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Jackies poetry site
Jackie Kays
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In the Autumn of my Life
Oh! Yeasterday
Oh! Yeasterday
"Nothing is Forever!"
Today's Evil
In the Eye of the Tiger
A Conversation between My Cat and Dog
If, I Had It All To Do Over!
Twilight Honor
A Portrait of my Life
Fifty Years of Tears
Eternal Rest
Do You Remember When?
Mirrow Reflctions
Who Knew?
"Jack Who?"
Ain't That a Shame?
Hopefully, They will Say...
Does It Matter?
Love Found
Who Knew?
My Little Dog named-Art
Yesterday's Autumn
A Bowl of Cheers?
I Say!
My Quest
Near Miss
Dreams of Yesterday
Do You Remember?
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Steel Raindrops
Steel raindrops fall and young men
die for that silent call.
The man made thunder and lighting clash
and the blood of the guilty and innocent flow
in crimson red, delivering pain and mayhem
as they stand tall and fight for one and all.
The jungle night comes alive with stealthy shadows
silently, hurriedly gliding under the pale moonlight.
Mortars whistle in flight as they deliver death in the
jungle twilight.
Death wears no mask, its ugly bony face glows with
anticipation, finalization and delight.
Pain, suffering, agony, and unadulterated fear haunts
the reverie of the victors and vanquished alike.
The Elephant grass comes alive with invaders through the wire,
while defenders with grenades, machine guns, and mortars open fire.
The yellowish glow from a pop flare's light reveals the horror of young
men dead and dying on a bloody jungle battlefield for principles they hold
sacred and dear. A war long gone, but one for which you and I still shed a tear.
For those who survived, sounds and sights to this day in the middle of the night.
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Kinder Morgan Energy Partners (UNKNOWN: KMP.DL ) has agreed to a $5 billion deal to buy Copano Energy (UNKNOWN: CPNO.DL ) , in addition to assuming Copano's debt in a complete unit for unit swap. This is a nice bolt-on addition, giving Kinder Morgan some very valuable additional assets, including 6,900 miles of pipeline, nine natural gas processing plants, and one fractionation facility. In this video, Motley Fool energy analyst Joel South tells investors what this means for Copano shareholders, and why these assets would fit nicely into the Kinder Morgan family.
It's easy to forget the necessity of midstream operators that seamlessly transport oil and gas throughout the United States. Kinder Morgan is one of these operators, and one that investors should commit to memory due to its sheer size – it's the fourth-largest energy company in the U.S. – not to mention its enormous potential for profits. In The Motley Fool's new premium research report on Kinder Morgan, our top energy analyst breaks down the company's growing opportunity, as well as the risks to watch out for, in order to uncover whether it's a buy or a sell. To determine whether this dividend giant is right for your portfolio, simply click here now to claim your copy of this invaluable investor's resource. As an added bonus, you'll receive a full year of key updates and guidance as news develops, so don't miss out!

subset: commoncrawl


text: Explore Poland Fact file Getting there Where to go When to go Getting around Accommodation Food and drink Culture and etiquette Sports and outdoor activities Travel essentials Share Much of Warsaw, the capital, conforms to stereotypes of Eastern European greyness, but it does boast an historic centre, beautiful parks and vibrant nightlife. Kraków, the ancient royal capital in the south, is the real crowd-puller, rivalling the elegance of Prague and Vienna, while Gdańsk on the Baltic Sea offers an insight into Poland's dynamic politics as well as the golden beaches at the nearby resort of Sopot. In the west, stately Wrocław charms visitors with its architecture and vibrant student life, while quintessentially Polish Poznań is still revered as the heart of the nation. Outdoorsy types can enjoy fantastic kayaking in the lake district of Mazury, while the Tatra Mountains on the Slovak border offer exhilarating hiking and affordable skiing. Read More


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Charge surge past BayHawks
CANTON, Ohio -- Kevin Gibson scored seven points in the final 3 minutes to lead the Canton Charge to a 112-100 win over the Erie BayHawks on Friday night in a key NBA Development League battle at the Canton Memorial Civic Center.
The win gave the Charge a bit more breathing room in the race for the East Division's top spot. Canton (25-16) came into the game with a 21/2-game lead on second-place Erie (22-20) and now leads by 31/2 going into tonight's rematch in Canton.
The BayHawks had won four of five previous meetings with the Charge and were in position to make it five out of six before Gibson caught fire.
After Kevin Jones' basket gave Canton a 99-98 lead with 3 minutes, 56 seconds to play, Gibson scored seven straight points, and Antoine Agudio added four free throws in the final 40 seconds to put the game out of reach.
Gibson finished with 25 points to lead Canton, which shot 55 percent from the floor, while Jones added 23 and Agudio 19.
Cory Higgins paced Erie with 20 points, while Mustafa Shakur had 17, Henry Sims 15 and Tirrell Baines 13. Kyle Goldcamp contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Erie trailed 61-50 at halftime but outscored Canton 31-19 in the third quarter to take an 81-80 lead heading into the final quarter.
Shakur scored five straight points in the last 90 seconds of the quarter to put the BayHawks in front.
But Canton took charge in the early stages of the final quarter, using a 14-4 run to go up 94-85 with 8 minutes, 20 seconds to play.
Canton led 28-25 after one quarter and used a 15-0 burst midway through the second quarter to increase its lead to 49-31.
Arinze Onuaku went inside for a pair of baskets while Gibson and Jorge Gutierrez each connected on 3-point shots during the run, and Agudio converted three free throws.
The BayHawks answered with a surge of their own, outscoring the Charge 19-7 to cut the lead to 56-50 with 39.3 seconds left in the half.
But Gibson countered with a 3-pointer and, after an Erie turnover, Gibson hit a floating jumper with two-tenths of a second remaining to build the Charge's lead back up to 11 at 61-50.
Gibson finished the half with 15 points while Jones added 12 and Agudio 10.


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ONE THING about an extra-long winning streak: It can be just as bad as good.
"It's great to keep winning like this," Hanif Sutton said. "But it also makes for a lot of pressure. Even teams that don't do too well against inferior teams are really going to be coming after you. They're going to give you their best shot."
Did someone say best shot?
Last night at the fabled Palestra, Ss. Neumann-Goretti posted a bunch of those early and wound up (mostly) not having much trouble in besting Roman Catholic, 73-56, in a Catholic League semifinal.
It was the Saints' 69th consecutive CL victory, counting the regular season and playoffs, and Monday they'll shoot for their fourth straight title.


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Adrian Sampson made Curve history Friday night, even though he fell just short of an historic performance.
Sampson was just two-thirds of an inning away from a no-hitter, then Mike Yastrzemski belted a double to left field as the Curve beat Bowie, 3-0, before 5,004 fans at Peoples Natural Gas Field. The fans gave Sampson a thunderous ovation at the time the no-hitter was broken up.
Sampson became the first pitcher to throw a one-hit, complete-game shutout in Curve franchise history. No individual has tossed a no-hitter, and the team has thrown two combined no-nos.
It was, quite simply, the best game ever thrown by a Curve pitcher in the team's 16 seasons.
"It was a great game," Curve manager Carlos Garcia said. "It was a shutout, but I wish the baseball gods could gift him with a no-hitter."
Sampson called the experience "incredible."
"It was fun. Everyone was in the game," he said. "The defense was outstanding. When they made those plays, I couldn't help but smile when I was up there sometimes."
The last time the right-hander threw a no-hitter was in a seven-inning game his sophomore year of high school.
He might have had one Friday had he listened to his catcher, Elias Diaz, on an 0-2 pitch that Yastrzemski hit for a double.
"He called for another pitch, and I shook to a slider in the dirt," Sampson said.
Diaz had called for a high fastball, but the left-handed hitting Yastrzemski grandson of legendary Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski - was able to inside-out the slider down the left field line.
"When you've got a guy who's comfortable where he is and he's locating real well like that, all you can do is try and hope he makes a mistake," Yastrzemski said. "If he makes one, you've got to capitalize on it. If you don't, he's just going to carve you up."
Sampson started to understand what he had a chance to do late in the ball game.
"I would say probably like the seventh inning," the pitcher said. "I've gone seven innings a bunch of times this year, and that's kind of like the cutoff to where they'll stop throwing you, they'll go to the bullpen.
"Once I got through the seventh inning, a short inning, I was like, all right, six more outs. I think I can do this."
Sampson saw his third baseman, Jarek Cunningham, make a great diving play near the bag to throw out Sammie Starr to start the ninth.
"(Sampson) was throwing the ball well, and we were playing great defense," Curve pitching coach Stan Kyles said. "It got to a point where we expected him throw a no-hitter. It was a super job by everyone."
Sampson said Yastrzemski, who was playing in just his second Double-A game, battled well in getting the double in the ninth.
"I threw a good pitch before, a slider in the dirt," Sampson said. "I wanted to repeat the pitch but even more in the dirt. I left it up just a little bit. It was a good pitch, but it was just left up a little bit. He's a good low-ball hitter, so he just got the best of me right there."
Kyles said he didn't notice it was a no-hitter until the sixth inning.
"We were talking a lot more, earlier, but once you figured out that he was in control of it, and he was on his game, you let him go out and do his thing," the pitching coach said.
Garcia knew that the bench was aware of what was going on, but everyone tried to keep the game in perspective.
"We tried to stay calm," he said. "We tried to not make a big deal, let him be in his moment, and try to focus in on what he wanted to do when he walked to the mound in the ninth inning.
"When he gave up the double, it was a heartbreaker," the manager added.
Kyles believes that Sampson's effort was a testament to the work he has put in.
"He's been solid all year, and you'd like to think that everything he has done up to this point has been building to it," he said. "It was just a climactic experience for him. He's throwing the ball great, and to be able to go out and provide a performance like that is pretty special."
Among those in attendance were five members of Sampson's family, including his mother Natalie, brother and sister. who flew from Seattle to be with Sampson during the Eastern League All-Star break. Sampson was not allowed to pitch in that game by the Pirates he likely would have started the game but his family got to see the highlight of his career anyway.
Natalie Sampson's birthday, by the way, just so happens to be Sunday.
"I still haven't gotten her a present yet, so hopefully this works for her," Adrian said.
Having his family there to see it was even more special for him, especially when they don't see him play that often.
"It's rare. They're here for one start of the year, and it happens to be my best," he said. "Everything fell into place today, and I'm happy that they were here to watch it."
"You don't see those every day, and to be part of that commotion, it makes you appreciate this game even more," Garcia said. "The effort those kids put in every night, to develop themselves to go the next level, and see the reward of the hard work they put in, and the frustration, they way they played for him tonight was unbelievable."
The last time the Curve were involved in a no-hitter was July 25, 2013, when Ethan Hollingsworth, Jason Townsend, Jhonathan Ramos and Ryan Beckman combined for one.
Dan Gamache led the offensive charge with a RBI-double to put the game away in the fourth inning.
The Baysox Anthony Vasquez (4-6) took the loss after giving up all three runs, on seven hits in five innings.
Game recap
Key Player: Curve P Adrian Sampson had a no-hitter for 8 1/3 innings and finished with a nine-inning, one-hit shutout.
Key Play: 3B Jarek Cunningham's diving stop in the ninth to retire Sammie Starr protected the no-hitter, but it was broken up by the next hitter, CF Mike Yastrzemski.
Key Stat: Sampson is the first player in Curve history to throw a nine-inning one-hit shutout.
How they scored
Bot 1st: Maggi singled, scored on Allie fielder's choice (1-0).
Bot 4th: Garcia singled, scored on Gamache double (2-0); Gamache scored on Maggi fielder's choice (3-0).


