text:
Subfamily FORMICINAE
Tortugas carpenter ant
Author: Joe A. MacGown
Camponotus tortuganus, full face view of the head of a worker (MS, Hancock Co.) (photo by Joe A. MacGown)
Camponotus tortuganus, side view of the head of a worker (MS, Hancock Co.) (photo by Joe A. MacGown)
Camponotus tortuganus, top view of the head of a worker (MS, Hancock Co.) (photo by Joe A. MacGown)
Camponotus tortuganus, full face view of the head of a worker (FL, Brevard Co.) (photo by Joe A. MacGown)
Camponotus tortuganus, top view of the head of a worker (FL, Brevard Co.) (photo by Joe A. MacGown)
Species in this genus are variable in size with workers ranging in size from 3.0 to 15 mm or more in length and queens (also referred to as females) of some species attaining a length of 19 mm or more. Many species are polymorphic. Workers have a 12-segmented antenna that lacks an apical club. Antennal fossae do not touch the posterior border of the clypeus. Ocelli are not present on the heads of workers. The workers of most species have an indistinct metanotal suture between the promesonotum and the propodeum, although this suture is present in C. sexguttatus and some members of the subgenus Colobopsis. Those species that lack the obvious and deep metanotal suture have the shape of the alitrunk in a smoothly curved arc (as seen in profile).
Camponotus tortuganus is in the subgenus Tanaemyrmex, which differs from the other carpenter ant subgenera by having a median carina present on the clypeus. The status of this species is unclear. Historically, specimens of this species from the US have been identified as C. tortuganus, but after closer examination by Mark Deyrup (per. com. Mark Deyrup, Archbold Biological Station), he noted that some specimens in southern Florida could be C. c. inaequalis.
The status of this species is unclear. In 1863, Roger described C. inaequalis from Cuba. Later, in 1895, Emery described C. maculatus tortuganus from a specimen collected by Pergande in the Dry Tortugas. Forel (1914) sunk C. inaequalis to a subspecies of C. conspicuuus. Wheeler (1923) raised C. tortuganus to species. From that point onward until 1988 (Deyrup et al. 1988), specimens collected in Florida were called C. tortuganus. However, Deyrup et al. (1988) discovered specimens in the Florida Keys whose striped coloration matched C. c. inaequalis. Specimens resembling typical C. tortuganus were also collected in the Keys. According to Deyrup (Pers. Comm.), numerous specimens with C. c. inaequalis and C. tortuganus-inaequalis coloration have been collected in Florida since approximately 1965. Wetterer and O'Hara (2002) stated that the holotype collected by Pergande was actually labeled as being from the Bahamas, rather than from the Dry Tortugas. Further, in the Wetterer and O'Hara (2002) publication, they stated that specimens identified from Florida as C. tortuganus were actually C. conspicuus zonatus Emery, 1894. This seems unlikely, as C. c. zonatus has a Central American distribution. Future genetic work could be useful in more definitive identifications of this group in the USA. Based on Deyrup's collections (Pers. Comm.), its seems likely that both C. tortuganus and C. c. inaequalis may be present in Florida and that these two species may be interbreeding forming a hybrid. Alternatively, C. tortuganus and C. c. inaequalis could actually represent variations of the same species, in which case the name C. c. inaequalis would have priority. Specimens of the color form matching C. tortuganus also have been collected from coastal Mississippi. Currently, I am using the name name C. tortuganus here for the color forms from Mississippi and for specimens I have examined from Florida.
Major Worker: HL 2.16–2.30mm, HW 1.76–1.92mm, SL 2.00mm, EL 0.50–0.54mm, MeSL3.20–3.280mm (n=2) (MEM specimens) Bicolored with head dark reddish brown, scapes mostly black, funiculi reddish brown; mesosoma, waist, legs, and antennae orangish brown; and gaster dark reddish brown to brownish black, sometimes infuscation or with lighter striped areas at posterior edges of gastral tergites. Head with fine microtexture giving it a matte appearance, remainder of body shinier, generally lacking sculpture; head and mesosome with scattered short, apressed pubescence, gaster with more numerous pubescense; head with several stiff, erect stiff present at posterior corners; cheeks lacking erect setae; clypeal face with several erect setae; antennal scapes lacking erect setae; dorsum of mesosoma with a few erect, curved setae that are directed anteriorly; petiole with several erect setae; and gaster with scattered long, stiff, erect setae present, especially at posterior edges of sclerites; tibia of all legs lack erect hairs and the middle and hind tibia lack erect bristles on flexor surfaces. Head widest posteriorly, posterior border slightly concave; clypeus with a sharp and well defined median carina present, anterior clypeal margin entire; eyes large, but proportionally smaller than in minor workers, anterior edge of eye beginning at approximately the halfway point of head; scape less than length of the head . Mesosoma smoothly arched in lateral view. Propodeal declivity slightly concave. Petiolar node high, wider at base than apex, convex anteriorly and relatively straight on posterior side.
Queen: (from description of C. tortuganus provided by Wheeler, 1910) - Total length approximately 10.0–11.0mm; forewing length, 11.0mm. Resembling the worker major in sculpture, pilosity and color. Head proportionately longer. Eyes large and convex. Mesosoma as broad as the head, rather depressed; propodeum with indistinct base and declivity, the former fully as long as the latter. Petiole similar to that of the worker major. Forewing with amber coloration, especially along top third of wing; veins and stigma pale brownish yellow; costal, submarginal, marginal, basal, and subbasal cells closed; discal cell absent.
Male: (from description of C. tortuganus provided by Wheeler, 1910) - Total Length approximately 7.0 mm. Head through the eyes about as wide as long. Eyes and ocelli very large. Cheeks much shorter than the eyes, straight and parallel. Posterior portion of head broad and rounded. Clypeus sub carinate, with broadly rounded, projecting anterior border. Mandibles narrow, edentate. Antennae slender, first funicular joint as long as the second, distinctly incrassated. Mesosoma robust, with low, evenly rounded propodeum; its base and declivity indistinctly differentiated, the former about twice as long as the latter. Petiole longer than high, with a low, thick, transverse node. Gaster and legs slender.
Workers of this species are similar to those of C. socius Roger, but are much shinier in overall appearance.
Biology and Economic Importance
Workers from Mississippi were collected as they foraged along outdoor irrigation hoses at an outdoor palm nursery. This particular nursery was known for importing palms from southern Florida, and we suspect that the ants were stowaways in a plant shipment. In Florida, this species occurs on beaches, in scrub habitat, and in disturbed areas. Nests are typically found under objects, in structures,
Nearctic: United States (AntWiki.org and MEM).
U.S. Distribution: FL, MS (AntWeb.org and MEM).
Bolton, B. 2016. Bolton World Catalog Ants. Available online: http://www.antweb.org/world.jsp. Accessed 9 March 2016.
Creighton, W. S. 1950. The ants of North America. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 104:1-585.
Deyrup, M. 2003. An updated list of Florida ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Florida Entomologist 86: 43-48.
Deyrup, M., N. Carlin, J. Trager, and G. Umphrey. 1988. A review of the ants of the Florida Keys. Florida Entomologist 71: 163-176.
Deyrup, M., L. Davis, and S. Cover. 2000. Exotic ants in Florida. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 126: 293-325.
Emery, C. 1895. Beiträge zur Kenntniss der nordamerikanischen Ameisenfauna. (Schluss). Zoologische Jahrbücher. Abteilung für Systematik, Geographie und Biologie der Tiere 8:257-360.
Emery, C. 1920. Le genre Camponotus Mayr. Nouvel essai de la subdivision en sous-genres. Revue Zoologique Africaine (Brussels) 8:229-260.
Emery, C. 1925. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Formicinae. Genera Insectorum 183:1-302.
Forel, A. 1914. Le genre Camponotus Mayr et les genres voisins. Revue Suisse de Zoologie 22:257-276.
Hansen, L. D., and J. H. Klotz. 2005. Carpenter ants of the United States and Canada. Cornell University Press. Ithaca, N. Y. i-xii+204 pp.
Roger, J. 1863. Die neu aufgeführten Gattungen und Arten meines Formiciden-Verzeichnisses nebst Ergänzung einiger früher gegebenen Beschreibungen. Berliner Entomologische Zeitschrift 7:131-214.
Smith, D. R. 1979. In Catalog of Hymenoptera in America north of Mexico. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D. C. Vol. 2, pp. 1323-1427.
Wetterer J. K. and O'Hara B. C. 2002. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Dry Tortugas, the outermost Florida keys. Fla. Entomol. 85: 303–307.
Wheeler, W. M. 1910g. The North American ants of the genus Camponotus Mayr. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 20: 295-354.
Wheeler, W. M. 1913. The ants of Cuba. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 54:477-505.
Wheeler, W. M. 1932. A list of the ants of Florida with descriptions of new forms. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 40:1-17.
Wilson, E. O. 1964. The ants of the Florida Keys. Breviora 210:1-14.


