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For many FPS players Dust - or the later Dust 2 - are the quintessential Counter-Strike maps, hosts to millions of kills and bomb plants in their history, and featured in nearly every major Counter-Strike tournament held each year. But these maps actually owe their existence to Team Fortress 2 - a game that was released a full eight years after Dust became a staple of the Counter-Strike map rotation.
Time Travelling
Summer 1999. Half-Life was only months old yet picking up more 'Game of the Year' awards than there were game magazines. I - a 16 year-old on the more fun side of a summer's worth of school exams - was ecstatic with news that Valve Software were working on a sequel to the most popular team multiplayer game of the day - Team Fortress. Like any good teenager, I'd spent more hours sat staring into a screen playing that game than I had with my head stuck in schoolwork, much to the chagrin of my parents.
But whilst I had been ambushing my future educational prospects, behind closed doors Valve had been hammering away at updating and upgrading Team Fortress for a new generation of hardware. News of Team Fortress 2 was rare and sporadic, but occasionally a tidbit there or a screenshot here would nervously peer out to an excited but nervous audience of TF fans. What were Valve planning?
One day, a handful of screenshots started their steady journey around the gaming websites of the late nineties. Of those, two screenshots leapt out at me:
The seed had been sown.
Meanwhile, a free Half-Life modification known as 'Counter-Strike' had been gathering momentum. In the autumn of 1999 Minh Le and Jess Cliffe released its second beta, and it had become my new addiction. With the mod came an urban texture pack ('cstrike.wad') with which I made a map set in a retirement home - 'cs_tire' - and it was deemed good enough to be included in the third beta. Jess asked me if I'd be interested in making a map for the fourth beta, and was keen to hook me up with a texture artist to help me with it.
Jess introduced me to artist Chris Ashton, who had originally created the urban texture set I was familiar with. All I wanted was something like these:
Chris quickly got back to me with lookalikes. While not exact replicas of the ones from TF2, I became completely infatuated with them. I loaded up Wally (a utility for managing textures) and quickly bundled them all together into a file called "cs_dest.wad" ready for use. "Dest" was shorthand for "Destiny".
I could finally "play" Team Fortress 2, but… it felt like I was snatching a duckling from under its mothers beak. I thought, surely Valve wouldn't mind one me making one small map for one small mod for their one and only published game? A map that maybe only a couple of hundred people would ever play?
Copy and Paste
Starting the map was easy - it was a lift directly from the TF2 screenshots Valve had unveiled a few months before. The map boasted road flanked by buildings, leading up to an archway and a wall dividing it in two. Each building and wall decorated with ornate trims along the top or bottom. It was these features that would define the architectural style of Dust.
It wasn't identical to the map featured in those coveted TF2 screenshots, but it was close enough, and importantly, it was a start.
The arched doorways became a hallmark in the Dust theme - A Dust map is simply not Dust without at least two or three dividing the map into distinct areas. Creating the first one was at the time a great test of my technical mapping ability, but I soon calculated how to create them in the easiest and neatest way. My design eschewed the 'curved triangle' shape of the TF2 screenshots for a simpler 'square with rounded top' shape, partly because it was simpler, but primarily to ease player passage through them. I extruded the arches from their adjoining wall - straight from the screenshots.
I had decided against copying the screenshots verbatim for fear of reprisals, and set upon filling in the gaps. I'd already created a raised platform, and had decided that this would be the area that the Counter-Terrorist team would spawn in at the start of the match. This necessitated defensive measures - so I made some windows.
Not only did they look hideous, but the windows didn't give the views I wanted, nor did they fit with the intended gameplay. I didn't want to encourage the CTs to hold back. I removed them.
Under the Influence
Side-by-side, the TF2 'influence' is plain to see:
In some respects, the TF2 screenshot looks nicer to me - smoother and softer than the harsh edges of the Dust buildings. I was far more familiar with standard geometric shapes, 90 degree corners and 45 degree angles, which is why Dust looks far boxier in comparison.
That was the easy part done - after all, Valve had already created this part for me and all I'd had to do was copy it. But what I had wasn't much - it was barely enough for a one-on-one deathmatch, let alone two teams of eight players each, or more. Worse, there were no more screenshots for me to copy. I had to make the rest of the map off my own back.
With the design of the first area nailed, producing the rest of the map was merely a case of extrapolating those existing elements into an entire map. Of course, things are never quite that easy, and this middle section of the map proved rather difficult.
I created a T-junction out of the CT spawn I'd stolen from TF2, but now I was struggling to work out what to do with it. My past mapping experience was mostly creating tight interiors, not vast exteriors, and I was feeling very lost. I shoe-horned a bend in the road leading to a downward slope, and at the end of it - an underground cavern.
It wasn't right. While the CT spawn area was light and airy, this giant room was gloomy, boxy and felt dead compared to the sunny exteriors I had so far. I swiftly deleted it. Dust had to be an outdoor map.
