text:
photo-Russ Gettig
Pennsylvania has more than 83,000 miles of streams and rivers. There are also some 4,000 lakes and impoundments providing 160,000 acres of recreation. These waters are home to more than 120 different species of fish, nearly 1,000 different species of aquatic insects and 38 species of clams and mussels. Its no surprise, then, that anglers and boaters spend more than 25 million days on the water in Pennsylvania. The total economic benefit to the Commonwealth of this water-based recreation exceeds $1.34 billion each year. Add to this benefit the large number of people depending on our surface water for drinking or industry, and its easy to see that water is one of our states greatest resources. It is also easy to see that protecting these resources is not something to be taken lightly. In the 1970s, Pennsylvania was a national leader by adopting strict water quality regulations to protect these aquatic resources. Pennsylvania has maintained its leadership by enforcing more stringent regulations than those set forth under the Federal Clean Water Act.
photo-Barry & Cathy Beck
Some 43 percent of our streams and rivers have
been surveyed to assess water quality. About one-quarter of our lakes and reservoirs have also been assessed. Waters
that are unable to support the fish and other aquatic life that they once did or should are considered to be impaired,
or degraded. According to a PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) water quality assessment report, one-fifth
of our surveyed streams and half of our surveyed lakes (13 percent of the total) are impaired or polluted. Even though
some of these waters still hold fish, many no longer sustain aquatic communities that should be present. This is a
result of pollution. But how does pollution affect our aquatic resources? Read on to understand the effects of pollution
on fish and other aquatic life.
Healthy habitats
Before we can repair unhealthy or polluted aquatic systems, we must understand how healthy ones function. All organisms have specific requirements to survive, including adequate amounts of food, water and shelter. When these requirements are met, the organism can survive. That is, a polar bear can survive only where its needs are met, whether thats in a zoo or in the Hudson Bay region of Canada. Aquatic organisms, like our state fish, the brook trout, are no different. The brook trout is found in waters where its needs are met.
Aquatic organisms survive under a range of
conditions. If a condition like water temperature is outside that range, the organism can die. Biologists call this
tolerance. The brook trout can tolerate temperatures within a range of 32 degrees to about 75 degrees. Within the
range of tolerance is a narrower range. Our brook trout can live a healthy existence and grow in this narrow water
temperature range. The ideas of tolerances and ranges may seem complicated, but theyre really this simple--an organism
will do best in its ideal habitat. In addition, each kind of organism has a specific ideal habitat.
The combination of the ideal ranges of temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen (DO), and other water quality conditions, combined with an adequate amount of food and shelter, are needed for our brook trout to thrive. This is a healthy brook trout habitat. If the water temperature is less than 70 degrees and the DO is high, things are looking good. Add a pH between 6.5 and 7.5 (ideal), plenty of food, and places to seek shelter from the current or predators, and you have ideal brook trout habitat. Other fish, including other species of trout, and aquatic organisms have requirements similar to those of the brook trout. These organisms and the way they interact are called a community. Some members of a fish community provide important food for the fish we want to catch.
Like our brook trout, smallmouth bass have
specific habitat requirements. They are part of a community of fish found in our warmer streams and rivers. These waters
provide the right conditions for this fish community to live. The same holds true for largemouth bass, muskies, northern
pike, walleyes, panfish and other fish that anglers seek. These fish are found where their requirements for life are
met. Water pollution can change all that. Pollution can alter one or many important components of a habitat. When that
occurs, the health of individual organisms, and often the entire community, is at risk.
Requirements for life
Lets look at some important water quality factors, and how they may influence the fish community.
The measure of hydrogen ions or acidity in a solution like water is called pH. The pH scale ranges from 0 (most acidic) to 14 (most basic). A pH of 7 is considered neutral. The pH scale is logarithmicit changes by tens. That is, a change of one whole number in the pH equals a tenfold change in the amount of acidity. Changes of two whole numbers indicate a 100-fold change in acidity. The pH of a solution also influences the amount of substances like heavy metals dissolved in it.
In aquatic habitats, pH has a strong effect on which fish, amphibians, invertebrates and plants can live in a community. The pH of a stream or lake depends on the water source and the kinds of rocks and soil that water contacts. Proper pH is an important life requirement for all aquatic organisms. Developing eggs and larvae also have specific, more narrow pH requirements. Adult brook trout can tolerate a pH of between 5.0 to 9.5 and remain relatively healthy. However, even at the high and low ends of this pH tolerance level, fish become stressed. Aquatic invertebrates, with external skeletons or shells made of calcium, are extremely sensitive to pH below neutral. These organsisms are important members of aquatic food chain.
At the low end of this range, naturally occurring metals will dissolve into the water. This hits the aquatic life with a double whammy--low pH and high metals concentration. A fish that could tolerate water with a pH less than 5 will die at a pH of 5.5 if the water contains as little as 1.0 parts per million (ppm) of iron. One ppm is equivalent to a drop of chocolate in 16 gallons of milk. Biologists call these relationships synergism--where two substances combine to have effects much worse than just their sum. Water with low pH (less than 6.0) coming in contact with naturally occurring low concentrations of iron, lead, aluminum, magnesium or mercury creates a toxic cocktail. Therefore, pH is a critical factor in aquatic habitats.
These dissolved metals may interfere with body
functions. They can also influence developing eggs and larvae. This leads to lower natural reproduction, if any at all.
Ultimately the population declines, the food chain collapses and the community suffers.
Fish cant maintain their internal body temperature as do humans. Fish have very specific temperature requirements. Water temperature can influence oxygen concentration, metabolism (body functions), reproduction and growth. Water temperature is influenced by the seasons, the amount of sunlight reaching the water, amount and speed of the water, the source of the water (springs or runoff) and the amount of material suspended in the water. Fish are found where the temperature range is within their tolerance, and better still, within the ideal range. For example, temperatures higher than 75 degrees are usually lethal for brook trout. But fish like the channel catfish and largemouth bass need temperatures that high to survive and reproduce successfully. Rapid changes in temperature can kill fish. But that same change in temperature over the course of a season (say, spring to summer) can have little effect on the aquatic community.
Dissolved Oxygen (DO)
Dissolved oxygen is another important water quality factor for fish and many aquatic invertebrates. DO is the amount of oxygen dissolved in the water. Even though the chemical formula for water is H20, fish and other aquatic organisms cant remove the oxygen molecules. They depend on oxygen dissolved in the water for respiration. They extract the oxygen dissolved in the water through their gills or across their skin.
Temperature, water velocity, wind, water depth and plant growth influence DO in water. Temperature has great influence on the amount of DO. Warmer water contains less oxygen than colder water. The number of organisms using oxygen can also influence the amount of dissolved oxygen present. If more oxygen is used (respiration) than is being put in, dissolved oxygen levels decrease.
The dissolved oxygen needs for many aquatic insects and fish differ, but some ranges overlap. Fish such as blacknosed dace, brook and brown trout, and certain stoneflies have similar oxygen needs. Thats one of the reasons they are found together in the same community. The same holds true for smallmouth bass, certain shiners and hellgrammites. Their dissolved oxygen needs and tolerances overlap.
Channel catfish and carp can tolerate DO as low as 2 mg/l. Generally, dissolved oxygen levels in aquatic habitats must be greater than 6.5 mg/l for fish and aquatic organisms to survive.
Brine discharge from an oil field production operation on Lewis Run, McKean County. photo-PFBC file photo
Fish, like humans, need food to survive. When food is abundant at the right time of year, fish grow and stay healthy. But fish can go without food for long periods. Long-term survival of a fish population requires abundant food. Thats why biologists study not only the fish we want to catch, but the food they eat. All members of the community--the food chain--are important to the survival of sport fish. The first links in a food chain are plants. In aquatic habitats, these plants may be single-celled phytoplankton, algae or larger submerged plants. Some small streams depend on leaves falling from nearby trees as an energy source. All members of the community have a role in providing food.
These plants are then eaten by smaller aquatic
insects and other invertebrates similar to the way cattle may graze a field of grass. These insect grazers are then
eaten by other insects and larger fish, which are called consumers in the food chain. Finally, large predator fish eat
the smaller fish and insects.
Shelter, or cover
Fish need shelter from predators. They need places to hide from the time they hatch to the time they die of old age. Fish living in moving water also need places to rest from the current. The bottom of a lake, river or stream often provides important shelter. Vegetation, growing in the water or on its shores, also provides important shelter.
All the components for healthy brook trout (or any other fishs) habitat must come together in just the right amounts for it to survive. You can see that if any one of the conditions changes, the resident fish and other members of the community will have a tough time of it. If conditions change too much, the fish community may change. This change may not always be for the best. Water pollution can throw off this delicate balance.
Water that has had the delicate balance upset is called impaired. In Pennsylvania, two major kinds of pollution impair our waters: Agricultural runoff and abandoned mine drainage (AMD). These pollution sources put excess nutrients, siltation and metals into our waters. Even though there are many other pollution sources, none of the others combined affects as many stream miles or acres of lakes as these three.
Agricultural runoff
Agricultural runoff occurs when runoff from rain or melting snow carries soil, pesticides and fertilizers from fields into nearby waters. When soil is carried into a stream or river, it can suspend in the water to make it cloudy, or it settles to the bottom as silt. Silt in the water can damage some fishs gills and make breathing difficult. Cloudy water also absorbs more sunlight than clear water. This may raise the water temperature. A temperature thats too high can stress or kill aquatic organisms. It may also account for the reason why some fish have left a community where they have lived for years.
Silt that settles to the stream bottom is known as sediment. Fish find some of the food they require on stream bottoms. An increase in a waterways amount of sediment can kill invertebrates by suffocating them. Sediment can also smother fish eggs and alter natural repopulation patterns. It can also fill in the living spaces and destroy habitat.
This stream flows through an unfenced pasture. The stream has no cover and its stream banks are eroded and unstable. The effects of livestock here include increased plant growth, decreasing amounts of dissolved oxygen (as manure breaks down), and elimination of important stream-bottom habitat. photo-PFBC file photo
Nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus also enter our waters from farms. Manure and other fertilizers are used to increase crop production. When these nutrients reach our streams and rivers, they have the same effect on aquatic plants. Aquatic plant and algae growth can reach nuisance levels. Decomposing plants also consume dissolved oxygen. When less oxygen and warmer temperatures are combined, things change. Our brook trout, and mayflies, caddisflies and stoneflies, will move or die. In their place may be smallmouth bass, rock bass and catfish, which tolerate warmer water and require less DO. The community has been changed by pollution.
A redeveloped riparian (stream bank) zone has plenty of cover, shading and stable stream banks. photo-Ted Walke
Livestock can also affect aquatic communities. Stream banks erode where livestock enter the water to drink or cross to reach other pastures. This increases the amount of silt. Manure is also deposited directly into the stream. The effects of livestock include increased plant growth, decreasing dissolved oxygen (as manure breaks down) and eliminating important stream bottom habitat.
To protect their crops, farmers use pesticides to
remove pests. Most pesticides are designed to kill insects and are poisonous to aquatic life when they enter a waterway.
In high concentrations pesticides can kill all aquatic life in a community. In low concentrations they can alter food
chains by killing or injuring the most sensitive organisms.
Abandoned mine drainage (AMD)
AMD pollutes almost half of Pennsylvanias impaired waters. AMD is one of our waterways worst pollutants. AMD occurs when water enters abandoned coal mines. Runoff from mine lands and refuse piles may also form AMD. Water reacts with iron pyrite in the coal and surrounding rocks and forms acids. These acids are then transported into our waters. Most of the sources of AMD today are long-abandoned mine sites. These mines were in their heyday at the turn of the century or from a time when regulations were less strict.
The most immediate effect of AMD is lowering the waters pH level. When pH decreases below 6.0, algae and rooted aquatic plants can die. The food supply for aquatic organisms is reduced. Healthy aquatic communities are then replaced by those more acid-tolerant.
Acidity can also stress a fishs body function. Another problem is gill damage and a decrease in sodium in the fishs blood. Fish eggs and fry (young fish) are also affected. The young born for an entire year can die. This leaves only older, more resistant fish left in a community. Eventually, without the fry, the community will be void of fish. Often, however, the pH of AMD is so low that the entire community is wiped out.
Little Sewickley Creek, Westmoreland County. The yellowish-orange stream-bottom staining of yellow boy is caused by acid mine drainage. photo-PFBC file photo
Metal toxicity caused by AMD is another common
stream killer. Aluminum, iron and manganese enter our waters from abandoned mines. These metals are toxic to the brook
trout and other aquatic life. Small amounts of these metals can stress fish or even cause death, especially in young,
developing fish. Large amounts can settle on a stream bottom. This settling can make the stream water and bottom appear
yellow (iron), white (aluminum) or black (manganese). The covering smothers the few invertebrates that may be left. It
also eliminates shelter important to spawning and places where aquatic insects live.
Acid rain
Acid rain is formed when moisture in the clouds mixes with sulfur or nitrogen in the air. Acid rain includes rain, sleet or snow with a pH level that falls below 5.6 (normal rainwater). The sulfur and nitrogen get into the air by the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and gasoline. The average pH of rainfall in Pennsylvania is 4.3. This level is some of the most acidic rain in the country. The effects of acid rain are often worse in the spring, following snowmelts. Large quantities of low pH snow melts and enters our streams.
The effects of acid rain on stream and lake
communities are similar to those of AMD. Low pH combined with dissolved metals influences natural reproduction as well
as day to day survival. Acid rain is such a problem in some Pennsylvania streams, especially in the spring, that the
Commission changes its trout stocking schedules. These streams are stocked only after the slug of low pH snowmelt has
moved through. The low pH of spring snowmelt may also have an effect on developing trout and aquatic insects, from eggs
laid the previous year. Young developing organisms are more sensitive to lower pH and even small concentrations of
metals than they are as adults.
What the Fish and Boat Commission is Doing
Permits and Regulations. The best way to address pollution is to prevent it. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has laws in place protecting water quality. The PA DEP regulates the things industries release into the air or water. DEP also has regulations in place protecting banks and channels in rivers, lakes and streams. Before any activity can be done on the shoreline or to the stream or river bottom, a permit must be obtained. Before any substances can be discharged into a stream or lake, a permit must be obtained. The regulations contain standards for many water quality factors. Among them are pH, dissolved oxygen and temperature. The discharges must meet these standards or they are not allowed. In addition, the discharges and activities cant alter the aquatic community that lives downstream.
The Fish & Boat Commission plays an important role in the review of these permit applications and compliance with the permit. The Commission utilizes its technical expertise to ensure that fish communities are not harmed by the proposed activities. Commission staff reviews more than 1,500 permit applications each year. Permits for activities that have the potential to harm aquatic communities are often recommended for denial. The permit applicant and DEP negotiate to change the activity to reduce or eliminate the potential effect.
Other state, regional and local agencies may also be involved in the review of these permit applications. Local conservation districts and water authorities also have a vested interest in protecting water quality and aquatic life.
Monitoring, law enforcement. Discharges are most often required to exceed specific standards, based on the chemicals discharged and the water receiving the discharge. Monitoring is achieved through routine sampling of elements such as pH, dissolved oxygen, metals and other chemicals. The results of these samples are reported to DEP, and often to the Fish & Boat Commission. Waters receiving a discharge are routinely surveyed by the Fish & Boat Commission or DEP biologists to assess water quality above and below the discharge. Data is also often compared to that collected before the discharge was approved.
WCO Ed Brown, Clearfield County, investigates an acid mine drainage pollution. photo-Russ Gettig
If the quality of the water, or composition of the
fish community, shows signs of impairment, the polluter may be fined by both DEP and the Fish & Boat Commission. Just as
anglers are given a citation and a fine when violating fishing regulations, so are polluters fined for violating those
regulations. Pollution fines are based on the damage done to the resource. Much of the money collected in fines is used
to stop the effects of pollution. The Fish & Boat Commission collected more than $300,000 in fines in 1999.
The Commissions waterways conservation officers play important roles in enforcing water quality laws and regulations. They investigate pollution violations, collect evidence and often prosecute the cases in court. WCOs and the Fish & Boat Commission Division of Environmental Services staff also play an important role in reviewing permit applications.
So what can I do?
First, Pennsylvanians are truly blessed with high-quality aquatic resources, and its important to understand and appreciate the abundant aquatic resources of our state. Often positive environmental qualities are overshadowed by the gloom and doom of pollution. Currently, some one-fifth of the waterways we have studied (13 percent of the total) are impaired, but we are making significant progress in reversing hundreds of years of abuse and neglect.
Second, you can become part of the solution. Evaluate your own use of fertilizers and pesticides at home in your yard. If you dont purchase a fishing license, consider doing so. Fishing license dollars help the Fish & Boat Commission do its job protecting Pennsylvanias fish and aquatic life. The Fish & Boat and PA DEP also offer several opportunities for people or groups that want to volunteer their time and services. For more information, visit our web site: www.fish.state.pa.us.
To report water pollution or disturbances to streams, lakes or watersheds, contact the Fish & Boat Commission Regional Law Enforcement office for your region or the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) at 1-800-541-2050.
For the complete water quality assessment report from the PA DEP, visit www.dep.state.pa.us.
PDF file of this article
January/February 2001 Angler & Boater
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Web Privacy and Security Policies


