text:
O'Brien wants to play fast on offense, but under right circumstances
September 10, 2013 - Cory Giger
UNIVERSITY PARK – Go, go, go. No huddle. Snap it. Go, go, go. Get up to the line of scrimmage. Go, go, go.
Fast-paced offense is all the rage in football these days, and after what Chip Kelly and the Philadelphia Eagles displayed Monday night, the copycat trend figures to take effect in the NFL and college football.
Penn State has an effective no-huddle package that Bill O'Brien calls NASCAR, and the offense was highly efficient in it last season. The Nittany Lions haven't run it as much so far this year, although they looked crisp the few times they went to it Saturday against Eastern Michigan.
O'Brien was asked about the Eagles' offense Monday night and said, "It was unbelievable. It was great."
O'Brien is certainly an offensive-minded coach, and it would surprise no one if the Lions would ever go to the NASCAR package extensively in games. But there is, as the coach mentioned, "a fine line that you walk with your tempo."
A big part of the equation has nothing to do with how the offense is playing.
"A lot of it has to do with how your defense is playing," O'Brien said. "With the way our defense has been playing in the last couple games, it was probably appropriate for us to be in more fast tempo because our defense was playing pretty well."
Teams can't just decide on a whim to play fast a good bit of the time. To do what Kelly did at Oregon or now with the Eagles takes a mindset and commitment that has to start with the training and conditioning programs during the offseason.
Fast offenses don't just wear out the defense, they can wear out the offensive players, too.
"In the huddle you get that 10, 15 seconds of breath, and NASCAR, it's just keep going, going, going, going," PSU left tackle Donovan Smith said. "Any team that runs a fast no huddle will tell you that it will get tiring."
The Lions seemingly would be able to pull it off, however, as they've repeatedly praised strength and conditioning coach Craig Fitzgerald for getting them in tip-top condition.
"I think we're in good shape," Smith said. "We ran NASCAR [on Saturday], and ... I asked a couple of guys on the line, 'How are you feeling?' We feel great. And I feel good myself. I don't think it's any problem in terms of conditioning that when we go NASCAR or anything like that."
That's going to it several times a game. But how about using it extensively?
"That will be fun, actually, to find out myself," Smith said.
Sooner or later, Penn State will play a team that runs a lot of no-huddle offense -- Indiana will in week five -- so the defenders' conditioning will be put to the test.
"It's really hard to simulate the type of tempo like that at practice," safety Malcolm Willis said. "With our team, we go against fast tempo every day in practice, and it does nothing for us but help us."
There are two things that prevent Penn State from doing more NASCAR.
"It's hard to start a drive with ultra-fast tempo right away," O'Brien said. "It's important to gain the first first down, and that kind of gets you flowing from there."
The Lions are a woeful 2-for-26 on third down this season (see more on that below), and negative plays on first or second down have prevented them from getting into their NASCAR sets more.
The other big reason is they have a freshman quarterback who has played only two games, and he's running a highly complex offense that requires him to make a lot of checks at the line of scrimmage.
"In high school I really didn't have to do that much," Christian Hackenberg said. "So coming here that's something I felt like I did better [against Eastern Michigan] than last week."
As Hackenberg gets more comfortable with the offense and better understands what he's seeing at the line of scrimmage, the more comfortable O'Brien will feel going no huddle.
"I love to play at a fast pace," O'Brien said. "I think it's a lot of fun for the kids. It's fun in practice. They enjoy it. They have a lot of confidence in it. So we'll try to keep mixing it in there."


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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - When Ned Arter's son took his father's cane to fifth-grade show-and-tell years ago, the Arter family did not know how valuable the item was.
It had spent the majority of the last 70 years in a closet in the family's Louisville, Ky., home, and the family was unaware that the cane had been highly sought-after by local historians and museums alike.
In fact, it wasn't until June 2011 that the family discovered the true rarity of the cane.
That was when Knoxville's Bill Murrah, a community organizer and amateur historian, called Arter to discuss his family history. Murrah was researching a holiday celebrated by black communities in various parts of Tennessee and Kentucky known as the 8th of August Emancipation Day.
The origins of the holiday date back to 1863, when Tennessee's then-military governor, Andrew Johnson, freed his 10 personal slaves, which, combined with a later speech by Andrew Johnson, eventually led to freedom for all slaves in Tennessee.
One of the freed slaves, Sam Johnson, started organizing a celebration on Aug. 8 in remembrance of this day.
Murrah had some genealogical research done on Sam Johnson that revealed one living descendant of the former slave, Arter.
So Murrah tracked down Arter, 68, a former Louisville police officer, hoping to find out some information about his great, great grandfather; however, Arter had no information to share.
"Yeah, I don't know much about my family back that far," Murrah recalled Arter telling him. "In fact, I got this old cane in my closet. It looks like it might even have a silver head on it, but I don't know where it came from."
Murrah was astonished by what he was hearing. It was an incredible historical find he'd stumbled upon.
Arter described the silver-headed cane, including the inscriptions of two names etched into the side, William Andrew Johnson and Franklin D. Roosevelt, to Murrah, who said he could not believe what the simple phone call had led to.
The cane, which was last seen in 1943, belonged to another of the former president's slaves, William Andrew Johnson.
Born into slavery to Dolly Johnson, Sam Johnson's sister, William Andrew Johnson moved to Knoxville and became a cook at Weaver's Grill downtown a few years after he was freed.
Years later, when Roosevelt came to town for the dedication of Norris Dam, William Andrew Johnson expressed a desire to meet with the president as the former slave of a former president, but was unable to make it happen.
A famous national journalist of the day, Ernie Pyle, was in town and heard about the former slave's unfulfilled desire. Pyle wrote an article about him that was read by Eleanor Roosevelt; the first lady showed the article to the president, who decided to make William Andrew Johnson's wish happen.
"Roosevelt sent a Secret Service car to come pick up William and take him to the White House," Murrah said. "William is in the White House and spends an hour with President Roosevelt, who says, 'I have a gift for you,' and gave him the cane."
William Andrew Johnson was rarely seen without the cane for the rest of his life. He carried it around town, appeared on radio shows to discuss the gift and told everyone about his visit with the president. Even as his health deteriorated, the cane was always lying nearby.
The cane was last seen at William Andrew Johnson's deathbed, according to Murrah.
As Arter listened to Murrah tell him this piece of his family history, he was in awe.
"I was just shocked," Arter said. "I mean, it's like something that is on television. It was just amazing."
Arter speculates that it was his grandmother or her sisters who took the cane following William Andrew Johnson's death.
Arter, who was in Greeneville, Tenn., just a few weeks prior to the phone call and had visited the Andrew Johnson National Historical Site, met with Murrah in September 2011 in Knoxville to visit the graveyard where it is thought William Andrew Johnson was laid to rest. They also met with a Museum Studies 101 class at Tusculum College, site of the Andrew Johnson Museum, to let the students and professors view the artifact.
Several museums in Greeneville and Knoxville have asked Arter about displaying the cane, and he is considering that for the future.
"I kind of enjoy just having it right now," Arter said.
Arter returned to Greeneville with the cane in tow, for a special exhibit and ranger program at the Andrew Johnson National Historical Site in Greeneville, part of the 8th of August Emancipation Day celebrations.

subset: commoncrawl


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Every year, our very good friends north of the border at Mountain Equipment Co-op, aka MEC, host a series of bike events called Bikefest at each of their 17 stores in Canada. It usually also kicks-off the official start of summer bike riding season and in general, an awesome day outside to nerd out on bikes, learn new riding and bike maintenance skills, meet fellow city dwellers and riders, win prizes, chat with the uber friendly folks at that MEC store and mo'
Last weekend, June 7, 8, on the North Shore of Vancouver in beautiful British Columbia, the North Vancouver MEC store hosted their not-1-but-2-day Bikefest at Inter River Park, just 8 mile north of downtown Vancouver. Complete with BMX races, AcroBag demonstrations, a bike fit clinic, live music and tater tot kiddie activities, over 600 folks came out and got RAD. We were stoked to be there too, spreading the love of Timbuk2 and meeting new and long time fans alike!
So what was is up at the Timbk2 tent? In addition to showing off some of newest Timbuk2 bike provisions at MEC, like the top tube attaching Goody Box and ultra light commute Raider pack, we were also one of the stops on the MEC Bikefest passport….
…and held a contest of our own at the booth, where we called out 1 random winner per hour.
For those of ya's in North Vancouver, hope y'all had fun and had a chance to meet Andrea & Jennie of Timbuk2. But worry not Vancouverites: the downtown Vancouver Bikefest happens THIS Saturday, June 14 at Athlete's Village. Map HERE. For more information about what's going down, including Gold Sprints, bike raffle, Timbuk2 raffle AND the legendary MEC gear swap (YUP!) peep their event page HERE.
See you on the bike!


