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No one could have predicted the critical and commercial success of Batman: Arkham Aslyum and Borderlands, two of the last year's left-field surprises. Gearbox Software's decision to completely revamp the look of Borderlands ignited new interest in the co-op shooter with the promise of a billion guns and when the game was released in October, it only took a look at your friends list to realize it was a hit. To get a better sense of how Borderlands took shape at Gearbox, how the team decided to play with the art and what that means for the future of Borderlands, I spoke with Gearbox VP of product development Aaron Thibault, producer Stephen Palmer and game director Matthew Armstrong.
G4: When I went over Twitter and asked users for questions, people wanted to know if you were on Team Conan or Team Leno? We should get the awkward question out of the way first.
[laughs from around the room]
Matthew Armstrong: I'm on Team Conan.
Aaron Thibault: Coco's a rebel, man! He's an indie guy.
Stephen Palmer: I was impressed with him sticking it to the man.
Thibault: I'm pretty sure we have a Craigslist bid out. [laughs]
G4: Take me back to when Borderlands was pitched. Given how much has changed publicly and clearly internally, what was the original idea for this project? What was the core idea behind this project? Take me back to when that happened.
Armstrong: This came about actually [when] we were finishing up Halo. We were porting Halo to the PC, which was quite fun and it was really neat and it was really enjoyable to get to play around in Bungie's work and see how they did things. One of the things that they did, which is genius, is their weapons used a sort of data-driven system. Rather than building each weapon individually, they built the weapon systemically, which is a little different than how most games did up until that point. We looked at this and I thought a little beyond that surface area of how they did it to make it more convenient, let the designer have more control over the weapons, and I realized that if you did this right and you evolved it the right way, you could have a first-person-shooter that had literally millions of weapons all designed or built with a fairly small group of people using systemic design.
I go to one of our producers at the time and mention this and I say "I don't know what we do with this exactly" and his response is "well, you do Halo-meets-Diablo. You make that promise. That's sort of a promise that floats around the back of people's head." When he said that, we started thinking about how could we do this, how could we make a first person shooter that has the accessibility -- when I say Halo, I don't mean literally Halo. Halo brings to it a measure of accessibility and ease of use and anybody can play it. When you look at a role-playing-game you see something that's deep and more complicated and more tricky. What Diablo did was Diablo took the role-playing-game and made it accessible. Randy [Pitchford, president of Gearbox] often says that the skill used in playing the game is the same as opening an application -- it's mostly clicking, it starts very simple, it evolves and you learn.
We could apply a lot of these same concepts to a first-person-shooter and anybody that plays Halo can jump into and understand but can evolve into something with the depth and fun and variety of a kind of a nice fun action RPG. So, that was the start and that was the goal.
G4: Clearly the art style is something that's come up. A lot of people have said they were very interested in Borderlands but the tipping point for a lot of people where they, I don't know, identified the soul of Borderlands, was when that art change happened last year. At what point in the project did you guys identify this was something to work on?
Armstrong: I just want to say that for a lot of people at this company, that was also the tipping point for what this project was. The art style change really brought into focus what the game was. The art style finally meshed with the game's personality and the gameplay style and that really, really made it easier to develop and to work on it.
Palmer: As far as a specific timeline, that change didn't happen till very late [in] 2008. In fact, October. That marked a pretty major change in the entire project. Like Matthew said, I think that was a big catalyst for finally zeroing in on the personality of the game and making the game fun.
G4: But how did it actually happen? As the game was doing through the development process, did you just say "we're missing something"? That's not usually something you see so far into a project. That's usually something you see in a sequel.
Palmer: Yeah, there are lots of accounts of this floating around there. To sum it up, I think right around the time we made that change we applied a lot of new people to this project and there were just some fresh eyes. There were a couple of artists, level designers and even one of the owners of the company, [executive VP] Brian Martel, they looked at it from an art perspective and they had an idea they wanted to try. They put together a demo, a prototype of the art style that they had in their mind and understanding that change would be extremely risky and a pretty radical move, they got this art test to a point where it was very demonstrable running in the game and they got it to that point and got a meeting together with Randy Pitchford, myself and a few others to show it to us to see if it would work.
(The original look for Borderlands, as it was shown to the gaming industry for several years.)
G4: What was that meeting like? What the feeling in that meeting?
Palmer: It was pretty exciting. I think initially it was nervous -- the artists were excited, they were proud of what they did, but I remember that there was a long kind of silence while we were just soaking it in. That was kind of a nervous time, but then people started to make comments and then it just sort of escalated into a lot of very positive emotions about it. So, yeah, it was an interesting meeting, but that was really a catalyst -- there was a lot of excitement there and that excitement just built and we brought that to our publisher after the decision was made that it was really the right thing to do for the game, so we carried that full excitement to the publisher. They immediately latched onto it and said "hey, we can sell this, this is great." And from there it just happened.
I can tell you the team at large -- we tried to keep it quiet, but the demo got out and everyone was looking at it, either right before or at the same time Randy was looking at it and there was just a lot of excitement on the team because it felt like something really meaty that they could sink their teeth into and it was really a rallying point for the project. We were able to really capitalize on that excitement and enthusiasm when we got back and committed to it.
"The artists were excited, they were proud of what they did, but I remember that there was a long kind of silence while we were just soaking it in"
G4: As you describe the origins of the project -- weapon creation and Diablo-style looting -- this art style change is the other half of the story. Can you imagine what it would have been like if you had followed the original path and right now we were talking about Borderlands with the original art design?
Palmer: It would have been an uphill battle [in the marketplace]. In fact, a lot of the reviews made the correlation that Matt mentioned earlier that it feels like it matches the gameplay and it enables the gameplay to be a lot more fun and interesting because it's so over-the-top and there's a lot of freedom to it.
Armstrong: With the old art style, we had a gun and it shot people and it set them on fire, right? So we have this gun and we get people playing the game and their response is "where's my incendiary ammo? How do I load the incendiary ammo? How do I make incendiary ammo work with this gun?" We say "no, no, no the gun makes the bullets incendiary." [Then, they'd say] "How does that work?" That question kept getting asked. We changed the art style -- no one's ever asked that question again. Those questions go away because it's fanciful and it allows us -- [and] the player -- to make a certain leap of faith into an understanding that the crazier and wackier and more fun things can exist in this world.
G4: I was a huge fan of Fallout 3 when that came out and it is one of those games that was dark and dreary and if you're in that universe for too long, it can even be kind of depressing to play. One of the things that really stuck out in my mind when I played Borderlands, even though Borderlands has a apocalyptic feel, it has a very playful, colorful atmosphere to it.
Palmer: It ended up being one of the best decisions we ever made for the project and it became a pillar that the game was built on.
Thibault: I think it's awesome that we are in an environment where that kind of change can happen. We all come from different areas of development that have made our way to Gearbox over the years and at a more traditionally run studio, I don't think that sort of decision is possible. Because of the relationship that we had with 2K [Games, the publisher] and because of the vision that we were able articulate in the new art style they saw that this is something they'd be able to market, that would speak to the audience, that would differentiate us from Fallout or other games in the space that use more realistic art styles -- maybe even not photo-real, but certainly more realistic art style that tend towards having things be plausible in the environment. Getting away from an art style that was grounded in plausibility really opened us up to be able to play -- like you said, it's more more playful, so it enabled everybody to contribute on the team to the playfulness of the game and that really was sort of something that helped everybody rally behind the game and help us in landing towards the end of production. It kept everybody focused on what would be fun about this and looking forward to seeing this in the market.
G4: The decision that you guys made towards the latter half of development is something you often hear in postmortems -- "We wish we'd have done that, but..." To see this pay off, to this become a hit, must not only be encouraging because you decided to make that decision, but probably encouraging to make them going forward.
Thibault: Right. We're not afraid to make those kind of decisions if they're the right decision and we can see the ROI [return on investment] associated with the risk in making them. If it's the right decision, then we will favor making it. It's one of the things that's separated Gearbox from other kinds of companies is that we have the nuts.
Palmer: [laughs] We use the fact that we made that change and we tried to make a story of it because we thought it was an important part about the story of the game. As you're watching, I'm sure you've noticed we've started to talk about this, so we weren't afraid to approach that even with the public and make our case. Even reading a lot of the reviews there's a kind of a refrain that bubbles up that [says] "it was a risky move but I'm glad they did it."
G4: In the weeks before release, it seemed people weren't quite sure what to make of the game. Gamers were at least pretty excited about the art style, but analysts were predicting modest sales, asking why this company was releasing a shooter just before Modern Warfare 2 -- a lot of games got out of the way of Call of Duty. How were you guys feeling before the game hit and you could say certifiably, "we've hit a home run!"?
[long pause]
Palmer: I think generally the feeling was we weren't 100% sure even close to launch. Yeah, in the office everybody wants to try and make predictions about how it's going to sell or what's gonna happen. In the past, I think a lot of our games...we were able to do that pretty confidently before the game comes out just based on all the trade shows and the PR [public relations] rounds and all the stuff you do before it hits the shelves. You can sort of build a general sense of what's going to happen. Borderlands was a lot tougher to tag. Like, I would said "man, it could be anywhere from a complete failure to a smash hit." There's so much range of possibility there that it was really tough for us to predict.
Thibault: The way we talk about prediction of sales and expectations we set is we like to set very low expectations internally so we can be surprised by our success. It's sort of pervasive around the company. When we talked about what might we sell and how excited should we get we talked about "well, we could sell anywhere from zero units to 10-million plus, we don't know." Especially for something where we are launching a new IP, we don't know how it's going to be received. We had a number of demo sessions where we got great feedback from the audience that there was a good vibe, we felt there were good hooks in the game that would show us to be different and different enough from other titles that were launching in the same timeframe as us that we'd have something to different to offer, that we wouldn't be going head-to-head against, say, Modern Warfare 2, that actually we had something different to offer than what Call of Duty is offering their audience. As well as you could pick any other shooter or RPG -- we're offering a hybrid experience that you're not going to get in any other title. There are certainly titles that have elements of what we've done and we've certainly drawn inspiration from a number of titles as any good gamers would, but we always believe that we can do better.
We have the hubris that designers who are going to do innovative things should have, but at the same time, we check ourselves on the risk side of production and think about what would be smart to do. We have awesome people who have their pulse to the market and are able to inform the decisions we make, as well as the truth team testing we do, which is a new department for focus testing that we setup inside the company, where we bring in lots and lots of people who represent our customer base to give us feedback and allow us to trending of design implementation as we build, so we have a pretty good handle about design throughout the course of development and we use that to fuel some of our expectations.
Even so, it's a gamble. You don't know when you put it out there in the world, especially a new IP, you don't know how it's going to be received. So far, it's worked. We've been pleasantly surprised, having not set enormous expectations.