text:
PITTSBURGH - The good thing about social media is it gives players a chance to interact directly with fans.
Come to think of it, that's the bad thing, too.
Amar'e Stoudemire of the New York Knicks got himself into $50,000 worth of trouble with the NBA for using a gay slur while responding to someone who had been following him on Twitter.
It's another instance where players have run afoul of their employers with the reckless use of technology.
Some players stay away from Twitter and Facebook entirely. Others embrace it. Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Jason Grilli enjoys interacting with fans via Twitter.
Others are far less open. Pirates first baseman Garrett Jones says he has a Facebook account, but strictly uses it to stay in touch with family members.
If you find your favorite player on Twitter or Facebook, the first priority is making sure the account is legitimate. It's easy to set up on either of those platforms, where security is minimal.
That's been a problem since social media started to develop. When MySpace was still the rage, people set up pages impersonating star athletes. Their motives sometimes were as benign as playing a prank. In other cases, they were using their fake identities for more sinister goals.
It was happening long before the Internet became popular, but the methods were different.
Local authorities have thick files on cases where individuals claimed to be Steelers players. One guy was pretending to be obscure backup quarterback Brian St. Pierre as a way to impress women.
Social media is more complicated because some players really do use it. The ones who manage it well like Grilli do profit from the experience.
But it takes some restraint to avoid answering critics or getting goaded into fights with trolls. Say the wrong thing and those 140 characters on Twitter can turn into a big fine and a loss of reputation.
Success story
The NHL draft was a positive experience for the Penguins, and a huge hit for the city.
There wasn't a hotel room available for the entire weekend because of the draft. It's estimated the weekend event pumped $9 million into the local economy.
The only bad news is it will be at least 10 years before the draft returns. The NHL likes to spread the riches around.
Mehno can be reached at email@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Winn Dixie shoppers ready for a new week? Don't forget the Make A Meal deal will continue for another week or so.
(I typed this list. It's a preview and not intended to be a substitute for the ad)
Here's a list of the BOGOs:
Boneless Chicken Breasts $4.59 on 2 lbs
Kellogg's Cereal $4.99
Fisherman's Wharf 41 to 50 count shrimp $10.99
Oscar Mayer Lunchmeat $2.99
Armour Meatballs $4.99
Honey Bunches of Oats $4.49
Keebler Town House Crackers $4.19
Seakumm sliced steaks $10.49
Vlasic Pickles $3.29
Winn Dixie Long grain rice $2.59
Old El Paso dinner kits $2.99
Crystal Light Drink Mix $3.59
Betty Crocker family size fudge brownies $2.19
Winn Dixie Instant Light Charcoal briquets $9.79
Breyers ice cream $5.99
Doritos $3.99
Chips Aho $3.99
Kraft dressing
Miracle Whip both $4.99
Kraft or Bulls Ey BBQ Sauce $2.29
10 for $10
Winn Dixie hamburger buns
Chef Boyardee
Easy Mac
Chek drinks
Idahoan Instant mashed potatoes
Del Monte Fruit
Carnation Evaporated milk
Winn Dixie Organic tomatoes, sauce, beans & vegetables canned goods
Free Winn Dixie 6 count Pretzel Buns with 2 Hillshire Farms Smoked Sausage Links purchase
Free Hungry Jack Pancake Mix when you buy one Hungry Jack Syrup
Get $5 off with $50 purchase or more of any Vanilla Visa gift card
$5 off any Pampers box diapers


