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Today was Steve's first day back at work and whilst we missed him like crazy, the day continued on and was pretty good. For Daddy however the day was long and hard without us and couldn't help but call just to say hi and make sure things were OK. I could hear the longing in his voice but at least the band aid has been ripped off and tomorrow should be easier for him. I emailed him lots of photos for his screensaver at work and took this photo today just for him. We can't believe he'll be a week ... [ Discover More ]
Archives for August 2009
Splish Splash
Aidan's first bath at home.He loved every second. If he could smile he would have.Even Mumma had fun and was beaming from ear to ear.Daddy got in on the action too. ... [ Discover More ]
Sunday Snuggles
Our sweet little family.I get lost in Aidan's eyes, pure magic."BURP"... goes the baby.Mumma & BubbaSisters & SonAunt Stephanie & Aidan ... [ Discover More ]
Shhhh… Mumma's Sleeping
Hi everyone, had a few spare minutes before Aidan's next feed and thought I'd let you know we were discharged from hospital today and thankfully happy and settled in at home. It's slowly sinking in that our little family is real and we're enjoying soaking up our new babe. Steve has been an absolute godsend and I don't think I could have ever attempted to be the kind of mother I am without him. So far feeds are going well but due to the c-section my milk is taking a little longer to come in so ... [ Discover More ]
Aidan Ryan
On behalf of Danielle, I Aunty Steph sat down with Steve and let him choose his favourite photos of Aidan so far so I can share them with you, Danielle's family, friends, fellow bloggers and people who she is yet to meet but already care about her new little family so much.He is such a cute little guy and it is easy to see both Danielle and Steve in his features. At only 3 days old he is doing well and passing his tests and eagerly awaiting more cuddles from me and his Grandma tomorrow when we ... [ Discover More ]
We're Parents!!!
It's pretty bad when you've just had a c-section, learning to breast feed, haven't had lunch yet and in desperate need of a nap... that I make my way down to the hospital internet cafe with baby and Steve in tow... to blog. Aidan Ryan Melnyczenko was born via c-section at 7:42 am on Tuesday the 25th of August. We had planned inducement with my Ob for Thursday but due to blood pressure complications, swelling and other factors, I was admitted to hospital on Monday afternoon with an overnight stay ... [ Discover More ]
welcome baby
Hi Everyone,I'm Danielle from over at Hello Owl. I'm Danielle's BFF and guest blogger for today.A few weeks ago Danielle asked me to do a short post when the time came to let you all know that LM had made an appearance. {I know it sounds totally weird doesn't it, like there's too many Danielle's rolling around in your head}Well today is my lucky day because this morning Danielle gave birth to a healthy baby boy, both of them are doing well and having a nap as I type.She'll be in hospital for a ... [ Discover More ]
I'm sorry it's late this week but I have been caught up with Mum and Steph.I'm so in love with Little Squishy (Little Mezza) and can't wait to hold him in my arms as a family.Today I decided to do thing differently with a sparkly top and even ventured into some eye make up. I'm looking forward to my hair appointment on Wednesday. But for now I will soak up as much of my sister as I can. ... [ Discover More ]
A different kind of labour…
... slave labor that is. As I already posted, my family arrived on Saturday (explaining lack of posts over the weekend) and I'd made a list of things for Mum to do around the yard since she'll be here for a few weeks and LM will hopefully be sleeping a lot. I didn't want her going batty and I know how much she loves to get her hands dirty in the garden... and my what a big garden we have!(click to enlarge)We rent so have no say at all about the garden, we just have to keep it looking nice and ... [ Discover More ]
We are Family
Christmas 2008 was the last time my whole family was together. Stephanie and her boyfriend Joshua flew down from Townsville to celebrate with us and Mum & Dad drove over from Newy. It was nice and casual and really special that we were able to host a family Christmas for the first time. I dragged us all out onto the front lawn on the last day of their stay and took this photo as a lovely reminder... little did we know that Little Mezza was only a couple of weeks at the time.After the passing ... [ Discover More ]
Light & Fluffy
I have a busy out and about with Steve today who's taken time off to hang out with me. We have an Ob appointment that I hope won't throw us any surprises and maybe a little shopping to prepare for my family's arrival on Saturday. Steve and I are also making time for another date tonight (two in one week... woohoo!) to go to the cinema and see Inglourious Basterds, by Quentin Tarantino and maybe grab some Thai food for dinner. So I'll leave you with some light & fluffy images collected from ... [ Discover More ]
Highs & Lows
The past few months have been a roller coaster of emotions and Steve and I have tried our best to weather each high and low, gripping the handlebars, feeling the wind in our hair and screaming bloody murder with a bit of reflux and lots of smiles and laughs along the way. It's all new, exciting, draining and heartwarming all at the same time.I've been blogging for a few years now and been a reader of others blogs for even longer. Sure it's a great way to meet new people, delve into the lifestyle ... [ Discover More ]
Lunching with Luke
Today was a beautiful day. As soon as I woke up I knew I didn't want to be cooped up inside so I called Luke in hopes of grabbing a coffee with him before he started work at 1pm. To my delight he had the day off and was open to lunch as well as coffee. Sweet deal. I picked him up and we were off. We chose a quaint little cafe in Windsor and soaked up the sunshine. The food was so brilliant that we were almost finished our meals when I remembered to take a photo. I like the way the photo captures ... [ Discover More ]
When I'm bored…
... I go Op Shopping. It's something I can do on my own and if it's a good day can take up most of my afternoon, jumping from shop to shop. I don't feel guilty because I'm helping charities and I know I'm not going to spend more than loose change. I've been trying my best to kill the time and soak up the "me" time but it's proving rather frustrating because all I really want to do is meet LM.I always go to the bulky items section first and wouldn't you know it... my highchair from Ikea, that I ... [ Discover More ]
Spontaneous Steak
I was hungry, really hungry... so I hatched a cunning plan. I got dressed, put some make up on and waited. As soon as Steve walked in the door I shoved him in the shower, then told him to get dressed... he was taking me to Hogs Breath. The shock factor worked and within 10 minutes we were out the door and officially on a date. We were on a Date, we were going to eat Steak and we each got free Cake.We arrived at 6pm, just before the rush and boy was it busy. We got a lovely little table right by ... [ Discover More ]
Sharing is Caring
Katie Holmes is your bff and one day she takes you to the mall and surprises you with the most amazing present...the use of her credit card for one day {within reason of course} What would you buy? ... Thanks Dani, fun challenge.Obviously I've whinged way too much about my pregnant body and to cheer me up Katie is taking me out to buy me a stunning post baby outfit... and to stock up on a few essentials if I'm to keep hanging out with her in public. She buys me a classic black Birkin, oozing ... [ Discover More ]
Clever Contrast
My lovely sister bought me the one thing I coveted for the nursery but couldn't seem to get my hands on... an alligator clip mobile. Wherever I looked they were sold out but Stephanie found one, bought it and shipped it down to me. I really wanted a mobile hanging over the change table but I didn't want anything too bulky. This is perfect as you barely even notice it hanging there and doesn't clash at all with the room.I hung it using a trusty 3M hook and some invisible sewing thread. My ... [ Discover More ]
Isn't it gorgeous. I'm so in love with my bump and "my little squishy" aka: Little Mezza. After going to the Birth Suite and seeing all the squishy newborns it's all I can seem to call him now days. I can't stop dreaming of what he'll look like and what features he'll have. This is going to be the longest 2 weeks of our lives, it's already started to draaaaaaaaaaag...Everything is done. Everything. Even my assignments are being ticked off quicker than expected. The house is spotless and Steve ... [ Discover More ]
Nappy Novelty
Today I got so many things ticked off my check list, must have been the brilliant sleep I had last night thanks to the acupuncture. One of the things I managed to get done was the first wash of LM's new nappies.The microfiber boosters are so soft and really absorbent.I'm so happy with the colours we picked, so fun.They looked so sweet drying in the sunshine. It's hard to think I'll get sick of washing nappies every day and seeing them on the line... but I guess I also forget what they'll be ... [ Discover More ]
I've never had acupuncture before but only ever heard good things about it and now that I'm in my final DAYS of this pregnancy I thought it couldn't hurt to try. I chose to go to the same place where I had my massage and reflexology last week at Rouse Hill. Lovely people and the atmosphere is really nice. The photo is a bit shaky because Steve didn't want to stand outside a shop with a lady taking a photo of a shop... but that's the way I roll and that's what he signed up for lol.The acupuncture ... [ Discover More ]
Master Bedroom… Finally.
Completely by accident I found the most perfect quilt cover, the one from my dreams and it was on sale. It's a lovely soft 400 thread count Egyptian Cotton, duck egg blue quilt cover with 2 tailored pillowcases. After just one wash it felt like we'd been using it for years, so so soft. It doesn't have flowers or anything girlie on it so Steve's a fan too.The colour is very subtle but just right and doesn't clash at all with the walls. It looks almost white in these photos but up against our ... [ Discover More ]
Drive @ Dawn
Last night I treated Steve and cooked him dinner. I cooked a real "Man Feast" of Taco's with all the trimmings and I could tell by his saucy grin he appreciated every bite. Then I whipped up some fresh diced strawberries with icing sugar and a little strawberry ice cream for dessert. I totally won that guys heart. My heart however burned all night long...I took my beloved Ranitidine pill as usual but still found myself waking every half hour. At 3am I'd had enough and took some liquid Mylanta as ... [ Discover More ]
All the Pretty Flowers
Spring is in the air... or available by the cartload at your local nursery. I went to Bunnings on Monday to cure an evil that has been haunting me for weeks. The 'nesting' has spread people. Not only am I completely neurotic about cleanliness IN the home, it turns out I'm partial to the outdoor clean up as well. I'm definitely making Steve work for this kid of ours.We have lovely hanging baskets (ok, they're just cheap $2 ones from the Reject Shop) and over Winter they didn't survive as well as ... [ Discover More ]
Thanks Grandpa
As soon as we announced to our families that we were expecting Little Mezza my Dad had already picked out the name he wanted LM to call him, thus "Grandpa" was born and a very excited Grandpa he is! Every time I call my parents he answers the phone "Is it time?" and it's so very very cute.He wanted to give LM a gift that was substantial and would keep on giving. We'd already purchased all the furniture so I asked him to pitch in for BumGenius nappies. Something he'd use everyday for months and ... [ Discover More ]
Before I left to have my blood pressure test this afternoon I snapped this weeks bump pix as I'm sporting my new green cardi from BigW of all places. I also have it in black lol. I also wasn't sure how the test would go and if it would eventuate to a C-Section and I really wanted to make sure I had a record of this weeks bump. Obviously LM is quite happy where he his and no one wants him out of the oven just yet although as of today I'm officially full term and he's welcome to vacate whenever he ... [ Discover More ]
Blood Pressure Test
My Ob ordered a 4 hour blood pressure test at my last appointment and I had to done today. Seriously a great way to spend a perfect sunny Saturday... not. In the end it took 5 hours and was so boring I had a nap. The best part was the trace and hearing LM's heartbeat and having to press the button every time he moved. A fun game. Thankfully Olly was in my handbag and kept me entertained for awhile.This is me, don't I look sexy sprawled out on the bed with my huge belly bulging about. I knew I ... [ Discover More ]