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|[TenTec] Omni VI+ commands revisited
|email@example.com (Dave W7DPW)
|Wed, 1 Aug 2001 21:21:42 -0700
Good work, I have CAT564 and tried as you suggested and fould the following to be true: 06 works for N1 filter and and change it to an 07 works for N2 filter in 9 Mhz lineup. Dave W7DPW ----- Original Message ----- From: <firstname.lastname@example.com> To: <firstname.lastname@example.com> Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2001 9:01 PM Subject: [TenTec] Omni VI+ commands revisited > > I thank the Omni VI+ users for their responses to my query about > operating the narrow filters through computer commands. > > I regret that the Omni VI+ manual says that the narrow filter > is not available through commands. However, for an Omni VI, > despite the fact that it is not mentioned in the documentation, the > command > > FE FE 04 E0 06 00 06 > > implemented in Zakanaka as > > $hexcommand FE FE 04 E0 06 00 06 FD$ > > will toggle the 9 mHz. narrow filter. Why don't you Omni VI users > try this out and see if it works on one of the narrow filters (watch > the lights)? If it does, try 07 as the last digit and see if it toggles > the other narrow filter. This is a toggle, by the way, which is not > the nicest way to implement this function. That is, each time you > send the command, it switches back the other way, i.e., on, off, > on, off, ..... > > The final digits 02 thorugh 04 operate the 6.3 mHz. filter selections, > and these are not toggles. Each choice turns the others off (only > one filter is in line). The 00 in the 6th byte from the left operates > the mode (00=LSB, 01=USB,....). > > By the way, I am using an Omni VI with the cheapskate VI+ > upgrade, which is a new ROM chip but no extra filter position. My > software should be the same as the VI+, so I think that Ten-Tec is > hiding something from you guys. If so, this is the place to talk > about it. I have this thing about operating manuals............. > > Please let me know if you stumble across a way to get the narrow > filters working remotely, I want to add it to the Zakanaka > documentation. Try the stuff above and let me know. > > > 73, > Jan Ditzian > KX2A > firstname.lastname@example.com > > > -- > FAQ on WWW: http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/tentec > Submissions: email@example.com > Administrative requests: email@example.com > Problems: email@example.com > -- FAQ on WWW: http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/tentec Submissions: email@example.com Administrative requests: firstname.lastname@example.com Problems: firstname.lastname@example.com
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After a stranger wielding a handgun fired five rounds into a Jackson Square artist's paintings while horrified French Quarter tourists ran for cover, Alan Minor says he is happy to be alive.
The 49-year-old painter said he held his breath and stood perfectly still as a tall man clad in snakeskin boots stood in front of him Sunday afternoon - seemingly unprovoked - and fired five shots into four of his acrylic paintings, painted on wooden planks.
While the paintings did not fare so well, no one was hurt. When the gunfire ended, the shooter quietly walked away, Minor said.
A good Samaritan riding his bike nearby followed the man and notified a police officer assigned to patrol the French Quarter, who, within minutes found the man wandering in the 700 block of Barracks Street.
Police arrested Eric Wilson, 41, of Hiram, Ga. Officers found the handgun after searching Wilson, along with five spent shell casings.
He was booked with of five counts of aggravated criminal damage, as well as on charges of illegal discharge of a firearm and illegal carrying of a firearm.
The bizarre chain of events unfolded on Sunday (Feb. 16) afternoon, amid the bustle of French Quarter tourists in town for the beginning of Carnival season and the NBA All-Star game.
Minor has been selling his vibrant paintings depicting Crescent City culture in the square for the past six years. He said he was sitting on the concrete ledge near Jackson Square Park's Decatur Street entrance when he noticed the man leaning against the bank just a few feet away from him.
The man was swaying a little and "mumbling to himself" Minor noticed, but said that he didn't think much of it.
The man was there for about an hour, Minor said, before he calmly got up, walked over to Minor's stand and opened fire.
"He had both hands around the gun," Minor recalled. "And then it was just 'pow-pow-pow-pow-pow.'"
Minor said that as Wilson stood there, firing into his paintings, he kept still. Minor said his mind went blank.
"I thought that he would just do what he gotta do and get it over with. I waited as he walked away," Minor recalled. "I had a sigh of relief -- I'm just glad it wasn't me."
A bullet could have ricocheted, Minor added, "And it could've hurt some people who were in the park, or walking by."
The shooting brought temporary chaos to a corner usually known for it's peaceful street artists and passing French Quarter tourists. Passersby and artists ducked for cover or ran away.
Artists who work the square with Minor told reporters Monday they had never seen shots fired in all the years they had worked there.
"It's just crazy," said Fred Haines, 75, who has been selling his paintings in the square since 1971. "Its really unusual."
Another artist, who goes by "Alexander Greatness," said "I've never even seen a fight here."
He said he wished there was more of a police presence during the busy season.
"Police should be patrolling at least every hour," he said, adding that, while he saw officers idling in nearby patrol cars, he felt there presence was at a "minimum."
Minor praised the swift police work done while apprehending Wilson.
"Sometimes you just can't catch everything," he said. "But they caught him."
"I'm just thankful that I'm here. I can remake the art, but I can't remake myself," he said.
Wilson, who owns an auto-body shop in Hiram, Georgia, remained jailed Monday afternoon. Records indicate that Wilson has no criminal record in Orleans Parish.
Police have not indicated a motive in the shooting.


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Premature births
October 28, 2013
Fifty years ago the nation and the world mourned together the loss of a baby boy born too soon and too small. His name was Patrick....
Typical. A charity org focusing on what we all can do to help these problems instead of focusing on, what is the REAL reason why this is happening? So they can try and fix that. Autism, diabetes, cancer.....they are all treated the same way by these fraudulent charities. Save you money ppl.
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The Baltimore Ravens wanted to go to the Super Bowl for all the obvious reasons. But mostly, they just wanted to be together for two more weeks.
In the rapidly changing world of the NFL, teams don't often stick together like the Ravens do. Like 17 year veteran Ray Lewis and 11 year veteran Ed Reed.
Linebacker Terrell Suggs has played next to Lewis for a decade. Defensive tackle Haloti Ngata has played for seven.
For the last time, this unit played one more game together. And they'll go out as champions.
"Ultimate cake," said Suggs "We sent (Lewis) out like his brothers and his legacy will go untainted."
Lewis is off to a life of retirement and TV spots. Reed will test the waters of free agency. It will never be the same again.
"The final series of Ray Lewis' career was a goal-line stand to win the Lombardi Trophy," Harbaugh said. "We have said many times after many of these games, 'It was not perfect, it was not pretty, but it was us.' That is who we are."
Defensive tackle Arthur Jones, who recovered a fumble in the game, said Lewis and Reed have been the ones to challenge him every step of the way. To end the game on a defensive stop is perfect, he said.
"It means the world. All of the stuff we've been through, this is what it is all about. Staying together as a team. Oh my God it feels so good."


text:
If you aspire, as Mark Russell does, to reduce the Bible to its brutal, often comedic essence, I'll meet you at Micah 6:8.
The Old Testament is rarely better than that verse. In 22 words, Micah, a cranky fatalist, sets out the challenge for all of us:
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
In "God is Disappointed in You," Russell attempts to hone the 66 books, 31,102 verses and 1,260 promises -- feel free to check my math -- in the Bible to their core message. He dissects the Book of Job in five paragraphs. Sums up the Psalms in two pages. Whittles Habakkuk's harangue down to a brief Q&A.
But Micah 6:8? ("The entire Jewish religion in a nutshell," Russell agrees.)
How can you improve on that?
But reading that surrender to Micah's epic brevity helps one understand what Russell and cartoonist Shannon Wheeler accomplish in this 224-page volume:
They condense whenever possible ... and celebrate when it's not.
"I tried to find what's essential in each book, and give it the microphone," Russell said over breakfast Saturday on N.E. Broadway. "And what I tried to do was approach the Bible as if I were reading it for the first time, and explaining it as I would if I were talking to a person at a bar."
Is irreverence part of the conversation? Thank God. Moses, Russell reminds us, is "the son of illegal aliens." When David demands a parade to welcome the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, Russell notes, "There are two kinds of people in the world: those who hate parades and morons."
"Just about everybody in the Bible is a jackass," Russell notes. "The heroes of the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament, guys like Jacob, David, and Samson, are every bit as vain, crafty, and murderous as the Bible's villains. The only difference is that they are God's jackasses."
But watching Russell and Wheeler at work here reminds me how subjective our reading of those 66 books invariably is, if only to avoid the disappointing conclusion in this book's title.
"It's the premise upon which Scripture is written," Russell argues: "Millions of imperfect people, trying to do the will of a perfect God.
"I think the biggest mistake people make in reading the Bible is they go fishing," Russell says. "They read and read and read until they find a passage they think they can use, to justify what they're already doing.
"What I tried to do was take each book on its own terms rather than to give you the verses you'd find on a placemat."
He doesn't. "In many ways, God is a variable in trying to understand ourselves," Russell says. "The challenge is asking the right questions of ourselves to make God as spiritual and personally meaningful as possible.
"The ancient Jews in the desert were trying to form a civilization; they needed a lawgiver, so they cast God in that role. What the early Christians needed from God was a savior to deal with the prosecution they were facing, and the occupation of their homeland, by the Romans."
And the church today? "Modern Americans tend to treat God as a Walmart they can go to with their physical needs, who will grant them their desires and not charge them too much in the bargain."
Russell is shaking his head: "The failure of a civilization is when the questions they ask about God are not worthy of the concept.""The Guide for the Perplexed" by Maimonedes, a 12th century rabbi.
"The Book of Revelation always baffled me until I read Elaine Pagels' 'Revelations,' and understood the book in terms of 1st century Christianity. John was speaking to people who were not theorizing about the end of the world, 2000 years in the future, but who thought they were experiencing it. In that context, it takes on a very different meaning."
His revelation among the prophets? Hosea. "It tells the poignant and darkly hilarious story of a minor prophet who's constantly being cuckolded by his wife, and, yet, he never fails to take her back.
There are, then, in this Biblical translation, no genealogies or interminable lectures on animal husbandry. There is little fodder for conservatives, Russell says, who view Jesus as the "team mascot" for their social agenda, even as they disdain Christ's call to "extend charity and love across social boundaries."
But there are revelations, for both those who subscribe to the Bible and those who have never heard Micah's inspirational call. I'd count the book's title among them.
"It will be a sad day when we say God is no longer disappointed in us," Russell says. "God is the concept by which we judge our place in the world. If we're ever completely satisfied, that means we've stopped challenging ourselves and asking questions."
-- Steve Duin
("God is Disappointed in You" is published by Top Shelf, and lists at $19.95. Shannon Wheeler, whose work frequently appears in The New Yorker, illustrated my graphic novel, "Oil and Water.")