text:
Leisure Vouchers Spirit Health Clubs
Spend them in Spirit Health Clubs across the UK.
Why Choose Leisure Vouchers For Spirit Health Clubs?
Treat yourself or someone special with a Leisure Voucher [read more...] to spend at Spirit Health Clubs. Give someone a Leisure Voucher to spend at Spirit Health Clubs and you're giving them the great choice of beauty and spa treatments in any of their 40 UK locations. Perfect for a pamperholic, a Spirit Health Club gives a great choice of treatment including soothing massages, manicures, spa days and facials.
Additional Information
Buying Leisure Vouchers for Spirit Health Clubs
highstreetvouchers.com is an official supplier of Leisure Vouchers
- Leisure Vouchers for Spirit Health Clubs are available in denominations of £5, £10 & £25
- Free personalised gift wallet included in every order.
- Choose from our range of free and next day delivery options
- Orders up to £250 in value can be sent to any UK address. Orders over £250 can only be sent to the customers billing address.
- Next Day Delivery is available on orders accepted by 1pm using DX Secure or Royal Mail Special options.
- Payments accepted from over 30 countries
Our Delivery options
Choose the best option for you.
|Delivery Type
|Delivery Time
|Order Value
|Royal Mail 1st Class
|Up to 3 working days
|Royal Mail 1st Class
|Up to 3 working days
|DX Standard Secure
|Next day 8am-6pm*
|DX Secure Signature
|£4.25 (from)
|Next day 8am-6pm*
|Royal Mail Special
|£6.45 (from)
|Next day 9am-1pm*
*Next day delivery is available for orders accepted by 1pm, Monday-Thursday. (Excluding Bank Holidays)
All orders at highstreetvouchers.com include a free greetings card with the option to add a personalised message inside. Available in a wide range of designs, this adds that extra personal touch to your Spirit Health Clubs Gift Cards and Vouchers and are perfect when you want to send them direct to the recipient.
Good for business
Exclusive business benefits
Gift cards and vouchers help you motivate staff, recruit and retain customers and generally get the most out of everyone you deal with.
- Discounts on orders over £1,000
- Personalisation options
- Many payment methods
- Credit options
- Fulfilment services
Contact our business team
Our dedicated business development team is called Love2shop Business Services. Call today to see how we can help:
0844 576 0605
OR complete our enquiry form by clicking here and a member of the team will be in touch soon.


text:
Web Design Templates | Flash Templates | eCommerce Templates | CMS Templates | Open Source Templates | Shopping Cart Templates
VirtueMart Templates | PrestaShop Themes | osCommerce Templates | Zen Cart Templates | Magento Themes | TomatoCart Templates | Cre Loaded Templates
Cars and Transport
Present category of Cars and Transport Website Templates, Flash Templates offers and flash intro templates offers you a wide range of transportation website templates, car templates, car dealership templates, airline templates, trucking company templates, car company templates, shipbuilding company templates and all the transportation service templates, car insurance templates. Creating these web templates our team applies high-grade 3D models and top-level animation. Here you may find such a product as flash intro templates. Flash intro is a template of a presentation movie that is used to represent a company that owns the website or the product sold. It will make your future site more attractive. Bright and original design used in these templates won't leave anybody indifferent. If you haven't found a web template that suits, you can fill in the form at "Customization" page and we will create the template you need.


text:
First Look: Seann William Scott And Jay Baruchel In Hockey Comedy 'Goon'
Posted on Friday, November 5th, 2010 by Russ Fischer
Every time I get something in the inbox about Goon I get excited, thinking there's finally movement on the David Fincher-produced adaptation of the comic The Goon. But for now, this is about the hockey comedy Goon, starring Jay Baruchel and Seann William Scott. The first pics of the film are out, and you can see another one, along with a bit of new info, after the break. Read More »


text:
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded a five-year, $439,920 grant to Clemson University to partner with Trident Technical College and Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College for the development and implementation of an innovative program in Food Science and Technology for students from multicultural backgrounds.
The goal of the program is to graduate 12 students with a Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science and Technology that will enable them to pursue rewarding careers in the food and agricultural industries.
"This is an exciting time to be involved in food science. Each day we learn more about the effects of food on health, and with an increasing population the need for a sustainable and affordable food supply is critical," said Trident Technical College President Mary Thornley. "We look forward to working with Clemson to educate the next generation of food researchers whose work will shape the future of South Carolina's agribusiness industry."
The partnership between Trident Technical College, Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College and Clemson University will be the framework for recruiting, training and mentoring students throughout the program. Students will complete two years at one of the technical colleges and then transfer to Clemson to complete their bachelor of science degree in Food Science.
Recruitment strategies will include motivating students by introducing them to food science career choices that offer professional advancement opportunities and that will enable them to make a difference in their communities. Faculty mentoring, student support services, and an international experience will be an essential strategy to ensure student retention. These scholars will enjoy summer mentoring activities and a study abroad experience during their freshmen and sophomore years. Industry internships are important career training that will be experienced during the junior year.
Outcomes of this project will include a successful pipeline for recruiting and retaining under-represented students into food and agriculture degree programs and careers. Students may begin this program at either Trident Technical College or at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College and then transfer to Clemson. Scholarships starting this fall are available. For more information contact Cara Smyczynski (email@example.com) at Trident Technical College and William Hair (email@example.com) at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College
© 2016 The Berkeley Independent an Evening Post Industries company. All Rights Reserved.
Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy and Parental Consent Form.


text:
Welcome to Hotel Pider in La Val / Wengen / La Valle, an oasis of sports, wellness and nature located in the Dolomites of Alta Badia
The Rubatscher family is pleased to welcome you in the typical and tranquil town of La Val / Wengen / La Valle, the most traditional and green villages of Alta Badia, surrounded by the Dolomites, the Fanes Senes Braies nature reserve and the large and gentle meadows of Armentara, the ideal place for exciting hiking, mountain biking, snowshoeing or ski mountaineering tours, alone or accompanied during the guided tours we offer.
The 3-star-superior-hotel Pider, open all year round, is completely renovated and situated in a prime location in the pretty and quiet center of the village, in a panoramic and sunny position. The rooms and the surroundings are warm and welcoming, as the tradition in Alto Adige / Südtirol requires. It features:
- Bar with terrace
- Dining room
- Living room
- Garden with sundeck
- Bowling for fun evenings with friends
- Traditional Tea Stube
La Val / Wengen / La Valle makes the perfect backdrop for a relaxing holiday of regeneration and well-being in our wellness center, or as an excellent starting point to reach the ski areas of Alta Badia and Corvara, or the Plan de Corones / Kronplatz, both part of the Dolomiti Superski area.
To pamper your palate, our Chef will take care of you and take you on a culinary journey to discover the local Ladin cuisine and the one Alto Adige / Südtirol offers.
We would be delighted to welcome you in La Val / Wengen / La Valle, to give you the opportunity spend an unforgettable holiday, with the Dolomites of Val Badia in the background to the coziness we offer at Hotel Pider.


text:
Karnataka: Driver molests woman bus passenger
The woman said Shakeel molested her when the bus was passing through Bankapura with the co-driver at the wheels.
Haveri (Karnataka): A driver on Saturday allegedly molested a woman passenger in a moving private sleeper bus. Shakeel, the accused, has been taken into custody on a complaint filed by the woman.
The woman said in her complaint that Shakeel molested her when the Belgaum-bound bus from Bangalore was passing through Bankapura around 3:30 am with the co-driver at the wheels, Haveri SP Chetan Singh Rathore said on Saturday.
As the woman raised an alarm, another passenger made his way to the co-driver and asked him to drive the bus to Bankapura police station, Rathore said. The woman in her complaint alleged that Shakeel molested her while she was asleep, he said, adding investigation was on.


text:
2 Blu-J Estate Sales!
All Sales Start
Day One 5:30pm-8pm
Following Days 9am-5:30pm
View at
June 5-8
1404 Iron Cap, Stevensville
Bud June Payne Estate
Complete household and garage, jewelry, antiques
and more!
June 26-29
Ravalli County Fairgrounds
Doyle & Nancy Hobbs Estate
Huge eclectic estate from this long time valley couple.
Furnishings, antiques, collectibles, art, jewelry, clothing. Lots of interesting things for everyone.
YARD SALE (3 Family) Saturday, June 8, 208 College St, Stevensville. 9 AM-3 PM. Kids stuff, household items, craft supplies, table saw, shower doors, kitchen sink w/faucet and much more.
GARAGE SALE – 503 Mission St., Stevi. Friday, June 7, Saturday, June 8, 8 AM to ? Some clothing, furniture, antique sewing machine, dishes, bedding and lots more.
HUFF'S ANTIQUE SHOW. Summer show is back with Friday shopping Again at Metra Park, Billings June 14, 5-9, June 15, 10-5, June 16, 10-4. Admission $5. 406-238-9796.
LIQUIDATION AUCTION-Fox Auto Repair, June 8th, Corvallis, MT. Equipment-tractors, parts, farming, trailers. Commercial-welders, Snap-On & Mac, lifts, manuals. See inventory @ www.kevinhillauctions.com
RAYMOND WARHANK ESTATE ANTIQUE AUTO AUCTION, Saturday, June 22, 10am Rudyard, MT (40 miles W. of Havre) 25 Vintage Cars & Trucks & many parts. List @ ShobeAuction.com or 406-538-5125. United Country-Shobe Auction & Realty Lewistown, MT
Vendor opportunity: Arts, crafts, home based businesses. Western Heritage Day, June 22nd, downtown Stevensville. Call 777-3773 or download application at www.mainstreetstevensville.com.
Antiques – Vendors wanted at Historic Creamery Antique Mall, Stevensville. Variety of space available from 12-900 sq/ft. Call Brett, 406-581-3014.
Habitat for Humanity ReSale. New & used building materials & much more. Fridays & Saturdays, 9–4. 131 Old Corvallis Rd, Hamilton.
Farm and Garden
FLOWER & VEGETABLE PLANTS! Beautiful hanging baskets starting at $9.95. Marigolds and petunias in 4-packs, $1.50. VEGETABLE PLANTS from Artichokes to Zucchini! Tomato plants, $1.25 each, Pepper plants, $1.00 each. Strawberry plants, onion plants and sets, Montana certified seed potatoes, potting soil, peat moss, garden seeds. Glads. Moeller's Nursery, 961-3389. Open every day, 9-6.
FRESH FARM EGGS from pastured (plus non-GMO feed) free range chickens, delivered daily to the Bitterroot Star. Call 777-3928 for availability or just stop by! NOW CARRYING: Wild Alaska Sockeye Salmon! Also available: Locally produced Bugoni's sausage, Severson's natural Angus beef, locally made all-natural chocolate bars with NO additives. AND freshly roasted Big Sky Coffee Roasters coffee.
Rentals Wanted
BITTERROOT PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, INC. is looking for residential rentals in the Stevi-Florence-Lolo area. We have been in business for over 20 years and look forward to talking to you. 549-9631.
For Rent
FOR RENT – 2-acre and 5-acre mobile home lots. 777-3409.
3 BR, 2 BA on 2.5 acres, 2-car garage, 30'x40' shop. $1000/mo. Available now. 961-4264.
ROOMS FOR RENT IN SHARED HOUSE. Furnished, Utilities, Cable & WiFi included. Laundry on site. $90 a week small room, $120/$125 larger rooms. $50 move in fee. NO PETS, SMOKING or ALCOHOL allowed. Short or long stay available. Call Robbie. 777-3087, 9am-6pm
OFFICE SPACE FOR LEASE. Premier office building in Stevensville. Various sizes – 300-600 sq. ft. Call Gene, 381-0288.
Commercial/Retail/Office Suites available at Historic Creamery building in Stevensville. 12×15 to 30×60, corner units, single and two story units. From 60 cents to $1.50/sq/ft. Call Brett, 406-581-3014.
For Sale
500S&W ammo, 112 rnds, $112 OBO (online price is $246). Call cell 1-425-591-2148, 9-5.
WHOLESALE CLEARANCE SALE!! Empire Building Materials Bozeman – Missoula empireinc.com Take advantage of this rare opportunity to buy direct from the wholesaler. EBM Bozeman is clearing out discontinued and closeout inventory for pennies on the dollar. Manufacturers include: -Trex Decking. -Simpson Door. -Nextstone Faux Stone Siding. -Genstone Faux Stone Siding. -KWP Naturetech finished 9.5" lap hardboard siding. -KWP Naturetech finished Hampton Shake Panel. -Creative Rail Deck Rail. -Wood Moldings. -Wood Timbers. -And MUCH MORE. All pricing cash and carry. All sales final. No warranties remain in effect on clearance items. Visit empireinc.com clearance page; Call 800-548-8201 Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm, ask for clearance desk. After hours cell 406-581-1645.
RESORT VACATIONS WORLDWIDE! Must sell! 2 bedroom luxury timeshare. Best you can own. Use anywhere worldwide. Paid $18k, widow must sell deed, only $3600. (406)261-8066.
Get FREE 10" INTERNET TABLET when you order DISH installed FREE. FREE HBO. Offer ends soon. Call for details. 1-866-845-7776. Restrictions apply with approved credit.
SAWMILLS from only $3997.00-Make & Save Money with your own bandmill. Cut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship. FREE info/DVD: www.NorwoodSawmills.com 1-800-578-1363, Ext.300N.
Help Wanted
GREAT CAREER OPPORTUNITY in Montana's service of first choice. Earn more with the skills you have. Learn more of the skills you need. In the Montana Army National Guard, you will build the skills you need for a civilian career, while developing the leadership skills you need to take your career to the next level. Benefits: √$50,000 Loan Repayment Program. √Montgomery GI Bill. √Up to 100% tuition assistance for college. √Medical & dental benefits. √Starting at $13.00/hr. √Paid job skill training. √Call 1-800-G0-GUARD. National Guard. Part-time job…Full-time benefits.
TRUCK DRIVER TRAINING. Complete programs, refresher courses, rent equipment for CDL, Job Placement Assistance. Financial assistance for qualified students. SAGE Technical Services, Billings/Missoula. 1-800-545-4546.
YOUTH FOOTBALL CAMPS! Former Griz lineman Tyler Hobbs is conducting 3 camps this summer. 3-8 grade. 509-768-0263 or email@example.com
Real Estate
QUICK CASH FOR REAL ESTATE NOTES and Land Installment Contracts. We also lend on Real Estate with strong equity. 406-721-1444. www.Creative-Finance.com