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Iran Car Accident Kills IAEA Atomic Inspector
A South Korean inspector from the International Atomic Energy Agency died in an automobile accident in Iran during a tour to inspect nuclear facilities.
A vehicle carrying two IAEA staff on a mission near the Khondab complex in the western Markazi province flipped over, the Fars agency said yesterday, citing a statement by Iran's atomic energy organization. The second person, a Slovak national, was hospitalized, according to the Iranian Students News Agency.
South Korea's Foreign Ministry said in a statement yesterday that a 58-year-old national with the last name Seo died in a car accident in Iran at about 11 a.m. local time while traveling from Tehran to the city of Arak, Markazi's capital and the site of one of Iran's nuclear sites. The vehicle suddenly lost control and veered off the road, the ministry said today in another statement.
The accident occurred before a meeting next week between Iranian officials and the IAEA in Vienna and another later this month with world powers aimed at resolving a standoff over Iran's nuclear program. The U.S. and its allies say they are concerned that the Iranian government may develop nuclear weapons. Iran says its activities are aimed at generating electricity and for medical research.
Israeli Threats
The IAEA is in touch with the Iranian authorities and with the inspectors' families, it said in an e-mailed statement. The agency gave no further details of what happened.
Threats by Israel and the U.S. to carry out air strikes on Iranian nuclear installations, and Iranian pledges to retaliate, helped push Brent crude prices to about $126 a barrel in March, the highest in more than 3 1/2 years.
Prices have declined since Iran and the world powers broke a 15-month stalemate on the nuclear conflict during talks on April 14 in Istanbul. Another round is scheduled for Baghdad on May 23.
Crude oil for June delivery fell as much as 66 cents to $96.35 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange and was at $96.51 at 3:10 p.m. Singapore time. Odds compiled by Intrade.com that Israel or the U.S. will strike Iran by the end of this year dropped to about 23 percent yesterday from 33 percent at the end of March and as high as 62 percent in February.
Iran is a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and its facilities are under IAEA supervision.

subset: commoncrawl


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- Post Punk Kitchen – Vegan Recipes & Awesomeness - http://www.theppk.com -
Sauerkraut Mushroom Soup (Shchi)
Posted By IsaChandra On October 12, 2012 @ 5:19 pm In Recipe,Recipes Featured | 32 Comments
Serves 6 to 8
Total time: 1 hour || Active time: 20 minutes
You guys, Terry has a new book coming out! It's called "Vegan Eats World [1]" and it's 300 international-inspired recipes. It's out on October 30th but ready for pre-order [1] now. This book is hardcover and full-color and errything, and I'm going to share a few recipes with you over the next week or so.
Last month on the Post Punk Kitchen facebook, we were talking soups and stews, and someone was reminiscing about a Ukranian sauerkraut soup they grew up with. I remembered that Terry had a recipe for it, so I thought that this would be the perfect one to start with.
OK, now Imma let Terry take it away!
"Sauerkraut soup? Believe it! Sauerkraut proves a robust and tangy base for this hearty, Russian-inspired, winter-cold-cutting soup that's bursting with vegetables."
~For the sauerkraut, shun the lifeless canned stuff in favor of the high-quality 'kraut sold in jars or plastic bags in the refrigerated section; even better, buy it in bulk (usually stocked in big barrels) in some Kosher or Eastern European markets.
~You'll be using the juice so be sure to set some aside!
2 cups cremini mushrooms, stems removed and caps wiped clean
1 large leek, root and dry leafy ends trimmed, cleaned and finely diced
1 cup finely diced carrot
2 stalks celery, finely diced
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 cup dry white wine (or vegetable broth)
2 cups diced parsnip or potato, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
6 cups vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional, but very good)
2 teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano
2 1/2 cups sauerkraut, with juices
1/2 cup sauerkraut juice (or more vegetable broth)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
A few twists cracked black pepper
For garnish:
Your favorite vegan sour cream (optional)
Chopped fresh dill or parsley
Slice mushroom caps in half, then slice the caps into quarters to create bite-size mushroom pieces. In a 4-quart soup pot over medium-high heat, sauté the leek, carrot, and celery in vegetable oil for 6 minutes. Stir in garlic and mushrooms and sauté for another 6 to 8 minutes, or until mushrooms have reduced in size and released most of their liquid.
Pour in the wine and simmer for 2 minutes, then stir in parsnip, vegetable broth, bay leaves, allspice, caraway seeds (if using), marjoram, sauerkraut, sauerkraut juice, and ground black pepper. Increase heat and bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat, stir occasionally and cover.
Simmer the soup for 35 to 40 minutes or until the parsnips are tender. Remove the bay leaves, turn off the heat and season with cracked black pepper and salt if necessary and garnish with parsley. Allow soup to cool 5 minutes before serving. Top each bowlful with a generous tablespoon of vegan sour cream.
Article printed from Post Punk Kitchen – Vegan Recipes & Awesomeness: http://www.theppk.com
URL to article: http://www.theppk.com/2012/10/sauerkraut-mushroom-soup-shchi/
URLs in this post:
[1] Vegan Eats World: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0738214868/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0738214868&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwtheppkcom-20
Click here to print.
Copyright © 2011 Post Punk Kitchen - Vegan Recipes & Awesomeness. All rights reserved.