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Definitions of Jewish/Israeli magical realism
Is Jewish magical realism distinct from other manifestations of this style?
What is the appeal of magical realism to Jewish writers?
The influence of magical realism on Jewish writing
Forms of magical realism in Jewish writing
Jewish narrative traditions and magical realism (including the influence of Jewish narrative traditions on magical realism)
The influence of Jewish magical realism on others
Israeli magical realism
Jewish magical realism and
• the postmodern
• the postcolonial
• the re-writing of history
• the Holocaust
• the "cutesification of horror" (Austerlitz)
• anti-Semitism
• resistance
• aesthetics
• Jewish identities
• Israeli magical realism
• Zionism/post-Zionism
• Judaism
• politics
• the other
Please send abstracts of up to 300 words by 24 August 2012 to:
Dr Axel Stähler (University of Kent, Canterbury): firstname.lastname@example.com
Deadline for the submission of articles is 31 March 2013
(This is admittedly a rather tight turnaround which is due to external factors; a negotiation of individual deadlines may be possible within a certain timeframe. However, of particular importance for British contributors thinking of their REF submissions, publication is envisaged for September 2013.)
Word count: c. 6000-8000 words
For further details and information please contact: Dr Axel Stähler (email@example.com)


text:
Do you live in a state that allows raw milk? If so, you might find you can tolerate that right away.
A broad spectrum enzyme like Omega-zyme works really well. Probiotic supplements are helpful but I would really recommend using homemade fermented foods for your probiotics. The are more effective and much, much cheaper.


text:
Park Road Apartments
London, UK
Project Description
This apartment building was pioneering on many levels: structurally, aesthetically and even politically. It was the first residential building in the UK to be built with a central core, which freed up the plans enormously. The extensive perimeter glazing and lack of structure between the core and external walls enabled Grimshaw to offer potential purchasers no less than 73 variations of plan. The lightweight construction was facilitated by the sinusoidal cladding in high-grade aluminium which was aesthetically unprecedented and which simplified the design of curved corners giving the flats beautiful panoramic views.
This was the first time a housing association had won permission to build a block of flats in Central London, amazingly on a Regent's Park site. This enabled the owners to avoid the developer's costs leading valuers to estimate a 50% cost saving on market price. The building, with its 40 flats and double height penthouses, was an enormous success and more than 30 years later is still much loved by residents. Nick Grimshaw himself made it his home with his young family for six years.
Project Details
- Client
- Mercury Housing Society Ltd
- Size
- 3,300 sq m
- Completion Date:
- 1968
- Credits
- Photography by Hanya Chlala, Tessa Traeger


text:
You have just a few minutes to get into the DT bracket group. Free stuff could be at stake. And because everyone is doing it, here's my Final Four picks if you want to piggyback off them: John Tesh, North Carolina, the L.A. D-Fenders and Kansas. The Jayhawks are just that good this year.
A non-Thunder fan also saw a poorly officiated game: "Thunder fans are upset about the officiating, so am I. Most likely, we're all upset by the free throw disparity between the two teams. The Bobcats had a free throw rate (FT Rate) of 41%. So basically, Charlotte took 2/5 as many free throws as field goals, a high rate; meanwhile, Oklahoma City struggled to get to the line (a FT Rate of only 21%). That, and a non-call when Jeff Green was "clubbed upside the head," according to Daily Thunder is probably why Thunder fans are so mad."
The NFL, MMA and then the NBA – seems like a natural progression for me: "G Jose Calderon has returned as the team's starting point guard, replacing Jarrett Jack, as the Raptors try to find a way to deal with lax transition defense, a glut of team turnovers and mounting losses. And Calderon, who started against Mike Bibby and the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, gets Michael Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday in Toronto's next outing." We just need Brian and we'll have the Westbrook trio together at last. (h/t to Elegy 44)
Dime lists the NBA's top 10 fastest players and even has a few honorable mention. And there's no mention of Russell Westbrook. I can promise you, end to end with the ball in his hand, Westbrook's darn to as fast as anybody. The other night, I counted him going from the paint to the other rim in just over three seconds.
Fanhouse has some power rankings and has OKC sixth: "You can't call them a fluke at this point. Coming off an impressive win over the Jazz Sunday, the Thunder sit just three games back of Denver in the division. The dynamic duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook lead this uber-talented starting five into the playoffs, a unit that averages out to be a mere 23 years old."
James Harden has a Q&A with SLAM: "SLAM: You might have the best beard in the League. What are the three keys to keeping a fresh beard? JH: Get up and brush it like you would do your hair. You got to make sure it's clean cut and—[bends over in laughter as Thabo Sefolosha shakes his head at him nearby]. You have to make sure it's looking right at all times. You don't want to go out there and have your beard looking all nasty."
Darnell Mayberry coming strong: "And don't give me the excuse that the Bobcats are 25-8 at home. The Thunder has won at San Antonio (24-10), at Utah (26-8), at Phoenix (26-9), at Atlanta (26-7), at New Orleans (21-12), at Portland (22-13) and at Miami (20-15). This was just a bad loss. Plain and simple. It would have been different had the game been nip and tuck throughout. But it's inexcusable when you lead by as many as 19 points, against a team on the second night of a back-to-back, playing without its leading rebounder and second leading scorer."
Thorpe's Rookie Watch: "Ibaka is another guy on this list who showed his considerable upside in summer league. He's now a steady rotation player in Oklahoma City, providing a strong shot-blocking presence inside and good decision-making skills on offense. He hasn't blown up like some other rooks have, but he has continued to make progress from month to month. When a player is nowhere near his potential but plays well in his role, he earns considerable value in the league. That is exactly where Ibaka stands right now. His face-up game is going to be good, and he projects to be an excellent shot-blocker. How many guys in the league can do both well?"
Sebastian Pruiti of NBA Playbook breaks down the Bobcats lob that helped them pull away.
John Schuhmann of NBA.com revisits some preseason predictions: "What wasn't I thinking?: That the Thunder would be one of the five best defensive teams in the league. As terrific as Kevin Durant has been and as much as Russell Westbrook has improved, the Thunder's team defense has been the biggest key to their success. There weren't any signs of that as late as the preseason. There was clearly room for improvement, given the team's youth. Also, one of their best defenders, Thabo Sefolosha, came over in a deadline deal last February. Still, they've made a huge leap on defense."
I know some don't care about OU news, but this is pretty big basketball news in this state because it could really cripple the Sooner basketball program. Tiny Gallon may have taken moolah: "Gallon — a freshman center for the Sooners – scored a $3,000 wire transfer last August, according to a document obtained by TMZ. The money was deposited in a bank account jointly held by Keith and his mom, Sylvia Wright. As for who gave Keith the dough — the document shows it's Jeffrey Hausinger, a Merrill Lynch financial advisor who reps several professional athletes. It's a violation of NCAA rules for any player or player's relative to receive money that isn't readily available to other players — for example, a student loan or scholarship. We're told the rule clearly prohibits any agent, lawyer or financial advisor from trying to lure a player with money."