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Created in this Craftsy class
In Craftsy's first-ever Block of the Month, Amy Gibson brings you 10 specific quilting techniques - appliqué, string quilting, paper piecing and more.
Other projects made as part of this class:
Offer some kudos...
Join the conversation...
Ask a question...
Add your comment...
|Here are some details about my project:
|Traditional, Whimsical, Casual, Funky
What materials did you use? Black, white, yellow, and a splash of green cottons. All cotton thread and batting.
What are you most proud of? Keeping up with the class was challenging because I am fairly busy doing other things.
i love the blue and yellow fabrics!!
I do too! However, this is black, white, and yellow. The camera played some tricks on us. I will get a better photo once this is finished and quilted. Thank you for your comment.
Very pretty! Country Sunshine!!
Wow! Love your blocks! So bright and cheerful - outstanding work! Just saw your other projects. You've made some gorgeous quilts!


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A NUMBER OF surveys have indicated that many people don't have adequate savings to cover a financial emergency.
One, conducted by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, found that 17 percent of Americans said that if they needed $1,000 for an unplanned expense, they would have to borrow it from friends or family.
I've been asking readers to share their experiences of mixing family and finances. Following is one such story about a family financial fight that yet again proves what Shakespeare wrote in "Hamlet": "Neither a borrower nor a lender be, for loan oft loses both itself and friend."


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Just through midnight, Discount Mags is having a Halloween Sale on magazines just right for your little goblins!
Check out all the deals on magazines for Princesses, Superheroes and even Scooby Fans!
No coupon code is necessary if you purchase through the links below. Any other magazine you might like for yourself, get a 20% discount with coupon code CHAOSISBLISS.
- For The Princesses Category
- Sparkle World (1yrs: $13.99, 2yrs: $27.98, 3yrs: $41.97, 4yrs: $55.96, 5yrs: $69.95)
- Disney Princess (1yrs: $13.99, 2yrs: $27.98)
- For The Spooky Mystery Solvers Category
- Scooby-Doo! (1yrs: $13.99, 2yrs: $27.98)
- Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? (1yrs: $12.99)
- For The Superheroes Category
- Batman & Robin (1yrs: $14.99)
- Batman: The Dark Knight (1yrs: $14.99)
- Catwoman (1yrs: $14.99)
- Aquaman (1yrs: $14.99)
- Green Arrow (1yrs: $14.99)
- Wonder Woman (1yrs: $14.99)
- Teen Titans (1yrs: $14.99)
- Superman (1yrs: $14.99)
- Supergirl (1yrs: $14.99)
- Green Lantern (1yrs: $14.99)
Halloween sale ends at midnight tonight, 10/31/13
Check out more deals for kids as well as coupon codes to help you save even more when shopping online!
This post may contain affiliate links. By using these links you support my site – thank you! See my disclosure policy.


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Enter the bill amount into BigTipper. As you type, BigTipper continuously calculates
the gratuity and totals the bill.
Use slider controls (or buttons) to quickly set gratuity
percentage and number of ways to split the bill.
New! Save transactions to History, and email expense reports.
BigTipper is just $1.99 on iTunes or the iPhone App Store
Restaurant Tip Calculator
BigTipper is the fastest, easiest way to calculate restaurant
gratuities (Tips), then divide the bill among your group—
and maintain a dining history.
Personalized emails using stationery
Love email and SMS, but hate typing? Maildash quickly sends email and text messages using stationery—
saving you keystrokes and time.
Simply choose an email address and message, then click Send.
Maildash comes with pre-made message Templates. And you can create your own stationery.
Does Mail-Merge, too. Included phrases like {Hi Firstname}
are automatically replaced with "Hi Kate,".
Maildash is just $2.99 on iTunes or the iPhone App Store
We create applications for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch—
distributed through the iTunes App Store.
We have several new applications in development,
and look forward to announcing them soon.
If you or your company need help developing an iOS application,
please contact us
to discuss your project.
We develop iOS apps for use with business enterprise solutions.
Put our database and networking experience to work for your company.
We have developed software for large clients like Apple, Symantec,
and Honeywell— and for smaller companies like
Extensis, DublClick, and Infinity Technologies.
Perhaps we can help you, too.
Learn more
about our application development capabilities.
Contact us
to discuss your project.
Just $29.99 at the App Store
Digital Slate, Clapperboard, and Shot Log
Movie★Slate is a digital slate, clapper board, shot log, and shot notepad—
designed for use with film, television, documentaries, interviews, and home movies.
Movie★Slate provides an incredibly easy way to log footage and take notes as you shoot—
saving you time later when you capture and edit the footage on your computer.
The entire Movie★Slate app works in either Portrait or Landscape orientations.
Just $2.99 at the App Store
Customizable Music Player (great for the car)
Control your music with gestures.
Why hunt for small buttons when your entire screen can be one big button?
Tap to play or pause the music. Swipe up and down to change volume.
Like in the Photos app: pinch to resize album covers; drag album covers to change songs.
Customize gestures to control the actions you want.
Color your music with themes.
Pick a theme to match your mood, or your car's dashboard.
TuTuneMe comes with over 50 built-in themes, and you can download more.
Or create your own to share with friends.
Share your music info with friends.
Help friends discover great music by posting your current song's info
to your Twitter and Facebook pages.


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Looking Beyond the Tip of the Iceberg: Diplomatic Praxis and Legal Culture in the History of Public International Law
Frederik Dhondt
Research Group CORE (Contextual Research in Law); Research Foundation Flanders (FWO)/Department of Interdisciplinary Study of Law, Private Law and Business Law - Legal History Institute
June 6, 2013
Rechtskultur - Zeitschrift für Europäische Rechtsgeschichte/European Journal of Legal History/Journal Européen d'histoire du Droit 2 (2013) (Methode der Rechtsgeschicht)
Historians of Public International Law traditionnaly start their inquiries in doctrine or look at established source-edition series, focusing mainly on treaties. However, a close reading of diplomatic correspondence can uncover "law in minds" or "the life of the law", and instruct us on the practical use of international legal argument. The present contribution is based on the theoretical and methodological part of my Ph.D.-thesis, which dealt with two cases. On one hand, French and British diplomacy in the early eigtheent century (1713-1740), based on primary archival sources. On the other, French contestation of the bipolar Cold War-order, based on edited French and West German correspondence. In both cases, anti-hegemonic, state-consent based arguments derived from international law from the vector in which third-party adherence is sought. I argue that this model is fundamental to European international relations. Diplomatic legal culture helps us explain how international order can be maintained without institutions. Tackling this issue requires training both in diplomatic history and international law, and considerably enhances our understanding of law's operation in between watershed events or landmark international treaties.
Number of Pages in PDF File: 17
Keywords: legal history, public international law, international relations
JEL Classification: K33
Date posted: July 9, 2013
Suggested Citation
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I've talked about Ringya before, but I'm revisiting it tonight, because the app has seriously changed my life! It's made finding a contact among the multiple class lists, sports lists, and 4 kids' friends so much simpler.
I like things that save me time, and this app has helped me time and again to save time while looking for a particular contact.
I made a brief video about why I think you should download Ringya, and you can also check out my post about how Ringya's app works.
Tweet with Us!
Tonight from 9-10pm ET we'll be tweeting and chatting about Ringya, as well as giving away some pretty sweet prizes!
WHO: Hosts: Melissa Brodsky, Rock and Drool, @rockdrool; Kelly Whalen, Centsible Life, @centsiblelife; Lindsey Clair, Detroit Mommies, @detroitmommies. Moderated by @RingYaMobile
HOW TO JOIN: Follow the hashtag #Ringya or if you're a Twitter party pro and want to link to the Tweetgrid, join the party here.
HOW TO WIN A PRIZE: Leave your Twitter handle on Ringya's Facebook page and also Tweet
at least once in the party in response to a question. They will @message all winners and you must then follow @Kveller so we can contact you with prize delivery info.
WHO TO FOLLOW: @RingYaMobile, @Kveller, @CentsibleLife, @RockDrool, @DetriotMommies
PRIZES: 3 $50 Amazon gift cards!
Details are here on the Ringya blog.
Disclosure: I was compensated for my time, but all opinions about Ringya are my own.


