux batters scoreless until the seventh inning when Brittany Baker homered over the right field fence on the opening pitch of the top of the seventh frame to give the Sioux a 1-0 lead.
The Sioux plated another run when Erica Younan singled to center field to score Olsen who singled through the left side. Constance Brandenburg came in for relief to face five batters allowing one hit, two walks and pulled the Islanders out of the inning with a strikeout.
Hannah Schwarz, Jamise Jackson and Hayley Galloway each tallied one hit apiece to lead the Islanders offense. Meagan McKinney paced the defense with 12 putouts at first base.
Michelle Frank earned her first victory of the season in the circle allowing just three hits, two walks while striking out nine batters in seven innings of action.
Pesina dropped her third game of the season in six innings of play. The senior allowed four hits, two runs, three walks and four strikeouts.
Game 2: Texas A&M – Corpus Christi 7, Ole Miss 4
The Rebels jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening frame with two hits. Corrine Doornberg reached base on a hit by pitch and stole to second before advancing to third on a single by Brittany Broome. Doornberg tacked up the Rebels first run on RT Cantillo's blast to center field. Ole Miss padded the lead to two when Broome scored on a Londen Ladner's RBI to second base.
The Islanders answered with three runs in the bottom of the first to take the early lead. Senior Alejia Cain reached base on a walk and stole to second to jumpstart the Islanders offense. Cassie Redman singled on a bunt to advance Cain to third. Cain plated the Islanders first one on a RBI single by Cassie Carroll. A pop fly to shortstop by Jamise Jackson advanced Redman to third and Carroll to second. A solo shot by Laura Phillips to left center scored Redman and Carroll to give the Islanders a 3-2 lead.
The Rebels responded in the third with two hits to knot the score at 3-3. Cantillo tallied a single on a bunt to move Broome to third. Doornberg scored after reaching base on a single to left field to even the score.
The Islanders bats continued to roll through the third to take a 5-3 lead. Phillips started the offense by reaching base on a walk. Haleman ripped a double to left field to advance Phillips to third. Schumann blasted a shot over third base to score Phillips and Haleman. Galloway reached base on a fielder's choice but the Rebels were able to get out of the inning with two Islanders stranded.
In the fifth frame, the Islanders tallied four more hits to extend the lead to 7-3. Phillips jumpstarted the inning with a single to right center and Haleman followed on a fielder's choice. The Islanders scored two on a Schumann double and a Redman single to right field. The Rebels registered one run in the sixth on a single to left center.
Jordan Trujillo (2-2) picked up her second victory of the season in the circle for the Islanders. In seven innings of work, the senior limited the Rebels to six hits, four runs, one walk while striking out five.
Redman powered the Islanders with three hits and one RBI while Phillips, Haleman and Schumann tallied two hits apiece. Schumann led the Islanders with three RBIs while Phillips added two.
Erinn JayJohn (0-2) took the loss for the Rebels in three innings of work. She allowed seven hits, five runs, two walks while striking out two.
Coach Hughes:


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In Tuesday's print edition, I ran a story wrapping up the events of Heritage Days. Accordingly, the article was actually called "Heritage Days wraps itself up." The story's second paragraph, appropriately, received quite a negative reaction from many in the community. I've listed the paragraph's text directly below:
The "Come Grow With Us" theme featured any local group that may or may not come immediately to mind, along with the soon-to-be corrupt – politicians vying for local votes by wearing cautiously selected farmer-plaid and polo shirts – and seeking out the most appropriate placement in Jefferson City prior to their anticipatory lobbying adventures with varying chieftains of industry and influence. Hand shaking and practiced waving was abundant.
Excuses, on my part, will not be made for the statement. An explanation, however, will. The paragraph, when taken literally, is accusatory in nature and suggests that every politician, or future politician, is corrupt – or on their way to becoming corrupt.
Ironically, the text was not even part of an editorial opinion. It was a simple statement, tongue-in-cheek in nature. Our political system dictates that there are far more lobbyists in the 50 state capitals of our country than there are politicians. In that, there is some humor to be found. I'd wished only to make for a more entertaining read for Daily News subscribers by throwing in a bit of sarcasm. In my immaturity, I actually thought that readers would scan the piece with a sly smile and a chuckle. Oh, how wrong my assumption was!
Valid or invalid opinion, or overdone sarcasm, the paragraph had no business being in a news story on page 1. To those that took offense to such a statement being in the story, I offer my apologies. Please know that I have no reason whatsoever to distrust anyone in the area, politician or otherwise.
Location, ST | website.com


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After splitting a pair on the road, Texas A&M – Corpus Christi women's basketball team will play its first home Southland Conference game, taking on Northwestern State at 5 p.m. in the American Bank Center.
• After it took 11 games last season for A&M – Corpus Christi to pick up its first conference win, the Islanders got their first Southland win just two games into conference play against Oral Roberts, who was picked to finish second in the conference.