text:
The Trouble with SPAM
kerbanika registered his handle this morning and proceeded to flood Cranky's with four Spams. Another person, Stephen (not verified), attempted to post a link in his anonymous handle, but was unsuccessful, as it led to a broken Yahoo address. The site is slow enough without having to slog though all this Spam.
It seems obvious to me that Cranky's is drawing the spammers because they want to raise the search engine profiles of the sites for which they are Spamming, and Cranky's as it is now set up provides an easy way for them to do that. As you are aware, the way to raise the profile of a site on Google and other search engines is to have as many links as possible for the site whose profile you wish to raise listed on other Web sites.
My suggestions:
- Revoke Kerbanika's handle.
- Ban Kerbanika's IP address.
- Trace Kerbanika's IP address to a physical location and have him whacked. I know some people who know some people..... Failing that, get that retard into a class for people learning English as a second language.
- Place a ban on new users posting links for the first 30 days of their Crankyland membership.
- Make it impossible for a non registered user to post a link in their anonymous handle.
- Please do what you can to speed up this site. I'll bet the slow speed of New Crankidonia is costing you many potential registered users and viewers.
Thanks for listening. I appreciate what you do.
---bn (AKA Coaster, Whooooeeee! and all that)
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- Email this page
Second all the above
{;-) Dan in Miami
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Tell Rajah Kerbanika's a hobo
Rajah will do the rest.
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Spam is hobos
Grounded up hobos
They're used in Alpo dogfood too
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The site is drowning in Spam
Yesterday my post about health care was queued for review. Something is very wrong here. The spam handles should be banned. On the other hand only a few people are posting here. How about if the 10-20 people posting here responsibly are given an automatic green light? This site is close to dying. I would hate that. Plus think of all the hard work Jazzy and Mr. C and Hans have done.
{;-) Dan in Miami
PS: I have a bad infestation of hobos at my place of work. Rajah, do you travel outside of Georgia?
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Jazzdrive and Dan: I don't think a handle ban will cure this
I've outlined some steps to be taken in a previous post. Now it seems this site has attracted the Chinese Spammers. You'll likely have to ban IP's to get them to stop. Also, I'd like to ask again that you limit the posting of hot links to handles that have been registered longer than 30 days.
Craigslist Discussion Boards had this same problem with likely these same Spammers. You may want to give the Craigslist bunch a call. It shouldn't be to difficult to find out what they did if you can reach them, as they have only about two dozen employees.
In addition to what Dan suggested, perhaps you would see fit to give a few of the regulars the power to instantly flush any Spam.
Thanks again.
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What are they spambots or people?
Dan, contact a local dog food factory, they'll be glad to get the meat.
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Slight change to the above suggestions
Please do away with unregistered posting.
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Yeah, I know it was to get new posters here
But I'm afraid it's not working. All this Spam will discourage new posters from wanting to post here. And could you do something about that dude posting all the hilarious Youtube links, he's really getting on my nerves!
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I, too, agree with Coaster's suggestions.
As for how to get more frequent, regular posters (especially gurlz!), I am stumped.
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How about it, Jazzy, or other Admins?
I'm not going to take the time to neg the Spams anymore.
I'd like to know what this site is going to do to reduce the Spam. Until countermeasures are taken, I doubt I'll be making any movie related posts, or any posts on anything other than the subject of Spam.
I know of at lest two other regulars who will be joining me in posting in only this forum until this site does something to control the Spams.
Mr. Skillet, and any other posters out there, would you consider joining us?
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Happy to oblige, Mr. Coaster
Feh. Or as Slater would say, Sweet. Buttered. Christ.
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I've joined by default.
Takes too long to find anything worth posting/responding to around here with all this seaweed gummin' up the beach. Man I miss the beach..
PS Anybody know where I can get some Air Jordan's cheap?
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The Spam Attack - Day 34
Still no reply or response from Site Administration.
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Jazzy said he is a workaholic
I believe him. This site is more of a hobby than a money maker for him. Some of us poor slobs with no life would like to help out here. Just tell us what to do Jazzy or Mr C.
{;-) Dan in Miami
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This might bring more posters
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Less Spam and more Bacon
Mmmmmm. Bacon. It's meat candy.
{;-) Dan in Miami
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Maybe if we gave in and bought their products, they'll go away.
Just kidding
Isn't that how you get rid of hobos?
Also kidding
Maybe we could just ignore them? You know, treat it like that elephant in the room, until we're hip deep in dung and occasionally impaled by a 5 foot ivory tusk.
Just an idea. Please don't vote me down.
...what...what were talking about again?
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A "rare" movie post in this thread, just for shits and giggles.
Saw a few films, old and new, thought I'd give my synopsis:
Funny People: Surprised no one's written a Cranky review of this one yet. This "serious" effort from Judd Apatow was quite good for the first 75 minutes, an engaging and oft-funny look at the relationship between a dying mega-comedian (Adam Sandler) and the struggling young comic (a skinny Seth Rogen) whom he hires as first, his joke writer and second, his assistant. But then the story changes focus to Sandler's desire to reunite with his old flame (Apatow's real-life wife, Leslie Mann), who of course is married with kids, a big house, and a really nice, only slightly-schizo husband (Eric Bana, doing good work here). Unfortunately, the action slows to a screeching halt despite Bana's efforts, yet the movie continues on for a whole 'nother hour. I like Apatow, but his movies generally have the tendency to drag a bit in their third act, and Funny People is by far the biggest offender in that regard. Looking at how the film FINALLY ends, I almost had to wonder why the whole boring love triangle was even there in the first place. C.
A Woman in Berlin: Excellent German film with an interesting subject: what happens to Germany and its people immediately following the end of WWII, in particular its beautiful women, now surrounded by horny, hard-drinking Russian soldiers. The title character is a pretty, nameless, bilingual Berliner who decides that if she is to become a victim, let it at least by her terms, and the man be less dispicable than the others. She finds said man in a decent Russian major...but how does he really feel about this "whore?" Her compelling voice-over narration (a journal she is keeping for her missing soldier husband) adds to the drama. Some rough scenes but never graphic. Very limited release right now, but see it if you can. A.
On DVD: Blue Thunder: "Follow my leader!" Remember this 1982 Roy Scheider vehicle? I bought it years ago in a DVD bargain bin and, having loved it when I first caught it on VHS in the mid-nineties, threw it in the DVD player the other night. Wow, a shitty DVD sound transfer and the movie feels so dated now that I could barely finish it. Too bad, for the cast is pretty good: Scheider as an LAPD chopper pilot, Warren "Stripes" Oates as his captain, Daniel Stern as his young rookie partner, and Malcolm McDowell as the heavy, a shady sort who pilots Blue Thunder, a new, state-of-the-art, armed (and therefore illegal) police helicopter designed for ruthless crowd control. Some funny one-liners ("JAFO" comes to mind and lots of action in the second half, but just too painfully dated. A B+ movie for its decade that loses an entire letter grade when viewed 27 years later. C+.
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Love the bacon pic. It's making me hungry. ;)
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Since you guys are trapped here, whatdoya think of this?
and this
as far as the safety of the President goes you don't have no rights, motherfucker! What if a hundered people came to the meeting with guns, you gonna be able to watch everyone of them?
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My 10 favorite TV theme music
(For the sake of brevity, I'll limit it to US series.)
3. ROOM 222 (I only recently noticed it's in a seven-fourths rhythm!)
4. THE STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO (a wocka-wocka classic)
6. Mike Post, MAGNUM PI
7. Bill Conti, DYNASTY (the only good thing about that show)
8. Jan Hammer, MIAMI VICE
9. Danny Elfman, THE SIMPSONS
10. Angelo Badamenti, TWIN PEAKS
The best TV theme you've never heard: the short-lived 1977 series BIG HAWAII
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You left out Gilligan's Island
was that on purpose?
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There isn't even a close second to...
Barney Miller, except maybe Night Court, Welcom Back Kotter and Taxi.
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The original version
of Starsky and Hutch. And of course the Powerpuff Girls.
Impeach Jim Gibbons!
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What about Get Smart?! Or Batman?!?!
Great (classic, at least, maybe not great) TV themes.
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Patrick McGoohan's Secret Agent
sung by Johnny River no less.
Then there's the theme song to the Addams Family
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Remember this version
The Addams family started
When Uncle Fester farted.
They all came out retarded,
The Addams Family!
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Sweet zombie Jesus! Is Crankyland dead or what?
Buried under a mountain of spam!
What a way to go!
watch his holy trailer > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q1LF0itMvE
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Spam attack, Day 37. Oh Jazzy, why haz though forsaken us?
I know Cranky isn't a money maker (yet), but these spammers are choking this place to death.
Is it that much troble to get rid of them?
So much Spam, so little bacon.
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The offer still stands
I am available to zap spam or help with banning Internet addresses. You might have to teach me some stuff but that should not be too hard. I want to help.
{;-) Dan in Miami
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Clearly it needs to go back to registering
before you can post. Removing that was a mistake.
If you want to attract new posters here's my suggestion > turn this place into a midgetporn/movie review site!
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Is there a way to incorporate Akismet?
That would be good, I suspect, but I don't know.
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There has been no response to our concerns from site admin
thus far. That is a bit disappointing.
Foo, do you does your old e-mail address work? E-mail me at mrcoaster(at)cox(dot)net please.
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I only got one email from
I only got one email from the contact form from Dan yesterday.
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Akismet is being used
Akismet is being used currently. For some reason it doesn't work as well as on Wordpress, however. Hopefully it will learn the patterns here soon.
But I've made it so I have to approve anonymous comments. So register if you don't want your comments delayed. I can't check this site every day.
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Jazzy can't check Crankyland every day
He's too busy.
I would like to help. These are human spammers not bots. It will probably take some human intervention to stop them. I would like to volunteer my time. My job allows me to check Crankyland several times per day.
{;-) Dan in Miami
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I'd like to second Dan's suggestion
The Spam is choking off what little life this place left in it. Lately, I've been visiting less and less and am only motivated to come here by the occasional new reviews, to see what my old friends have posted, and to check out bargains on Hardy Jeans and Nikes.
I also wouldn't mind volunteering as a Spam trimmer.
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You asked for it, you got
You asked for it, you got it. You'll now see links below comments and forum posts "submit spam". should be self explanatory.
Thanks. I appreciate it!
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The Spaminator(s) Has(ve) Arrived
No Spam will be safe.
People wishing to buy discount Nikes and Ed Hardy clothing will have to look elsewhere. People wishing to buy pirated DVD's and porn will have to look elsewhere. People wishing to read regurgitated studio press releases on unreleased films written by the barely literate will have to look elsewhere. People who wish to read current reviews written by the mentally affected can, or course, stay right here.
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Could you do something about Rajah?
He's starting to get on my nerves
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Well you're the one who keeps dragging him in to these messes.
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The Spammers are registered
Cheapdesigners is the top poster of the week. That leaping negro guy in the famous sneakers would be so proud.
{;-) Dan in Miami
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So why hasn't his handle been banned?
I see we've also got at least one other registered fucktard Spammer, too.
I doubt if all of this Spamming has led to the sale of even one item. Frankly, anybody that would give their credit card number to a Chinese Spammer deserves to be swindled.
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They post with the handle,
They post with the handle, then move on to another one. These aren't bots. These are actual humans registering. Banning the handle will just let them get a new one.
For someone reason this stuff is getting through the filters. Eventually I hope it will start picking them up as they are being manually marked as spam. But for some reason Akismet is not working as well here as it does on wordpress.
I can't turn on the IP filter, because last time I did that NO ONE could post.
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Well, they weren't before
Maybe they anticipated the move to reinstate the registered requirement.
Yeah, cheap designer is a Crankyland newborn. We should,ve aborted him or her.
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Surely the administrators will respond to the porn
It was posted four and 1/2 hours ago. I sent them an e-mail about it.
{;-) Dan in Miami
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PETA's inhumane treatment of women
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Looks like the porn is gone for now
{;-) Dan in Miami
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This place needs a serious spam-enema, and soon.
The motherfuckers are making it distasteful to even stop by, let alone hang out.
Of course, there's hardly anyone here at the best of times.
~No, my young padawan; this one is mine.~
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Jazzdrive: If I had a Spammer, I'd swing it in the morning....
This morning at 5 AM, the time I usually wake up, I'd have logged on, deleted the handles of "Galondora" and "Yourtemak" and blown away their Spams.
I'd like you to consider Dan's suggestion and give several of us limited moderator privileges. We would just need the minimum of tools it would take to ban the spamming idiots and flush their Spams from the boards. We wouldn't even be board moderators in the classical sense: We'd be Spaminators!
That way, with a little help, your boards can be on autopilot again, with that much less of drain on your time.
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The War on Spam: WE PWND THEM BEYOTHES!!
Some guys in the navy were happy about this too.
Lets just hope we have better luck with this banner than that last guy did.
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Trying to shut down the site?
This daily spam bombardment is beyond irritating. If they want to drive people away they're succeeding.
Impeach Jim Gibbons!
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June 2010
236 5th Ave
New York, NY 10001
(212) 683-2929
Mike, Justin and I went to Ilili on a mission: to find a place that does kibbe nayeh better than M's mom, whose Lebanese dishes are the best in the world, if you want to go by M's version of things. Did we succeed? Thankfully for the sake of familial harmony, we did not -- but we came dangerously close. Ilili does a lovely kibbe nayeh and other dishes, too.
All three of us did the evening tasting menu, which amounted to quite a lot of food to share.*
Many of the appetizers had an acidic component to them from lemon juice and pomegranate molasses, which actually went extremely well with the more-acidic-than-usual, light, young Louis Latour Burgundy. It's not a wine I'd ordinarily like, but we ordered it at our waitress's suggestion and it was a good recommendation.
My favorite mezze, the chicken livers, was a perfect balance of salty, sour (lemon, pomegranate molasses) and sweet (pom molasses, again), with delectably caramelized / crisp edges. Even my liver-hating SO professed love for the dish before I fessed up to what it was. The warm eggplant -- disks thinly sliced from long, narrow eggplants -- was also incredible, again with a nice balance of sweet (tomato, tamarind molasses), salty and sour (tamarind molasses). M loved his kibbe nayeh, though it was a variation we weren't familiar with, made sans allspice and with more heat than M's northern Lebanese mother uses.
Other appetizers (listed below) were all competently prepared, but not as noteworthy.
Believe it or not, things actually got even better in the next course. My harissa-roasted hamachi main, brilliantly prepared with deep umami flavors, was truly a highlight. It was nicely seared on the outside and perfectly rare, inside and bathed in an incredible butter sauce that perhaps reflects Lebanon's history as a French colony. Alongside the fish were lightly cooked cucumber and grapefruit, both of which added a lovely brightness and welcome contrast to the rich sauce. This was a perfect dish if I've ever had one, perfectly balanced in terms of textures and flavors, and perfectly executed.
M's duck kebabs were deliciously rare and fairly straightforward in peparation. The basterma topping my SO's burger transformed an otherwise solid, but not remarkable, lamb burger into something heavenly.
The ashta clotted cream was a true-to-form traditional dessert, homey, yet delicate with the addition of orange blossom essence. Lebanese ice cream, which none of us had ever tried, was gummy (chewy) and matched the descriptions I've read of Turkish ice cream. I'm not sure I loved the texture -- the boys adored it -- but the pistachio flavor in ours was concentrated, deep and very rich. Wonderful. The candy bar was nice, but too heavy for me after this meal and I'm very glad that someone else had primary responsibility for it!
* Full listing of dishes we tried:
- Mekanek (lamb sausage sautéed w/ olive oil lemon, pine nuts)
- Warm Eggplant (tomato, tamarind molasses, scallions)
- Kibbeh Nayeh Jnubieh (steak tartar, burghul, cumin, marjoram onion, mint)
- Fasoulia (cannellini beans, lemon, garlic)
- Fattoush (Lebanese garden salad toasted pita, sumac lemon vinaigrette)
- Chicken Livers (lemon, pomegranate molasses, sumac)
- Duck Magret Kebab (Magret duck breast, lettuce, garlic whip, spiced pita)
- Lamb Burger (basterma, kashkaval, arugula)
- Harissa Marinated Hamachi (roasted w/ harissa, cucumber, grapefruit, butter sauce)
- Pistachio Lebanese ice cream
- Ashta (traditional Lebanese clotted cream w/ orange blossom simple syrup, bananas)
- Ilili Candy Bar (chocolate kataifi crunch, chocolate ganache pistachio and fig caramel, table side finish w/ warm chocolate sauce)