text:
The latest version of Adobe Flash Player is required to watch this video.
Please click on the link below to download the latest version. Thanks!
The U.S. economy could be thrown into another recession if the Bush-era tax cuts expire or if a series of automatic spending cuts take place, according to a new government study.
The Congressional Budget Office report revealed that the economy would shrink by 1.3 percent in the first half of next year if the government lets a series of Bush-era tax cuts expire and automatic budget cuts kick in.
"Under current law, increases in taxes and, to a lesser extent, reductions in spending will reduce the federal budget deficit dramatically between 2012 and 2013 -- a development that some observers have referred to as a "fiscal cliff" -- and will dampen economic growth in the short term," said the report.
The CBO said the threat of recession comes in if tax bills go up quickly for all Americans.
President Obama wants to eliminate the Bush-era tax cuts for individuals who make more than $200,000 a year. Republicans want to make all the tax cuts permanent.
Economy: Beware the Coming 'Taxmaggedon'
Congress Reaches Deal on Payroll Tax Cuts
Tentative Deal Reached on Payroll Tax Cuts
Obama's New Budget Raises Taxes on the Wealthy
Log in or create an account to post a comment.
Are you seeking answers in life? Are you hurting? Are you facing a difficult situation?
Find peace with God, discover more about God or send us your prayer request.
Call The 700 Club Prayer Center at 1 (800) 823-6053, 24 hours a day.
A caring friend will be there to pray with you in your time of need.
CBN News is a national/international, nonprofit news organization that provides programming by cable, satellite, and the Internet, 24-hours a day. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
The "Trump train" was derailed in Wisconsin as voters in the Badger State gave Ted Cruz a major victory over "The Donald." The big question now is – are the Republicans headed for a contested convention this summer?


text:
Every four years, the world is treated to a spectacle of sport unlike any other that exists solely to celebrate the athletic achievements of great talents and name an champion out of many nations.
See, when you get vague enough, the World Cup sounds a whole lot like the Olympics, doesn't it?
There really are quite a few comparisons between the two events: world competition, swollen nationalism, rampant corruption by organizing officials, mass protests of lazy governments.
One unique element of the World Cup is this, though. When the Olympics are on, just about everyone in America is consumed with nationalistic pride. Not the bad kind, mind you, where we start to point and laugh at everyone different from us. That's all the time.
No, people are overcome by this idea that we are all competing together as a nation towards one goal...despite the fact that about 90% of us have never shown a fraction of the dedication to anything active that Olympic athletes show.
In America, we root for Team USA.
When it comes to the World Cup, though, Americans suddenly forget that our team is actually competing in the darn thing.
I will openly admit my general ignorance about soccer. It's not my sport. I mean no disrespect, I just mean that my understanding of its minutiae and the general idea of it are a bit slack compared to my impressively encyclopedic knowledge of American football (you get the qualifier just this once, folks, so take it and like it).
I see people walking around wearing scarves and jackets for Brazil, Spain, Germany and just about everyone but the United States, and that bothers me deeply, so here's a quick guide to who you are and are not allowed to cheer for in the World Cup.
First, if you are not from America, go ahead. Cheer for your home country. That is beyond understandable. Cheering for your home country is the whole point of this column. You don't need my permission, but you have it. Be glad.
Second, if you are American and have ever lived or have family living in another country, you may raise a shout in solidarity when they score a goal. I'll allow it. I have a good friend who cheered for Ecuador because he had cousins who were missionaries over there. Go get'em! Why not?
Third, if America is already out of the World Cup, which is likely to be sooner rather than later, you should be allowed to cheer for someone else. I am nigh incapable of watching a sporting event without picking a side at some point. It just can't happen. I understand your plight, fellow Americans with strong opinions.
Fourth, never Qatar. We aren't speaking to them right now.
Fifth, it was Flag Day yesterday, so you should have already been sporting an American flag somewhere on your person.
Finally, if you are openly cheering for America first, you may pull for another team second. I get it. Soccer isn't necessarily our best sport, so you have a "soccer team" that you cheer for, but this is a little more serious than when you have a different college team in football and basketball. You are from here (if you are).
I find it strange when people from Georgia cheer for the Yankees or the Cowboys or the Royals. What's your connection? You don't have one. Plus...really? The Royals?
That's what it all comes down to, though: connection. If you are genuinely connected to a team, cool. If not, don't be that guy.
Please, just this once, drink the red, white and blue Kool-Aid.


text:
Are you ready to enhance your lips with some gorgeous color and shine? Look no farther because gloDazzle Gloss will offer you the sheerest and shiniest of shades all with luscious high gloss reflection that can be worn or layered over lips to add just a dab of glimmer! With sheerly irresistible colors, it's time to give your lips a shine that no one is going to forget! Choose your favorite gloss out of these amazing choices: Blue Lagoon, Pink Ginger, Purple Lotus, or Tiger Lily. Give this gloss, that comes in a variety of colors, a try today! You are going to love it!
Directions: Apply on lips.
Net Weight: 12 ml / 0.41 fl oz.
Ingredients: Polybutene, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Octyldodecanol, Euphoria Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Trihydroxystearin, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Phytonadione, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Retinyl Palmitate, Bumetrizole, Vanillin Propylparaben Flavor (Aroma).


text:
- Table View
- List View
Betty: A Glad Awakeningby Betty Ford Chris Chase
This memoir portrays the author's experiences and brings awareness that alcoholism and drug addiction will not deprive a person of a life. Gratitude, laughter and freedom are the inspiring gifts Ford received on recovery, which she illustrates in this book.
The Times of My Lifeby Betty Ford Chris Chase
The autobiography of the wife of President Gerald Ford Raised in the midwest, once divorced, troubled by her husband's frequent absences, threatened by breast cancer, and for a moment lost within pills and alcohol, Betty Ford has lead a life that every woman knows is part of her life too-tender, tragic, happy, painful, and finally, triumphant. Now with all of her honesty, candor, and humor, Betty Ford tells of each public and private time of her life-sharing with you the very special and very moving life of a great American woman.
Select your format based upon: 1) how you want to read your book, and 2) compatibility with your reading tool. To learn more about using Bookshare with your device, visit the Help Center.
Here is an overview of the specialized formats that Bookshare offers its members with links that go to the Help Center for more information.
- Bookshare Web Reader - a customized reading tool for Bookshare members offering all the features of DAISY with a single click of the "Read Now" link.
- DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System) - a digital book file format. DAISY books from Bookshare are DAISY 3.0 text files that work with just about every type of access technology that reads text. Books that contain images will have the download option of 'DAISY Text with Images'.
- BRF (Braille Refreshable Format) - digital Braille for use with refreshable Braille devices and Braille embossers.
- MP3 (Mpeg audio layer 3) - Provides audio only with no text. These books are created with a text-to-speech engine and spoken by Kendra, a high quality synthetic voice from Ivona. Any device that supports MP3 playback is compatible.
- DAISY Audio - Similar to the Daisy 3.0 option above; however, this option uses MP3 files created with our text-to-speech engine that utilizes Ivonas Kendra voice. This format will work with Daisy Audio compatible players such as Victor Reader Stream and Read2Go.