I was still stuck. It's at times like these where working without an initial design can prove extremely difficult. You look at what you've got, and struggle to see where to take it, knowing that each step in one direction is a step away from a solution in another direction - and you don't know which way is going to turn out better. It can be tough knowing what to do next, and sometimes you question whether you should scrap everything and start again. I'd made all my previous maps one room at a time, making it up as I go along with precious little pre-planning, and they had gone reasonably well. I had to hope I could do the same again.
Mercifully, that's exactly what happened, and with a few hours work the Terrorist side of the map came to form relatively quickly. It's this side that I'm happier with, a product perhaps of being comfortable with the map's visual style by that point. The shallow decline into the underpass is perhaps one of my favourite aspects, both aesthetically and as a player who spent many hours armed with a Steyr Scout at the crest. The small crate-blocked alley in that area would have led round to the CT 'sniper nest', but the path seemed so long, linear, and downright dull that I just dropped it, using crates as a blockade.
The pivotal feature of Dust is the central hallway, as it tied everything together that I had made up to this point. Unfortunately, it's also a moment of which I can recollect very little, bar my efforts ensuring players couldn't see all the way through it from one end to the other. Every crate placed in that intersection was placed very specifically to cut off lines-of-sight and improve performance, but turned out to be of far greater gameplay importance. It was in this corridor that each team would typically meet, and so it needed to be fair, and balanced, with a slight defensive bias. The 'T' shape (or 'H' shape, depending on your point of view) is simple, but seemed to do the trick.
Timing the map was an important element of getting this balance right. The aim was to ensure both teams caught first sight of each other in this corridor. Knowing that most players will start running the second the match begins, I practised doing the same, timing how long it took to go from each team's spawn area to the central corridor. By making sure each team had exactly the same distance to run I could dictate exactly where their fight would begin.
Bomb Planted
Despite the layout being complete, I'd paid very little attention to where the bomb locations should be. Bomb Spot A seemed like an obvious choice - it was essentially it's own courtyard area which would assume no purpose otherwise. However, it was Bomb Spot B that proved more difficult.
My initial thought was to place it in the hallway, but quickly back-peddled. At this point I hadn't yet played the new 'bomb defusal' gametype (and neither had anyone else) so placing bomb spots was down to common sense and using logic as best one could - placing the bomb spot in the hallway would negate Bomb Spot A's importance and it simply wasn't built for that purpose.
My second plan was to put the bomb in the underpass. This suited better - it was equidistant between the two spawns, and I thought offered a reasonable amount of cover. So it went there.
Bomb location decided, I zipped up the map and fired it towards Cliffe for the first round of playtesting. His immediate feedback was the final part of the puzzle - he suggested I move the bomb spot from below the underpass and place it directly in the CT spawn.
The problem was I'd been treating this brand-new gametype as if it was one I knew already - Capture the Flag - except in this CTF mode the flag (the bomb) started at the Terrorist spawn. But defusal wasn't Capture the Flag. In fact, it was so utterly different that hardly a comparison could be drawn. Placing the bomb in the CT spawn hadn't even crossed my mind. I made the change, and sent it back for playtests.
Playtesting is an important stage of any map's development cycle. Without it, there's little way of knowing exactly how a map will play when faced with real people; real players who haven't the intricate knowledge of the map that you have. It's playtests that inform you of flaws that need fixing before release - if the map is even fit to be released at all.
I didn't get to play in the playtests (by virtue of being in a different timezone) but I heard that they went well enough to be included in BETA 4. To have one map ('cs_tire') already in the official map rotation was great, but to have two? The pressure was mounting. What if it didn't live up to people's expectations? Would people even take to this new and (at that time) unique game type?
A few days later, on the 5th November of 1999 - a Friday - I got my answer. BETA 4 was released as I slept. Saturday morning arrived, and I - skipping breakfast - rushed to download the new beta, just like everyone else had done hours before. There were already hundreds of servers and on them thousands of people were already planting and defusing bombs on the map I'd designed, and I'd not even got to play it myself yet.
Needless to say, CS occupied most of my weekend.
Getting BETA
While CS was still in its beta stages, I changed Dust with almost every new release. Often these changes were somewhat experimental, more often they were aesthetic, and sometimes they changed the game play entirely.
Dust first appeared in BETA 4 as one in a trio of 'defusion'-style maps introduced in that release. Comparing it to CS 1.6's - the last release - shows the differences that have been made in its lifetime. In CS 1.6 for example, Dust has many more crates and much more cover than it did originally - many of these were added to provide either team with more cover and defensive/offensive strategies. Aesthetically, CS 1.6's Dust is far cleaner and warmer, having benefited from a custom skybox and tweaked sunlight.