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Cancer Therapies experts in this Genetics directory provide witness opinion and testimony in all types of Cancer Therapies accidents including Forensic Medical Examiner Board Certified, Anemia, Aplastic Anemia, Bone Cancer and Lung Cancer.
Cancer Therapies accidents can occur in Hematologist, Board Certified, Immunologist, Pediatric and thrombosis.
In litigation, Cancer Therapies accident experts attempt to use forensic engineering and biomechanical engineering research to reconstruct the accident and damages or event by providing witness testimony, computer animation or graphical exhibits to opine in a compelling way to the jury


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Mosque vandalism now a federal investigationUPDATED 9:57 PM CDT Apr 27, 2013
An Oklahoma City mosque the target of vandals. Tonight, the F.B.I. is looking into the incident as a possible hate crime.
CommentsThe 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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Staff Reporter
Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Abdul Latif Siddique was finally removed from the cabinet on Sunday, 15 days after his derogatory comments against hajj, Islam, Tablig Jamaat and Sajib Wazed Joy.
At a press briefing, cabinet secretary Muhammad Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said this while talking to report-ers yesterday following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's meeting with President Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban.
He also read out a gazette notification issued to this end.
As per the notification, the President ordered the removal of the minister from the cabinet according to Article 58 (1) (C) of the constitution.
At a views-exchange meeting with expatriates from Tangail in New York on September 28 Latif Siddique made disparaging remarks about hajj, one of the main pillars of Islam, and Tablig Jamaat.
He said: "During hajj, too much of manpower is wasted. Over 20 lakh people have gone to Saudi Arabia to perform hajj. They've no work, no production and they only cause deduction."
"Some 20 lakh Tablig Jamaat people get together annually who don't do any work except halting traffic move-ment across the country," he added.
Latif Siddiqui finally removed
Staff Reporter


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KA4 Preview
Sneak Peek.
The photos are extracted from an 8mm movie film. The venue is Frankton Airport 1967 and was the Southland Gliding Club Christmas camp. This is where I had my first (and only) glider flight with my father at the controls. I still remember some parts very vividly.
This glider has unfortunately lost it's registration, ZK-GBO, but I now know that it is parked up in a shed waiting to be restored. That would be nice to see. So this is the glider I'm modelling and a preliminary pdf of the tailplane section is attached for your temptation.
Phillip C
ImagesView all Images in thread
How's the build going?
I am thinking of building a Ka4 as well but smaller, due to the size of my build table and work area. I was thinking of a 1:8 scale, which would give a WS of 162.5cm. There are no plans that size, so I'll have to draw myself. That'll be a first!. It would be build for sloping, and maybe hi-start.
My first glider ride was in a winched Ka4, hence the Ka4 interest.
My apoligies "Up&Away" I didn't see you comment.
Building progress is slow. Rudder and fin built, starting on the elevator next.
Having second thoughts about rib thickness:- 5mm without cap strips; or 2mm with cap strips.
One would be quick but possibly heavier.
There is a plan on the "web" just get it printed to the span you want.
Sorry for late reply,
Phillip C


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To understand how Sega thinks about its most famous mascot, one must appreciate how differently people responded to 2008's werewolf version of Sonic, the Werehog.
That creature, who was playable in the combat sections of last year's Sonic Unleashed, "came in for so much criticism," Sega of America's vice president of market, Sean Ratcliffe recalled for Kotaku during an interview with Sega execs in New York earlier this week. "If you read all those things, and we do—maybe not quite every single one, but the vast majority of them—and it's amazing the sort of diatribes you get. But if you sit down with a group of 8, 9, 10-year-old boys, completely different story."
"If you read everything, we need to be all things to all gamers with Sonic, and that's a difficult thing to do," said Mike Hayes, the head of Sega Europe and, as of last month, the head of Sega of America as well. "Trying to put everything into one game and making everybody happy is impossible. And I think that's something clear going forward."
So as Sega proceeds to, in Hayes' words, "review our Sonic road map", fans young and old should prepare for an approach that will produce Sonic games that won't satisfy everyone at once.
Sega's core Sonic target, in fact, isn't those who grew up with Sonic. It's those who are growing up now. "It very much is in that under-12 group," Hayes said. "And what we have to do is make a Sonic that is of a quality that delights that audience, first and foremost. I'd argue that we very much achieved that with products like Sonic Heroes on PS2, and I think we did that with Mario and Sonic 1 on Wii and DS. I think we did it some ways with Sonic and the Secret Rings on Wii. I think [the Wii's Sonic and the]Black Knight was a good game."
Hayes is less satisfied with Sega's execution of those Sonic games that have been on the more powerful Xbox 360 and PS3 platforms. "I think we've had challenges with [the 2006]Sonic the Hedgehog and Unleashed," he said. "[The 2006 game]Sonic the Hedgehog sells extremely well at a budget price. So clearly it's very popular with a young audience. But first and foremost is: We've got to make a quality game for that audience. Does quality mean it's got to be a Metacritic 90 per cent? Well not necessarily. It's just got to be quality that's appropriate for them. Then we've got our core fans, and what we need to do is now and then produce a Sonic that will appeal to those fans specifically. "
It's that last group—those core Sonic fans—who seem to be the ones grumbling most on sites like this one about the fate of the franchise. Hayes suggested some ways Sega might produce a Sonic for that community: "Often it can be looking at another take on the nostalgic take on Sonic. Or re-issues. They're very popular. Fans do like that."
One suggestion I'd seen from readers was for Sega to take a page from Nintendo's return-to-the-roots release of New Super Mario Bros a few years ago and create a new Sonic game that played in a side-scrolling format similar to the original games. While not committing to whether Sega would or already is planning anything like that, Hayes used the question as a way to discuss the differences between continuing the Mario and Sonic lines and to discuss a third brand few gamers have likely ever thought of in the same sentence as Sega's Hedgehog.
"But in its day, Sonic was the Modern Warfare," Hayes said. It was, in other words, the edgier thing, the game series that was cooler, more grown up, than Mario." Hayes admired that, even when he worked for five years at Nintendo. "Mario was very much the toy brand," he recalled. "Although it was hugely successful, sometimes we looked enviously at Sega with this cutting edge. Now the world has moved on since Sonic achieved that. Sonic can't compete with Modern Warfare 2. It can't. Whereas, Mario I don't think has ever been anything other than appealing to that demographic."
The difference, Hayes explained, is that even as Sonic could no longer be the edgiest thing in console video games, Mario could always target his same cheerful crowd. A New Super Mario Bros wasn't, in Hayes' mind, as much a return to the series' roots as a continuation of a franchise style that was always relevant to Mario's original kind of audience. "They've had a consistent strategy," he said. "Whereas, with Sonic, I think you have to take it … to a different target audience. Sonic has to go through a metamorphosis as to the type of game you would design."
Hayes and the rest of Sega want to make the old-time Sonic fans happy. They just need those fans to not expect their Sonic in every Sonic game. So…the plan? Most of it is not being revealed yet, of course, but the general strategy is to make core Sonic games pretty much every other year, "character derivative" games between those and, on occasion, off-shoots that involve Sonic doing new physical activities such as playing tennis, skateboarding (as in Sonic Riders), or racing cars, as in the upcoming Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing.
The Sega brass hopes their plan will generate something Sonic for everyone. "Trying to appease all those audiences is really hard," Ratcliffe said. "But we are flattered, because we've taken nostalgic fans with us on a journey for almost 20 years and they're still passionate about Sonic."


