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Some thoughts after thinking about three days of wrestling and 640 matches at the NCAA Wrestling Championships at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia:
Thus, is it too early to think about next year's lineup? Of course it is, but we'll do it anyway because there are a couple of question marks.
Incoming recruit Nico Megaludis could step in at 125 unless coach Cael Sanderson opts to redshirt him. Not sure anyone wants to see young Nico on the sidelines. But if he is and if Frank Martellotti gets his academic house in order, he's also an option along with Nate Morgan.
Figure Andrew Long back at 133; just looks like he's a natural at that weight.
It's 141 where the major question comes in. Word is that neither of the Alton twins will see 141 again. Recruit Luke Frey of Montoursville will throw his hat on the mat for that. Don't know if Sam Sherlock can bulk up, and it's doubtful that James English (Central York) could make 141.
Molinaro is a staple at 149. But what about 157? NCAA runner-up David Taylor has mentioned the possibility of moving to 165, leaving room for Dylan Alton if Andrew Alton redshirts.
And if Taylor goes to 165, that leaves wrestlers such as James Vollrath, Jake Kemerer and Dirk Cowburn in a bit of a jam with Edward Ruth at 174. Newly crowned NCAA champ Quentin Wright should hold 184 and incoming recruit Morgan McIntosh, the country's second-ranked wrestler, is a strong possibility at 197 with Wade to follow.
There might be a few problems there and no lineup will be etched in stone for months, but what coach wouldn't want to work with that roster.
Can't imagine the intensity inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena next season when Penn State visits Iowa for a dual meet. No schedule is set but there's no reason to believe the two teams won't wrestle since they've met annually for nearly two decades.
Their coach, Tom Brands, doesn't take well to losing, either, as he was overheard off the Wells Fargo Center floor screaming at gathered Hawkeyes that their performance was unacceptable. We won't get into exact terminology.
Speaking of Bubba, he is a human quote machine. He said he had no ill will toward Taylor but laid plenty of it on Sanderson for "getting rid of me.''
There was plenty more being spewed about. He says he's headed to mixed martial arts competition. With that personality and obvious talent, that could be a good fit. (Read his entire post-match interview below.)
The Big Ten had 28 wrestlers earn All-America status and put four teams in the top 10. The EIWA had 15 A-A's and three teams in the top 10. The Big 12 and Pac-10 each had 10 placewinners.
Only nine Pennsylvania wrestlers earned A-A status, but four of those nine were among the top three including champs Wright and Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State) of Easton and Penn State's Ruth (3rd, 174).
Penn State now has 22 NCAA champs and 170 All-Americans over the course of 74 NCAA championship tournaments. ... Oklahoma State has 134 champs and Iowa 75.
Pennsylvania has produced 75 wrestlers who have won 99 titles over the history of the tournament. ... Pennsylvania has the most All-Americans in NCAA history with 601. ...
Four Pennsylvania high schools over the years have produced 66 All-Americans led by State College and Easton with 17 each and followed by Trinity (District 7) and Clearfield with 16 each. State College (Scott Bosak/Cornell/184) and Easton (Jordan Oliver/Oklahoma State/133) raised their totals to 17 in Philadelphia.
A new attendance record was set with a total of 104,260 fans over three days. Saturday's finals attendance was 17,687, just 93 short of the record set in 2007 in St. Louis.
Harvard's Walter Peppelman placed eighth at 157 and he knows he could have placed higher. The former Central Dauphin star was aggressive on his feet and on the mat. A couple of split seconds of losing focus -- and that's all it takes at this level -- prevented him from a higher spot on the medal stand.
Peppelman, who finished his sophomore season at 33-9, certainly has two more NCAA tourneys in his bright future.
Worth mentioning is Spencer Myers of Selinsgrove. The Maryland heavyweight who was a PIAA champ in 2010 and runner-up in 2009 lost his first NCAA match in overtime only to battle back and win five straight matches before losing in the fifth-place final. Both loses were to Indiana's Ricardo Alcala, the first in overtime and the second by one point.
Alcala was the only one of 50 wrestlers who received an at-large bid to the tournament to actually place. Might have to look at that system after that performance.
Here is the complete interview with Arizona State's Bubba Jenkins after his 157-pound NCAA wrestling championship final on March 19 in Philadelphia:
157-Pound Champion
THE MODERATOR: We're joined by our first winner by fall tonight, Bubba Jenkins. Improves to 21-3, national champion. Questions?
Q. You said yesterday that you wanted to go big brother on David Taylor. Was that just big brother?
BUBBA JENKINS: Yeah, that was big brother. Man, he put me in that position and that pinning combination so many times, you know. And I've seen it before and actually I learned that at Penn State. I was just going back to how we used to wrestle in the mat room and try anything.
It was my last seven minutes it didn't go a whole seven minutes, but that's what I wanted to do was to get a victory. I got one.
Q. You said you were at Penn State before, and you said yesterday it wasn't personal. Now that it's over, was there a little bit of extra fire there because you --
BUBBA JENKINS: Not towards David. Definitely towards Cael. He didn't think I was good enough or the right kid to win it at that weight class or any weight class. I wanted to go 149. But he had other ideals. And he got rid of me. And one man's trash is a whole country's treasure.
Q. You're sort of the anti-machine. You said you weren't Penn State's, Cael's, kind of guy, which is sort of a machine, and I guess David would be the closest thing -- or wanted to be a Cael clone. Do you sort of pride yourself on being the anti-machine?
BUBBA JENKINS: I played outside a lot on the swing sets and metal bars and played basketball. I didn't have too many toys and too many machines because I always broke them, always messed them up. Anytime my mom was buying machines for me, something electrical, something that was supposed to work or do something, I always found ways to break it.
And that's a machine out there. That was the Penn State kid. That was the phenomena toy, I suppose, and I found ways to break it and disassemble it.
Q. You seemed all tournament to be having fun. And you know this is your last year, new coaching staff, new college, new opportunity. Is that one of the reasons why you could go out there and perform so well with everyone watching?
BUBBA JENKINS: Absolutely. I mean, you're either going to love me or not going to love me. And as long as I'm having fun and as long as my friends and family think it's all in good and I'm not feeling too overconfident or too cocky, as long as I keep my head right and do the right things and say the right things, for the most part, it's all about having fun. And that's what they tell you to do, go out there and have some fun. That's what most coaches tell you right before the match.
And that's what I try to do, whether it's in my celebration or whether it's in the way I move or the way I train. Sometimes I'm singing music before, and people think, oh, he's overcocky, doing too much. But it's all about having fun for me, period.
Q. About the present and the future, do you think you were underrated coming into this tournament, and have you given any thoughts what you want to do afterwards, either wrestling or MMA or something?
BUBBA JENKINS: I definitely feel like I was underrated. They always underrate me. I guess since I moved West and got a tan they forgot about me and didn't think I was going to be back.
The tournament was in Philly, I was coming back to PA, and it wasn't just to see the sights and reminisce with old friends, it was coming to win it.
I showed up here tonight in a business suit, told my mom, bring my business suit. I don't want to wrestle, I don't want to show up in my wrestler wrestling gear. It's what I came for. I spent five hours on a flight for a business trip. And I went out there and handled my business.
Q. What's next, MMA or wrestling?
BUBBA JENKINS: MMA is next. I'm excited about it. I got fast hands, fast feet. The camera's going to love me, I hope. I got a good smile for it. I don't want to have to face the radio. I'm ready to go. I hope MMA, I just explode on the scene and start shocking the world. With me being a two-time finalist, National champ and Junior World champ, I believe that should give me some good fights to begin with. I don't want to just fight anybody, because I don't think just anybody's going to fight me, especially how fast I am.
Q. You made it look easy tonight, but it wasn't an easy trip since the last time you were at Penn State. First of all, when was the last time you were in Pennsylvania? Was it when you transferred? And just talk about the trip going through Arizona State, how that happened, and the influence of Askren with you.
BUBBA JENKINS: The trip was crazy because after I got released from Penn State, I called my mom and said, well, Cael said that's strike three for some reason, and I don't know whatever we want to do or what we're going to do. But I put it in God's hands and let him go through whatever plan it was.
And his plan was to move me somewhere, where people are going to care about me. It was cold, so I just said, God, move me somewhere warm where I can go outside with a wife-beater on or something.
And Stiff happened to be -- we wrestled at the same high school, trained under the same people. He used to come after Christmas break at Arizona State and come in the room, in the high school room, and just beat up on me. Since I've been a little guy, I've always wanted to be like Stiff. And I've been watching Askren win titles and being in the state Finals for a long time.
As soon as I got an opportunity to go somewhere and pick a school, I saw Stiff, Askren, Coach Charles, people who think outside the box and people who get the job done in an unfamiliar manner. So I felt it was a good choice for me.
They told me they'd take care of me and I had nothing to worry about. They weren't going to talk behind my back, they weren't going to stop and completely shut off talking to me. That's what I wanted. I wanted somebody who loved and cared for me, and Arizona coaching staff and the academic program and the people there at Arizona State are just amazing. It's been a good ride.
Q. What did it take to pin an aggressive wrestler like David Taylor?
BUBBA JENKINS: A lot of luck. I heard a quote it's better to be lucky than it is to be good. And I can tell you right now they should call me Lucky instead of Bubba. Because I saw something. I looked at it. And I just got lucky.
Q. What's your thought about both you and Anthony winning? The Sun Devils a couple of years ago were dropping wrestling, and now we have two national champions side by side on a pretty dang good night here. Tell us about the opportunity for you and your teammate to do this together.
BUBBA JENKINS: The two words we've been looking at all year, we've been training under it. We come in together at the end of every practice, and we break on it. And I remember when I was at Penn State and they dropped the program, I called Stiff, Man, are you good, what's up?
Two words that we've been going on all year is Sun Devil tough. That's what it's been the whole time. People counted us out of the Pac-10 and we came and wrestled Sun Devil tough. They counted us out of this tournament and we came in and wrestled Sun Devil tough. It's pretty much what we do. We're Devils. We don't look good at the beginning, and then we come back and we get the job done. It's just amazing.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you.