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Top Definition
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To exaggerate an action. To humiliate.
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Tracking Invest 97
Gov. Scott: Everything we do is geared toward job creationUPDATED 12:36 PM EDT Mar 18, 2013
Gov. Rick Scott visits Orlando to speak about Florida's dip in unemployment and says the state's eased barriers to manufacturing make it more alluring to businesses.Video Transcript
EJECTED AND LANDED ON NORTH BEACH STREET WHERE HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD. MORGAN WAS NOT WEARING A HELMET. NEW AT NOON, THE LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN FLORIDA FOR FIVE YEARS AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THOSE FIVE YEARS BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. FLORIDA GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT WAS IN ORANGE COUNTY TODAY TO TOUT THE JOB CREATION. WESH 2'S STEWART MOORE WAS AT THIS MORNING'S ANNOUNCEMENT. Reporter: TWO THE FANFARE OF EMPLOYEES AT THE MITTS BITCHY PLANT IN ORLANDO, GOVERNOR SCOTT SAYS UNEMPLOYMENT IS DOWN. WE WANT JOBS FOR FLORIDA FAMILIES. WE WANT EVERYBODY IN OUR STATE WANTS A JOB TO HAVE A JOB. I WON'T STOP UNTIL WE'RE THE NUMBER ONE STATE FOR JOB CREATION, NUMBER ONE PLACE IN THE WORLD FOR JOB CREATION. Reporter: THE GORE WAS FLANKED BY ORANGE COUNTY MAYOR TERESA JACOBS WHO SAYS THIS REGION IS WHAT'S PUREEING THE STATE. WORKING TOGETHER WITH COMPANIES THAT WE'RE SO PROUD OF LIKE MITSUBISHI THAT ARE EMPLOYING HIGHWAY EMPLOYEES TO DO MANUFACTURING JOBS, WE ARE PROVING TO OURSELVES AND TO THE ENTIRE COUNTRY THAT WE CAN DO IT, WITH HE CAN COME BACK FROM THIS. IN A MISSILE RACE AGAINST STATES LIKE TEXAS AND CALIFORNIA FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF SPAYS SPACE TRAVEL, GOVERNOR SCOTT SAID FLORIDA IS DOING WHAT IT CAN TO CONVINCE NASA AND BUSINESSES TO STAY AND GROW HERE. HE SAYS THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE AND HE THINKS THE FEDERAL GOLD CAN LUCK INTERESTED -- CAN LEARN FROM THE WAY FLORIDA HAS DONE BUSINESS. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO DO THE EXACT SAME THING. IF WE DID, OUR FEDERAL ECONOMY WOULD GET BETTER. RIGHT NOW FLORIDA'S DOING THE RIGHT THINGS, OTHER STATES ARE DOING THE WRONG THING. THEY'RE RAISING THEIR TAXES, INCREASING ARREST REGULATIONS AND THAT'S WHY IT'S NOT WORKING IN THOSE STATES AND ABSOLUTELY WORKING HERE. THE DISCOVER SAYS WHAT -- THE GOVERNOR SAYS WHAT SETS FLORIDA APART IS THIS IS A MORE BUSINESS-FRIENDLY STATE AND HOPES THE TREND WILL
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River Reports
Wye and Usk Foundation Update
Thursday 25 October, 2012
At our meeting last Friday, reasons for increased salmon catches on Wye and Usk formed much of the discussion: 1248 fish recorded from the Wye and approximately 1250 from Usk (up 64% and 51% on 5 year average respectively) Chris Tidridge from the EA (Midlands) gave us some insight into the workings and need for involvement in the Water Framework Directive, inviting everyone to have their say in the WFD consultation here. There has been a very much more equitable spread of catches on both rivers with salmon able to escape from the estuary in the higher flows for which 2012 will be remembered.
The Grayling Society held its annual conference in Llandrindod last weekend before setting out to tackle some of the locals in the Wye. It was still a bit high but some decent sized fish were landed. While it's been damp, there hasn't been much rain this week and he rivers are now quite clear but dropping very slowly. Grayling fishing is really coming into its own with a colder spell due towards the weekend. Barbel are still being caught and chub fishing has been good. We could now see a shift towards seeing more pike in reported catches.
In the office, work is starting on next year's Passport and shortly, the availability of season rods will be posted. Until recently, you could wait until the season started and take your pick. We don't think this will be the case for the coming year and advise that you put a marker down early.
Work is being undertaken on behalf of Welsh Water to shed some light on salmon migration in the context of abstraction. Tagged fish will be tracked up the Usk.
Canoeing is permitted on the upper Wye and upper Usk (down to Crickhowell) but under the strictly defined conditions.
Please will you point out to anyone obviously not adhering to these conditions where they may find details and let us know if there are problems on email@example.com
This does not apply to the navigable section of the Wye.
Events: The Nick Brabner River Walk will be on Sunday 25th November 2012. This is getting booked up. Please let the office know if you would like to come. This is a chance to see salmon spawning/jumping falls during one of the most important stages of their life cycle.
All the best from WUF.
Wye and Usk Foundation Update - Annual Meeting
Tuesday 16 October, 2012
With just today and tomorrow left for salmon fishing in the main river Wye and Usk (upper Wye and tribs finish 25th Oct), both rivers are swollen by overnight rain, but dropping and cooling. We are quite accustomed to losing fishing days with long periods of low water in both rivers but I cannot recall quite so many being lost to high flows. The upside is that between them, fishing has been good, especially for the salmon. Quite how good can be seen on our catches page and (plug coming!) will form an essential part of our presentations at our annual meeting 6.30pm on Friday, Ross on Wye.
The grayling fishing is well underway on the Wye and as the barbel catches start to tail off, chub and dace are featuring more in the catches. There is a lot more grayling fishing available this year including Craig Llyn and Dolgai (open from mid-November) below the Elan junction along with Mortimer's Cross on the Lugg. Last year, the drought put many of the Lugg and Arrow beats at a disadvantage. This is not the case this autumn!
Frank Williams is running a Grayling course on Sunday 4th November. This is a chance to shorten the learning curve, but numbers are limited.
Events: The Foundation's Annual Meeting will be at the Royal Hotel, Ross on Wye, 6.30pm on Friday, October 19th.
The Nick Brabner River Walk will be on Sunday 25th November. Again, please let the office know if you would like to come. This is a chance to see salmon spawning/jumping during one of the most important stages of their life cycle. You will need to book by contacting the Office on 01982 560357.
All the best from WUF.
Wye and Usk Foundation Update
Friday 5 October, 2012
Annual Meeting
The Foundation's Annual Meeting will be at the Royal Hotel, Ross on Wye, 6.30pm on Friday, October 19th.There are no formal minutes or procedures – it's a series of presentations of the activities and work carried out throughout 2012. We are hoping the Environment Agency will explain how the Water Framework Directive will affect our rivers and above all it's an opportunity to assess the status of this year's run of salmon and the two rivers other fish and wildlife. With some imminent changes due in the management of the Usk and the welsh sections of the Wye, we will be putting forward our own plans for the future. Refreshments will be provided and there will be a bar and raffle. This year's sweep will include a stunning print kindly donated by the artist, David Miller.
Prospects: There are just under two weeks of the salmon season remaining, trouting has now finished although grayling fishing is technically well underway. Everything hinges on just how much more rain will hit each catchment. Given the high flows, and that the reservoirs are full and discharging, perhaps now is the time to look at the higher Upper Wye and upper and middle Usk beats. The rate the rivers are dropping (if they are indeed dropping!) is taking much longer than at any time during the season.
The Nick Brabner River Walk will be on Sunday 25th November. Again, please let the office know if you would like to come. This is a chance to see salmon spawning/jumping during one of the most important stages of their life cycle. Details will be posted on the events section of the website shortly.
All the best from WUF.
Wye and Usk Foundation Update
Thursday 27 September, 2012
Annual Meeting 19th October.
In the last mailing we noted that at last, the lower Wye beats were managing to get casting after months of intermittent high water. I'm afraid it didn't last long. September 2012 is bidding to enter the record books for its heavy rainfall, perhaps not so much on the Wye and Usk but in the northeast and borders of Scotland, where your correspondent is currently…….. not fishing the Tweed! The rain started on Sunday (22nd) and although pausing today, looks set to come back at the weekend and later too.
Previous good returns from all angling disciplines before the rain, turned into disappointment for many anglers when it fell. Barbel fishers were doing particularly well, as were those after grayling. Wye salmon anglers have taken the monthly total to 139 and the annual total to 1039. Modest as this may seem, when the number of days lost to high water and the relatively low angling effort is considered, there is good reason to dispel some of the gloom that has surrounded the Wye. We look set to record the best catch for 15 years. Why is this when other rivers are below par? We'll save that for the meeting on the 19th October! The Usk catches remain a secret but we suspect it is also very encouraging.
Good news for grayling anglers: the Mortimer's Cross beat on the Lugg will be open again this winter for day tickets. The fishery was extremely popular when available a couple of years ago with plenty of 2lb+ grayling caught. From October 18th to March 2nd there will be 3 rods available daily, £15 per rod.
Prospects: There are just under three weeks of the salmon season left and only a few days trout fishing remaining, although grayling fishing is now well underway. Given the high flows, the emphasis will be on the top end of the upper Wye and upper and middle Usk, initially. The latter settles more quickly and the whole Usk should come into perfect order along with the Wye above Hereford, but will it stop raining?
Our annual meeting is at The Royal Hotel, Ross on Wye 6.30pm, Friday 19th October. There will be a series of presentations and updates on progress of both Wye and Usk, Raffle and light buffet. All welcome, please book a place with the office by phone or email (as below) so we can anticipate numbers. Advanced notice of any questions much appreciated. The Nick Brabner River Walk will be on Sunday 25th November. Again, please let the office know if you would like to come.
All the best from WUF.
Monday 17 September, 2012
Saturday 15th, 7.30pm, a 28inch salmon approximately 9lbs was taken just above the Carrots Hole, Lower Carrots on a 2inch Waddington Shrimp fly.
Wye and Usk Foundation Update
Monday 17 September, 2012
Annual Meeting.
Our annual meeting will be at The Royal Hotel, Ross on Wye 6.30pm, Friday 19th October. There will be a series of presentations and updates on progress of both Wye and Usk, Raffle and light buffet. All welcome, but please book a place with the office by phone or email (as below) so we can anticipate numbers. Advanced notice of any questions much appreciated.
Many thanks to all those who responded to our request for information on Japanese knotweed our firstname.lastname@example.com report line was quite busy for a few days. These sites have been entered on our database enabling us to deal with a whole section in one visit. We won't get to all of them this year but as we work downstream, all will eventually be treated.
Prospects: For now the weather has settled and comes as close to an Indian summer as 2012 will allow (ie not much rain for a few days!) The rivers are both very clear and on the low side; temperatures are dropping. With two weeks left of the trout season, conditions are fair but likely to be better in the bigger streams and rivers. Grayling are a bonus for Wye fishers. Hatches are sparse and nymphing the order of the day. Coarse fishing is becoming a little more challenging without the blanket of colour that the Wye has been so generous with this year.
Upriver salmon fishers will be hoping for yet more rain thus earning the displeasure of those downstream! Fish are now being caught in the beats below Monmouth – big tides should help here. Wye catches range from Coedithel in the tideway, Golden Mile below Hereford right up to Spreadeagle – so just about anywhere can produce a fish. The Usk reverted to fly and spinner only, the Wye remains fly only.
While we continue to urge proper care and handling and that every coloured fish is returned (mandatory on the Wye) we have heard concerns about the viability of returning late season fish. Two pieces of evidence enable us to reassure fishers: Firstly, evidence of the annual catch up shows that properly handled every single fish can survive to spawning. On top of that, work carried out by the NRA in the '90s radiotagging Wye fish throughout the year showed that it was the late season fish that survived best (<98%) followed by spring fish caught in cold water with fresh summer fish the least likely to survive.
Availability: Wyesham has additional dates available on 1st, 6th and 8th October. Most remaining Thursdays available on Cadora plus a number of dates on Upper Redbrook. There is a selection of fisheries free on the middle Wye including Goodrich, Courtfield, Lower Carrots, Whitney, Holme Lacy 3 and Whitney.
The Nick Brabner River Walk will be on Sunday 25th November. Please let the office know if you would like to come.
All the best from WUF.
Wye and Usk Foundation Update
Wednesday 5 September, 2012
Both rivers are holding at a steady height, helped in the case of the Wye by a steady discharge from Elan. There is a very slight peaty stain to both but clarity is excellent. The cooler nights battle with the daytime sun to bring a net cooling. So for now, all change in respect of the weather.
Salmon catches finished on a healthy total for the month: You need to go back to 1993 and before that to 1988 to find a higher August total on the Wye (212). We suspect the Usk did well also. When levels were right, trout and coarse fishers enjoyed some excellent sport….as did grayling fishers.
We are now spraying Japanese Knotweed and would appreciate if you would report any that you see in either catchment on firstname.lastname@example.com
Prospects: With three weeks left of the trout season, conditions are finally ideal and there are opportunities in every stream and river across both catchments available. Last week was a better week for Grayling and the coming week should be even better. As levels drop, salmon fishers on the lower rivers might finally be in the right place though unless it drops very quickly, just about all the Wye and lower/middle Usk should produce fish.
News Update Correction
Wednesday 29 August, 2012
In the newsletter sent out today, it should have pointed out that all legal methods are allowed on the Usk until 15th (inclusive)….not 1st September the date when the Wye becomes fly only.
Apologies all round WUF
Wye and Usk Foundation Update
Wednesday 29 August, 2012
Yes, it's raining again today but there will be some brighter weather towards the weekend. This rain will add to the succession of small, dirty spates. The only merit is that they disappear quite quickly (hoping I'm not doing a Michael Fish here!). Fishers are continuing to find that fish (of all species) can be caught in what we see as coloured water. Both Wye and Usk flows are running with a bit of a peaty stain and when even a small amount of silt is added, this really looks opaque. Luckily it clears very quickly, often in a matter of hours.
On Saturday, 1st September it will be fly only on the Wye and fly and spinner only on the Usk. We make our annual plea that hens and coloured fish are returned on the Usk; it's now mandatory on the Wye. Both rivers are holding a much larger stock of salmon and the remaining month and a half could see big catches. In recent years the Usk has been taking about half its annual catch in these last six weeks.
Salmon catches in August have been good for those who made it to the right place at the right time. Frustration for those who fish the lower Wye – the speed with which Trothy and Monnow can colour the river has been in marked contrast to last year and many anglers have been reduced to a few hours with the spinner between spates. Nonetheless, both Wyesham and Bigsweir have added to their score. The middle Wye and Usk have had more opportunities and it is good to report that those seizing the chance on the beats downstream of Hereford and middle Usk have been catching fish and seeing fair numbers.
The upper Wye has had the better of what opportunities have been available and several beats have exceeded catches from the recent past: Spreadeagle above Glasbury the most notable with 80, Nyth 60 and Rectory 55. New fishers are visiting the area and some catching their first ever fish, though many beats remain tenantless for much of the time.
Trout and Grayling catches have been good between downpours and so has the coarse fishing. (Please see Anglers Feedback & Reports on the website).
Prospects: After today's deluge, which arrives just as the previous spate was settling, there will again be great opportunities especially for salmon. Following what is now the usual form: Fishing will start well up river and pick up downstream as the water settles. We are predicting a very good September.
Fly Only: May we suggest a few additional techniques for those who like an "extra string to their bow" ….What can I use when the water is high and I would normally spin? I keep an extra rod made up with a modern sinker: an easy to cast sinking head (Messers Sportfish and Fishtec will advise) and a heavy tube fly: Willie Gunn being my favourite pattern. The same gear can be used to cast a Red Frances tube into fast or deeper streams where this shrimp imitation is often taken. Another tip from Iceland or Norway is the Sunray Shadow. This is a long haired lightweight tube (up to 4") which is cast across on a floating line and stripped back rapidly. Takes can be spectacular with the salmon jumping out of the water to take it. Trout show a healthy interest too. All these have worked on the upper Wye this year.
All the best from WUF.
Wye and Usk Foundation Update
Friday 24 August, 2012
It's Bank Holiday weekend so I can safely start with what I wrote last week: "Another bout of heavy rain is expected today which should give both rivers another thorough wash through!" There is possibly a second front arriving on Monday. The last flood was really quite dirty and peaty on the Wye, but less so on the Usk.
Last week we mentioned that we had a new fishery on board; Craig Llyn just downstream of Llanwrthwl Bridge, near Rhayader. After visiting the office with details for the website etc., the owner cast a tube fly into the Abercymryn Pool and took the beat's first fish of the year, at 12lbs.
The upper Wye has taken quite few fish during the week, topped by a 33lbs from Chapel Catch, Llangoed. There have been quite a number of larger fish showing up - 23lbs and 19lbs from Llanstephan and 15lbs from Glanwye, Nyth and Spreadeagle. Catches from Builth to Glasbury have already exceeded the last wet year; 2008. At the bottom end, it's been a matter of waiting patiently for the river to drop, which has been slowly, only to find more rain on the way just as it promises to come right. The middle Wye has been seeing quite a lot of fish. Joe Cobley has taken three in the last few days at Foy. We could do with some more anglers in this section when the water does come to a good height! Goodrich Court, one of the better middle/lower salmon fisheries, has received a good trimming following a few reports of access difficulties.
Grayling are increasingly appearing Wye and Lugg catches and we are pleased to report that Mortimer's Cross beat on the Lugg will be open again this winter for day tickets. The fishery was extremely popular when available a couple of years ago with plenty of 2lb+ grayling caught. From October 1st to March 2nd there will be 3 rods available daily, £15 per rod.
Trout are proving rather difficult to tempt – hatches have been sparse except last thing, which is not ideal for everyone. However, barbel and chub fishers are enjoying excellent sport. The beat at Whitehouse has recently been trimmed to make access easier.
Himalayan balsam: This monster is now flowering and already starting to produce seeds. If you have intermittent patches where you are fishing (as opposed to solid stands) pulling or cutting will help to reduce its spread locally.
Prospects: Assuming the deluge promised for today arrives (a bit less certain than last week), the focus of salmon fishers will once again be upstream on both river systems. Salmon have already pushed on and another rise will encourage further travelling. Trout and grayling (latter Wye only) fishing should improve in the daytime and once the flood has passed, the coarse fishers should have a great time on the Wye. As always, the Booking Office will be on hand to advise.
Found: Rod and reel at Abernant: Please contact the office.
All the best from WUF.