text:
Apologies in advance. In the midst of scrambling out of Atlanta, I left a few crucial cables back in the Dirty South. Primarily the one to transfer video and stills off of my video camera... Wundebar!
In the meantime, I've been busy lifestyling and corresponding in my new town (which includes a heavy dose of getting settled).
On Sat afternoon, about 90 Murphy-Goode wine club members showed up for a welcome BBQ and a Liar's Dice Tournament.
It was really incredible to meet with everyone, to share some BBQ, and to kick back for a few hours and just play some games. My skills need to improve greatly, if I'm going to walk out of Healdsburg with any money left.
In the next few days, I'll be transferring most of my posts about Murphy-Goode to
www.murphygoodewinery.com/hardy as well as our Facebook page
Thanks for everyone's patience! This will be up and rockin' soon!


text:
CLEARWATER — Clearwater Elementary School held its fourth annual Book Character Parade on Thursday.
Hundreds of elementary school students could be seen marching down the street on Thursday wearing costumes from their favorite book characters.
"I'm a spider from 'The Very Busy Spider,'" said Clearwater student Ariel Eubanks. "My favorite part is when the spider made the web and went to everybody's house and ate their food."
Issac Carmona, another Clearwater student, carried his favorite book, "Firefighters to the Rescue," during the parade.
"My favorite part is where it says 'sleepyhead.' I like that part," Carmona said.
Police and fire truck escorts assisted by steering the parade along Highway 421 and around Stadium Circle.
"The kids are so excited, and it's our way of encouraging everyone to open a book and read," said fourth-grade teacher Kelly Schultz, who was also the Character Parade chairperson. "This is one of the ways we do that, and they get to share the experience with their parents who line up on the side of the street and watch the parade."
Several popular characters throughout the parade included Spiderman, Ironman, spiders, firefighters and various other characters.
Clearwater Elementary Principal Trey Laube felt the children had fun and also that they understood the importance of reading.
"It gives us a chance to let kids read the books and express a character in the book," Laube said. "By doing that, it encourages other students to read other books. And that's the whole point of the parade. It's all tied in to the literacy of our school."
Derrek Asberry is a beat reporter with the Aiken Standard news team and joined the paper in June. He is originally from Vidalia, Ga. He graduated from Georgia Southern University with a journalism degree in May 2012.
Staff photo by Derrek Asberry Student Breanna Bacon dresses as Si Robertson from "Duck Dynasty."×
Staff photo by Derrek Asberry Jeffrey Lewis and Hailen McGowan wear pajamas to illustrate the book, "Ira Sleeps Over."×
Staff photo by Derrek Asberry Tytanna Merritt holds up her favorite book, "Snow White." Students dressed up as their favorite characters on Thursday.×
Staff photo by Derrek Asberry Derek Lariscey, left, and Greyson Davis dress as spiders from their class's book, "The Very Busy Spider."×
Staff photo by Derrek Asberry Ronald Adams and Victor Avia dress in pajamas for the parade.×
Staff photo by Derrek Asberry Ashton Young, left, and Giovani Anastacio dress as characters from "Too Many Pumpkins."×
Staff photo by Derrek Asberry Clearwater Elementary School student Issac Carmona poses with his favorite book, "Firefighters to the Rescue."×
Staff photo by Derrek Asberry Dominic Price, left, and Cory Green dress as characters from "Ironman."×


text:
There's two decidedly different films due on the home entertainment front this week: For mind-numbing action post-Memorial Day there's 'Drive Angry,' the latest Nicolas Cage saga in which the star once again plays a hero facing impossible odds and impossible villains as he fights for truth, justice and a strong backend deal. Way at the other end of the movie spectrum is Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's very depressing (but ultimately uplifting) 'Biutiful,' which highlights a bravura performance by Oscar-nominated Javier Bardem as a conflicted man facing his own mortality in the seedy underbelly of Barcelona. Read on.
'Drive Angry'
What It's About: Milton (Nicolas Cage) is a hardened felon who has broken out of Hell intent on finding the vicious cult that brutally murdered his daughter and kidnapped her baby: He has three days to stop them before the charismatic Jonah King and his murderous followers sacrifice his infant granddaughter beneath a full moon. He joins forces with Piper (Amber Heard), a sexy, tough-as-nails waitress with a '69 Charger, who's also seeking redemption of her own. The two of them -- along with the Devil's Accountant, who's hot on their trail -- create a bloody swathe of death and destruction throughout the South on their way to salvation.
It's Kinda Like: 'The Crow' meets 'Kill Bill' and 'The Searchers'
What We Say: This is pure grindhouse junk at it's best, the kind of stuff Roger Corman used to put out, but to the nth degree. Like last year's 'Machette,' you'll need a computer to tally up the body count, and will have to gobble up bag after bag of microwave popcorn to suspend disbelief enough to accept all the near misses and wild escapes. Unfortunately, 'Drive Angry' arrived too close to Cage's turns in 'Season of the Witch' and 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice,' and audiences may not have been ready for another "fighting angry" Cage; the film tanked at the box office. Which is too bad, cause this gory actioner is a true guilty pleasure of exploitation goodness.
• Extras: 'How to Drive Angry' and 'Milton's Mayhem' featurettes, commentary, deleted scenes. Also available in 3D and 2D Blu-ray Discs, which adds 'Access: Drive Angry' that allows users to activate "scene specific" features including interviews with cast and filmmakers, as well as track the body count in 'Milton's Mayhem.'
Rotten Tomatoes Reviews | Buy DVD | Save DVD to your Netflix queue
Watch a DVD clip from 'Drive Angry':
What It's About: Javier Bardem stars as Uxbal, a conflicted man who struggles to reconcile fatherhood, love, spirituality, crime, guilt and mortality amidst the dangerous underworld of modern Barcelona. His earns his livelihood by helping smugglers and illegal aliens, by selling knock-off goods, and as a spiritual advisor to his neighbors (he's able to talk with the dead). The film follows him as navigates the shoals of the Spanish underclass, deals with an unfaithful wife (who's having an affair with his brother) and impending death, all the while juggling the internal conflict of good and bad and letting it be known that the most important thing in the world is his children -- and the love he passes on to them.
It's Kinda Like: '21 Grams' meets 'Traffic'
What We Say: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's films are not noted for their uplifting themes ('21 Grams,' 'Babel,') yet within the grim frameworks he creates, there's always a note of optimism at the end, a spark of humanity that glows and gives hope for the future. That's also the case here; Though it's painful to watch, 'Biutiful' is, indeed, beautiful. Bardem, of course, dominates the film, his eyes speaking heartfelt volumes, moving through each frame with a yearning for a better world, one in which this tragic love story between a man and his children would have a happier ending. Bardem was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar and though he didn't win, certainly deserved it.
• Extras: A making-of documentary.
Rotten Tomatoes Reviews | Buy DVD | Save DVD to your Netflix queue
Watch a trailer for 'Biutiful':
Other New May 31 DVD Releases:
'Cross':When beautiful young women start disappearing from the streets of L.A., Callan (a.k.a. Cross) -- granted incredible power by his ancient Celtic cross -- and his crew of weapons experts kick into high gear to take out the trash, uncovering a plot by an immortal Viking who wants to destroy mankind with his doomsday device. Stars Brian Austin Green, Jake Busey, Tom Sizemore, Michael Clarke Duncan, Vinnie Jones, Lori Heuring.
'Kaboom': The latest film from iconoclastic independent filmmaker Gregg Araki is a hyper-stylized 'Twin Peaks' for the Coachella Generation; It's a wild, witty and sex-drenched horror-comedy thriller about an ambisexual 18-year-old college freshman who stumbles upon a monstrous conspiracy in a seemingly idyllic Southern California seaside town.
'Passion Play': Stars Mickey Rourke, Megan Fox, Bill Murray, Rhys Ifans, Kelly Lynch and former UFC champ Chuck Liddell. A washed-up jazz musician (Mickey Rourke) fleeing a trigger-happy gangster (Bill Murray) stumbles across a traveling carnival and is instantly mesmerized by the carnival's prized attraction, Lily "The Bird Woman" (Megan Fox). But Lily is no carny fake: her wings are real. The fugitive musician falls in love with this angelic creature and he convinces her to leave with him, to the anger of her ruthless employer (Rhys Ifans).
'Savage County': A group of kids trespass on the land of a family of mutant in-bred Tennessee lunatics with a taste for torture -- and guess what happens to the teens. Started life as a Web miniseries, but due to popular demand, was turned into a feature and had its premiere on MTV2. The DVD features the uncensored cut that was too graphic for basic cable.
May 31 Blu-ray Debuts:
'American Graffiti Special Edition'(1973): George Lucas' breakout film gets the Blu-ray treatment. The HD images are fine but it's the music that comes to the fore in this edition. Stars Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith, Cindy Williams, Candy Clark, Mackenzie Phillips, Wolfman Jack, Bo Hopkins, Manuel Padilla Jr., Harrison Ford. Bonus features: Video commentary with director George Lucas and 'The Music of "American Graffiti' and 'The Making of American Graffiti' featurettes.
'A Clockwork Orange 40th Anniversary Edition' (1971): Directed by Stanley Kubrick and starring Malcolm McDowell, this adaptation of Anthony Burgess' dystopian novel is just stunning in its Blu-ray debut. The old "Ultra-violence" just pops off the screen into your living room. The two-disc release includes two newly-produced bonus features: "Turning Like Clockwork," a 25 minute documentary about the film's "Ultra-violence" and its cultural impact, and "Malcolm McDowell Looks Back," a short documentary where Malcolm McDowell reminiscences on closely working with legendary director Stanley Kubrick. Also includes the feature-length documentaries "Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures" and "O Lucky Malcolm!" as well as "Still Tickin': The Return of Clockwork Orange," "Great Bolshy Yarblockos!: Making A Clockwork Orange," commentary by Malcolm McDowell and historian Nick Redman. Packaged in a 40-page Blu-ray Book with rare photos, production notes and more.
'Once Upon a Time in the West' (1968): Sergio Leone's cult classic spaghetti Western stars Henry Fonda, Claudia Cardinale, Jason Robards, Charles Bronson, Jack Elam and Keenan Wynn, with Fonda playing the blackest character of his career: A ruthless and murderous psychopath who suffers no conscience pangs after annihilating an entire family at the behest of a powerful railroad tycoon. Jason Robards and Charles Bronson (as the mysterious harmonica man) go after the bad guys. Populated by rich and fascinating characters, driven by a great plot, this is arguably Leone's greatest Western. Written by Dario Argento and Bernardo Bertolucci. With a great score by Ennio Morricone. Bonus features: Commentary with contributions by directors John Carpenter, John Milius and Alex Cox, film historians Christopher Frayling and Dr. Sheldon Hall, and cast and crew; featurettes: "An Opera of Violence," "The Wages of Sin," "Something to Do With Death," "Railroad: Revolutionizing the West," "Locations Then & Now"; production gallery.
'Stanley Kubrick: Limited Edition Collection': A Nine-film, 10-disc collection contains every film the director made since 1960. The collection features the film and bonus content from "A Clockwork Orange 40th Anniversary Edition," the Blu-ray debuts of "Lolita" and "Barry Lyndon," as well as "Spartacus," "Dr. Strangelove," "2001: A Space Odyssey," "The Shining," "Full Metal Jacket" and "Eyes Wide Shut," boxed in new book-style premium packaging with a 40-page hard-cover book. Price tag: $148.95.
Check out other new May 31 DVD releases at OnVideo.
Drive Angry
A brutal felon (Nicolas Cage) escapes from hell to save his grandchild from bloodthirsty cultists. Read More
A crook (Javier Bardem) with a terminal illness tries to set his affairs in order. Read More
categories Dvds, Blu-Ray Dvds