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i found your blog through diggnation and your free laptop scheme. very cool idea! . . . basically, i'm a recent college grad who loves writing web software and have been infatuated with the interweb all my life. the idea of moving out to ca to be a part of the next "internet boom" and the whole tech-culture seems so incredible but also a bit scary . . . i'm interested in your experience doing this so far and how your life has changed from college to now.
thanks so much.
Hello dustin.
I'm very glad you liked the laptop scheme. I'm really only glad you watched Diggnation if you simultaneously drank a beer. I am also a fan of the interweb but an "internet boom" sounds a bit frightening.
I could write an entire novel about all the crazy things that happened in those seven months between college graduation and now. But I think I have a better idea - a quiz to see if moving from the midwest to the Bay Area is for you.
Which would you rather do?
a) have a backyard or b) have a chumby
a) run into your mom at the grocery store or b) run into the Google founders at Burning Man
a) pay $5 at a kegger or b) have your drinks paid for by Yahoo!
a) eat corndogs and cheese curds or b) lots of crepes
a) have lots of money and nothing to do or b) have lots of money and spend it on rent
a) wish you had moved to the Bay Area or b) actually move to the Bay Area
Tally up your score. Mostly a's, sit back and drink a Leinie's. Mostly b's, go check out uHaul online, craigslist job postings, and needmyspace.com for help dumping the girlfriend/boyfriend who is squelching your dreams. I hope that helps!
Leah C.


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WARREN - The new year may bring many things, but one change in particular - a dime for some, a nickel for others - is in store for many.
Today, Ohio's minimum hourly wage will increase from $7.85 to $7.95 for non-tipped employees and from $3.93 to $3.98 for tipped employees. The increase will affect 330,000 Ohio workers, according to Policy Matters Ohio.
Josh Nativio of Warren called the increase "laughable."
Article Photos
Tribune Chronicle / Bonnie L. Hazen
Kalliopi Georgalos, 18, rings up a customer's order on Tuesday at the Mocha House in Warren. Today, some Ohio workers will see an increase in pay as the minimum hourly wage rises.
Nativio, who works at All American Comics and Cards in Warren, is among those who will not be affected. But he knows some who will.
"They need and they spend every dime that they get. The increase itself is laughable, but any minimum wage increase to workers is a good thing," he said.
The federal minimum wage is $7.25, but Ohio voters passed a constitutional amendment in November 2006. The Ohio Fair Minimum Wage Amendment mandates that state's minimum wage increase Jan. 1 of each year to match the rate of inflation.
Fact Box
Minimum wage
Minimum wage increases since the passage of the Ohio Fair Minimum Wage Amendment.
2007: $6.85
2008: $7.00
2009: $7.30
2010: $7.30
2011: $7.40
2012: $7.70
2013: $7.85
2014: $7.95
The state minimum wage is tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for urban wage earners and clerical workers for the 12-month period prior to September. This CPI index rose 1.7 percent from Sept. 1, 2012, to Aug. 31, 2013.
For a nontipped employee who works 40 hours a week, the raise means pay of $318 a week instead of $314 a week - $208 more this year for somebody who works 40 hours a week for 52 weeks.
Some say the slight increase, although welcome, isn't nearly enough.
"I think it could have been a lot better than that. People can't live on $10 an hour, let alone that," said Marylou Killeen, head cashier at the Sunrise Inn in Warren. Killeen is an untipped worker who makes more than the new state minimum wage.
Server Rachel Tallman, who will see a 5 cent increase as a tipped worker, said the raise won't help.
"It's just going to make everything else go up. It usually does. They're just going to take more taxes," she said.
Tallman, who works part time, said she would rather see the increase from patrons.
"I'd rather see people actually tip. My last table left without tipping me. I don't think that people are educated about it," she said.
Tipped employees are those who regularly receive more than $30 a month in tips. Employers must be able to prove that tipped employees receive at least the minimum wage when wages and tips are combined.
The raise will also affect some small business owners.
Nick Liakaris, an owner of the Mocha House in Warren, pays close to 50 employees.
"I think the minimum wage going up won't directly affect us too greatly ... although right now with the way the economy is, we don't think the timing is good, but it shouldn't harm us too too bad," he said.
Liakaris said the requirement should be tiered for adults versus young adults, such as high-schoolers. He also said the higher wage payout won't force him to raise his prices.
"As a business we try to absorb as much as we can. Eventually I think as all businesses, it gets passed on to the consumer. We try to hold off as long as we can because we are very sensitive to our customers and we don't like to increase unless we absolutely have to. Eventually they do catch up and, as any business would, we do have to adjust (prices) accordingly," he said. "We'll have to sit down and evaluate everything, but as of now, we don't have any plans on having any price increases."
Nativio said the increase in minimum wage will help, not harm, area businesses.
"Unlike workers at the top levels of our society, minimum wage workers immediately put their money back into the economy by spending it. They're not investing in building portfolios and squirreling the money away for a rainy day; they're spending it immediately at the retail service industry level, which pumps it right back into the economy," he said.
Amy Hanauer, executive director of Policy Matters Ohio, said, "Ohio workers and the Ohio economy will both benefit from this raise for our lowest-paid neighbors. The employees who benefit will turn around and spend money in our communities, stimulating growth here."
Greg Bartholomew, owner of All American Cards and Comics in Warren and Boardman, said small business owners should be able to manage the increase without issue.
"As a small business owner, I wouldn't have a problem with a 10 cent-an-hour raise," he said.
Bartholomew, who has been a business owner for 20 years, has less than 10 employees, all of whom already are paid more than the state minimum, he said.
"It's so small. I'm not an economist, but I think it's small enough. Every little bit helps for the person in charge," he said, adding that even if you had 20 employees and paid out a thousand hours in pay, you're only looking at another $100 dollars.
"I don't think that that should be any problem for anybody. You have to take into account inflation and things like that," he said.
Nativio said in his opinion, minimum wage should be around $15 an hour.
"How long are people going to stand for the government subsidizing low level service industry people?" he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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Alumni Friday: Mike Tittel
Mike Tittel attended Summer Intensive in 2003 and is an amazing adventure/sports/fitness/lifestyle photographer based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. Whether shooting on location with lights, models and stylists or on the side of a mountain while ice climbing, Mike's photographs show a clear love of adventure. You don't get the quality of images that he captures by sitting on the sideline waiting for the shot, the model to look just right, or the action to unfold in front of you. He clearly is a participant in each shot he takes. His camera angles and attention to detail show a genuine interest and intimate knowledge of each sport, lifestyle, athlete or adventure he is capturing. His client list includes companies such as Columbia Sportswear, Patagonia, Wenger, Utah Office of Tourism, Outside Magazine, and National Geographic Adventure to name only a few.
Mike's images also illustrate an amazing knowledge and capability to work with light, both natural and artificial (strobes). He has a series of videos on his website that captures the behind the scenes look at some of his shoots. It's a great glimpse at a working photographer's process.
To see more of Mike's work visit his website and his blog.