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I'll tell you one thing about next year's Grammy Awards: They're going to be interesting.
The nominees in 110 categories were announced Thursday, Dec. 6, and they are as surprising as they are predictable, at least in the major categories of album, record, song and best new artist of the year.
The album category includes Kanye West's "Graduation," which is not that surprising. He's been raising the bar on hip-hop for a few years now, even if he tends to whine at awards shows where he doesn't win. He may have something to smile about this year; West's eight nominations lead the pack.
The other album of the year contenders are an intriguing mix. Among them is a white, British, retro-soul singer who really does need rehab, Amy Winehouse, whose "Back to Black" is a personal favorite, and Herbie Hancock, a jazz artist making a rare appearance in this category thanks to an album on which he channeled the songs of Joni Mitchell, "River: The Joni Letters."
Winehouse may be a troubled soul, but she spun her pain into such sweet soul music on an album that is my favorite among those in this category. I haven't heard Hancock's album, so I might feel differently after I do listen to it.
And then there's Vince Gill, who is too country for the pop pablum that passes for country radio these days. His "These Days" is actually a sprawling four-CD box set of new music that spans his country, rock, blues, bluegrass, folk and jazz leanings. It won't win, but it sure is cool to see it here and not some assembly-line Rascal Flatts album.
Rounding out the album category is the Foo Fighters' newest, "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace," which has earned solid reviews and respectable sales. I haven't heard it either, but Dave Grohl's band just continues to grow with each album, so I suspect that's true of "ESP&G."
The diversity of the category symbolizes how much popular music has spread its tentacles. But it comes at the expense of some far worthier albums, including Bruce Springsteen's superlative "Magic." Why that's not here I'll never know. Maybe his artful criticisms of the collective state of the country rubbed certain elements of the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the folks who hand out the awards, the wrong way.
Look down the list of nominees (go to grammy.com), and you'll see many instances where the obvious and not-so-obvious are lumped in together. Winehouse, who is up for six awards total, is also a record of the year contender with "Rehab," the deliciously defiant single from the "Back to Black" album in which she sings she'd rather listen to Donny Hathaway than detox.
It's up against Beyonce's overwrought "Irreplaceable," Foo Fighters' "The Pretender," Justin Timberlake's "What Goes Around ... Comes Around" and the single I think will win this category, Rihanna's suggestive, irresistible "Umbrella."
Song of the year, which honors songwriters, continues this trend of the predictable/unpredictable. There's Carrie Underwood's smash "Before He Cheats," a great song whether it is a hit or not, potential Grammy darling Corinne Bailey Rae's laidback "Like a Star" (kind of last year's news) and the aforementioned "Rehab" and "Umbrella."
Joining them is "Hey There Delilah," an infectious and ubiquitous acoustic ballad from alt-rock's relatively unknown Plain White T's. Its raw, honest emotionalism should be recognized, but it wasn't that long ago that songs like this would be overlooked by the academy, no matter how much they got played on the radio.
The real weirdie here is the new artist category, where Winehouse and 18-year-old country phenom Taylor Swift (a rarity in country as a female who writes her own songs) are the leading contenders. They're up against Feist, the Canadian singer Leslie Feist, whose "1 2 3 4" got a big boost from those iPod commercials, young pop punk band Paramore and Ledisi, a soul singer from Louisiana who's a critics darling but virtual unknown. She won't win, but she'll get a big boost just from being nominated.
Two of the nominated CDs have local ties, but Chiodos' "Bone Palace Ballet" wasn't one of them (eligible releases had to come out between Oct. 1, 2006 and Sept. 31, 2007; it came out Sept. 4).
Jay-Z's 2006 comeback album, "Kingdom Come," which is up for best rap album, includes a track co-written and produced by Flint native and Beecher High graduate Reggie "Syience" Perry. And Flint native and Paris resident Dee Dee Bridgewater's "Red Earth -- A Malian Journey" is up for best jazz vocal album.
The Grammys will be handed out Feb. 10 on CBS.

subset: commoncrawl


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Nb: infants must be under the age of 2 and
children must be under the age of 12 at the time of
Hillside complex "Fennec", 2 storeys, surrounded by trees. In the district of La Pleyeuse, 2 km from the centre of la station, in a quiet, sunny, elevated position, south facing position. Private: patio, terrace. In the house: washing machine, tumble dryer. Motor access to 20 m from the house. (20 steps). Parking (limited number of spaces), public parking 3 km. Shop 2 km, supermarket 2.3 km, restaurant 1 km, bar 2 km, bakery 2 km, café 1 km, bus stop "La Pleyeuse" 400 m, indoor swimming pool 2.5 km. Golf course (18 hole) 1.3 km, tennis 2.5 km, riding stable 2.5 km, sports centre 2.5 km, chair lift 1 km, gondola lift 1 km, skisport facilities 2.5 km, ski school 2.5 km, ski-kindergarten 2.2 km, ice field 2.5 km, children's playground 2 km. Free ski bus service to the ski region Carrefour 1km, Savoleyres 1km and Médran 2.5km. Please note: nightclub/disco 2 km from the property. "Le Fennec", 4-room semi-detached house on 2 levels, comfortable and beautiful furnishings: living/dining room with Scandinavian wood stove and cable TV. Exit to the balcony, to the patio. Kitchenette (oven, dishwasher, 4 ceramic glass hob hotplates, combination microwave). Sep. WC. On the lower ground floor: 1 room with 1 double bed (160 cm). 2 small rooms, each room with 1 x 2 bunk beds. Bathroom. Top floor: (ladder) gallery with sloping ceilings, open, ceiling height 120 - 150 cm with 2 beds. Balcony furniture. Marvellous panoramic view of the mountains and the resort. Facilities: washing machine, dryer. Internet (WiFi). Please note: non-smoking house.
The price shown includes 7 nights accommodation,
on an accommodation only basis.


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Leaving the comfort of home behind was richly rewarded when Celtic did so 44 years ago, so Ronny Deila might be sending a memo to his board about another relocation to embrace a similar outcome.
Celtic's new manager was blown away by the atmosphere 36,000 of his fans created on Tuesday night at Murrayfield for the stylish 4-0 defeat of KR Reykjavik, which took his club a step nearer to the group stage of the Champions League.
With Celtic Park out of bounds because of the Commonwealth Games, the Scottish champions will have to use the home of Scottish rugby


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Fifteen minutes earlier, Brian Wilson started with 18 pounds of sage-colored Brazilian beans. After roasting, the batch was the color of dark chocolate and weighed 15 pounds.
The process is repeated practically every day in the Birmingham area. Several businesses -- big and small, old and new -- roast coffees that will be consumed across the nation or down the street.
Red Diamond, which has roasted in Birmingham for 102 years, sells across the nation. Think of it as the Coors of coffee.
Four local companies represent a newer wave: small-batch roasters. They are to coffee what craft brewers are to beer. They use only the top grades of beans, carefully roast them to bring out their best qualities, then sell them at the peak of their flavors.
The swell started in 1993, when O'Henry's in Homewood helped convince some coffee fans that quality was worth a higher price.
In 2002, Higher Ground roasters in Leeds introduced a focus on premium coffee grown in ecologically friendly ways by farmers paid a fair price.
Newcomers O Kafes (2005) and Primavera (2006) bring the concept to a more micro level, hand-roasting specialty beans just a few pounds at a time. A large roaster might make 2,000 pounds at a time.
Specialty coffee was a $1.76 billion industry in 2006, the latest figure available from the Specialty Coffee Association of America. The number of coffee houses and roasters doubled, 1999-2006.
Why pay more? Quality and freshness, roasters say.
"Once you start drinking fresh, you can tell a difference and it's hard to go back," said Brett Burton, owner of Primavera. "Within 24 hours after coffee gets out of the roaster, the flavor falls off a lot. It becomes less complex."
Small-batch vendors sell their coffee within a week or two after roasting. Most supermarket coffees, even those from out-of-state specialty roasters, can be months old.
"Coffee can't survive that long and still taste good," said Kirk Summers, co-owner of o kafes, which recently moved from Tuscaloosa to Birmingham. "That's why the local guy can really produce the best coffee. They can get it to you right after it's roasted."
Buying beans
Roasters buy beans from importers with connections in coffee-growing countries.
Specialty roasters look for the top 1-8 percent of the crop, grown at high altitudes.
"No roaster can take a low-grade bean and make it great," said Randy Adamy, co-owner of O'Henry's.
Higher Ground and o kafes use only beans certified as being organically grown and providing a fair price for growers (Fair Trade).
Higher Ground also buys only shade-grown coffee, which protects the environment from clear-cut farming and preserves habitat for birds and other animals.
"We're not just selling coffee," said Joshua Kelly, Higher Ground's roastmaster. "We're selling a way to change the world and show you can do business in ways that benefit people and the environment."
O'Henry's and Primavera look for the most elite coffees, in some instances paying a premium to farmers above what Fair Trade pays. Some of their coffees happen to be organic and shade-grown.
"Our philosophy is that the product we provide our customers should be the best we can find," Adamy said. "None of the certifications guarantee how it will taste in the cup."
Burton said selling only certified beans would cut off Primavera from heirloom beans, old-fashioned varieties that produce great coffee but are hard to grow on a mass scale.
"The chances of finding an heirloom that also is certified organic and shade grown is slim to none," he said.
Roasters will ask the importer for coffees from a country or region, and get several samples to be tested in a procedure called "cupping."
Recently Primavera cupped four samples from El Salvador, both individual heirloom varieties and cross-breeds. Burton and Wilson roasted beans from each, ground them and put them into cups.
After pouring in hot water, they sniffed the cups for aroma then tasted each.
"You're examining good or bad flavors, interesting nuances, thick or thin body, acidity," Burton said. "Sometimes it's so good you'll stop in the middle of cupping to place an order, because if you wait too long, it will be gone."
Adamy also has established relationships with individual coffee farmers in Colombia and Costa Rica, buying all or most of each year's crop. An example is O'Henry's El Crucerito, a Colombian coffee.
"We'll have it 8-12 weeks," Adamy said. "Then it's gone until the next year's crop."
Each shop has a "recipe" for roasting different varieties of beans, said Erin Isbell, o kafes' co-owner. "They keep them as a guarded secret," she said.
Some coffees, like those with fruity characteristics, benefit from a lighter roast. Others require a darker roast.
"A lighter roast on Sumatran would overwhelm you, tasting like it just came out of the dirt," Isbell said.
The roaster's drum resembles the inside of a clothes dryer, Burton said. It spins the beans as air-blown heat warms them.
The roaster is heated above 450 degrees before green beans are poured into the drum. The temperature immediately drops to about 165 degrees.
The idea is to steadily heat the beans to 420-465 degrees, depending on the darkness of the roast. Roasters are careful to minimize the loss of essential oils and moisture.
"The oils are the taste," Kelly said. "If you just blast in hot air, the oils get dried out. Limiting moisture loss also is the difference between a good cup of coffee and a great cup of coffee."
A popping sound emits when the beans hit 385 degrees, the first of two "cracks," as roasters call it.
Temperature control between first and second cracks is crucial.
"We had a new Mexican bean and found that a three-degree difference made a drastic change," said Wilson, of Primavera. "The time of the roast also makes a difference. We had one that we normally roast for 16 minutes, and tried it once for 17 minutes. That one minute really smoothed out the flavor."
Coffee is sold as varietals (beans from a single country or region) or as blends.
Blends can be old favorites such as mocha-java, with beans from Yemen and Sumatra that complement each other well, Summers said.
Others are unique combinations called "signature blends." They might be sold exclusively to one source, like the one Higher Ground does for V. Richard's Market. Or they could embody the "house style," such as the espresso blend at O'Henry's.
Finding those combinations involves trial, error and lots of cuppings, Kelly said. A signature blend customer might sample several combinations before choosing, only to tweak it later based on feedback.
Higher Ground also creates blends to support environmental or other nonprofit groups. It provides some money to support the group and gets the group's name and cause before the public.
Higher Ground has 15 blends for groups such as the Alabama Environmental Council and Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Ten percent of the profit goes to the group.
"It's a way of giving back," Kelly said. "It helps us in our marketing, but we do it because it's what we believe in."