Palmer: I'd summarize our feelings about Borderlands...the team was very excited about what they created. We were very hopeful that it would be well received. We were having fun playing it in the office, our focus testing had gradually and continuously trended upward to where it was at a comfortable level of positive feedback. But even with all that anticipation, we were nervous because it's a new IP and a new idea and we really just didn't know how it'd be accepted.
G4: From my perspective on 2009, the game this happened to last was Batman: Arkham Asylum. It was one of those games where when I booted up my machine and as you looked at all your friends, everybody was playing it. People seemed to really rally behind it. Once you guys saw that, I imagine that must have produced a huge sigh of relief.
Palmer: Oh, yeah. We were watching every sort of input we could get -- our forums, Twitter, the web sites that aggregate player data. We were refreshing constantly in anticipation. It was very, very relieving and encouraging to see it take off so quickly.
Thibault: One of the things we realized was that this is a word-of-mouth game. It's hard to articulate in a marketing snippet what the experience of the game is that's really gonna get it across. It kind of requires that word-of-mouth.
Palmer: This was our first launch where you could watch Twitter and actually see people talking about it in real-time and see the word-of-mouth spreading, which is pretty cool.
G4: That's very new to games, too to get that real-time tracking, the idea of a "trending topic." It's not sales data but it gives you an idea where the buzz is at.
Thibault: Right, and we have people here who are all over Twitter. We're definitely fostering that community.
Palmer: As soon as Ice-T started talking about it, we knew. [laughs]
G4: One of the things you alluded to was the difficulty in getting the experience of the game across. How come you guys decided to not release a demo before the release?
Palmer: I think there's a mix of practicality and deliberateness that decision. It honestly would have been tough, particularly a pre-release demo. So that certainly motivated and influenced that, but at the same time, we aren't totally sold on the value of pre-release demos in general here. I don't know that it would have helped. It would have been difficult to create a demo.
We actually put a lot of discussion into it and tried to kick around some designs that might work and might be achievable, but at the end of the day, Borderlands is a difficult game to play half-an-hour of and really understand and get hooked. There's so much that we needed to train the player to do and the beginning of the game is deliberately slow and it rolls out a lot of these concepts very slowly, deliberately over time and it takes a couple hours before you really get into the rhythm of the game. We would have had to provide a very large amount of the game in a demo in order for that to be possible. Both practically in a design sense and in a time and space sense, it didn't make sense to do.
G4: Borderlands allows for both single-player play and four-player co-op. How successful do you guys feel you were at making the experience fun for both kinds of experiences? Would you have done anything differently to change that experience for each side?
Armstrong: Not a thing. I think that's one of our big successes. I wouldn't have done anything different. Now, we might do things different in the future, but when you look at something and think "this is one of the big successes of the project," it's kind of a risky thing to start thinking "what would I have done differently then?" In the future, we can change things.
"In the first two week so development, we were playing four-player co-op."
In the first two weeks of development, we were playing four-player co-op. It was thanks to the incredible skills of our tech and code team. We were stable and could play co-op for the entire development. Any day, any time, you could jump in and have a co-op game. It's significantly easier to balance a game in co-op if it's always there, if it's there from the start. From the very start of the game we said "we need to build and design this game so it's a cooperative game you can play by yourself. It needs to be fun by yourself, it needs to be lots of energy and excitement and it needs to have all the gameplay and all the story and all the elements together when you play by yourself, but we need to make sure from the very start that we're making a game that's especially fun when you play co-op."
Palmer: Going forward, from my reading of the critical reviews of the game, co-op was very successful and even single-player resonated with a lot of people. But I think we can do even better on the single-player front by doing a bit better on the storytelling aspect and focusing a little more [on] iterating on our AI systems, and I think by doing those two things we can bring even the single-player experience up to the level of the co-op play.
G4: Was the storytelling aspect of Borderland something that came later, not necessarily important on this project? Especially compared to other Gearbox projects like Brothers in Arms.
Palmer: It certainly was something we prioritized lower than making sure the core game was done and the co-op was fun. Overall, I don't think it's as important, particularly for the co-op experience. I mean, it's very clear that just the ability to jump in the game with three of your friends and explore in this world and have fun with the combat and everything -- that is almost all you need and it's so chaotic and so over-the-top, it's a great experience in and of itself. But when you're alone in the world, I think we do need more hooks there to pull the player through. I think we made the right decisions for Borderlands this time around and we'll just continue to improve going forward.
G4: Based on what I've read, some common criticisms leveled against the game by users was the sometimes unresponsive AI and the lack of a mini-map. Were you conscious of both of these potential criticisms while developing the game? Now that 2K Games is referring to Borderlands as a "franchise," I'm sure you're in the course of analyzing all these things at the moment.
Palmer: Yeah, absolutely. Going forward, I want to make sure that we understand what our customers like, what they didn't like and certainly in the case of the mini-map for instance, it was one of those things that we knew the game could be better if it had it and it was done correctly, but we had to de-prioritize it in the overall scheme of things and at the end we ended up not having one.
Thibault: There were some other reasons having to do with navigation, as well, and getting people to actually go through the menus and learn what was available to them.
Armstrong: Actually, it is true. Part of the training thing was we found that when we never required the player to go into the menus they had difficulty learning how to sue the menus. So that sort of tied into it a little bit. There were a lot of technical issues in trying to get the thing implemented and it wasn't the highest priority. We made sure that you can quickly access the map by holding the back key and it pops up really quickly and goes away when you let go, which is a feature we found a lot of people don't know about, so we did give you some quick access to map if you need it.
G4: I actually did not know about that.
Palmer: It wasn't trained.
Armstrong: It wasn't trained, but we have the functionality there, so we have something that is very similar to a mini-map in the game. Making sure that we trained people of all the things that are actually in the game better might be something we want to work on in the future.
Palmer: We actually had a radar of sorts for a long time, even from the very beginning of the game, where it would show you relative position of enemies around you. It didn't have a sense of the world boundaries, so it wasn't useful for navigation, and we went back and forth about including that or not, but I think at the end, we ended up saying "well, if we're gonna do this, we're need to do it right with a real mini-map." We just weren't able to do that.
Those types of things...we're definitely going to be listening to our customers. As a producer, I've been spending a lot of my time really analyzing all the reviews, all the feedback and trying to really bring into focus what expectations that were there that we did not meet that we should meet in the future and what expectations people had that we really did meet and just double down on the things that were very successful.
Armstrong: Making Borderlands was a great deal of invention. What we're doing now -- you can see in the DLC [downloadable content], you can see in The Island of Dr. Ned how the story moved -- what we're doing now is evolution. It's going to be much easier for us tackling problems understanding what the holistic view of how they felt and how they reacted and having a complete great to react to. So even as the quickly as the first DLC we ever did, you find a tighter story, a better story, a generally better single-player experience as you're travelling through the world and I think that sort of evolution will continue as we move forward in Borderlands.
G4: Do you have a very extensive road map for Borderlands? Do you have a six-month, year-long plan? Or because the game was something of a surprise hit, is that up in the air?
Palmer: We have a pretty solid plan right now in place. That came together very quickly as the game was launching. We're still learning a lot about DLC, this is the first title we've done that really leverages DLC, so we're also learning about results and how to think about that even earlier and plan for future Borderlands titles.
Armstrong: We've been listening to the player community. We said before we launched the game that we were going to listen to the community for what it felt like would be best received and most interesting and that's really what's fueled our efforts for what we've done so far, trying to cater to different parts of the community. There's a lot of different things in the game that different people find to be the most interesting hooks. That's part of it, as well. That combined with knowing the things we're really interested in doing internally and finding out where the best matches are has produced so far in some really well-received DLC from our perspective.
G4: One thing I really appreciated because I play a lot of games with my girlfriend on the same Xbox is the split-screen. That seems to be a rarer and rare commodity in games these days, especially shooters. Was that important to you guys to have that option?
Armstrong: It was actually really important to us because we recognized really early on that this was going to be a word-of-mouth game and a big part of what makes a word-of-mouth game worthwhile is you come in, you sit on the couch and you say "hey, come over and check out this game out and play with me." We wanted people to play with each other so other people would play the game and have that experience. Besides that, it's so co-op centric, that not having split-screen would have felt like a missing feature. Adding co-op feels like an extra feature, but on this project, I suspect it would have felt like a missing feature to not have it.
G4: As you're tracking people's experience with the game now and they're downloading the DLC and giving you feedback, what's been the thing that you didn't think people would latch onto? What surprised you most about people's response to Borderlands?
[long pause]
Everyone: Hmm.
"Players almost feel like 'hey, you let me down a little because there's not more to do.' We gave you a huge giant game, we didn't even know this many people would want more to do."
Palmer: Matt's never surprised. He predicted it all! I think I was surprised, maybe less from a customer point-of-view and maybe from a critical point-of-view, just how the success of the co-op aspect of the game really buoyed the overall feeling and impression and enthusiasm for the game. We don't know exactly what percentage of our players have actually played co-op online or even split-screen but we suspect it's not very high. Overall, people embracing the game because it's such a fun experience and I think that really created that word-of-mouth, that noise.
Armstrong: I believe the biggest surprise for much of the team was how many people played the second playthrough -- how many people finished the game and then kept playing and played to the end. We got a lot of people saying "hey, I'm level 50 and I've completed everything, now what do I do?"
Palmer: There's a lot of people mad at us. How dare we not keep them addicted?!
Armstrong: There was a big debate if we'd even have a second playthrough.
G4: Oh, really?
Palmer: We had to trim that down. There was ambition to do -- what, how many?
Armstrong: There were three playthroughs. I put in three playthroughs. The reason [was] I kind of expected people would want to play more. But most people didn't. The thing is, like you said, Arkham Asylum's great, people get to the end of Akrham Asylum and they're not like "where the hell's my second playthrough? where's my third playthrough?" People really, really wanted more of an end-game, they wanted more to do. That is something you kind of expect if your game is good and well received and we appreciate that, but what was a bit surprising was how many people not only wanted it but expected it and almost feel like "hey, you let me down a little because there's not more to do." We gave you a huge giant game, we didn't even know this many people would want more to do.
Palmer: It's like we created a drug addiction and then we cut 'em off.
G4: That's a nice problem to have, though.
Palmer: It is a good problem, certainly something for us to ponder in the future.
Armstrong: It would have been nice for us to have understood that was going to happen ahead of time, but it's something we're still in the process of reacting. With Zombie Island and Moxxi, we're reacting. That Moxxi Underdome Riot is exactly that -- it gives you something to do, it gives you a big challenge, an epic battle. For those hardcore people who want more hardcore gameplay, we made a hardcore DLC.
G4: I do think it's interesting that you're getting push back from gamers about the level cap, but I can't imagine what the response would have been like with a single playthrough. Watching people's reactions to the game, a second playthrough seems essential.
Palmer: Yeah, it's a good thing we did that. [laughs]
Armstrong: It's definitely making us think about this game and the franchise that it represents for us now. It's got us thinking about that more -- the player reaction, how we want to try and cater to that audience going into the future.
Have something to share? Sitting on a news tip? E-mail me. You can also follow me on Twitter.


