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By Jueseppi B.
Hadiya Pendleton, 15, of Chicago.
Gabrielle Giffords & Husband Mark Kelly
The Good, The Mad & The Deadly: NRA, Wayne LaPierre's Credibility Evaporating!
How Many People Have Been Killed by Guns Since Newtown?
Slate partners with @GunDeaths for an interactive, crowd sourced tally of the toll firearms have taken since Dec. 14……
As of Today at 9:15 AM CST……1442. One Thousand Four Hundred & Forty Two
From this……
To this…….
General Colin Powell Takes Fox Narcissist Bill O'Reilly To School on GOP Voter Suppression
Black History In The Making…..
Sen. John Kerry Tears Up in Good-Bye Speech To Senate; Cowan To Replace Him
Categories: Art & Poetry, Bad News, Black History, Causes, Celebrity, Congress, Court Room/Legal, Crime, Disaster, Food Art Poetry, Foreign Polocy, GOPukes/RepubliCANTS, Gun Control, Gun Violence, Guns Guns Guns, Happy Happy, Health, History, Immigration Issues, Inauguration, Keep Hope Alive, News, Obituary, Photographs, Photography & Images, Politics, Race, Racism, Speech, Voter Suppression


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Wild Prairie Rose
The wild rose was adopted as the state flower of Iowa in 1897. Although no particular species was designated by the Iowa Legislature, the wild prairie rose (Rosa Pratincola) is usually cited as the official flower.
Wild roses bloom from June through late summer throughout Iowa - the petals come in varying shades of pink, with yellow stamens decorating the flower's center. The rose has been around for about 35 million years and grows naturally throughout North America. The petals and rose hips are edible and have been used in medicines since ancient times.
Rose hips (the fruit of the rose which forms at base of the flower) are a nutritional treasure chest - rich in vitamins (C, E, and K), pectin, beta-carotene, and bio-flavinoids. These elements produce a strong antioxidant effect which protects and enhances the immune system. Rose hips improve blood cholesterol and pressure, digestive efficiency, and weight management (and are also a special winter treat for birds and wild animals).
The rose is our national flower and the state flower of New York, the Cherokee rose is the state flower of Georgia, and the wild prairie rose is also the state flower of North Dakota.

subset: commoncrawl


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Latest win may earn Glenn a title shot
September 16, 2013 - Mike Donahey
Rick "The Gladiator" Glenn of Marshalltown is making a name for himself in MMA ranks by defeating the undefeated.
Another one bit the dust Saturday night, as Glenn beat Artur Rofi 6-1-0 (win-loss-draw) by unanimous decision at Revel Resort & Casino. Atlantic City, N.J. The fight was televised on NBC-TV.
Glenn's victory over Rofi may earn the Marshalltown High School graduate a championship bout in early 2014, according to Shaun White of Marshalltown, Glenn's manager. Glenn, 24, is 14-2-1 professionally, and has been rising in the ranks with each victory.
It was Glenn's 11th victory in his last 12 fights. His last defeat was more than three years ago. In March, Glenn, a featherweight fighting at 146 pounds, defeated Alexandre "Pulga" Pimentel, who entered the bout at 12-0-0. And Pimentel was the reigning national champion of Brazilian Jiujitsu — a martial art and combat sport that emphasizes grappling and ground fighting.
Glenn is in the World Series of Fighting, considered just one notch below the Ultimate Fighting Championship ranks. His victories have been catching the eyes of MMA writers, most notably Scott Harris of the Bleacher Report. Earlier this year, Harris wrote: "Observers who know him know his razor-sharp stand-up game, but Glenn has four wins by submission too (not counting one tap to strikes). Perhaps the best harbinger of Glenn's future, though, is that killer instinct his uncle saw in his teenage nephew. Glenn has dropped the curtain on his opponent six time in the first round."
Glenn is married to Jenny (nee Landas) of Marshalltown, also a MHS grad. He is scheduled to visit Rumours Sports Bar & Grill (a loyal sponsor) in Marshalltown Sept. 28 for a fundraiser on behalf of his sister Aubry, who is suffering from cancer.
White is encouraging Glenn's fans to assist the fighter through the "Fund a Fighter" website. "As each fight became more critical to his career, Rick has incurred expenses at Roufusport Gym and by making repeated trips back to Marshalltown to see Aubry," he said. A turning point in Glenn's career was the decision to move to Milwaukee and train at Roufusport. The gym was recently ranked America's best for training MMA fighters. To help Glenn, visit http://fundafighter.com/fighters/rick-glenn/ or rickglennmma.com. To help Aubry, send donations to Angels for Aubry, 208 S. Third St. Apt. 3, Marshalltown, 50158.


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10 blogging essentialsMarch 11, 2009 By: almostgotit Category: Uncategorized, blogging, building readership, how to blog
Please do not blog like Almostgotit, because she isn't very good at following the rules — and that's the only reason, of course, that she and her blog aren't totally famous yet. Here are the main rules for a successful blog (for those of my friends who've been asking.)
Image: The Mumpsimus Forum
- The best way to build a readership is to regularly comment on other people's blogs. A good place to find blogs related to yours are Technorati and Google Blog. Search for topics you yourself write about, and leave comments on related blogs. Then look at those blogs' blogrolls to find OTHER related blogs, and leave comments on those blogs, too.
- Pick a niche or focus for your blog, and stick to it as well as you can. OCD is good for bloggers.
- Write lots of posts, one per day if you can, and keep them short.
- It's good to be funny.
- Rambling self-analysis is boring unless it is also short and funny.
- Honor anyone who comments on YOUR blog by leaving comments on their blogs in return.
- Honor anyone who comments more than twice on your blog by adding them to your blogroll, which gives them more link juice.
- Thank all of your new commenters by sending them an email or at least by responding to their comments with comments of your own.
- Respond to your commentors, and keep it friendly. Commenters are your friends. If a comment is really out of line, you can always delete it. If people see that you regularly respond, they are more likely to come back to your blog to see your responses… and are more likely to comment again in the future.
- Participate in blog carnivals, memes, and the exchanging of blog awards with other blogs. Anytime you link to other bloggers, you are likely to receive links from them in return. Adding Twitter or Facebook links to your blog help draw readers, too.
You can break any and all of these rules and be a blogging maverick if you like, but you'll be the most effective in your maverickness if you understand these rules, first.
Helpful Links:
How to choose a niche topic for your blog
5 Tips to choosing a blog topic
What is a Blogroll? (includes an excellent primer on blogroll etiquette, too)
Memes in blogging (the best definition I've found)
10 Best Twitter Tools for Wordpress blogs
Add a Twitter widget to a Blogger blog
Create your own blog awards (award generator)
Related Posts:
How to add photos to your blog (Part 1)
Using photos on your blog (Part 2)
Copyright and Blogging: a tricky subject
Quick Lesson: Build a feed reader (essential to keeping up with your fellow bloggers)
How to get fabulously rich as a blogger


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I live in close proximity to LAX, and can observe aircraft as they approach from the north. Typically, the routing is Fillmore, Santa Monica, then vectors to (usually) the 24 complex, sometimes the 25s. However, there have been occasions whereby upon reaching SMO, the aircraft flies about a 100 heading. This routing takes the aircraft over the 24/25 approaches at 7000' descending and has said planes doing a south downwind to LAX.
What condition(s) dictate this?


text: Hey guys, I am in the process of restoring an H&R Young America revolver in 32 S&W that was my great grandmothers. During my research, I found that they also chambered this gun in 32 rimfire and that most of the parts are the same. With all the parts I will have left over I am considering building a 32 rimfire just for fun. I am fascinated by old obscure calibers. How easy is it to find 32 rimfire these days and what is the going rate when you do find it? Thanks.


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What's New
Tell me more about these alerts
We agree that too much sport is never enough. There's a lot of sport on your plate and we understand it can be hard keeping up. So we've developed Australian-first technology that follows a game's excitement level and alerts you once it heats up.
What can I set alerts for?
Individual games - Game Tracker technology will alert you when the game gets good. Set it to alert you when the games moves from "OK" to "Good", only once it gets "Hot", or only when it reaches "Epic" status.
You can also get alerts at Game Start, at every Score Change, or at Game End.
Can I contribute to a game's excitement rating?
The people must be heard: simply hit the BOOST button to contribute to the game's excitement rating.
Can I follow my favourite team?
Of course. Simply hit the STAR icon on your favourite team page to readily access their games.
What other features does the SportsFan app have?
US SportsThe SportsFan App now has all your favourite US sports covered. Live scores, results, fixtures, tables and the latest news for NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB.
What sports does the SportsFan app cover?
The SportsFan app covers AFL, NRL, cricket, football (Soccer), tennis, rugby union, golf, netball, motorsport and now NBA (basketball), NFL (American football), NHL (ice hockey) and MLB (baseball). In due course, the app will cover all your favourite sports.
How much is it?
The SportsFan app is completely FREE. However, data charges may apply to download the app from the App Store and Google Play.
Once the app has been downloaded, Telstra customers don't need to worry about data charges associated with the SportsFan content while in Australia – the SportsFan App is unmetered for content viewed and streamed for^ customers on the Telstra Next G® network.
Data Charges:
If you are a Telstra Next G® mobile customer, after this application is downloaded, you will not incur data usage charges for viewing or using this application (unless you are roaming overseas). If you are not a Telstra Next G® mobile customer, data charges may apply (please check with your mobile carriage service provider).
^ A connection charge may apply
Get the first month of your subscription freeSubscribe to the SportsFan Scores & Sport TV Action Pack now and get a free month to trial the service. To get going simply 'sign-up now' by entering the following URL into your mobile browser. Sign up now @ http://m.sportsfan.com.au/actionpackoffer/ or enter your mobile number here.