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From hospitals to homeless services, libraries to labour unions and Red Cross to Redwood State Parks, the North Coast's volunteers are frequently the mortar that holds the bricks together for non-profit organizations.
Beginning today through next Saturday is National Volunteer Week, held annually and sponsored by the Points of Light Foundation. The observance is about saying "thank you" to one of America's most valuable assets and calling the public's attention to everything volunteers do to improve their communities. The foundation's website offers a free "2006 National Volunteer Week toolkit" to help organizations plan and publicize their recognition activities. The kit even includes a form letter for requesting a proclamation from one's city or county government.
National Volunteer Week began in 1974 when President Richard Nixon signed an executive order establishing the week as an annual celebration of volunteering. Points of Light has chosen "Inspire By Example" as the theme for this year's National Volunteer Week because it reflects the power volunteers have to inspire the people they help, as well as to inspire others to serve.
Julie Ryan, who has worked for the past year and a half as part of AmeriCorps' "Promise Fellows" programme, finds the volunteers with whom she works to be especially inspiring, in part because of their age.
"Part of my job focuses on serving youth in the community and promoting youth volunteerism," said Ryan, who is one of the volunteer coordinators at the Volunteer Centre of the Redwoods. "You get to know the kids in a different way. When you're not a teacher and you're working with kids, there's a different dynamic. I believe it's really important to be responsible and accountable."
In that way, Ryan inspires youth by her example. She came to the centre after seeing an advertisement in the paper that asked, "Do you like working with youth?" For her, it was a no-brainer.
"I really enjoy working with young people a lot," she said. "And I really enjoy being here, it's a wonderful atmosphere to work in and I've learned so much about my community."
Ryan recently worked with nine students on putting together a safety fair for more than 200 fourth-grade students. She was quite impressed with their accomplishments.
"I'm really, really proud of them," she said. "As well as learning about disaster awareness, they learned about leadership and communication -- positive leadership styles that are inclusive and democratic. You get a lot of good results when you include everyone in the decisions."
Here in Humboldt and Del Norte counties, the Volunteer Centre of the Redwoods is sort of the "hub" of volunteerism and helps match those who wish to serve their community with an agency or individual who needs some help. A programme of the Area 1 Agency on Aging, the VCOR also encompasses the Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme, which finds volunteer opportunities specifically for those in their "golden years."
Since RSVP receives federal funds, the volunteer centre keeps a database of volunteer "enrollees" that enables it to track the statistics the government requires on all programmes it helps fund.
"It's for enrolment purposes; that's where we need all the information in order to get the benefits available through RSVP," said Stacy Becker, a volunteer coordinator at VCOR for five years. "A big chunk of our funding for RSVP comes from the feds, through large grants from the Corporation for National and Community Service and its sister programmes."
Becker said right now there are about 1,316 people enrolled in the local database.
"The numbers have definitely gone up over the years," Becker said. "But that doesn't count the hundreds of people that we refer directly over the phone and don't enrol in our system."
Ryan said that if a potential volunteer is unsure about what type of volunteering they want to do, they can come to the centre for a one-on-one consultation with a VCOR placement coordinator. They'll ask about their skills and interests and then refer them to opportunities ranging from food banks, animal rescue groups, county departments (like the library) and cleanup crews to children's court advocates, classroom aides and innumerable others. If they're 55 or older, the coordinator will usually enrol them in RSVP.
Some of the local ongoing RSVP activities include "Katie's Krafters," a group that meets at the Arcata Senior Dining Centre twice a week to make lap robes for rest home residents through Meals on Wheels and others in need. Another group, the "Woodcrafters," meets at the senior centre in Eureka and makes handcrafted wood toys to be distributed to children in need through local churches and family programs.
Becker said RSVP members Elizabeth and Harvey Bolinger also create an assortment of handmade items on their own for children in need, such as stuffed animals and dolls, which they donated to local charities.
Another monthly activity handled by a four- to five-person team of RSVP members is the KEET-TV programme mailing. The team meets at the senior centre in Eureka and spends about half a day sticking labels on 3,000 to 4,000 monthly KEET-TV programme guides.
"They are indispensable in terms of helping us with that," said KEET Business Manager Leslie Douglas. "We couldn't manage without them, and they're so dependable."
This example points out how small groups of volunteers who show up regularly can have a tremendous impact on a non-profit organization.
Some of the other programmes offered by VCOR are the School-Based Programme, which includes pen pals, in-class helpers and resource speakers, and Board Connections, which provides training for those interested in serving on a local non-profit's board of directors.
Often there are needs for short-term volunteers, so Ryan coordinates another programme called the "Drop of the Hat Brigade."
"We get all kinds of one-time requests from agencies -- like they need people who like to volunteer with families, or do beach cleanup, or be event coordinators, you name it," said Ryan. "These are for people who can volunteer at the drop of a hat and can range from a couple of hours doing a bulk mailing, or working at a music festival or events like Godwit Days, things like that."
Ryan said people of all ages enjoy being part of the brigade because it's so flexible. Right now it numbers around 170.
"A lot of people are really, really busy but still want to be connected to the community," she said, "so it's a good way to make that connection."
Ryan refers people to the event's coordinator, who then lets the brigade volunteers know what they need done, whether it's setting up tables and chairs, greeting people at the door or handing out programmes at a fund-raiser.
"And there's always a need for people to help get rid of invasive beach grass," she said, referring to events held several times a year by local environmental groups. "People really seem to like pulling out the grass -- I guess the physical labour helps them burn off steam," she added with a chuckle.
Essentially, then, the centre provides a source of "one-stop shopping" for anyone who is interested in making a difference in their community.
Volunteering, of course, is a two-sided coin, so the centre also serves hundreds of non-profit organizations, government agencies, schools and others that are looking for help. Having a skilled coordinator play matchmaker assures the agency that the volunteers will be "pre-screened" and will have at least some, if not all, of the qualifications it needs in a volunteer.
Besides the obvious physical, psychological and social benefits of volunteering, there are also some benefits to which RSVP members are entitled. That's why it makes sense to go through the formal enrolment process if you're 55 or over, Becker said.
"There's some limited mileage reimbursement to and from the volunteer site while on the job, and that covers whatever method of transportation they use -- bus, dial-a-ride or their own car," said Becker. "They have to turn in their time sheets once a month in order to get the mileage reimbursement and report the hours they worked."
She said RSVP members are also eligible for supplemental health and auto insurance, which kicks in after the insurance carried by the agency they volunteer for and after the volunteer's own personal insurance.
VCOR honours its volunteers at an annual event, as do many other organizations in the area. For example, there are more than 50 community volunteers who work with the Humboldt Area Foundation staff, according to Alexandra Reid, director of donor services. These volunteers assist "with everything from bulk mailings to investment decision-making," Reid said.
This year, she said, Humboldt Area Foundation wants to highlight the work of volunteer David Cherney, who "has become indispensable to HAF." Cherney recently retired after teaching all grades at Pacific Union School for more than 25 years.
"He serves on the scholarship committee that awards scholarships to students based on merit," Reid said. "He also serves on two Field of Interest grant committees, helping select the nonprofits grant recipients that care for animals and those that work for the environment. David also doesn't mind rolling up his sleeves and helping to sort the more than 165 scholarship applications that come in, or standing by the copier as it produces copies for all the committee members. We estimate that he contributes more than 160 hours each year. Recently, David has also volunteered to help with phone and reception coverage."
The local RSVP was founded in 1973, only a year or two after the national RSVP began. It was originally at Humboldt State University and then moved under the auspices of the Area 1 Agency on Aging in 1984, Becker said. The Volunteer Centre of the Redwoods was formed in 1994 and RSVP was then moved under VCOR. The volunteer centre has about four or five employees and a rotating AmeriCorps person.


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EU Ratings Rotation Plan Said to Face Possible Rejection
European Union finance ministers may scrap plans to force companies to rotate the credit-ratings companies they use on concerns that the measure may harm investor confidence and increase market volatility.
Denmark, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU, will seek an agreement by ministers this week on whether to delete the proposal, according to two people familiar with the matter who couldn't be cited by name because the talks are private.
Michel Barnier, the region's financial services chief, proposed the rotation rule last year as part of a draft law to toughen regulation of the industry amid concerns that some ratings decisions were unjustified and exacerbated the region's fiscal crisis. While Barnier said rotation would boost competition and solve potential conflicts of interest facing credit-ratings companies, regulators have warned that the requirement may worsen the quality of ratings in the short term.
The U.K., Germany and Spain are among more than 10 EU nations in favor of removing the requirement from the law and possibly discussing it again when rivals to the so-called big three of Fitch Ratings Ltd., Moody's Investors Service Inc. and Standard & Poor's may have increased their market share and resources, according to one of the people.
Under Barnier's plan, companies would be expected to change the company that they pay to rate their credit every three years. The time limit could be extended to six years if a business hires more than one ratings company.
Copenhagen Meeting
Finance ministers will discuss the measure at an informal meeting in Copenhagen on March 30-31, the people said. They will also consider what regulation should be applied to credit-rating companies based outside the 27-nation EU.
A potential problem with Barnier's plan is that very few ratings firms have the know-how to rate complex debt instruments, such as some structured products, said Karel Lannoo, chief executive officer of the Centre for European Policy Studies, a Brussels-based research institute.
When national regulators have imposed similar rules on audit companies the large firms have simply "carved up the market," Lannoo said in an interview.
Parliamentary Approval
The draft law needs approval by national governments and by lawmakers in the European Parliament before it can take effect.
Preben Aamann, spokesman for Denmark's EU presidency, said he expected the draft law on credit-ratings companies to be discussed at the finance ministers' meeting. He declined to comment further. Chantal Hughes, spokeswoman for Barnier, declined to comment.
A spokesman for S&P in London declined to comment and Fitch Ratings in London declined to immediately comment. A spokesman for Moody's in London couldn't be immediately reached for comment.
Ministers at this week's meetings will also discuss proposals being worked on by Barnier for winding down failing banks, said one of the people. Measures suggested by Barnier include writing down senior unsecured creditors of crisis-hit lenders.


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MONTGOMERY, Alabama ---- Five people spoke for and four people spoke against proposed new restrictions on abortions during a public hearing held today by the Alabama Senate Health Committee.
After the hearing, the committee approved a bill to require women to wait 48 hours to have an abortion after they receive printed materials about risks, adoption agencies, fetal development and fathers' obligations.
HB 489 by Rep. Ed Henry, R-Hartselle, would amend the Woman's Right to Know Act. The law now requires a 24-hour wait after a woman is given the state-mandated information.
It's one of four controversial abortion bills that have already passed the House of Representatives. Speakers today were allowed to comment on all four, although three were not ready for formal consideration by the Health Committee.
The legislation could become the latest abortion restrictions passed by Alabama's Republican-dominated Legislature, which last year approved a law that is now tied up in court.
At today's hearing, Hunter Mills, a freshman at Troy University, spoke for the 48-hour bill.
Mills said he was born to an unmarried teenager who chose adoption over abortion. Mills, 18, told the committee the adoption alternative is not emphasized enough in debate over abortion.
"All I can say is adoption, adoption, adoption," Mills said. "We don't hear it enough."
Pam Skaggs of Gulf Shores, a proponent of abortion rights, told the committee that before the Roe v. Wade decision legalized abortion, she knew friends who got beaten in the stomach or underwent coat-hanger abortions. But people with money were able to get abortions even when they were illegal, she said.
"Before Roe v. Wade it was horrible," Skaggs said. "I would hate to go back to that."JoAnn Cummings of Decatur, an abortion rights advocate, recited statistics on poverty and hunger and said women have abortions because they know their economic limitations.
"Women choose to terminate their pregnancies because they can't afford them," Cummings said. "And they've been doing that for thousands of years."
Cheryl Ciamarra of Alabama Citizens for Life took exception to that.
"Because you're poor, you deserve a death sentence?" Ciamarra said. "To me, that is almost communistic in thinking."
Susan Watson, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, said there is no value in requiring the 48-hour wait because women already think carefully before choosing abortion.
Watson said the 48-hour rule would be a tactic intended to bully women into changing their minds.
"It implies that women are stupid and that we need politicians to hold our hands and guide us," Watson said.
The committee approved HB 489 with Sen. Billy Beasley, D-Clayton, casting the only vote against it.
Besides the 48-hour bill, the other three abortion bills that passed the House are:
-- HB 490, would prohibit abortions in cases where a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can occur as early as six or seven weeks.
-- HB 493, would require doctors to provide women with information about post-birth hospice services before aborting a fetus with a lethal anomaly, a defect reasonably certain to cause death within three months after birth.
-- HB 494, would tighten the law on minors receiving parental consent for an abortion.
The Health Committee chairman, Sen. Greg Reed, R-Jasper, said he expected the committee to vote on those bills next week.
Sen. Cam Ward, R-Alabaster, said he was opposed to abortion but was concerned about passing legislation certain to result in a federal court challenge.
"I don't want to pass legislation that says we're going to throw it out there to force the Supreme Court to give us a decision," Ward said.
Eric Johnston, an attorney and member of the Alabama Pro Life Coalition, said that the fetal heartbeat bill is the only one of the four that has been blocked by a federal court after passing in another state.