• The Islanders dropped their first conference game of the season, losing to Central Arkansas by just four on Thursday to open up Southland play. Each of the five losses on the schedule have been close though, as the Islanders have an average margin of defeat of just six points.
• As a team, A&M – Corpus Christi is second in the Southland in three-point percentage, shooting 34 percent from behind the arc. Brittany Mbamalu and Jasmine Shaw have recorded a majority of the treys, combining for 66 of the team's 85 made shots from deep. In the last four games, the duo has accounted for 34 of the teams 39 threes.
• After averaging 21.5 turnovers in nonconference play, the Islanders have done a much better job of holding on to the ball with just 10 turnovers in each of their first two Southland games.
• After struggling to find offense last year, senior transfer Jasmine Shaw has become the main offensive threat for the Islanders. Last season, no Islander had more than two 20-point games. Shaw already has four and leads the team with 16.5 points per game.
This meeting will mark the 10th matchup between the Islanders and Northwestern State with the Islanders holding a 7-2 advantage. A&M – Corpus Christi has matched up with the Lady Demons every year since 2006 as part of Southland play.
After the Islanders took the first five matchups in the series, the Lady Demons came back to split wins in the last four meetings. Last year was the first season the teams played each other twice in regular season play, with NSU winning the first meeting by 10 in Corpus Christi. The Islanders came back to win at NSU later in the season.
Northwestern State comes into this contest with just as many wins as the Islanders, as they have knocked off eight opponents. The Lady Demons also split their first two Southland games, as they defeated Sam Houston State before dropping a matchup with Lamar. The loss against the Cardinals marked the first home loss for NSU.
Despite being nearly perfect in Natchitoches, the Lady Demons have been the exact opposite in other team's arenas, as they are still in search of their first win in a true road game. However, their road schedule has not been particularly easy, as those losses are to Baylor, Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana Tech. They do have three neutral site wins, though.
The Lady Demons feature two dynamic scoring threats, as Keisha Lee and Trudy Armstead both average double figures. Lee is the leader with 15.8 points a game, shooting 44.6 percent from the field. Armstead has notched 14.9 points a game and is also the teams leading rebounder with 6.3 boards a game.
She has been the only bright spot on the glass for the Lady Demons, as they have a rebound margin of -5.1, which ranks 11th in the Southland. However, they have excelled in keeping possession of the ball, turning it over just 13.9 times a game. They have a turnover margin of +1.8, which is second best in the conference.
Coming into the season, NSU was picked to finish eighth in the Southland by both the coaches and SIDs.
A&M – Corpus Christi picked up its first Southland Conference win of the season with a thrilling 58-53 victory against Oral Roberts on Saturday.
After it took 11 games last season for the Islanders to secure their first win in conference play, it only took two this season for A&M – Corpus Christi to pick up a Southland victory.
With a dominating performance down the stretch, Jasmine Shaw finished with 19 points to go along with five rebounds and four assists. She was the only Islander in double digits, as Alissa Campanero and Brandi Huff both finished with nine.
Camesha Davis had a strong game coming off the bench, finishing with just six points, but cleaned up on the glass for a career-high eight rebounds.
The Islanders turned up the heat defensively in the second half, forcing 11 turnovers and holding ORU to just 7-of-21 from the field after it shot 40 percent in the first half. A&M – Corpus Christi's defense also kept Dorottya Balla — who scored 30 in ORU's conference opener — from scoring in the second half after she notched 11 points in the first 20 minutes of play.
Heading into their two games in Nashville, the Islanders had been outrebounded by 27 total boards. However, A&M – Corpus Christi dominated the rebounding stats in its trip to the Volunteer State, outrebounding both Belmont and Tennessee State by 13. The Islanders then finished off the roadtrip by outrebounding Texas State by 19, while also snatching up 23 offensive rebounds compared to the Bobcats' seven.
The Islanders once again cleaned up everything on the boards when they returned home, snatching up 15 more rebounds than UTSA, and then pulled down 11 more than UTPA.
After getting outrebounded for the first time in five games at Texas Southern, the Islanders won the rebound battle against UTA despite losing the game. They then backed it up with 17 more boards than the Lady Rams.
However, the Islanders have had troubles on the boards against Southland foes, getting outrebounded at UCA by 11 and at Oral Roberts by a 16. Despite this, the Islanders are still second in the Southland with a +3.3 rebounding margin.
Jasmine Shaw, a senior transfer from Marshall, has tallied four games of 20 or more points this season and is averaging 16.5 points a game. Last season, no Islander had more than two games exceeding 20 points throughout the entire campaign.
In the game against Tennessee State, Shaw struggled from the field, going just 3-of-12 and 1-of-6 from downtown. However, she still made a huge impact on the team, setting a career high in rebounds with 13 — seven offensively — and in assists with nine. She also knocked down seven of her nine free throws to give her 14 points on the night, meaning she came just one assist short of picking up the first triple-double in Islanders' history. For good measure in that game she also hit the game-winning jumper with five seconds left and recorded four steals in the matchup.