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Don't say you weren't warned. When Research In Motion (Nasdaq: RIMM ) failed to impress a jaded Street gang last night, the BlackBerry maker's stock was taken behind the woodshed for a good old-fashioned beating.
The first-quarter results themselves weren't bad. Revenue of $2.24 billion was more than double the year-ago haul, and it was up 18% from last quarter. Earnings per share came in at $0.84 per diluted share, up from $0.39 per share last year. Most companies would sell their aunts for a quarter like that, but it wasn't good enough by RIM's standards; analysts were expecting around $0.87 per share.
Sales for the next fiscal quarter are supposed to land at a strong $2.6 billion, give or take $50 million or so. But increased marketing and R&D expenses will bring next quarter's earnings between $0.84 and $0.89 per share at best -- slightly below the current consensus estimates of around $0.90. And so the stock price took an immediate 12% dive.
The company appears to be gearing up for war. The next-generation Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL ) iPhone will hit store shelves in a couple of weeks, and Google (Nasdaq: GOOG ) has handset partners like Motorola (NYSE: MOT ) and Samsung lined up for the launch of its Android platform a couple of months later. Nokia (NYSE: NOK ) is nibbling at the BlackBerry's traditional home field with new models of a corporate-use slant, and Sony (NYSE: SNE ) Ericsson (Nasdaq: ERIC ) might jump aboard that Android bandwagon, too. The competition looks ready to launch a massive onslaught on everything the BlackBerry is doing right in the enterprise market.
So I don't think that RIM's increased spending is the real reason for the price drop today, nor do I think the lowered earnings guidance is to blame. Instead, these items were taken as confirmation that the company is readying for a fight -- and it's a battle it might not win. Today's drop was steep, but the stock still trades at 55 times trailing earnings at prices not seen since late April. It can still fall a lot further ...
Further Foolishness:


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WF Theatre presents 'Storybook Breakfast'
The West Fargo High School Theatre department has announced the return of "Storybook Breakfast," which will take place on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 9 a.m. to noon in the West Fargo High School commons.
Children and their families are invited to attend this signature West Fargo High School Theatre event which is entering its 18th year. Over 50 fairytale favorites, old and new, are certain to appear throughout the day that includes a pancake breakfast, games and prizes, take-home crafts, story time, performances and more. Numerous photo opportunities are available with the storybook characters as they mix and mingle with the crowds.
Tickets to "Storybook Breakfast" are $5 per person and are available at the door the day of the event. Professional photographs with Santa will also be available at a cost of $3 per print.
All proceeds from this event will aide WFHS Theatre Department's continued fundraising efforts to update and improve sound and lighting technology.


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On Aug. 7, voters in Texas Township will vote for Republican candidates for the township board of trustees.
Here are where 7 of the 8 candidates stand on various issues.
Incumbent trustee candidates:
Steve Bosch (did not return questionnaire)
We will be posting more Q&As with candidates in the coming days. See more races in Southwest Michigan that are being covered by MLive and the Kalamazoo Gazette.


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The town of Princeton will host a meeting later this month to inform a dozen or so property owners about plans for a massive natural gas pipeline to cut through a 1.5 mile swath of land in the town.
The 42-inch, 6.5-mile long, gas line, an extension of the Williams Company's Transco pipeline, would run near an existing length of pipe and might require the company to obtain a wider easement onto some properties.
The pipeline would transport gas extracted from shale rock in western Pennsylvania to New York City.
The meeting is an opportunity for property owners to start getting information about the project.
"We'll be laying out timelines and how the process normally works," Williams spokesman Chris Stockton said.
The work could directly affect 28 tracts in Princeton, cutting north for 1.5 miles through an area starting near Coventry Farm, just off Great Road south of Stuart Road, and heading toward Cherry Valley Road. A company map shows the new pipeline continuing north for about another five miles into Montgomery.
Should the proposed Skillman Loop project win approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, construction could start in the fall of 2014 and the pipeline would be in service by December 2015, the company said.
The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Feb. 28 in the main meeting room of the Princeton Municipal Building, at 400 Witherspoon Street.


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Dyersburg, TN Household and Community Storage
51 Mini Storage
295 Hwy 51 Bypass S. Dyersburg, TN 38024
51 Mini Storage offers new, clean, safe, and accessible facilities and areas in Dyersburg, TN. Our facilities are well-lit and we have a high-security fence to guarantee the safety of your properties.
Learn More About 51 Mini Storage:
- Video surveillance
- You lock-it, you keep the key
- High-security fence
- Well-lit facility
Contact 51 Mini Storage today at 731-287-9500. Check out our other location at 1320 East Court St Dyersburg, TN 38024 or make online payments at www.webselfstorage.com
Contact Information
Methods of Payment:


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Laundry 123 15.5" Laundry Pedestal with Chrome Handle and Storage Drawer - Cranberry
This product is currently not available.
Item #: 26361806410
Online Availability: Out of stock
In-store availability - show
About this product
About this product
Product features
Product features
Raise your washer and dryer to a more comfortable height for loading and unloading. A large storage drawer is included to hold and hide your laundry supplies, including large detergent bottles and boxes.
- Chrome handle provides a comfortable grip to open the drawer.
- Raises Your Washer and Dryer to a More Comfortable Height for Loading and Unloading.
- Pedestal Drawer Offers a Convenient Area to Store Laundry Essentials.
- Minimizes Bending and Stooping at Doors.
You may also like
You may also like
Specifications & warranty
Specifications & warranty
Ratings & reviews
Ratings & reviews
Questions & answers
Questions & answers


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well wii sport is the only game i can think of...
Have good arm mobility, but only thumb use. Can anyone recommend games I could play or controlers I could use. Pleeeeaase Help!
well wii sport is the only game i can think of...
Racing games that only need a thumb on gas.
Sports needs index finger for bowling and thumb for golf. And if you want to pitch properly in Baseball, you'll need all fingers.
I dunno about any other games. All the ones I own require buttons.
Medal of honor heroes 2 and excite truck
MoHH2 GAMERTAG-Ap0lloGreed
Super Paper Mario uses the thumbs only, But you use the controller in both hand sideways, with the A bottom in the left hand.
Last edited by romj; 12-31-2007 at 06:18 PM.
Virtual console games like Super mario bros is a good option. all the racing games out would only require thumbs/ turning motions. Same goes for games coming out like Super smash Bros Brawl, you can use the wiimote sideways or gamecube controller. And Mario Kart Wii.


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PennLive.com reader grade: C.
Inability to turn red-zone possessions (5) into touchdowns (1) explains how PSU can drive into UVa territory 10 times on 12 possessions yet only muster 16 points. … You can fret over some of QB Matt McGloin's physical limitations (arm strength) but you have to admire the heart to play through right elbow pain. McGloin (2 TDs, 197 yards) gave it his all in one of his best games. … LT Donovan Smith (foot) was missed as game went on and O-line struggled to pick up blitz in 1st half. … All-out effort by WR Allen Robinson led to diving 30-yard TD catch in 4th Qtr. … Emergence of young WR Alex Kenney (3-50) gives pass game more zip.
DEFENSE: A-minus.
PennLive.com reader grade: B.
Lions played with attitude from first snap (a forced fumble by LB Michael Mauti). … Four turnovers overall after registering zero against Ohio. … Mauti (9 tackles, FR) and fellow LB Gerald Hodges (8 stops, FR) were everywhere. … CB Adrian Amos (6 stops, TFL) easily most physical player in secondary.. … Injury to true Fr. Nyeem Wartman forced staff to move Mike Hull to backup MLB and Hull (sack) produce. … Loved the effort by R-Fr. DE Deion Barnes (2 sacks, FF) off left edge in 2nd half. … S Stephen Obeng-Agyapong must react better when the ball is in the air.
PennLive.com reader grade: F.
No other letter grade fits a performance that includes four missed FGs and a blocked extra point. So. PK Sam Ficken (misses from 40, 38, 20 and 42) has to shoulder the blame; and will he ever regain his confidence? … Lone bright spot was 19-yard rumble by up-back Glenn Carson on fake punt in 2nd Qtr. … Kick coverage did bottle up Virginia's speedy Khalek Shepherd (2-40) and Lions OLB Michael Mauti crunched Shepherd for no gain on late 4th-Qtr. punt return. … Lions PR pairing of Jesse Della Valle and Evan Lewis (2-4) ain't cutting it. … PSU P Alex Butterworth better (3-41.7) but not great.
COACHING: B. (Note: this was to be a "B" all along, inadvertently posted the wrong letter....apologies--BF).
PennLive.com reader grade: C-plus.
PSU leader Bill O'Brien shows absolutely no fear on fourth down; Lions converted 3 of 4 chances and were 2-2 on game-opening 17-play TD drive. … DC Ted Roof had the fellas ready to play and his leaders (DT Jordan Hill, OLBs Michael Mauti and Gerald Hodges) set the tone. … Looks like veteran DL coach Larry Johnson has another problem-causing young DL on his hands in R-Fr. DE Deion Barnes. … O'Brien has seen enough of true Fr. QB Steven Bench (2-7-0, 12 yards; 15 rush yards) to fast-track him past Paul Jones on depth chart. … One curious move: Subbing Bench for injured starter Matt McGloin on 4th and 4 from UVa. 33 in 2nd Qtr. and allowing him to attempt his first pass (sack) rather than punt.
PennLive.com reader grade: C.
You can't question this Penn State team's desire to win after it emptied its tank in a frustrating 17-16 loss at Virginia Saturday. The Lions, without starting TB Bill Belton (ankle), outplayed the Cavs on offense and defense but couldn't survive one of the roughest kicking performances (Sam Ficken) in program history. The Lions are 0-2 despite holding second-half leads in both games. The Lions are 0-2 despite forcing four Virginia turnovers and holding the Cavs to 1.3 yards per rush. Bill O'Brien's special teams were not stellar in Week 1 against Ohio and even worse against Virginia. And given PSU's personnel losses via graduation and NCAA-allowed transfer, it doesn't look like PSU's staff has the replacement parts necessary to patch the kicking game leaks. Translation: This bumpy ride may not much smoother.


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Marilyn Alberta Buckingham
Marilyn Alberta Buckingham, 91, of Orlando, Fla., and formerly Fostoria, died Saturday, May 18, 2013, at Adventist Care Center, Orlando.
She was born Jan. 12, 1922, in Fostoria, to Albert and Arminta (Seiler) Harter. She married John Buckingham April 28, 1945, and he preceded her in death April 2, 1987.
She is survived by five children, Linda Buckingham of Orlando, Fla., James (Jan) Buckingham of Waldorf, Md., Mary Ann (David) Ferrin of Noblesville, Ind., Gregg (Cathy) Buckingham of Orlando, Fla., and Scott (Kaye) Buckingham of DeLand, Fla.; seven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; a sister, Jeannine (Dick) Miller of Fostoria; and two sisters-in-law, Hazel Raymont of Fostoria and Esther Buckingham of Maumee.
Visitation will be 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Thursday, May 23, at Mann-Hare-Hoening Funeral Home, 407 N. Countyline St., Fostoria.
Her funeral will begin at 12:30 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home with the Rev. Duane Kemerly officiating. Burial will follow at Fountain Cemetery, Fostoria.
Memorial contributions may be made to Grace United Church of Christ, Fostoria.