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Think Like Your Customer
How to capture customers by learning to think the way they do.
The most common complaint Bill Stinnett hears from his corporate clients is that would-be vendors and suppliers "just don't understand our business." In Think Like Your Customer, Stinnett explains why the key to landing corporate customers is to learn to think about the things executives and business owners think about and understand how they make complex buying decisions.
Drawing upon his years of experience as a Fortune 500 consultant, he offers sales and marketing professionals a powerful framework for understanding the inner workings of a business; knowing what motivates its executives and influences their buying decisions; identifying a company's organizational structure and decision-making psychology; and using that information to develop a winning strategy for influencing how and why the customer buys.
"Even after thirty-five years in this business, I found Think Like Your Customer to be loaded with powerful and proven advice, which I began putting to use immediately. This is a very practical guide to better understanding how your customers think."
–Bill Zeitler, senior vice president and group executive, Systems and Technology Group, IBM Corporation
"Page after page, Stinnett manages to connect with your intuition, making you feel like his ideas are your own. The result is enlightening, compelling, and powerfully motivating. You'll want to stand up and go sell something right away!"
–Luc Wathieu, associate professor, Harvard Business School
"Think Like Your Customer offers a wealth of practical solutions for sales executives to develop more profitable relationships with customers. In this climate, where customer relationships mean everything, this book is a must read."
–Melinda Ligos, editor in chief, Sales & Marketing Management magazine
About the Author
Bill Stinnett is the president of Sales Excellence, Inc. and is a highly sought-after speaker, trainer, and consultant in marketing, sales, and business profitability. His clients include General Electric, Microsoft, Verizon, EDS, and American Express. Read his full bio


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Our Success Stories Awards and Accolades
Creativity is a vital skill in navigating our fast-paced, ever changing society. Creative thinkers shape our world, whether scientists, engineers, researchers, entrepreneurs, business executives, writers and illustrators, designers, inventors, educators and parents.
At Pius XI High School, the Arts are not simply a class you can take – they are part of every aspect of the school day. Whether in a laboratory, on the playing field, in the studio or on the stage – our students are taught to embrace creativity and innovation in all areas of their lives.
Our customized approach to education encourages students to realize their God-given gifts and pursue their passions. Upon graduation our students are not only poised to take on the rigor of higher education, but also to make a positive difference in the world at large.
We strongly believe the arts make a significant contribution to helping all students achieve success in school, work and life. Our caring environment, shaped by communion and community, challenges students to explore, sample and consider a vast array of course options and career directions. This eye-and-mind-opening experience is not an elective. It is the Pius XI culture.
We believe students learn best when they are educated as individuals. At Pius XI, no two student schedules are exactly the same. This flexibility allows for students to study Engineering and figure drawing, marine biology and orchestra and hundreds of other options.
The Arts at Pius XI have been recognized by the White House Commission with four Presidential Scholars in the past 18 years. Each year, the White House distinguishes only two students nationwide in each discipline with this honor.
The Performing Arts at Pius XI are the legacy of our founding patronesses – the School Sisters of St. Francis who have nurtured and shaped the musical and cultural scene of Southeastern Wisconsin for more than 100 years.
Our Visual Arts Program includes instruction on techniques and aesthetics, but the ultimate goal is to develop questioning, caring, articulate and ethical people.
Our students are prepared to compete for admission and scholarships to the finest Visual and Performing Arts colleges in the country.
Come and see for yourself. We invite you to experience The Arts at Pius XI. Call our Admissions Department at 414-290-8175 for upcoming opportunities or to schedule a tour.


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The fundamental question in this trial was whether Dharun Ravi would have similarly invaded the privacy of a roommate having intimate relations with someone of the opposite sex, as Ravi did to Tyler Clementi and M.B.
In our view, the answer is no – that Ravi would not have invaded the privacy of a straight roommate. In fact, the most compelling evidence in the case, Ravi's text messages, indicated exactly that. The text messages demonstrated beyond any doubt that Ravi was deeply uncomfortable with Tyler's being gay, and that Tyler's suitor was a guy.
So are we "happy" with the verdict? "Happy" doesn't seem like the right word given that Ravi has been convicted and will now face the societal consequences. "Happy" also seems too trivial a word when we remember that Tyler Clementi lost his life. But we do believe this verdict sends the important message that a "kids will be kids" defense is no excuse to bully another student.
Though Tyler Clementi has left us, the rest of Dharun Ravi's life will help tell his life story. Ravi's own lawyer basically portrayed him as a young man who engaged in jerky, insensitive behavior. Ravi can stay that course, or he can do some good with his life by making amends and fighting for the justice and dignity of every individual, including people who are LGBT. That much is up to Ravi.
As for all of us, we must continue our focus on building a better world, one free of bullying of every student, so that a tragedy like this never happens again. That's what New Jersey's new Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights, the country's strongest anti-bullying law, is ultimately about.
Our thoughts and prayers remain with Tyler's family and friends.


text: DAMASCUS - The Damascus Garden Club, a member of the Garden Club of Ohio Inc., Canton District held its February meeting on Valentine's Day and continued its celebration of 60 years of gardening fellowship by welcoming new member, Carol Kuner who was introduced to the members by Marilyn Wingett, president, and Marty Hollinger. Kuner received a vase of yellow roses, the garden club's symbol, as a welcoming gift. Twelve members responded to the roll call in the cafe area of the Damascus Friends Church and the minutes of the January meeting and the treasurer's report were read and approved. Committee reports were given. The Audit Committee will give its report next month. The Awards Committee asked that all members participate in submitting to Lee Kuentz any news articles that pertain to club activities. The Community Care committee thanked Marty Hollinger for her contribution of bud vases for the recent community blood drive. Members were asked to volunteer at the Auburn Skilled Nursing Facility on Feb. 19 to help the residents with a flower arranging activity.


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- Text Size:
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Despite 2013 being a record year for rain, the extremely dry start to 2014 allowed the drought to rapidly expand across Oklahoma. Rainfall in the last two months has helped to reduce the drought, especially across central Oklahoma.
All images in the month-by-month slideshow are courtesy of the U.S. Drought Monitor.
The dark the color, the higher the drought level.
The views expressed are not those of this site, this station or its affiliated companies. By posting your comments you agree to accept our terms of use.blog comments powered by Disqus


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It's been a while since I did my entry on random songs, like..... two months ago. Okay neverthless, let's have songs for everyones listening pleasure:
Well, that's all for today. Sorry if you feel some of the songs are out of place or they don't follow each other very well. I kinda feel that I did that.
Now, on to something that's been bothering me:
Currently there are two users missing here. Last week, just when I did my Rayman blog, I noticed that Scott Summers (a.k.a, Cyclop-77, I think) was gone from my friend list (and the friends sidebar), and when I tried clicking a comment I did in one of his blogs, it showed me the internal server error mushroom. Not only that, but just today, I discovered that also my friend Aaron (a.k.a, aboboisdaman) was gone from the list and sidebar and when I tried clicking the comment I did in his Maniac Mansion blog, the same mushroom appeared. Also, their comments are also gone.
Now I don't think they were banned. If looking at a sidebar has tought me anything, is that most of the time, banned users for some reason are still there with their avatar and username (but with their page deleted obviously), but the ones that deleted their account never appear there (.... or maybe that's just me)
Just saying this because it was a surprise finding their accounts gone, and I don't really know what happened to them, if they deleted their account or if they got banned. I'm really starting to miss them.
Edit 21/01/2013: To random visitors: Forget my statements above. aboboisdaman has returned to the site.