She then struggled in her next two games, scoring a total of just seven points, making just three of her 20 attempts from the field, missing all seven of her three point attempts. However, she bounced back against UTPA with 17 points, going 6-for-9 from the field, including two threes.
Shaw then followed up that performance with an even bigger one, scoring a career-high 28 points against Texas Southern, including seven threes, which tied a school record. Shaw kept rolling heading into the Christmas break, knocking down another five threes and a total of 19 points at UTA. She then added 16 points to go along with five rebounds and five assists against Huston-Tillotson.
In her first two Southland games, Shaw racked up 13 points against the Sugar Bears, followed by 19 points, five rebounds and three assists against Oral Roberts
Senior Brandi Huff had a breakthrough performance in the matchup against Tennessee State, setting a career high in rebounds while matching her top scoring outing. The Rockport-Fulton native notched her first career double-double, pulling down 11 boards to go along with a team high 15 points. She then matched her career high in rebounds against UTSA, picking up five on offense and six on defense. Against UTPA, she hit double figures in the scoring column for the third time of the season with 12 points. Then at Texas Southern, Huff had seven points and six rebounds and tied career-highs in blocks (2) and steals (2).
Huff then had arguably the biggest game of her tenure with a career-high 21 points to go along with 10 rebounds against Huston-Tillotson for her second double-double of the season. She went 7-of-9 from the field and made all seven of her shots from the charity stripe. Huff also blocked two shots and dished out two assists.
After struggling in the Southland opener, Huff bounced back to score nine points against Oral Roberts. She also set career-highs in the game with three steals and four blocks.
Freshman Brittany Mbamalu has made a significant impact on the team, especially with her pinpoint shooting ability from three-point range.
In her first two games, she only saw two minutes of action combined. However, she logged 19 minutes of play against Southern Utah, and hit three threes for nine points, earning herself a spot in the starting rotation.
In her first seven games as a starter, Mbmamlu hit double figures in each outing. She now ranks 11th in the Southland in three-point percentage (.367) and first in three pointers made (2.5 per game, 33 total). Mbamalu also shattered a school record with 18 three-point attempts in the game at UTA with the previous high being 13 — which she had tied in the game at Texas Southern.
Her streak of double figure performances was brought to a halt against Huston-Tillotson where she only had nine points. However, this was only in 16 minutes of play after she suffered an injury in the first half of play. She then got back in double figures with 10 points against UCA in her first conference game.
In each of its first three loses, A&M – Corpus Christi has come up just short, losing by an average of just five points. In its loss against Fairfield in the championship game of the Emerald Beach Islanders Classic, the Islanders were just one play away from tying the game up. In the matchup with Southern Utah, the Islanders trailed by just four late in the game before the Thunderbirds pushed the lead back to seven before the final horn sounded.
A&M – Corpus Christi saw a four-point lead against UTSA dwindle away over the final 3:22 of regulation before being outscored 6-1 in overtime to fall 55-50. The Islanders were downed by double-digits for the first time this season in a 75-64 defeat by UTA before losing a four-point game to UCA. Combined, the five losses for the team this season have come by an average of just six points.
During the early signing period, the Islanders received National Letters of Intent from Emmeri Archer (Brooklyn, N.Y./ South Shore HS), Daryon Fields (Spring, Texas/St. Pius High School), Ashley James (Highland Village, Texas/Marcus High School) and Jennifer Ramirez (Brooklyn, N.Y./ASA Junior College).
A 5-foot-7 guard, Archer comes to the Islanders as a three-star recruit with a 90 ranking from ESPN. It also ranks her as the 18th player nationally at her position.
Coming from Spring, Texas, Fields will bring some inside presence to the Coastal Bend. The 6-foot-2 post is ranked 42nd in the nation at her position and 309th nationally overall. In her junior year at St. Pius, Fields nearly averaged a double-double with 10 points a game to go along with eight rebounds each time out.
James, a 5-foot-4 point guard from Marcus High School in Flower Mound, Texas. In her junior year, she was named first team all-district and the defensive player of the year in her district. That season, James averaged 10 points, four steals and three assists per game. She has also picked up district MVP and offensive player of the year awards during her high school career.
Ramirez, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., comes to the Island University from ASA Junior College in New York City. Ramirez played her high school basketball at New York City Lab School. In her junior season she averaged 18.8 points, including a 35-point performance in her team's playoff game, as well as 6.5 assists and 6.5 rebounds a game.
With the departure of eight players from last year's squad, the Islanders only have four returners for the 2013-14 season made up of three seniors and one sophomore. The leading scorer out of the bunch was Ashley Darley, who was second on the team in points scored with 7.9 a game. Darley also ranked second on the team in rebounds per game and steals per game last year.