text: ServiceLink Resource Center of Rockingham County offers a "New to Medicare" workshop on Monday, June 2, from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at the Derry Public Library, 64 East Broadway in Derry. The workshop will review the basics of Medicare Part A and Part B, Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, Medicare Supplemental Plans, Medicare Advantage, and preventing Medicare fraud and abuse. Call ServiceLink at 893-9769 for more information and to reserve a seat.


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Welcome to the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at UTMB
Among the basic biomedical sciences, the disciplines of pharmacology and toxicology occupy a unique position through their focus on the beneficial and harmful effects of drugs and other chemicals.
Pharmacologists seek not only to understand fundamental biological processes, but also to find ways to alter them.
The interaction between chemicals and biological systems is the unifying theme in the department.
In pursuing this theme, our faculty is capitalizing on recent advances in molecular and cellular biology, genomics, structural biology, and chemistry.
The Graduate Program in Pharmacology and Toxicologyhas the dual overarching aims of (1) advancing scientific knowledge, and (2) preparing students to become independent scientists.
The Program is housed within the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology which has 14 full-time faculty members. An additional 8 faculty from other medical school departments are also active members of this graduate program, bringing the total number of participant faculty to 22. These faculty are involved in a wide range of research problems in which technicians, postdoctoral fellows and graduate student researchers play a substantial role.
Learn More
Click to learn about Research questions currently under investigation
Click to learn about Research Interests per Faculty
Click to learn about Research Interests per Faculty
- John A. Allen, Ph.D. - Assistant Professor
- Noelle Anastasio, Ph.D. - Assistant Professor
- Kathryn A. Cunningham, Ph.D. - Professor
- Cornelis Elferink,Ph.D. - Professor
- Miriam Falzon, Ph.D. - Associate Professor
- Yuriy Fafonov, Ph.D. - Professor
- Thomas A. Green, Ph.D. - Assistant Professor
- Jonathan Hommel, Ph.D. - Assistant Professor
- Kenneth M. Johnson, Ph.D. - Professor
- Fernanda Laezza, M.D.,Ph.D. - Associate Professor
- Carol L. Nilsson, M.D.,Ph.D. - Professor
- B. Montgomery Pettitt, Ph.D. - Professor
- Gabrielle Rudenko, Ph.D. - Associate Professor
- Jai S. Rudra, Ph.D. - Assistant Professor
- Wayne R. Snodgrass, M.D.,Ph.D. - Professor
- Lawrence Sowers, Ph.D. - Professor and Chair
- Y. Whitney Yin, Ph.D. - Assistant Professor
- Kangling Zhang, Ph.D. - Assistant Professor
- Jia Zhou, Ph.D. - Professor


text:
Help rebuild the lives of 125 bears by donating to the new sanctuary.
Peace by Piece is Animals Asia's landmark campaign launched in April 2014 to help rescue and rehabilitate previously exploited moon bears in Nanning, China. These bears have been kept in horrendous conditions – many trapped in tiny cages from birth – and farmed for their bile.
The farm bred the bears and extracted their bile for years, but the General Manager had a change of heart when his daughter convinced him of the horrible cruelty of the trade. Animals Asia took over custody and care of these 130 bears in April 2014, leasing the land and facilities.
This is the largest rescue of its kind in the world. We need YOUR HELP to help these bears go from farm to freedom.
When we took charge of the farm we immediately improved the bears' diet. Their daily regimen of corn gruel was replaced with a nourishing mix of fresh fruit and vegetables, dry dog food and plentiful access to water.
We also began emergency health-checks – removing immediate pain such as rotting and broken teeth. The difference has been amazing. Previously suffering and malnourished bears with just a thin covering of body hair have since filled out and their lackluster and sparse coats are growing back beautifully thick and glossy.
The introduction of enrichment items such as metal swimming pools, rubber kongs and bamboo feeder toys has been essential in our efforts to stimulate the bears and keep their minds and bodies busy, making the best of their physical environment until such time as we can begin building their outdoor enclosures and dens.
We have also made makeshift surgery rooms so we can accommodate ongoing health-checks. A medication preparation area has also been established, an office space is being developed and accommodation rooms have been allocated so that we will always have Animals Asia staff on site in Nanning.
We are committed to caring for the Nanning bears for the rest of their lives, which in the case of our youngest cub, Smudge, could be up to 35 years. It's a mammoth undertaking but, with your help, we can transform this place of suffering into a place of peace.
This isn't just a bear rescue, it's a landmark initiative to help change the hearts and minds of other farmers in the region, and will show the government and public that there IS a solution to bringing bear farming to an end.
Because of the size and scale of this rescue, we need your support more than ever before. Your donation will help fund the ongoing renovation of the farm as well as the veterinary care these bears urgently need and the equipment and structures needed for their rehabilitation.
Rescue Gallery - News Updates
Get the latest rescue updates, see photos of the bears whose lives are about to change.
Rescue videos
Get updated information on the rescue; see the bears, experience the conditions, meet Animals Asia teams.
Celebrity Support
Messages of support and a call to end bear bile farming from super-star-supporters.
Get involved
See how you can help - make a donation, spread the word, download images to share, hold a fundraiser. Be a part of this historic rescue!


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MOUNT HOLLY TWP. - A Pennsylvania man and a construction company pleaded guilty Monday for their roles in an insurance fraud scheme that targeted homes purportedly damaged by hail, Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa said.
Dominik Sadowski, 35, of Sellersville, Pa., pleaded guilty here to insurance fraud before Superior Court Judge Ronald Bookbinder. In addition, Precision Network Solutions, doing business as Precision Builders, of Voorhees, pleaded guilty to insurance fraud.
Bookbinder scheduled sentencing for June 1. Under a plea agreement, the state will recommend that Sadowski be sentenced to four years of probation conditioned on completing 100 hours of community service. Sadowski and Precision Builders are responsible for paying $68,720 in restitution. Precision Builders will also pay a $250,000 criminal fine.
Sadowski admitted that between Jan. 19 and April 25, 2011, acting on behalf of Precision Builders, he caused fraudulent property damage insurance claims to be submitted to Traveler's Insurance Co., for property damage to two homes within Burlington and Camden counties purportedly caused by hail storms.
An investigation determined that representatives from Precision Builders were canvassing neighborhoods and were claiming that homes had been damaged in a hail storm and advising homeowners that they could get new siding and roofing at no cost.
Several homeowners told investigators that they were not aware that they had any hail damage to their homes before being solicited by Precision Builders. An investigation determined that, after homeowners filed claims with their insurance carrier, Sadowski would visit and damage the properties prior to the adjusters' inspections. It is alleged that Sadowski's co-defendant, Marcin Gradziel, 33, of Norristown, Pa., would also visit and damage the properties prior to the adjusters' inspections. The charges against Gradziel are pending.
As a result of the fraud, acting on behalf of Precision Builders, Sadowski caused approximately $15,256 in claim monies to be obtained for Precision Builders from Traveler's Insurance Co. It is alleged that Gradziel caused approximately $53,464 in claim monies to be obtained Precision Builders.


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St. Charles has been putting up runs in bunches over the past several games going into Friday's matchup with Pope John Paul II and nothing changed as they rolled to a 13-3 non-district win against the Jaguars.
The victory gave the Comets their fourth consecutive win scoring at least 10 runs and Coach Ty Monica said the team's recent success at the plate has been a result of timely hitting.
"A stat that really jumps out, especially in this game of softball, is two-out runs," Monica said. "We've been going a good job of scoring runs with two outs. That means that you've got some clutch hitting and that's really good to see."
Destiny Wesley came up with the first big two-out hit for St. Charles (19-7) with an infield single that gave the Comets a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the second inning. The Comets then had a big fifth inning to break the game open.
Paige Williams led off with a single and was driven in on a one-out double by Lela Hill. Sara Louque followed with another double down the left field line pushing the lead to 6-3. PJP II (14-8-1) then hit the next batter before forcing a ground out, setting up Wesley for more heroics with two outs.
The sophomore came through with a hard hit single up the middle that scored two giving St. Charles a comfortable 8-3 advantage heading into the fourth inning.
"We knew from the start we just had to hit and once we did we just kept going from there," Wesley said. "The first inning was kind of slow but once we got into it, it was easy from there."
An error and an RBI-double from Louque represented runs nine and 10 and the Comets put the Jags away for good in the fifth.
St. Charles began the inning with three walks and a hit batter. Another error resulted in run 12 and Danielle Rankin hit a blooper over second base to drive in the final run.
While the win gave the Comets their 12th win in the last 14 outings, Monica is looking forward to a break in the schedule having already played 10 games in the month of April.
"We haven't really had a chance to practice. We've been playing game after game for the last two weeks," Monica said. "It's nobody's fault but my own so I'm actually looking forward to getting back to the practice field because obviously we've got a few things to iron out."
Jade Brady picked up the win for St. Charles throwing four innings in relief allowing two hits, four walks and no runs while striking out five. Wesley finished 3-for-3 with a walk and four RBIs while Louque reached base in all three of her at-bats including two doubles.
For the Jaguars, Ashley Saucier was charged with the loss in four innings of work giving up 12 hits and 10 runs.
Chole Cooper was 1-for-3 on the day including a two-run home run in the top of the second that tied the score. Rachel Edwards was the only Jaguar with multiple hits (2-for-3) and gave Pope John Paul II its only lead of the game with a single later in the second.
The Comets will get their longest layoff of the month after Saturday's matchup with Vandebilt Catholic on the road at 2 p.m. They close out the season Tuesday at home against Covington.
Pope John Paul II has three games left on the schedule starting at 4 p.m. Monday against St. Joseph's at home.
Both the Comets and Jaguars are in line for a playoff game at home, sitting at No. 12 and 13 in Classes 3A and 2A, respectively.
Josh Preston can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com or 504.826.3405.