text:
15 Amazing Facts About The Placenta, Umbilical Cord and The Amniotic SacDevan McGuinness
I find pregnancy so fascinating! Not just the crazy idea of this little thing growing into an actual human, but all the things that need to take place in between sex with a partner to birthing a baby. We often talk about the changes that happen to the mom when pregnant, the pregnancy symptoms, the weight gain the "oh crap I can't see my feet any more" moments, but there really are some behind the scene things that are equally as interesting.
I will admit, I had never seen a placenta in real life or photo-form until after the birth of my first child and I accidently saw it sitting in a bucket in front of me. I was both totally disgusted and intrigued at the first time. I had no idea it would be so big and look like an organ. It is an organ, but I guess I never really thought too much about it. Since then, I have been really fascinated with learning more about the things I didn't really think about. Week-by-week I was reading up on what the baby was doing — what new changes he underwent, but paid little attention to the three vital aspects of pregnancy — the amniotic sac and fluid, the placenta and the umbilical cord — there would be no babies with out them.
Click through to read 15 amazing facts about the amniotic sac, placenta and the umbilical cord:
Placenta Has Two Parts 1 of 15One part of the placenta is genetically and biologically part of the mother, and the other part of the baby.
Source: Science Daily
Photo credit: danoxster on Flickr
1 Pint of Blood 2 of 15Every minute of your pregnancy, 1 pint of blood is pumping into the uterus, exchanging nutrients with the placenta. Mothers blood doesn't mix with the babies though.
Source: The Pregnancy Companion
Photo credit: rkimpeljr on Flickr
Weighs About 1lb 3 of 15Placenta on average is about 22cm in diameter and 2.0 - 2.5 cm thick. It weighs approximately 470 g (about 1 lb).
Source: American Academy of Family Physicians
Photo credit: moppet65535 on Flickr
Secretes Hormones 4 of 15
Many Uses After Birth 5 of 15
Umbilical Cord is Part of the Baby 6 of 15
Long and Useful 7 of 15Umbilical cord is approximately 22 in. (56 cm) long. It extends from the abdominal wall of the baby and is attached to the placenta. Main function is to carry nourishment and oxygen from the placenta to the baby and return waste products to the placenta from the baby.
Source: Yahoo
Photo credit: photostock
Important Cells 8 of 15Umbilical cord contains many cells called hematopoietic stem cells. These cells can develop into several different kinds of specialized cells and have been used as part of treatment in many diseases including leukemia and lymphoma.
Source: Encyclopedia
Photo credit: Herkie on Flickr
Passes Antibodies 9 of 15Near the end of pregnancy, the umbilical cord passes antibodies given through the placenta to the baby from your body.
Source: NHS
Photo credit: moppet65535 on Flickr
Belly Button is a Scar 10 of 15The stump of the cord that is left attached to the baby will dry up after after 5 and 15 days after birth leaving the scar known as the navel (belly button).
Source: Yahoo
Photo credit: Wikipedia Commons
Lots of Fluid 11 of 15Amniotic fluid levels sit at approximately 800ml through most of the pregnancy. It may drop slightly near the end of the pregnancy.
Source: Babies Online
Photo credit: balleyne on Flickr
Baby Inhales and Urinates 12 of 15The baby swallows and inhales the amniotic fluid while in utero and replaces the volume in the amniotic sac by urinating and exhaling the liquid.
Source: Babies Online
Photo credit: myllissa on Flickr
Full of More Than Water 13 of 15About 2 weeks after fertilization takes place the amniotic sac begins to grow and fill. After about 10 weeks gestation, the fluid contains carbohydrates, lipids, phospholipids, proteins, and urea which reaches the fetus
Source: Girlishh
Photo credit: mcconnell.franklin on Flickr
Replaces Every 3 Hours 14 of 15Amniotic fluid completely replaces itself every three hours, even after your has broken.
Source: About
Photo credit: Dottie Mae on Flickr
Born in the Caul 15 of 15Some babies are born within the amniotic sac or with a large part of the membrane coating the newborn - knows as "being born in the caul".
Source: Wikipedia
Photo credit: Wikipedia Commons


text:
Special Needs Kids Don't Have Cooties: Disability Myths DebunkedPilar Clark
Turns out special needs as contagious cooties and glittery unicorn farts that smell like sprinkles and sunshine have a lot in common. Namely that both are kind of beautiful, and neither is dangerous.
That's right, folks. Special needs are not contagious.
That it needs pointing out however, gives me the sad panda of sob.
Yesterday, I posted Do Prettier Moms Get More Playdates?, which sparked a pretty heated debate about the where, when, how and why of making mom friends.
But of all those who commented, only three readers responded to the second part of the question – "… or do special needs kids just get the shaft?" And here's thinking that only happened because they identified themselves as special needs parents too.
Heavy sigh.
Special needs, disabilities, handicaps – whatever you want to call a child's individual challenges – weird "mainstream" parents out. Special needs parents know that as truth.
I get that disabilities make parents feel awkward if they have no experience with them, and maybe even scare them a little. Because, you know, their kid might "come down" with Asperger's or Down's Syndrome or Cerebral Palsy or whatever just by hanging out.
I get it.
But I don't accept it.
Neurotypical children playing with disabled children is not like a chicken pox party. Exposing them to kids with disabilities, regardless of severity, won't negatively influence them. Promise.
Instead, it will encourage them to be communicative, compassionate members of society with a personal understanding and tolerance of those who are different than they are, which is kind of what making friends is all about.
Look, aside from craving adult interaction, us special needs moms and dads just want to see our kids become friends with other kids in the neighborhood. Same as you.
Would you feel comfortable letting your children play with a special needs child?
Photo source: morguefile


text:
State law regulating municipal income taxes in Ohio ought to be uniform and fair. That should go without saying.
But a bill in the General Assembly to alter the rules by which towns and cities levy and collect income taxes may reduce their revenue from that source. At a time when most Ohio municipalities are struggling with lower revenue, in part because of cuts in state assistance, that is a big concern for local government officials.
Exactly how much revenue towns and cities would lose through enactment of the measure is unclear.
Balancing the needs of taxpayers, including job-creating businesses, with those of municipal budgets is tricky business. Again, tax burdens should be fair, uniform - and as low as possible.
But placing a new revenue loss burden on the backs of already stressed local governments may not be a good idea, especially now. State legislators should bear that in mind before acting on HB 607.


text:
By MAE ANDERSON
Associated Press
NEW YORK – Facebook's recent effort to force people to adopt its standalone mobile messaging app has privacy-concerned users up in arms. Many of them believe the app is especially invasive.
One blog from the Huffington Post published in December has gone viral, making the rounds on the social network recently because it claims the app gives Facebook "direct control over your mobile device" and allows Facebook to call phone numbers without a users' intervention and send text messages without confirmation, but none of that is accurate.
In truth, Facebook Messenger isn't any more invasive than Facebook's main app – or other similar applications. The fear and confusion stem from a message that greets owners of Android devices when they install the app. It explains that the app requires permission access to the device's camera, microphone, list of contacts and other information.
Here's what Facebook's mobile messaging app does and doesn't do.
• Myth: You have to use the Messenger app if you want to send messages to your Facebook friends. Reality: While it's required to download if you are using Facebook's mobile app on the iPhone or Android smartphones, you can avoid it if use the Facebook messenger service on your desktop or laptop, iPad or even the mobile Facebook website.
• Myth: The Facebook Messenger app's terms of service are different from – and more intrusive than – Facebook's own official terms. Reality: Facebook's terms of service are the same for all its mobile apps, including the main Facebook app. You can read it here: m.facebook.com/policies.
What's upsetting people is the list of "permissions" they see when they download and install the app on an Android phone. It's a long list with 10 items, each of which states that the app needs access to features on your phone including contacts, calendar, location data and Wi-Fi information. But it's the same data most messaging apps have access to. On the iPhone, users don't get the list of permissions when they install the app, but when they use it, permissions pop up individually.
• Myth: Facebook's Messenger app will use your phone's microphone to record you. Reality: The app needs permission to use your phone's microphone and camera. But it requires that access because the microphone is needed for voice calling, a service that the standalone app offers that the Facebook app doesn't, and sending sound with videos. Same with the camera, it needs access if you want to send your friends pictures.
• Myth: Facebook will direct the app to send SMS, or text, messages without your permission. Reality: One of the permissions does say that Facebook can edit, receive, read and send SMS messages. But the company says the reason it wants to send and receive SMS messages is so that if you add a phone number to your Messenger account, you can confirm by a confirmation code that Facebook sends via text message.