The BETA 5 version of Dust wasn't that much different to the original, with mostly aesthetic changes. One of the most biggest changes was the crack in the wall of the CT sniper nest overlooking the underpass. I had made this change with the intention of helping the Terrorists by exposing CT snipers. However, the increased view area actually helped the CTs by offering a wider angle of view. Miraculously, the wall was fixed again in BETA 6.
The underpass gained some cover. Players on the Terrorist team in BETA 4 had a terrible time trying to get through under the threat of CT snipers. The additional crates were designed to let players get close enough to throw a grenade. Later revisions of the map added even more crates to provide cover.
The exact placement of player spawns was crucial to ensuring that Dust was balanced, a lesson I learnt after moving the CT spawns forward in BETA 6.1. I had concluded that the map was biased towards the Terrorists, and thought giving the CTs a head start of about 2 seconds to help balance it out.
Once 6.1 was released, the effects of the change became quite apparent. It was now easier for the CTs to hold down the hallway, and harder for the Terrorists to rush the bomb site, as intended. However, the balance was now too far in the CTs favour. I received many complaints about this at the time, as well as one or two compliments. Ultimately, it was obvious that the spawn positions from the previous Dust were fairer, and so in 6.5 the CT spawns were reverted back to their original positions.
Retail 1.0
In April 2000, Valve bought Counter-Strike. With it, they secured the rights to include Dust in a boxed retail version of the game. It was hard to believe this small map I'd made in my spare time less than a year before would be appearing on store shelves, on 1st November 2000, days before Dust turned one-year-old, that's where it was. I was 17 and had just become a 'published' level designer.
Rejected Ideas
Dust didn't see any further changes after 1.0. It was as good as I could make it without the risk of alienating players who were fans of the map. However, that's not to say I didn't have a few ideas that nearly made it in.
The major change that I almost made at CS 1.1 time would have changed the dynamics of the entire map destroyed many proven strategies. A new route directly from the underpass to the very centre of the hallway, I thought, would help Terrorists form a firmer front-line, and encourage a more defensive strategy.
In retrospect, I think it would have just become the fastest route for Terrorists to reach the underpass, undermining and deprecating a large area of the map in the process. It would have removed one of the dynamics that made the underpass so fun.
(Note this is not the same as the staircase added to Dust in CS:GO, which connects the top of the underpass to the bottom. I believe the CS:GO solution is far better suited to Dust than my original plan was.)
At one time, Dust was the most-played FPS map in the world, in terms of both number of concurrent players, and the amount of time those players spent in the map. There were thousands of "Dust 24⁄7" servers, and the map became particularly popular amongst newbies, despite falling out of favour from clan matches. Dust became the ideal map for schooling new players, knowing they could focus on the game rather than trying to find their way around.
There is no indication of how well the map would have been taken if some of the changes mentioned in this article remained - for example, the bomb site in the underpass, the sniper house, or the stairs between the underpass and the hallway. I'm glad they never happened.
Ultimately, it's hard for me to claim I knew what I was doing as I pieced Dust together. I attribute it's success more to incredible luck and lack of imagination more than any skill I possess. If anything, I learnt more from Dust post-release than I knew when I was making it.
Counter-Strike: Condition Zero
In March of 2004, Valve released Condition Zero, an updated version of Counter-Strike that included a single-player mode and updated versions of all the popular maps from the main game. It's version of Dust shared much in common with the original, being largely based on the original brushwork. The map notably featured more pronounced structural detail supported by an expanded and more colourful palette.
This version of the map was the product of Ritual, although some finishing touches were added by Valve just before release of the game. The Levelord played a hand in the renovation.
Counter-Strike: Source
In November 2004 - mere months after the release of Condition Zero - Valve released Counter-Strike: Source, a completely refreshed and revamped version of Counter-Strike based on the Source engine.
This renovation of Dust was done at Valve by Kristen Perry and Ido Magal who were given the unenviable job of determining appropriate architectural references for Dust based upon the Condition Zero version. I think they nailed the look completely - maintaining the golden tones everyone was used to, embellishing the few details that were there and giving Dust the kind of ambience that it had always lacked. My reaction when I first saw what they had done was nothing short of complete astonishment and amazement. I was proud of what Dust had become and ever grateful to those who had helped get it there.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
The CS:S version of Dust caused my jaw to drop, but the iteration in CS:GO floored me.
This version was developed by Valve and Hidden Path Entertainment and evidently based on the proportions set by the CS:S version of the map (many CS:S assets can be seen around the map, albeit in updated forms). This version heralded the most major layout changes to the map since the CS betas, such as a bridge across CT side of the underpass, and a staircase within the underpass itself to the upper platform, refreshing Dust for competitive play.
At a glance these changes bear a resemblance to one of my "rejected ideas" above, but only in concept. The underpass's linearity always posed a problem due to its length, and Valve clearly agreed that a third exit right underneath the platform was necessary. But unlike my solution, which would have drawn players right into the centre hallway, Valve opted to put the underpass passage on the opposite side, directing players up to the far end of the platform.