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New Jersey Democrats Reach Accord With Christie on Budget
New Jersey Democrats, who control the legislature, reached agreement with Republican Governor Chris Christie on a spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Paul Sarlo said.
The accord on the $32.9 billion plan, the same size as Christie's proposal, includes Assembly leaders, Sarlo, a Wood-Ridge Democrat, said today in a statement. Senate President Stephen Sweeney has said final approval of the proposal will be secured by June 24, a week ahead of a constitutional deadline.
Christie's plan was criticized by Democrats when he announced it in February. Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald of Cherry Hill said it was politicized budget that didn't address high property taxes or unemployment. The governor and all 120 lawmakers face re-election in November.
"This is a reasonable and responsible fiscal plan for New Jersey that reflects the difficult economic conditions that continue to require hard decisions on state finances," Sarlo said in the statement. "It doesn't achieve everything we would want to do if we had a stronger economy, but it accomplishes what is within reach of the state's finances."
Medicaid Spending
Spending under the plan would rise 2.3 percent from the fiscal 2013 budget to the most since 2008, according to state documents. The bill passed Sarlo's 13-member panel 11-2 today, with Democrats casting the no votes. The Assembly budget committee also approved it, 7-1, with three abstentions.
As part of the agreement, Democrats secured $97.2 million in supplemental spending that was offset by a reduction in anticipated health costs, including Medicaid, Sarlo said. Also, it provides an additional $35 million for restructuring higher education, $20 million for cancer research grants and $23.5 million for community health providers and nursing homes.
Sarlo, 44, said he still has concerns that Christie's plan outspends anticipated revenue. Democrats will monitor state finances in case mid-year cuts are needed, he said.
The governor and the legislature are required by law to enact a balanced budget, and the state's constitution gives Christie, 50, the power to set revenue targets used in the plan.
Tax collections exceeded budget goals in April for a fifth straight month after trailing in the first half of fiscal 2013, which ends June 30.
New Jersey's jobless rate dropped for a fourth straight month, to 8.6 percent in May, the state labor department said today in a statement.


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NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association)
Associate's Colleges: These institutions offer associate's degree and certificate programs but, with few exceptions, award no baccalaureate degrees./4 Specialized Institutions - These institutions offer degrees ranging from the bachelor's to the doctorate, and typically award a majority of degrees in a single field. The list includes only institutions that are listed as separate campuses in the Higher Education Directory.
Undergraduate programs or courses are offered via distance education ROTC: Army
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(318) 670-6000
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Yur kitteh has shut down fur updates.
Hao come AI awlways has to be da one to turn off??
Sorry, can't let you go. Tortoise paid me off.
he toldz me he had 2 leevz u in teh dust.
Clap On Clap Off
Check owt sum other classic lolz heer!
View the original here.
LOL By: katillac


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ADA – Parades, a car show, games, and other activities return this year for Ada Township's annual Independence Day celebration.
The holiday kicks off with the Bike Decorating Day from 10 a.m. to noon July 3 at the Park Shelter. The cost is $5 per child with volunteer helpers and materials available.
On July 4, the day begins with a Firemen's Pancake Breakfast from 7 – 9:30 a.m. at Fire House No. 1, located at 6990 E. Fulton St. Float judging and the parade lineup will start a 9 a.m. at the McDonald's parking lot. At 10 a.m., the Kids Bike Parade begins, immediately followed by the main parade.
Next up are free rides, games, prizes, and music from The Blue Water Ramblers along with food available for purchase from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. on the village green. New this year is the zip line and more food options, including Dine-Out Dawgs, Ning ye Restaurant, smoothies from Hub 301, and a pizza cart. Also from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. is the Classic Car Show held in the parking lot of The Community church, 7239 Thornapple River Drive SE.
The Averill Historical Museum of Ada, located at 7144 Headley St., will be open during the day as well from 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
The day will conclude with fireworks launched by the river at dusk at about 10 p.m. Cascade Township is a co-sponsor for the fireworks.
Volunteers are still needed to help with the events. For more information or to volunteer, call 676-9191 ext. 20.


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100 Be a part of history
99 Southern Hospitality
98 $6,000,000 in prize money
97 457 laps of racing excitement
96 Forty-three machines creating 800+ horsepower
95 One winner on Saturday. One winner on Sunday. Everyone else loses.
94 No traffic problems. Easy in and easy out. Lickity-split.
93 Everyone is a racing fan
92 The best facility in NASCAR racing
91 Tram service around the facility. Handicap assistance throughout the facility. Hitch a ride for FREE.
90 On site Church services on Sunday morning at 9:30am (two locations). You don't have to miss Church.
Call 770-946-4211 for tickets. Great seats are still available.
89 Individual chair-back seats with cup holders in the Winner's Grandstand
88 Shiny cars with cool paint schemes and graphics
87 Shiny cars with cool paint schemes and graphics bumping, banging and battling for position
86 A weekend of camping fun with my best friends
85 The alternative? Flipping channels between Georgia Bulldogs women's basketball and the Twilight Zone marathon
84 Robby Gordon's sponsor's hospitality tent
83 Watching a race from the Roof Top Observation Deck...It's awesome baby!!!
82 Guitar Hero contest in the Display Lot
81 Feeling the ground shake when the field comes by the grandstand
80 Great fishing
Visit http://www.atlantamotorspeedway.com to select your seats for the upcoming 100th NASCAR race at AMS.
79 See GREEN grass for the first time this year in Georgia
78 See cars or trucks sliding through GREEN grass at over 170 miles per hour
77 The Chevrolet Experience before the race is a MUST SEE and DO
76 Clint Bowyer is a single guy
75 Kurt and Kyle Busch may crash
74 $88 Earnhardt Grandstand tickets!!!! Front stretch here I come!!!!
73 Combo's available at the concession stands
72 People watching is UNBELIEVABLE
71 Bandolero Cars on Saturday afternoon. Isn't that a cool race car name? BANDOLERO!!!
70 Infield parties before, during and after the races
Call 770-946-4211 for tickets. Great seats are still available.
69 As the field comes to the Green Flag...joining everyone standing up to salute the cars and stars of NASCAR
68 Two for One Ticket Coupons available at Lowe's Home Improvement stores
67 Seventeen different race leaders in March 2000
66 Thirty-four lead changes in March 2002
65 President/General Manager Ed Clark is a REAL racer and will compete on Saturday afternoon in a Legends Car
64 Show cars...show cars...show cars
63 Four car pile-up in turn four (right in front of the Petty Grandstand)
61 OK...Just Beer
60 Collectible die-cast race cars
Visit http://www.atlantamotorspeedway.com to select your seats for the upcoming 100th NASCAR race at AMS.
59 Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards may have another altrercation
58 Karaoke contests in the campgrounds
57 Family Section seating with No Smoking, No Drinking and No Cussing
56 The command to start engines
55 The Kobalt Tool's 500 chrome wrench Winner's Trophy is so cool
54 FREE Delta Fan Guides for everyone
53 Skid Marks! On the track...not in your neighbor's shorts.
52 Club One Food!!!!!
51 Family friendly. Bring the Kids!!!
50 Pre-Race Concert with Nashville's hottest young acts The Chris Hatfield Band and Craig Campbell
Call 770-946-4211 for tickets. Great seats are still available.
49 Mambi Bambi Ville in Tent City
48 Trackside Terrace Camping
47 Driver introductions
46 Friendly staff...courteous ushers...attentive security officers
45 Speedway Boulevard tree lined campsites are still available for only $100
44 Kyle Busch sweeps the weekend???? Trucks on Saturday. Cup on Sunday. Hmmmmm.
43 FREE Concerts in the Campgrounds on Saturday Night after the Truck race
42 Get an official Kobalt Tools 500 t-shirt
41 Singing the National Anthem loud and proud
40 Margarita stand under the Earnhardt grandstand
Visit http://www.atlantamotorspeedway.com to select your seats for the upcoming 100th NASCAR race at AMS.
39 Rides in NASCAR Sprint Cup cars following the Kobalt Tools 500 race for only $59. Three laps at 170 mph!!!
38 Jet fly-over....Yeah...they're on our side Taliban!!!!
37 Driver autographs in Souvenir Row on Saturday
36 The Chevy Camaro pace car!!! Plus, two Chevy Impala pace cars!!!
35 Some people met their eventual wife at the speedway during a race weekend
34 Some people met their eventual husband at the speedway during a race weekend
33 22 gallons of Sunoco race fuel...four Goodyear tires...adjust the trackbar...16 seconds...Enough said!
32 Pit passes can get you closer to the men behind the wheel of these steel chariots
31 Family Four Pack saves money on Sunday for the Kobalt Tools 500
30 Some wives and husbands don't know what happens at the speedway during a race weekend
Call 770-946-4211 for tickets. Great seats are still available.
29 Legendary race announcer Ken Squier on the in-house PA
28 More freaking souvenir trailers than anywhere else in the freaking world
27 You don't have any commercial breaks
26 Tailgating!!!!
25 Pretty girls to look at cute guys
24 Cute guys that are looking at pretty girls
23 Earnhardt, Senior beats Bobby Labonte to the line by a bumper in 2000
22 The sounds of engines roaring at 8 o'clock in the morning on Saturday
21 Mark Martin can win in Atlanta. He has the car. He loves the track. The comeback would be complete!
20 Jimmy Spencer 'Mr. Entertainment' live all three days on the Speed TV stage
Visit http://www.atlantamotorspeedway.com to select your seats for the upcoming 100th NASCAR race at AMS.
19 The smell of burning rubber
18 The smell of burnt racing fuel
17 The smell of campfire
16 The smell of grilled meat
14 The smell of cheap perfume at 3am Sunday morning
13 Dale Earnhardt, Junior...lug nuts...tire off...crash in turn two...That Was His Race To Win!!!!
12 Remember Carl Edwards last lap pass of Jimmie Johnson while pitching it sideways in turn two...Yeah Baby!
11 Kevin Harvick's historic win in 2001. Even now it brings back tears.
10 Crank It Up....ALL RACE LONG!!!!
Call 770-946-4211 for tickets. Great seats are still available.
9 Thirty bucks! Mom, Dad and two kids tickets to Saturday's NASCAR Truck Race
8 Thirty-nine bucks! The cost to upgrade any Sunday ticket to include passes to Friday and Saturday events
7 Nineteen bucks! Student ticket price for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race
6 FREE parking in all speedway parking areas every day
5 Dale Earnhardt, Junior is due for a victory and he loves the high line around Atlanta Motor Speedway
4 Dale Earnhardt, Junior may retaliate, drive reckless or just push the issue too far (Nah, not Junior)
3 It's the 100th race and there will never be another 100th race again
2 Because Atlanta Motor Speedway is known for close finishes that are unpredictable
1 Because there are great seats still available with prices in everybody's budget range
What are you waiting for? Pick up the phone and call the ticket office at 770-946-4211.