Taryn Gregory also returns for her final season after starting in 20 games last year. She comes into the year ranking fourth in career free-throw percentage with a .764 overall mark her first three years. Brandi Huff rounds out the trio of seniors after ranking third on the team in rebounds a year ago.
The lone sophomore on A&M – Corpus Christi's roster is Ashanti Plummer. The Manhattan, N.Y., native enters play this year after making an impact on the team her freshman year, ranking second on the team in games started with 22 and first in the team in blocks and 11th in the Southland in the same category.
The Islanders enter this season with the top-ranked recruiting class in the Southland after signing 10 newcomers. However, five of them join the Island University with collegiate experience – three at the Division I level.
Two of the transfers have played for coach Royce Chadwick, as Shay Weaver and Jasmine Shaw come to the Island University after playing for him at Marshall. Shaw will look to make an immediate impact, while Weaver will sit out this season because of NCAA transfer rules.
Alissa Campanero will look to get the ball in the hands of shooters as she dished out 4.9 assists per game last season with Odessa College and has experience in Division I after playing her freshman season at Hawaii.
Adebayo played at Eastern Oklahoma State Community College and averaged 16 points and seven rebounds per game, while securing 12 double-doubles, picking up First Team All-Conference, First Team All-Region and Third Team NJCAA All-American honors.
Lexy Harris joins the Islanders after averaging a double-double with Angelina Community College, averaging 12.8 points per game and 10.9 rebounds to go along with 2.1 blocks per game.
Rounding off the highly touted recruiting class are four freshmen. No. 63 in the ESPN Girls Recruiting National Rankings is Camesha Davis who averaged 16 points and 8.5 rebounds at Desoto High School. Another freshman that comes to the Coastal Bend almost averaging a double-double is Doshi Davis who averaged 11 points and 8.3 rebounds as a senior at Memorial High School in Port Arthur, Texas.
A freshman that managed to average a double-double her senior season of high school was Brittany Mbamalu, pulling down 10.1 rebounds a game to go along with 20.8 points. She was also named first team all-district her junior and senior seasons. Looking to help out a team that averaged less than 50 points a game last season is Kassie Jones, who was ranked 10th in Texas in scoring her senior year, averaging 24 points a game.
After finishing last season 3-15 in conference play, the Islanders have been picked by the Southland coaches to finish ninth in the conference, while the SID Poll has A&M – Corpus Christi occupying the 10th spot.
The Islanders will close out the week with another game in the American Bank Center, as they host Stephen F. Austin at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
For the latest team information, like the team on Facebook (Islanders Women's Basketball), and follow the Islanders on Twitter and Instagram (@IslandersWBB).


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JavaOne 2011 Recap
By Janice J. Heiss on Oct 13, 2011
For me, personally, it was a week in which my feet barely touched the ground as I rushed through tours from session to laptop to session, dashing off blogs and racing back to events, socials, awards ceremonies, BOF's and more.
The Keynotes
Start with the keynotes. Monday's Technical Keynote debuted and open-sourced JavaFX 2.0, looked ahead to Java EE on the cloud and reminded us that there are about 6.5 billion people in the world and five billion Java Cards.
Tuesday's Java Strategy Keynote offered Oracle's long-term vision for investment and innovation in Java.
Thursday's Java Community Keynote while touched by the awareness of Steve Jobs' passing, celebrated Java User Groups, Duke's Choice and JCP award winners, and was capped off with the inimitable Java Posse.
Sessions, Sessions, and more Sessions
And then there were the sessions!
JavaFX 2.0, which was represented in more than 50 sessions, deserves special mention.
There was a lively panel discussion of the future of Java EE and the cloud.
Oracle's Java Technology Evangelist Simon Ritter, in his session, showed off a fun gadget that worked via JavaFX 2.0.
Oracle's Greg Bollella and Eric Jensen, gave a session titled "Telemetry and Synchronization with Embedded Java and Berkeley DB" that presented a vision of the potential future of Cyber-Physical Systems
Java Champion Michael Hüttermann explained best Agile ALM practices in a session.
Oracle's Joseph Darcy took developers deeper into the heads and tails of Project Coin.
A JCP panel talked about JCP.next and the future of the JCP.
The JCP Awards gave recognition to some well-deserving people.
Oracle's Kelly O'Hair gave a session on OpenJDK development best practices.
Oracle's Terrence Barr showed developers how to get started with Embedded Java(http://blogs.oracle.com/javaone/entry/getting_started_with_embedded_java).
The Duke's Choice Awards reminded us of the sheer ingenuity of Java and Java developers.
Adam Bien, Java Champion, Java Rock Star and winner of Oracle Magazine's ninth annual Editors' Choice award as Java Developer of the Year was all over the place.
Go to Parley's.com to take in some of the great sessions.
All in all – a considerable success! Now get some rest.