text:
I love pie, ya'll. I don't love making it so much since that whole crust thing gets in the way. But as I've said before, and will say again and again and again, if you buy a pre-made gluten-free pie crust or use a gluten-free mix, you can rock that gf pie. Which is what I just did here with this one. Also, I did it without dairy*. What? I KNOW. Continue reading
Tag Archives: gluten free dessert
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Chocolate Coconut Pie is Yum
Filed under Celiac Disease, Recipes, Reviews
What's Your Damage?: Sugar
Oh, sugar, how I love thee. I know I should also quit thee, but I also know I love rainbow cake way too much for that to happen. Still, sugar is the biggest and baddest guy out there in the food world. In fact, a lot of people argue it is not even a food. Which, OK.
So when I tried to research a recipe that would be delicious and sweet and not have sugar, I also learned that my lovely coconut sugar does not pass the test either. Then I started thinking, "Wait, what test am I trying to pass, exactly?"
While I'm still scratching my head at the coconut sugar thing, from what I understand if I want to go 100% sugar-free (no honey, no maple syrup, no coconut sugar) dates are really my only option. While this is fascinating, I'm just not a fan of dates. HOWEVER. I did just get hooked on the Larabars, which are sweetened with dates. So I gave it a whirl. Also, guess who found date sugar at the store. ME. It was me.
Now, this is where I got slightly confused as the date sugar only had one ingredient: organic dates. My coconut palm sugar also has one ingredient listed: organic coconut palm sugar. Clearly, I'm way out of my league but I trudged on and decided to make a pie with date sugar! Yes, that pie you see above. (Although, the crust was pre-made and it just occurred to me that there was quite possibly sugar in that damn gluten-free crust. D'oh! So to make it totes sugar-free, eliminate the crust altogether and put mixture into 8 small ramekins and make individual custards.)
I love my grandmother's chess pie (recipe is in my book!) so I decided to start there. It only has a few ingredients so things can't get that jacked up. But I knew something was different the minute my softened butter hit that pile of sugar. Date sugar.
Date sugar tips:
- Maybe don't make something that calls for almost two cups of sugar and substitute date sugar. Maybe start out with something that only requires like 2 tablespoons. (Date sugar is expensive, yo!)
- When mixing butter and date sugar, skip the hand mixer and go straight in with your actual hands. It's the only way those two things will mix properly.
- Up your liquid ingredients to compensate for the thickness of date sugar vs. other sugars.
- Let your mixture sit for awhile to allow the date sugar to dissolve even more before baking.
- Do not be alarmed by the dark color of your previously golden pie.
- You just don't need as many bites of a pie that is made with date sugar vs. a pie made with the white death sugar. It's a rich flavor that goes a loooong way.
- And lastly, but most importantly, do not expect your date sugar pie to taste exactly like your white sugar pie.
For those of us who have been substituting gluten-free flours for normal wheat flour, we already understand that 9 times out of 10 shit's gonna' taste different. The same thing goes for using not-white sugar. Dates have a specific taste, and yes that taste is sweet, but it's also something else. It's date-y. So while my pie was good, it was not at all the same thing as my grandmother's original recipe. Can you serve it up to your sugar-free friends without embarrassment? Absolutely. Even my 7-year-old was all, "This is good. It's not my favorite. But it's good." Which is an A+ in my book.
But if you are only trying to cut down on your sugar intake, but do not have a full blown allergy or health problem with sugar, try that coconut version or substitute honey. I use those substitutions all the time and not one single person has ever noticed the difference. That date thing, though? It's super obvious.
What sugars do you cook with when you're trying to be healthier? Let me know what works for ya'!
Oh, and pie recipe –
Filed under Celiac Disease, Recipes, Uncategorized
Udi's Does Christmas (Gluten-Free, Of Course)
If there's one thing I cannot do without during my gluten-free holidays it's the Udi's. From the stuffing, to the easy dessert options, I'm all over it. This holiday the good people of Udi's sent me a box of products to see what I could make of it. Oh, I made of it. I made of it, good.
Filed under Celiac Disease, Recipes, Uncategorized
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Maple Bread Pudding is as Good as it Sounds
Damn, peoples. I'll be honest. I've cut out a lot of sugar in my life since that whole experiment. Even more dairy. Something happened last weekend, however, or two somethings. One, we went to a family dinner post-wedding where bread pudding was served. And two, PUMPKIN IS HAPPENING. Perhaps, you've heard?
I've decided to commit to making as much food with pumpkin in the next 45 days as possible. I'm just assuming you are too. It's what we do in America once fall happens and we all lose our shit. Up first, gluten-free pumpkin bread pudding.
Something I actually do is buy a couple of sugar pumpkins and roast them, grab the seeds and do them up, then puree the hell out of it and make good bizness. This year, however, I've got less than zero time so I bought some organic pumpkin guts and went to town.
I also went to Rising Hearts and loaded up on gluten-free brioche because I wanted to do it right. Honestly, I think if you used another gluten-free white bread like Udi's it would still turn out great, but I wanted to brioche it up. So I did! And wow, my entire family is flipping out about this recipe. It's coming back. Soon.
Filed under Uncategorized
Gluten-Free Pillsbury® Pie Crust??? Let's Make a Pie!
Well, hello there Dough Boy. Have you heard? Pillsbury® is getting into the gluten-free game and they've just released upon the world not one, not two, but THREE gluten-free classic dough situations. You've got your gluten-free chocolate chip cookie dough, your gluten-free pizza dough, and your gluten-free pie crust. I was lucky enough to receive all three in the post and got to experimenting.* Thank you, Pillsbury®!
While this is great news, I hope the good people at Pillsbury® don't think I'm going to stop writing letters about developing gluten-free crescent rolls. Because come on, Christmas. In the meantime, there's a whole lot of goodness that can created out of these ready-made doughs. I'm thinking ice cream sandwiches with those cookies, pizza night at home (hey, no cross-contamination!), and any kind of pie you can imagine. Me? I imagined a gluten-free chocolate chip pie. Yes, I did.
I've been one of those devotees to Whole Foods gluten-free crusts, virtually giving up on ever having a roll out type crust wherein I squish the ends around the pie plate. And that's just sad. While I did not make this gluten-free crust on my lonesome (duh, Pillsbury® did), I was able to shape it, pat it, and feel just a little bit more like Grandma. If only I'd taken the fork to the edges to make it all purty! How did I forget that??? Anyway, it felt good. And kind of normal. And tasted amazing. Easy, breezy, gluten-free pie.
Before you think I'm totally hard core, please note that this chocolate chip pie is not in fact, made with gluten-free Pillsbury® pie crust AND gluten-free Pillsbury® chocolate chip cookie dough. Just the pie dough, folks. This time.
So here's how you make this deliciousness happen. How do you think you could go crazy with Pillsbury® gluten-free doughs? Do tell.
*Full disclosure: this article is financially supported by Pillsbury®
Filed under Uncategorized


text:
During Oracle OpenWorld, on Tuesday, September 20th, at 7.00pm, the place to be will be at the MySQL Community Reception ! OpenWorld attendees, members of local MySQL user groups, MySQL users in the Bay Area – you're all invited to Oracle's MySQL Community Reception to meet the MySQL Team ! Mingle with your peers, run into old friends from around … Read More
Yesterday I was in Paris to attend a OpenTech Meetup related to MySQL. You can find below the two presentations I gave (Warning: in French). Haute disponibilité my sql avec group réplication from Frédéric Descamps MySQL 5.7 & JSON – Nouvelles opportunités pour les dévelopeurs from Frédéric Descamps The audience was very interested and I got several good questions. It … Read More
After having played with MySQL Group Replication and HAProxy, it's time to show you how easy it's to setup MySQL HA with ProxySQL. ProxySQL is a high performance open source proxy for MySQL. It has many features that invite you to discover on proxysql.com and on github. If you remember, I wrote in my last post that it is recommended … Read More
MySQL Group Replication is just one component of the upcoming MySQL HA Solution as Matt Lord explained it in his GR quick start guide. So while mysql-router is back to school to become smarter and learn how to take the right decision we can already use existing 3rd party solutions. To be honest, if people are already using a load … Read More
Vadim Tkachenko recently released Docker images for Group Replication (thank you for that 😉 ). As not everybody is already using Docker or just because having multiple choices is also nice (this is an OpenSource world isn't it ?), I decided to share a Vagrant environment that you can use to evaluate Group Replication. This environment provides also a module that … Read More