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The goal of his administration is to be proactive, not reactive, to the "Great Tsunami" of baby boomers and the aid they require to ensure they age with dignity, according to S.C. Lt. Gov. Glenn McConnell.
The Office on Aging, which his office oversees, provides meals, home care and transportation services to more than 27,000 South Carolina senior citizens, which allows them to remain in their homes comfortably. The cost to do so is $26 million.
Keeping senior adults in their homes keeps them out of Medicaid-based care facilities where the cost to support them rises exponentially, McConnell told the Aiken Sertoma Club on Monday. The cost to care for the same 27,000 were they to live in Medicaid-based care facilities would be more than $1 billion.
The concerns McConnell has are not going to go away.
Over 1 million baby boomers are set to retire in the fear future. Over one-third of seniors in South Carolina live on Social Security benefits alone, he cited, and more than 50 percent of those ages 55 and older have less than $50,000 saved.
"This speech is not intended to be politically charged, but rather it's a plea to you. We've got to look ahead. We've got to analyze where we are, where we're going to go and how we get there," McConnell said. "Pumping endless amounts of money into it with no plan is not a solution."
He shared a handful of stories of the people he's met and spoken with as hot meals were delivered to their homes – stories of senior citizens who want to stay in their homes and out of assisted living facilities, like the nearly-blind elderly gentleman whose only company is the volunteers who deliver hot meals.
"These are the faces of aging across South Carolina. They want to age in (their homes) with dignity. They're not asking for handouts," McConnell said.
The state can't do it all, however. To that end, he pledged to build a web of nonprofits, churches and service clubs that will provide assistance in whatever ways they can, whether it be coordinating food drives to simply screwing in lightbulbs.
"I am convinced home-based services are the wave of the future in dealing with the 'Great Tsunami,'" McConnell said.


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Sweater Day knits energy savings
March 15, 2012
SFU helped celebrate National Sweater Day last month by lowering temperatures in buildings across the Burnaby campus by two degrees Celcius. Bernard Chan, an energy specialist with Facilities Services, says the energy cutback saved almost 190 gigajoules of natural gas, the equivalent to the annual gas consumption of two average Lower Mainland households. "We also reduced greenhouse gas emissions by about 9,400 kg, which is equivalent to the amount of carbon sequestered by 240 trees seedlings grown for 10 years."
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Bill Bara and Mike Willis gather donations to bring trees to families who were not able to get one this Christmas.
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GARRETTSVILLE - On a typical Monday, Joe Leonard and other volunteers are passing out food to 20 or so of the 250 families they serve at the Nelson-Garrettsville Community Cupboard. This Monday, they were instead searching for a new home for the food pantry that was among the 13 Main Street businesses destroyed in a large fire Saturday.
"We were good for about two to three months but right now we have zippo," Leonard said. "I shouldn't really say that because we've been receiving donations left and right; the support has been beyond belief."
The two-year-old food pantry moved into the newly remodeled space on Main Street, which had been fixed up for this very purpose, in November to be more centrally located.
Article Video
At the time of the fire the pantry had been "stocked up nicely" from local winter food drives held by the Garfield schools. It also housed a donated refrigerator/freezer along with computers and files on clients.
Volunteer Liz Eustace was out of town when she heard about the fire. She immediately checked her Facebook account to watch footage that had been posted of the blaze.
"It was just shocking, you're looking at the firefighters shooting water and there are flames in the food bank and then the windows go, you can't believe what you're seeing," she said.
Article Photos
Tribune Chronicle / Margaret Thompson
Michele Elias, left, and Liz Eustace look through the window of a building on state Route 88 where they plan to house the Nelson-Garrettsville Community Cupboard.
She, Leonard and others gathered at a location about three miles outside of Garrettsville on state Route 88. The building that appeared to have previously housed an auto repair shop is top on their list as a temporary location for the food pantry.
"We are hoping to be up and running in a temporary location in the next two to three weeks so we can begin servicing our clients again," founding member Michele Elias said.
Taking care of the families they serve is their main priority now. Eustace said the food bank has never turned away anyone in need.
"The one day we had a call, she had called a church in the area and she said she couldn't get anybody to help. She had been late getting to one of the other food banks and she called us. She had a baby and two young children. She said she had no formula or diapers and she goes, 'I'm not getting paid until who knows when,'" Eustace said. "So we went down to the food bank and we got some stuff together for her; we filled up a box."
Looking around the empty building with its large glass windows facing route 88, the volunteers were already figuring where they would put shelving for the food supplies and where they would be able to hold the reception area. Food donations are being gathered at the The Weekly Villager on Main Street and Rick Patrick's Auto Service on Brosius Road, while cash donations are being taken at the Middlefield Bank.
"The overwhelming support and the way the community has come together, almost before the flames were out, the way the community has come together has been fantastic," Elias said. "It really reaffirms your faith in everybody else, you know from bad things, good things will come."
As the group prepared to head out from the location, Leonard exchanged a thumbs up with another member who was talking with the property owner. The signal meant they had found their new home, until Main Street is rebuilt at least.
"We're looking forward to moving back in," Leonard said.


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More German Surnames
Germanic Family Names and Their Meanings
You are here:
Genealogy Contents > German Surnames > More Surnames > Surnames Glossary > Top 50 German Surnames
German last names, like English and other surnames, often have a basic, original meaning. Family names in any language may reflect a personal characteristic (Klein/Small), a profession (Schmidt/Smith), a location (Bayer/Bavarian) or some other trait (Roth/Red).
The Duden is just one of several German name
books that you'll find on our name books page.
In an earlier feature on Germanic Surnames, I talked about English surname equivalents of German last names and famous Americans whose names were Germanic (Eisenhower, Mencken, Nimitz, Steinway, Ruth, etc.). To that list we could add General Norman Schwarzkopf ("black head"), actress Doris Kappelhoff (better known as Doris Day, whose German surname means "chapel court/estate") and Custer (Küster, "sexton") of "last stand" infamy. In the previous article we also discussed how immigrant family names are often altered, as with Eisenhauer to Eisenhower. But our Germanic Surname Lexikon is more interested in the English meaning or translations of Germanic names. Eisenhauer, for instance, originally meant "iron hewer" or "iron miner." It is an example of a surname derived from an occupation. Here are some other examples from the lexicon:
|Germanic Last Names
German Surnames with English Meanings
|Nachname Last Name
|English Meaning
|For many more names, see our Germanic Surname Lexikon. For the new Duden FAMILIENNAMEN book with the origin and meaning of 20,000 German names, plus other books on surnames, see German Name Books.
In our databank of Germanic last-names you will find many typical and not-so-typical family names and their meanings. Although the English meaning may be an equivalent last name (e.g., Schneider/Tailor or Taylor), a German last name does not always translate directly into an English name (Kaiser/emperor). In our surname glossary, we present the actual translated meaning rather than the equivalent name, though they often are the same thing.
As I have pointed out before, one should be careful about translating surnames. Not only are there often several interpretations possible for any one name (and even name linguists do not always agree), but it is often difficult to tell the true origin of surnames. Names that look German may in fact be of British (Celtic) or French origin. Or a name may have long ago been taken from another language. I'd advise you to take any surname translation (including ours) with a grain of salt. It's fun to look at name meanings, but it's not always a scientifically accurate process.
Our surname glossary is only one of many Germanic genealogy resources we offer to help you in your search for your family's Germanic roots. You can find all of our genealogy pages on the Germanic Genealogy Contents page.
NEXT > German-English Surname Glossary A-K > Glossary L-Z
MORE > Genealogy Contents > German Surnames (Part 1)
MORE > Surnames Lexikon > Top 50 German Surnames
MORE > German Name Books > German Name Links
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The Raiders have been signing free agents left and right this offseason, going mostly with older veterans with a history of good to great production.
Perhaps the one signing that bucked the trend was when the Raiders signed Austin Howard, a large offensive tackle who started every game in the last two seasons at right tackle for the Jets.
Howard is a physical specimen, standing 6'7″ and 335 lbs. He definitely stands out on game video, too, because he's much larger than those around him.
With such size, you may expect a mauler at the right tackle position – someone who crushes smaller defensive ends with his brute force. If you did expect this, however, you'd be wrong.
Unfortunately, Howard is not this mauler and it's one of a few issues that were made clear in watching All-22 coaches film of several Jets games last year.
First, and probably foremost, I'm not sure Howard has the foot speed necessary to be a good offensive tackle. If defenders have a good first step, they will be able to get down the field, drop their
shoulder and get around him in the backfield. This is especially true when defensive ends or outside linebackers were lined up "loose" or very wide from the center formation.
Howard's struggles with shutting out defenders on outside moves starts with a poor kick step. The kickout is the first step the offensive tackle takes. As Howard was a right tackle for the Jets, it started
with his right, outside foot.
Howard doesn't appear tohave the foot speed to make a quick kick step, slide with his left foot and stay between the defender and the quarterback. Multiple times, he will allow his man to get deep around
him and it resulted in too many QB pressures.
There is a caveat, here, because Howard was blocking for a rookie QB most of the season in Geno Smith. It's possible that Howard was blocking for a set-up point that Smith was supposed to hit but that Smith didn't hit the correct set-up point. This seems unlikely, given the number of times it happened, but it is possible.
Here is an example of Howard against the Raiders' Jason Hunter last year, week 14. Hunter, as Raiders fans will remember, is not known for his speed rushing abilities.
Here, Hunter is lined up extremely loose – that is he's line very wide to the right side of the offensive line, almost to the outside wide receiver. Howard has adjusted his stance to a very deep set foot (his right foot) in anticipation of needing to kick out immediately and get between the rush and QB Geno Smith:
At the snap, Howard kicks out and back and gets in front of Hunter:
Unfortunately, Howard's lack of foot speed doesn't allow him to continue to stay in front of Hunter who, again, is not known for his elite speed or anything. Ideally, Howard would continue to kick and slide, keeping his body between the pass rush and Smith, who would then be able to step up into the pocket.
In this case, though, Howard has not been able to keep his feet moving well enough and Smith has been able to dip his shoulder and turn the corner:
Howard tries to push Hunter, but he's lost the leverage battle and is just lunging, at this point. Hunter is not pushed off his path to the QB, who isn't looking at the right side to see pressure coming:
Hunter hits Smith just as he's throwing, here. You can see the ball right by the "0" in the upper "30" line marking. Smith was trying to hit his tight end, Kellen Winslow, who is just breaking open at the top right part of the screen versus Kevin Burnett:
Instead of a long completion, possibly a touchdown, this pass falls incomplete because Hunter hit Smith while he threw, misdirecting the pass. This was solely due to Howard's slow feet allowing Hunter to bend and burst part him on the outside.
Thankfully, Howard is much better when the defender is trying to go inside. An inside move requires the offensive tackle to take power steps towards the interior of the line and drive the defender inside
where he can't find a crease to get into the backfield.
Howard does this well, sealing off the defender from making a sudden outside move and driving the end or tackle into the guard's area, where the two can lock him out.
On run plays, Howard is likewise inconsistent. He's best when he's on the move and can drive a defender back, and then look to get to the second level.
He struggles when the run is coming right behind him, however. Howard has a decent punch, which stops the defender in his tracks, but he does a poor job of then keeping contact and continuing to drive his defender.
This allows the defender to recover and make a tackle around Howard if the running back hasn't already cleared the area.
When he does keep contact, however, he's able to bring his immense size and strength into play and more than once a defender was pancaked by Howard, when Howard got his technique right.
Finally, Howard struggles to keep his pads low, which means he loses leverage against shorter defensive players, especially defensive tackles.
Howard stands a full 6'7″, so it's not surprising that he struggles to stay low – that's difficult for such a big man. However, it allows defenders to get in under his arms and into his pads and this puts him
back on his heels and struggling to block.
This doesn't happen all the time, but it happens enough that it's no surprise when it occurs.
Do not take these negatives to mean that I do not like Howard – I think he can be a solid contributor. I am heartened by the fact that the Raiders are interested in trying him at guard instead of right
As a guard, Howard can focus his considerable physical ability on dominating defensive tackles instead of trying to gain the fast feet needed to stop rushers around the edge. I think he projects much
better as a guard than as a tackle, although he certainly can play tackle in a pinch.
Howard's versatility is his biggest key. He is also just scratching the surface of his ability. Howard came into the league as an undrafted free agent, so he's been learning how to play the position as he goes. Transitioning to guard can only help him and he'll be surrounded by some very solid vets, who can help coach him up.
Howard should be able to keep improving his technique and that will allow him to be a very strong force with his imposing physical attributes. I'm much higher on Howard as a guard, however, than I would be if he were starting at right tackle.