text: March 5, 2010 Baseball Garners Summit League Player of the Week Honors Centenary outfielder Cliff Shepard was tabbed as Summit League's Player of the Week after leading the Gents to a four-game sweep of in-state rival, Grambling, this past weekend. Cliff Shepard Shepard earns the weekly honor after recording a .500 average (8x16). The senior recorded eight hits and eight RBI, along with four runs, three doubles and a triple. He also had two stolen bases with an .813 slugging percentage and 13 total bases for a .550 on-base percentage. Louisiana Sports Writers Association Honors Whiting Centenary's Boone Whiting was honored as Louisiana Sports Writers Association's Pitcher of the Week after his strong performance in series opener with Grambling last week. Boone Whiting Whiting, a junior right-hander delivered a magnificent performance on Saturday in Game 1 of a four-game set with the Tigers as he earned his first win of the season. The Oakdale, Calif. native, tossed an eight-inning gem, allowing five hits, no runs and no walks while fanning seven. He held Grambling to a .172 batting clip through eight complete frames. Softball The Centenary softball team dropped its mid-week contest, 9-1, to in-state rival, Louisiana Tech in five innings on Wednesday evening in non-conference action. The Ladies (4-7) produced one strong inning where they connected on all three of their hits to plate one run. At the plate, senior Haley Bassett (1x2) drove in a run, while freshmen Callie Herrington (1x2) and Kelsey Regan (1x1) each picked up a hit. Baseball The Centenary baseball team wasn't able to find its offensive groove in Wednesday night's non-conference contest at Northwestern State, falling 11-2. The Gents (4-4) managed to put up only six hits, while the Demons (6-2) connected on 11 as Centenary tossed eight different pitchers. Leading the way offensively for Centenary was junior Scott Pasket with a 2x3, one RBI performance, while senior Cliff Shepard belted his second home run of the season. Senior Michael Tompkins (1x3) and juniors Cody Atkinson (1x4, R) and Keegan Acker (1x3) each had a base knock. Women's Golf The Centenary women's golf team the Lady Jaguar Invitational hosted by South Alabama in 16th place with a three-round score of 1071. The Ladies (349-355-367) finished 207 strokes over par and 158 shots behind tournament leader, Memphis (309-300-304, 913) after struggling in their final two rounds. Freshman Kyndal Rose (89-84-86) was Centenary's top performer with a 259 for 70th place. Tennis The Centenary tennis teams split the match with Louisiana College on Saturday. The Gents took blanked the Wildcats, 7-0, while the Ladies fell 5-2. Upcoming Home Events: Baseball Sunday vs Gonzaga @ Noon 05 fri Womens Softball Double Header versus University of North Texas First game starts at 5 p.m. at softball complex Mens Baseball versus Gonzaga First pitch at 6 p.m. at Shehee Stadium 06 sat Mens Baseball versus Gonzaga First pitch at 2 p.m. at Shehee Stadium 07 sun Mens Baseball versus Gonzaga First pitch at noon at Shehee Stadium 10 wed Womens Softball versus Northwestern State University First pitch at 6 p.m. at softball complex 11 thu Mens Baseball versus Texas College First pitch at 6:30 p.m. at Shehee Stadium 12 thu Womens Softball Double Header versus Oakland First game starts at 4 p.m. at softball complex College Named to 2009 Presidents Honor Roll for Community Service For the fourth year in a row, Centenary has been named to the Presidents Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. This is the highest honor a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning and civic engagement. For 2009, the Corporation for National and Community Service honored six colleges and universities with Presidential Awards, 115 as Honor Roll with Distinction members, and 621 schools as Honor Roll members, including Centenary College. According to Chris Lavan, Director of Community and Intercultural Engagement, students from Centenary and across the country are helping to renew the American spirit through service to others. Chris Lavan "Here at Centenary, service to the local community is both a central part of the colleges mission and its academic curriculum," said Lavan. "In my short time here leading the Office of Community, its been incredible to help develop a service-learning program thats focused on making a positive difference not only locally but also nationally and internationally as well. Our students truly have the opportunity to not only serve, but to create and lead projects that both change their lives and the lives of others in remarkable ways." The Service Learning Program at Centenary College has existed for more than 16 years and serves as one of many ways in which Centenary students are given the opportunity to make their own positive difference within the local community. Launched in 2006, the Community Service Honor Roll is the highest federal recognition a school can achieve for its commitment to service-learning and civic engagement. Honorees are chosen based on a series of selection factors including the scope and innovation of service projects, percentage of student participation in service activities, incentives for service, and the extent to which the school offers academic service-learning courses. Neuroscience Students Share Brain Insights at Sci-Port Thirty-six students from Centenary College will take their research on the road next week as they take part in Brain Awareness Week, an event designed to teach how the brain functions. The neuroscience students will present topics at Sci-Port: Louisianas Science Center along with the Red River Chapter of the Society of Neuroscience Monday, March 8; Wednesday, March 10 and Friday, March 12 from 10a.m. until 1 p.m. They will also present from noon until 3 p.m. Saturday, March 13. Dr. Greg Butcher, Assistant Professor of Neuroscience, shows brain samples to students during a presentation at Centenary College. Topics will range from binocular vision, taste, sound localization, and sensory overload, to memory, the blood-brain barrier, biological timing and more. Stop by and support our students hard work and learn how your brain functions! Sci-Port is located on the downtown Shreveport Riverfront at Clyde Fant Parkway at Lake Street. For information call 318.424.3466 or visit http://www.sciport.org. Thomas Hundemer to Perform Poetic Sonatas Monday, March 8 French horn performer Thomas Hundemer along with pianist Amanda Roberts will perform Poetic Sonatas in the Anderson Auditorium at the Hurley School of Music, Monday, March 8 beginning at 7:30 p.m. The sonatas are by Paul Hindemith, Eric Ewazen and a world premiere by Monroe composer John Goss. The program also includes Reverie by Alexander Glazunov, and Hundemer's Gently Weep for horn with electronic echo. Thomas Hundemer Hundemer, a native of Bogalusa, La., is Instructor of Horn at the College, and has been the principal horn of the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra since 1983. He has also been a frequent soloist with orchestras in the region. He has performed with many orchestras in the United States and Mexico, among them the Orquesta Sinfonica de Xalapa in Mexico, and the Quad Cities Symphony (Iowa-Illinois). He is also principal horn with the Longview, Marshall and Texarkana Symphonies, as well as 3rd horn with the Cabrillo Music Festival Orchestra in Santa Cruz, Calif., 3rdHorn with the Des Moines Metro Opera orchestra, solo horn with the Shreveport Symphony Woodwind Quintet, and co-founder of the New Friends Chamber Players in Shreveport. The concert is free and open to the public. For more information about this concert or upcoming performances, call 318.869.5235 or visit http://www.centenary.eud/music/events. Poet Stanley Plumly to Receive the 20th Annual Corrington Award The poet Stanley Plumly, whose most recent book is a "personal biography" of the English poet John Keats, will receive the John William Corrington Award for Literary Excellence Tuesday, March 16 beginning at 7 p.m. in the Whited Room. Stanley Plumly Plumly is the 20th recipient of the award, and will read from his own work during the evening event. Sponsored by the Centenary English Department, the event is free and open to the public. A selection of Plumly's books is for sale at the Centenary College book store. Born in 1939, Plumly grew up in his native Ohio and in Virginia. Educated at Wilmington College in Ohio and at Ohio University, Plumly began his distinguished teaching career as an instructor in creative writing at Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, in 1968. Since 1985 he has taught at the University of Maryland, where he directs the Creative Writing Program. Plumly is the author of eight books of poetry. The most recent is Old Heart (2007), a finalist for the National Book Award. Articles as well as poems by Plumly appear regularly in such periodicals as The American Poetry Review, The Atlantic Monthly, and The New Yorker. His articles, as Ronald Baughman notes, have made Plumly "an important commentator on and theoretician of contemporary poetry in general." Named for the novelist and Centenary alumnus John William Corrington ('56), the award takes the form of a bronze medal designed by the Louisiana sculptor Clyde Connell. This year's presentation marks the 20th year of this annual event. The Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and author of short stories Eudora Welty became the first recipient in 1991. Other Corrington medalists include Ernest J. Gaines, James Dickey, Elizabeth Spencer, Richard Wilbur, Eavan Boland, Michael Longley, and Yusef Komunyakaa. For additional information contact Centenary Professor of English David Havird at 869.5085 or 869.5254 or by email: email. Is Your Childs Development at Risk? KTAL News Channel 6 reporter Jenna Zibton had the opportunity to talk with psychology professor Dr. Amy Hammond about child developmental ability, cognitive development, and emotional development. Watch what she had to say and if your child is at risk. 05 fri CAB Casino Night Fun takes place in Kilpatrick Auditorium from 810 p.m. There will be games such as Blackjack, roulette, and craps. CAB will be giving away $1,500 worth of FREE prizes to students! Centenary Musical Theatre Group Spring Revue "Seasons of Life" featuring music from Avenue Q., Les Miserables, Spring Awakening, Rent, Glee, the Last Five Year and more! Anderson Auditorium beginning at 7:30 p.m. This event is entirely produced, directed and performed by students and is free and open to the public. 06 sat Centenary Musical Theatre Group Spring Revue "Seasons of Life" featuring music from Avenue Q., Les Miserables, Spring Awakening, Rent, Glee, the Last Five Year and more! Anderson Auditorium beginning at 7:30 p.m. This event is entirely produced, directed and performed by students and is free and open to the public. 07 sun Sunday student film series continues with The Nasty Girl A screening of the film The Nasty Girl will be shown starting at 6 p.m. in the Turner Art Center. The screening is part of the Student Film Series which will present 10 classic films and documentaries will be shown over a 13 week period through April 25. 08 mon FORUM, Part II Part II of the Forums topic, "Should some art be censored" takes place at 7 p.m. in Kilpatrick Auditorium. This will be a follow-up to Dr. Cynthia Freelands presentation on the intersection of art and morality when a group of Centenary students and members of the Shreveport Times Citizen Editorial Board will continue the discussion. A question and answer period will follow. 09 tue 3-2 Engineering program subject of lunchtime talk Want to learn more about the 3-2 engineering program? Stop by Mickle Hall, room 105 at 11 a.m. Richard Lopez will be on campus to share his experiences transferring from Centenary to Washington University in St. Louis as a 3-2 engineering student. If you are interested in this program, this is a great place to start! Film Society presents Il Divo The Centenary College Film Series continues with the screening of Il Divo at the Robinson Film Center beginning at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $5, free to students with Centenary I.D. card. The Robinson Film Center is located at 617 Texas Street in downtown Shreveport. 12 fri Escaped Images Dance Company Concert Escaped Images, in collaboration with local band, Dirtfoot, present Can Dance: a Dansical for one-night only. The performance starts at 8 p.m. at Marjorie Lyons Playhouse. Reserved seating. Tickets are $10 for students, $15 general admission. Call the MLP box office for more information at 318.869.5242. 13 sat Louisiana Regional College Career Fair The second annual Louisiana Regional College Career Fair takes place from 15 p.m. at the Bossier Civic Center. The Career fair is presented by the career services offices of Bossier Parish Community College, Centenary College, Grambling State University, Louisiana State University Shreveport, Louisiana Tech University, Northwestern State University, Southern University Shreveport, and the University of Louisiana Monroe. This exciting opportunity is open to all students and alumni from accredited community colleges, colleges and universities! Professional attire and resumes required for admission to the event. For more information, contact Dennis Taylor at 318.869.5360. visit website>> 15 mon Open Mic night Looking for something to do on a Monday night? Come out to the Alpha Psi Omega Open Mic Night from 5:4511 p.m. at the Marjorie Lyons Playhouse. The community is encouraged to get up on stage and have fun with poetry, improve, singing, dancing, stand up, etc. Admission is $2 at the door. 20 sat BIG Event 3 Mark your calendars now for the BIG Event 3. As a campus wide, student-led event, students, faculty, staff, and alumni all come together to act as neighbors helping neighbors. The Big Event exists to beautify the surrounding neighborhoods of Centenary College, to show our gratitude for their support of our community and to allow us to give back and connect with the Shreveport community. Keep watching the Weekly for more information abut this annual event! 21 sun CLC fundraising dinner Mouzon Biggs Jr. The Christian Leadership Center will hold a fundraising dinner at 6 p.m. at Noel Memorial United Methodist Church. Guest speaker is the Rev. Dr. Mouzon Biggs Jr., Senior Minister at Boston Avenue Methodist Church in Tulsa, Okla. A graduate of Centenary College of Louisiana, he holds a Master of Theology degree from Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University; a Doctor of Divinity from Texas Wesleyan University; and a Doctor of Humane Letters from Oklahoma City University. Cost is $35 per ticket or $250 per table. Call 318.869.5156 for more information. Need to find back issues?