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"Bullet in the Face" is, hands down, one of the strangest things I've ever watched. It's a black comedy that has clearly drawn inspiration from the Nicolas Cage/John Travolta absurdist action-fest "Face/Off."
Gunter Vogler (Max Williams) is a sadistic criminal who works for crime boss Heinrich Tannhauser (Eddie Izzard). After a robbery, in which Gunter mows down a cop and then has his face blown off by supposed partner and lover Martine (Kate Kelton), Gunter awakes in the hospital months later with the face of the cop he executed.
Gunter, posing as a cop, is now tasked with bringing down Tannhauser and rival crime lord Racken (Eric Roberts). Because Gunter enjoys chaos and revenge, he takes the badge and gun of the man he shot, much to the disgust of his new partner, Karl (Neil Napier).
Williams is balls-out insane here — the alternately over-the-top hilarious and frightening facial expressions and German accent are a perfect match — and he plays Gunter's sociopathic ills to the hilt. It's a captivatingly WTF performance, but it's not even the best on the show. Napier's deadpan portrayal of Karl, the most literal cop ever — "Freeze! Drop It! I mean the gun." — is pure bliss. Rounded out with Izzard's egomaniacal Tannhauser and Kelton's devious Martine, this cast is strong.
The absurdist tone throughout "Bullet in the Face" helps the black, ultra-violent comedy work, and it makes the intentionally contrived noir storytelling and shocking twists feel more fun than distracting. Just be warned, this is one eff'd-up show to consume, especially considering it's airing in two three-episode chunks over two nights.