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Nominations open for county's outstanding small businesses
The new year is here and we are again partnering with the mayor and his Office of Economic Development, headed by Teena Rasmussen and her team, to honor outstanding small businesses in Maui County.
All are invited and encouraged to nominate an admirable small business for the annual 2014 Mayor's Small Business Awards. The nomination forms are available at the Maui County Business Resource Center at Maui Mall, the Maui Chamber of Commerce at the J. Walter Cameron Center, the Mayor's Office of Economic Development in Wailuku, the Kuha'o Business Center on Molokai, and online at www.mauichamber.com, www.mauicounty.gov/MCBRC, and the OED and Maui Chamber of Commerce Facebook pages.
There are six different award categories that you can nominate a business in Maui County for:
* Exceptional Small Business of the Year (10 or fewer employees).
* Exceptional Small Business of the Year (11 to 35 employees).
* Exceptional Small Business of the Year (36 to 100 employees).
* Outstanding Non-Profit Business (100 or fewer employees).
* Young Small Business Person of the Year (under the age of 40 as of Feb. 26, 2014).
* Lifetime Achievement Award (for any individual doing business in Maui County for more than 20 years with the same for-profit company).
A new honorary award was also included this year. It is The Annette Pau'ole-Ahakuelo Honorary Award to recognize the accomplishments of this amazing woman and her assistance to the Molokai community and small businesses. This award is for Molokai small businesses only.
Appreciating the tremendous contributions small businesses make to our economic health and quality of life in Maui County, this year's theme is "Strong Businesses, Strong Community."
"Small businesses are the true job generators, and owners risk a great deal to open their doors, create jobs, grow and stimulate our economy," Mayor Alan Arakawa said. "Maui County is fortunate to have many successful small businesses that are known for their entrepreneurial spirit, innovation and ingenuity. I look forward to honoring them through this awards program."
The deadline for nominations is noon on Feb. 11.
"We are asking for active participation by our community to nominate deserving small businesses for these awards," said Rasmussen. People may nominate a family member, friend, associate, supplier, their employer, a business they volunteer, intern with or otherwise serve, etc. (No self-nominations or nominations of businesses owned by Maui Chamber of Commerce or County of Maui employees will be accepted.)
To be eligible, businesses must have 100 or fewer employees and a Hawaii general excise tax license for no fewer than two years. Criteria include: business leadership in a changing economic environment, a quality work environment for employees, the aloha spirit and exemplary customer service, partnerships with other sectors of the community, and other exceptional qualities or traits.
The beauty of this award is that all of the nominees and the winners are honored and promoted through various media and at the awards dinner on Feb. 26 at the King Kamehameha Golf Club's Waikapu Ballroom. Winners will be announced that evening at this exciting event.
Tickets to the awards dinner are $60 per person and available through the Maui Chamber of Commerce. The public is invited to attend. Event sponsorships are also available through the chamber. Please contact us at 244-0081 to purchase a ticket or learn more about the sponsorship packages.
We look forward to the nomination of many worthy small businesses this year and to honoring these businesses for their great accomplishments and investment in our community. We hope you will join us.
* Pamela Tumpap is president of the Maui Chamber of Commerce.


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News Archive
Viewing: All News
February 08, 2013
It costs more to make a penny than the coin is worth. Should the United States stop using pennies?
February 08, 2013
Beads for Education helps girls in Kenya go to school and create brighter futures
February 08, 2013
Should the U.S. get rid of the penny?
February 08, 2013
More than one billion people around the world celebrate the Lunar New Year
February 06, 2013
To cut costs, the U.S. Postal Service plans to end Saturday mail delivery this summer
February 04, 2013
The Baltimore Ravens win the Super Bowl
February 04, 2013
Her bravery sparked a fight for civil rights
February 01, 2013
The Power Rangers celebrate their 20th anniversary with a new TV series
February 01, 2013
Enter the TFK photo contest, and show us: Why is Earth Day important to our planet?
February 01, 2013
Mancala games have been played for hundreds of years. Learn how to make your own board.


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EASTHAMPTON – Three weeks before nomination papers are officially available, School Committee chairwoman Nancy L. Sykes has announced that she will be running for mayor.
She becomes the second candidate to announce her intention for the position.
Karen Cadieux, Mayor Michael Tautznik's assistant, announced she would be running for the position. Tautznik said in 2011 that this would be his last term. He announced in October that he would be supporting Cadieux.
Sykes, who has served two terms on the School Committee, said the mayoral position "feels like a perfect fit. I love local government. I really do."
Originally from Virginia, Sykes, 71, has lived in the area since 1985, first in Southampton and in the city since 2006. She was dean of students at Western New England University until 2007. She had been a public school teacher in Fairfax County, Va., for 20 years and also worked as a criminal defense lawyer in New York City.
Also, teaching in Ireland and in Jordan, she said, "I have really tried to emphasize (government) it's not just Washington D.C. The place you can be involved is your town."
She said she has been seriously thinking about making a run for several months.
"It's a really good opportunity for all my skills." And she said, the position is open.
And while she has run unopposed for School Committee for both terms, she knows this will be different.
When asked about the difficulty of campaigning she said, "I love talking to people. I can see it will take time and it will take energy." But she said she expects to love it.
Nomination papers will be available in the city clerk's office beginning July 1. Those running for city-wide office will have to collect 100 signatures. Those running for precinct seats need 50 signatures. Papers are due back Sept. 17.


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Results tagged ' Albert Pujols '
Controversial call forces Wade to call league
Astros general manager Ed Wade spoke with a Major League Baseball official by telephone during Tuesday's night game at Busch Stadium to voice his displeasure about a controversial home run by Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols not being overturned by instant replay.
Not long after the umpires didn't reverse the call despite replay evidence showing Pujols' ball hit the top of the padded wall and bounced back into play, Wade called Joe Garagiola Jr., baseball's senior vice president of standards and on-field operations, from his home in Houston.
"I already knew it's not an issue you can protest," he said. "It's not a rules interpretation; it's an umpire's judgment, so from that standpoint as far as having any recourse, there really isn't any. I indicated to Joe we thought the call was wrong and would appreciate the Commissioner's office looking at it because obviously it had a significant impact on the game last night and replay is there to remedy close calls, and we thought that one clearly showed it wasn't a home run. We couldn't understand why the decision was made."
Jim Reynolds, the umpiring crew chief, told a reporter that a replay from a side angle showed the ball hitting the top of the padded wall and skipping over it and then striking a cement wall before caroming back onto the field. The two-run homer by Pujols was the difference in the Astros' 3-1 loss to the Cardinals.
"We didn't see it that way," Wade said. "It's subject to interpretation. We've got this policy in place to review close calls like that. In a perfect world it solves these issues immediately. That one, we just respectfully disagree with the solution."
Astros manager Brad Mills was upset after the game and said changes need to be made to baseball's use of instant replay, which began in 2008.
Reaction to HR controversy
Astros manager Brad Mills was angry Tuesday night after the umpiring crew at Busch Stadium didn't overturn a controversial home run call in the first inning. Albert Pujols' two-run home run, which appeared to hit the top of the wall and come back into play, was upheld after the umpires consulting replay.
Here are some reactions from both clubhouses and the umpires locker room:
Mills: "The whole system, I think, has to be reviewed if everyone looks at it and says it's not a home run. The reason being, somebody in New York is supposed to have seen it. That's my understanding, and they should have seen the same thing everybody saw. I totally don't understand it. The whole thing's got to be reviewed, especially if they go back and look at it and screw it up. We've got to be able to protest it or something. Something's amiss here. The whole thing's got to be reviewed."
CF Michael Bourn, who was closest to the play: "I didn't think it went over. [Pujols] told me at first base it did, but I didn't think it did. I thought it hit the top and came back. The way it bounced back to me, I thought if it went over it would have hit that concrete and kept going the other way. When it hit, it hit the thing and bounced right back to me, so that's why I played it like that. The umpires ruled it was a home run, so what could you do about that? That was the end of it from there."
RHP Brett Myers, who gave up the homer: "I heard it hit the wall. If it hit the concrete behind it, it wouldn't have made the noise it made. He hit it good, there's no doubt about it. I looked at it on a couple of [replay] angles and I don't know how they missed it really, unless they looked at it from one angle and said 'Oh yeah, it's a homer, it hit the concrete behind it.' It didn't look like it on there."
Umpire crew chief Jim Reynolds: "Once it crosses that pad, anything after that is a home run. So what we saw on the replay was the ball skip off the top of the pad, hit the concrete behind it and come back. Once it hit that concrete, once the replay that we looked at showed that it hit the concrete behind it, then it's a home run."
Cardinals manager Tony La Russa: "Normally you don't get a rebound like that unless it hits something behind the fence, like the railing or it hits the cement or something. If it comes off the wall, you don't get that kind of [rebound]. We had a good feeling that they made the right call. You don't get that kind of bounce back unless it hits something really hard. You don't even get it off a sign."
Pujols: "It was tough for me to see, but the whole reason I thought it was a home run was because it bounced like 10 yards over his head. it had to hit something hard. I thought it hit the little concrete behind the pad. I don't think hitting that pad it would have gone that far over his head."