It's clearly the better design and one I wish I had thought of when I still had the chance!
Dust has also manifested itself in real, physical forms…
I still don't know who was responsible for the sand castle, but the real-life crates were by Aram Bartholl, a Berlin-based artist who is also planning to create a life-size Dust replica.
And then, of course, there's Minecraft:
This Minecraft version of Dust was made by users of the cdg.net forums, who have also been recreating other popular CS maps.
In Closing
To this day I am still amazed that Dust was as successful as it has been, and I have a hard time believing that I actually created it at all. But, looking back, its success is hardly surprising given those who helped it along the way, from Minh Le and Jess Cliffe's invitation and support, to Chris Ashton's painterly skills, the feedback from players, through to Brian Martel, Richard Gray, Kristen Perry, Ido Magal, and a whole plethora of talented behind-the-scenes clever clogs who I've never had the pleasure of meeting, but deserve far more credit than I could ever give.
Also, of course, ultimately I have to thank Valve Software for the idea I stole in the first place, and without which none of this would have ever happened. I hope they didn't mind.


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Matchbox Twenty, Pajanimals Live among new Pabst Theater group concert announcements
The Pabst Theater group kicked off the week with four new show announcements for 2013 spanning from Billboard-topping alt rockers to fuzzy kid show stars.
Rob Thomas' alternative rock group Matchbox Twenty, whose first album in 10 years, "North," debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 in September, is coming to the Riverside Theater, 116 W. Wisconsin Ave., Feb. 9. Tickets are $39.50 to $75. »Read Full Article
Bright lights outshine Trans-Siberian Orchestra in ho-hum show
Taking on Christmas staples with a blend of symphonic bombast and progressive rock drama, Trans-Siberian Orchestra brought a much needed edge to the pleasant, ho-hum holiday music landscape beginning in 1996 , and in the process TSO has become one of the highest-grossing touring acts in North America.
But right before the start of the first of two TSO shows at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on Sunday, there was a curious sound, or really a lack of a sound. Following some meek applause when the lights went dark, the crowd strangely grew quiet, to the point that the only noise was the awkward, quiet hiss of fog machines. »Read Full Article(14)

subset: commoncrawl


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June 2016 Issue of the NARSC Newsletter
We proudly present the June 2016 issue of the NARSCNews. This June 2016 edition of the newsletter celebrates 50 years of the Regional Research Institute. In addition there is an announcement for AERUS 2016 and profiles for recent publications in the regional science community.
Any questions or comments concerning the newsletter can be directed to the editors, Liz Mack or Ran Wei.
NARSCNewsletter, June2015
NARSC Newsletter, December 2014
NARSC Newsletter, June 2014
NARSC Newsletter, December 2013
NARSC Newsletter, June 2013


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Validation of a decontamination method for arable crop sprayers following use with the sulfonyl urea herbicide amidosulfuron
A study into how different components of a spraying system can be thoroughly decontaminated following use with amidosulfuron herbicide.
Year of Publication1998
Spray solutions can be retained in quantities that will vary with sprayer type and size. Many components that are used as engineering control or safety mechanisms can be identified that contribute to the magnitude of this potential contaminant. Some components are readily cleaned, but others hold back liquids until they are next activated either deliberately by the operator or unknowingly. Failure to remove this trapped liquid can result in contamination levels which can damage a sensitive crop when this equipment is used again. Approved decontamination methods are effective with amidosulfuron when used alone or in emulsion mixtures with propiconazole or bromoxynil/ioxynil.
This item is categorised as follows
- Subject Collection > Equipment > Operation
- Subject Collection > Equipment
- Subject Collection > Climate, ecology & environment > Wastes management & pollution control
- Subject Collection > Equipment > Agricultural equipment
- Subject Collection > Arable & industrial crops > Pest & disease control
- Subject Collection > Arable & industrial crops
Additional keywords/tagsweedkillercleaningagricultural engineering
What Next...?
- Use the search box above to find similar items
- More on Agricultural equipment
- View the full record
This is a brief summary of an item in the OpenFields Library. This free online library contains items of interest to practitioners and researchers in the agricultural and landbased industries.


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In the ancient times epic battles were fought to gain physical territory and wealth, today those battles evolved into a fierce perpetual competition for a prominent place in other people's minds whether they are your customers, voters, fans or supporters.
Since the beginning of time, mankind has always used symbols to express uniqueness, existence, individuality, pride, fear, success, failure, loyalty, and ownership. The earliest symbols can still be found on surviving cave drawings across the world. They were so simple yet universally powerful that they survived the roughness of history in one form or another. With each era, the number of symbols multiplied exponentially and became more sophisticated with profound meanings. Today, we see the majority of these symbols in the form of brands.