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Pakistan to build more Nuclear Power Plants: Dr. IshfaqASSOCIATED PRESS OF PAKISTAN NEWS SUMMARY
(24-11-1999) CHASHMA, (MIANWALI) Nov 24 (APP): Chairman Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), Dr. Ishfaq Ahmad said Pakistan will opt for more Nuclear Power Plants aimed at meeting the demand of electricity of the country. He said this while addressing a function when Chashma Nuclear Power Plant (CHASHNUPP) having a capacity of 300MWe went nuclear here on Nov. 23 following its first fuel assembly out of 121 assemblies was loaded by him. The remained 120-fuel assemblies load will be completed with in couple of days aimed at generating 300 MW from the last week of March 2000. The generation of this 300 MW will help to overcome the electricity load shedding especially in winter when water level goes down in Tarbela and Mangla dams unprecedentedly. The ceremony of fuel loading was attended by a large number of Scientists and Engineers of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission and Chinese company CZNS which is a main contractor of this gigantic nuclear power project. He said this plant was made a safest plant adopting international safety measures recommended and approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The Chairman said Pakistan and China have been cooperating in peaceful uses of nuclear power since 1986 and the decision to build a nuclear power plant was taken in 1989 when the prime ministers of the two friendly countries agreed and contractual negotiations were settled in a short period of two years. Ultimately the contract to build Chashma Nuclear Power Plant was signed on December 31, 1991.


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By Duane Pemberton
Winery website: http://www.schloss-reinhartshausen.de
Schloss Reinhartshausen is a castle winery in Germany that has been producing wines wines 1337. It's in the heart of the Rheingau district which is widely known to have some of the world's most transcededent white wines. Wines from this region are often referred to as the Kings of German Riesling.
Schloss Reinhartshausen has 15 separate vineyards which are near the towns of Erbach and Hattenheim; including a portion of the Grand Cru Erbacher Marabrunn vineyard as well as the Erbacher Schlossberg site. At 203 acres of planted vine, Schloss Reinhartshausen is the largest privately-owned wine estate in Rheingau.
Technical Data:
- Composition: 100% Riesling
- Alc.: 13.1 %
- TA: 6.1 g/L
- RS: 12.4 g/L
- Price: $20
Nose: Lemon zest-laced river rock with notes of peaches, plums, limestone, dry cement, grapefruit and kiwi.
Taste: Beautiful combination of oyster shell, fresh-squeezed lemons, white pepper, river-rock, blue stone, pear core and peaches. Very good complexity of fruit, mid palate and finish that make this a truly enjoyable German riesling. Finishes clean, bright and with lingering minerality which I love.