text:
HUNTSVILLE, AL. - Despite the national uproar over airport pat-downs and full-body scans, Tiffany Johnson of Huntsville isn't one of those who thinks the government is going too far.
Giving up some privacy in exchange for safety and expediency at the airport is OK with Johnson, who was waiting for her luggage at the baggage claim Monday afternoon after arriving from Orlando on an AirTran flight.
"I think it's a little invasive, but if it increases safety and is quicker, I say, 'Go for it,' " Johnson said. "It's not like there's a face attached. If you've seen one body, you've seen them all."
The Transportation Security Administration has not installed the controversial full-body scanners in Huntsville International Airport, but the enhanced pat-down procedure that's causing a backlash among passengers is being used.
The TSA plans to install two of the advanced imaging technology machines at the airport's security checkpoint.
"I don't believe we have been given a timeline" for the machines to be installed, airport spokeswoman Laura Gipson said Monday.
Madison resident Katie Stamps, who was on the same flight as Johnson, said she didn't have major concerns about the use of full-body scanners and pat-downs if it is done appropriately and makes air travel safer.
Stamps said she has to trust that authorities are conducting the passenger screening for the right reasons.
"I think it's important for the airport to be safe," Stamps said. "If that's what it takes to be safe, I don't have a problem with it."
Johnson and Stamps both said they didn't go through a full-body scanner or see anyone undergoing a pat-down at the Orlando airport earlier Monday.
Butch Roberts, the airport's deputy director, said at an airport authority meeting earlier this month that he had reviewed with TSA officials a layout of the airport's security checkpoint area that could accommodate two Hi-Scan X-Ray machines.
"These X-ray machines would allow us to operate four security lanes," Roberts told the authority.
The airport now has three security lanes with metal detectors. Passengers who set off the airport's metal detectors or are chosen at random must undergo a pat-down by TSA agents.
"Since the end of October when the pat-down procedure was implemented, it's run pretty smoothly here," Gipson said.
A phone call Monday to Sam Bucy, deputy federal security director with the TSA in Huntsville, was not returned.
The head of the TSA has said that the agency is trying to balance privacy concerns and public safety with the new scanners and pat-down procedures.
Passengers who choose not to go through the full-body scanning machine or set off the machine have to undergo a pat-down or they are not allowed to get on a plane.


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It was the Blazers' third home loss of the season, but their second in a row after losing to Oklahoma City on Monday night.
Jamal Crawford led the Blazers with 21 points off the bench, and Gerald Wallace added 20, but it wasn't enough on a night when LaMarcus Aldridge struggled to find his shot. After the game, Aldridge said he had been battling some kind of illness since Wednesday morning and felt lethargic from the tip. He finished with 13 points on 5 of 14 shooting and blamed his poor performance more on the sickness than on the Rockets' defense against him.
After falling behind by 19 points in the third quarter, the Blazers cut the lead to 77-70 at the end of the third quarter, then went on a 7-0 run to open the fourth quarter that tied it at 77-77. After another tie, at 82-82, the Rockets responded and quickly built their lead back to eight points at 90-82. Portland never threatened after that.
The Rockets torched the Blazers from the perimeter, hitting 10 three-pointers, and they outrebounded Portland 39-29.
Houston (15-11) did much of its damage with its bench, which finished with 66 of the Rockets' 103 points. Both of the Rockets' leading scorers, Chase Budinger (22 points) and Courtney Lee (16 points), came off the bench.
The Blazers (14-12) next play two games on the road — where they've struggled mightily this season — against New Orleans and Dallas.
Raymond Felton returned after missing Monday's game with a sprained left foot. He had nine points and six assists.
-- Joel Odom; follow him on Twitter


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door knobs & handles
loading more products below
In your home, opening each door should be the beginning of a great experience, and our range of door knobs and handles will help that experience to begin with style.
When you can add colourful flourishes and exciting patterns to everything else in a room, why would you leave your door handles unadorned? Whether your style is classical and understated, or bright and bold, you should pick out a door knob to match the theme of your room. In these pages, you'll discover a great collection of handles and knobs to add to the doors in your house. You could add a modern handle to your kitchen door and match the shine of zinc or granite. Or why not find a rustic, wooden door knob to add to your bedroom door and match the cosy feel inside? Whatever door requires a new handle, you'll find the matching piece right here.
When you've got the door knobs and handles sorted out, why not add some matching hooks and pegs to the room and really bring the space together.


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Maverick Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi is best known for his "boom boom" batting and for scoring the fastest hundred in the 50-over version of the game.
India Insight
Should forces responsible for over 100 killings be praised for restraint?
India's Prime Minister praised the work of security forces in disputed Kashmir on Tuesday, in a show of support for troops that killed over 100 separatist protesters last year that risks angering those that resent India's large military presence in the state.
Why is Kashmir upset over choice of new interlocutors?
Last week, New Delhi appointed three new mediators to find a solution to the decades-old dispute over Kashmir where popular protests against Indian rule have mounted in recent months.
Is Kashmir's protest leader gaining popularity?
Separatist militancy has waned over the years in Kashmir, but now a radicalised young generation which has grown up in over two decades of violence and strife is driving the massive anti-India demonstrations across the disputed region.
Tony Blair says India to be 'one of the key leading powers of the world'
Forced to cancel book-signing events in his own country due to the threat of being pelted by eggs by anti-war protestors, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair took the publicity tour for his newly-released memoirs to India with an interview with the Times of India on Saturday.
Is New Delhi working on Kashmir solution?
At least 64 people have been killed across Kashmir during anti-India demonstrations, one of the worst outbreaks of unrest since a separatist revolt against New Delhi broke out in 1989.
U.N. concerned over Kashmir unrest
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has expressed concern over the weeks of violent anti-government protests in Kashmir which have killed more than 30 people, dragged in more troops and locked down the disputed Himalayan region.
Is Lashkar-e-Taiba behind Kashmir protests?
India has blamed the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group for violent anti-India demonstrations sweeping across the Muslim-majority valley in which 11 people have been killed so far.
Put Kashmiris first, says Crisis Group
Any dialogue between India and Pakistan aimed at a solution to the decades-old Kashmir problem will fail if the two rivals do not first include people living on both sides of Line of Control (LoC) that divides the region, the International Crisis Group says.
Afghan endgame and fears of rise in Kashmir violence
The Indian army says rebel violence will escalate in Kashmir in summer as hundreds of militants are waiting in the Pakistani part of Kashmir to infiltrate into the Indian side and step up attacks.


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By clicking "Continue" below, you will leave NIVEAusa.com and link to a Web site that has a different privacy policy and information collection practices. Please be sure to review the privacy policy and terms and conditions posted at that site.
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This unique skin pampering In-Shower Body Lotion, with Almond Oil, nourishes and provides 24hr+ moisture to very dry skin.
This unique skin pampering In-Shower Body Lotion, with Shea Butter, smoothes and provides 24hr+ moisture to dry skin.
Specially formulated for men with dry skin, Maximum Hydration body lotion absorbs quickly and provides all day moisturization.
NIVEA on the web...


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FRANKENLUST TOWNSHIP — Two people were hospitalized with stab wounds after a pair of fights broke out at a Halloween Party at Bay Valley Resort early today.
State police from the Bay City Post already were on scene at 2470 Old Bridge Road in Frankenlust Township, when the second fight erupted, prompting officers to call in additional troopers and Saginaw Valley State University police.
A local promoter, whose name was not revealed, had rented one of the resort's large ball rooms where the first fight started about 1 a.m..
Investigators did not say where in the business the second fight took place.
Police shut down the party while they gathered information about the stabbings.
Both victims were transported by personal vehicle to St. Mary's of Michigan hospital in Saginaw.
One was treated and released while the other was admitted with injuries that did not appear life-threatening.
Anyone with information should call Trooper Raymond Rollet at the state police Bay City Post at 989-684-2234.