Modern times are over saturated with brand names, and logos and taglines everywhere. Today, everything we use is branded and tells something about us, the car we drive, the newspaper we read, the shoes we wear, even the coffee we drink.
You are invisible without a brand, almost impossible to notice unless you have a clear, unique and, above all, a charismatic brand. It is harder than ever for businesses, especially small businesses, to stand out from the crowd.
Being unique is a necessary condition but not a sufficient condition. Your brand, personal or business, should not just represent who you are and your uniqueness, but also should tell a story. The best brands are those that have a life beyond the product or service they are attached to. They symbolize an attitude that inspires action or a new way of thinking.
Today at the age of infinite choices, charisma comes from being irreplaceable. A charismatic brand or CEO or organization is the one that people believe there is no alternative.
The question is "How can you create a successful charismatic brand?"
The question becomes a solution when we substitute the word "you" with "they"! "They" refers to the audience of your brand. Let them define your brand, your story and your products rather than trying to tell them what they need, what your product does or what your story is. This way you will be irreplaceable by being the only one that gets them, understands them and a part of them.
As one of my favorite authors puts it, "A brand is not what you say it is, it's what they say it is." A brand is a person's gut feeling about a product, service, or organization. It's a person's gut feeling, because brands are defined by individuals, not companies, markets or the public. It's a gut feeling because people are emotional, intuitive beings.
Let the meaning of your brand evolve around the community rather than broadcasting. Your products or services are created, rather than being produced. Even the word audience sounds like an old marketing relic that represents one way communication. It should be replaced with the word community to reflect a dialogue rather than a monologue.
There is nothing that can stop you from standing out from the crowd once you decide that you own your brand, but it belongs to them.
Photos: Genericavatar, Yann, Nickwheeleroz


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Population growth of Greater Jakarta and its impact
Tommy Firman
The population of Greater Jakarta Metropolitan Area, comprised of DKI Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi (Jabodetabek), reached 27.9 million according to the 2010 national census, with a growth rate of 3.6 percent per annum over the period 2000-2010.
That figure far exceeds the national annual population rate of 1.49 percent per year over the same period. Jabodetabek accounts for 11 percent of Indonesia's population, up from 10 percent in the previous census in 2000.
The capital city of Jakarta (DKI Jakarta), as the core of Jabodetabek, is home to nearly 9.6 million people, according to the 2010 census, a sharp increase from 8.4 million in 2000, with a growth rate of 1.40 percent per year (see Table).
This figure is lower than the average population growth rate, but is still quite surprising, as DKI Jakarta's population grew by only 0.16 percent over the period of 1990-2000. Even during this period, Central Jakarta and South Jakarta experienced population declines of 2.01 percent and 0.67 percent respectively.
Based on the 2010 census, all mayoralties and regencies within DKI Jakarta experienced a positive growth rate between 2000 and 2010. Central Jakarta registered the lowest rate of 0.27 percent, with Kepulauan Seribu (Thousand Islands) regency logging the highest at 2.02 percent per year.
The census found that DKI Jakarta's population proportionally dropped to 34.1 percent from 40 percent in 2000, compared with that of its satellite cities, indicating that the Bodetabek region (Jabodetabek minus DKI Jakarta) is growing even faster.
The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) has not published the data of urban and rural populations, so the proportion of urban population in Jabodetabek can not be calculated yet.
According to the 2000 census, urban areas accounted for 88.5 percent of the region's population. Assuming that the urban population in Jabodetabek grew at a conservative rate, the total urban population would now have reached at least 25 million people.
The population growth in Bodetabek, as the buffer area of the Jakarta metropolitan area, shows a very interesting phenomenon.
All municipalities and regencies in the region registered annual growth rates far exceeding the national and DKI Jakarta marks. South Tangerang municipality, separate from Tangerang regency, for example, had a population growth rate of 4.69 percent per annum.
The population of Tangerang regency itself sharply increased from 2.50 percent per year in the period from 1990-2000 to 3.82 percent in the period 2000-2010.
There are three components in annual urban population increase: The first is natural population increase, meaning the number of people born minus the number of those who died in the same year.
Second is the net migration, which is the number of incoming migrations minus outgoing migrations.
Third is reclassification, more popularly referred to as changes in rural localities to urban localities. The trend of 1990-2000 period indicated high rates of population growth in cities in Bodetabek attributed to net migration and reclassification. What is the importance of the population growth in Jabodetabek?
The population of DKI Jakarta, as the core of Jabodetabek, is now nearing 10 million, not including the number of commuters from surrounding areas, including Bodetabek, which is estimated to have reached 1.5 million.
Indeed, the population of DKI Jakarta only increased by 1.40 percent per year over the past decade, but this figure actually surged sharply from only 0.16 percent over the period 1990-2000.