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The new music package was written, arranged and produced by a talented team of composers from across America. Each arrangement articulates the main theme in a unique and distinctive way.
The majestic orchestrations were recorded by a 70 piece ensemble of elite musicians in Prague, capital of the Czech Republic.
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Lona Williams must have had a score to settle when she wrote "Drop Dead Gorgeous," a wretched, misguided comedy about small-town beauty pageants.
How else does one explain the film's smug, mean-spirited attitude toward beauty pageants? Williams, herself a former beauty pageant contestant, pens a script that tries to satirize the pageants and their participants and supporters.
Based on what happens in this film, she must have had a terrible experience, but she should have done her research: "Smile," released in 1975, already satirized pageants, and - let's face it - some of these pageants have already become parodies of themselves. So what's the point?
Not that another film can't be made on the same subject, but Williams' script misfires on three important levels: satire, characterizations and story.
"Drop Dead Gorgeous" takes place in quaint Mount Rose, Minn., which seems modeled after the town of Brainerd, Minn., in "Fargo." In fact, the wacky characters in this film behave and speak similarly to the eccentrics in "Fargo." Unlike in "Fargo," though, no attempt is made to make them individuals.
In "Drop Dead Gorgeous," young women are gearing up to compete in the Sarah Rose Miss Teen Princess Pageant. We meet bitchy rich girl Becky (Denise Richards), whose conniving mother (Kirstie Alley) seems to live vicariously through her daughter's triumphs, and nice girl Amber (Kirsten Dunst), who lives in a trailer park with her hard-drinking mother (Ellen Barkin). We also meet a girl who does a monologue from "Soylent Green" and a girl who seems especially proud of her brother the drag queen.
"Drop Dead Gorgeous" aims to be a mockumentary, one of those films in which a film crew gives us the behind-the-scenes look at an event, subject or place. In this film, we learn about the shenanigans at small-town beauty pageants - including all of the back-stage scheming and hypocrisy - and we meet local yokels who add flavor and color to the story. We also come to understand why some young women want to compete in pageants and why some parents push their daughters into the competitions.
Amazingly though, the movie botches this material in a most shameful and astonishing matter. For example, what should we make of a slow-witted man whose only purpose is comic relief? What about the subplot concerning the anorexic girl? Her role, if written in a sensitive way, could have fleshed out an already weak story, but the film mishandles her illness in an embarrassing, absurd manner. There's nothing comical about eating disorders.
There's also a scene in which Amber's mother has a beer can burned to her hand after her trailer blows up. Sounds funny, but it isn't. Oh yeah, let's not forget about the pageant scene in which Becky dances with a stuffed Jesus on a cross while crooning, "I Love You, Baby." Ha-ha, what a riot. Or the scene in which everyone comes down with food poisoning and pukes all over the place. Oh, stop! You're killing me, Lona!
"Drop Dead Gorgeous" offers a couple of nice touches - Amber works in a funeral home, for example - but the film goes dreadfully wrong in its execution and style. And the performances - some of which are satisfactory, including Dunst's - can't make up for sleazy aspirations. Whereas the recent comedy "American Pie" had sympathy for its characters, "Drop Dead Gorgeous" spares no one - except for Amber and a couple of others - from its rancor. Here's a film that despises almost every one of its characters, and seems to exist primarily as a way for its screenwriter to exact revenge. Revenge may have been sweet for Williams, but it's the moviegoers who suffer.
"Drop Dead Gorgeous"
Rating: Rated PG-13
Cast: Denise Richards, Kirsten Dunst and Kirstie Alley
Profanity: Moderate
Violence: Mild
Nudity: None
Grade: F
© 2016. All Rights Reserved. | Contact Us


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The Friends of the Beaverton City Library are having a holiday open house
on Friday, December 7th
from 4:00-7:00 pm (prior to the lighting of the Beaverton Christmas Tree)
at The Book Corner, 12470 SW Fifth Street, Beaverton
Come in for a cup of hot apple cider and doughnut holes and browse through our great selection of books.
Gift certificates are available. 503 643 5188. Visit our website, thebookcorner.org. Like The Book
Corner Beaverton on facebook.