text:
There Kevin Durant sat at his locker, still in his full uniform, slumped halfway down in his chair, looking at a statsheet. After rubbing his eyes and shaking his head, Durant crumpled the piece of paper and flipped it into his locker. He then motioned at the Thunder's PR guy, saying he was ready for his postgame availability.
And virtually every question he was asked, Durant began his response the same way. "I don't know man," he would say, holding his arms out, the universal signal for "I don't know man."
Because what could he say to explain what happened in Oklahoma City on Thursday night?
"Yeah we get too relaxed. We've got to keep going," Durant said. "When a team is down you've got to keep them down. That's what teams do to us when we're down."
If Tuesday's loss to the Blazers was just really bad, this one is deserving of five or six reallys. I'm searching for a reasonable excuse, non-Russell-Westbrook-is-hurt division, and I can't find one. The Thunder, once again cruising at home, busted a double-digit second half lead, this one coming to the lowly Nets, to lose on a Joe Johnson buzzer-beater, 95-93.
It seriously has been almost the same thing all three times. This time around the Thunder led by 89-91 with 5:15 left. They weren't playing all that well necessarily, but certainly appeared to be in control of the proceedings. A methodical 12-0 run by the Nets that featured a four-minute scoring drought by OKC put the Thunder down four with 1:19 left. Kevin Durant hit a shot to cut it to two, then Serge Ibaka finished a deflected pass from KD to tie things up with 5.8 seconds left.
And it's not that the Thunder's defense on Johnson was poor or anything. It was simply a fantastic rainbow shot to win the game. Problem is, things should have never ever, ever come to that. The way the Thunder lapsed was just, well, pathetic.
There are the simple reasons, like the offense went to complete crap (16 points in the fourth quarter), or that they turned it over 21 times, or that next to Durant's 24, the next highest scorer was Perry Jones with 11. Those are the statsheet reasons the Thunder lost, probably the things Durant saw when he crumpled it up and tossed it aside.
But the larger, more blatant reason is harder to define. There's something missing with this team sans Russell Westbrook. It's no coincidental that they hadn't lost two consecutive home games in two years until tonight. In fact, that's now three losses at home, all games in which the Thunder led going into the fourth quarter. Last season, OKC was 58-5 when leading after three quarters, and 31-2 at home.
What's going on?
"I think we had 14 turnovers in that 2nd half, seven each quarter," Brooks said. "We were just making bad plays, uncharacteristic plays. We do turn over from time to time, but some of our turnovers tonight were just unacceptable. We have to do a better job. We have to do a better job of closing out quarters. We have to do a better job of finishing the game."
A play to point to: At the end of the third quarter, Paul Pierce hit a jumper, then Jeremy Lamb threw away the inbound pass, Deron Williams grabbed it and dropped a halfcourter. Five points in under a second that turned 77-61 lead heading into the fourth quarter into 77-66. That's why the Thunder lost this game. Not that play specifically, but that type of mental lapse. Yes, it was about the poor fourth quarter execution and the lack of any kind of help for KD, but the Thunder just did straight up stupid stuff. They looked like a 25-win team that doesn't know how to finish and win. Is that all a Westbrook issue? Or was it just that the Thunder didn't do anything right when they needed to?
Like Brooks said after the game, everything they did to lose this game is entirely correctable. The turnovers, the bad plays, the stupid mistakes, the mental lapses — all of those things can be easily fixed. But these are the kinds of losses, like the Portland one the other night, that you can't get back. These are the kinds of losses we all feared would happen when Westbrook's latest procedure was announced.
But after the way they played against the Rockets, and the first three quarters they played against the Blazers, it looked like for the most part, they were set up to not just survive, but thrive. So much for that. Instead, Durant is left slumping in a chair, searching a box score for answers. Where is the help going to come from?
"We'll be straight. We lost two in a row and they were two tough games," KD said. "We need to be better."
- The tl;dr of this: The Thunder lost a basketball game to a team they definitely should not have lost to.
- I've seen a lot of folks pinning this one on Brooks, and while I think he again jumbled it up a bit, the closing lineup he used mostly made sense. I thought playing Perry Jones for 30 minutes in a super small lineup was wise. Only qualm I really had with the closing lineup was the lack of Jeremy Lamb who barely appeared in the fourth. That's a habit Brooks has. When hanging on to a lead, he goes defensive and tries to get stops rather than scores. Eventually, that catches up to you with 12-0 runs. So Brooks went with Sefolosha for the fourth and basically had OKC playing Save-Us-KD offense for most of the quarter.
- The Nets went with an odd starting five tonight: Williams, Livingston, Johnson, Pierce and Garnett. They were obviously trying to take the Heat approach and smallball OKC's big starting five, but instead, they had Pierce on Ibaka and Livingston on KD to begin the game. They basically created mismatches against themselves. That said, it was confounding how Brooks stayed with his starting five the first eight minutes of the game despite Garnett standing 15 feet away from Perk on some possessions. Garnett could only have been guarding Perk less if he was standing somewhere in Yukon.
- Bright side: Reggie Jackson's dollar signs are down to like five instead of 15. Another rough game for him: nine points on 4-13 shooting, five assists and four turnovers.
- I can't stress how dejected and disappointed KD was postgame. Typically, he showers and gets completely dressed before talking to reporters. Tonight, he still had the whole uniform on. Never seen that. The locker room tonight was entirely different than after the Portland loss. After that one, there was a real "it happens" vibe and everyone was smiling and laughing and felt good. After this one, it was like I walked into The Cure song.
- If you fall for a Thabo Sefolosha pump fake, I have a pyramid scheme I'd like to tell you about.
- The Jackson-Lamb-Durant-Jones-Ibaka lineup is a WRECKING ball of athleticism and length.
- Perk got oddly carried away offensively tonight, taking seven shots. Here's what's crazy about that: That's only six fewer than Durant.
- Should Durant be shooting more? Probably. But at the same time, he has to continue to make the right play and the right pass. He has to continue to trust his teammates. It's just up to them to come along with him.
- Perry Jones did some positive stuff tonight. Had some rough moments too, but overall played a quality 30 minutes. And I liked seeing him out there getting the opportunity.
- Steven Adams should've played more.
- Nick Collison too. Six minutes. Ridiculous.
- Derek Fisher got 23. I'm not endorsing the Thunder to make a move, but one might be necessary so that doesn't happen anymore.
- Serge Ibaka with his first double-double since Dec. 21 against the Spurs.
- End of the first quarter with the shotclock off, Lamb hoisted a contested 3 with 12 seconds left. Alan Anderson then canned a deep 2 at the buzzer. I think that's what you call a teaching moment. Then Lamb to finish the third threw the ball away and Williams hit a deep 3. Five points he gave up all on his own right there.
- Said Brooks on Lamb's mistakes: "One of the things I will tell Jeremy, is one, he didn't try to do that. He's never been in that situation in an NBA game. So it's something we'll discuss and we've done it already and we'll discuss it more tomorrow so it doesn't happen again, and it won't. He's a cerebral player and he had a bad moment. That's the bottom line. He had a bad moment. It's not intentional."
- What's weird about this game is OKC shot 50 percent from the floor, hit nine 3s and had 20 assists. Those are typically positive things that lead to an explosive offensive night. But nope.
- Brooks on what OKC needs to do better with KD: "We've done a good job all year with that. It's not like we've seen two guys on KD for the first time tonight. We've done a much better job of getting to our spots quickly and making quick decisions off that first pass. Tonight it wasn't the case, but it's something we've done a good job of. And we will watch it and address it tomorrow and get better from it, hopefully, and move on to the next game because a lot of teams are going to do that. Most teams will do that. They've done it all year. But like I said, we've done a good job with that. It's unfortunate that we've had two bad quarters tonight and then last game with two bad quarters in the 2nd half."
- Durant on adjusting to teams loading up on him: "I don't know but I've got to figure it out. I've got to watch film and see how."
- Russell Westbrook was in the Thunder's locker room pregame walking around without any crutches. He was also on the Thunder's bench.
Next up: At the Wolves on Saturday


text:
Wigan's strong run of recent form finally yielded the three point return it deserved on Saturday, in the least likely of places, and from the least likely of sources. Captain Gary Caldwell was the hero with the sort of poacher's finish Anfield-goers came to expect of Robbie Fowler or Michael Owen. Indeed, everyone looked a bit bemused when the Scot recovered from the initial shock of finding himself with the ball in the box to turn Andy Carroll the wrong way and coolly slot past Pepe Reina. The Scot epitomizes the the determination and grit that has been on display in the club's recent matches and his strike was well worthy of its place in the history books.
Earlier in the game, his compatriot Shaun Maloney had put Wigan 1-0 up from the penalty spot. Martin Skrtel, a bad choice for a babysitter, thwacked Victor Moses across the chest and face as he was trying to head a looping Gary Caldwell ball over Pepe Reina. It was clearly a penalty, but the type of decision Wigan too frequently don't get awarded away against the big boys. Maloney took his opportunity perfectly, blasting low and left to claim his first goal for the club.
A terrific team display once again ended in frustration for Wigan Athletic, as their 21 shots — 3 of which hit the post — amounted to just one goal, the same as the rather fortunate West Brom. Roberto's team is surely playing the best football a team in its league position has ever played, and yet it also appears to be the worst at finishing opportunities in all four professional leagues.
With apologies for the late match report, these extra few days of reflection have brought me a frustrating conclusion. We already have a player who could have made the difference — Mauro Boselli. At risk of incurring the wrath of Cockney Latic, this would have been the type of game that would have seen the Argentine thrive.
Let us know if these previews are starting to become a bit ridiculous with their constant references to must-win fixtures, but I think it's time to face reality — barring any major miracles against the big boys, if we lose to West Brom this weekend it's game over. A draw would be pretty bad news too. Three points would give us a chance.
The gloom is founded in our ensuing fixtures, which involve Liverpool, Stoke, Chelsea, Man United and Arsenal — three of them away — followed by in-form, new-look Fulham (also away), and tricky though beatable Newcastle. The only saving grace, if survival is still mathematically attainable by then, is that the final two matches of the season are against direct rivals Blackburn and Wolves.
When we wrote our survival analysis several weeks ago, we were banking on a real point return from the recent fixtures against Villa, Swansea and Norwich. We should have emerged with six points from those nine, and instead got two.
*contributed by Jakarta Jack, whose writing regularly graces Los Three Amigos of Wigan.
Was this going to be the turning point in our season? It's the 85th minute, all equal at 1-1, Wigan Athletic dominating and Norwich on the back foot. Mohamed Diame has just come on as a substitute. Shaun Maloney skillfully beats the right-back and plays a lovely ball across from the left, leaving an open goal for him. Diame somehow kicks it over the bar.
It was an all-too-familiar pattern. So many times this season Latics have been the better team but have not been able to kill off the opposition. The result — Latics remain in the mire, glued to the bottom, with very difficult fixtures against top teams fast approaching. Norwich continue to punch above their weight, 15 points ahead of Latics this season with a squad that is certainly no better than ours. They seem to be experts at getting goals out of the blue, as did Hoolahan in the 10th minute when he somehow got a poke of the ball ahead of Caldwell from a speculative cross. In the 68th minute, Victor Moses had leveled the score after latching on to a lovely through ball from Shaun Maloney, finishing with aplomb. A far cry from the wretched finishing we have seen from him in previous games. One of our two main strikers, he has now scored 3 goals in 28 appearances. The other striker on the day was Hugo Rodallaga, energetic and involved, going close on several occasions. He has scored 2 in 22, although half of those appearances were made as a substitute. But goalscoring is not merely in the strikers' domain. The midfield sadly lacked a goalscoring touch in this match, Diame the main culprit on more than one occasion, but he was not alone in his profligacy.
It is the early sixties and Latics have returned to the Cheshire League, where they first started in 1932. The Cheshire League is a now a superior league to the one they left, the Lancashire Combination, which has a reputation for the 'big boot' and 'kick and rush'. Wigan Athletic, aristocrats of the northern non-league, away at Congleton. My Dad books the tickets on Eavesway coaches and away we go to South Cheshire. Congleton Town are a small club, even by Cheshire League standards. They made their way up through the Mid Cheshire League and their team is mainly amateur — some of their better players had previously distinguished themselves in the Wigan Athletic reserve team. Their ground is rustic to say the least, with an awesome slope from goal to goal, the pitch rutted and churned up. Their crowds are usually less than 200, but with Latics being the visitors they have their season high attendance of over 1,000. Latics' visiting support can usually be relied on to give the home teams their best crowds of the season. Latics are in the top four at the time, while Congleton are pretty close to the bottom.
Dark days at the DW as Roberto Martinez's Wigan were outdone by a side he assembled and styled, but couldn't break down. It was a painful, if strangely comforting realization that while Swansea are currently much better at executing the Spaniard's footballing vision, at least they are living proof that it can actually work.
This fixture had been seen by most Latics supporters as a must-win — indeed three points would have boosted the side out of the relegation zone. It was one of three winnable fixtures before the terrifying weeks ahead involving trips to Stamford Bridge, Anfield, the Emirates, and the visit of Manchester United. Swansea, while a respectable side, had a poor away record, and we had deserved to win the reverse fixture. The mood before kickoff was optimistic.
It's business time at the DW, as Latics kick off the survival run-in with a must-win fixture against Roberto's old flame, Swansea City.
The reverse fixture in Wales back in August was an interesting 0-0 draw in which Latics were twice denied by the post, either side of a Ben Watson penalty miss. Had any of those gone in, Latics would be sitting above the relegation zone in 17th.
The Welsh team has enjoyed a fine season, claiming a few famous scalps and impressing with their (extremely familiar) passing style of football. Liberty Stadium has been a real fortress for them, achieving a 5W, 6D, 2L record there. Away results, however — 2W, 3D, 8L — are a bit more encouraging.
RSS feed


text:
Single Article Purchase:
Evaluating Reporting and Abstracts of Clinical Trials—Reply
Scherer RW, Crawley B.
Published online January 6, 1999
Choose criteria for pricing info
Want online access for an institution? Learn More/Request Quote >
Obtain AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ by reading an article and completing an online quiz. Quizzes are available to AMA Members, subscribers, and those who have purchased tokens.