This is quite astonishing, because the growth rate of DKI Jakarta's population was expected to decline following the trends of population growth during 1990-2000.
Thus far, the data shows that Bodetabek experienced rapid development. The growth of Jabodetabek's population during 1990-2000 is often referred to as a doughnut phenomenon, where the center is empty and thick at the edges. However, now the doughnut is getting bigger and solidifying.
Overall this indicates a spill-over of various socio-economic activities from DKI Jakarta to its peripheries that need huge tracts of land, including large-scale housing areas and industrial estates.
The writer is a professor at the Bandung Institute of Technology.
Source: Preliminary Result of Population Census 2010, Jakarta,
Banten and West Java , BPS, 2011 (see www.bps.go.id).
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Both Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III had spectacular performances in Week 1, but Week 2 will showcase other rookies that will steal the spotlight.
Don't get me wrong, Luck and RGIII are amazing football players, but there are other guys that are shadowed because of all the attention being on the two quarterbacks.
Here's a list of six other guys that could soak up spotlight in the upcoming week.


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These sweet three week old kittens ended up at a kill shelter through no fault of their own. There's five of them - all orphans.
We've named them after blind superheroes! Psylocke(F), Dr. Midnight(F), Pieter Crows(M), Terry Quinn(M), and Matt Murdoch(M).
They have horrid eye infections, and three need to have what remains of their eyes removed. Since BBAWC is known for taking in 'difficult' bottle babies, ACC contacted us and we couldn't say no.
Three of the kittens suffered from such severe eye infections, that their eyes are forever destroyed and need to be removed. The remaining two may be able to save one of their eyes - the others are so infected and damaged that they will need surgery.
Blind cats are remarkable creatures, and thrive when they lose their eyes at a young age. We make sure they are fostered with friendly, young cats who are the same age, so they bond with a 'seeing eye friend'.
ACC called us because we've been known to take hard luck kitties (Bionics, Atlas, Junebug) who also require medical care. Especially when they arrive last minute. So they called after 6 and they had to be placed by 7 or were going to be euthanized. We accepted and then discovered that their eyes were ulcerated and several would likely require enucleations (eye removal). We agreed to go ahead and accept them. About 30 minutes later they called and said another 5 week old had arrived on her own and wasn't eating although she seemed relatively healthy. So we took her too.
From foster mom Anne (BBAWC Pres), "They were pretty gross when they arrived. Lots of puss and yuckiness (the medical term) coming from their eyes. I've moistened and tried to clean them up a bit. I gave them eye drops and antivirals and then I'll see what the doctor says tomorrow. Most likely their enucleations will occur when they are a bit older and at the same time as their spay/neuter. Its best if they are over 2 lbs to have surgery and once the eye is destroyed its an open source of infection so we want to remove it as soon as its safe for them."
Our little superheroes will need on-going vet care over the next several weeks. Any amount donated is devoted 100% to their care.
We will post updates so everyone can see their recovery! Stay tuned!
Brooklyn Bridge Animal Welfare Coalition is a 501(c)3 organization and all donations are tax deductible. Anything in excess of what is needed for The Superheroes will go directly to the care of our other cats and kittens!
Thank YouBrooklyn Bridge Animal Welfare Coalitionwww.bbawc.org[email protected]
Terry Quinn - Tied with Matt for largest and healthiest. Two days of meds has really improved his eyes. His left eye was always gorgeous but the right one is peaking out now. The smartest one he is tired of being ill and ready to conquer the world. He's figured our how to eat on his own although he still likes to eat through the syringe.
Psylocke - She is the smallest - almost like she came from another litter but definitely a fighter. Her right eye will need to be removed eventually but her left one looks much improved. I'm stuffing her as much as I can so she puts on some weight.
Dr. Midnight - This is the second girl and second smallest of the bunch. Everyone is wet because I've just cleaned their eyes and fed them so wiped that up. Her eyes look like both may pull through with some scaring but they are still so swollen its hard to tell.
Matt Murdoch - Matt is the heftiest and most solid. Very good natured and sweet. His eyes are going to have some scaring but are already improving. He and Terry are the healthiest and most active. They are both starting to want to play and explore.
Pieter Crows - This little fighter was the sickest of the bunch. He was the only one with a high fever and his left eye is gone. It looked like his right eye may not have perforated but the swelling will have to come down much more before we will know for sure. He's feeling much better but still needs some more care.
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text:
Your Business
Trustco has good second quarter
TrustCo Bank Corp NY saw its net income rise and experienced strong loan growth in the second quarter of the year.
The holding company for Glenville-based Trustco Bank announced yesterday that its net income rose 7.7 percent from $9.1 million in the second quarter of 2012 to $9.8 million in the second quarter of 2013.
"Our results for the first half of 2013 were solid both in terms of bottom line growth and in positioning our business for the balance of the year and beyond," said company President and CEO Robert J. McCormick in a news release. "In addition to the gain in net income, we continue to add profitable customer relationships on both the loan and deposit sides of the bank."