subset: commoncrawl


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Wildoak Living April1 at 9am: Part 2 of Changing Climate - Changing World
Tune in to WILDOAK LIVING, the radio program about living sustainably and building community in Mendocino County and beyond.
Listen live every other Monday at 9am Pacific Time on KZYX and on the web at www.kzyx.org
Listen anytime to podcasts and find more information about topics and guests at www.wildoakliving.org
On Monday, April 1 @ 9:00 AM, Johanna "Wildoak" continues her new series
Changing Climate - Changing World.
This series looks at how our changing climate is changing the world we live in, locally and globally. In Part 2 she takes a look at The Impact of Climate Change on Food - how we may create a food system that is resilient enough if fuel grows scarce, weather gets more severe, and traditional supply chains are hampered. She talks with Philip Ackerman, farmer, college professor and author of Rebuilding the Foodshed: How to Create Local, Sustainable and Secure Food Systems. He shares some of the most promising, replicable models for growing, processing, and distributing sustainably grown food, and points us toward the next stages of the food revolution.
More info about my guests and the program topic:
Please support your public radio station.
You can donate to KZYX and become a member at www.kzyx.org
Thank you for listening to Wildoak Living
and for supporting public/community radio!


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High earnings, low taxes and never a bad year
For the superrich, 2009 was supposed to be the annus horribilis.
Thats the year that market averages hit their post-financial-crisis lows, and prices of nearly all assets plunged. Since the superrich depend disproportionately on assets, rather than earned income, they suffer more during hard times for financial markets since more of their assets are at risk, or so the theory goes.
Plenty of people did get hit in 2009, including people at the very top. But all things are relative. The fortunate 400 people with the highest adjusted gross incomes still made, on average, $202 million each in 2009, according to Internal Revenue Service data. And this doesnt even count income that doesnt show up as adjusted gross income, such as tax-exempt interest.
Yet the top 400 paid an average federal income tax rate of less than 20 percent, far lower than the top rate of 35 percent then in effect.
They also paid a lower rate than the top 1 percent, which were people with adjusted gross incomes in 2009 of at least $344,000.
These affluent but hardly superrich taxpayers paid on average just over 24 percent of their adjusted gross income in federal income tax. Even the top 0.01 percent, people earning at least $1.4 million, paid 24 percent.
The top 400 have enormously high incomes even after the dip, said Leonard E. Burman, director of the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center and a professor of public policy at the Maxwell School at Syracuse University. Its still over $200 million each. And yet theyre still paying at a lower rate.
Even in a bad year like 2009, the federal tax code at the very top is regressive, not progressive.
Of course, the top 400 are a tiny fraction of the overall population (there were more than 140 million returns filed in 2009).
But Ive always found them to be a useful window to the otherwise hidden world of the ultrarich. And if the tax code is perceived as unfair to the wealthiest citizens, is it any wonder that theres widespread resentment at lower rungs of the prosperity ladder?
It may seem surprising that some of the countrys richest people had a banner year in the depths of the recent recession, but recall that 2009 was a year that Wall Street paid itself big bonuses even after taking billions in government rescue money. And while the stock market bottomed in March of that year, it went on to rack up impressive gains. These were especially favorable conditions for nimble hedge fund managers.
The IRS doesnt identify the members of the elite 400, but they surely include some top hedge fund managers. In 2009, the minimum income required to make the top 25 in the annual ranking of top-earning hedge fund managers by AR: Absolute Return+ Alpha magazine was $350 million.
That suggests that all of them would have been among the top 400.
It remains a pillar of Republican orthodoxy that taxes on unearned income, especially capital gains, should be low, or even eliminated. But it was Ronald Reagan who as president championed taxing capital gains at the same rate as earned income.
This was a crucial part of his 1986 tax reform, which lowered overall rates by broadening the tax base.
In the wake of the recent government shutdown, tax reform is back on the table, and should something significant result, it might emerge as a silver lining to the crisis.
Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich., and Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., have been working on a much-anticipated bipartisan approach to tax reform, and House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan has said, They agree on the fundamental principles: Broaden the base, lower the rates and simplify the code.
But, Kleinbard said, You cant have reform if you cant agree on what the problem is.
He continued: Theres no agreement what federal tax revenues should be as a percent of GDP. Everyone agrees that tax expenditures the economists term for tax breaks are out of control, but do you eliminate or reduce those in order to increase revenues or only to reduce tax rates?MORE IN World/National BusinessWASHINGTON Long-term U.S. Full StoryNEW YORK Its not just the musical Hairspray that will air live on NBC tonight. Full StoryOXON HILL, Md. Far from the Las Vegas Strip, MGM Resorts International opens its $1. Full Story
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Keeping the peaceJanuary 06,2014
Any of us who had believed, with relief, that the death of Osama bin Laden signaled the end of the terrorist threat to world peace posed by Al Qaeda must now recognize that the threat remains dangerously alive, especially in the Middle East.
I think we are witnessing a turning point, and it could be one of the worst in all our history, Elias Khoury, a Lebanese novelist and critic told The New York Times recently. The West is not there, and we are in the hands of two regional powers, the Saudis and Iranians, each of which is fanatical in its own way. I dont see how they can reach any entente, any rational solution.
And Americans must recognize that as long as the Middle East remains politically and militarily volatile, the rest of the world must remain prepared to cope with the threat of terrorism. American support for one side in the Middle East will inevitably invite anger and possibly acts of terrorism against the United States from the other.
When it began more than two years ago, what is now clearly a civil war in Syria no doubt generated considerable American sympathy for the rebels, who were typically portrayed as bravely risking their lives to repudiate the undemocratic leadership of Bashar al Assad, the dictator who openly favored one of the nations two major Islamic religious factions (his) over the other.
That portrayal may have been valid at the time, but no longer is it simply a case of freedom lovers fighting to unseat a dictator because the effort to oust Assad has been joined, with brutal vigor, by extremist elements linked to Al Qaeda.
These newcomers have even been fighting other anti-Assad rebels. In fact, across northern Syria over the weekend, there was a rebel uprising against the newcomers, who are associated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), now one of the regions most powerful organizations.
And these newcomers are clearly more interested in forcefully imposing their own brand (Sunni) of Islam on the Syrian people (many of whom are Shiite) than they are in the cause of the original fighters, which was, more simply, to bring justice and fairness to that troubled land.
Now the Syrian civil war has spilled over the border into neighboring Iraq, where it poses a risk to the democratically elected but mostly Shiite government thats held power since the end of the American-led war that brought the downfall of Saddam Hussein, a Sunni who had often brutalized Iraqs Shiites.
Last week, after heavy fighting, extremists associated with Al Qaeda seized two important cities in Anbar Province, just west of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. American troops had fought fiercely at the cost of 1,300 lives to subdue insurgencies in these two cities, Fallujah and Ramadi, but now theyre back in enemy hands.
Secretary of State John Kerry, visiting Israel, said Sunday that the United States is ready to help Iraq fight these enemies in every way it can short of a return of American forces.
The Obama administration must worry that the situation in Iraq may presage a similar deterioration of security in Afghanistan once American combat forces are brought home later this year.
Its not in Americas interests to have troops in the middle of every conflict in the Middle East, or to be permanently involved in open-ended wars in the Middle East, Benjamin J. Rhodes, a White House deputy national security adviser, commented Saturday.
Hes right. But keeping our troops at home does not guarantee peace.MORE IN LettersA sixth-offense DUI gets plead down to a misdemeanor. A breathalyzer is refused. Full StoryBurr Morses recollection (Whats good for the goose, Nov. Full StoryMSNBC news analyst Rachel Maddows report on the election of Republican Rutherford B. Full Story
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My latest Rant at Dodger Stadium.
This the hat that i wore for the past couple of years to Viva Los Dodgers and for Cinco de Mayo celebrations. This picture is from last year's Viva Los Dodgers event.
Last night I was told I could not enter the stadium with the hat. I said they should have made an announcement that the rules have been changed. A lot of people take the shuttle to the stadium so they don't have a car close by. Since I was there early for BP and had entered thru the field level, I asked if there was a way that I or they could take it upstairs to the Top Deck security since it was easier to exit there after the game. They said no.
Another thing is, they do not let fans come down to the field level. You have to walk outside and then go around to come back to the field level.
After I entered the stadium, I spotted ten different fans with sombreros so what is up with that? Not everyone knew the "new rules"? or what some of my friends and I have noticed lately when arrriving early for BP that there is a new trend having different rules for different fans (a rant for another time)
I was going to post the pictures of the fans I saw with sombreros but I don't have the camera cable with me right now.
But look, even Tommy used to wear a sombrero back in the old days. Here he is with Fernando. nice picture ha?
So first on Opening Day, head of security in the field level objected to my bag that said "Hilda is Here!" done to honor the Brooklyn days of Dodger faitfhful Hilda Chester. And they also objected to my friend Erik's bag, who was dressed as the Brooklyn Dodger bum and carried a shoulder bag that said "This IS the Year!" See post here Emma and Erik dressed as Hilda Chester and the Brooklyn Dodger bum but here is a picture
I wanted to go talk to someone from the Fan Services, so I went to where they always have been, club level close to the escalator. I was told it was moved to the other side of the club level, the right field side level by the club level restaurant. so I walked there and was told no, but that they have them at every level this year.
and walked to the Left field side (I was told aisle 39). No-one there on that window. By this time I was already tired and hungry so up I went to my Top Deck seat to eat and prepare my scorebook to watch the game.
Worst part of the last two days: The Dodgers have given up 22 RUNS! 22 RUNS! This was wtih Kershaw on the mound on Tuesday and Billingsley on Wednesday. Can anyone besides Kuroda pitch for this team????
Let's see what tonight brings with right-hander John Ely, making his second career start
It could be Ely's last start for some time with reliever Jeff Weaver expected to return from the disabled list before Friday's game against the Rockies.
4 Comments
I'm ANGRY for you !!! They say the pen is mightier than the sword Emma. If you want to start up a petition and mail it to the Dodger's front office via this blog?…count me in! Write them a letter…and by them I mean Mr. Mc'Divorce'Court. Do IT!!
LOL I'm such an instigator.
Emma — Sorry to see that you've had some issues with just trying to have some fun and bring some fun to the stadium. I know you just want to make it fun and traditional but once again I feel that they are and have been letting fans down for the last 7-8 years from what I've seen.
As an organization they are really taking some steps backwards. Both on the field, in the stands, and in their front offices. I hope this changes soon.
I feel your pain, Emma. Sometimes I get hassled when I bring the big lens for my camera, sometimes not a word. No consistency at all.
I mean, they same guards see me 4 to 5 games a homestand…what the heck?
That being said, I couldn't talk myself into going tonight……the last 2 nights have been SO frustrating. I need a breather.
I have spent 3 days on a Dodger Rant post to my blog….just can't seem to get it done. Too depressing.
So I posted one about my Dad's birthday at the game. Made me a lot happier.
Good luck tonight!
Thank you Mike, Collie and Rob.
Happy birthday Rob's dad!
I'll check your blogs tonight. Been so busy and my alergies have been getting worst lately


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These sweet Easter cakes are worthy of centerpiece status.
Our Best Easter Cakes
Give your Easter meal a sweet finishing touch with one of our beautiful and delicious Easter cakes. Lemon, coconut, carrot, or classic vanilla—we have recipes to please all of your dinner guests' early spring cravings.
We'll start you off with stunning Fresh Coconut Cake. Fresh toasted coconut flakes give a fluffy and flavorful topping. If your coconut water does not measure 1 cup (8 fluid ounces), add enough tap water so the liquid measures 1 cup. Even though fresh coconut is sublime, you can use Goya brand coconut water in place of fresh coconut water and buy coconut flakes in the baking aisle. A cooked Italian-meringue does big-time nutritional pinch-hitting for a high-fat cream-based frosting.


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If you would like to keep up to date with Welsh World Cup News then like our page on facebook as we build towards the Opening Ceremony and Double Header in Cardiff
RLWC2013 Partner: CYMRU WALES
Rugby League World Cup 2013 and Welsh Government
The Rugby League World Cup 2013 will provide a platform for raising Wales' international profile and reputation as a global player in the major events arena and for developing the sport in Wales.
Hosting the Opening Ceremony will be another landmark event for Wales and the benefits of hosting the tournament will spread across the nation.
Fixtures being held in Wales:
- Saturday 26th October Australia v England - Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
- Saturday 26th October Wales v Italy - Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
- Sunday 3rd November Wales v USA - Glyndŵr University Racecourse, Wrexham
- Sunday 10th November Wales v Cook Islands – The Gnoll, Neath
- Saturday 16th November Quarter Final - Glyndŵr University Racecourse, Wrexham
Wales looks forward to extending a warm welcome (Croeso) to the world in 2013.
Edited by DugSWRLgan, 21 May 2013 - 12:18 PM.


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A Kahului man says he still wakes up in the middle of the night after a shark almost killed him.
It happened Sunday in waters off Maui. Marc Riglos' foot is starting to heal.
"I can wiggle my toes, but not upwards because all the ligaments from the top side is all ripped off," said Riglos.
He and a friend were diving about 300 yards offshore in Wailuku, when Marc felt something bite and then pull him under.
"I turned around and look -- what the hell is that? A big tiger (shark) chomping on my fin," said Riglos.
Instinct took over.
"I started whacking him with my hand," said Riglos. "I was scared. Thought I was going to die out there."
The shark soon disappeared, but it left its mark -- physically and mentally.
"I still have a hard time sleeping. I wake up every hour. I feel myself like whacking the fish. I catch myself doing this sometimes," said Riglos.
Doctors will perform more surgery this week to repair his torn ligaments. His recovery could take months.
"They don't know what kind of bacteria the shark get. Plus, get bacteria in the water. Was in the salt water for a while," said Riglos.
Marc first said he wouldn't dive after the attack, but now says he'll slowly work his way back to diving again.
A Bank of Hawaii donation account has been set up for anyone who'd like to help Marc and his girlfriend who's three months pregnant. You can walk into any Bank of Hawaii branch in the state and make a deposit to the Marc Riglos Fund.