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Star Tracks: Monday, May 16, 2016 42 years, 2,191 covers and 55,436 stories from PEOPLE magazine's history for you to enjoy
Latest News!
- Rogue One Actor Alan Tudyk Is Married to Choreographer Charissa Barton
- Read the Cover Story: Brad & Angelina Split After 12 Years: It's Over
- Gennifer Flowers Will Reportedly Not Attend Debate as Hillary Clinton Remains Unfazed
- Angelina Jolie Looked Stressed on Solo Outing a Month Before Divorce Filing: Source
- Josh Brolin and Kathryn Boyd Tie the Knot
People Top 5
LAST UPDATE: Tuesday February 10, 2015 01:10PM EST
PEOPLE Top 5 are the most-viewed stories on the site over the past three days, updated every 60 minutes
- May 14, 2001
- Vol. 55
- No. 19
Clintons First 100 Days Out of Office!
Traveling Globally and Schmoozing Locally, a Chappaqua Househusband Tries to Find His Place in the World
Yes, Bill Clinton has some time on his hands. In the 100 days since he stepped off the Air Force's Special Air Mission 28000 at JFK Airport and into private life, he has been feeling his way, sometimes awkwardly, into his role as an extraordinary ordinary citizen. His questionable moves in the waning hours of his Presidency—from pardoning fugitive financier Marc Rich to lining up top-dollar (and taxpayer-funded) Manhattan office space and carting off White House gifts (now returned)—caused a furor for weeks after he left office. Even a private dinner with former Sen. Bob Kerrey in January at a hip Greenwich Village restaurant left a bad aftertaste: Clinton was overheard by other diners telling lesbian jokes to Kerrey, an exchange later gleefully reported in the press.
Only 54 years old and possessed of formidable energy and ambition, Clinton has been forced to reckon with the limits of private life. Where he once gridlocked cities at the head of presidential motorcades, he can now be seen on the back roads of Chappaqua (pop. 16,000) with two Secret Service agents in a black Chevy Suburban, stopping at red lights just like everyone else. Instead of having a domestic staff of nearly 90 people at his beck and call, today he relies on his valet, Oscar, to handle the cooking and laundry. And don't even bring up Air Force One. On at least one weekend he's had to cool his heels in Washington, D.C., until wife Hillary, New York's new junior senator, finished work so that the two could fly the shuttle back to Chappaqua together. Even the wire services no longer dog his every step. "It must just kill him to wake up in the morning, see a critical world problem on TV and not be able to call prime ministers and kings and queens to try to resolve it," says Rep. Pete King (R-N.Y.), a good friend. "I've never seen anybody in my life who so has to be in the center of the action."
Make no mistake, however, Clinton is still a man in demand. Just not in the United States. After taking heat in the wake of the Rich pardon for his $100,000-plus-per-appearance domestic speaking engagements (Morgan Stanley clients vehemently protested his Feb. 5 speech at a firm conference), Clinton has proved to be a smash overseas. He has appeared on behalf of humanitarian causes, publicizing Africa's AIDS scourge and raising funds for Indian earthquake victims; held private meetings about social concerns with such old friends as Nelson Mandela and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder; and made lucrative paid appearances before business executives in The Hague.
When not globetrotting (see chart, page 64), his life centers on his family and the five-bedroom, $1.7 million Chappaqua homestead that he now shares with Hillary. He was one proud father when he heard that Chelsea, who graduates June 17 from Stanford with a degree in history, is considering following his lead into postgraduate studies in politics at Oxford University. Despite Hillary's reputation as an independent thinker, Clinton plays an active role as her political adviser, vetting her speeches and phoning her a couple of times a day no matter where he is. And he's also overseeing home improvements. He's no Bob Vila, but he has weighed plans to move a living-room bookcase to make more space for the large-screen TV, replaced modern floorboards to match the house's 19th-century originals and ordered repairs for a plumbing leak that showed up after one of Chelsea's showers. "I went up there when he was alone, and he showed me every drawer in that beautiful old farmhouse," says friend and Democratic National Committee Chair Terry McAuliffe. "The master bedroom is all windows bathed in light. He loves it."
Although he's obviously spending a fair amount of time puttering around the house like any typical homeowner, Clinton is also out learning his way around the neighborhood, often in search of food. He sometimes sends an aide to shop at a local health-food store, but also enjoys egg salad on whole wheat at Lange's Little Store and the chicken souvlaki at the Chappaqua Restaurant and Cafe. "He's like a Fodor's guide to dining in Chappaqua," cracks Joe Lockhart, Clinton's former White House spokesman, who still occasionally acts as his press rep. And he recently opened an account downtown at the Greeley Home & Hardware Co. "He comes in and people gather around him and he talks to everyone," says owner Jeff Silverman."He loves the interaction. He'll talk to anyone about anything."
He'll listen too. In February, Stosh Wegrzyn, the owner of Chappaqua's Town Delirevealed to a The New York Times that he had s felt slighted when Clinton didn't offer condolences after a fire damaged his prized collection of rock and roll memorabilia. A short time later Clinton stopped by for a plate of sausage and offered to lend Stosh a Yellow Submarine cookie jar that had been given to him by Beatle John Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono. The next day Stosh was stunned to see Chelsea walk into his store with a shopping bag containing the jar.
"This is from my father," she said.
"I figured he was b.s.-ing me," Stosh replied.
"No," said Chelsea, "he was serious."
No longer bound by a morning staff meeting, Clinton, an inveterate night owl, is now free to sleep in until 10 a.m. whenever he chooses. Mornings, with ever-present classical music on in the background, he peruses The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and clippings faxed to him by his D.C.-based transition team. Those three government-salaried staffers (including former White House secretary Betty Currie) and seven volunteers also handle the thousands of letters that still pour in for him every week.
As he made clear while in office, Clinton also likes to talk—a lot. McAuliffe says the ex-President "wouldn't know how to e-mail if it fell on him" and often disconnects his portable phone by mistake. Still, he constantly calls old friends and contacts for advice. Before a trip to India in April, he rang former National Security Chief Sandy Berger for a quick consultation. His old political strategists Paul Begala and James Carville are also on the auto-dial list. (He's had no contact with George W. Bush since Inauguration Day.) Between calls he works out daily with free weights, a treadmill and StairMaster—though not because he wants to. "I love good food. That's why I always have to exercise," he remarked as he chowed down on fried chicken and sweet-potato pie during a March visit to Harlem, where he'll move into an office suite on West 125th Street near the famed Apollo Theater this summer.
He's definitely fond of his New York nest. Nevertheless, Clinton is logging frequent-flyer miles as if he is still the leader of the free world. Since leaving office he has traveled to six nations and flown (by shuttle) to D.C. at least seven times to meet Hillary at their $2.8 million house off Washington's Embassy Row. As for their future as a couple, "they'll stay together," insists one close friend. "They're just connected in some strange way." The two, who have spent 25 of the past 100 days together (including a six-day April vacation in the Dominican Republic and two days in Yulee, Fla.), make an effort to join forces on any weekend that their schedules permit.
Hollywood's favorite President has also turned up at a West Coast charity benefit in the company of Liz Taylor and played the links at Florida's plush White Oak Plantation golf course with Mikhail Baryshnikov. (Clinton, who claims a 12-handicap, told one acquaintance that he intends to spend more time later this year with his friend pro golfer Greg Norman, in hopes of improving his game.) "Don't let anyone tell you he's not in great spirits," says McAuliffe, downplaying published reports that Clinton's post-Presidency stumbles have left him bitter, isolated and depressed. "He was practically born on a dirt floor in Arkansas and rose to the highest office. The glass is half full."
On the job front Clinton has rejected a slew of offers to teach, host television talk shows, join in business deals and make commercial endorsements. Instead he plans to be the general contractor in the renovation of a legacy that has been badly damaged. "The way he left office turned out to be emblematic of the way he treated the Presidency," says Stephen Hess of the Brookings Institution. "There was an air of inappropriateness, a certain tackiness." According to Washington, D.C., superagent Robert Barnett, who brokered Hillary's controversial $8 million autobiography deal, Clinton may well answer that accusation when he signs a contract for his memoirs within the next few months. In addition to giving him a forum, the book should help cover an estimated $3.8 million in legal fees accrued during his administration for everything from his Whitewater defense to the Lewinsky scandal.
The former President is also consulting with architects on plans for the $200 million Clinton Presidential Library on 27 acres near the Arkansas River in Little Rock. Along with 100 million documents and 100,000 photos, there will be a treasure trove of Elvis memorabilia sent to Clinton during his tenure by members of the public who, like him, are major fans of the King's. In fact, "next to Graceland, we've probably got the best Elvis collection in the country," says director Skip Rutherford, a close friend. "My favorite Elvis item is a working telephone where you punch a button and Elvis sings and dances. And we've got a funny cartoon of Clinton and Elvis racing to the donut shop."
For now, friends say that Clinton is coping adequately with forced retirement. "He looks more peaceful and rested," says artist Simmie Knox, who photographed Clinton in preparation for the painting of his official portrait, which will hang in the White House alongside those of his predecessors. But as notable as his stay in office was, it will hardly mark the end of the Bill Clinton story. "Only 43 people have been to the political mountaintop," says Rutherford. "There are a lot of tomorrows out there. He's still got a lot of history to make."
Susan Schindehette
Jane Sims Podesta in Washington, D.C., Sonja Steptoe and Bob Meadows in New York City, Maureen Harrington in Los Angeles, Jeanne DeQuine in Miami and Anne Driscoll in Boston
- Contributors:
- Jane Sims Podesta,
- Sonja Steptoe,
- Bob Meadows,
- Maureen Harrington,
- Jeanne DeQuine,
- Anne Driscoll.
More in the Archive
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Top Definition
A woman's "private area." Typically used when a female celebrity accidently shows her private area while exiting a vehicle, etc.
Hey, did Paris Hilton just show her stanky putanky while getting out of her car?
door ImBringingBloggingBack 30 september 2006
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Can you define these popular missing words?