Average loans were up $186.1 million in the second quarter compared to the same period last year. Average deposits fell $3.4 million, but the type of deposits made shifted away from more costly time deposits and toward the more favorable core deposits, which typically represent longer term customer relationships.
The return on average assets was 0.88 percent in the second quarter, up from 0.83 percent last year. The return on average equity was 10.83 percent, down from 10.49 percent last year.
Earnings per share were a little more than 10.4 cents in the second quarter, up 7.1 percent from 9.7 cents last year. Meanwhile, in the first half of the year TrustCo earned $18.9 million, or 20.1 cents per share, up from $18 million, or 19.2 cents per share in the first half of 2012.
"We look forward to the second half of 2013 with optimism, though we note that our industry continues to face challenges as the economy remains fragile and interest rate environment remains mixed. We will continue to take advantage of opportunities as they are presented."
Follow @GazetteBiz on Twitter.


text:
Like a {SKYSCRAPER} [00:33]
READ PLEASE :D This video means a lot to me, specially the music. I've been trough a lot in this time, and in my way I found people who wanted to make me bad, people who said a lot of things about me, people who disliked my videos and all of that stuff. This is for them. This is to show them that I can make EVERYTHING I propose, and no matter what I'll keep trying. Gitano, there are so much thinks I want to thank you boy... You're really special to me. We've made a lot of acomplishments since we've met on December 1st, 2011, 7 months ago from now. When we met I was getting my confidence back. You just made me feel better in every way. You built me up. You made me win the regional championship. YOU ARE EVERYTHING TO ME LITTLE PONY♥ Some of you don't know, but my dad died on march because of cancer, so these times were very hard for everyone in my family. I know he's taking care of me now somehow, so I think I have to thank him too. Because without him I would not be able to ride. He taught me a lot of things in life that no one is going to take from me. Love you all guys! THANKS FOR EVERYTHING♥
Tags: horse, pony, angloarabian, arabian, showjumping, riding, Dressage, equestrianism, Equestrian, Hunter, Jumping, Quarter, Horses, Like, Horseback, Racing, xcandeequestrian, Flahorse2010, agtucuman, Gitano, saddle
Vysoko Pri Morave Training ~ *Summer Paradise* [04:04]
Hey, i went to Vysoko Pri Morave for training for the competition at this place and the horse with purple is chicco :) with me as the rider, tamino is the horse in red and with rider dominica and the last clip is of zuzka riding tamino :) hope you like! remember to : like/comment/share and SUBSCRIBEE!! :)
Tags: Horse, Holstein, Horses, Jumping, showjumping, Dressage, Summer, Snow, Winter, BFF, Love, Pony, Ponies, crosscountry, Racing, Crazy
Gilián Aranka & Babér 2012.05.19 Alapi nagydíj A1 (125cm) [01:31]
Hibátlan 4. hely
Tags: Babér, Gilián Aranka, ló, díjugratás, Koppány, horse, showjumping, race, pferde
Horses [03:34]
This is the new version of the video! hope u like it!!
Tags: Horse, jumping, dressage, showjumping, horsejumping, Riding, Pony, Hunter, Jump, Horses, Equestrian, Western, Barrel, Quarter, Arabian, Equestrianism, Racing, Horseback, Saddle, Pleasure, Equine, Horses (album), New, Training, Eventing, Thoroughbred, Stab
Van Gogh - De Wiemselbach - ENG 2012 [03:46]
NUMERO UNO x BERSTEIN x BURGGRAAF x AMOR KWPN 02.04840, 1.71m, bay, 2002 Breeder: MTS. Stultiens Van Gogh was the undisputed KWPN performance test champion of 2005. During the last 6 years no other KWPN stallion has received as many points as Van Gogh at his performance test. This son by Numero Uno was not only rewarded for his great jumping skills but also his fantastic movements. Take off and technique was rewarded with 8.5, scope with 9.0 and his incredible canter with 9.5. The stallion performance test report states that Van Gogh shows strong movements in walk, trot and canter, that he jumps with a good take-off and develops lots of scope. The dam line of Van Gogh originates at the mare Miesje. In addition to Van Gogh's successful full sisters, this breeding family produced several international showjumping and dressage horses. Some examples are: Zhivago (s. Krack C), Cocktail (s. Purioso), Everest (s. Zeoliet) and Der Senaat III (s. President). The vice champion of the 2007 KWPN stallion competition achieved great results during several competitions in both Germany and the Netherlands. The foals of Van Gogh have appealing conformation and excellent movements. At the 2007 KWPN foal competition in Zeeland Van Gogh was sire of the champion foal Celusiena. VAN GOGH: CHAMPION OF THE KWPN STALLION PERFORMANCE TEST 2005!