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This page provides guidance if you intend to download an ISO and burn your own CD or DVD instead of buying it from the Mepis Store.
Here are a few considerations to keep in mind:
BitTorrent file sharing (see also Section 8.1) provides an internet protocol for efficient mass transfer of data. It decentralizes the transfer in such a way as to utilize good bandwith connections and to minimize strain on low-bandwith connections. An added benefit is that most, if not all, BitTorrent clients perform error checking during the download process, so there is no need to do a separate md5sum check after your download is complete. It has already been done!
Volunteers from mepis.org and forum.mepiscommunity.org usually have a seeded BitTorrent of the latest MEPIS Linux ISO registered at linuxtracker.org within 24 hours of its official release. Bit-torrent downloads may be somewhat slow following a major release.
If you are not familiar with BitTorrents, see the Links and Guides section for sources of more information.
If you are downloading a MEPIS Linux ISO via BitTorrent, you can skip the next section about verifying the md5sum and go directly to the next page:
After you have downloaded an ISO, the next step is to check its md5sum against the official one. The md5sum is the result of a complex calculation on the contents of a file: the outcome is a unique string. It will be identical to the official md5sum if your copy is authentic. The following steps will let you verify the integrity of the downloaded ISO on any OS platform:
Windows users should download a tool called md5summer (link below):
Method 1. The easiest way to check an ISO's integrity in Linux is to use K3b, the CD/DVD burner that is installed with MEPIS Linux 7.0. When you first load an ISO file into K3b, it will automatically calculate and display the md5sum. The final five numbers should match those in the md5sum file you downloaded with the ISO.
Method 2. If not using K3b, open up a console/terminal and type:
cd /directoryname
where directoryname indicates the location of the ISO and md5sum files. Then type:
md5sum filename.ISO
Be sure to replace filename with the actual filename.
Compare the number obtained by this calculation with the md5sum file downloaded from official site. If they are identical, your copy is identical to the official release.
Mac users need to open up a console/terminal and change into the directory with the ISO and md5sum files. Then issue this command:
md5 -c filename.md5sum
Be sure to replace filename with the actual filename.


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Site on hold due to earthquake
Hi everyone — Dan and I are both safe and well, and we pray that all our readers in Christchurch are also safe following today's shocking and terrifying events. It goes without saying that our priorities will be with our families, friends and neighbours over the coming days so trust you will understand the lack of posts. Stay safe, Canterbury. www.eq.org.nz is an excellent crowd-sourced information site regarding the Earthquake. If you are in the affected area, visit www.quakebeds.org.nz for a quick directory of available facilities and people offering beds.Read More
Refurbished iPads hit the NZ Apple Store
Look — we're not about to recommend that anyone go out and buy a current-generation iPad right now with the much-speculated iPad 2 just around the corner, but if you've been thinking of buying an iPad, are happy with the current feature-set and don't care that the new, camera-toting models are most likely just a few months away, then the online Apple Store might have the deal you've been holding out for. Keep reading for the details.Read More
Subscription Service for iOS Apps available now, iOS 4.3 public release coming Feb 28th? [poll]
Ever since the start of the App store, developers have wanted a way to charge users for content using a subscription-based system. As this hasn't been available, devs have had to make do with "In-App-Purchases" and charge users a one-off fee for additional content. That is until today. Keep reading for more.Read More
Kiwi App Review: iSupr8 adds a touch of nostalgia to your home movies
If you've messed around with Instagram or Hipstamatic and wished that you could apply those funky retro filters to video as well as still photos, well look no further. Kiwi devs MEA Mobile have recently launched an app that does just that – iSupr8. Keep reading for a quick look and a demo video.Read More
iPad as sole means of mobile communication: is it possible?
A question I get asked a lot and I'm sure some of you will have been asked, too, is "why do you need an iPhone and an iPad?" The honest answer (although rarely admitted) is you don't need both… you just want them both. Recently I have been considering saying goodbye to my iPhone 4 and once released later this year using a 64gb WiFi 3G iPad 2 as my sole means of communication. No this is not an early April fools' and yes, you did read that correctly: goodbye, iPhone 4. I realise the stage I have chosen to propose ditching the iPhone 4 on could have been better. Proposing this to iPhone enthusiasts on an iPhone blog isn't going to be an easy sell but before you judge me and shout blasphemy carry on reading to find out why.Read More
Telecom's iPhone SIM only offer extended again… now until 28th Feb
In case you hadn't heard Telecom don't sell the iPhone, however they do want you on their network. They have been offering a $600 account credit when you bring your iPhone to XT (with certain terms) and in November last year they extended the offer in an effort to try an entice more iPhone customers to the network. This ended on 31st January, however due to popular demand they have extended the offer for 2 more weeks (from now) and it expires on 28th February. Keep reading to see more details of the offer and what you need to do to make the switch.Read More
Sygic to force 'upgrade' from Mobile Maps to Aura?
Any of you that have been with us from the start will know that Sygic Mobile Maps was one of the first turn-by-turn apps produced for New Zealand and the first that we ever reviewed, and well… let's just say it holds a special place in our hearts. A year or so after Mobile Maps hit the store, Sygic launched a second turn-by-turn app, Aura. Since the launch of Aura, both apps have happily co-existed side-by-side as two distinct products, allowing consumers to choose which of the two suits them most and purchase accordingly. Now, however, it would seem that Sygic have disowned their first-born, and will convert Mobile Maps to Aura via a software update whether you like it or not. While we're certain that Sygic are rolling out with the best of intentions, we don't think it's right. Read on for our thoughts.Read More


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Starting linebacker Eltoro Freeman missed a second day of practice this week after suffering a concussion and possible foot injury in the Georgia game.
If Freeman can't go, that leaves true freshman Jonathan Evans as the lone scholarship linebacker. If Evans were to get hurt?
"Let's not even think about that," said defensive coordinator Ted Roof.
Evans played almost the entire second half last week after Freeman's injury, and Roof said he was steadily improving.
"He's getting better every day," Roof said. "That's what we expect him to do, that's what's got to happen. There's only one first time and (last Saturday) was his first time really being in there when the game was still on the line. I thought he did a good job for the first time. He didn't panic. I'm sure internally things were moving pretty fast, but I thought he did some nice things and I look forward to more and more nice things as time goes forward."
Auburn coach Gene Chizik shed no light on Freeman's status Thursday.
"'Toro is going to be a day-by-day situation. We don't really know when that will be," he said.
If Evans has to start?
"I think he'll have to be ready for the challenge," Chizik said. "That's not an option."


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Buyers Rush to Join DDA Delhi Housing Draw
The state-run Delhi Development Authority, still the Indian capital's major land owner and developer, is offering around 16,000 flats for sale in Delhi.
The agency will use a computerized draw to select buyers for these apartments, who can join the lottery up till Friday.
Tens of thousands of people rush to sign up for DDA apartment lotteries in the belief that these homes are cheaper than what the market offers. But are these prices a good deal?
That seems to depend on which neighborhood you're looking at.


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Product SKU: B410
Author: J. P. Moreland
Paperback Book
Audience: General
Topic: Apologetics
Have you really thought about your faith? Love Your God With All Your Mind examines the role of the mind in spiritual transformation and explains how believers can use their intellect to further God's kingdom through evangelism, apologetics, worship, andvocation.
Price: $13.99


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You may recall my post back in 2012 and the proposed real-life instagram camera prototype, The Socialmatic? Well since then a whole lot of shaking has been going on, and the fine folks at Polaroid have picked up this project and will actually debut it this fall! The camera which is WiFi compatible will host a 14-megapixel front camera as well as a 2-megapixel rear camera for the ever-popular, selfies'.
One will be able to print out hard copies of the images as well as post to their media channels through its' Android blue-tooth powered technology. The Polaroid Socialmatic camera will be on display in the Polaroid Booth #13613 at the 2014 International Consumer Electronics Show happening this week (Jan. 7-10/14) in Las Vegas. Click here for more info.


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From Red Tricycle
Sketchfest for kids: Nickelodeon's Sanjay and Craig Live
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
WHEN: Feb 8 at 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
WHERE: JCCCSF, 3200 California St. , San Francisco, Ca
COST: $20/general; $10/members
AGES: All Ages
Sketchfest is not just for grown-ups! Bring the kids to the JCCSF for this hour and half of hilarity, when Nickelodeon's animated series Sanjay and Craig comes home to the city where it was created. The stars of the show will perform an episode in front of the audience, and then a Q&A with the cast and creators will follow, along with the world premiere of a brand new Sanjay and Craig episode. All children, doom babies, chicken wing eaters and talking snakes welcome!


text: A co-worker of mine bought an 1100 from a guy for $25....Well the firearm was laying in a soft case in a basement for 10 years. I traced the serial nember and it was manufactured in 1998. My problem is that he wants it refinished but all the finish on the left side of the reciever is gone. I am not sure what the finish is or the type of metal it is. I dont think I could blend it good with duracoat. The barrel is accually in good shape, Its hard to believe it was caused by rust, almost like some kind of chemical because the wood has no water damage. Anyone have any suggestions of how I can remove the finish? the receiver isnt pitted or rusted. Its almost like acid or some other harsh chemical ate it off the one side. I want to avoid anything abrasive because of the engraving.


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Traffic slowed by icy roads in Kalamazoo
Wednesday, January 09, 2013 8:12 AM
Inappropriate photo? Alert us.
A motors struggles for traction crossing Bronson Blvd. Motorist struggle to drive on some icy hills in the area.
Related articles
- Traffic alert: Black ice, slippery roads in Southwest Michigan result in multiple crashes, slide-offs January 09, 2013, 8:08 AM
- Two people killed in White Pigeon crash; many other crashes reported throughout Southwest Michigan January 09, 2013, 10:04 AM


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OTTAWA - No longer can Canadians point the finger at the global downturn as the sole source of their economic woe - recession is now also a made-in-Canada problem.
Made-in-Canada recession: retail sales plunge shows problems not all from afar
Organizations: Statistics Canada, Bank of Canada, BMO Capital Markets Merrill Lynch Canada
Geographic location: Canada, United States, OTTAWA Japan TorontoTop of page
Recent comments
- Dannie
- January 18, 2010 - 11:13
It is no wonder that retail sales dropped it can be blamed on the news media--they are all spouting gloom and doom every day. No wonder people are now saving their money instead of spending it. Shame on all news media.