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Washington, D.C. -
President Obama quietly signed an Executive order allowing clandestine operation by U.S. assets in Syria to support rebel forces. The order helps support the opposition without the fear of providing rebels with weapons wondering what they will do with them afterwards and if they would be used against the U.S. or by terrorist.
The order does not permit U.S. military forces, but does allow for the CIA and para-military operations commissioned by the U.S. to take an active role in tactical and strategic operations for the Syria rebels.
Other types of assistance to be provided by the U.S. include communications, logistics and medical supplies.


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If you have heart failure (HF), you may wonder if physical activity is
good for you. How could putting more strain on your heart and making it
work harder be a good thing? The truth is, moderate physical activity
helps the heart get stronger.
Regular and moderate physical activity, such as walking, swimming or
biking, can improve HF symptoms, reduce stress and increase energy
levels. It can also decrease blood pressure, improve circulation and
help you lose weight—important factors in staying healthy, especially
when you have heart failure.
Being physically active with this condition can be a struggle, and you
may have to follow certain precautions. Talk with your doctor before
starting a physical activity program. If you're not used to physical
activity and are nervous about starting, your doctor can help you
develop a physical activity plan that fits your needs.
Well Ahead Newsletter
Main Line Health
Copyright 2016 Main Line Health
Printed from:
The information provided in this Web site is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice. All medical information presented should be discussed with your healthcare professional. See additional Terms of Use at www.mainlinehealth.org/terms.
For more information, call 1.866.CALL.MLH.


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Hours upon hours of shows on television are devoted to weddings. Some follow brides through the choice of the dress. Other shows focus on the frosting-covered, sugar-filled dessert that towers above all others at the reception.
The wedding cake has been a part of the wedding tradition for ages and serves multiple functions. The cake is decoration. Guests will look at it when they enter the reception hall and it has the opportunity to reflect the humor, style and personality of the bride and groom. The cake is symbolic. Together, the newlyweds cut the cake as their "first act" as man and wife. The feeding of the cake to each other, is a promise that they will keep each other fed throughout their years together. The cake is food. Quite simply, the cake is there to feed the people at the reception. Engaged couples often debate the flavor or flavors of a cake to satisfy their guests' tastes.
On the shows that build wedding cakes, teams of decorators and bakers can create outlandish edible monuments. However, when it comes to choosing a cake for their wedding, some brides stick with tradition while others go off the wall with fountains, satellite cakes and towers of buttercream.
Article Photos
SCRUMPTIOUS — This cake by Paula Harper is a variation of a traditional cake. Square layers stacked on a bias give unique shapes to this four-tier cake. Flowers and ribbons have been popular decorations in cake design for the past few years, Harper said. (Photo courtesy Paula Harper.)
The general consensus among cake bakers is that the further in advance the bride sits down with a baker to hash out the details of their fairy-tale cake, the better. Suzanne Carter and Paula Harper both say three to six months beforehand is the normal time frame given to bakers by brides. Especially during the busy season, cake makers will need more time to focus on the more elaborate cakes.
Bringing in ideas can also make the baker's job easier. Coming in with photos of parents' cakes or celebrity cakes is always a good idea, according to Carter. Harper said that new ideas are fun and challenging. The more challenging a cake design is, the longer the baker will need to get it right. Currently, Harper is working on a "topsy-turvy" cake for a wedding this fall. While she is excited about the cake, she said she will probably make a trial cake before the big day.
"I'm anxious to try and do that," Harper said. "I love new ideas."
While non-traditional cakes are popping up more, Carter said she has seen more traditional designs. Over the past year, she has decorated many cakes in a traditional vein. There is one thing all the cakes have in common.
"They (brides) want something simple but elegant,"?Carter said.
However, knowing the design of the cake is just a small step in having the centerpiece of the reception perfect. One of the first things Harper says she takes into account is the number of people the cake will need to serve. The standard bakers use to charge for their cakes is a price per slice. That is usually the easiest way for brides to determine how much cake for the baker to make based on the number of guests.
Aside from the flavor of the cake itself, the way the cake is decorated is important as well. Bakers can use fondant or buttercream to cover cakes, but finding out which method the baker prefers can make the decision of which baker to choose. Harper said she will not cover a cake in fondant. Carter prefers not to, but will. Both have used, and enjoy using, fondant to make 3-D elements-such as leaves and flowers. No matter how the cake is covered, the baker should be focused on creating a cake that fits the bride's style.
All in all, the cake is one of the most important parts of the reception. The bride needs to sit down with her baker to make sure all of the attendees will remember how delicious and lovely the cake was.


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About Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisited:
Alex Kapranos Franz Ferdinand
"Even that odd look of his was consistent with his music. He like his voice possessed a very beautiful ugliness. Or rather, a savage beauty. There was nothing pretty, nothing redundant in his look, just like in his songs."
"He was manly without being macho. I can't think of any other artist capable of singing about women's orgasms in this way. He didn't give a damn about appearances and was therefore much more of a rock'n'roll character than most rock stars."
"His sense of humour was also very sexy."
"He held onto his notoriety throughout the generations, like Baudelaire, because he was consistent. Even though he was interested in trends, his fierce independence rang through. He was constantly evolving, persued different ideas to their ultimate end – reggae, funk, etc. He never let go."
"Too many musicians believe in the rock'n'roll mythology where you can be talented and relevant only when you're young. The older Gainsbourg grew, the more risks he took and the more he pissed people off."
Glasgow's art-damaged rock quartet Franz Ferdinand — named for the Austro-Hungarian Archduke whose murder sparked World War I — features bassist Bob Hardy, guitarist Nick McCarthy, drummer Paul Thomson, and singer/guitarist Alex Kapranos. In late 2001, Kapranos and Hardy had begun working on music together when they met McCarthy, a classically trained pianist and double bass player who originally played drums for the group despite no prior experience as a drummer. The trio had been rehearsing at McCarthy's house for a while when they met and started playing with Thomson, a former drummer for the Yummy Fur who felt like playing guitar instead. Eventually, McCarthy and Thomson switched to guitar and drums, and the band switched practice spaces, stumbling upon an abandoned warehouse that they named the Chateau.
The Chateau became Franz Ferdinand's headquarters, where they rehearsed and held rave-like events incorporating music and art (Hardy graduated from the Glasgow School of Art, and Thomson also posed as a life model there). The bandmembers needed a new rehearsal space once their illicit art parties were discovered by the police, and they found one in a Victorian courthouse and jail. By summer 2002, they recorded an EP's worth of material that they intended to release themselves, but word of mouth about the band spread and Franz Ferdinand signed to Domino in the summer of 2003. The group's EP Darts of Pleasure, which led some to label Franz Ferdinand "the Scottish Interpol," was released that fall, and the band spent the rest of the year supporting groups such as Hot Hot Heat and Interpol itself. Franz Ferdinand's second single, Take Me Out, arrived in early 2004. The single propelled them to greater popularity in the UK and laid the groundwork for the band's debut album. Franz Ferdinand was released in February 2004 in the UK and a month later Stateside. Franz Ferdinand's success followed them across the pond; "Take Me Out" became a sizeable modern rock hit, in part thanks to the song's cutting-edge video, which earned the Breakthrough Video award at that year's MTV Music Video Awards. The group's momentum continued with the release of the Michael single and their Mercury Prize win over such artists as the Streets, Basement Jaxx and Keane. Franz Ferdinand released their second album, You Could Have it So Much Better ... with Franz Ferdinand in fall 2005.
- by Heather Phares
All Music Group


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The attractive Pacific island of ISLA BOCA BRAVA has two beaches – both quite plain – and its patch of rainforest is crisscrossed by paths that are nice to ramble around while you seek out howler monkeys, armadillos and the like. The island's small size ensures that you're not in any danger of getting lost. You can also arrange a snorkelling trip to nearby islands with white-sand beaches.
Panama // Chiriquí Province //