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DEERS LEAP WINERY, 1520 Harpersfield Road, Geneva: Take II Band, 7 to 10 p.m. Friday. 440-466-1248.
HIGHLAND NAUS CLUB, 2350 Highland S.W., Warren: Karaoke with Tori on Friday and Glitter Pig on Saturday. 330-392-5861.
HOLIDAY SPORTS BAR AND GRILL, 2124 Elm Road N.E., Warren: DJ Joe 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, and Jeff Welsh Band, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday. 330-372-6479.
LONGBOYZ TAVERN, 200 Cleveland Ave. West, Champion: Nashville Sound DJ Express tonight, DJ on Tap on Friday, Longshotz Band on Saturday and open mic on Wednesday.
SUNSET LOUNGE, 480 E. Market St., Warren: Youngstown's Total Package Band, 8 p.m. Friday. 330-392-0088.
WINERY AT SPRING HILL, 6062 S. Ridge Road, Geneva: Take II Band, 2 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday. 440-466-0626.
BELMONT STAKES, 3136 Belmont Ave., Liberty: Live music on Friday.
CLUB AMAURI, Monteen's Southern Cuisine, 3807 Belmont Ave., Liberty: Live music on Saturday.
DONNA'S DINER, 10 W. State St., Sharon, Pa.: Live music on Friday.
GASOLINE ALLEY, 500 Vienna Ave., Niles: DJ on Friday.
GREENE EAGLE WINERY, 2576 Davis Peck Road, Greene: Live music on Friday and Saturday.
KUZMAN'S, 1025 S. State St., Girard: Live music on Friday and Saturday and DJ on Wednesday.
PARADISE BAR & GRILL, 2261 N. Park Ave., Warren: Live music on Saturday.
QUINLAN'S IRISH EATERY & PUB, 5154 Youngstown-Warren Road, Niles: Live music on Friday.
TULLY'S, 101 Chestnut Ave., Sharon, Pa.: Jam night on Monday.


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The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality approved a $145,211 fine Wednesday for air quality violations by Diamond Shamrock Refining at the Valero McKee Refinery in Moore County.
The company signed an agreed order in the case but denied the allegations, which included emitting 139 pounds of sulfur dioxide Aug. 30, 2010, well above the limit of four pounds per ton of sulfuric acid produced.
Other violations involve delays in reporting emissions and actions and in acquiring construction authorization.
The order said Diamond Shamrock must give $58,084 of the fine to Texas PTA for a program to replace or retrofit older diesel school buses to reduce their emissions. The order also lists multiple administrative orders the agency has issued the company since 2006 concerning other reporting violations and unauthorized emissions.


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Full CoverageBreaking News
"The Great Passion Play" not open for Easter weekendUPDATED 9:43 PM CDT Apr 18, 2014
"The Great Passion Play" not open for Easter Weekend.Video Transcript
PLAY" IN EUREKA SPRINGS WON'T OPEN FOR EASTER WEEKEND. IT FACED FINANCIAL PROBLEMS A COUPLE YEARS AGO, 40/29'S JONATHAN ROZELLE SHOWS US HOW THE PROJECT IS COMING ALONG, HE'S LIVE IN EUREKA SPRINGS. CRAIG, WE'RE TWO WEEKS AWAY FROM THE OPENING, CHECK OUT THE HUGE STAGE BEHIND ME, WHERE THE PLAY IS CENTERED. YOU'RE LOOKING DOWN AT IT FROM THE TOP ROWS OF THE AMPHITHEATER. ONE CAST MEMBER TELLS ME THEIR FINANCIAL WORRIES ARE BEHIND THEM, FOR NOW, AND THEY ARE READY TO TELL PEOPLE ABOUT THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD. AT THE END OF 2012 ... "THE GREAT PASSION PLAY" WAS ON THE VERGE OF MISSING THE 2013 SEASON BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES. KENT BUTLER, WHO PLAYS JESUS AND A FEW OTHER CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY, SAYS PEOPLE STEPPED UP AND HELPED THE SHOW GO ON. (KENT BUTLER -- PASSION PLAY ACTOR) "we were very blessed to a have a great 2013 season. We had some great numbers at our performances." HE SAYS THEY HAD ABOUT 30 LESS SHOWS LAST YEAR COMPARED TO OTHERS, BUT OVERALL ATTENDANCE WAS UP EIGHT PERCENT. THIS YEAR .... "things are looking up for the great passion play, and on this good friday, we're glad to look forward to a very good 2014 season." THE PLAY IS KNOWN FOR OPENING UP AFTER GOOD FRIDAY. BUTLER BLAMES THE LEAFLESS TREES AROUND THE MAIN STAGE, WHICH HE SAYS WOULD REVEAL SOME THE SHOW'S SECRETS. "when Jesus ascends in the middle of the night air, the lights go out. if we were to turn the lights back on ... without any leaves on the trees, he's still there." HE SAYS IN THE END, IT'S ABOUT ALLOWING THE AUDIENCE TO PUSH PAUSE ON THEIR LIFE AND CUT ACROSS TIME. "a lot of people in their daily lives, in their daily grind, they just get worn out and seeing a play put on by over one-seventy actors and actresses, you're just transported back in time and you realize maybe there's more to live than meets the eye." THERE ARE SEVERAL NEW THINGS TO THE PLAY THIS YEAR ... BUT I THINK THE COOLEST ONE IS SOME MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE CAN BE A PART OF THE PLAY ITSELF. THE PRODUCTION IS STAYING HUSHED ON WHAT PEOPLE WILL DO, BUT ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GIVE THE TICKET BOX A HEADS UP WHEN YOU PURCHASE YOUR TICKET. LIVE IN EUREKA SPRINGS. JONATHAN ROZELLE. 40/29 NEWS.
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Carolyn E. Kling, AIF®, AIFA®, GFS™
Johnson Financial Group
Johnson Financial Group
Ms. Kling has been awarded the Accredited Investment Fiduciary™ from the Center for Fiduciary Studies™ which signifies specialized knowledge of fiduciary responsibility and the ability to implement policies and procedures that meet a defined standard of care. Ms. Kling is certified to conduct investment fiduciary assessments of investment stewards, investment advisors and investment managers to determine how efficient their policies and procedures are aligned with (CEFEX) Global Fiduciary Standards of Excellence. A graduate of the inaugural Leadership Center for Investment Stewards at West Point, Ms. Kling, has earned the Global Fiduciary Strategist designation and is a member of the Global Leadership Council for qualified professionals that serve in critical decision making roles.
Ms. Kling sits on the board of several California non-profits as well as on their investment committees; is a Founding Endowment Member for the Del Mar Foundation, past Treasurer and outgoing President. Ms. Kling is active with numerous professional organizations including the North County Estate Planning Council, 100 Women in Hedge Funds, Women in Pensions, Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA), CEFEX Centre for Fiduciary Excellence; fi360, and the Family Firm Institute.


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Esperanto in non-Esperantist musicSubmitted by JudithMeyer on Mon, 12/03/2007 - 20:39.
Esperanto made appearances in popular music at various occasions and this listing is not (and cannot be) complete. I know that there are more bands who used Esperanto or made songs about it, especially in France, Finland and Japan, but I need YOU to confirm the names before I post them on here. Drop me a message.
Testimonials on Learning EsperantoSubmitted by JudithMeyer on Tue, 11/13/2007 - 17:23.
A lot of people all around the world have noted their observations as they started to learn Esperanto. Read for example what Marina Evdokimova, a 17-year-old girl from Russia wrote:
"I realized that it's actually not very 'normal' that I had been learning the language for just two months and already could express basically everything I wanted to, albeit looking up many words in the dictionary. I was so inspired that I read Gerda malaperis! to the end in three days :) Esperanto is addictive."
What others had to say:
Common criticisms about EsperantoSubmitted by JudithMeyer on Tue, 11/13/2007 - 17:21.
When hearing about Esperanto, many people initially have objections to it. However, most of the criticisms are unfounded, as you can read below. Find out for example why Esperanto is more suitable than English as an international language, how Esperanto is not Euro-centric, why it is as easy as it should be and how it promotes language diversity.
Reasons to Learn EsperantoSubmitted by JudithMeyer on Tue, 11/13/2007 - 17:19.
There are many reasons to learn Esperanto. It's easy, expressive, neutral, fun and can help you in many respects.


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Mineral Earthquake recovery
More information is available in Disaster Recovery
Residents statewide who have experienced structural damage between Aug. 23 and Oct. 25 as a result of the Mineral earthquake and aftershocks should report it to their local emergency management office. A statewide list is available here.
Federal assistance for individuals approved
- The Individual Assistance program has been approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for residents of these counties: Culpeper, Fluvanna, Goochland, Louisa, Orange and Spotsylvania. Individual Assistance is also available for residents of Fredericksburg.
- Under this program, grants, low-interest loans, disaster housing assistance and other forms of help are available for homeowners, renters and businesses with damage from the Aug. 23 earthquake and its aftershocks.
- If you live in the designated localities and have earthquake damage, please call this number toll-free to register for assistance: 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Those with speech disabilities or hearing loss who use TTY should call 1-800-462-7585. Operators are available to help you seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- You also can apply online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov. If you are using a mobile device, visit m.fema.gov.
- You must register with FEMA even if you already reported your damage to your local emergency manager.
If you need help:
- Register for FEMA assistance:
The deadline to register is March 5, 2012
Learn more about federal disaster assistance here.
Frequently Asked Questions for homeowners
- Check with local social services department or local emergency manager to find out if agencies and organizations in your area are offering help.
- Call 211, which is a 24/7 service by the Virginia Department of Social Services. Operators can help answer questions from citizens and also have access to resources that may be available.
- Some voluntary organizations are responding to specific needs in communities. Local emergency managers usually know which organizations are working in their communities. A statewide list of emergency management offices is available here.
If you want to help, learn more about donating and volunteering during disasters.
Local governments receive federal assistance.
Several localities have been approved to receive federal Public Assistance from FEMA to help them with their costs of responding to and recovering from the earthquake.
Federal assistance approved for local governments


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Player of the Game
Despite pitching on 12 days of rest, T.J. House was fantastic tonight, putting up one of the best three starts in his career (also 5/28 and 8/2). House pitched 5.1 shut out innings, allowing just four hits and walking three. It was his fourth straight game with at least five innings pitched and his tenth time in 12 starts overall. House struck out five on his way to his second career win. His POG score of 6.70 just beat out Mike Aviles, who knocked in two with a home run and a single.
Feathers Up
Prior to the game it was announced that Nick Swisher will be having arthroscopic surgery on both knees and will miss the rest of the year. While this may initially seem negative, there are actually two great aspects about this news. First, Swisher's knees were obviously a problem and ignoring them wasn't making the situation any better. Acknowledging the problem and doing something about it is a greater positive than anything else he has done to this point this year. Secondly, rather than wasting at bats on an injured .200 hitter, those at bats can go to exciting young players like Zach Walters and Tyler Holt.
The Tribe put it all together tonight, added a solid enough offense with a little power and a little clutch to a great performance from T.J. House on the mound. Walters knocked in the first run of the game with an upper deck shot to right in the second, then the Indians added two more in the fourth. Carlos Santana and Jason Kipnis hit a pair of doubles to start the inning, then Kipnis scored after a wild pitch and a Mike Aviles single. Chris Dickerson and Michael Bourn combined for another in the seventh and Aviles added a solo home run in the top of the ninth to finish things off.
Feathers Down
Despite winning seven of their last nine games, the Indians have been unable to gain anything on the Central Division race. Going into the game on August 9th, the Indians were 6.5 games back in the Central behind the Tigers and although the team they are trailing has changed, the Indians were still 6 games back in the division when the game ended. This is largely because the Royals are on an epic hot streak, winning 17 of their last 20 games.
Final Score: Cleveland Indians 5 – Minnesota Twins 0
On Deck: The Tribe will go for the sweep tomorrow afternoon with a 1:10 PM start time for get-away day. Both staffs will have their aces going as Corey Kluber will face Phil Hughes.