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SEPTEMBER 1999-2000 hunting and fishing licenses now on sale statewide. Old licenses expired Aug. 31.
Texas mourning dove season in North and Central Zones runs through Oct. 30 in North, Oct. 17 in Central. Reopens Dec. 26-Jan. 7 in Central zone.
Today: Final Day of '99 Hunting and Outdoor Show, sponsored by Texas Hunting Directory, Market Square, Fredericksburg. Includes a range of hunting seminars and demonstrations by Larry Weishuhn, John Wooters, Jay Novacek, Keith Warren, Mike Biggs. Region 4 Big Game Awards, state turkey-calling championship, wild game cook-off. Adults $4, children 6-12 $1. For more information call (800) 676-5703.
11: Youth Shooting Competition, sponsored by Amarillo Chapter of Safari Club International. Amarillo Shooting Complex. Reg. at 9 a.m. Limited to 75 shooters, age 12-16, boys and girls, from Texas Panhandle. .22 rifle silhouette and shotgun events. Shooters eligible for two essay contests, to win one of six hunting trips to YO Ranch or one hunting trip for antelope in South Africa. Reg. first-come, first-serve. For more information, call Bill Harlow, 806-372-7381.
11: Opening Day, statewide early teal season. Through Sept. 26. Bag limit four per day, eight in possession.
11-12: Second weekend of white-winged dove season in Special White-winged Dove Area of South Texas.
11-12: Texas Panhandle BASS tournament, Ute Lake, N.M. Saturday 12-dusk, Sunday safelight to 3 p.m. Bob Young, 249-2961.
17-19: Hunter Education Class, Clovis, N.M. Clovis Community College. Pre-registration required at Aucutt's General Store, 2600 East Mabry Drive, Clovis. David Williams 505-763-9413.
18: KIDFISH Kid's Fishing Tournament, Aquatic Pond Park, Hereford. 9 a.m.-noon. Registration through Hereford ISD or City of Hereford. Sign-in 30 minutes before fishing starts.
18: Texas Boating Basics Course, by U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 52, for Texas Boater Education certification. Required by TPWD for boat operators 16 and younger. 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. $13. Palo Duro Masonic Lodge, 1701 S. Polk St., Amarillo. Chuck Accurso, 374-0219.
18: Ducks Unlimited Banquet, Canadian. Charles McDaniel, 323-5486.
19: KIDFISH Kid's Fishing Tournament, Medical Center Park, Amarillo. 1-4 p.m. Registration at Amarillo Toot-N-Totems, Walmart, Sam's Club and Texas Dodge. Sign-in 30 minutes before fishing starts.
21-23: Deer Management 101. Texas A&M University, College Station. 3-day course in intense whitetail deer management. $100 if paid before Monday. For info call Dr. Billy Higginbotham at 903/834-6191; or email@example.com.
24: Opening Day, Texas South Zone mourning dove season. Runs through Nov. 7 and reopens Dec. 26-Jan. 9.
25: Texas Hunter Education Class, Amarillo. Mandatory for hunters born after 1971. 8 a.m. Call for registration and more information, 353-3294.
25: Ducks Unlimited Banquet, Pampa. Lance DeFever, 665-0205.
25-26: Texas Hunter Education Class, Amarillo Shooting Complex. $10. Call for registration and class locations. Butch Myers. 499-3158.
28: Texas Hunter Education Class, Lubbock. 6 p.m. Mandatory for hunters born after 1971. Call for registration and more information, 761-4930. OCTOBER 2: Aim For Life Shoot to benefit Borger Area Crisis Pregnancy Center. 3-person team shoot, using Chevy Challenge format. Includes 30 shotgun targets at 16-yard trap, 10 rifle and 10 pistol shots. Canadian River Archery and Gun Club, 3 miles north of Borger. Teams provide own firearms and ammo. $150 per team, $50 per person. Call Scott Beavers for more information, 273-8591.
2: Opening Day, Archery Season, Whitetail Deer, Mule Deer and Turkeys. Through Oct. 31.
14: Ducks Unlimited Drakes Banquet, Amarillo. Chris Reed, 376-5624.
16-17: Texas Panhandle BASS tournament, Lake Meredith. Saturday 12-dusk, Sunday safe light to 3 p.m. Bob Young, 249-2961.
26: Texas Hunter Education Class, Lubbock. 6 p.m. Mandatory for hunters born after 1971. Call for registration and more information, 761-4930. NOVEMBER 6: Opening Day, Whitetail Deer Season, North and Central Texas. Through Jan. 2.
20: Opening Day, Texas Panhandle Mule Deer Season. Through Dec. 5.
To include shooting or other outdoor events on this calendar, call Lee Leschper, Amarillo Globe-News, 806-345-3280; mail to Outdoor Calendar c/o Lee Leschper, Box 2091, Amarillo 79109; fax 806-372-3717; email email@example.com. Please allow as much lead-time as possible.
© 2016. All Rights Reserved. | Contact Us


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EWING — A crash on Interstate 95 in Ewing Saturday night left one woman in critical condition and two others injured after the driver lost control — possibly trying to avoid another, previous accident, authorities said.
Alecia Hill, 39, of Pleasantville was driving a Volvo southbound near Exit 1 for Route 29 when she lost control around 4:48 p.m. and the car landed in the woods, New Jersey State Police Sgt. Brian Polite said today.
"It's possible she lost control attempting to avoid a car accident in front of her," he said.
He had no information on the other accident. The investigation is ongoing.
The victims were taken to Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton.
Hill and her passenger, Danielle Elam, 42, of Virginia, suffered moderate but not life threatening injuries, he said.
Another passenger, Tamla Wolcott, 40, of West Orange, was in critical condition as a result of her injuries, a nursing supervisor at Capital Health said tonight.
Contact Nicole Mulvaney at email@example.com.
On mobile or desktop:
• Like Times of Trenton on Facebook
• Follow @TimesofTrenton on Twitter


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This deal has ended.
This MICHAEL Michael Kors Dress with Faux Leather Detail, originally listed at $150 and marked down from $89, is now $62.30 at LastCall. This is the lowest price we could find for this dress. It features a scoop neckline and half zip front and is dry clean only. Shipping adds $7, but is free on orders of $75 or more with codeLC75SEP through 9/30. Sales tax is charged in most states.No longer available


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Blurred backgrounds isolate and accent your photographic subject, as well as provide a sense of depth, a third dimension to a flat image. Sharpness and blur are functions of focus and aperture, which is the size of the opening that allows light into a camera. Together, these are responsible for the effect of depth of field. Understanding how depth of field works will help you control your photographs and selectively blur your backgrounds.
Depth of Field
When a camera is focused on a point, its image is sharp on the plane of the camera's sensor. Objects in front and behind are obviously out of focus to varying degrees, but it isn't clear where the focus begins and ends. In fact, there is only one precise plane of focus and all points in front and behind become increasingly out of focus. Depth of field refers to the range in which these out-of-focus points appear acceptably sharp.
Point of Focus
Depth of field is not a fixed distance. It has a relationship to the plane of focus both in front and behind. When the subject is close to the camera, the depth of field is shorter in real distance, and much longer when the subject is more distant. Getting close to your subject places more background elements outside the depth of field range behind the point of focus. This increases background blur, no matter what type of camera you use.
Aperture Effects
A good way to envision the effect that aperture has on blur is to imagine a cone originating at the camera's aperture, representing the fall-off of focus behind your subject. When the aperture is small, the cone is narrow. More of the background is within range of acceptable sharpness. Using a wide aperture, the cone is wide, so objects behind, and closer to, the subject appear out of focus. Apertures are expressed as f-stops, a ratio of the opening to the lens focal length. A small aperture has a high f-number, such as f16 or f22, while a wide aperture has a small number, such as f1.4 or f2.8. To blur backgrounds, the smaller the f-number, the better.
Camera Programs
Controlling aperture settings is possible only on more expensive cameras, however most digital cameras, regardless of price range, have built-in settings. Portrait and Close-up settings are two programs that put cameras in conditions to maximize background blur. Try both settings and then get as close as you can to the subject to improve the blurred background effect. Dim light also causes camera programs to automatically open the aperture wider, so shooting in shade blurs backgrounds more readily than bright sun.
Telephoto Lenses
Strictly speaking, a telephoto or zoom lens doesn't change the way depth of field operates, but it does magnify blurry elements in the background, essentially doing the same thing. Using a long focal length lens or the maximum zoom length may give you exactly the blur you want. Point-and-shoot cameras with digital zoom, however, use only part of the camera's image sensor, so resulting photos are lower resolution than those taken with optical zoom only.
- Photo Credit Ronnie Kaufman/Larry Hirshowitz/Blend Images/Getty Images
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MP: fair deal needed for workers, taxpayers
© Eric Sparling – Amherst Daily News.
Corrections officers from Springhill Institution staked out across from MP Scott Armstrong's office in Amherst on Wednesday over lunch. The union has a number of bones to pick with the federal government, and has been invited back to the bargaining table by the Treasury Board.
AMHERST – It's a different world inside, and corrections officers want higher pay to police it.
"We're in front of the local MP's office," said Doug White, regional president of the union representing Springhill Institution's officers.
UCCO/SACC/CSN Springhill Local held an information event Wednesday over lunch in the parking area on Church Street in Amherst, across from Scott Armstrong's office. Just before noon a barbecue was turning out food – available for a donation, with the plan being to give the proceeds later to a barbecue outside First Baptist Church – while across the street, in Armstrong's office, the MP was absent but expected later.
White listed a number of issues, one of which was pay.
"We've been three years without a contract," said White.
The pay discrepancy between RCMP and corrections officers in 2006 was less than six-per cent, according to White, but that gap has grown to 13 per cent. Successive Conservative governments have "absolutely" been bad for their wages, according to White.
The union leader also took issue with comments he attributed to Tony Clement, claiming the president of the Treasury Board expressed regret in May for not making more cuts to the civil service.
Sick leave is another point of contention. White claimed the government wants to take away sick leave for officers and replace it with short-term disability. Also, he said, the government wants to change what it provides in severance pay.
The job has changed, too, he said.
Budgets have been cut by $250 million, he argued, at the same time as the government has committed to getting tougher on crime. Overcrowding is a problem. He said programming and employment for inmates has diminished, and offenders are just being warehoused.
"They're not rehabilitated," he said.
As for the practice of double-bunking, "It's more dangerous for us," he said.
White said his members provide a valuable service to the public.
"Walk a mile in our range boots," said Dave Harrison, the local union president, when asked how he would respond to citizens who take issue with civil servants asking for more pay.
A correctional facility is like a little city, according to Harrison, but a little city with an above-average number of tough bad guys.
Scott Armstrong, MP for Cumberland-Colchester-Musquodoboit Harbour, was reached by phone later in the day.
"I think they do a very valuable job…," said Armstrong, who has two federal institutions in his riding.
The MP said it wouldn't be appropriate to discuss details of contracts when the union has been invited back to the bargaining table by the Treasury Board. But he said contracts are a balancing act, needing to be fair to the union and fair to taxpayers. He said the treasury board is trying to make civil servant compensation more reflective of what taxpayers can afford and what the private sector offers, and that the government is moving forward in its commitment to balance the budget by 2015 in part by looking for efficiencies within systems.
He called the government's tough on crime agenda "very successful," claiming it hasn't seen a large increase in inmate numbers but has seen a reduction in revolving doors for prisoners who should be behind bars.
"It's a tough job," said the MP of the work performed by correction officers.
Armstrong said he had a very positive discussion Wednesday with White and two local union members.