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The man stabbed Sunday at Yates Village is now in fair condition, according to Albany Medical Center Hospital. Marcus J. Reid, 27, of Schenectady, was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery Sunday and was initially in critical condition. He improved overnight, hospital officials said. Police said he was stabbed by Sean T. Gailliard, 24. Gailliard was charged with first-degree assault, a felony that carries up to 25 years in state prison. Authorities said today ...
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Louis A. Finkel
We rely on our partner organizations, the Center for Responsive Politics and the National Institute on Money in State Politics, to uniquely identify individuals' campaign finance and lobbying activity. If data appears to be missing, it may be that they have not identified all influence activity for this individual. If the data is completely different than you expected, it may be that you're looking at a different person with the same name.
In these cases, we suggest searching the raw records in the campaign finance Data section, which provides extra information about each contribution, such as the donor's city, state and employer. This information should allow you to judge for yourself if the contribution came from the person for whom you searched.
Some of this data may be out of date
State influence data from the National Institute on Money in State Politics changed in format and availability during the 2013-2014 election cycle. While we work to integrate their new style of data release, state-level campaign finance data for the 2014 cycle and beyond will be unavailable. We apologize for the inconvenience, but heartily recommend trying out their snazzy new site at FollowTheMoney.org!
Lobbying by Louis A. Finkel
Lobbied with the Following FirmsLent, Scrivner & Roth, McGuireWoods LLP, Grocery Manufacturers Assn, Exxon Mobil
Most Frequently Disclosed Lobbying Issues
- Energy & Nuclear Power,
- Telecommunications,
- Utilities,
- Taxes,
- Consumer Product Safety,
- Trade,
- Government Issues,
- Education,
- Environment & Superfund,
- Pharmacy
Clients of Firms Louis A. Finkel Worked ForBernard L Madoff Investment Securities, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, Iroquois Gas Transmission System, KeySpan Energy, Pfizer Inc, New Skies Satellites, Grocery Manufacturers Assn, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp, ChevronTexaco, Middle Tennessee State University


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February 11, 2007 - February 17, 2007 Archives
In 2006, the United States Supreme Court issued a little-noticed decision called Garcetti v. Ceballos, 126 S. Ct. 1951 (2006), that has some interesting—and disturbing—implications for how public employees can express themselves on the job. A January 24th decision from the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, called Mayer v. Monroe County Community Sch. Corp., has now applied the Ceballos doctrine to the case of a government school teacher who alleged that she was unconstitutionally fired for telling students how she felt about the war in Iraq. And this raises the issue of whether the doctrine might be applied in cases involving government teachers who express to their students their own views with regard to evolution and creationism.
Lately, the Discovery Institute has stuck its neck out in response to the popularity of showings of Randy Olson's movie, Flock of Dodos, which I reviewed a while back. They slapped together some lame critiques packaged on the web as Hoax of Dodos (a clunker of a name; it's especially ironic since the film tries to portray the Institute as good at PR), which mainly seem to be driven by the sloppy delusions of that poor excuse for a developmental biologist, Jonathan Wells. In the past week, I've also put up my responses to the Wells deceptions—as a developmental biologist myself, I get a little cranky when a creationist clown abuses my discipline.
Discovery Institute fires its first salvo in the War Against Dodos: in which I point out that the two 'big' objections the DI levies against the movie are complete duds.
Wells' false accusation against Randy Olson: in which I show that Olson actually described the representation of Haeckel in textbooks accurately.
Exorcising the spectre of Haeckel again: in which a commenter lists how Haeckel's figure was actually used in 15 textbooks.
Wells and Haeckel's Embryos: in which I go on at some length about Wells' misrepresentations of developmental biology in his Icons of Evolution.
In case you are completely baffled by this whole episode, here's a shorter summary.
Prof. Steve Steve and his trusty sidekick Nick Matzke plan to be at the NCSE booth at the AAAS Annual Meeting at the Hilton in downtown San Francisco from 10-5, Saturday, February 17. I know many PT people and ScienceBloggers are at the meeting, so stop by and see us! (transport info)
Prof. Steve Steve, and perhaps Nick, will also be in attendance on Sunday and Monday. It looks like Saturday and Sunday have free Exhibit Hall admission on account of 2007 Family Science Days.
As with every AAAS meeting, the true goal is to get invited to the Science Journalists' Party, which I hope is Saturday night. They always throw quite a bash, although it will be hard to trump the molten chocolate fountain from the DC meeting a few years back.
Recent research has thrown an interesting spanner into one of the key, but slightly obscure claims Behe makes about "irreducible complex" (IC) systems. In Behe's discussion of the mammalian clotting system (Darwin's Black Box [DBB], 1996, page 86, 1st edition) he claims:
"…none of the cascade proteins are used for anything other than the formation of a blood clot".
This is a fundamental claim with important implications. If components of an allegedly IC system have other functions, this would violate his "well matched parts" condition for an IC system. Also, if these enzymes have other functions, they could be coopted from those functions to form a clotting system. If the clotting enzyme thrombin's only function was to cut fibrinogen to make fibrin, then, if a mutation produced a thrombin-like enzyme in the absence of fibrin, natural selection would be unlikely to preserve this enzyme (but see below). On the other hand, if a general protease (an enzyme that cuts up lots of different proteins) were to gain the ability to break down fibrinogen, then its other functions would keep it preserved until a fibrinogen-like substrate appeared.
Contrary to Behe's statement, many of the clotting proteins have other roles. Several of these non-clotting functions were known when Behe wrote DBB [1,2 and Note 1]. These roles, in wound healing and in tissue remodelling and embryogenesis, give us useful clues to their evolution. They also demolish Behe's claims about IC.
Skeptic Magazine publisher Michael Shermer debated William Dembski yesterday in Bridgewater, VA on the subject of evolution vs. ID. Since Bridegwater is a short drive away from my digs in Harrisonburg, I decided to go check it out.
The debate was held at Bridgewater College, a small liberal arts school affiliated with the Church of the Brethren, as part of their Anna B. Mow Lecture Series. According to the small program handed out at the door, "The Anna Beahm Mow Symposium honors Dr. Mow as a teacher who walked with her students, a scholar whose life was a pursuit of knowledge, an author who conversed with her readers and a Christian whose love of her Lord enabled her to be accepting of all children of God."
Jack Cashill, the Worldnutdaily's resident conspiracy loon, has a column up recounting the Sternberg saga in all its distorted and highly exaggerated glory. He's swallowed every claim in the Souder report uncritically, and even added a few of his own distortions to the story.
Continue Reading at Dispatches from the Culture Wars. Comments may be left there.
This is pretty cool, a webpage full of videos about evolution and creationism with various scientists and philosophers that should be familiar to readers of this blog. They include Ken Miller, Genie Scott, Barbara Forrest and Kevin Padian.
I received this note from a Kansan who asked that it be posted on PT. She said Jack Krebs (head of Kansas Citizens for Science) might be too modest (or maybe he is trying to return to normal life!).
On the day after Charles Darwins' birthday, and the day before Valentines Day, the Kansas State Board of Education delivered its much-anticipated reversal of the anti-science standards adopted in November 2005.
Although this outcome was expected after the August 2006 primary election resulted in a guaranteed moderate majority on the board, conservatives fought to the end to amend the standards to include their non-natural definition of science and their bogus evolution criticisms. Each motion to amend was defeated. Ultraconservative Ken Willard of Hutchinson requested that the board go into executive session just before the standards discussion. According to the Topeka Capital-Journal, "He asked whether the state can endorse an idea that nature can be solely explained by material causes and whether the state can suppress information critical of evolution – two problems conservatives say the new standards would create, though opponents argue otherwise." Willard never explained why no state includes supernatural explanations in its science standards, because he doesn't like the answer: such topics are outside the domain of science.
Just in time for Valentine's Day, Big Ideas–one of my favorite podcasts–presents Marydianne Andrade's lecture on sexual dimorphism and mating strategies. You can listen online here.
Whether you think the current holiday is Valentine's Day, a belated Darwin Day, or Quirky Alone day, the latest edition of the Tangled Bank is for you.
I attended a screening of Flock of Dodos last night at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. The film was shown in the IMAX theater – of course it was not filmed in the IMAX format, but anyone who's been in an IMAX theater knows how many people will fit into one. And the place was packed. The filmmaker Randy Olson (and his mother, Muffy Moose, who was featured prominently in the film) were on hand to introduce the movie and to answer questions afterwards, which was a special treat.
Before I go into gripes about the film, I want to say that on the whole it was excellent and definitely worth seeing. It was above all entertaining. It made for a decent if somewhat incomplete exposé of the ID movement. And a number of nonsense arguments that the IDists promulgate were knocked down, in many cases through the documentary technique of just letting the silliness speak for itself. The recurring theme of Mt. Rushmore was the sterling example of this.
Nevertheless, in spite of the film's strengths, my job as semi-obsessed-ID-watcher was to notice those parts of the movie where I think Olson missed the mark. Below I'm going to go into a lot of detail about this, and it could take awhile, so you might want to buckle in. This isn't because I think Olson got a lot of things wrong – there are really only a few issues here – it's that I think these are key points that are important to movie's theme and the broader issue of defending science. They are therefore worth expounding upon at length.
Janet Browne's Darwin's Origin of Species: A Biography will be published in the United States in March, but was released in the U.K. last June. It's a tidy little 151 pages (plus notes and index) that would make a very nice Darwin-day gift for your evolution-loving Valentine!
The book is one title in the series "Books that Changed The World" (for some reason, in the U.K., they only "shook" the world) that also includes Christopher Hitchens on Thomas Paine's Rights of Man, Francis Wheen on Marx's Das Kapital, Simon Blackburn on Plato's Republic, Bruce Lawrence on the Koran, Karen Armstrong on The Bible, Hew Strachan on Clausewitz's On War, Alberto Manguel on The Iliad and The Odyssey, and P.J. O'Rourke on Smith's Wealth of Nations.
Browne is Darwin's leading biographer, and she manages somehow to encompass not only the development of Darwin's thought, but its implications to the present—including the modern synthesis and creationist opposition—all in a book that can be easily read in a day. In some places, Browne's writing seems inelegantly simplistic, but all told, the only real objection to this book is that it's not possible to present Darwin's great ideas in their full color in such a short space. Still, this book comes as close as possible. Darwin comes across as an exceedingly pleasant man, the very image of what a scientist should be: careful, precise, polite, honest, and brave enough to stand for unpopular ideas when the evidence supports them. Happy birthday, Charles Darwin, and thank you Janet Browne.
There are a number of Darwin Day events going on in the Palmetto State, both today and throughout the week. You can go to the South Carolinians for Science Education website for a complete run-down of the events and links to the individual flyers. Events will be held at Furman, the College of Charleston, and Clemson. Kenneth Miller will also be speaking in Clemson next Monday.
In the 16 December issue of New Scientist, there was an editorial ("It's still about Religion", subscription required) and an article "The God Lab" (free access), which investigated the Biologic Institute, an institute that was set up with money from the Discovery Institute supposedly to do laboratory work into Intelligent Design. Not surprisingly, the Biologic Institute does not come out well. On the 13th of January, Douglas Axe, Brendan Dixon and Ann Gauger wrote a letter (subscription required) addressing the editorial, saying they are convinced that Intelligent Design will lead to good science, but they won't talk until their research is finished. I wrote a letter myself in response, but it didn't make it into either the print or web letters. For the record, here is my unpublished letter.