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Office of Industrial Outreach
Information for Industry
The Office of Industrial Outreach is your gateway to the Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science. We are here to guide you through the many resources available in the Watson School and to assist you with achieving your goals.
Explore the links below and let us help you by providing:
- Professional development including certificate programs, short courses and workshops featuring our world-class faculty. We can also customize an offering specific to your needs.
- Completely online advanced degrees with our EngiNet™ Distance Learning environment taught by Binghamton University faculty offering needed flexibility for the professional student.
- World-class talent, facilities and laboratories that allow you to expand your R&D capacity without adding staff and square footage.
- Matching funding available from the New York Strategic Partnership for Industrial Resurgence (SPIR) program. This industrial assistance program provides technical assistance on a fast turnaround basis to help you improve your market posture, retain existing employees and create new jobs.
- Student work-experience programs that provide educated students exuding intellectual energy that offer you an opportunity to effectively manage your workflow and develop a pipeline of future full-time employees. Students gain invaluable experience and all you have to do is choose the best of the bunch when it comes time to hire.
We value our industry and community partnerships and strive to develop rewarding long-term relationships. If you would like to discuss options for working together, you can contact us via email or call the Office for Industrial Outreach at 607-777-4532.
- Healthcare Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Training via Distance Learning — starts September 12, 2016
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Training via Distance Learning — starts December 19, 2016
- Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Training via Distance Learning — starts July 2017
- Professional Engineers Continuing Education - November 3, 2016
- Electronics Packaging Symposium - October 6-7, 2016
- Flight and Ground Vehicle Simulation Update Main Course: January 23-27, 2017 at Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY
- Advanced Simulation courses: January 30-31, 2017 at Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY
- Engineers Week - February 2017


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December 15, 2011 —
After the Halloween snow that coated the roads and trees, it seemed that winter was trying to get a foothold in time for November. November, however, was not ready for winter. The Halloween snow soon melted, and by the end of the month, the weather was very mild. During the weekend after Thanksgiving, temperatures were approaching 60 degrees.
When warm weather hits during late fall, some out of season events can occur. Some sightings of critters such as salamanders or other amphibians can occur, and I had a friend comment that her bulbs were sprouting in her garden during the first week of December. One of the more common things seen during a warm spell, though, is insects.
During the afternoon of November 25, I took a walk through a meadow in Glen Spey, NY and tried to spot as many different insect species as possible in an hour. The bug tally was three different small (gnat-sized) flying insects, two different fly species, one spider and one grasshopper. Some of these insects were interesting in their appearance, and others were noteworthy because they were still around this late in the year.


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My husband and I got married really young and didn't have a lot of money to buy furniture. So his SGT was getting rid of his old couches and getting new ones. When we got the couches they were in "ok" condition. Although their cat used the underside as it's own little scratching post, there were tears in all the cushion covers, stains that WILL NOT come out and now the bottom is starting to give way. In December we'll be married for 7 years and these couches have been with us every step of the way..from TX to Germany and now to the North Country and have been lovingly used by our 2 kids.
Couch on it's last legs...
By: jennifery35Subscribe Channel: Home & Garden
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Gonna Be Great
Yesterday, a measly crowd of 14,468 came out on a beautiful San Diego afternoon to watch the Padres sweep the Nationals. Oh yeah, school's back in. Usually there are a lot of school groups out there on a day like that, but maybe not so much anymore. Still, a terribly pathetic crowd.
But regardless of who was in the stands, the Padres played one great game to finish off the sweep. Sure, it was the Nationals, but a sweep is a sweep, right? May 22-24 was the last time we had a sweep, so I think it was definitely good.
Kevin Correia went 7.2 innings yesterday in probably one of his best starts as a Padre. He only allowed three hits, and that was it. He walked two and struck out five. At one point, he retired 19 batters in a row. He was amazing!! I was so glad. He hadn't been the best in his last few starts, but he put out quite an effort yesterday, earning his 10th win. Great job, K-Cor!!
The game stayed scoreless until the bottom of the fifth. After two quick outs, Everth legged out an infield single. Eck singled. Then Adrian hit a double to drive both of them in. Kouz was intentionally walked (not exactly a good idea. Believe me, its proven). Naturally, Chase then hit a two-run double to give the Padres a 4-0 lead. Will Venable singled to drive in Chase. Remember, we got all that with two outs!! Thus, we had a five-run fifth.
In the sixth, Drew Macias singled to start off the inning. He got moved all the way over to third before Eck drove him in with a double.
In the eighth, Kouz grounded into a double play with the bases loaded, but it scored our seventh and last run. Yay Kouz!!
Edward Mujica had to rescue Correia out of a bases loaded situation in the eighth, so he went 1.1 innings. He allowed only one hit, so the Nationals had four hits on the day. I'm blaming it on our pitchers, though. They were gooooood.
We got the sweep!! We are now only 20.5 games behind. We're playing the Dodgers this weekend. Bring it on.
This team did it again. I am sooooo proud of them!! This is just so cool, and I think we can definitely beat LA this weekend. It's gonna be great.
6 Comments
It is kind of sad when not many fans show up for the games. The sweep was huge for the Padres. The Dodgers will see your guys over the weekend.
Congrats on the sweep. It doesn't matter which team you're playing. A sweep is a sweep!
It is great that the Padres got a sweep,
and who cares what team it is.
I am happy for the team as a whole.
Kouz is a great player and the Pads got him from CLE in a trade.
Oh yeah – we like to support!😉
Great job by Eck – he is truly amazing.
He still takes his job on as one of the best in the league:
good luck!
Hi Kaybee-
Sorry I haven't commented on your awesome blog for a while!!!! I've been really busy at school. The Padres are playing like a whole new ballclub. They have a lot of heart and they never give up! GO PADRES!!!! BEAT L.A.!!!!!!!!
That is sad about the small crowd…but having the Nationals there did not help the situation. Good luck this weekend!!


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098 Developmental Arithmetic (3-0-3). Credit not applicable toward degrees. Required of students whose ACT Mathematics Main score is less than 15 or COMPASS Math score of 30 or less. Fundamental topics in arithmetic, geometry, and pre-algebra.
099 Developmental Algebra (3-0-3). Credit not applicable toward degrees. Required of students whose ACT Mathematics Main score is at least 15 but less than 19 or COMPASS Math score of 31 to 58. Fundamental topics in algebra for students with insufficient knowledge of high school level mathematics. PR: ACT Mathematics Main score of 15 or grade of "S" in MATH 098.
101 General Mathematics (3-0-3). Natural numbers, integers, rational numbers, real numbers, equations, and inequalities; ratio, proportion and variation; graphs; interest; introduction to elementary statistics. PR: ACT Mathematics main score of 19 or grade of "S" in MATH 099 or COMPASS Math score of 59 or higher.
106 Mathematics for Early/Middle Grade Teachers (3-0-3). Logical reasoning; geometry, measurements; metric system, numeration system; curriculum. No field credit for math majors or minor. PR: MATH 101 or higher.
109 Algebra (3-0-3). Real numbers, exponents, roots and radicals; polynomials, first and second degree equations and inequalities; functions and graphs. PR: ACT Mathematics main score of 19 or grade of "S" in MATH 099.
110 Trigonometry (3-0-3). Trigonometric functions and graphs; solution of right triangles, trigonometric identities; solution of oblique triangles; vectors; complex numbers; exponential and logarithm functions. PR: ACT Mathematics main score of 19.
210 Elementary Statistics (3-0-3). Basic programming; sets, basic probability concepts; basic statistical concepts; random variables and distributions; sampling distributions; linear regression and correlation. No field credit for math majors/minors. PR: MATH 101 or higher.
211 Informal Geometry (3-0-3). Theorems are motivated by using experiences with physical objects or pictures and most of them are stated without proof. Point approach is used with space as the set of all points; review elementary geometry, measurement, observation, intuition and inductive reasoning, distance, coordinate systems, convexitivity, separation, angles, and polygons. No field credit for math majors/minors. PR: MATH 101 or higher.
220 Calculus I (4-0-4). A study of elements of plane analytical geometry, including polar coordinates, the derivative of a function with applications, integrals and applications, differentiation of transcendental functions, and methods of integration. PR: MATH 109 and MATH 110, or GNET 116, or ACT Mathematics main score of 26 or COMPASS Trigonometry score of 46 or above.
230 Calculus II (4-0-4). Differentiation of transcendental functions; parametric equation; polar coordinates; methods of integration; applications of the definite integral. PR: MATH 220.
240 Calculus III (4-0-4). Infinite series; solid analytic geometry; partial derivatives; multiple integrals. PR: MATH 230.
250 Discrete Mathematics (3-0-3). Treats a variety of themes in discrete mathematics: logic and proof, to develop students' ability to think abstractly; induction and recursion, the use of smaller cases to solve larger cases of problems; combinatorics, mathematics of counting and arranging objects; algorithms and their analysis, the sequence of instructions; discrete structures, e.g., graphs, trees, sets; and mathematical models, applying one theory to many different problems. PR: MATH 109 and MATH 110 or GNET 116.
290 Topics in Mathematics (1-4 hours credit). Formal course in diverse areas of mathematics. Course may be repeated for different topics. Specific topics will be announced and indicated by subtitle on the student transcript. PR: Consent of instructor.
301 Probability and Statistics (3-0-3). Mean and standard deviation; probability; random variables and probability distribution; normal distribution, statistical inference; linear regression and correlation; experimental design; chi-square test; analysis of variance. PR: MATH 109 or GNET 116.
310 Differential Equations (3-0-3). Equations of order one; linear differential equations; nonhomogeneous equations; variation of parameters; differential operations; Laplace transformation; nonlinear equations; power series methods; applications. PR: MATH 230.
311 Linear Algebra (3-0-3). Systems of linear equations, matrices and determinants; vector spaces; linear transformations; inner and outer products; eigenvalues and canonical forms. PR: MATH 230.
320 Modern Geometry (3-0-3). Euclidean geometry including points, lines, planes, separations, curves, surfaces, congruence, parallelism, and similarity; projective geometry; non-euclidean geometries, including hyperbolic, parabolic and elliptic. PR: MATH 109.
333 Math Methods for K-6 Teachers (3-0-3). Instructional methods for teaching K-6 mathematics using a hands-on approach. Emphasis placed on increasing students' ability to communicate and reason mathematically. Introduces a variety of techniques to approach and solve mathematical problems. PR: MATH 106 and Admission to Teacher Education.
350 Modern Algebra (3-0-3). Sets, relations, and functions; groups, rings, integral domains; fields; operation-preserving functions; quotient groups; quotient rings. PR: MATH 109.
400 Introduction to Topology (3-0-3). A study of set theory; topological spaces, cartesian products, connectedness; separation axioms; convergences; compactness. Special attention will be given to the interpretation of the above ideas in terms of the real line and other metric spaces. PR: MATH 240.
415 Multivariable Calculus (3-0-3). A study of functions of several variables; partial differentiation; double and triple integrals; line and surface integrals; complex functions. PR: MATH 240.
490 Topics in Mathematics (1-4 hours credit per semester). Advanced formal courses in diverse areas of mathematics. Courses may be repeated for different topics. Specific topics will be announced and indicated by subtitle on transcript. PR: Consent of instructor.