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Courses by Title
= Course with hardcopy book delivered by UPS or US mail.
= Course with online eBook or PDF delivered by e-mail.
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Major fare hike, service cuts avoided
Ferry commuters can expect another 2.5 percent fare increase and a 25-cent surcharge per ticket for construction of a new ferry boat, but service cuts are off the table.
The Senate approved a $9 billion 2011-2013 transportation package Wednesday that spared a bigger fare increase and service cuts.
"Given the state of the budget it was a big win and a big recognition from the rest of the state that ferries are part of the marine highway system," said Rep. Christine Rolfes (D-23rd). "The legislature transferred funds from other projects to get us through the rocky times."
The Senate package holds the fare increase at 2.5 percent, instead of the 10 percent that was proposed in the House. An additional fuel surcharge is still possible if fuel spikes higher than forecasted amounts. The Senate package will now go to the House.
"I would prefer not to see the fuel surcharge policy, but we are still working on that," Rolfes said.
The 25 cent ticket surcharge will set aside money to build a new 144-vehicle ferry backup boat for the smaller routes in the fleet.
On Jan. 1 WSF raised fares 2.5 percent system-wide.
Final details are still weeks away as the legislature is headed into a special session, which is yet to be announced at press time.
Gov. Chris Gregoire's January proposal to privatize the ferry system is off the table, Rolfes said, but several other bills are still in limbo.
HB 2083, introduced by Rep. Rolfes, would redirect the taxes that WSF pays for diesel, approximately $5.2 million per year, to fund replacement boats. The bill has been in the House Ways and Means Committee since April 1. Sales tax from diesel currently go to the general fund; the redirection would become effective in 2013.
HB 2053 and SB 5925 would increase licensing fees for driving permits, driving examinations, licenses, vehicle titles and certain dealer fees to generate about $125 million for transportation purposes every biennium.
Around $25 million of those funds would be directed to WSF and would be used to eliminate service cuts, fare increases and fund new ferry construction, according to Torin Larsen, Bainbridge representative for the Ferry Community Partnership.
Larsen advised Bainbridge riders that there is still a concern about the lack of a standby boat if a Bainbridge ferry goes down. The WSF fleet will need to retire nine boats in the next 15 years, and 15 boats need to be built in the next 30 years, Larsen said, which doesn't take into account population growth.
"The lack of a dedicated operating and capital funding source could result in additional cuts going forward," said Larsen.
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New Delhi: The two-year I-League ban has on Tuesday been lifted on Mohun Bagan. The All India Football Federation (AIFF), the governing body for the game in the country, has instead fined the iconic Kolkata-based club Rs 2 crore. Mohun Bagan will resume the season on 0 points.
"Mohun Bagan is a huge fan base club and it is a moral victory to all those supporters. It is a victory of football and without Mohun Bagan football will never be the same," said Gautam Sarkar, an ex-Mohan Bagan player.
Last month, the club was banned after being found guilty of refusing to come out after the first half against arch-rivals East Bengal in protest of an ugly incident during the violence-ridden derby at the Yuba Bharati Stadium in Kolkata on December 9. One of Mohun Bagan's star players, Syed Rahim Nabi, suffered a serious head injury after being hit with an object hurled from the stands. Following the incident, Bagan refused to play the second half citing security concerns.
Club secretary Anjan Mitra and financial secretary Debashis Dutta have been suspended by AIFF for the decision they took during the derby against East Bengal.
Star striker Odafa Okolie's future is still under clouds as he was shown a red card and will face punishment. Two former Mohun Bagan players, Manas Bhattacharya and Bidesh Bose, had collected signature of 8000 fans and on Monday met with AIFF officials in New Delhi. Over the last few days, Kolkata saw many protests in various places by thousands of mariners against the officials of the club and AIFF.


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A tragic accident in New York on Tuesday.
According to a report from the New York Daily News, police said an elderly New York City male pedestrian was struck and killed by a National Guard vehicle that was delivering Hurricane Sandy relief supplies. The man was walking with a woman when he was hit, according to the Daily News report.
Read the New York Daily News report HERE.


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Not me, I always stick to it. Though sometimes I dream I ate something bad. Last night I dreamt I ate a whole box of oreos. I got pretty scared.
I'm a newbie to the Primal lifestyle, although like many others I'd been attracted to it for quite some time prior. In my case I was "reading primally" for almost two years before I did anything more than read about it! So much time wasted! Right now I'm at the beginning of week three and am really enjoying it; had some carb flu off and on for the first two weeks, but I've already lost 15lbs, and all the blood work came back clean from my annual physical last week (not that I've ever had issues there or anything). My energy levels have benefited greatly as well.
Anyway... didn't mean to do a full-on intro here. I posted this thread as part of an ongoing effort to keep myself accountable, and following that mindset I've got some sins to confess. Last week I made it through two holiday work parties without a problem -- turning down grains like they were poison -- but sadly I didn't do so well at a friend's Christmas gathering Saturday night. Perhaps the whiskey made it easier to convince myself I deserved a "treat," or I just outright caved, but I ended up having multiple baguette slices, crackers, hummus, other dips of questionable origin, and... 6 shortbread cookies. Good thing there was also a lot of salmon, shrimp, veggies, and almonds to keep me from going overboard.
I don't feel good about those cheats, however, I simultaneously recognize that it's not the end of the world OR my primal journey. The best I can do is learn from it and move on. It was interesting that the following day, I had a moderate resurgence in my initial sugary carb cravings. There was even a day-long battle of will that ensued with some leftover birthday cake, a battle I thankfully won in the end.
Feel free to add your own confessional to this thread -- I imagine that even the best of us have our weak moments this time of year!
Not me, I always stick to it. Though sometimes I dream I ate something bad. Last night I dreamt I ate a whole box of oreos. I got pretty scared.
Just ate an apple.


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Hi, welcome to WoWWiki! Thanks for your edit to the Baleroc, the Gatekeeper page.
If you need help, and there are no local admins here, you may want to visit the forums on the Community Central Wiki. You can also check our Staff blog to keep up-to-date with the latest news and events around Wikia.
Happy editing, Raylan13 (help forum | blog)
Your character page moved to User:Baleroc the Gatekeeper/Baleroc, the Gatekeeper Edit
See WW:PC for why. -- Fandyllic (talk · contr) 15 May 2011 9:22 AM Pacific
- Sorry, I didn't look at this closely enough. I guess this was meant to be the future raid boss called Baleroc. Even so, it sounds a bit like fan fic and we don't know yet whether "the Gatekeeper" will be part of his official name, so you should work on this page as a user subpage until it has better info. -- Fandyllic (talk · contr) 15 May 2011 10:10 AM Pacific
I believe the data for him and his model are missing but the name is there on the wow head news section. I can get you the link if you like.