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Miller didn't think he would come as close to playing the position as he did Monday night when Ben Roethlisberger left with an injury and Miller was behind only the fragile Byron Leftwich.
Rumor had it that Miller was even warming up on the sideline, but he denied it.
"I don't figure there's any use in me warming up if I'm just going to hand it off when I get in there," Miller said with a laugh.
Miller was a star prep quarterback in southwest Virginia and went to the University of Virginia to play the position. That's where he remained on the depth chart for about a month, even though he was already playing tight end for the scout team.
Can he still throw it?
"Not like these guys," Miller said. "If I can get the play called and get us lined up and get the ball snapped I'll be happy."
Miller might want to work on that a bit, because for the next month or so he's going to be the team's No. 3 quarterback behind two veteran quarterbacks who've spent more games on the injured reserve list in Pittsburgh than they have on the field.
First up, ahead of 38-year-old Charlie Batch, is 32-year-old Leftwich, who'll start Sunday night at Heinz Field against the Baltimore Ravens.
"Byron's got a great arm," Miller said. "Byron's been through a lot of battles in this league throughout his career. He's seen it all, been through it all. He hasn't had a lot of snaps through the past few years. Fortunately he got his feet wet last game."
And he stayed healthy. Leftwich has finished three of his last six seasons on IR, including all of 2011 with the Steelers.
But that's not the harshest criticism of Leftwich. Not even close. That would pertain to his big wind-up. And when he finally throws the ball, it's a hot one.
Leftwich was asked both about his release and his lack of touch by Pittsburgh reporters Wednesday after Steelers coach Mike Tomlin announced he would replace Roethlisberger, who's out with shoulder and rib injuries.
"I normally defend myself in this process and say a whole bunch of numbers and point it out, but I'll save that for the offseason," Leftwich said.
He admitted to hearing such criticisms ever since he was drafted No. 7 overall in 2003 by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
"I heard about that before I became a pro," he said. "I heard about that coming out when I was at Marshall. You hear all the bad things about yourself those three months after your last college game to the draft. You hear it all (laughs). I've heard it all. Yeah, I've got the long wind-up. I'm not the fastest guy in the world. But, I believe I can play a little bit. We'll just see Sunday night.
"You know, I don't have to put any pressure on myself to go out there and do something different or do something special, I'm just telling myself to go out there and play the way that I play and we'll see if we can win the football game."
In regard to his lack of short-range touch, Leftwich was asked if the Todd Haley "dink and dunk" offense fits his style.
"If it's dinking, dunking, whatever you're going to call it, my job is to hit the guy with the ball who's open," Leftwich said. "I don't care if it's 5 yards down the field or 25 yards down the field.
"People are entitled to their opinion. I understand in this situation nobody's probably giving us a shot. And that's understandable. Any time you lose a quarterback like Ben, let's be honest, he was playing on an MVP level. I think he's an elite quarterback in this league. And he's down. We understand that and I understand everybody's opinion and how they feel about the situation. But we're going to have to play the game Sunday night and we'll see what happens. Somebody's going to win it and I'm going to do my best to make sure it's us."


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Is buy-and-hold dead? E*TRADE (NASDAQ: ETFC ) would like you to think so.
In a video on the brokerage's website, the company declares that "buy-and-protect" should be the new focus for investors. A recent post on Citigroup's (NYSE: C ) blog echoed similar suggestions and advised to simply confine heavy trading to retirement accounts to avoid taxes. Why would these companies not promote a buy-and-hold strategy? Fees, of course!
The more investors churn over their portfolios, the more fees and commissions brokerage houses collect. Excessive trading can quickly eat away at returns.
In this video, Motley Fool analysts Matt Koppenheffer and David Hanson debate the merits of buy-and-hold and if these companies are wrong for promoting more trading.
Citigroup's stock looks tantalizingly cheap. Should investors be treading carefully, or jumping on an opportunity to buy? To help figure out whether Citigroup deserves a spot on your watchlist, I invite you to read our premium research report on the bank today. We'll fill you in on both reasons to buy and reasons to sell Citigroup, and what areas that Citigroup investors need to watch going forward. Click here now for instant access to our best expert's take on Citigroup.


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Drunk, hammered, stoned, in the groove... Whatever you care to call it, today's trailers are about being in a chemically altered state.
What Happens in Vegas
I really liked Ashton Kutcher in The Butterfly Effect and I thought he was funny in That 70s Show. Why then does everything else he does make me cringe so? Kutcher and Cameron Diaz play a pair of strangers who have a night of fun together in Vegas and wake up the next day with screaming hangovers and wedding rings. The plan for a quick and simple divorce is complicated when the two win $3 million together. This romantic comedy looks utterly predictable and downright irritating. Dennis Miller is an interesting choice as the judge who sentences the two a period of actual matrimony before they are allowed a divorce. The day this hits theaters I think I'll be busy washing my hair, despite being bald as a plucked chicken.
This one makes the list today because, as I recall from the book, the story is propelled by a drunken tryst. I had a modest amount of anticipation for this one. I wasn't crazy about the novel Animals, but it was written by John Skipp and Craig Spector, two wunderkind of the late 80's splatterpunk movement -- a style of horror fiction that favors the extreme. I would have thought some of Skipp and Spector's other books like The Light at the End or The Cleanup would have made a better choice for adaptation. That said, Naveen Andrews looks like he'll make a decent lycanthrope, and the oddly hairless werewolves you see in the trailer are surprisingly cool looking. There hasn't been a decent werewolf flick in awhile, so maybe we're due. a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/magnolia/shrooms/trailer/">
Yet another film about a group of teens being stalked. The difference here is that the kids are camping in Ireland and tripping on hallucinogenic mushrooms when they start tabulating the body count. Is this enough to make this beaten to death formula palatable? Doubtful, unless the titular shrooms are passed out in the theater.
Bottle Shock
Taking place in the mid 70s, this drama is set during the emergence of the popularity of California wines. The comparisons to Sideways are unavoidable, but Alan Rickman as a wine snob is enough to make me take notice. Bill Pullman plays a vineyard owner with a dream and whose son who doesn't seem to share his passion for the grape. All in all, I'm not sure about this one. While Sideways tackled the issue of wine snobbery without itself being snobbish, this one has an air of pretentiousness about it. Maybe it's because wine isn't my thing, but I'll need to hear more before I spend money on this one.
Bar Starz
Not to worry if you miss this one during its theatrical run as this seems like the kind of movie that is doomed to playing Sunday mornings on Comedy Central for the next decade. Seriously, this just looks dreadful. A college freshman vies for an internship with the local bar stars, a trend setting group of partyers who rule the local bar scene. I can't suspend my disbelief long enough to believe anyone would think these characters are actually cool.
New this week on AOL Moviefone:
- The Air I Breathe - Based on a Chinese proverb, four interlinking stories explore he four emotional cornerstones of life: happiness, pleasure, sorrow and love. This one stars Forest Whitaker, Kevin Bacon, Andy Garcia, Brendan Fraser and Sarah Michelle Gellar.
- The Ruins- Horror ensues when a group of young tourists wander off the beaten path in Cancun.Check out the trailer right here:
- Shoot Down - Documentary about the shooting down of two civilian aircraft by the Cuban government.
- Fool's Gold - An estranged couple rekindle their romance while searching for a long lost sunken treasure.
- Forgetting Sarah Marshall - Hoping to forget the woman that just dumped him, our hero takes off for a Hawaiian getaway and finds himself at the same resort as his ex and her new beau. Here's the trailer:
categories Trailers And Clips, Cinematical