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Expert Q & A Answers About bisexuality
My wife got drunk and kissed another woman. Does this mean she's bisexual or gay?
A few months back, my wife went out with a friend of hers to a night club. My wife was drinking and ended up kissing another woman. Does that mean she's bisexual or gay, or is it normal behavior? Most of her friends are either lesbian or bisexual...so maybe that has something to do with it?By the way, she's 21 and I'm 24.


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County Press
REFUGIO COUNTY – Election Day unofficial results came in about 8:30 p.m. Saturday, May 11.
Here are the unofficial results for contested races in the election:
Town of Refugio
The Town of Refugio has 1,823 registered voters.
Mayor: Rey Jaso (I) 133; Joey Heard, 161; Ron Nelson, 53.
Place 2: Richard Ramirez, 24; Wanda H. Dukes, 173; Michael Rocha, 97; and Manuel "Manny" Govella,40.
Refugio ISD
Refugio ISD has 661 registered voters.
Single Member District 1: Eugene Lewis (I), 79; Lisa Varela, 19.
Single Member District 5: Edith Collins (I), 22; Laura Ramirez, 58.
Woodsboro ISD
Woodsboro has 1,901 registered voters.
Place 6: Tim Moses (I), 110; Brian Hicks, 248.
Town of Woodsboro
The Town of Woodsboro has 1,001 registered voters.
Mayor: George Hernandez Sr. (I), 84; Larry Jochetz, 145.
Place 1: Jason Andrade, 68; Jeanette Chandler, 58; Julian Garcia, 35; and Ralph Cisneros, 69.
The following elections were cancelled because none of the candidates were opposed: Refugio County Memorial Hospital District; Town of Bayside; Austwell-Tivoli ISD.


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Global Studies
Professor Henry Shue of University of Oxford's Centre for International Studies to Speak
Jan 14/13
Date: Jan 14/13
Time: 16:30
Location: Paul Martin Centre
Cost: Free
Dr. Rhoda Howard-Hassmann, Canada Research Chair in International Human Rights, and Laurier's Department of Philosophy invite you to join us for the upcoming guest lecture:
Professor Henry Shue
Subsistence Rights and Climate Mitigation
Date: Monday, January 14, 2013
Time: 4:30pm
Location: Paul Martin Centre.
Henry Shue is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for International Studies, and an Emeritus Fellow of Merton College, both at the University of Oxford.
He has, beginning in 1992, written a score of articles about climate change and co-edited Climate Ethics: Essential Readings (Oxford University Press, 2010).
Contact: Mayura Stratopoulos
Email: email@example.com
Phone: 519. 884.1970 ext. 3185
View all WLU events


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Brookfield, Wisconsin 53005
United States
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|St. Norbert College (B.A., Philosophy, 1994)
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A. Harrison Barnes is a well-known attorney throughout the United States. As a member of the Malibu community, Harrison is committed to serving the needs of Malibu residents and businesses in legal matters.


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Nutritious Pasta Recipes
Cooking Light is working with the Partnership for a Healthier America and USDA's MyPlate to give anyone looking for healthier options access to thousands of recipes that will help them create healthy, tasty plates. For more information about creating a healthy plate, visit www.choosemyplate.gov. Find recipes at http://pinterest.com/MyPlateRecipes/.
Grains, vegetables, dairy, and protein are all essential aspects of the MyPlate healthy eating challenge. Pasta dishes are an easy, simple, and appetizing way to combine two or more of these groups into one dish that your family will love.
First up is Cold Sesame Noodles with Chicken and Cucumbers. Dig into a simple end-of-summer pasta toss loaded with chicken, cucumbers, and peanuts. We use dried udon noodles; if using fresh noodles, you'll need about 11 ounces.


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Mass Effect 3 ReviewBy Adam Sessler - Posted Mar 06, 2012
Mass Effect 3 rounds out its epic space opera with innumerous moments of restrained maturity, bringing about a conclusion that satisfies better than anything, not just in games, but in any pop medium.
The Pros
- This is how you end a trilogy
- Wide diversity for character options
- Combat decidedly richer and challenging
The Cons
- Small side quests can be teases
Mass Effect 3 Review
From the very beginning Mass Effect 3 exudes a sense of things coming to an end. The strange beauty of the Reapers, towering godly metal cephalopods descending calmly on an earth hapless to defend itself, is conveyed with a quiet certitude and minimal histrionics. It is the end of the world, and for those who have invested the 150-plus hours into this fabulous game series, the end of existence in this fascinating and thoughtful piece of creativity. Mass Effect 3 rounds out its epic space opera with innumerous moments of restrained maturity, bringing about a conclusion that satisfies better than anything, not just in games, but in any pop medium.
Mass Effect 3 begins months after the conclusion of 2 during which time Shepard has returned to Earth, summarily stripped of his military authority due to his affiliation with the human-supremacist organization, Cerberus. Not one to be idle, he continues his vain attempts to convince the galactic authorities of the impending threat from the Reapers, strange ancient beings that have habitually decimated all ancient civilizations. The game starts with the stunning sequence of the Reapers attacking Earth, with reinstated Shepard off to rally support from all the other galactic species in the hopes that such a unified force can prevent the seemingly inevitable end of times.
The unification is trickier that it should be. Despite the backdrop of the eradication of all organic life, squabbles among species cannot be overcome easily, and Shepard becomes the greatest ombudsman of all time, attempting to reconcile deep-seated resentments and suspicions that wrap up the political strands of the Mass Effect saga, and in the process, shines a bright light on the player's decisions from the previous two games. The game also forces the player to make some of the most morally complex decisions in the series that found me walking away from the screen for quite some time to ponder the significance of the possible outcomes. Here is one of Mass Effect 3's greatest tricks; as the final game in the series, it no longer has the lure of your decisions manifesting themselves in unknown ways in successive games and yet the decisions you make feel the most significant, perhaps because they are reflection of your own ethics.
What makes these decisions carry such weight is the writing, which has always been so effective in the Mass Effect series, not just in the clever story it weaves but the clarity with which it is done. Minor characters and events from the first game, released in 2007, are referenced here without exposition because they have been drawn so clearly. This is an extraordinary feat when you consider the amount of hours and dialogues generated by all three games. The events and characters, while cut from classic tropes of sci-fi and fantasy, manage to stand out as unique, and the player is drawn in further and further by feelings of investment. Simply put, the game makes the player care.
That player investment is rewarded greatly in Mass Effect 3 through the best writing to date from Bioware. The large moments loom with urgency and drama, the conflicts that prevent all species from collectively fighting the Reapers are complex and thoughtful, and the character interactions with Shepard carry a surprising poignancy. Seeing an old character who promises to buy you a drink "when it's all over" doesn't read like bravado but a desperate hold on a deeply fragile hope that things will work out.
Working in perfect concert with the writing is the digital acting, voice work, and non-interactive camerawork. The conversation sequences may be less articulated than the cutscenes in Uncharted, but they convey all the necessary emotion because the voice acting is universally distinct and superlative. What is more impressive in this Mass Effect outing are the cutscenes, some which I cannot see replicated even in film. The framing in some scenes beautifully echoes the enormity and scope of the drama, vistas of devastation or threat. Action sequences are very kinetic, and personal interactions have an intimacy that never feels static. Mass Effect 3 is produced with such an amazing level of care and detail that it's impossible not to get swept up in all its majesty.
With such strong narrative, it's easy to forget that it's also a game, and here too, the Mass Effect 3 steps up and trumps its previous incarnations. Mass Effect 2 tightly narrowed its role playing depth after the redundant breadth of ME1; Mass Effect 3 finds a very happy medium that is based on a host of options for the player that are easy to interpret and, more importantly, easy to see their impact in the game.
Shepard and his supporting cast have more skills to which experience points can be applied, and inside of each skill is a skill tree that breaks in 2 directions; for example, at level 3 of Overload, you can increase damage or widen the radius of effect. Some skills benefit the whole team, others just the specific character. Taken in each instance, these changes may seem minor, but collectively, they help guide character development towards support, tank, everything you're used to in role playing games, despite which character class you choose.
The same diversity is present in your arsenal. Regardless of character class, any weapon is available. In fact, you can carry all five weapon types at once. How the game balances this opportunity is through the best application of weight encumbrance in any modern role-playing game; Shepard does not slow down, his biotic powers recharge very slowly. The player has the choice to focus on guns instead of throwing shockwave every few seconds.
The weapons themselves are also more diverse. Each weapons type has many (maybe 10+) versions that are unlocked through the game, all of them handling, feeling and looking distinct. Each of these weapons can be upgraded up to five times for relatively modest costs, allowing the player to figure out what suits their play style before heavily investing. Mods, once again, about five to each weapon class, are available and upgradeable, with two slots for mods open for each weapon. This assortment, which may sounds daunting on paper, is elegantly presented in the game and takes on increasing interest as the game progresses and you fine tune your play style. (For a while I played the game leaning on a high-powered pistol with a scope throwing my biotic powers around like a Jedi on amphetamines.) Bioware has done an extraordinary job of fostering experimentation and discovery without penalty.
Most of these improvements would be moot if the game didn't present the proper challenges to respect your attention to character development. Here again, Mass Effect 3 steps up and delivers. Enemy AI and a wide variety of enemy types are significantly improved making a normal playthrough (starting at level 30, for me) a challenge. Armed enemies will use smoke, flank and throw grenades to flush you out of cover. While the husks abound, other Reaper-influenced enemies will rush Shepard and his crew, keeping the whack-a-mole combat from cover at a minimum. (I found my Vanguard Shepard's playstyle changing significantly throughout the game upon learning that, unlike in ME2, biotic jumps became too dangerous and a slower more sober-minded approach was wiser.) As the game progresses, the number and variety of enemies on screen can feel daunting but is also highly evocative of the despair of the larger story, which heightens the drama.
Mass Effect 3, like its two predecessors, has three components: story, combat and... that third thing. In Mass Effect 1, it was the strange driving sequences; in ME2, it was the onerous mining; here, it is the least intrusive and the most superficial. Throughout Mass Effect 3, your galaxy map adds regions that have been taken over by the Reapers. You enter those sectors and scan them, looking for anomalies on planets or floating in space, that may have war assets - the currency that tracks how ready you are to take on the reapers are also acquired through normal quests - which you then pick up with little effort. You scan more than 2-3 times in the sectors though, and the reapers show up and drive you away. This gameplay is modest and easily exploited but minor enough to keep completionists from losing their minds.
The one true downside to this gameplay mechanic is that potentially interesting quests are closed just by scanning a planet and acquiring its war asset or, in some cases, by running back and forth between people on the citadel. Some set-ups, such as an Elcor that asks you to rescue his people, sounds like a sidequest with discovery and action; I didn't realize I had fulfilled my promise of help until three hours after I had. This is a disappointment because the Mass Effect universe is so intriguing that any substantive opportunity to interact with it more is too enticing.
Not content to refine its single player, Mass Effect 3 also offers online co-op gameplay in "Galaxy at War". This horde-style survival mode is woven into the larger fiction with you taking on the role of combatant in the war that makes the backdrop for the single player game. What's more thoughtful though is that your success in co-op has an effect on the single player campaign, as your efforts contribute to the preparation of the forces of good in their fight against the Reapers. This is an alternative to doing all the single player activities and focusing on the main quests, supplementing your "galactic readiness" with co-op.
It's a solid, stable, if slight, take on the newest multiplayer mode du jour with all the requisite leveling and upgrading to keep the devoted engaged, but it lacks of the single player game's complexity in combat and, more importantly, its excitement because it is quite disconnected from the Shepard saga. Nonetheless, it is a nice diversion and should find an audience with those who have been requesting some online component to the franchise.
Mass Effect 3 and the entire series stand alongside Uncharted and Skyrim in exemplifying what games can do that cannot be replicated in other creative forms. What is so unique in this game is how the presence of its conclusion feels like the existential dread that infuses the characters that make up its universe. The paradox of the game becomes painfully prescient as it draws inexorably towards its conclusion. Here, Shepard is trying to determining the fate of everything but the inevitability of the final is inescapable. All the decisions you continue to make in Mass Effect may be less consequential but they feel all the more grave as if the game is becoming a testament to who you are, or who you want to be.
That's why I wish I could play it again for the first time.
Want more information on how we score reviews? Read the "How G4 Reviews Work" article here.
Editor's Note: Mass Effect 3 was reviewed using an Xbox 360 copy of the game; however, we also played the PS3 version, and found no differences. If further investigation reveals any differences between the 360 edition and the PS3 edition of the game, this review will be updated to reflect those differences.