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Pocono Mountain Regional Police have charged Melissa Ann Romeo, 33, no address, with the Wednesday theft of more than $500 worth of jewelry from a Wintergreen Lane home in Pocono Summit.
The jewelry was taken from a jewelry box in a locked bedroom, police said. Romeo was interviewed Thursday and some of the jewelry was found at a pawn shop she had visited, police said.
Romeo will appear in district court at a future date.
Location, ST | website.com


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A. Richard Turner, an art historian and former dean at Middlebury College, is named president of the College.
Our History
Many dorms become coed by floor. Loose Hall experiments with coed housing by room.
George Drake '56, professor of history and Rhodes Scholar, is named president of the College. He remains president emeritus and history professor emeritus and a popular figure on campus.
Professor of art Louis Zirkle initiated Grinnell's program of outdoor art with his untitled sculpture, affectionately known to generations of Grinnellians as "The Zirkle."


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News 12 at 6 o'clock / Friday, Dec. 7, 2012
HARLEM, Ga. -- We're learning more about what Columbia County investigators are calling the biggest spice bust they've ever seen.
Earlier this week, the two owners of the Pumpkin Center convenience store -- where the bust was made -- were arrested. Investigators say ever since that big summertime operation, they've seen less of the dangerous synthetic drug on their streets.
Only News 12 was there as narcotic investigators raided a Harlem convenience store back in July for the popular drug spice.
"I think since then word has gotten out, the businesses have become more educated as to what spice is and it is in fact illegal. So we're not seeing as much of it as we initially did," explained Columbia County Sheriff's Cpt. Sharif Chochol.
After a tip, undercover investigators went in, bought pre-packaged product, tested it and then moved in.
"As we were hearing more about it, then we went in there and started trying to purchase it in undercover operation," Chochol said.
Just this week, after months of testing at the GBI crime lab, the owners of the store, Young Kim and Hyun Kim, were arrested.
"This is a commercially sold product, so where we're seeing it now is the businesses, convenience stores," Chochol said.
And they found a lot of it. More than 800 grams inside the store and another nearly 3,000 grams inside the couple's home.
"There was a large quantity at the businesses; it was there for sale, so there was plenty available," Chochol said.
They may be packaged up to look innocent enough, but investigators say they're nothing to mess with.
"Spice is a form of potpourri, that's where it originated, but now it's turned into a synthetic marijuana that people are using and abusing. It's not made for human consumption," he said.
The problem with spice is how easy it is for drug dealers to change the ingredients to get around the law.
"The users found out about it before the law did, so the law's catching up to it," Chochol said. "Components are being changed so then they make it into a drug that it is not illegal."
But businesses seem to have gotten the message that the Sheriff's Office is getting tough on spice.
"It has dropped down since the arrests in this case," Chochol said.
The average street value of the spice they found at the store was more than $20,000. Narcotics say they have some active investigations right now and will continue to crack down on the drug.


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Moon Phases
Free Daily Moon Phases Website Module
Software for Past & Future Moon Phases
The free moon module shown above is pretty useful. But if you'd like additional features like monthly calendars, upcoming full moon / new moon info, and other details, you will need dedicated moon software.
I recommend trying a copy of QuickPhase Pro for use anytime on your personal computer.
I created it, so I couldn't be biased :-) ... but it's a big time-saver if you're looking at the moon phases regularly. Plus it's attractive. Most other moon phases calendar applications are either unwieldy, ugly, complicated, or inconvenient because you have to access a website to use it. As I've used it, I found an unexpected side benefit -- a handy general purpose calendar for looking at future dates, since it seems like I never have a wall calendar.
Here are a few core features:
Mobile App for Moon and Sun
If you'd like to have the moon at your fingertips inside your iPhone or Android device ... you need to check out Luna Solaria.
It provides moon AND sun information in a beautiful, simple interface. Data includes moonrise / sunrise and set times, quarter moon dates, lunar position and more. Give it a try!
Moon Phase Screensavers & Moon Products
Take a look at these 3D moon screensavers, software and other moon products. Some great gift ideas! The 3D screen savers are amazing.
Brief Explanation of the Moon Phases
The phases of the moon are caused by the relative positions of the earth, sun, and moon. The moon goes around the earth in 27.3 days, or 27 days 7 hours 43 minutes, on average. This measurement is relative to the stars and is called the sidereal period or orbital period. However, because of the earth's motion around the sun, a complete moon cycle (New Moon to New Moon) appears to earthbound observers to take a couple of days longer: 29.5305882 days to be exact. This number is called the synodic period or "lunation", and is relative to the sun.
The sun always illuminates the half of the moon facing the sun (except during lunar eclipses, when the moon passes through the earth's shadow). When the sun and moon are on opposite sides of the earth, the moon appears "full" to us, a bright, round disk. When the moon is between the earth and the sun, it appears dark, a "new" moon. In between, the moon's illuminated surface appears to grow (wax) to full, then decreases (wanes) to the next new moon. The edge of the shadow (the terminator) is always curved, being an oblique view of a circle, giving the moon its familiar crescent shape.