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Skip to comments.Ford Told FBI About Panel's Doubts on JFK Murder
Posted on 08/09/2008 11:11:36 PM PDT by kellynla
WASHINGTON Former President Ford secretly advised the FBI that two of his fellow members on the Warren Commission doubted the FBI's conclusion that John F. Kennedy was shot from the sixth floor of the Texas Book Depository in Dallas, according to newly released records from Ford's FBI files.
Ford, still a congressman at the time, also told a senior FBI official about internal panel disputes over hiring staff, Chief Justice Earl Warren's timetable for completing the final report on the assassination and what panel members said about the FBI.
In turn, Assistant FBI Director Cartha "Deke" DeLoach confidentially advised Ford of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover's position on panel disputes; discussed where leaks were coming from; and, with Hoover's personal approval, loaned him a bureau briefcase with a lock so he could securely take the FBI report on the 1963 assassination with him on a ski trip.
The new details were included in 500 pages of the FBI's large file on Ford, released in part this past week in response to requests under the Freedom of Information Act that The Associated Press and others made on the day Ford died in December 2006. The FBI intends to release additional documents about Ford in several batches, all with parts censored for law enforcement and privacy reasons.
That Ford served as the FBI's eyes and ears inside the commission has been known for years. Long ago, the government released a 1963 FBI memo that said Ford, then a Republican congressman from Michigan, had volunteered to keep the FBI informed about the panel's private deliberations, but only if that relationship remained confidential. The bureau agreed.
It was also well-known Ford was an outspoken proponent of the bureau's conclusion that Lee Harvey Oswald killed Kennedy acting alone.
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
Don't they still have secret files on the JFK assassination? We've all heard about conspiracy theories and others besides Oswald being involved. I've heard that there were pressures brought to bear on the Warren Commission to conclude that Oswald acted alone, because the truth would have been hard on the country. Organized crime involvement, and a Cuban/Soviet connection to the assassination are two popular theories. And some say that reporting such involvement to the public back in those days would have been unthinkable. They say it was easier and cleaner to just conclude that a crazed gunman acted alone in killing the president.
Wow, there was actually dissention in the Commission? And here I thought the Commission memebers agreed, by consensus, to perform whitewash at breakneck speed. As for Ford colluding with the FBI, wasn't the FBI the largest criminal info-gathering organization in the U.S.? Didn't the FBI aid the Commission, as it would be expected to do? Why not discuss things with Jerry?
Something tells me that this little flake of dubiousness will be shuffled onto the towering pile of non-evidence that conspiracy theorists have ammassed against common sense. There is one thing I wish the buffs would think about—between cursory dismissals of the Commission as "a joke." No credible evidence (naturally not including uncorroborated witness testimony gathered years after the fact) has ever surfaced pointing to Oswald or anyone else that did not originate with the Commission's investigation!
Take the article's mention of Ford's mistaken placement of the rear-entry wound to Kennedy's back. Forgetting for a moment that going back to the autopsy report would correct the error immediately, this is not evidence of anyone else's guilt. It is only a dent in the already overwhelming evidence against Oswald. Same goes for criticism of the Commission in general. Forgetting for a moment that the 26 volumes of evidence gathered was one of the largest criminal investigation in all of history, an absolute corruption of the Commissioners' ability to use proper discretion in organizing the evidence would not be evidence of anyone else's guilt. In fact, the opinions of the Commissioners pertaining to all of the hard evidence gathered has been held up by every single reputable body that ever studied them, excepting those who believe (without evidence) that the evidence was tampered with or fabricated.
Put briefly, basically everything you and I ever hear the skeptics raise their doubts about—after 45 years and 1,000's of books—derives from the very body that they decry embodiments of everything from laziness to evil.
The protection of the public's sensibilities has always seemed to me an paltry argument. It would be absolutely criminal for LBJ or anyone else in the government to willfully ignore evidence of an international conspiracy. Luckily, no such evidence existed, nor has any ever been found. If that were not enough, common-sense dictates that the Soviets and Cubans had little motive (given that Kennedy's successor was not theirs to choose) to try so reckless a move.
As to the notion that a foregone conclusion would quiet things down, there is no evidence that LBJ ordered the Commissioners to adopt any particular finding. There is only evidence to the contrary; evidence that everyone who worked for the Commission was advised to seek the truth. Now, I'm not naive enough to ignore that men have their prejudices, and entrenched powers have their mega-prejudices. But the notion that men without any known history of deceit, and no known personal incentive to lie on behalf of anyone would suddnely change tack and start to lie to the public is outrageous. And even if all the Commissioners themselves were in on the con, what motive did the men who did the real investigative work, the hungry young lawyers, have to participate in a cover-up? Revealing a conspiracy would have made their careers, and maybe put them in the history books.
To believe that the Commission rushed to quell the public's anti-communist fears, one must believe that otherwise decent men lied and lied to hide a theory that was not very plausible in the first place.
I've never believed in the lone gunman theory. Oswald wasn't anything near a crack shot. His rifle wasn't known for accuracy either. Usually people with Oswald's temperment get as close as they can and shoot at close range. It was all too lethal, too precise and single-handedly led us into Vietnam with the rise of LBJ.
"And even if all the Commissioners themselves were in on the con, what motive did the men who did the real investigative work, the hungry young lawyers, have to participate in a cover-up?"
Just making observations here:
- Gerald Ford the only man to serve as president who was never elected to that office nor the vice-presidency.
- One of those "hungry young lawyers", the originator of the "single bullet theory", Arlen Specter has been a Senator from Pennsylvania for years now.
"Oswald wasnt anything near a crack shot?"
Have you ever qualified on a military firing range?
That's what I thought. LOL
He failed to assassinate General Edwin Walker even though he was at close range and on foot. He was drunk on the day he decided to try to assassinate Nixon but his wife locked him in the house. Bet he wasn't drunk when he qualified on a military firing range, though.
While I have no doubt that Oswald was up in the book depository taking shots at Kennedy, I've watched the Zagruder film numeorus times and can't help but conclude that the bullet that actually killed Kennedy was fired from a position in front of and to the right of his motorcade, with the bullet striking him in the right part of his forehead and blowing out the back of his skull, just like a watermelon.
nicely played
Ford was the FBI's stooge on the commission, he was there to report to them....these doubts were a heads up, not a concern....
your comment tells us we should ignore everything you say...Oswald shot no one and that cats out of the bag....
you guys still are around aren't you....so is the truth, Thank God.
Ive watched the Zagruder film
Try watching the Zapruder film instead. You might change your mind...
Didn't Ford come to the ultimate conclusion that Dubya did in JFK.
Sorry, but Oswald was a "Marksman" in the Marines. That is shooting at 200 yards over open sights. The distance Oswald shot Kennedy was at about 70 yards with a scoped rifle. Hell, I hit a beer can at 90 yards the first time I ever shot a rifle.
Any shot from that area would've caused the camera to shake violently since he was right there. The muzzle blast would have been seen.. Not to mention reported.
It just didn't happen that way.
I've been to the museum on the 6th floor and you can look out the window. I think I could make the shot with iron sights, it's really not as far as it looks on TV.
No they don't. Freedom of Information Act took care of that.
That's because you don't know anything about ballistics, trajectories or firearms.
The Zapruder film doesn't show any such thing. Your making all that up.
You're wrong, dude! Go back and watch it yourself, in slow motion. The bullet clearly hits JFK in the front, throws his head back, and the pressure wave from the bullet blows his brain out the back of his skull.
Exactly. There's no way Zapruder wouldn't have noticed a rifle firing in his direction at that short of range.
Anyone even thinking of a shot from there has never been there to see it for themselves.
Kennedy even had his head at a right angle to the fence at that point. He would have been hit at the right side of his head if there was a shooter there.
This thread is nonsense.
This thread in nonsense.
What frame?
For a classic example of leading and brow-beating witnesses -- and of putting words in witnesses' mouths -- look up Specter's depositions of witnesses at Parkland Hospital re his "magic bullet"...
IMHO, Specter is one of the most dangerous people in the USA...
Was the beer can a moving target and did you have sweaty palms and a case of the nerves because you were about to change history?
We had already been in Vietnam under Eisenhower and Kennedy.
That's handgun range for a Marine. 44 yards and 88 yards.
When you learn about rifles, tragectories and ballistics, the grassy knoll lies are just that. Lies.
Let me take a canned ham and put it front of you so you can hide behind it. I'll take a military rifle and shoot the ham. You can even leave it in the can. According to your theory, you should be perfectly safe.
Arlen Spector was right once in his life. The Kennedy Assassination was that one time.
If nothing came out the back of his head, then what was Jackie climbing over the seat and reaching for after his head expldoed? Hmmmm?
Your understanding of ballistics and bullet behavior, not to mention bio-physics, is laughable.
The Warren Commission worked backwards from their predetermined conclusion.
They were lucky enough to be correct.
I recently spent almost an entire day at the museum and the surrounding area and even stood on the "X's" on the road that marks the spots where Kennedy was hit. The distance to the sixth floor is not nearly as far as it looks on film or on television and when I looked down from the window area, I was convinced that I could have hit Kennedy with a rock. Nevertheless, after studying all the exhibits, watching all of the unedited news videos and home movies that were shot that morning, reading and listening to the accounts of eye-witnesses, and making my own observations from various vantage points, I am absolutely convinced that Oswald was not the lone gunman, although I have no reason to doubt that he took a couple of shots from the sixth floor window. In several videos, numerous witnesses look to the grassy knoll as the shots are fired, and I saw no one looking up to the sixth floor.
Good post! Thank you!
So your reaction when someone is shooting at you is to gather up body parts?
Is that how you handle someone shooting at you?
The problem is that any shots from the knoll would've been within 15-30 feet firing over Zapruder's shoulders. Unless they had some real high tech subsonic/supressed guns, I just don't think it happened that way.
The camera would've at least moved, and he probably would've hit the deck. There were several people over there and they would've been deafened from any rifle blast.
Yes you must believe that people who score sharpshooter in the Marines are lousy shots. In December of 1956 Oswald scored Sharpshooter qualifying with the M1 rifle during basic training.
Oswald was a radar operator in the Marine Corp. On his annual rifle qualifications after basic training he only qualified as a marksman. This is often given by the unknowing as evidence that Oswald was not all that great a shot.
But anyone who was in the service in that era knows that those with jobs that do not require the use of a rifle often shot their required annual rifle quailification with what they called back then an M1 Pencil. Tests were often faked. There were rarely enough workers available to give people such as radar operators requiring security clearance time off to go shoot annual qualifications. There were rarely enough range staff or enough ranges to test them and no one to do their job while they would take the test. So the Military routinely faked the rifle qualification tests for such people. It was SOP to give the trooper whose test was faked a low but qualifying score. And that appears to be the case with Oswald.
It was common back then to give troops who actually fired the test and only scored a 191, a 193 or 194 score so people would know they actually shot the test and were not too good.. But those whose annual firing was faked were given a 191 score so supperiors would know know the firing test was faked.
Shooting is a skill that is retained for life. Once one has mastered it, it can be repeated again and again. It just takes a bit of practice to get it back. Annual qualifications always allowed for pre qualification practice. Oswald scored sharp shooter once. That says to me he could score sharpshooter as long as eyesight remained good.
Plus the distance from the sixth floor in Dallas to the car beneath him was no more than 120 feet. A rifleman who can hit targets at 100 to 250 yards with Sharpshooter skill has little trouble hitting a target at 30 to 80 yards.
I was no great shooter in the military, but I would bet a bundle I could, even at my advanced age, hit slow moving target the size of Kennedys exposed body 2 out of 3 times from that distance. They were not particularly hard or difficult shots. It would have been very long pistol shots, but very close rifle shots. Any average guy with a even a low grade military rifle could do it.
And Oswald was the sharpshooter who did just that.
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text:
Interest Level
Grade 5
Reading Level
Grade level Equivalent: 2.9
Lexile® Measure: 760L
Guided Reading: N
Type of Book: Chapter Book
- Comedy and Humor
- Series
- Circus, Carnivals, Fairs, Parades
- Elementary School
- St. Patrick's Day
- Spring Themes
About This Book
It's St. Patrick's Day and Hubie needs to find something green to wear for his class parade. Leprechauns, four-leaf clovers, pickles-how can he possibly make a decision with all these great options? He had better choose quickly, because there's a rainbow out and everyone is looking for the pot of gold at the end of it.
Items Added to Cart:
1 Paperback
2 Hardcover
1 Teacher's Edition
$48.99 Subtotal


text:
Greg and Denise Noll made a donation to Animal Emergency at Rossmoyne, which is planning to establish an animal emergency pet fund.
Couple adopts cat who survived rough ride
Published On: Mar 08 2013 01:24:05 PM EST
Copyright 2013 by WGAL All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The views expressed are not those of this site, this station or its affiliated companies. By posting your comments you agree to accept our terms of use.blog comments powered by Disqus


text:
Since a mysterious floating barge appeared in the San Francisco Bay, everyone's been coming up with their own wild theories on what it's all about. All we knew until now was that Google was involved somehow.
According to CBS, Google is planning for this to be a movable showroom for its top secret, X-related projects, where it will dazzle lucky VIPs. It's re-configurable too, so who knows where its travels might take it?
Also, there's a party deck. A PARTY DECK.
More blips!
Take a tour of the blips lab. Our stuff's way better anyway.
- A balloon ride to near-space will only cost you $75,000
- Dell promises there is no cat pee in its laptops
- Cop tickets driver for wearing Google Glass, cue the great debate
Article continues below