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Tuesday October 27, 2015 : MINNESOTA LAWMAKER TO DRAFT DAILY FANTASY SPORTS LEGISLATION
Democrat says he will introduce bill in the state legislature next year.
Democratic Party Representative Joe Atkins of the Minnesota Legislature has announced that he is drafting a bill for the regulation of daily fantasy sports in his state and plans to launch it in the House early next year.
The bill will recognise daily fantasy sports betting as a lawful activity but require Internet site operators to be licensed in the state after undergoing background and other checks.
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Gambling News :
HeyPoker Closing -
The operator is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission and the Malta Gaming Authority, with the registering company listed as Evoke Gaming Ltd.
Can Jack Lam Make Things Right in Philippines -
Lam will no doubt seriously consider the offer, having lost access to his Philippines businesses and with charges of attempted bribery and "economic sabotage" and an arrest warrant hanging over his head .
PPA Wants pre-emptive strike against RAWA -
It's not just civic associations that are warning against the introduction of a federal ban on online gambling in a denial of states' rights . The Poker Players Alliance action group has begun mustering its over a million US members in a campaign as well.
UK Wants Fixed Odds Betting Terminals Changes -
The group, titled FOBT All-Party Parliamentary Group plans to release its full report early in the new year, but for now has claimed that changes to FOBT regulations could help in reducing "associated crime" and problem gambling.
Sportech Wins 8 Year Old VAT case -
An eight-year long, GBP 97 million VAT repayment claim dispute between Sportech PLC and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has come to an end with the Supreme Court refusing HMRC permission to appeal a previous Court of Appeal ruling.
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Realistic Games in deal with Kindred Group -
The UK-based online gambling games developer Realistic Games has signed a deal to supply its games to online operator Kindred Group, parent company of quality brands that include Unibet, Stan James and Maria Casino.
Opposition to Anti Online Gambling Bill in Congress Lame Duck Session -
Action groups appeal to House Appropriations Subcommittee to ensure that RAWA style language is not attached to unrelated spending bill.
DFS banning bill Introduced in Illinois -
The legislative season in Illinois may be drawing to a close, but that hasn't stopped a new bid to ban daily fantasy sports from being assigned to the House Executive Committee; whether there is sufficient time to pass the bill is a matter for speculation.
Cambodia To More Closely Control Online Gambling -
Cambodia, where online #gambling is operated by licensed land casinos alone, and Cambodian punters are banned from participating, is to tighten monitoring, control and management of the activity by setting up a centralized server, a Ministry of the Economy official revealed this week in a media interview.
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10 Surprising DIY Trends to Try Today
- Next1 of 11Glo
- Previous Next2 of 11Ailine Liefeld, Courtesy of Freunde von Freunden
- Previous Next3 of 11Courtesy of Snug Studio
- Previous Next4 of 11Kate Pruitt
- Previous Next5 of 11Courtesy of Yayayanonono Blog
- Previous Next6 of 11Mimi Giboin
- Previous Next7 of 11Lauren Saylor of A Fabulous Fete
- Previous Next8 of 11Anson Smart
- Previous Next9 of 11Louis Lemaire
- Previous Next10 of 11Adam Ross
- Previous Next11 of 11Courtesy of Home-to-Home UK
- 10 Surprising DIY Trends to Try TodayMakeover Your Home in 30 minutes or Less
- Wedding DIYs That Are Actually Worth It
- The Most Embarrassing Wedding Fails Ever
- 10 Unexpected Colors For Home Exteriors
- 8 clever DIY ideas for your kitchen
- 12 Fun Facts to Kick Off Your Summer
- The Best Anti-Aging Products For Your Home
- A+ Teacher's Gifts For Less Than $20
- 8 Ways To Make Over Your Windows
- How to Protect Your Biggest Decor Investments
- Home Decor Tricks Every Woman Should Know
- Fresh (Not Frumpy) Floral Decor
- 10 Cheap & Chic Summer Decorating Trends
- Unbelievable Bathroom Makeovers
- Outdoor Entertaining Essentials Under $75
- Instagram Feeds To Follow For Home Decor
- Design Secrets For A Stress-Free Home
- Unforgettable Front Porches
- Design Ideas For Travel Lovers
Do Try This at Home1 of 11
By Stacey Lindsay for Remodelista
From sequined walls to DIY hooks made from children's blocks, here are 10 unexpected ideas for injecting some serious personality into your space.
Think Pink2 of 11
The artist who lives in this chic Berlin flat chose to enliven the space by peppering it with bursts of electric color. Two bands of fuchsia add quirky character to a simple set of floating shelves.
ON REMODELISTA: Bright Pink Accents
Block Party3 of 11
Who knew that children's toys could be made into useful storage? With a set of simple building blocks, a few screws, paint and a bit of masking tape, the artists at German design studio Snug created these innovative wall hooks.
ON REMODELISTA: DIY Instant Hallway Hooks
In the Shade4 of 11
Artist and DIY aficionado Kate Pruitt gave a basic lampshade new life with this dip-dyed look.
ON REMODELISTA: Lampshades That Brighten a Room
Great Grains5 of 11
At Suppenküche restaurant in San Francisco, bunches of wheat suspended on a high-stretched wire create a look that's both artistic and organic.
ON REMODELISTA: Wheat as Decor
Gold Standard6 of 11
Inspired by brass sequins the designer found at a flea market, a sequined wall lines Erica Tanov's Marin County boutique. Each glimmering disc was fastened to the wall with a brass nail.
ON REMODELISTA: Bohemian Luxury in Marin
Orange Crush7 of 11
Inspired by fresh produce, Lauren Saylor of A Fabulous Fete hand-dyed a neutral tablecloth, transforming it into a bright and bohemian accessory.
ON REMODELISTA: Hibiscus-Dyed Drop Cloth
Roped In8 of 11
With the use of two wooden dowels and some rope, Sydney-based Alwill Studio created a screen that adds a sense of privacy while allowing plenty of light to shine through.
ON REMODELISTA: A DIY Way to Divide a Room
Blue's Clues9 of 11
With walls that are rustic and neutral, this brightly painted table takes center stage, proving the endless ways a little paint can transform a space.
ON REMODELISTA: Tables That Pop
Up & Away10 of 11
At Harvest Farm in Australia, a vintage ladder gets a new lease on life as a pot and utensil rack. Suspended from the ceiling, it is both decorative and functional.
ON REMODELISTA: Instant Utensil Rack
Blue Plate Special11 of 11
A collection of mismatched blue-and-white plates make for a DIY art installation—a definite conversation piece during dinner parties.
ON REMODELISTA: An Interesting Twist on Wall Decor