(some of above information courtesy of NASA http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov)
Other Lunar Phases Information
(all links open in the same new window)
USNO moon phase data - U.S. Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department website, a great all-around online tool for "raw" data and information about the sun, moon, and starsLunar Eclipse Information
Mr. Eclipse - breathtaking eclipse photos, both lunar and solar, probably the best eclipse photography site anywhereEducation / Classroom Moon Phases Activities
K-12 lunar phases activity from NASA - rather than use chalkboard diagrams to illustrate the phases, this activity uses actual objects (pencil, styrofoam ball) to help students grasp the concepts; Newton's Apple has a similar but more detailed moon phase lesson plan for elementary-age studentsThere are many theories and thoughts about the effects of the moon on people, animals, and the natural world. Here are a few interesting links:
moon and the tides - this is a concise page on how the moon affects the tides by its phase (full moon, new moon, etc) and its position (perigee, apogee)Other:
all about the moon - here's a website you'll want to watch for almost anything moon related including a moon phases calendar
For more information, try a Google search of this website:
CalculatorCat Moon Pagesabout moon phases | moon phase software | daily moon phase module


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'American Idol,' Auditions: TV Recap
The quality performers were not a large part of tonight's episode of "American Idol." It's nights like these that I begin to wonder if America has run out of talent because even one singer whose "comedic" audition made it on air in an effort to bring some energy to tonight's dreary episode brought as much life onto the show as an unplugged ventilator. But there was a moment when Bjork was played and all almost seemed right with the night. For a few seconds.
With Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj toned down and the always groovy baby Keith Urban and Randy Jackson serving as benchwarmers the episode was quite a snoozefest.
The evening was dedicated to the stories of the contestants. There were a lot of stories. A lot of boring stories. The type of stories noone cares if you're not in the top 25.
But, there were one or two standouts in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Here are some of the contestants that performed tonight:
Charlie Askew
The young , redhead singer with a speech impediment uses music to express himself. The judges were "pleasantly" surprised by his voice, and vote to send him to Hollywood.
Maddie Assel
The singer was nominated by her grandmother, and gets a chance to perform in front of the judges. Maddie, who most certainly can sing, got a golden ticket and is headed to Hollywood. Is her granny and her magic coming along? We're not so sure.
Paul Jolley
The judges looked on with excitement as the as the young singer belted out some powerful notes on tonight's episode. Jolley and his baby-blue shirt was a stand out tonight's episode, and his clean cut good looks make him destined to be in the finalist when this contest comes to an end.
Chris "Mushroom" Barthel
The horoscope obsessed contestant failed to win the judges over despite his attempts to bring the "fun" to the show. It's was not surprising since the contestant picked an Adam Lambert, and has the distinction of not being able to sing. Unfortunately, he was not the only one.
Calvin Peters
The singing doctor decided to try to perform a Maxwell song, and the chances he took landed him a gold ticket. One word: Alright. That's all we got.
Burnell Taylor
The singer performed a tune from "The Color Purple." Being a fan of the movie, I do believe this version has to be from the musical. The younger singer's voice made Mariah Carey tear up and Nicki Minaj swore "that's what we came for." While everyone else auditioned, you entertained us," said Minaj. At home, most viewers were likely excited to finally hear someone that stood out from the pack. The hour wasn't a waste.


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Virgil Gay, James Shattuck and Donald Bartels sat together on West Contra Costa Unified's school board way back when Neil Armstrong first set foot on the moon.
So why almost 45 years later are taxpayers still spending thousands of dollars a year on their health insurance?
The last of them left office in 1982, when Ronald Reagan was in his first term as president, but they are among more than 200 former officials in the Bay Area still benefiting years -- and sometimes decades -- later from what government watchdogs call a "dirty little secret'' of local elected office: taxpayer-funded medical coverage for life.
An investigation by this newspaper found Bay Area taxpayers spent more than $1.5 million last year on health benefits for former part-time elected officials -- and, in many cases, their dependents. In fact, the newspaper discovered, in 19 instances, taxpayers still paying for dependents' health care for politicians who not only are no longer serving the public -- they are no longer alive.
"I really don't think that voters in California know about this," said Sabrina Brennan, an elected commissioner for the San Mateo County Harbor district, one of 13 agencies providing benefits for dependents of deceased politicians.
The newspaper found at least 65 agencies big and small across the greater Bay Area, from affluent Palo Alto to blue-collar Concord, from BART to the Santa Clara Valley Water District, that are on the hook for taxpayer-funded health policies for former politicians that can cost as much as $20,000 to $50,000 yearly.
While more and more agencies are ending the perk for future elected officials as an unjustifiable expense in a time of tight budgets, the newspaper discovered 161 elected officials currently sitting on part-time city councils, special districts or school boards who still qualify for lifetime health coverage.