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The complaint of eructations of gas, or "gas on the stomach," is so common that any contribution to the knowledge of the chemistry and source of stomach gas should be of interest. The subject has been studied more or less intensively from time to time, but a review of the literature shows that more accurate methods must be employed in its investigation in normal as well as in abnormal persons before knowledge of much clinical value is obtained. Most of the literature appears under the caption of aerophagia, and has to do with the nervous origin and treatment of the unpleasant symptom of gas belching, but does not deal with the composition of the gas. Toward the end of the nineteenth century impetus was given to the more serious investigation of stomach gas by the discovery of inflammable gases in the stomach in certain cases of pyloric obstruction, and an
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The precarious finances of Louisiana's public employee retirement systems are well known. Generally, the blame goes to overly generous benefits and an unwillingness by many lawmakers to deal with fiscal reality.
In the case of the Municipal Police Employees' Retirement System, the financial mess also stems from bad investments and fraud. The system has gone from being fully funded for future pension obligations to being more than $836 million in the hole, according to a Bloomberg News report this week.
The system's former attorney, Randy P. Zinna of Baton Rouge, pleaded guilty to mail fraud last year and admitted to defrauding the police retirement system, another public pension fund, an 83-year-old widow and others of more than $1.5 million, U.S. Attorney Donald J. Cazayoux Jr. said Feb. 2. Mr. Zinna admitted to pilfering the money to pay his sports gambling debts, according to documents from Mr. Cazayoux's office.
Mr. Zinna stole from the retirement system and then tried to "cover up his crime by stealing from another client, an elderly widow," Mr. Cazayoux said. That makes "his actions all the more reprehensible."
Details on Mr. Zinna's misbehavior first came to light last summer in three reports released by the legislative auditor. State Inspector General Stephen Street said that his office and the attorney general were investigating possible criminal activity by the retirement system's attorney, and Mr. Cazayoux credited state officials with their work on the case.
Mr. Zinna's scandalous behavior was only part of the problem at the Municipal Police Employees' Retirement System. The system invested heavily in golf courses, including two in north Louisiana and another in Texas, that proved to be financial losers. Those deals drew the attention of the attorney general and inspector general in 2009.
The system's finances have put a squeeze on taxpayers. The pension system, which covers 10,000 Louisiana police officers and other law-enforcement employees, more than doubled the retirement contributions for municipalities last year -- from 11 percent of payroll to 25 percent -- to ensure that MPERS was solvent.
The system director said when the auditor's reports were issued that the system had corrected its accounting methods to prevent abuses like those carried out by Mr. Zinna.
He was able to siphon money out of the system as manager of Olde Oaks Development, which MPERS created for investment purposes. Between 2002 and 2009, according to plea documents, he funneled more than $850,000 in proceeds from the sale of subdivision lots and $2 million in retirement funds into his law office escrow account. Some of the money was paid out as it was supposed to be, but he used the rest for his own benefit.
That includes $570,000 from the 83-year-old client who turned the money over to him to invest for her, according to plea documents.
Mr. Zinna has agreed to pay more than $1 million in restitution, which will help reverse some of the damage.
But the state needs to make sure that the system going forward is run in a professional, ethical and fiscally responsible way. In the past, the police retirement system was "like a gigantic playhouse," Causeway police Chief Nick Congemi told Bloomberg. "These people have taken futures away of good, decent law enforcement officers."
They also have already forced taxpayers to make up for bad investments and poor management decisions. That shouldn't be allowed to continue.


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Be Our Guest Restaurant in Magic KingdomDebbie Bookstaber
The Beauty and the Beast themed Be Our Guest Restaurant opened in the New Fantasyland section in Magic Kingdom to rave reviews about both the food and the incredible setting. Located at the rear of Fantasyland in a breathtaking castle, this attraction is hard to miss.
You begin by checking in at the Bridge entrance and make the request for which dining room you would prefer. The Ballroom or the West Wing. Then you are greeted by one of the Beast's servants and lead to your table. (Be sure to listen in the hallway for the suits of armor whispering to one another! You might even hear a snore or sneeze.)
Be Our Guest Restaurant Ballroom is the largest dining room that appears to be taken straight from the movie. Truly a spectacular setting! The hand=painted ceiling, the huge chandeliers – and a magic snowfall outside the massive 'windows.' It's quite dark in here…and a bit loud. So its not a good place for intimate conversation, but great if you have kids who sometimes forget to use 'restaurant voices.' Its comfortable and elegant, but not so much that you'll be uncomfortable with your kids.
The West Wing is a bit cozier than the ballroom, dark with warm wood tables and leather seats. There are more magic touches from the movie in this section – watch for the Enchanted Rose that drops petals throughout the day. There is thunder occasionally, which leads to some spectacular special effects – but if you have a child who is frightened by thunder, sit in the ballroom instead!
In addition to the dinner menu, you'll also be given a beer and wine menu! This is the first time beer and wine have been offered in the Magic Kingdom. The menu is french inspired, but has something for everyone. You'll find fancy classics like French Onion Soup ($6.99), Roasted Cornish Hen ($15.99) and Mussels Provencal ($10.99) – which are all highly recommended – alongside less exotic fare like Grilled Strip Steak and pommes frites ($29.99).
The kids menu includes steak and grilled chicken breast. Portions are generous, but not overly so and prices average around $22. After dinner, your server will bring around a dessert cart worthy of the setting.Take your pick for $3.99. (And everything is yummy! Try the Triple Chocolate Cupcake!) And of course – you must try the "The Grey Stuff." This cookies-and-cream whipped panna cotta is delicious. (Don't believe me? Ask the dishes!) It's free and not on the menu, so keep in mind that they will only bring it if you ask for it AND you are celebrating something like a birthday, etc.
The Rose Gallery is open for lunch – place your orders in the Beast's study (and be sure to keep a lookout for Beast himself dropping in!) then head into the Gallery featuring portraits of many of the characters from the movie. This is quick service, but a bit more upscale than burgers and hotdogs. This serves braised pork, quiche, tuna niçoise salad with a kid's menu that includes meatloaf and mahi mahi. Its a great place to get real food and healthy mid-day meals! Lunch entrees run around $9 for adults and $6 for kids, with soups and desserts available as well. This delicious menu and gorgeous setting is certainly a step up from your typical quick service restaurant – and makes an ordinary lunch extra special.
Make your reservations for Be Our Guest Restaurant WELL in advance of your trip – this is going to be a very popular destination!
Want more? Check out the brand #newfantasyland here!
Want even more? Check out how Disney does the holidays here!
All photos courtesy of Disney Parks!


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Nicole Richie & Joel Madden's 'Normal' Weekend with the Kids
Originally posted 03/17/2013 06:00PM
It was a family affair for Nicole Richie and Joel Madden on Saturday.
The couple spent the morning with their two children, Harlow and Sparrow, in Pasadena, Calif., where they stopped at the Cheesecake Factory for lunch.
On their way into the restaurant, Madden spoke to his "adorable" children about the importance of safety while crossing the street.
"He was telling them to be careful and it was really cute," an onlooker tells PEOPLE.
The source adds, "Nicole and Joel looked really good and it just seemed like a normal family outing."
– Melody Chiu
Pregnant Hilary Duff Enjoys Dinner and a Movie
Originally posted 09/19/2011 10:00AM
Jessica Simpson and fiancé Eric Johnson celebrated his 32nd birthday with a party at L.A.'s Bru Haus. Among the 40 people in attendance: Ashlee Simpson and boyfriend Vincent Piazza, Jessica Alba and Cash Warren. Guests enjoyed a selection of food, including BBQ pulled pork sliders. Ashlee spent a lot of time on the dancefloor, while Jessica and Johnson focused on being good hosts and talking to all their guests. "Everyone was having a great time," said an onlooker.
The most buzzed about stars this minute!
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This little Remains of the Day 'HuG' style journal is now available for adoption in my Etsy shop. It is 3" tall by 3.5" wide with a 42" wrap around enclosure. 60 pages of lightly collaged paper and fabric pages. Here are few page peeks.
Tiny tag tucked in a pocket.


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South Asian Network Group (SANG)
This group is a volunteer-driven network group that provides networking, mentorship, career leadership, and community outreach opportunities to all IBMers with a special focus on the South Asian constituency. Discover how SANG can help you network and advance your professional and social interests within IBM.
Join us. Let's build a Smarter Planet
Be IBM's next great hire.


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Kristen Whitney, 17, experienced the heartache of losing a loved one at the hands of a distracted driver.
"We do not need another tragedy like my mom's," said Whitney, a junior at Amarillo High School who was a featured speaker Monday during an evening assembly in the campus auditorium.
The loss of Cynthia "Cindy" Whitney, a prominent member of Old Tascosa Cycling Club, spurred a grass-roots campaign, "Share the Road Amarillo," to focus attention on improving road safety for motorists, motorcyclists, cyclists, runners and pedestrians.
Whitney's mother died July 17 while riding her bicycle on U.S. Highway 87 near the intersection at Hungate Road. The 54-year-old cyclist was struck by a Ford F-250 pickup. Its driver, state troopers reported, had dropped his cell phone and took his eyes off the road to retrieve it.
The younger Whitney urged a crowd of about 200 students and adults to pledge to avoid distractions while driving, including talking and texting on cell phones.
Whitney, who runs, swims and cycles, told her audience that her mother was training for the MS 150, a two-day ride to support multiple sclerosis research, the morning she died. The first day includes cycling 100 miles to Canadian.
"It was an event that we had done as a family since she started riding in 2004," Whitney said. "She hadn't trained enough for long rides, so she went on the usual group training ride on Saturday, July 17, as I did the Amarillo Town Club triathlon."
Cindy Whitney and her daughter cycled together in 2009. Dad Rod Whitney drove with them and helped the riders. Mother and daughter were to compete again last year. Instead, Kristen Whitney wore her mother's number.
"One minute she was here, and the next she was gone," Whitney said. "This not only shocked everyone, but devastated my dad and I."
A goal of Share the Road Amarillo was to launch an educational campaign in area school districts to educate teenagers about the dangers of distractions while driving.
"The habits of using a cell phone and texting behind the wheel is already so ingrained in our society," said Ken Graham, president of Share the Road Amarillo. "It's going to take a while to change those things. It took decades to get people to embrace the idea of buckling up a seat belt."
The assembly Monday at Amarillo High School was the organization's second high school program. The event netted 107 pledges from adults and students, said Graham. The pledges come with green Share the Road! wristbands and window decals for vehicles.
Kristen Whitney, also a board member for Share the Road Amarillo, said her mother insisted on safety when she taught her daughter to drive. Cindy Whitney instructed her daughter to put the phone in the center console or to leave it at home.
"I get upset when I see somebody texting and driving or on their phone," Kristen Whitney said.
Some students, too, are taking steps to ensure safe driving.
"It's just so sad thinking about how someone as innocent as her mom gets taken away so quickly by something that could be avoided," Amarillo High senior Will Arnold, 18, said.
Arnold said he pays more attention to driving and knows that a text message can wait, he said.
Senior Addison Damon, 17, has learned to put her phone in her purse in the back seat, she said.
Emily Gross, president of the Amarillo High Key Club, said she also puts her phone in her back seat.
While it's not easy to stand in front of a crowd and tell her mom's story, Kristen Whitney said it's worth doing.
"Please put down the cell phones," Whitney said. "Don't be distracted."


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Netflix Inc. and chief executive officer Reed Hastings said they may face a Securities and Exchange Commission civil claim over a July Facebook post that coincided with a big gain in the company's stock price.
SEC staff alleges Netflix and its CEO violated rules governing selective disclosure, according to a company filing. The July 3 post by Hastings said Netflix viewing "exceeded 1 billion hours" of videos in June. The shares rose 6.2 percent that day.
The SEC action highlights the potential for legal trouble when company executives like Hastings, who has more than 200,000 Facebook fans, communicate with the public via social media. Regulation Fair Disclosure, aimed at preventing selective reporting, was passed by the SEC in 2000, before the use of social-media outlets like Facebook and Twitter exploded.