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Lunch... dinner... it's a foodfest between President Obama and Republicans. This afternoon, the President continued his dining experience with one of his campaign rivals -- former Vice Presidential nominee and Congressman Paul Ryan. Nikole Killion is in Washington with more on what both sides served up.
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A live picture from Vatican City, where 115 cardinals are meeting for day two of the papal conclave. View here.
Live: Cardinals meet for Day 2 of papal conclave
Published On: Mar 13 2013 06:24:13 AM HST Updated On: Mar 14 2013 04:24:49 AM HST
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Information concerning the hazards of substances is also communicated through warning labels attached to containers. A label is any written, printed, or graphic material displayed on, or affixed to, containers of chemicals. All chemical containers at the University must be labeled according to federal regulations (OSHA). At a minimum, the label must include:
|the contents of the container (i.e., full chemical name(s). [No abbreviations or structural formulas are allowed. Except for small quantities of compounds synthesized in the laboratory. However, these must have labels that will not fall off. Written in permanent ink should be the researcher's name and the chemical or structural formula]
|name and address of the manufacturer.
|physical and health hazards.
Labels or other forms of hazard warnings, such as tags or placards, provide immediate warning of potential danger. They are used to warn of a variety of potential physical hazards or health hazards.
Labels in storage shall not be removed or defaced. If a chemical is transferred to a secondary container, that container must be labeled with the full chemical name(s) and the physical and health hazards.
Employees and students should not work with any chemical from an unlabeled container. This labeling requirement does not apply to students assigned unknown chemicals for analysis in the laboratory. However, hazard information should be provided with all unlabeled chemicals in student laboratories. Additionally, if these unlabeled containers are left unattended, a log book indicating the chemical names should be kept nearby.
Carefully read all the information on the label.
Special Labeling Requirements
All containers that hold carcinogens, reproductive hazards or acutely toxic agents must be properly labeled concerning the health hazard posed by the chemical. Most new reagent containers will have the chemical's hazard clearly displayed on the label. However, older reagents and containers of solutions that are mixed in the laboratory must be properly labeled by the laboratory worker. The laboratory worker may write the hazard class (e.g., carcinogen, etc.) on the container or use labels available from the Central Stockrooms.
If you have any questions on warning labels contact your supervisor, instructor, or the EHRS Department, or review the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS).
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Please keep your letter under 300 words (one page).
Only one letter per reader in a two month period will be accepted. may be edited for length or to correct factual errors. Letters must be signed to be considered for print and a phone number is required for verification. Faxed letters are not accepted.
Climate change & Prop 3
Climate change is real. This year's catastrophes are a mere preview of things to come, and a warning to quit procrastinating and demand action.
Scientific consensus states that anything above 350 ppm will permanently change our climate. Atmospheric concentrations of carbon are now over 392 ppm and rising.
Feed-back loops from methane releases are self-reinforcing. More methane means more heat, leading to more releases. Growing evidence indicates we have already triggered this disastrous pattern.
The National Renewable Energy Lab says we need to provide 80% of our power from non-fossil sources by 2050. Voting "YES" on Proposition 3 will be a start. It is also one of the best opportunities for creating jobs in Michigan.
Can we do more? Of course. We can raise fuel standards to 50 mpg. We can plant more trees to provide carbon sinks. We can stop factory farming practices; this would actually improve the health of soils, water -- and us.
We need to recognize the growing problem of climate change. Vote "YES" on Proposition 3 so that our grandchildren will have a more sustainable future.
Ann Rogers • TC
All brothers & sisters
A letter to our brother and sister Muslims in response to recent events: We recognize that actions of a few do not represent the beliefs of the whole, both in the Muslim community and the Christian
community. Both of our communities have deep spiritual beliefs anchored in peace, forgiveness, and mercy. We are all descendants of Abraham. We are brothers and sisters in flesh and through God's creation. As such we offer you our love, trust, and respect.
Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV) Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Michael Windover • Traverse Bay United Methodist Church adult Sunday school class
Low road on robo calls
As he did in 2010, State Rep. Ray Franz takes the low road again with intrusive and deceptive robo calls. One accuses Allen O'Shea of "lining his pockets" as a county commissioner when he and five others voted to raise compensation by $100/month – still far below compensation in comparable counties.
Another accuses Mr. O'Shea of trying to "steal our water," which is as much a pants-onfire lie now as it was when Franz fabricated it to throw at Dan Scripps in 2010.
So the question is: if Ray Franz has any positive record in Lansing to brag about, why isn't he?
Jan Bauer • Glen Arbor
Benishek's bad science
Due to redistricting, Northern Michigan is facing one of the most extreme, antienvironmental candidates we have seen for Congress in years. Despite overwhelming scientific evidence, Rep. Dan Benishek said that climate change is "all baloney" and "just some scheme." For a guy that calls himself a "scientist" with expertise in the field, it's odd he believes climate change is "unproven science stuff."
Is this the guy we want representing our pure Michigan environment in Washington?
Think long and hard before you cast your vote for someone who seems to care less about the pristine environment we call Northern Michigan. A vote for Dan Benishek is a vote against Pure Michigan.
Jim Carruthers • TC
Tea Party voting record
The following is a short list of Rep. Dan Benishek's voting record (votesmart.org) since he took office: HR 2 voted to repeal health care law; HR 1214 voted to repeal funding for school-based health center construction; HR 2112 voted yes against appropriations for agricultural, rural development; HR 4628 voted yes to extend student loan interest rates until July 2013; HR 1173 voted yes to repeal Class Act- a bill that repeals community living assistance services established by the Affordable Care Act. With his voting record would you really trust someone who voted against bills that would help you or your family in Michigan? Could Mr. Benishek be trading his Hippocratic Oath to his patients for his loyalty to the Tea Party? Which one is he, physician or politician? Watching and listening to one of his ads where his former patients say how good he is as a doctor sounds like a plea for Mr. Benishek to return to his Crystal Falls practice.
Protect the rights we do have while creating new ones by sending one who cares about and will properly represent his constituents. That person is Gary McDowell.
George Edmonds • TC
Pro-candidate letters...
(Due to the large number of letters from supporters of various candidates, the Express is running one representative letter for each candidate. -- ed.)
As husband to Melanie Stanton, candidate for probate court judge, I want to say that in addition to her diverse and extensive law experience (20 years of family court and 16 years of probate court experience), honesty, intelligence and passion for doing what is right, Melanie is a fabulous wife to me and a loving, caring mother to our twin teenage daughters.
Please vote for the most qualified candidate and someone who cares deeply about the people of our community. Vote for Melanie Stanton for Probate Courts Judge on November 6.
Bob Stanton • TC
At some time or another, many people's lives will be touched by the Grand Traverse County Probate Court. Often, these occasions involve life's most troubling situations. That's when you want a judge with experience, someone who upholds and enforces the law in an understanding and compassionate manner.
Kirsten Keilitz has the ideal experience and the temperament for this job. She is currently serving as a Domestic Relations and Juvenile/Family Division Referee. She practiced family law for 15 years, and has extensive courtroom experience. There's no drama. She's professional, decisive and balanced. Gracious and committed to this community, she's the right person to be elected as the next probate judge.
I've practiced law in the Traverse City area for 16 years. I know Kirsten Keilitz – candidate for Grand Traverse County Probate Judge – very well. I unequivocally recommend her for the job. Vote for Kirsten on November 6.
Mardi L. Black • Suttons Bay
There are two great candidates running in Northern Michigan districts this fall. Two YOUNG, dedicated, ethical, energetic and enthusiastic candidates... Betsie Coffia running for the Michigan House of Representatives in the 104th and Lon Johnson is running in the 103rd. These two have the experience to qualify them for major leadership positions. We need excellent young people in the political process. I recommend them to you.
Lou Ann McKimmy • Rapid City
Voters of the 107th district in the House of Representatives: If you are tired of divided partisan politics; if you would like to be represented by an accomplished professional woman of substance, highly respected in her field, who has made a career outside politics; if you respect the wisdom of a mother who has raised three children in a stable marriage and lives family values; if you want a representative who seeks office out of a sense of patriotism and commitment to public service; if old fashioned, down to earth character attributes like humility, honesty, integrity, and thrift matter to you; please consider voting for Suzanne Shumway.
Suzanne and her husband Michael began married life in military housing while Michael served as a Marine officer. Later they earned advanced degrees and pursued their careers while raising their family. They know what it takes to make it in today's world.
We had such high hopes for Frank Foster.
He was such a plucky young fellow fresh out of college and we wanted him to make us proud. Then he started voting straight down the party line, shifting the tax burden toward the poor and middle class, cutting funding for schools, attacking teachers. He tells you what you want to hear. He's smooth.
It's rare to see a race with such contrast between candidates. To me it's an obvious choice of substance over show: Suzanne over Frank.
Matt Koontz • Petoskey


text: The Christmas Truce (3) tv-pg Play video Select your TV provider to log in to have full access to videos Select your TV provider See all providers Don't see your TV provider? Learn more You can access this video on the free HISTORY® app. *You must verify your TV provider towatch this video on the App Your Parental Control settings do not allow you to view this content. The Christmas Truce (3 min) tv-pg During WWI soldiers from opposing sides laid down their guns and celebrated Christmas together.