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Have you ever seen Antiques Road Show, and wondered what a special item in your home was worth?
Well now's your chance to get it appraised, because America's oldest auction house, Freeman's, will be hosting a FREE appraisal event this weekend August 3rd & 4th at the Trump Taj Mahal for all of your treasures such as: art, antiques and jewelry.
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MONTGOMERY -- About $2,000 worth of jewelry was stolen from an apartment on Dominicus Court in Belle Mead, police said today.
Police said the robber probably entered the home through the window next to the front door most likely between 1:15 and 5:30 p.m. Tuesday and took the jewelry from a countertop.
Police said the investigation is continuing.


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« Heroism and Free Will | Main | Let's Elect Kerry... »
March 10, 2004
Sistani's Gambit
Note: this is a post recovered from my old blog, before it died of an insufficient backup. Any comments/trackbacks on it have not been brought over, but can be seen with the original. The date is that of the original posting.\"\;
Porphyrogenitus questions Sistani's strategy and motives:
It does make me wonder what he's up to. Did he just have second thoughts on bringing things to the brink? Or did he want to show (again) that he can block anything if he doesn't like it? Is it as simple as people still learning how to deal with and accept compromise?
Here is the background: Ayatollah Sistani is, bar none, the single most influential person in Iraq right now, largely because he stayed virtually entirely out of politics during Saddam's period of rule, while many clerics were corrupted into the effective service of the regime, or killed in the process of resisting. As the most honored and respected Shi'a cleric, Sistani has the ability to make Iraq's move towards representative government impossible, or to greatly aid that move. Ayatollah Sistani has, several times, engaged in brinksmanship, most lately this past weekend over the signing of the interim constitution, threatening to withhold support for (and thus cause to collapse) vital reforms or deals. In the end, in each case, Sistani has backed down and allowed things to go forward without changes.
I have a theory, which needs a lot more evidence before I'm confident in its usefulness as a predictive tool. I believe that Sistani genuinely wants a federated, representative government ruling over a free Iraqi people; which government respects and promotes Islam, but without compelling a particular kind of rule on its citizens. But Iraq has never had such a government, nor has any Arab state, nor have many Muslim states. There is a real danger of Iraq collapsing into anarchy if the US leaves, and the US is hardly famed for its farsighted foreign policy (and with if Kerry wins, that reputation might be borne out yet again).
For the last several decades - longer than the majority of Iraqis have been alive - the government has been a dictatorship of the Sunni minority, and the Shi'a and Kurds in particular were heavily oppressed. Each major Iraqi demographic group wants to be protected. The Kurds want to ensure that the autonomy they achieved under the protection of the "no-fly zones" remains in place, and that they are not disarmed. The Sunni want to make sure that they do not end up on the receiving end of what they were putting out under Saddam.
But what about the Shi'a? At sixty per cent of the population, the Shi'a would be the natural majority under any kind of representative system. So why would Sistani be playing brinksmanship games that threaten to retard an advance towards that system, when under it he and the Shi'a in general would have more power and rights than they've ever had before?
I believe that Sistani is hedging his bets. If the US leaves, Sistani wants the Shi'a united behind him, ready to prevent a resurgence of Sunni tyranny. Certainly, he has to fear the jihadis, who are largely in favor of either violently dividing Iraq or putting the Sunni in control. (Iran notwithstanding, Shi'a is considered heretical by most jihadis.)
If Shari'a were to become the source of Iraqi law, which is almost certainly what the Iranian ayatollahs desire, Sistani risks seeing real control devolve to the jihadis, which Sistani does not seem to desire. (Indeed, he has spoken out directly against the jihadis on more than one occasion.)
So Sistani has to ensure that the Shi'a of Iraq would follow him, and to do that he has to prove that he is their hope of a better future. To do that, he has to be seen as a strong advocate for Shi'a interests - and as capable of influencing the situation directly. In other words, Sistani has to be seen to be strong in order to have the ability to influence events later should the worst happen.
I believe that Sistani's gambit is to threaten, but not actually impede, reform, in order to position himself to pull down the entire enterprise later should the Shi'a be threatened by the new system.
Other possibilities abound, and many of them are plausible. It could be that Sistani truly desires Shari'a law in Iraq, but knows he cannot obtain it until the US leaves. However, in that case, it seems to me that Sistani's best move would be to refuse to either condone or condemn the procedings, but to occasionally issue declarations that the process is not Islamic enough, or is not sufficiently in line with the will of Allah, or some similar tone. In other words, Sistani could remove the perceived legitimacy of the process without actively opposing it. This would allow the process to go forwards, and the US to eventually withdraw, at which point a well-worded fatwa could bring the entire Iraqi system crashing down, leaving the Shi'a in de facto charge and giving Sistani the ability to unilaterally implement Shari'a.
Alternately, if Sistani's intent were to bring about direct autocratic Shi'a rule over Iraq without implementing Shari'a, a similar strategy could be followed, but instead of taking the religious slant, a more secular concern for the unity of all Iraqis could be the focus. You see, Sistani could argue, federalism is all well and good for fractious Western nations put together out of a variety of incompatible philosophies and beliefs, but we Iraqis are all brothers in Islam, servants of the will of Allah. Federalism is a threat to all Iraqis because it divides us into factions. By making such an argument, Sistani might be able to pull off the insertion of a "poison pill" into the Iraqi Constitution, some provision that makes federalism apparently active, but with some room to define federalism to include no actual local authority (such as language that no regional government could override a law approved by a majority referendum of the people, which Sistani could deliver and none of the other groups could).
There are certainly other games that Sistani could be playing, but I haven't yet seen any evidence that Sistani is doing more than hedging his bets.


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A group of horses were "on edge" before one kicked its owner in the head and killed her, a coroner has found.
In her finding released today, Coroner Carla na Nagara said Carla Lee Morgan's accidental death occurred when her horse, Fred, kicked her in the head.
Ms Morgan, 33, had been at a pony club event in Hawera on December 3, 2011 when she took a pony back to her paddock to graze with her other horses.
"On that afternoon all of the horses in the paddock were on edge as they were not sure of the pony that Mrs Morgan had brought with her."
Fred was more on edge than the other horses.
At one stage Fred and two other horses were quite upset and started running around.
"Mrs Morgan stood her ground and was talking to her horses and they seemed to calm down," Coroner na Nagara said.
But as Mrs Morgan took a pony across the paddock, Fred kicked out with his back legs and kicked another horse in the face.
Shortly afterwards, after the horses again had appeared to calm down, Mrs Morgan started taking Fred's cover off.
As she removed the back strap Fred kicked back with both legs, striking Mrs Morgan in the head.
"She stood there for a few seconds and then dropped to the ground," Coroner na Nagara said.
Mrs Morgan was taken to Hawera Hospital before being taken to Taranaki Base Hospital, but she died of significant head injuries shortly after arriving at the hospital.
Coroner na Nagara concluded Mrs Morgan did nothing to startle or unnerve the horse as she removed the cover and her death was the result of an accident.