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Don't let it get away!
Keep track of the stocks that matter to you.
Help yourself with the Fool's FREE and easy new watchlist service today.
Earnings season is dead. Long live earnings season!
As the calendar flips over on the final earnings season of 2012, investors move briskly ahead into Q1. According to tradition, the first quarterly earnings season of 2013 will begin with Alcoa's Q2 announcement on Monday, April 8. But to tell the truth, I'm not all that interested in what the aluminum manufacturer has to say. What interests me -- and more importantly, what I've got to tell you today -- concerns steel stocks instead.
You see, no sooner has Alcoa kicked off the season, than steelmaker earnings will come tumbling out, and tripping all over each other. On April 15, Nucor (NYSE: NUE ) will report, followed shortly thereafter by fellow mini-mill operator Steel Dynamics (NASDAQ: STLD ) .
A week later, on April 23, it will be AK Steel's (NYSE: AKS ) turn to deliver earnings -- more on that in a moment. Then venerable U.S. Steel (NYSE: X ) will chime in on April 29. Last but not least, the world's biggest steel concern, ArcelorMittal (NYSE: MT ) , will straggle into place with its earnings report on May 11. Five cold-rolled lumps of steelmaking news, delivered to your doorstep in the space of four short weeks.
But what will that news be?
Here's your earnings preview
Actually, the news these companies deliver next month may not be much of "news" at all. Just last week you see, Ohioan steelmaker AK Steel gave us some earnings guidance, giving investors a heads up that:
- Its steel shipments will be down 7%-10% sequentially from Q4 levels.
- The company will attempt to offset declining profits by raising its prices 5% on what steel it does manage to sell.
- At the granular level, automotive steel shipments will show some strength, and raw material costs may be down.
- But this will be offset by what AK calls "normal cyclical" weakness in the spot steel market.
Nucor agrees
AK's advice generally jibes with what we've been hearing from AK's peers. For example, Nucor recently warned that its Q1 earnings could run anywhere from $0.20-$0.25 per share, and will therefore be down roughly by half both year over year (in comparison to Q1 2012) and also sequentially (in comparison to Q4 2012). So the trend in profitability is clearly down.
That being said, Nucor is seeing some strength in automotive steel sales (although "sheet steel" in general is "weakening"), and in "energy" (read: "pipelines") as well. Negative trends include a lack of "seasonal improvement that is typical" for Nucor in Q1 -- but apparently not for AK. Also, Nucor seems upset that high "import levels" of cheap foreign steel are swelling supplies and depressing prices.
And Steel Dynamics lends company in misery
Adding to the downbeat drumbeat in March was Steel Dynamics, which guided investor to flat "adjusted" earnings of $0.17-$0.21 per share, numbers the company says are "comparable" to the "adjusted" $0.20 it earned in Q4 and the straight $0.20 earned in Q1 2012.
Like Nucor, Steel-D is seeing "decreases in galvanized sheet volume" generally. Like Nucor and AK, Steel-D likes the prospects in automotive sheet steel. The company sees strength, too, in railroad rails and products used in residential and commercial construction -- albeit this growth is off of "base historical lows."
Foolish takeaway(s)
So what are the key takeaways from all this? Despite pockets of strength, profits growth remains elusive across the steel industry. This seems to be the unanimous consensus of companies that have issued guidance so far.
This also suggests that the relatively high P/E ratios we're seeing among steelmakers today -- 22 times earnings at Steel Dynamics, 29 times earnings at Nucor, and infinity times non-existent earnings at unprofitable AK, USX, and Arcelor -- may not be sustainable.
And as for all those single-digit forward P/Es that analysts are projecting based on hoped-for earnings growth next year? Feel free to hope for them, but so far, the evidence doesn't seem to support the case.
If you're looking for some long-term investing ideas, you're invited to check out The Motley Fool's brand-new special report, "The 3 Dow Stocks Dividend Investors Need." It's absolutely free, so simply click here now and get your copy today.


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"We can't thank everyone enough for all the well wishes and prayers being sent Bret's way," his management team writes in a new statement posted on Michaels's Web site Sunday evening. "Please remember Bret is, and always has been, a fighter and survivor and is under the best medical care possible."
The post also promises an update as soon as doctors find the cause of the bleeding in Michaels's brain.
"As of now Bret remains in ICU under 24 hour surveillance," the statement reads. "Further testing this week will help locate the source of the bleeding. Look for an official medical report from doctors this week here at BretMichaels.com."
Before he was transported to the undisclosed hospital, Michaels, 47, was suffering a massive headache, which he likened to "[getting] hit in the head with a baseball bat over and over again." According to a source close to the situation: "He still has the headache and is heavily sedated."
See what other readers have to say about this story – or leave a comment of your own


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How to Photograph Craft Projects: Photography Guide for Selling Your Arts and Crafts Online
By: Maria Nerius
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More and more artists and crafters are using the web to sell their items. There are online auction sites, online craft fairs, and opportunities to create online shops. A key element of selling on such sites is to have crisp, clean photographs of your work. No photo is better than a bad photo, the consumer is used to crisp, clear, clean visuals when shopping. A photo that focuses on an item for sale is called a product shot.
You don't need to invest in the most expensive camera, but if you are serious about selling your work online consider investing in a tripod. Few of us have a steady hand when it comes to holding a camera perfectly still as we click for a photo, a tripod will give you the stability you need to good photos. Some tripods unfold to stand tall while others will only stand 2-3". The tripod screws onto the base of your camera and a must have for serious photographers. Tripods will help you in normal view and also with macro shots.
Here are some of the best product shot tips from the experts:
- Take your photos outside to get the best light on your items. Cloudy days are best as the filtered light helps bring pop to the photo.
- Display your item in an interesting way, but don't let the background or display become too busy. You want your item to be the main attraction.
- Contrast your background and item. Light items on dark backgrounds and dark items on light backgrounds.
- Take photos from many different angles and select the one that gives the best view of your item.
- Use a tripod. Shaky hands led to unfocused images. Practice and get comfortable with your camera.
- Take photos from different angles and select the angle that shows off the product best.
- Crop your photos. You don't need a lot of background, what you need is a nice close up of your work.
Here are some examples of product shots that sell the artist or crafter's work:
The artist used a prop (the young woman) properly. Your eye does focus in on the white leather bow that is for sale and you see clearly how it can be used. Leather Bow Tie by Ulala's Shop.
The glass artist did a great job with a difficult subject matter. Glass is so reflective that it's not easy to capture, you need filtered light. The artist also included a side shot of the pendent so the buyer could see its thickness. Handmade Fused Glass Blue Dichroic by Diana's Stained Glass Shop.
I added this image because although the artist got a great shot of the tissue cozy, you wouldn't know what it at first glance. If a small bit of tissue was coming out of the cozy, more than likely you'd know what the item is right off the bat. Online, you aren't there to explain your product; you need a photo that can work as your salesperson!
Read Maria's other great guide, How To Create Your Own Craft Selling Event! A Guide to Hosting An Open House
Check out these other great projects Maria really likes that have great photos as well:
Casual Chunky Hoodie Circles Wall Art Patterned Wall Art
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Feb 04, 2010
What are the best web sites to sale craft items. Thanks,
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So, let's talk about the Colby Bubble.
You know about the Colby Bubble, right? It's the generally accepted euphemism on campus for the idea that life as a student at Colby isn't like life in the so-called real world. The idea that students are isolated and insulated from the distractions and disruptions and disappointments that real adults have to deal with all the time. The idea that within the cozy confines of Mayflower Hill students are somehow exempt from real life.
It's an interesting idea in that it's sort of true and sort of not.
There is no denying that Colby is a contrived community. Think about who lives here. You - the roughly 1800 full-time, 24/7, eat-sleep-study-play residents of Mayflower Hill - are almost exclusively 18 to 22 years of age.
With few exceptions you all eat together in the same places at the same times every day.
You live in a residence hall room (or a couple of rooms if you're lucky) where you sleep and study and change your cloths and snack and socialize and occasionally do other things that you don't want me to know about and I don't want to acknowledge. You share bathrooms and walk down the halls wrapped in towels and knock on each other's doors at all hours of the day and night and all of that is completely normal.
We send you one big whopping bill twice a year, but once it's paid and you're here you don't have to worry about things like paying the electric bill or running out of hot water or shoveling snow off the walk. You have access to health care and counseling and athletic, recreational, and fitness facilities pretty much around the clock at no extra charge. There are lectures and films and concerts and art exhibits and athletic contests and theatrical performance and parties at your disposal every day.
You all take classes and most of you are involved in some activities that require you to be in particular places at particular times. A good chunk of you are employed for a few hours a week but almost none of you work full-time during the stretches of time that you are here. But most of you have lots of unstructured time when you can do pretty much anything you want.
All of that is intentional, deliberate, and exactly as it is supposed to be. Because all of that creates a space and a setting for you to engage in the process of learning as fully and completely as possible. Because learning here is an all-the-time thing. Because the insulation the "bubble" provides makes it easier and safer for you to step beyond what you already know and push the boundaries of your comfort zones. Because you get more out of being at Colby when you can give your full self over to being at Colby.
So yeah, there are big parts of this that are different from what your life was like before you came to college and what your life will be like after you leave. But your life on Mayflower Hill is no less real than it was, is, or will be when you're not here.
The exhilaration you feel when you step out of your residence hall on a crisp, blue sky October morning with mist crawling off the frost on Miller lawn is real exhilaration.
The frostbite you get if you walk across that frosted lawn with bare feet is real frostbite.
The anxiety that churns in your stomach right before you step out on stage on opening night is real anxiety.
The adulation that surrounds you when you take your third curtain call to a standing ovation is real adulation.
The pride and happiness you feel in the joyful mayhem that erupts after the final horn sounds after the men's hockey team beats Bowdoin or women's basketball team beats Bates (or any of our teams beat Bowdoin or Bates) is real pride and happiness.
The disappointment that follows striking out with the tying run on third base to lose the game to Williams is real disappointment.
The sense of community and belonging you experience volunteering on Colby Cares Day is real community and belonging.
The loneliness that rushes over you because you couldn't be at home for your little sister's tenth birthday party is real loneliness.
The thrill of accomplishment when a chemistry experiment works, the frustration of making a careless mistake on a calculus exam, the elation of falling in love and the heartbreak of getting dumped, the warm embrace of acceptance and the ache of betrayal, the comfort of kindness and the sting of cruelty are all real.
Yeah, there is a kind of a Colby Bubble. But entrance into it doesn't come with tights and a cape. The things that happen to you and to your friends and your families while you're here are real. The choices you make and the things that you do have real consequences for you and for the people who are affected by them.
Your time inside the Colby Bubble isn't your whole life. But it is your real life while you're here.
So work hard and have fun. And be careful, be kind, and, you know, be real.
Back to Living Colby Home Page
Inside the Colby Bubble
Pluralism in Practice
Family Fun Weekend
Not What You Expected
The Promise of You
Getting It Right The First Time
The End of Semester Nutties
Exam Stuff
Living Colby Essay's - Class 2016