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ALLENDALE, Mich. - The win is the 100th home victory for 10th-year head coach Dave DiIanni, while also extending GVSU's home unbeaten streak to 44 games. The Lakers improve to 7-0-2 on the year and more importantly 3-0-1 in GLIAC play, while Northwood falls to 2-5 on the season and 2-2 in conference action.
Full release available at GVSULakers.com


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Bill H.2441 188th (2013 - 2014)
An Act regarding the retirement status of Linda Aird
By Ms. Story of Amherst, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2441) of Ellen Story that the Teachers' Retirement System be directed to credit Linda Aird of the town of Granby, an employee of Northampton Public Schools, with creditable service as a part-time employee . Public Service.
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The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The General Court provides this information as a public service and while we endeavor to keep the data accurate and current to the best of our ability, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
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|1,570,359 ADDED November 12, 2011
|Jayden Cole, Brenda James
|Lesbian, Vaginal Sex, Masturbation, Oral Sex, Caucasian, Vaginal Masturbation, Licking Vagina, Shaved, Romantic
Hello, I love this scene. When I first saw Jayden my heart skipped a beat. She is absolutely stunning. Yes, we actually did break the bed. She is just amazing and I'm very happy I was able to work with her. XXX
i wish i was a girl
Not bad on the acting scale. The blonde does a pretty good job at seducing the student. I'm available for lessons but would probably end up being the tudor. Very hot video. I'll be revisiting this video many times. For the time being I think I'll be putting my we-vibe to good use.
I am rubbing my wet pussy watching this..
Jayden Cole, MAKE MORE VIDEOS!!! (girl in the white shirt) Please!
the girl with the white shirt is so hot
ow my penis ........ nice ..... awesone
making me so wet!!!!!!!
me encanta el video
What video was this taken from. I really want to get this vid!
@Marco95 You're right!, hahaha, the girl broke the bed
on 28:27 bed is breakdown... :D
No puedo dejar de mirar este video,me re poneeeee. mmm
esto esta muy caliente muy exitante
Me encanta el video, hay muchisima pasion, y me pone muchisimo
This was so hot, I came 3 times watching it. And my husband is harder than hell. Off to play with him!
Beutifull video, is so special
Essas palavras carinhosas melhoram muito o vídeo, tornando as cenas mais reais.
me encantan estos videos en el que hay como un "toque de amor" hay algo mas que sexo,eso me encanta! me re *** cierto,hermosas mujeresssss


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- Dying to get in
July 13, 2013
At its AGM held on June 29, 2008 it was resolved to put a 5-year freeze on membership applications at Bangalore's most coveted club, the…
- Club hits
July 13, 2013
Despite their restrictive membership rules, colonial trappings and archaic dress (and gadget) codes, India's private clubs haven't lost…
- Finer tastes
July 13, 2013
It is the culinary tradition and its grand interiors that Bengal Club is justifiably proud of.
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Missing the mainstream
No one comes out with candles at night for them. Are the likes of Irom Sharmila in Manipur and the Matri Sadan swamijis in Haridwar fighting lost causes?
Manipuri activist Satyabati Sanasam is upset. As she speaks to TOI-Crest from her home in Imphal, her anguish is obvious. "Sharmila is my dear friend. I am always telling her to call off her fast. But her mind, her thinking is so different. " It pains Satyabati to see Sharmila, alongside whom she started activism more than a decade ago, become a cause herself. "She has become like an exhibition. It is fashionable to say 'Oh, I went to Manipur and met Sharmila', " says Satyabati, who is now coordinator of Human Rights Initiative in Manipur.
Irom Sharmila's 10-year-old fast unto death against the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act has indeed sparked its own movement. The 'Save Sharmila Group' of women activists embarked on a relay hunger strike. The movement is on for more than a thousand days now, but removal of the Act, says Satyabati, is not on the cards.
So, is Sharmila's a lost cause? The response is quiet. "For Sharmila to fast, it is not a joke. She is different from us. She is our inspiration. Manipur's situation is disgusting. But we don't have support. " (See 'Centre has discriminated between me and Hazare' )
Activists soldier on nonetheless and no cause is ever lost. Unrest sparks protest, and each social cause runs its own course. Every movement has its own lifespan, a theory first put forth by sociologist WE Gettys a little less than a hundred years ago. According to Gettys, all movements/protests pass through much the same set of four stages - unrest, excitement, formalisation and institutionalisation. Some do not enter the last stages, while others, such as Anna Hazare's anti-corruption agitation, do.
Further, a set of conditions must come together to create interest in any movement. "A cause needs something solid to anchor itself. For instance, the Fukushima disaster (Japan's damaged nuclear plant) has now activated the anti-nuclear energy movement, " says Mary John of Delhi's Centre for Women's Development Studies.
Anchoring on a physical development is crucial. Volunteers say it took four months to prepare for Hazare's fast: when the 72-year-old hit the stage at Jantar Mantar, India's legislature, executive, judiciary and media were reeling from a series of exposures of corrupt practices.
Further, different movements come to different conclusions or undergo transition where they pursue objectives other than what they started with. In Nagaland, for instance, Rosemary Dzurichi is the second-generation activist in her family to be involved with the Naga Mothers Association. Her mother played a pivotal role during ethnic clashes in the 1990s, when women walked into the hills at night to meet underground groups of their tribes and tell them to stop killing each other. "It started as a movement for peace, to stand against factionalism and against militarisation. But the focus has changed over the years. We now fight for women's reservation in village councils, we fight against strictures of the strong patriarchal constitution, " says the 50-year-old.
For Satyabati, too, in Manipur, her work is more educational, less to do with the initial demand for removal of the AFSPA. She concerns herself with educating people on human rights and helping victims of domestic violence.
Most agitations around us in India today are works in progress. Like Haridwar's Matri Sadan swamijis who have undertaken several fasts-unto-death against illegal mining in the Ganga riverbed. Each time there's a state assurance, they call it off only to return to it when illegal mining restarts.
Activists of the Safai Karmachari Andolan are also fighting on. Manual scavenging was outlawed in 1993, but despite Supreme Court directives four states - Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and Manipur - and the Union territory of Dadar continue to disregard the law. "The law has no teeth", says Bezwada Wilson, national convenor of the Safai Karamchari Andolan. "The karamchari or the activists can't file a case. Only the district magistrate can. How can a DM file a case against himself?" he asks. But the activists are undeterrred. They also work with the scavengers, rehabilitating them in other work. "There are 3 lakh scavengers including sewerage workers and septic tank cleaners today. When we started in the 1980s, there were more than 13 lakh. They'll all come out. The fight is on."
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The cause will probably not be determined until early next week, said Darrin Robinson, Swatara Township fire marshal. "We want talk to a couple more people, and then sit down and look at all the information," Robinson said.
|Fire at Murphy's Home Center
The fire is believed to have started in the north side of a 48-by-88-foot storage building next to the store, he said.
The home center store had mostly smoke damage, with some fire damage on the west side, Robinson said.
The home of Donna Hullings, just west of the warehouse, had extensive smoke damage. Her two cats got out of the house unharmed, said neighbor David Boyer. Hulling's home had smoke and fire damage, particularly on the north side, but is not a total loss, Robinson said. She was taken to the hospital for examination, he said.
Boyer's house, just west of Hullings,' had melted siding and fencing and damage to a shed.


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Students, faculty, staff and visitors will breathe easier as Green River Community College's ban on tobacco goes into effect on New Year's Day.
The new policy means that the use of any tobacco products including cigarettes and e-cigarettes, cigars or pipes, and smokeless or chewing tobacco are prohibited on any Green River property. Users will still be able to smoke or use tobacco in their personal vehicles.
"A tobacco-free campus creates a healthier environment for all of us and will hopefully help people who want to quit using tobacco," said Green River President Eileen Ely.
Green River is the fourth Washington state community college to ban tobacco use and the second in less than four months. Everett Community College went tobacco-free on Sept. 1.
President Eileen Ely announced the policy the week before the start of fall quarter on Sept. 18. Since then, Green River has been preparing the college community for the implementation of the policy through outreach activities, health fairs and promotion of smoking cessation options.
More than 70 percent of Green River students voted in favor of a smoking ban during the 2011 campus elections. Students, faculty and staff cite that many people choose not to use the designated smoking areas and frequently smoke on their way to classes. Facilities management spends a lot of time cleaning up cigarette butts and chewing tobacco spittle all across campus in entryways, stairwells and on walkways.
Green River will become the ninth Washington college campus to go 100 percent smoke-free. According to the American Lung Association, more than 285 schools nationwide ban tobacco use.
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2013 Chevrolet Trailblazer Reviews
One concept vehicle that Chevy has brought back to us in a concept car show last year in Dubai was its new 2013 Chevy Trailblazer. The long awaited arrival of the full sized diesel engine SUV has been watched by many americans. But are we going to get a new trailblazer after all? Chevy has yet to release any full statements on the production of the car, but we may not see a new trailblazer after all the hype.
The last time Americans saw a trailblazer from Chevy was in 2009, since then, they have been focusing on suburban and other style vehicles rather then the SUV. The equinox and crossover are the closest yet to going back to the beloved trailblazer. The new model for 2013 from chevy is supposed to seat 7 and run off of diesel, making it a powerful addition to the Chevy line up, but in a SUV form. It also comes with towing features and capabilities, making it a perfect vehicle for even the working man. Even the rear seats in the trailblazer are folding flat so you can store, haul, and tow anything needed.
2013 Chevrolet Trailblazer Specs
Its rumored the engine packs a four cylinder turbo diesel, with 150 horsepower, or the 2.5 liter 180 horsepower model. Also featuring two, and four wheel drive options, even coming in both a five speed, 6 speed, or automatic transmission. Customizable to any driver out there, the Trailblazer seems to fit all needs and comforts, including a rear suspension for easy smooth rides; even while off roading.
Since last november in Dubai, many Americans have been awaiting the stylish, and power packed 2013 Chevy trailblazer to hit the showrooms of the US. Hopefully going into production soon this year in 2012, we can all hope to be seeing the newest edition to the Chevy family hitting the roads of the US. But for now, we have to stick to our Suburbans, and muscle cars that Chevy has provided us with. All can hope that the different options and popular demand of the people can bring the wonder into production sometime soon.