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Hi Girls,
Sorry for the delay in responding to your comments on my last post. I got long-winded, and figured a new post was a better way to respond. And healthcare, as you can see just from our comments, is an issue that instills passion on all sides! Perfectly A-O.K. here at Momma Politico.
Please know, Annette, that your comments are always welcome here, and you are a lifetime member of the unofficial MP Venting Club, as are Jen, MG, CM, CEP, and so many other great folks, even when we do not see eye to eye. The reason I haven't responded as quickly as usual is because I am back at work full-time now (man, summer vacation went fast!) The lack of response certainly had nothing to do with the content or tone of your comment, but I do appreciate your apology for your tone, and respect you for it. I'd never want you to feel you needed to apologize for your ideas, though. You've provided me with much balance and the occasional "talking down" in our time here at MP, and I respect your views as a fellow politblogger, so no worries there.
You were concerned with supporters getting involved and engaged like we were during the campaign. I pride myself on not being simply an "armchair wonk," but on teaching my children, through my actions, how to be an active citizen. Before I wrote the previous post, I had called the offices of all my district's representatives (state and federal) and asked about the public plan. All I got was evasion, no direct answers, a lot of hedging of bets...and a bigger long distance bill. I tried to get through to The White House, and got a busy signal all day. When I tried one last time before I posted Monday night, I got a very polite gal who could take my comments and that was all, (which makes sense...can't have staffers arguing policy with every wacky person calling at 10 o'clock at night PDST!) Yes, it's easy to see why even those of us who do their due diligence are frustrated.
All I really wanted to hear was someone - a senator, a congresssman, anyone, really, tell me that the President hadn't given up on the public option. But no one would speak plainly and say, yes, it's off or no, it's still on. Very frustrating - and this goes to what you said, Annette, about Congress...we agree in totality regarding these folks getting up off their asses and doing something to push forward a Democratic agenda. So we're in full agreement there, and don't get me started again on the Blue Dogs, because, Girl, you know how I get! ;)
CM, I am glad that I'm not the only one feeling this way. You sound exactly like The Hubby! We actually were getting a little on the agitated side with each other the other night, with him saying he'd had enough, almost quoting MG's comments about America the Corporate, and me saying that it was all the more reason to fight harder! ("Momma? Are you guys fighting?" "Just discussing loudly, Sweetie...politics." "Oh, that makes sense.") And MG, no worries..it'd take a lot more than this healthcare mess to get me to stop posting, or calling, emailing, visiting the reps offices locally, etc. I want great things for our country and can't stop until we get there. But it is all very infuriating, as you could all tell from my original post.
The Hubby and I met at work many moons ago. He says, rather politely, God love him, that I "have a strong leadership style." He's a kind-hearted man who loves me. As I am a woman who knows what she wants, some less enlightened folk might call me a bitch...But I tend to want to tackle issues head-on and get them done. I am fond of the LBJ-style, Trumanesque, take-charge-buck-stops-here approach. And that has a big effect on how I see the President's approach. I agree with Jen, in that if we are going to hang our hat on something, I want to see us attack full-on. I want a full-court press, with direct attacks on the opposition. I want to hear the words, "That's an out-and-out lie!" come out of his mouth. Part of that press does need to be, as Annette said so astutely, that the "We The People" portion needs to be as adamant and as energized as we were during the campaign to push this thing through. You and I agree on that, Annette. But we've been to all our local reps' offices (my kids know that's what summer vacation is for!), and continued to support the grassroots organizations that keep pushing for healthcare reform, and emailing and posting. We're doing all that is in our power in the Politico household. I hope others are as well.
While we're on the topic, those visits to the local offices were informative. I came to talk about healthcare and the need for a public option, as well as the California budget and its negative effects on my students. In every Democrats office, they were welcoming and friendly, nice to my kids (goes a long ways!), great about the budget complaints but unclear on the public option. However at Elton Gallegly's office, (Republican Congressman and a horse's ass, for the record!), the staffer was rude and dismissive, treating me with a condescending attitude, a real, "Oh, you poor, ignorant, gullible fool!" type of thing...not surprising, but still disappointing. When I said that working families are struggling to pay their health insurance premiums, the staffer glanced at my children, and snarked, "Well, you don't even work outside the home, do you?" Jesus. Did I have to take a breath and count to ten on that one. Thankfully, my kids' presence helped me to keep from eviscerating the idiot and retain a demeanor of professionalism, as I stated my professional calling. Which did, however, give me a great segueway into the "How can you balance the budget on the backs of schoolchildren?" portion of the festivities. Man, did that putz walk right into that one! Ah, but I digress...
MG, you and I have spoken before about how much the middle class can bear, as it shrinks and the rich become richer and poor become poorer. This is a golden opportunity, and as you said, the chance of a lifetime. It has to get done this time, and done right. Tonight, I have heard that the bill may get broken into several parts. It may be a good strategy, as we can push the public option, which is now most definitely on the table and allow for some victories to be had in a timely fashion. (Hooray for Weiner and Co. for stepping up and drawing the proverbial line in the sand! See, liberals can raise a little hell if we wanna!) This strategy may work. It may even point out blatantly, point by point, that the GOP really don't support healthcare reform. "How about this?" "Nope." "Now, how about this?" "No." "And this?" "Nope." And so on, over and over, until the American people can see The Party of Nope" for what they really are - naysayers! (Loved TRMS' "Pizza Analogy" - perfect!) And we get some bills passed through various means and make forward progress.
Part of the perception of the President's approach may be the fact that he has a very young staff. The bombardment from the Right was very old-school, in true swiftboating style. The President's staffers are all so young (okay, I'm old, I know, but still, they look like kids!!!) and have campaign experience, but less experience in the governance end of things. Maybe part of the issue is that they're still getting their "sea legs," so to speak. Maybe they're learning that they can't just strive for bipartisanship and hope to stay above the fray. Obama's out this week stumping for health care, which is great, Annette, I don't discredit those efforts. I just wish it'd happened sooner, and more of his surrogates were sent out. This would be one of those opportunities to utilize our resources as a party: get Bill Clinton out among the people, doing what he does best: talking it up, listening to people's stories, and telling them how vital it is to get this through, etc. I'd like to have seen the last televised Q & A done instead in front of both Houses, on The Hill, in a State of The Union style televised address. Forget the Q & A, press conference setting, and the speech that fell flat. He seemed tired, beat down, defeated. I love that he can speak extemporaneously, especially after the Shrub, but his strength is oratory. Use it and use it well! Stand in front of the full Congress, in the Capitol, and look presidential. Strictly use the opportunity to spell out what the bill is and isn't, put forth the necessity of it, dismiss the lies, and deliver a classic Obama inspirational address in a setting that can only be seen as strong, presidential and patriotic. Now, that would have been a sell. And it might get more of his supporters out there to really campaign again, this time for health care. That would have been a mobilizer. And we wouldn't have been off our game with the off-topic questions.
So, as we progress through the coming months, keep those comments coming, Kids! I always welcome healthy debate, and it's actually a good thing that we don't always see eye to eye on how we do things - that's what civil discourse is about! (And nary a pistol or automatic weapon in sight!) The main thing to remember is, that while we may disagree on the road to take, we all want to arrive at the the same destination: affordable healthcare for all Americans. Thanks again, CM, Jen, MG and yes, Annette, for your great comments. I'm glad you're around, whether you agree 100% or are "talking me down." Keep it coming!
Back to work
22 hours ago


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- Game Details
- News (46)
- Review
- Previews (14)
- Videos (51)
- Images (31)
- Cheats & Walkthroughs
Saints Row: The Third Videos
Displaying 31–45 of 51 videos
Saints Row: The Third "Whored Mode" Gameplay Video
See the endless enemies waves in Saints Row: The Third's new mode, Whored Mode.
Saints Row: The Third "Funny Cinematic Scenes" Video
G4tv.com would like to present some funny moments in Saints Row: The Third to feed your sense of humor.
Saints Row: The Third Exclusive Moment #3
Adam Sessler brings another ridiculous moment from Saints Row: The Third, this time of shooting a hot dog mascot with a sonic rifle in an otherworldly game of human baseball.
Saints Row: The Third "Modern Warfare 3 & Battlefield 3" Trailer Comparison Video
THQ released a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Battlefield 3 parody trailer for Saints Row: The Third. We at G4tv wanted to find out how similar both trailers were, so we create a side by side...
Saints Row: The Third "Modern Warfare 3" Parody Trailer
What do you do when shooters like Battlefield 3 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 are going at each other? When you're Saints Row: The Third, you make a response trailer of your own, and you call...
Saints Row: The Third Exclusive Moment #2
In Professor Genki's Super Ethical Reality Climax, you'll fight your way through Professor Genki's Super Sparkle Lab for fun and profit, and that's just out there enough to make this our Saints...
Saints Row: The Third Exclusive Moment #1
The upcoming Saints Row: The Third is chock full of ludicrous moments, and Adam Sessler and Blair Herter here get an exclusive early look at one of them: six-shooting an energy drink mascot.
Saints Row: The Third "Reality Climax" Trailer
Come join the fun world of Professor Genki's Super Ethical Reality Climax, Steelport's most popular survival game show in Saints Row: The Third. See in this trailer as contestants compete for cash,...
Saints Row: The Third "Deckers.Die" Story Trailer
The Deckers are an elite cyber-criminals, hackers, and unrelenting online gamers. Their next target is the Third Street Saints. Watch how the Saints deal with these computer nerds in this...
Saints Row: The Third "Luchadores" Trailer
Killbane is a professional wrestler that earned the name The Walking Apocalypse after ending the career of Angel De La Muerte. See how the Saints will take down Killbane and his Luchadroes in this...
Saints Row: The Third "Freefalling" Mission 2 Gameplay Video
Check out this high flying mission 2 gameplay video entitled, "Freefalling," for Saints Row: The Third.
Saints Row 3 "Syndication" Comic-Con 2011 Trailer
Captured by the leader of the Syndicate, Philippe Loren, Kiki DeWynter, and Viola DeWynter are made an offer only they can refuse. Strap it on as you watch the "Syndication" Comic-Con 2011 trailer...
Comic-Con 2011 Saints Row 3 Trailer and Sasha Grey
Blair Herter gets a look at the latest trailer for Saints Row: The Third, and visits with Lead Designer Drew Holmes and actress Sasha Grey, who takes on the role of Viola DeWynter.
Saints Row: The Third "Power" Trailer With Easter Eggs
Steve Jaros, lead writer for Saints Row: The Third, points out a number of characters and Easter eggs in the Saints Row: The Third "Power" trailer.
Saints Row: The Third "Professor Genki" Trailer
Super genius man, Professor Genki, has the most super cool fun weapons that you can have in Saints Row: The Third, but the only way to get this exclusive items is to pre-order Saints Row: The...


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That is, if there can be a key matchup in a game that matches the nation's fourth-ranked team from debatably the nation's best conference against a team from a non-BCS conference that has won only six games in the past three years.
Alabama coach Nick Saban says No. 4 -- that's Hilton, a 5-foot-9, 168-pound sophomore wide receiver -- "is probably as good a player as anybody in the country."
"I think he led the country in all-purpose yards last year," Saban said. "This guy No. 4 is a better offensive player than anybody we played against last week. You understand that?"
Hilton actually ranked third in the nation as a freshman with 180.3 all-purpose yards per game. He caught 41 passes for 1,013 yards - 24.7 yards per catch - and seven touchdowns.
"He's dynamic," Arenas said.
Read more about Hilton and Arenas in this story in today's edition of The Birmingham News.
Hilton is one of the best kick returners in the nation. Perhaps the only one better is Arenas.
The last time -- the only time -- Alabama played FIU was during the 2006 season. Alabama won 38-3.
Arenas scored the first touchdown of his career in that game. He was a freshman in 2006. On Oct. 28 - his birthday - in Alabama's ninth game of the season, he returned a punt 65 yards.
"I was a rook," Arenas said. "It was my first year. I don't even know if I was starting. ... It was a fun experience. I got my feet wet, so to speak. I guess you could say I established myself a little bit."
So what does he remember about that play?
"That specific play?" he asked. "That was three years ago, bro."
His memory isn't so bad.
"The kicker, I don't know if he was having a bad day. There were some short kicks," Arenas said. "I was focusing on fielding the ball.
"That one particular play, it was a short kick and I came up, I fielded the ball and I just ran toward the sideline. I was just running toward the sideline just to run, but everything started to open up. Everybody ... started to block. I just followed them up the sideline, and I scored, eventually."
Hilton fulfilled a promise by scoring the first time he touched the ball in a college game. Read all about that by clicking the link above.