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Republican members of Congress have set their sight on gutting assistance to troubled homeowners at risk of foreclosure.
A bill, H.R. 430, introduced by Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and other Republicans would dismantle the Home Affordable Modification Program set up by George W. Bush during the height of financial crisis to modify mortgages and help families remain in their homes.
GOP representatives summoned Neil Barofsky, the special inspector general for the government's bank bailouts to testify before a House oversight committee.
Barofsky, while pointing to significant problems with the program - 10 new defaults for every HAMP modification - attributed the cause to the banking institutions themselves. The mortgage program "has failed because regulators are "afraid to rein in or impose penalties on the mortgage servicers" whose record "has been nothing short of abysmal" said Barofsky.
Kathleen Day, from the Center for Financial Responsibility, also faulted the big banks, reported USA Today: "Blame for HAMP's poor performance rests not with the Treasury Department, but with a mortgage-servicing industry that 'can't distinguish between the foreclosures that are inevitable and those that are avoidable,' Day said."
Significantly, Barofsky called for strengthening the program, not dismantling it. Avril Lighty, in a post on The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights website, writes that the Inspector General said the program "could work better if the Treasury Department re-evaluates, sets clear and realistic goals, and holds loan servicers accountable for frequent errors and misconduct."
The program initially was supposed to help 3 to 4 million homeowners, however only "only 238,000 of the 522,000 modifications completed by December 31, 2010, can even be attributed to the program."
A large percentage - over three-quarters - of those receiving assistance are expected to default because of severe financial woes.
Americans for Financial Reform have called for several reforms to strengthen the program, among them that "The Department of Housing and Urban Development and all government housing programs must enforce their rules that require servicers to try to modify loans before proceeding to foreclosure."
Currently the program is voluntary and the government lacks any mechanism for enforcement. "I agree that the servicer performance has been abysmal and that's something that we have been trying to fix," said Timothy Massad, the Treasury official in charge of bank bailouts. "Let me first make it clear, this is a voluntary program. Congress didn't give us the tools to impose fines."
Image: Code Pink // CC BY-SA 2.0


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Where Are Asia's Global Companies?
The predictable result was yen appreciation and associated product cost increases. However, Japan's product quality improvements neutralized its yen-appreciated cost increases. As a result, many Japanese corporations grew into powerful global giants.
In 1989, Japan's equity and real estate bubbles popped. Given its rapid growth, the burst was not surprising. What has been surprising is the unabated weakening of Japan's once great global companies. Over the past five years, these companies have continued their long share price decline.
A few representative examples: Sharp (-74% five-year share price drop), Sony(SNE) (-73%), Seiko (-60%), Panasonic(PC) (-59%), Toshiba, (-56%). Even the mighty NEC Corporation , with 109,000 employees, is selling for $1.50 a share and trades as an over-the-counter stock.
Why can't these mega-companies turn it around? Economists blame government stimulus programs and political instability; demographers blame population declines. But neither explains why Japanese corporations have not been able to sustain their successes outside of Japan.
A better explanation is that few of Japan's corporations can effectively manage a global workforce. Non-Japanese simply do not like working for Japanese companies. CNN Money compiled a list of the 100 most desirable employers as evaluated by U.S. MBA students. Although many European companies made the list, only three Japanese companies were represented: Sony, Toyota(TM) and Honda(HMC) . No other Asian companies made the list.
The world's smartest financiers go to Goldman Sachs (GS) , J.P. Morgan Chase (JPM) or Blackstone Group (BX) . They also go to European banks like Credit Suisse (CS) or UBS(UBS) . But they do not go to Tokyo Mitsubishi Bank or Nomura Securities (NMR) .
The right people are not on the bus, and that is there is nothing more important to business success than that. John Wooden, the great UCLA basketball coach, claims that his success was all about recruiting. No amount of coaching can create a winning team without great athletes.
Why don't people want to work for Japanese companies? There are many complaints: "They don't listen to my opinions," or, "I cannot make it to the senior levels," etc. But at the very bottom of the root cause analysis, there is one reason, one "main thing," from which almost all workforce management problems emerge -- coercive leadership. Coercive leadership sounds bad, does not necessarily imply that the leader is cruel. The coercive style is defined as directive and expecting compliance.
Coercive leadership is not exclusively a Japanese style. It is common throughout Asia. Its genesis is in the child-raising methods of East Asian cultures. To succeed in life, children must pass rigorous school examinations. For their first 18 years, they work under two leaders: their teacher and their mother. Both leaders use a coercive style. Both are highly vigilant of mistakes and teach children to stay inside the box. Coercion is the appropriate leadership style to meet the demands of the Asian educational system.


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Organic cotton blankets are starring as gifts for Mother's Day.
Former Staten Islanders Christina Aguilera, Jessica Alba, Jennifer Lopez, Katie Holmes and Nicole Richie are among the celebrity moms who have Robbie Adrian 100 percent certified organic cotton and natural silk blankets.
"Moms spend most days wrapping up their children up in warmth and love, so why not return the favor?" said Robbie Mahlman, President of Robbie Adrian.
"She will love the soft organic fleece and classic style, all wrapped in sustainable and elegant packaging - customers can be assured that giving a Robbie Adrian blanket is one of the most thoughtful gifts that they can give."
Organic cotton is grown without harmful pesticides or chemical additives to fertilizer. About a third of a pound of chemicals are used to produce 1 T-shirt made from conventional cotton. Another scary fact is that 7 of the top 15 pesticides used on cotton crops are listed as either probable or known carcinogens by the US Environmental Protection Agency.


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One java-rich business operation has been filling plenty of cups during the last three years of the recession and now has expanded to a new location in the Gardnerville Ranchos.
"It was just out of the blue. We heard Blind Dog Coffee had closed, contacted them, and they put us in touch with the property owner," said Karen Hall, who owns Coffee on Main with her husband Don. "We started talking about it, went back and forth, and decided to give it a try. We love the building and the location."
The Halls purchased Nevada Joe's Coffee on Main in downtown Minden in January 2009.
"It's been very positive," Hall said of the Minden business. "Everybody really enjoys everything about that location."
The tidy red hut along Highway 395 employs five people. Because of its small, kiosk-like size, the drive-thru dominates the business cycle, with occasional walk-up customers.
The new Ranchos location, on the other hand, offers a cozy sit-down atmosphere with a lofty ceiling, fire place, cafe-style tables, game-boards, book shelves, and free wi-fi.
The menu behind the counter is almost identical to the Minden store - Alpen Sierra Mountain Roasted Coffee, lattes, Italian sodas, etc. - but behind the counter, past the drive-thru window, is a commercial kitchen that allows employees to bake scones, muffins, brownies, blondies and cookies, including vegan and gluten-free varieties.
There is also outdoor seating, which means the new Coffee on Main is pet-friendly.
"We came out here to do exactly the same thing we do at the little store, with the same products, but on a bigger scale. We do have the walk-in business here," Hall explained, "and we do want to expand with a light lunch menu after the first of the year."
Coffee on Main, Ranchos version, opened in mid-October. More than a month later, Hall said business is strong and picking up.
"Because of the location, it's really like the center of town out here," she said. "We have the drive-thru clientele, and then those who come through later with their computers or books or newspaper."
The Halls purposely set the new store's business hours half an hour earlier than the Minden location; the coffee in the Ranchos is brewed and ready to sell by 5:30 a.m. on weekdays.
"In the early morning, it's all about the drive-thru," Hall said. "Everybody leaves the neighborhood to go to work, and we make sure we're ready for them early. In the late morning, through the afternoon, we start seeing groups of people coming in with their computers."
Hall employs eight people at the new location, including one person solely dedicated to baking. The weekend hours differ slightly from the Minden spot as well, with a few more business hours on Sunday.
"We just have a lot more foot traffic on the weekends," Hall said.
Besides food items, the coffee shop displays local art and retails specialty travel mugs. For the holidays, the business is hosting a food drive for the Carson Valley Community Food Closet as well as a winter cap and mitten tree.
A grand opening is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 17.
"We're all enjoying it," Hall said. "In a small town, we learn a lot about people, our customers, and that's what makes it fun."
Located at 795 Tillman Lane, Coffee on Main, Ranchos, is open from 5:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
For more information, call 392-2293.