"Why shouldn't we have that benefit? We're no different than any other (city) employee," said Daly City Mayor David Canepa, 38.
In fact, local elected officials are different. With a few exceptions like county boards of supervisors and the city councils in San Jose and Oakland, most are part-time, a status that in the private sector rarely qualifies one for such generous post-employment benefits.
Canepa insisted the part-time designation is not reality, saying he works more than 40 hours a week for an $18,000 salary he called "extremely meager.'' That's why he said he deserves the $9,300-a-year health care perk once he leaves office, even though he was unaware of it until informed by a reporter.
Another Daly City council member, Carol Klatt, 75, said she was unsure whether she would take the medical coverage when she leaves office, acknowledging it was "probably not" a good deal for taxpayers.
Data collected by this newspaper from governments in 12 counties shows:
Woolsey said in a phone interview that she opted for the lifetime benefit when she left the council for Washington, because "I was having some dental work done and honestly, the federal plan isn't very good. ... I kid you not.''
Just how lucrative the lifetime benefit can be depends on how long an elected official served, when they left office, and the nitty-gritty of each agency's rules.
In some cases, governments pay the entire cost of coverage, while others pay a share of it through the California Public Employees Retirement System. But while the insurance cannot be taken away once it is provided, the former politicians can be required to pay more of the cost.
A government "can lower the amount of its health care subsidy even after the former elected official enters retirement," said CalPERS spokesman Brad Pacheco.
But dozens of governments paid far more than the required minimum CalPERS health insurance contribution last year, which was $1,344.
There is little public discussion of how much governments end up paying for the perk. Government watchdogs said the practice is fraught with secrecy, potential conflicts of interest and self-dealing, and creates ongoing strains on government budgets during times of layoffs, furloughs and cuts in public services.
Officials in one city, Rohnert Park in Sonoma County, reported spending more than $63,000 last year to insure five former politicians but refused to identify them.
"It's a dirty little secret,'' said former state Assembly member Joe Nation, who's now a Stanford public policy professor. "People who do this know, deep down, that it's wrong."
In all, 65 agencies that responded to the newspaper's survey reported that they provided insurance coverage in 2012 for at least one former board member, or in a few cases for other part-time elected officials like clerk or treasurer. That's 23 percent of the agencies that answered the newspaper's request. (About 150 agencies did not respond to the survey.) A 1995 state law banned special districts from providing benefits to former elected officials who took office after that year. It didn't strip the benefit from those already receiving it, though. Cities and school districts can still offer the perk.
The head of a national government watchdog questioned why former part-time elected officials would receive such benefits in the first place.
"It's impossible to imagine part-time people in the nonprofit and for-profit sectors getting health coverage when they leave (employment)," said Thomas Schatz, president of the Washington, D.C.-based Citizens Against Government Waste. "It's something taxpayers should be outraged about. It should be stopped. This is one of the reasons why a lot of governments in California are having problems."
However, some former officials were quick to defend the benefit.
"Don't you get into this with me," said Peter Snyder, 79, who left office in 1996 after serving 16 years on Dublin's council. Last year, the city contributed $9,200 to his health insurance. "There were agreements that were in place. Don't you know how government works?"
Snyder took office when Dublin became a city in 1982 and voted two years later for the policy that allowed himself and other council members to receive medical benefits when they left office. Three other members of the council who received benefits last year also voted for that policy, records show.
Snyder said he didn't consider that to be a conflict of interest because the benefit was not limited to him specifically. Six other former elected Dublin leaders also got health coverage form the city last year for a cost $46,100. The city no longer offers the perk to elected officials.
Robert Stern, the former general counsel to the state ethics watchdog, the Fair Political Practices Commission, said votes where officials give themselves benefits need to be viewed through a prism of "who else is there to approve it?" But he was critical of officials taking benefits after they leave office as a matter of public policy. "They bury it so no one flags it and questions it."
Offering such a perk to potential hires for full-time government jobs may be proper "to attract the best candidates," said Stern, also the former director of the defunct Center for Governmental Studies in Los Angeles. "But what's the justification for giving health benefits to someone 30 or 40 years after they left office?"
Both Nation and Stern said local governments should take the decisions about benefits out of the hands of politicians by appointing citizen commissions to decide them. That would also remove potential ethical dilemmas of elected officials voting on medical benefits they receive while in office, which are often the same as full-time government employees receive.
Those benefits can clearly be pricey.
Ferraro, who served on the Santa Clara Valley Water District from 1973 to 1995, was shocked to learn his family coverage cost taxpayers nearly $50,000 last year.
"Get out of here. That's ridiculous. I had no idea the cost of our insurance is so high,'' he said. "Hopefully with the Affordable Care Act it will go down."
Unlike many agencies that provide insurance through CalPERS, the district purchases its employee insurance directly from Kaiser and Blue Shield.