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The Republican Party has been draping themselves in the flag since the Reagan era, claiming that the "my country, love it or leave it" mentality was the definition of patriotism. And as the Bushies came through the Oval, there has been a transformation toward intolerance. The Moral Majority, a vocal minority, wrapped the flag in conservative Christianity and suddenly "Onward Christian Soldiers" seemed like the new national anthem. What began as a movement that pressed Americanism into their religious/political agenda mold began rejecting anyone outside of that mold as un-American. And they dubbed themselves the new patriots, the only ones "protecting" America. This indoctrination soon extended to the GOP in its entirety, the "you're either with us or against us" mentality becoming the main beam supporting all else in the party platform.
Before we knew it, Sept. 11 hit, and for a brief period, it was all put aside as we became a nation once again. Everyone reclaimed the flag as their own. But that is to be expected in a time of crisis, that regular Americans always rally to band together during tragedy is not surprising. But as we found out more and more about the pretenses with which we were sold a preemptive strike, we became skeptical. And the divisions arose once again. Those who disagreed with the Administration's false intel, who did not believe that America stands for such wrongs as lying about intel to support an unjust war were branded un-American and reviled. This cycle continued on, with swiftboating and the stripping of our civil rights, the loss of freedoms granted by The Bill of Rights. The right to privacy and free speech, the right to assemble freely, and even due process began vanishing in order to "assure the nation's safety." Suddenly, you could be turned in by a neighbor as a suspected terrorist or monitored by the government at peace rallies, as if you were a "known communist" in the McCarthy era or on the "enemies list" in the Nixon era. Patriots supported whatever the country did. My country, right or wrong, the rallying cry of the right.
This horrific progression continued through both Bush terms. And along came Cheney to centralize as much power as possible in the Executive Office. Somehow, he was even able to rationalize that the Office of The Vice-President did not fall in the Executive Branch and was above the law. We were expected to accept regression to the Nixonesque idea that "if the President does it, it's not illegal." Signing Statements and Executive Orders became all the rage. And all the while, our country was using torture, and it was suddenly o.k. because it purportedly paid a dividend. The slippery slope has been breached, and the slide continues on the right, further and further into the self-serving, smug idea that it is acceptable to disturb town hall meetings with screaming. It was seemingly acceptable to lie and name-call instead of civil discourse, to wear guns at public events in a passive-aggressive display toward The President, and to yell and accuse The President of lying during speeches to the Joint Houses of Congress. How far will we slide? "How low can you go?" appears to be the rallying cry of the Republican Right, and their motto, "Might Makes Right," has become a call to violent action. They are unconcerned with the blood that is, and will continue to be, be on their collective hands.
Now we live in an era in which if you disagree with the GOP, then you are not a true American. We're living in a time when Republicans are expected to call their children's school to forbid the viewing of The President's speech. In fact, it has become desirable among the majority of the Republican Party not simply to obfuscate and obstruct progress for middle class and working Americans, but to literally root for the failure of our President. It has become bloodsport to cheer for the failing of America if The President is not from your political party. It is socially acceptable, no, encouraged, to wish for and promote, and yes, even cheer for the failure of America:
Not only are there folks cheering the failure of America as a nation, but they now are attempting to dispel the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to the current sitting President of The United States:
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
The appalling idea that it is O.K. to wish for the country to fail miserably because it is the only way for your chosen party to possibly regain power is un-American. By definition. Let me restate that: it is morally wrong for Americans to wish for the failure of their nation because it is the only way for their own party to come into power. It is reprehensible, abhorrent and just plain immoral.
I can't recall a time when I saw eye to eye with either Bush. I despised the Shrub, who even made his father look good in comparison! And if Cheney keeled over today, I would not mourn the loss. But I also would not stand up and cheer in a public venue. The Democratic Party never encouraged an assassination attempt on either Bush, or their mastermind, Cheney, by encouraging the wearing of loaded weapons to Presidential rallies. We did not dispel debate or publicly label others who disagreed with us as enemies of the state, or call out either President Bush for the many lies they perpetrated on the American people by screaming epithets at them during speeches before Congress. We protested peacefully, worked through our representatives and the electoral process for change, and blogged about injustices we saw happening, because that is the American way to work for change.
Disagreement is tantamount to our system of government. It's why we have more than one party, and why we have three branches of government and the checks and balances put in place by The Constitution. It is American to disagree, but to work within the rule of law and elections to make change. But it is truly unpatriotic to cheer our country's loss of an Olympic bid. It is unAmerican to dismiss the decision of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee for honoring the efforts of the United States to mend the horrible rifts in world diplomacy, all of which were created before President Obama took office, might I add. And it is not just irresponsible, but downright evil to encourage assassination attempts with incendiary remarks by the Republican-controlled media - or any media outlet, for that matter.
Is this really the America we want? I have Republican friends who are appalled at the actions they have seen in recent events. Some have even changed their party affiliation. Shouldn't the fact that only 26% of Americans self-identify as Republican send their party a strong messagea about its actions? I don't believe that we really prefer for our country to be thought of as thugs around the world, instead of, as French President Sarkozy stated, "it sets the seal on America's return to the heart of all the world's peoples." Do we prefer to undercut our national pride and encourage divisiveness with the poor sportsmanship that wouldn't even be seen on an elementary school playground? The most terrifying fear of all is that this hatred and division will not end until it has been acted upon in its extreme, in an assassination attempt or worse. The Republican party and its leaders in the media (Limbaugh, et al) will continue to stir up racist fear and anger for their own profit until we see disastrous results for our nation because of this death of true patriotism. And I am sorely afraid that they will stand up and cheer if an unspeakable tragedy happens.


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[COLOR=#000000][FONT=Helvetica](CNSNews.com) - The average price of ground beef hit a record high in the United States in July, according to data released Wednesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.[/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=#000000][FONT=Helvetica]The BLS has been tracking the average price of a pound of 100% ground beef since 1984. [URL="http://cnsnews.com/sites/default/files/documents/In%20July%2C%20it%20cost%20%243.085%2C%20up%20from%20%243.007%20in%20June..xls"]In July, it cost $3.085, up from $3.007 in June.[/URL][/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=#000000][FONT=Helvetica]Prior to June, the average cost of 100% ground beef in the United States had never topped $3.00.
[url=http://cnsnews.com/news/article/price-ground-beef-hits-record-high]Price of Ground Beef Hits Record High | CNSNews.com[/url][/FONT][/COLOR]


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© Francesco Vicenti
One of Matthew Gallagher's designs
AMHERST – Matthew Gallagher started as a small town boy with big city dreams. Today, he's in the middle of living out his dream in Milan, Italy.
Gallagher recently entered a fashion design competition, hoping some of his original designs will give him the upper hand.
"I first heard about this contest from my school, Istituto Europeo di Design," said Gallagher in an email. "After we had graduated we received an email advertising the project, and of course, being newly graduated, it seemed like a logical decision to take part in something which could help show people my work."
The Muuse Vogue Talents Young Vision Award is a contest for emerging fashion designers. Gallagher had to enter five images of designs he had made. The designs, he said, needed to be cohesive and part of a larger collection.
"After they close the contest, all of the different designers would have their work uploaded on the MUUSE website for the public vote," said Gallagher. "When the voting period ends, 10 finalists will be announced and one will be selected as the winner by Sara Maino, senior editor of Vogue Italia and Vogue Talents."
Gallagher said the contest is a great opportunity for young designers because the prize could potentially launch their career.
"Receiving a feature in Vogue Italia Talents Online, a place in the Muuse designer community, promotion as "Muuse Designer of the Month" and your own capsule collection produced and sold through Muuse is something any new designer would jump through rings for."
For the contest, the collection Gallagher designed, he said, showcases his range and voice as a designer. As he went through the process, he said his favourite part was designing and illustrating but getting together everything wasn't as easy as one might think.
"The actual research, pattern making, cutting and sewing of the clothes is the most time consuming and grueling. As a designer, you can have a lot of great ideas on paper but if you can't realize the design in fabric and make them desirable for customers, you have nothing."
Gallagher said when he stops and thinks about where he started and where he is now. Sometimes, he still can't believe how far he has come.
"When I stop for a moment and look around, whether it is Paris, Milan or some small sea side village, I don't think I could have ever imagined when I was a day dreaming kid in Amherst that I would be half way around the world and doing the things I'm doing," he said. "I always fantasized I would but you have to pinch yourself from time to time when you realize, hey, you actually did it."
Those interested in showing their support for Gallagher can visit the website and vote for him at http://www.muuse.com/#!voguevote/all/3792-matthew-gallagher. By voting, you also have the chance to win a cocktail dressed designed by last year's winner Heidi Paula. Voting ends 9 a.m. Atlantic time, (12 p.m. Copenhagen time) Nov. 20.