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Attempting to shut off the Deepwater Horizon
Wednesday, April 16, 2014 1:40 PM
JOHN MCCUSKER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE The Discoverer Enterprise, seen Saturday at the site of the Deepwater Horizon explosion 50 miles offshore from Louisisana, will be used to place the LMRP, or the blowout preventer with a cap attached to a riser tube that will suction oil from the well and feed it to a ship on the surface. This is also the ship with the insertion tube being used to capture oil from one of the leaks.
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- Federal judge scolds BP for 'college term paper' trick in oil spill filing September 19, 2014, 1:10 PM
- Federal judge rejects BP's request for repayment on oil spill claims September 24, 2014, 2:44 PM
- Oil spill trial by the numbers: How much will BP pay? December 23, 2014, 12:00 PM
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- Feds appeal ruling limiting BP's oil spill fine to $13.7 billion March 16, 2015, 3:26 PM
- New offshore drilling rule planned 5 years after BP, paper reports April 13, 2015, 10:09 AM
- BP wins bid to appeal certain Gulf oil spill claims, Reuters reports May 11, 2015, 11:16 AM
- BP oil spill: Should BP pay firms hurt by the 2010 federal drilling ban? January 11, 2016, 12:30 PM
- How much were Louisiana's lawyers paid in the BP oil spill case? April 06, 2016, 8:56 AM


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MUSKEGON -- Dan Rinsema-Sybenga, who has come to be known around Muskegon simply as "Downtown Dan," is now known too as Michigan Main Street Manager of the Year for 2008 for his work in the rebirth of Muskegon's downtown.
And on another downtown front, a facade rehabilitation award has been won by Gary Post for his treatment of the former Century Club, now Hegg's Gallery furniture store.
Both awards will be presented at a Sept. 9 luncheon to be held in Bay City by Michigan Downtown Conference Planning Partners. It is a consortium of nine agencies that, in one way or another, promote and coordinate planning and economic development in Michigan communities.
Among those agencies is Michigan Main Street, which has a program in Muskegon headed by Rinsema-Sybenga since May 2005.
"Dan has done a great job for Muskegon and for the downtown," says the woman who nominated him for the award, Cathy Brubaker-Clarke, director of community and economic development for the city of Muskegon.
"He's done an excellent job in several different areas -- working with retailers and with various festivals, and he's great at coordination," she said. "Whatever comes up, people know who to go to."
With her nomination, Brubaker-Clarke included several newspaper articles describing recent downtown developments and Rinsema-Sybenga's role in them; a compilation of investments in the downtown area in recent years, numbering 48 in all; another list of downtown-based festivals held throughout the year; and a copy of Michigan Main Street News, a newsletter he puts out.
"It's been pretty exciting for the three years I've been involved, and there's always things in the works that keep the excitement building," Rinsema-Sybenga said. "Another great thing is the collaboration of all the people involved. People seem genuinely excited to work together and see the development of the downtown as a team project."
Rinsema-Sybenga said he nominated eight downtown Muskegon development projects for Michigan Downtown Conference awards, including the one won by Post.
"We're really excited about it," Post said. "The Century Club is a cool building that needed a lot of work, but I think we did a great job with it, and it's nice to be recognized."
Post proved wrong everyone who said the Century Club was beyond saving.
"Everybody has a memory of the Century Club, and it would have been a shame if it had been torn down. New buildings are fine, but it's still important to have some connection to your past."
As for his own award, Rinsema-Sybenga said it came as a complete surprise.
"We secretly submitted one for him," Brubaker-Clarke said.


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The Political Empowerment of the Poor in Bangladesh: Donors, NGOs and 'the Road Not Taken'
Oct 5, 2012, 11:30am-1:30pm
Recent research in Bangladesh highlights an interesting paradox: impressive development outcomes combined with extremely poor quality of governance. The country's active development NGO sector has been credited with some of the more positive development achievements. This presentation sets out to explore why the sector has not made an equivalent contribution on the governance front. It draws on field work in Bangladesh to explore the hypothesis that the problem lies in the increasing homogenization of the NGO sector around the delivery of services, primarily microfinance services, and its shift away from the political empowerment of the poor.
|305 Founders College, Keele campus
|YCAR, Social Science, GFWS, IDS
|Posted by:
|York Centre for Asian Research (YCAR)
|Web Site


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Brazilian sports business consultants Pluri Consultoria have this week published a list of the world's best-paid managers by annual salary.
From the list, we have learned that Jose Mourinho earns more than twice the wages of his Barcelona counterpart, Tito Vilanova, even though the Catalonian is leaving Los Blancos in the dust in La Liga this season.
So, are the world's best-remunerated managers justifying their bank balances? Take a look at the top 10 to find out...
The 10 Best-Paid Managers in the World: Are They Worth It?
By Ryan Bailey ,
Brazilian sports business consultants Pluri Consultoria have this week published a list of the world's best-paid managers by annual salary.
The Real Madrid manager certainly earned his keep in 2011-12 by winning La Liga with a record-breaking number of points and plenty of style.
However, things aren't going so well for The Special One in the current campaign, with Los Blancos 11 points behind leaders Barcelona. Given Atletico Madrid's current form, that margin could easily be extended to 14 points by Sunday.
Such a margin is usually cause for Madrid president Florentino Perez to ask his manager to clear out his desk. If Mou fails to bring a European Cup to the Bernabeu, he will surely get his marching orders.
The Italian's multi-million Euro salary is a mere drop in the ocean for PSG's Qatari owners, but so far it has been money for nothing.
Ancelotti took charge of the French side when they were top of the league in December 2011. He steered them away from the title and, despite spending like a man with no hands, has yet to bring any silverware to the Parisians.
However, the former Chelsea boss could start to turn things around this season. PSG may have been eliminated from the Coupe de la Ligue this week, but they are just two points off the pace in the league and through to the last 16 of the Champions League and scoring for fun.
A manager with a World Cup and five Serie A titles under his belt is bound to command a premium salary.
When Marcelo Lippi joined Chinese Super League champions Guangzhou Evergrande in May 2012, his two-and-a-half year contract was said to be worth up to €30 million.
So far, Lippi has fulfilled expectations, guiding Guangzhou to their second consecutive league title in October and winning the club's first ever Chinese FA Cup trophy in November.
Sir Alex Ferguson has been in the same job at one of the world's most successful sides since 1986, which makes his €9.4 million salary seem relatively modest.
Manchester United were second bottom in the league when the Scotsman first took the helm, and he has thus far delivered 12 league titles, two European Cups, five FA Cups and four League Cups.
This season, Sir Alex remains on course for league title number 13 and has reached the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Someone give this man a raise!
With his shrewd spending, innovative training techniques and experimental dietary regimes, the Professor might be the brainiest manager in the game—and he has a salary to match.
Wenger has delivered Arsenal three league titles, four FA Cups and 15 consecutive seasons of Champions League football since taking over in 1996.
From a financial perspective, his propensity to buy low and sell high (recent departure Robin van Persie cost £2.75 million and was sold for £24 million) more than justifies his pay packet.
Yet his willingness to sell Arsenal's best players is perceived as a major flaw by fans, and with the Gunners currently languishing in seventh place, Monsieur Wenger's days could be numbered.
The Dutchman has enjoyed a long managerial career at club and international level—and has even been bestowed with the ultimate honour of his own brand of pizza in South Korea.
After helping Turkey not qualify for Euro 2012 (despite a contentiously high salary), Hiddink joined Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala in February 2012.
With Anzhi currently in second place in the Russian Premier League behind CSKA Moscow, the former Netherlands coach announced this week that his generous salary will be the last he ever draws, as he will be retiring at the end of this season.
With five Serie A titles, a Champions League and two La Ligas on his resume, it's no surprise that Fabio Capello is commanding the highest international managerial salary in the world during his current tenure as Russia coach.
His salary is a slight increase on the £6 million he earned as England manager, where his contributions were generally regarded as disappointing.
However, since taking over in Russia in July, Capello's side are undefeated with five wins in seven games. They are now cruising at the top of their group in World Cup qualifying, which is all the Russian Football Union could expect from their investment.
Taking over from Barcelona's most successful manager of all time, Pep Guardiola, is no easy feat. However, Tito Vilanova is justifying his millions in his first top-flight coaching role.
Guardiola's former assistant currently has a win rate of 86 percent across all competitions, eclipsing the 72 percent success rate achieved by his predecessor.
As Jose Mourinho is acutely aware, Barca are 11 points clear of Real Madrid in the league and through to the knockout stage of the Champions League.
In August 2011, in a bid to catch up with Japan and South Korea, the Chinese FA searched Germany, the Netherlands and Spain for an experienced manager, and came up with José Camacho.
The former Spain and Real Madrid coach was charged with the responsibility of helping China to qualify for the 2014 World Cup. Despite his generous salary, Camacho failed in this task and is now preparing for next year's Asian Cup preliminaries.
The fiery Italian will relieve Manchester City's oil-rich owners of nearly six million Euros this year for the privilege of defending the Premier League title he won last season.
The former Internazionale and Lazio gaffer—who may be spending some of his wages on David Platt masks—is currently at the helm of one of Europe's few undefeated teams, with this season's Premier League title challenge looking like a two-horse race between City and rivals Manchester United.
Mancini has achieved a 59 percent win rate at Eastlands, some 13 percent better than predecessor Mark Hughes.