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MUSKEGON, MI – One person is in police custody following an alleged drive-by shooting that occurred in the city of Muskegon Monday, July 22.
No one was injured in the incident and a person of interest has been arrested in connection with the shooting, police said.
Police say a person on a bicycle was apparently the intended target during the 9:15 p.m. shooting that occurred at the corner of Wood Street and Holbrook Avenue.
According to the police report, a person was riding a bike in the area of that intersection when someone fired shots from a passing vehicle.
Someone called 911 and a short time later a vehicle, later determined to have been involved in the shooting, was located in Muskegon Heights.
A person of interest was inside that vehicle and arrested, police said.
The shooting remains under investigation. The name of the person arrested has not yet been released by authorities.
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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"Whatever happened to . . .?" is a weekly series updating some of the most newsworthy and interesting local stories covered in The Plain Dealer. Have a suggestion on a story we should update? Send it to John C. Kuehner.
Today, we answer this question:
Whatever happened to Ruby Weems, who founded and ran the Weems School and is responsible for paying back taxpayer money that was improperly spent there? The other shoe hasn't dropped yet in the case in the case of Weems, which illustrates just how long and complicated the process can be.
Her Tremont charter school was shut down by its sponsor, Cincinnati-based Educational Resource Consultants of Ohio, in 2009.
It took until last November for the Ohio Auditor's office to complete its examination of financial records for the final three years of the school's existence. Even then, so much required documentation was missing that Auditor Dave Yost declared it "a heck of a mess." Weems and ERCO blamed each other.
The auditor concluded that Weems was responsible for $266,000 in questionable spending. That was in addition to about $18,000 in findings from a previous audit.
Under state law, she is supposed to pay back the money or produce documents to prove the spending was proper. Neither has happened so far, according to a database on the auditor's web site.
Weems didn't respond to emails and calls from The Plain Dealer to find out what's happened since last November.
She is still employed as an "action team coach" for the Cleveland school district, making $71,250 a year for working with principals at some of the district's better-performing schools. She has held the job since August 2010, and is not on the latest layoff list, according to the district.
In cases like the Weems School, audit findings are forwarded to the county prosecutor's office. Maria Russo, spokeswoman for the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's office, said they're still looking into the matter.
The Ohio Attorney General could get involved as well. That office's collection department would ultimately be in charge of getting back the state's money, including two 2010 judgment liens against the school. Those involve about $200,000 owed to the Ohio Department of Taxation.
The audits released in November also questioned whether the school paid state and federal income taxes that were supposedly withheld from employees.
In addition, the audits failed to turn up documents that would prove how many students attended the school. State funding is based on enrollment, so that throws into question whether the school should have gotten over $1 million in basic aid for 2008 and 2009.
Patrick Gallaway, spokesman for the Ohio Department of Education, said it is checking to see if other enrollment reviews would clear up the questions, but so far it has not been able to turn up any of those records.


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It's like a reverse oasis: Amid a sea of plenty, many in Monmouth County go without.
As one of the richest counties in the country, Monmouth has a reputation for affluence and abundance, but a growing number of local families are struggling to put food on the table.
At the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties in Neptune Township, Executive Director Carlos Rodriguez noted a rapidly rising demand for food and services.
"We're normally distributing 7.3 million pounds of food each year," Rodriguez said. "Last year, we were up to 8.5 million pounds. Never in history have we done so large a distribution."
Rodriguez said this year they planned on distributing 8.2 million pounds of food, but are on track to top 9 million.
"Anecdotally, we're seeing 15-20 percent more people coming into our programs," Rodriguez said. "We stand ready to take care of those in need, as long as we continue to get food and funds."
Local food pantries feel the crunch, especially during the holiday season when many families struggle with home heating bills.
"November is our busiest time of the year," Rodriguez said. "There is a lot of anxiety around food."
In Red Bank, Lunch Break, a local soup kitchen and social services organization, has seen a 657 percent increase in food pantry pickups over the past five years, from 1,542 in 2008 to 8,879 in 2012.
Executive Director Gwendolyn Love said Lunch Break will increase its numbers again this year.
"We've already surpassed our 2012 numbers," Love said. "We're providing groceries on a monthly basis to at least 600 families, but this month we're looking at over 900 – and hunger doesn't just stop or start over the holidays."
The lines at Lunch Break's soup kitchen have also gotten longer. In 2012, 56,487 hot meals were served, this year that number will top out at over 70,000, Love said.
Kate McMahan, Lunch Break's director of development, said those numbers are coming from a wider geographic spread.
"We have people coming in from every town in Monmouth County," McMahan said. "They are also coming from Middlesex and Ocean Counties, we have people take the train in to see us."
This year, the agency will serve 500-600 people at a sit-down Thanksgiving Dinner, and deliver another 900 meals for homebound clients.
Each agency is doing what it takes to meet the demand – while the need for food and other items rises during the holidays, so does the public's willingness to donate.
An army of volunteers also mobilizes around Thanksgiving and Christmas – and not just to serve food to the hungry. Rosemary Mazzeo, of Monmouth Beach, was sending out letters of thank you to Lunch Break's donors.
"I was just taken by the place," Mazzeo said. "I had just retired and I wanted to help. I get a sense of helping people and helping the organization – the people are so nice to work with."
Lunch Break volunteer Ann Bradley, of Morganville, said she has seen an uptick in clients.
"I think the need has increased, our numbers have definitely increased," Bradley said. "We're still not back from Hurricane Sandy I know a lot of people still out of their homes. It's terrible."
The ranks of the hungry and impoverished in Monmouth County didn't appear out of nowhere, Rodriguez said.
"We've had three crises and three storms back to back," Rodriquez said. "We know our distribution is up because we're dealing with three things."
Part of the hunger issues is caused by institutional poverty, despite its rich reputation, the area has always had enclaves of urban and rural poverty.
"Even before the storm, we were serving 127,000 families – one in 10 residents needed food assistance," Rodriguez said. "Now there are a growing number of families in need."
Love said Monmouth County's income inequality exacerbates the problem.
"There is good wealth here, but not everybody is making that kind of a living," Love said. "The service workers here are nowhere near making the kind of living where they can sustain themselves."
McMahan said the minimum wage hasn't kept up with New Jersey's cost of living.
"The average rent here is $1,200 to $1,500," McMahan said. "You would need three full time minimum wage jobs to pay your rent."
The general wealth of the area might insulate some people from the hunger issue.
"It is a silent epidemic, people don't believe it exists," Love said. "People here are working with serious sacrifices, they have to decide: 'Do I pay my bills or do I eat, or do I insure my car?' People are struggling."
In 2008 and 2009, when the economic crisis hit, many suburban families had to deal with the loss of jobs and income, Rodriguez said.
"When the bubble burst, there were thousands of people without jobs," Rodriguez said. "A lot of the workers in Monmouth commute to New York or north Jersey, but they too found themselves with no work and few local opportunities."
While the unemployment rate is slowly declining, lost professional and industrial jobs are being replaced with positions in the service industry, Love said.
"It's all about the economics," Love said. "Some people lost their job, now they're going back to work but the jobs aren't paying what they were. For some, their insurance was dropped, then they get a catastrophic illness, and suddenly, they need help."
As consumer prices continue to inflate, families are under more pressure, Rodriguez said.
"Many good jobs were washed away, but what didn't wash away was the high cost of living," Rodriguez said. "Families struggled to pay high housing costs, gas, bills, taxes. Families that were once helping us are now on the other side of the table."
Last year, Hurricane Sandy helped push many more families into hunger, Rodriguez said.
Love said unforeseen catastrophes are a major reason many of Lunch Break's clients seek assistance.
"Most people are one paycheck away from needing help, it's a slippery slope," Love said. "Sometimes it happens overnight. 85 percent of the people we help have jobs and are working people."
While the FoodBank enjoyed increased donations last year due to Hurricane Sandy, this year demand actually increased.
"We did receive tremendous support last year in response to the storm, but this year we have had to recreate the supply of food within our own boundaries," Rodriguez said. "The need hasn't subsided."
This year, cuts to the federal Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, sometimes called the Food Stamp Program, hit families right before the Thanksgiving Holiday, increasing pressure on food banks and pantries.
Before people plunged into poverty can work their way out, their hunger issues must be addressed, McMahan said.
"We're committed to helping people get through it," McMahan said. "Before you go to a job interview, need a full stomach. Before a child can learn in school, they need to be fed."
Love said that Lunch Break also serves those who are hungry for company during the holidays. Many of Lunch Break's clients are retirees on a fixed income who do not want to eat alone.
"Tough times may mean people who are by themselves," Love said. "That is why we say we 'feed the body and nourish the soul,' because we also provide fellowship. Filling that void, you can't put a price on that."
While the surge in volunteers helps agencies like Lunch Break withstand the holiday season demand, many of their new clients stay with the agency on a long-term basis, while fewer of their volunteers do – the soup kitchen has many opportunities for volunteerism that extend beyond Christmas and New Years.
"A lot of people come here looking for help with holiday food and end up staying on," Love said. "The holidays act as an entryway into our services."
Love said Lunch Break needs donors and volunteers.
"We need them to find us," Love said. "We need their help throughout the year."
This year, the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties will distribute over 10,000 turkeys with trimmings like stuffing, carrots, potatoes and string beans.
"We want to make sure as many folks in need as possible can enjoy a holiday meal," Rodriguez said. "The reality is that we'll have to continue with our efforts beyond the holiday."
Lunch Break is currently looking for more volunteers, especially for maintenance, warehousing , driving and administrative work. Those interested can contact volunteer coordinator Peg Rizzo at 732-747-8577 ext. 3108 or at firstname.lastname@example.com.