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This deal has ended.
As part of their latest kitchen sale, Macy's drops the price of the Bella Cucina Panini Press (pictured) originally $49.99, and the Bella Cucina Electric Griddle originally $39.99, to $18.99. Both of these best-priced items are well reviewed. Shipping is $5.95 and sales tax is charged to states with Macy's retail locations.No longer available


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"Moonlight" becomes you. And it did for the comely crowd that gathered for "Magic in the Moonlight: An Al Fresco Dinner Event" that was held on the main axis of the New Orleans Botanical Garden in City Park. This was the second year for the fundraiser to benefit the NOBG Foundation and it was sold out once again.
The tables were placed along the axis and embellished with greens and flowers from the park and local gardens. The low arrangements incorporated votives and the table sculptures came from Luis Colmenares. They were auctioned off later.
Chefs Aaron Burgau of Patois and Justin Devillier of La Petite Grocery prepared such gastronomic treats as braised lamb popovers for the passed appetizers, and then, for the four-course repast, crab and pumpkin soup, shrimp salad, short ribs with butternut squash ravioli, and local grouper. To cap the comestibles most sweetly, pastry chef Tariq Hanna of Sucre purveyed treats, which were served in the Conservatory. Champagne complemented the desserts. So did the music of Julio and Cesar, who played during the patron party and at the dessert to-do.
To abet the gala's coffers, Lander Dunbar stepped forward as auctioneer, enticing guests to pull out the plastic for a full-size reproduction of sculptor Enrique Alferez's "Nude Eating Grapes, " a Mario Villa tabletop sculpture, the Colmenares pieces, an Avignon lion's head fountain from French Fountains, and vacation getaways, such as the one in Watercolor, Fla., donated by Poco and Liz Sloss. The week at Elks Run Ranch in Moonlight Basin, Montana, saw spirited bidding (along with the other items), much of it encouraged by ranch owners Tia Roddy and husband Jimmy, who wore an Elks Run Ranch tie created by Arthur Pulitzer. According to a prominent partygoer, Tia wore "a fabulous sheath with a chocolate shrug."
Certainly the marqueed names of "Moonlight" were the three chairwomen, Shawn O'Brien, Nat Finnegan and Muffin Balart, who attended, respectively, with escort Neil Sweeney and husbands Kelly Cusimano and Dr. Luis Balart. Other luminaries were Executive Director of the New Orleans Botanical Garden Paul Soniat, City Park Executive Director Bob Becker with Patricia, park board chairman Robert Lupo with Dr. Mary, NOBG board chairman Eugene "Gene" Preaus with Ann, vice chairman Herschel Abbott Jr. with Anne, and committee members Rebecca Schultz, and Carla Adams with Jay. To mention two of the 18 co-members, whose listing included New Orleans Museum of Art board Chairwoman Cammie (Mrs. Charles B.) Mayer.
They "Magic" mingled along with Mario Villa with Marie O'Neill, Mary Clare and Danny Conwill, Sybil and Blair Favrot, Susan and Jimmy Gundlach, Rosemonde and Carlo Capomazza, Rene Fransen and Eddie Bonin, Leonard and Janet Tallerine, Betsy Nalty, Sandra D. Freeman, and the above Arthur Pulitzer with his wife, who also answers to Sandra.
Elsewhere, and in the Nims Fine Arts Center of the Academy of the Sacred Heart, the annual Evening on the Avenue Gala titled its to-do, "Flashback to Caddyshack!" Based on the outrageously funny golf film of three decades ago, the bash recalled the antics of actors Chevy Chase, Bill Murray and others as they hit the links.
To make the theme immediately obvious, two golf carts and a convertible were parked on the grass flanking the Nims Center's entrance. Inside, the space was transformed into a created-for-the-evening scene from the "Ashwood Country Club, " complete with red canvas lounge chairs, umbrellas, and bags of golf clubs. The eponymous "Caddyshack" was shown silently on a giant movie-screen curtain (provided by Kevin Tran of CHL Linens) behind the stage. Elsewhere, there were palm trees from The Plant Gallery, small "swimming pools" made of glass squares as centerpieces, and Baby Ruth candy bars.
The patron party was catered by "Gabrielle at the Uptowner" and chefs Greg and Mary Sonnier. The American Sector, Cafe Degas, Creole Creamery, Domenica, Dominique's on Magazine, Luke Restaurant, Serrano's Salsa Company, Palace Cafe, and Vega Tapas Cafe fed the extensive flock and Brown Forman Spirits and Scott Levy Selections and Vino Wholesale, provided the libations. A local disc jockey infused the bash with music.
More than 200 auction items brought in links largesse. Among them were two tickets to the Master's golf tournament in Augusta, Ga., and "won" by Christine and Robert Rubin, a Saints football package purchased by Rachelle and Norman Albright, a week's stay in the Cayman Islands bought by Lisa Schully, and an in-your-home dinner prepared by the appropriately surnamed chef Eric Cook. Lauren and Phillip May will be hosting eight friends. Thanks abounded, as they did for such sponsors as Whitney Bank (Eagle category) and The Azby Fund, IberiaBank, Shan and Holley Guidry, and Wells Fargo Advisors, all Birdie category.
Making their "Caddyshack" rounds were Sacred Heart headmaster Dr. Tim Burns with Kathy, the honorary chaircouple; Debbie and Tim Verlander of Whitney; and auction chairwoman Kelley Abbott and husband Ash. From the auction committee came Jennifer Kavanaugh with Paul, Tricia Moreau with Lyle, Lisa Schully, Lisa Yarborough with Mike, and Angela Zimmer with Jay. Still others were Shawn and Charlie Haddad, Elizabeth and Clifton LeBlanc, Sacred Heart board chairwoman Marguerite Kingsmill, Ellen and Cooper Manning, Lorie and Larry DeMarcay, Mandi and Roy Frischhertz, Denis and Bill Galloway, Colleen and Scott Levy, Missy and Octavio Mantilla, Louise and Paul Zimmermann, Laura and Benton Vickery, and Libby and Bill Tittle. Each one made "Flashback" present-day play.
. . . . . . . .
Nell Nolan can be reached at email@example.com or 504.826.3455.


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Courtesy of Ithaca College
Buffalo, N.Y. — The Ithaca College football team scored on a 30-yard touchdown pass with 22 seconds remaining to stay undefeated on the season with a 24-20 win at Buffalo State to open Empire 8 play on Saturday afternoon.
After Ithaca saw a 17-7 lead erased by the Bengals with two late fourth-quarter touchdowns, the Bombers took possession at their own 28 with 1:05 remaining and moved 42 yards in three plays to the Buffalo State 30-yard line. After an incompletion, Phil Neumann found Vito Boffoli in the middle of the field and Boffoli broke two tackles and raced through the Bengals secondary for the winning touchdown.
Boffoli finished with career-best totals of five receptions for 68 yards and the 30-yard score was his longest reception and the first receiving touchdown of his career.
Ithaca's defense forced two turnovers in the game, a fumble recovery in the third quarter by Brian Hardenberg and an interception in the fourth quarter by Mike Vulcano. Hardenberg led the defense with 10 tackles including 1.5 tackles for loss in addition to the fumble recovery.
Ithaca continues conference play on Oct. 5 at Hartwick at 2 p.m


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Support the effort for a nonprofit health center
We are writing in regard to the April 25 article: "Campaign in full swing to gain support for health center at Wesley Homes Lea Hill" (Auburn Reporter, April 25).
Seven years ago we lost our mothers to lengthy illnesses. Although facilities were available, our families found that skilled-nursing senior care centers were limited. As with many in our generation, we are beginning to recognize our population is aging and that there are still many needs that must be addressed to support our seniors in Kent, Covington, Auburn, Maple Valley and all of South King County.
We are concerned that there is no not-for-profit skilled-nursing and rehabilitation center in South King County. In our experience, this type of nonprofit nursing home facility provides the best and trusted care for our loved ones. It is needed now as well as in the future.
However, an exciting opportunity is developing in South King County. It is time for us to start supporting the effort to build a skilled-nursing center for rehabilitation and long-term care – a critical part of the health care delivery system. A group of community civic and business leaders are doing something about this. They are volunteering their time and efforts to support building such a center on the Wesley Homes Lea Hill campus.
This Medicare- and Medicaid-certified center will have 36 private rooms with bathrooms, providing privacy and dignity for residents and rehab patients. More than 80 percent of the rooms are projected for community-wide usage.
More than $1 million has been raised toward the $2 million goal to help build the $6.6 million health center. The City of Auburn, civic leaders, community service groups, businesses and a number of committed individuals are generously supporting the campaign. Interested parties may contact the Wesley Homes Foundation at 206-870-1126.
As lifelong South King County residents, we are blessed to be a part of this wonderful and generous community, and we need to continue to recognize and reward the contributions our seniors have provided through the years. Now is the opportunity for us to give back by supporting this needed community resource.
– Bud and Jan Battles
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Andrew Welker continues to be a scoring machine for the City Islanders. With yet another goal this past weekend his season total is now up to five. Andrew has taken time out of his schedule to answer these questions and supply the fans with the latest edition of "Get to Know". Thanks again Andrew and good luck during the rest of the season.
Upper 90- Who is the best player you ever played against?
Andrew- I played pick up against Sacha Kljestan and Robbie Rogers one day at Seton Hall University. Playing against two national team players is a very humbling experience because as you could imagine they were very talented.
Upper 90- What is your favorite stadium/field to play at other then Skyline Sports Complex on City Island?
Andrew- I haven't seen all the USL stadiums yet this season so I am not sure what I would choose for this league, but playing at UNC Chapel Hill's soccer stadium was pretty awesome.
Upper 90- What is your least favorite stadium/field to play at?
Andrew- The stadium at St. John's University. Not only is that a very tough surface to play on but after four games (collegiate and pro) I have yet to walk off with a win.
Upper 90- What is your favorite moment as a soccer player?
Andrew- Winning the Super Y-League national championship with the U-20 Red Bulls. We had to beat two other MLS academies on our way to winning. We beat Chicago Fire in the semis and Chivas USA in the final to take the championship.
Upper 90- What is your favorite part about playing on City Island for Harrisburg?
Andrew- Well being from around the area I am always able to play in front of friends and family so that is always a plus, but I also enjoy the great atmosphere the fans bring to each game.
Upper 90- Who is the best dresser on the team?
Andrew- Sainey is always dressed pretty well.
Upper 90- Who is the worst dresser on the team?
Andrew- Everyone is saying Ombiji but I think we all have pretty decent wardrobes.
Upper 90- Who is the team comedian always making jokes?
Andrew- Marshall always seems to be joking around in one way or another.
Upper 90- Who is the most serious player on the team?
Andrew- Phil is always a pretty serious dude.