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The Minot Minotauros will have to wait at least until next season to win their first home playoff game in program history.
Austin (Minn.) goaltender Nick Lehr and the rest of the Bruins came away with two victories over the weekend at Maysa Arena, including a 1-0 win Saturday in game four of the North American Hockey League Central Division semifinals. Austin advances to play Bismarck in the division finals.
Lehr finished with 35 saves to earn the shutout, stymying Minot's offense despite a change in the Tauros' starting lineup by coach Marty Murray. Forwards Jake O'Borsky, Denis Dalidovich and Steven Sherman replaced Jadin Martin, Mason Morelli and Tim Donohue on the first line, but to no avail.
Article Photos
Tim Chapman/MDN
Minot forward Cameron Rowat skates by an Austin defender in Game 4 of an NAHL first-round playoff series Saturday at Maysa Arena.
"(Lehr) did a great job," Austin coach Chris Tok said. "We've been rotating goaltenders every other game, but we felt he should - with the big win last night - get another try and he definitely responded with the second win."
Austin forward John Simonson scored his second goal in as many nights to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead at 14:33 of the first period. Linemate Brandon Wahlin fed a pass that deflected off Simonson before coming to rest near his skate in the slot. The 5-foot-10 forward slapped the puck past Tauros goaltender Tyler Parks glove-side to give Austin the lead.
"To me, the first half of the game we weren't there," Murray said. "We weren't desperate enough in my mind for a team on the ropes."
As was the case in Friday's game, the Tauros were unable to generate any offense on the power play. During a brief 5-on-3 power play late in the first period, Morelli rang a shot off the crossbar, but that was the Tauros' best opportunity of the night with the man advantage.
"I thought it was going to go elbow in, but I guess not," Morelli said. "Not a lot of breaks were going our way."
Minot finished 0-for-6 on the power play.
"The power play was a big letdown this series," Murray said. "Those are game-changers. We had our chances. When you reflect back on the series, that's what you think of."
Parks did all he could to keep Saturday's game from being his last in a Tauros uniform. The St. Lawrence University-bound goaltender finished with 31 saves, getting the aid of the crossbar and goalposts on more than one occasion.
The Tauros pulled Parks in the final minute for an extra skater, but couldn't score the equalizer to force overtime for a second consecutive night.


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East Cape - Los Barriles & Cabo Pulmo
Trip Start Apr 11, 2010
40Trip End May 20, 2010
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I pulled into Los Barriles at the north end of the East Cape, considered to be the windsurfing and kite surfing capital of Baja for its consistently strong afternoon winds. From the road above Los Barriles looked especially green and idyllic with its pleasant drive-on beach and hundreds of sport fishing boats bobbing nearby in the sea.
My Moon Guide to Baja led me to believe there might be AYCE sushi at an outdoor restaurant named El Barrilito. This turned out to be another guidebook lie (or perhaps just out-of-date information) but it was just as well since their other offerings were superb. In Baja I learned that Caesar's Salad is not of Italian origin but was actually invented at the Hotel Caesar in Tijuana in 1924, so I felt compelled to have at least one while in Baja if not in the exact location of its origin. And what a Caesar it was, piled high with loads of meaty shrimp like you'd never find north of the border. Hmmm, why don't Mexican shrimp seem to have veins? I chose Pancho's Combo from the list of specials, which turned out to be a huge chile relleno with a shrimp and cheese stuffing and two smoked marlin enchiladas all smothered in spicy red chili sauce (and, of course, the ubiquitous sides of rice, bean mach, and guac).
And for dessert, flan, the milk egg custard with caramel sauce that's one of the few commonalities between Mexican and Spanish cuisines. I've noticed, though, that flan in Mexico differs somewhat from the Spanish version; while in Spain flan is a delicate custard that quivers on the plate in response to the slightest movement. Mexican flan is usually thicker, more "al dente" with a texture tending toward a very light bread pudding
I decided to camp on the beach for the night and get up early for the drive south on the unpaved sandy washboard road down the East Cape. Cabo Pulmo is about 30 miles down the road from Los Barriles, its claim to fame being the northernmost coral reef on the west coast of North America and the only one on Baja California. There weren't enough tourists around that day to make the boat operator's effort worthwhile, but fortunately the reefs are near enough to just rent snorkel gear and swim to from shore. Between my snoozy impersonations of a beached whale under a shady palapa I donned my mask and flippers and swam out to the reef - lots of garish colored tropical fishes but nothing as exciting as snorkeling with sea lions.
Tacos Cabo Pulmo sounded like it must be the local specialty at the beachside La Palapa restaurant, so I figured I'd give them a try figuring it must be something fishy. Tacos in Mexico are usually served with rather dry ingredients, unheated tortillas (either flour or corn) and lots of salsas and toppings, but these were stuffed with a creamy, cheesy mixture of shrimp, fish, and scallops and then grilled. Exquisite!
Bahia de Los Frailes, a wide crescent-shaped beach a few miles south of Cabo Pulmo, seemed like a good place to stop before sunset and set up camp for the night
Lauren and Chelsea were studying for a semester in Guadalajara and making the best of their holiday breaks to explore Mexico, including flying to South Baja and renting a car for a week. They had been to Copper Canyon in March and traveled from the canyon to the Pacific coast, conforming for me that doing so was possible even though no roads show up on maps of the area. Their route, however, was somewhat north of the one I planned to take and their stories of encountering some of the narco terrorists in the region didn't make the area sound all that safe.
The girls were looking for a place to stay in Cabo San Lucas the next night but had not yet heard back from their Couchsurfing International contact. I offered them to stay in my timeshare in Cabo for a night if they wanted since I'd be checking in in the evening but my friends wouldn't be getting in until the following day
My sunrise job on the beach followed by a morning shower in the calm sea were lovely. An hour's drive farther I noticed the pounding surf and stopped at Playa Tortuga for frolic in the waves. I had rounded the cape and here the south facing beaches were exposed to the open Pacific's swells in contrast to the calm Sea of Cortez shores. Wild ocean waves nearly my height crashing directly onto the beach, buff bronzed surfer dudes on their boards, and a palapa for some shade - this is my Baja!


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MIDLAND, MI – As the Bay City Players nears its premiere of "Les Miserables," the Midland Center for the Arts' Center Stage Theatre has announced a round of open auditions for its own production of the musical theater classic hitting the stage in March 2014.
Based on Victor Hugo's novel, the tale of passion and destruction in 19th-century France calls for a cast of 30 to 40 men, women and children. Auditions begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3, and Friday, Dec. 6; at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, and at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 16, at the center at 1801 W. St. Andrews.
Actors may attend any date but must stay for the entire three-hour audition. Packets are available at the center's front desk beginning Monday, Nov. 18.
"We're going big on this one," said Dexter Brigham, managing director of the Center Stage Theatre and Choirs. "With plays like this, we could easily end up with 50 people onstage and almost as many working behind the scenes.
"Can you imagine anything more thrilling than 'One Day More,' with 50 actors singing their hearts out to the accompaniment of a full orchestra? It's like the Beethoven's Ninth of musical theater."
And there are three strong roles for children, he added, as young Cosette, Gavroche and Eponine.
Director Carol Rumba wants actors to bring a musical piece to the audition, not necessarily from the "Les Miz" score, that best speaks to the character they hope to portray, Brigham said.
"Carol is the perfect person for a production like this," he added. "She can meet the literary needs and she has a passion for storytelling."
Rehearsals begin right after the holidays, he said, in prep for performances March 21-29.
Volunteers are also needed backstage, Brigham said. Those interested can fill out a volunteer form on the center's website, mcfta.org.
For more information on the auditions, call Katy Gaertner at 989-631-5930, ext. 1245.


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(Originally published 6/13/08)
This weekend's festival schedule includes no less than three events: the Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival, the Louisiana Seafood Festival and the Great French Market Creole Tomato Festival.
Promoters are calling it Vieux To-Do. Casual observers would call it a very busy weekend. To Tenney Flynn, it's business as usual.
Since April, the chef-owner of GW Fins has: stirred shrimp etouffee for three straight days at the French Quarter Festival; prepared Louisiana shrimp salad with chervil aioli at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival; and set up shop in the Superdome to cook for two days as a participant in the New Orleans Wine and Food Experience.
This Sunday, Flynn will cook at both the Seafood and Creole Tomato festivals, and he still will not miss a dinner shift at Fins.
The itinerant schedule is not unusual for a chef in New Orleans, where festivals are as common as Little League games -- and no event can become annual without providing credible food.
And then there are the large-scale, often glitzy parties that fill the coffers of local philanthropies.
"Every year, we pick out six charity events to commit to, but we end up doing about 12," Flynn said. "The request for donations and participation is literally daily -- and that is in addition to the festivals that are trying to promote business for everybody."
If New Orleans is a city that loves to eat, it is also one -- as this weekend's festivals suggest -- that believes strongly in the civic benefit of displaying its culture to attract crowds.
The upshot for diners is a surplus of opportunities to sample the wares of New Orleans' best chefs without ever having to step foot in -- or pay the prices charged by -- their restaurants.
Increasingly, you don't even have to attend a festival.
The Green Plate Special at the Crescent City Farmers Market on Tuesday has been a longtime platform for local chefs and restaurants to showcase affordable samples of their cooking. Chefs from Ralph's on the Park, Sara's, Cochon, Dante's Kitchen and Mat & Naddie's have participated in the past several years. This month, Crepes a la Carte is featured.
St. James Cheese Company and Bacchanal Fine Wine & Spirits have broken the mold of the traditional retailer by frequently inviting chefs hungry for side gigs -- or, in some cases, a refreshing respite from the grind of the restaurant business -- to cook on-site. On June 5, St. James featured the food of Corbin Evans, who is moving to New York (see Quick Bites).
Evans, a former chef at Savvy Gourmet and chef-owner of Lulu's in the Garden, worked alone on St. James' patio, where customers brought their own wine to go with Evans' menu.
Bacchanal popularized the sort of dinners that St. James hosts when it turned its backyard over to former Marisol chef Peter Vazquez after Hurricane Katrina. Vazquez has moved on. Bacchanal, meanwhile, has given New Orleans its entry into the "underground restaurant" movement that has taken root on the coasts: basically for-pay dinner parties thrown by culinary professionals in private homes or other nontraditional settings.
Most weeks at Bacchanal, you'll find guest chefs staffing the portable stove in the backyard on Thursday, Friday and Sunday nights. Chefs such as Iris' Ian Schnoebelen and Martinique Bistro's Eric Labouchere have been frequent participants.
Ben Moren -- described by Bacchanal owner Chris Rudge as a college student who used to cook at Lola's but "doesn't want to work full-time anymore" -- prepares a tapas meal every other Friday. Bart Bell, a former sous chef at Cuvee, and Jeff Baron, owners of the Dough Bowl pizza joint, own Thursday nights.
Bell is a case study of the kind of nontraditional temperament and career that can be fostered when chefs step out of restaurant kitchens to cook in the open air.
He started cooking at Bacchanal on a lark, hoping to make some extra cash after quitting Cuvee to prepare for the launch of his own restaurant with Moren, The Crescent Pie and Sausage Company. The restaurant isn't expected to open until late summer, but the duo's popular Bacchanal appearances have stoked anticipation.
"We're spreading the word and paying our bills on top of it," Bell said of Bacchanal. "Cooking outdoors doesn't seem like work, I love that little gig."
It has lead to others, such as cooking at the French Quarter Festival and the Bayou Boogaloo Music Festival.
The success has lead Bell to invest some of the windfall in upgraded outdoor cooking equipment. The customized burner he recently bought for his 30-gallon cast-iron pot cooks jambalaya in an hour. Ultimately, Bell said, he'd like to have a trailer equipped with a smoker, grill and other gear that he could use to cook at any festival.
"A full catering trailer," Bell said. "That's what I want. I want that more than I want a restaurant."
What: The festival is keyed to the opening of the brown shrimp season, but features all manner of seafood at more than 50 booths as well as demonstrations, cookbook signings and specialty products.
When: Today through Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Where: Old U.S. Mint, 400 Esplanade Ave.
Information: Visit www.LouisianaSeafoodFestival.com.
The following venues showcase the cooking of local chefs outside the confines of a traditional restaurant.
Bacchanal Fine Wine and Spirits
600 Poland Ave., (504) 948-9111
The backyard of this wine retailer turns into an open-air cafe on Thursday, Friday and Sunday nights. Thursdays belong to Bart Bell and Jeff Baron, who specialize in handmade grilled sausages and pizzas. Fridays alternate between Ben Moren's tapas (they will be there tonight) and Flaco and Sons Carribean Barbecue. This Sunday, Bell and Baron will also be the featured chefs.
The Crescent City Farmers Market
At the market in Uptown Square, 200 Broadway St., the Tuesday Market's Green Plate Special is prepared by chefs, who generally hold the responsibility for a month. The Saturday market at the corner of Magazine and Girod streets regularly hosts cooking demonstrations by top chefs. For details, visit www.crescentcityfarmersmarket.org.
St. James Cheese Company
5004 Prytania St., (504) 899-4737
Thursday evening dinners on the patio will resume later this summer. Call the shop for details.
What: Celebration of the Creole tomato with cooking demonstrations, food booths, tastings, music and produce.
When: Noon to 6:30 p.m. today through Sunday
Where: French Market, with Cocina Latina, along Dutch Alley from Dumaine to St. Philip streets
Information: For a complete schedule, visit www.frenchmarket.org, or call (504) 522-2621
Meet Wayne Baquet, a veteran New Orleans restaurateur, who sample at the Creole Tomato Festival. This week, he chats with Chris Rose in Lagniappe's 60 Second Interview.