After leaving office in 1995, Ferraro worked for the water district for eight years. But, he said, he had already qualified for the same health coverage.
Since Ferraro stopped working for the district in 2004, his health coverage has cost the public $397,000.
"It's because I had my kids late in life," he said. "I hope my neighbors don't start throwing rocks at my house now.''
If governments won't stop offering lifetime health benefits, there's one other group who could say no: the politicians themselves.
Brennan, the harbor commissioner, declines to take any taxpayer-funded medical coverage, period. She says politicians who accept lifetime benefits are looking out for themselves, not the voters.
"There is a sense of entitlement when people get elected," she said. "It's like a disease."
Staff writer Daniel J. Willis contributed to this story.
Contact Thomas Peele at firstname.lastname@example.com and follow him at Twitter.com/thomas_peele.


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RICHMOND -- How often can you walk into a fine art gallery and, if a piece "speaks" to you, pull it off the wall, pay an amount roughly equal to half your weekly grocery bill and take it home?
Two hours after you find your Rembrandt, Klee, or Cassatt, a masterpiece is hanging above your sofa.
The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is happening every day during "Affordable Art From the Heart," an exhibit running through Dec. 28 at the NIAD Art Center (National Institute of Art and Disabilities) at 551 23rd St.
"All the work is on paper and priced between $15 and $150," explains Gallery Director Tim Buckwalter. "Unlike the paintings that sell for $1,000, this is a great introduction to art. People can have it in their homes the same day they discover it."
NIAD is all about discovery, with experienced, professional artists leading adults with developmental or physical disabilities through courses in ceramics, fiber art, sculpture, printmaking, mixed media and painting.
That is, they lead when the students will follow.
"Oh yeah, he never listens to me anymore," Studio Manager Andres Cisneros-Galindo says, contemplating the art of one prized student and saying with a laugh, "that's how I know he's good."
"It's true," Executive Director Deborah Dyer proclaims proudly. "Our artists aren't good at taking direction, they're good at expressing."
It sounds unruly, but one glance at the resulting artwork displayed in the intimate, clean-lined gallery space, leaves no mistaken impression: these artists know how to push the paint.
If it weren't an insult, one could imagine several of the pieces -- framed and with a few more zeros added to their price tags -- displayed in a contemporary New York SoHo gallery. These artists may be limited in their ability to speak, see or move, but their art shouts "ability!" and several pieces rise to an echoing "masterful."
A painting by 27-year-old Jonathan Valdivias leaps off the wall. A supersized, cartoony head teeters atop a hodge-podged torso; the underlying base coat of blue adding energy, revealed in the artist's arcing scrapes and scrawls.
Arista Dawson, who has limited mobility in her arms, leaves much of the paper empty. Descending, diagonal lines quaver, then fall off the bottom edge. On one sloping line, a rabbit-shaped form hangs, like a rock climber contemplating an inevitable fall.
Ray Brown shows a particular sensitivity to color with a densely painted piece suggesting a park, or perhaps a homemade quilt put together with hilly, irregular edging.
Miraculously, or coincidentally, Kristi Dean takes her appreciation of a favorite fruit onto the paper. A frenzy of purple swirls is framed by a frothy, contrasting color.
"She likes oranges: she understands orange," Cisneros-Galindo says, as if the association were simple. "She's been blind since birth, but she knows orange."
"I think of our teachers as mentors," Dyers says. "These artists have no fear. They are doing it to satisfy whatever drives them."
She'd like to increase the artists' public visibility, so more of them can follow in the footsteps of artists like Marlon Mullens, an NIAD student whose recent solo show at New York City's White Columns alternative art space was an enormous success.
Six of Mullen's thick, graphic paintings are on display in the annex gallery during the current exhibit.
Buckwalter says that about 30 artists work in the adjacent studio space every day. It's a full day program, with opportunities for the artists to socialize, learn project management, participate in field trips, and perform a giveback by delivering for Meals on Wheels or assisting with studio upkeep.
Funding for NIAD comes from the Regional Center of the East Bay and corporate, foundation, and individual donations. Sales from the gift store and exhibits are divided 50-50 between the artist and NIAD.
Buckwalter is ambitious in his new, two-month-old position at the gallery. Claiming he wants to do just two things -- bring NIAD artists out into the community and bring visiting artists into NIAD -- he can't contain his future dreams.
"I want to start a Richmond Art Crawl," he says. "I want to have small, craft exhibits. I'm starting an Art-of-the-month club. In May, we're having a 'School's Out Forever' event with artwork from local high school seniors."
Against the brilliantly energetic backdrop of the "Art From the Heart" exhibit, hopes take flight: anything is possible.
"Affordable Art From the Heart" runs through Dec. 28 during regular gallery hours from 9 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The exhibit also has weekend hours from 10 to 5 p.m. Dec. 2 and 11 to 4 p.m. Dec. 8.
Details: 510-620-0326 or niadart.org.