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Four new ferries called for in finalized transportation budget
In what some are calling a partial victory for ferry-served communities, the Legislature's newly approved transportation budget calls for construction of four ferries in the next four years.
One of the four, a 64-car vessel, will likely replace the Rhododendron on the Point Defiance-Tahlequah route as soon as it's built, officials said — a much-needed upgrade to an old and sometimes too-small ferry.
"This is a huge step forward," said Rep. Sharon Nelson (D-Maury Island). "We have boiled this down to: What does the system need? We need boats."
The goal of the budget, which was approved by the House of Representatives last week and the Senate on Sunday, is to have all four boats built as quickly as possible, she said.
Worrisome to some, however, is that the fourth boat may not be the larger one ferry-service advocates have been championing for months, and the boat's funding hasn't been set in stone, said Kari Ulatoski, who chairs the Vashon community council's transportation committee.
"I was deeply disappointed in the lack of foresight our state Senate showed by not committing to a 144-car ferry to be built," she said.
While she's glad legislative language calls for the 2013 construction of a 144-car boat, which could be used on many different routes, she said it might never be built if it doesn't get enough funding in upcoming budget rounds.
If and when a 144-car vessel is built, it is likely the north-end triangle route will feel a trickle-down effect and inherit a bigger boat from another route, ferry officials said recently.
Washington State Ferry chief David Moseley said he thinks the ferry system "made progress" in this year's budget negotiations.
In addition to paying for ferry construction, the transportation budget funds the system's current level of service and caps ferry fare increases at 2.5 percent per year, he noted.
Still, Moseley, like Ulatoski, acknowledged the budget falls short, failing to establish a sustainable source of funding for the ferry system. The budget allots money for the next two years but has not established a longterm source of dollars for the system.
Earlier this year, ferry-service advocates and ferry system officials had proposed new ways of funding the system for decades to come, including a car tab fee of a few dollars.
But the Legislature didn't seem to seriously consider these ideas, said Gary Sipple, a member of the Island's transportation committee.
He added that lawmakers did, however, listen to much of what ferry-service advocates had to say this spring.
In addition to circulating a petition calling for ferry funding, members of ferry-served communities held a rally on the steps of the Capitol in February and held many one-on-one meetings with state lawmakers about the importance of the ferry system to their communities.
"I'm pleased," Sipple said, "because we ended up informing a lot of legislators on the details, which they admittedly would have never taken the time to learn."
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Ryan Hoover chalked up three goals while Ryan Willsea turned aside all seven shots he faced as Madison skated to a 4-0 victory over Morris Hills at Mennen Arena in Morris Township.
Three days after his state-best 74-save performance against Parsippany on Wednesday, Morris Hills senior goalie Adam Katz registered 65 saves. Kyle Midlige also scored for Madison.


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[edit] Background
Tales speak of an ancient land where creatures the size of mountains, roam the majestic landscape. Bound to the land, these creatures hold a key to a mystical power of revival - a power you must obtain to waken a loved one.
Shadow of the Colossus is a majestic journey through ancient lands to seek out and destroy gigantic mythical beasts. With your trusty horse at your side, explore the spacious lands and unearth each Colossi. Armed with your wits, a sword and a bow, use cunning and strategy to topple each behemoth.
[edit] Features
- An artistic masterpiece developed by the critically acclaimed game developers of ICO.
- Journey across picturesque landscapes and unearth the ferocious beauty of the Colossi.
- Combat each Colossi with great skill and resourcefulness of a magical sword and sturdy bow & arrow.
- Overcome a variety of terrain challenges placing great emphasis on pure exploration.
- Travel on horseback across seamless miles of an ancient land.
- An emotional storyline told thru the direction of a unique visual style and innovative gameplay.
- Exclusively for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system.


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Track List
Album Notes
Personnel: Udo Dirkschneider (vocals); Mathias Dieth (guitar); Thomas Smusznyski (bass); Stefan Schwartzman (drums).
Recorded at Dierks Studios, Cologne, Germany between October 1989 & January 2000.
All tracks are digitally remastered.
Personnel: Udo Dirkschneider (vocals); Mathias Dieth, Wolla Böhm (guitar); Stefan Schwarzmann (drums).
When Udo Dirkschneider sang lead with the West German metal band Accept, it was clear that AC/DC's Bon Scott was his primary influence. And the headbanger took his love of Scott with him when he departed Accept and formed his own band, Udo, in 1987. Though not as strong as his work with Accept, Faceless World is a decent album that employs mildly gothic imagery at times. Not content to simply crank up the volume and hit us with power chords, Dirkschneider and friends make melody a priority on "System of Life," "Stranger," "Blitz of Lightning" and other songs on this exuberant CD. Faceless World may not be Balls to the Wall (one of Accept's best releases), but it isn't anything to be ashamed of either. Who could have predicted that only three year's after Faceless World came out, this type of rock would have lost so much ground to alternative rock? ~ Alex Henderson


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MUSKEGON, MI — Dozens of boats were out on Muskegon Lake for the Summer Sailstice event on June 21, Saturday to commemorate the first day of summer.
Roger Zuidema, a promoter and participant of the Summer Sailstice, said it is a national event that Torresen Marine helped kickoff in Muskegon 13 years ago. Since then Lake Effect Boating, Great Lakes Marina and the Muskegon Yacht Club joined in.
"It's a really fun event just to help and show people the sailing lifestyle," Zuidema said. "It's relaxing, being out on the water with family and friends."
Taking place on the longest day of the year, the Great Lakes Marina, Torresen Marine and Muskegon Yacht Club had all hands on deck, offering free sailboat rides to willing participants.
With the largest natural harbor on this side of Lake Michigan as well as deep-water access to the Big Lake, Zuidema said events like this one put Muskegon on the map. Muskegon is a sailor's dream, promoters said.
"Muskegon is a blue economy," he said. "Their economy can steer around the water, and there are some great communities involved in that. We just want people to know that we have the optimal place to be a sailor."
Grandville resident Barbara Bomers was in town after finding the bike path that links the Big Lake and the Muskegon River along the southshore of Muskegon Lake. Without her knowing, she stumbled on a number of sailboats floating by.
Taking note of both the boats and the water, Bomers was reminded of a time when she would be out on the water with her family.
"My brother used to have a boat over at Great Lakes Marina," she said. "We would go across the lake really fast and come down through the channel and head out to Lake Michigan."
RELATED: Free boat rides offered as part of annual Summer Sailstice event
Out on their sailboat called "Hakuna Matata," were Spring Lake residents Abby Allman and Elijah Locascio.
With more than 20 years of boating experience combined, the two sailors never miss a summer out on Muskegon Lake.
"It's a very special experience to be out there," Locascio said. "I always have a great time on this lake. It wasn't a letdown today. Great winds, great times."
Just being out on the water and knowing that he was using the wind to get wherever he needed to be was worth taking part in the Summer Sailstice, Locascio said.
"It was a great turnout today, it was nice to see all the different kinds of boats," Locascio said. "There is such a great camaraderie between sailors out there."
Kevin Allman left Spring Lake to take part in the Summer Sailstice as well, where he was expecting the number of sailboats on display Saturday.
After arriving last night, Allman and his family got to the marina at 10 a.m. for a free ride.
"We took our boat out and then we went on a different boat just for the fun of it," Allman said. "They showed us what the boat does and the terminology. He even let me drive his boat, which was really nice."
Getting out to Muskegon Lake 10 to 12 times a year, Allman was looking forward to harnessing the power of the wind at its peak.
"It's nice to look out over Muskegon Lake and just see a bunch of sails on the water," Allman said. "They were outnumbering the power boats for sure today."


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by Bob Casey Jr.
Political gamesmanship is certainly not new to Washington. It has, even in the four years I have been in the Senate, gotten worse. Both Democrats and Republicans are to blame, and it is time for a change.
Partisan gridlock is out of control. Senate rules have been systematically abused to block legislation, obstruct real debate and play politics. The Senate often spends more time debating whether it should debate a bill than debating the actual issue.
In a noted conversation between George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, Washington explained the creation of the Senate by saying "we pour legislation into the senatorial saucer to cool it." Because of abuse of rules in the intervening time, the Senate has unfortunately become less like a saucer and more like a boiling kettle.
For example, at the end of last year a bill to provide health care to heroes who became ill after responding to the Sept. 11 attacks was repeatedly delayed when Senate Republicans prevented the Senate from even debating the legislation. Later, it faced additional delays and threats to passage when one senator held up the bill's progress.
That's why I want the Senate to adopt five common-sense rule changes to make the Senate more effective, provide greater transparency and allow for a more equitable amendment process. These changes should be considered and adopted.
In the Senate, any one senator can place a secret hold on a bill or a nomination to block action without even identifying themselves. I have already pledged to avoid this practice, and I have previously called for a rule change to be adopted. A senator who wants to block legislation must be willing to earn it and own it.
The filibuster has been abused. When many people think of a filibuster they think of Jimmy Stewart in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" speaking continuously on the Senate floor for 23 hours. If you turn on C-SPAN2 during a filibuster, you will more often than not see an empty Senate chamber. If senators want to filibuster, they should stay on the floor and debate to continue the filibuster. If they have nothing to say, the Senate should vote and move on.
Another way in which the filibuster is being used as a delaying tactic is to filibuster every step in the legislative process. It is even being used to block the Senate from even beginning to debate legislation. This happened on the Sept. 11 responder health bill. This rule also should be changed.
The backlog of considering nominations for judges and other positions is unacceptable. Nominations should be expedited to prevent the abuse of rules to delay final confirmation votes.
The Senate response to the tactics used to block legislation in recent years has often limited the amendments that could be offered. This also has hurt the legislative process. The majority and minority parties should be able to offer germane amendments.
These rule changes alone will not fix Washington. Individual members of Congress have a responsibility to be more civil and less political. We need to find areas where we can work together rather than focusing on our differences. In our conversations since his election, Sen. Pat Toomey and I have made that commitment.
In the last four years, I have tried to work in a bipartisan manner on issues such as a new law to strengthen sanctions against Iran, legislation to help veterans to start small businesses, promoting investment in carbon capture and storage to spur new innovation and protect Pennsylvania industry and fighting unfair trade practices that put U.S. workers and businesses at a disadvantage.
When in December Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell was asked about his political tactics last year that prevented final votes on legislation he responded: "If they think it's bad now, wait till next year." I sincerely hope that he has had a change of heart.
We face too many challenges to put partisan political gain ahead of meeting those challenges. Growing the economy, creating jobs and keeping America safe should not be partisan issues.
Bob Casey Jr. is Pennsylvania's senior senator.


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