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The Penn State football team kicked off training camp early this morning in Happy Valley, bringing the regular season one important step closer.
The team broke down into positions and competed in 7-on-7 drills as the sun rose over Mount Nittany.
Coach Bill O'Brien was spotted working directly with the quarterbacks and wide receivers, a relationship that could go a long way toward determining the Nittany Lions' success. Heading into camp, the quarterback position was up for grabs as Hackenberg and sophomore Tyler Ferguson get prepared to make their PSU debuts.
While closed to the media and public, several Penn State officials shared the action from practice on Instagram and Twitter. It started at sunrise and concluded just after 8:30 a.m.


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Today's breakfast was buffalo sausage and pan-fried sweet potatoes. No pics, because it was too delicious to let get cold
Breakfast sausage is one thing I love, and it's easy to make and keep leftovers for easy, quick, protein-rich primal breakfasts. Just mix a pound (or more) of your favorite ground meat with some salt and generous heap of italian herbs (basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme, etc.) plus garlic and onion powder to taste. Add sage if you like sage sausage. Add 1-2 tbsp warmed or melted lard and mix thoroughly (adds some nice fat and helps leaner meats adhere so patties don't break apart so easily). Form into 1-2 oz patties and cook in lard or oil.
Wrap up the leftovers and freeze them. It's a great way to stretch your potentially expensive grass-fed ground meat, and therefore qualifies as amazing.


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Sprouts grow from any number of vegetables, grains or beans, and vary quite widely in texture and taste.
Alfalfa sprouts are one of the more common types and are often found at salad bars and in delis. Other varieties include broccoli, clover, sunflower, mustard, onion, lentil, radish, mung bean and soybean.
NUTRITION: One cup of sprouted raw alfalfa seeds contains eight calories. They are a good source of protein and fiber and pack vitamins A, C and K as well as niacin, calcium, thiamin, riboflavin, folate, pantothenic acid, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper and manganese.
HOW TO CHOOSE: Many people grow their own sprouts with seeds or kits purchased at a health food store. But sprouts are also sold in the produce department of supermarkets. Look for sprouts with moist, white roots that seem crisp.
HOW TO STORE: Sprouts don't keep long, but rinsing them daily under cold water can extend their life. Keep them in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.
HOW TO USE: They are most often used in salads and sandwiches or made into juice. Some of the bean varieties are sturdy enough to withstand cooking and can be added to steamed vegetables, soups or stir-fries.
SOURCES: International Sprout Growers Association, www.Nutritiondata.com


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Edwards, an unheralded 48th-round pick from Newberry, SC in 2011, was named the eighth best prospect in the league after dominating over 10 starts with the Indians. The right-hander posted a 2.11 ERA and struck out 60 batters in just 47 innings pitched with Spokane. Including his four appearances with the Arizona League Rangers, Edwards finished the 2012 season with a 5-3 record and sterling 1.48 ERA.
Valdespina, a free agent signing from the Dominican Republic in 2011, was tabbed as the league's 13th best prospect thanks to his towering 6'6" frame and mid-90's fastball. Though he struggled overall with a 5.58 ERA, Valdespina finished the season with a flourish, allowing just three runs over his final three starts including a phenomenal 6 IP-1 H-10 K performance against Salem-Keizer on August 23rd.
A full list of the league's top 20 prospects can be found HERE.
The Spokane Indians are the Short Season Class "A" affiliate for the two-time defending American League Champion Texas Rangers. Ticket Packages for the 2013 season are now on sale with plans starting as low as $63. Reserve your seats today by calling (509) 343-OTTO (6886). Fans can also purchase tickets by visiting spokaneindians.com.
Today on MiLB.com
Top Stories on MiLB.com
- Rays' Honeywell finds his form in Fall League
- Jones, Thaiss help Angels build for future
- AFL notes: Miles to go for Royals' O'Hearn
- Mets' Cecchini busts out with three-hit afternoon
- AFL notes: Allen reviving a lost art at the plate
- Tribe's Zimmer belts first AFL homer in win
- Report: Braves' Marksberry out of coma
- Young arms, Stewart's bat shine for Detroit


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TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- Tuscaloosa police charged a 26-year-old man with vehicular homicide Sunday afternoon after a passenger died in a single vehicle accident on the Hugh Thomas Bridge.
Diego Francisco Diego was determined to be intoxicated at the time of the accident, when he lost control of the vehicle and struck a metal guard rail before crossing the roadway and hitting a concrete median.
Diego's passenger, Lisandra Estrada Gonzalez, died at DCH from injuries sustained in the crash. Police say a juvenile passenger received minor injuries as well, but was treated and released.
Diego was transported to the Tuscaloosa County Jail on a $10,000 cash bond, and the crash investigation is still ongoing.


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A trio of hapless teens broke into a West Brighton Dunkin' Donuts over the weekend, only to find rolls of coins to steal, according to police.
The penny-ante caper took place two minutes before midnight Friday, at the doughnut chain's 1872 Richmond Terrace location, according to police.
Police say the teens -- Esteban Meza, 18, of Barker Street in West Brighton, Douglas Marshall, 16, of Scribner Avenue in New Brighton, and Victor Martinez, 16, of Riley Place in Port Richmond -- got into the store by taking turns hurling a cinder block at a glass door.
"We went in to see if they had value, but there wasn't much but rolls of pennies. We took them," said Meza in a written statement, according to police. All three suspect admitted to the break-in, court papers allege.
Police caught all three on the scene, court papers allege, and each of them still had their cut of the heist -- $11.15 for Martinez, $4.50 for Meza, and $3.50 for Marshall.
All three are charged with third-degree burglary, third-degree criminal mischief, petit larceny and fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, according to information from District Attorney Daniel Donovan's office.
Martinez, who court papers allege was carrying a Leatherman multi-tool, was also charged with possession of burglary tools.
Follow @siadvance on Twitter


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Being on trial for bribery has to be a stressful event, so one could forgive F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone for stumbling over his words as the proceedings began. That said, his wife probably won't be pleased with his answer to a seemingly very simple question on Thursday.
Bernie Ecclestone trial: Q - 'Bernie, please confirm your marital status' A - 'Divorced' Q - 'But you remarried in 2012' A - 'Oh yes I did'.— BetVictor (@BetVictor) April 24, 2014
That's right, Ecclestone apparently forgot he was married. We're no relationship counsellors, but it's safe to say that's a faux pas.
Poor form, Bernie.


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CINNAMINSON TWP. — Authorities have arrested an eighth person in connection with an alleged multi-faceted scheme to use Cinnaminson Sewerage Authority (CSA) equipment and money for personal use.
Scott D. Mayes Jr., 21, of Delran, is accused of painting a shed belonging to a CSA officer's mother-in-law, using Authority-purchased paint. His alleged role only scratches the surface of what authorities say was a heist of sorts involving at least tens of thousands of dollars in funds and items.
CSA employee Carmelo Colon - already charged in the case - allegedly helped Mayes paint the shed at a Long Beach Township home. Both are also accused of filling out time sheets showing 45 minutes of overtime.
Mayes is a seasonal CSA employee and a nephew of the authority's Superintendent, Paul Phillips, who was also charged in the case.
Mayes was charged with corruption of public resources and conspiracy - corruption of public resources. He was freed after posting bail set at $20,000.
Phillips is accused of using CSA money and equipment to benefit a business - J & B Environmental Services - that he and a few other CSA employees run.
He and others are also accused of using Authority money to buy items for personal use.