Tags: De, Wiemselbach, Hans, Daan, Horn, stables, riding, equestrian, horse, horses, stallion, breeding, breeders, best, best stallion, best stallions, top, sire, line, internationally, successful, show, jumpers, KWPN, studbook, Grand, Prix, Racing, team, besti
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 ...16


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AMD Radeon HD 6990 and Nvidia GeForce GTX 590
PCB Design and Functionality
I've got reference samples of both cards without any packaging and accessories. So, let's take a look at them right now.
The AMD Radeon HD 6990 is as long as 305 millimeters, making it incompatible with quite a few system cases. Its height and depth are 101 and 40 millimeters, respectively. The Nvidia GeForce GTX 590 is smaller at 280x99x35 millimeters, so it can be installed into more system cases. Besides, the new card from Nvidia is somewhat lighter (1038 as opposed to 1139 grams). The face side of each card is covered with a plastic casing with a blower (HD 6990) or an axial fan (GTX 590).
The reverse side of the Radeon HD 6990 is covered with an aluminum plate except for the spots opposite the GPUs. The GeForce GTX 590, on the contrary, has such plates opposite the GPUs only whereas the middle part of the PCB is bare.
The cards differ in their connectivity options. The AMD Radeon HD 6990 has four mini-DisplayPorts and one DVI output whereas the Nvidia GeForce GTX 590 features three DVI outputs and one mini-DisplayPort.
There is a vent grid in each card's mounting bracket for exhausting the hot air, yet some of that air remains inside the system case anyway.
Each card has two 8-pin power connectors at the top of the PCB.
They do not differ much in terms of the peak power draw: 375 watts for the Radeon HD 6990 and 365 watts for the GeForce GTX 590. AMD recommends a 750W or higher power supply with two 150W power connectors for its graphics cards. A 1200W or higher power supply is recommended for a CrossFireX tandem built out of two Radeon HD 6990s. Nvidia has the following recommendations: 700 and 1000-watt power supplies for a single GeForce GTX 590 and a SLI tandem, respectively.
Each card has a single connector for building multi-GPU configurations. It is located in the top front part of the PCB.
There is a small switch next to the CrossFireX connector on the Radeon HD 6990. Instead of switching between the main and backup BIOSes as is implemented in the Radeon HD 6970 and HD 6950, this switch selects the operation mode of the card's GPU. When turned on, it increases the GPU clock rate by 50 MHz. The GeForce GTX 590 has no such switch, but there are three vent slits in its casing next to the MIO connector.
With the coolers removed, we can see that the two cards have similar component layouts:
Nvidia's dual-PCB sandwiches are already a long-forgotten solution, the GeForce GTX 590 being designed in the same way as dual-processor Radeons. AMD and Nvidia put both GPUs on a single PCB but at somewhat different locations which are determined by the placement of the graphics memory chips which are themselves installed on each side of the PCB. There are eight memory chips for each GPU. As you can see, each PCB is highly sophisticated and populated with lots of components.
The Radeon HD 6990 carries two full-featured Cayman GPUs. I want to stress the fact that they are indeed full-featured because dual-processor cards used to be equipped with cut-down versions of GPUs in the past. The GPU frequency of the Radeon HD 6990 is only 50 MHz lower than that of the Radeon HD 6970 and equals 830 MHz. However, there is a high-speed mode you can trigger by means of the abovementioned switch near the CrossFireX connector. The card's GPU frequency is 880 MHz in that mode, but AMD says that turning that switch on will make your warranty void. The card's GPU frequency is lowered to 150 MHz in 2D applications to save power.
Each of its GPUs has 1536 unified shader processors, 96 texture-mapping units and 32 raster back-ends. As is typical of AMD cards, there are no protective caps (heat-spreaders) on the GPUs:
As opposed to AMD, Nvidia equips its GPUs with such caps. The company didn't disable any subunits in the GPUs of its GeForce GTX 590, either. Each of the card's GPUs has 512 unified shader processors, 64 texture-mapping units and 48 raster operators. In other words, we've got two GeForce GTX 580 processors on a single PCB here. Their frequencies are lowered more than those of the AMD Radeon HD 6990, though. The GeForce GTX 590 clocks its GPUs at 607/1215 MHz, which is 21.4% lower than the clock rates of the GeForce GTX 580 (772/1544 MHz). The reason for this reduction is clear enough. If Nvidia used the clock rates of the GTX 580 for the GTX 590, the latter's heat dissipation and power consumption would be beyond all reasonable limits. The GeForce GTX 590 drops its GPU clock rates to 51/101 MHz in 2D mode as a power-saving measure.
Both cards have GDDR5 memory in 16 BGA-packaged chips. The Radeon HD 6990 carries a total of 4 gigabytes of graphics memory (2 gigabytes per each GPU) whereas the GeForce GTX 590 has 1.5 gigabytes of onboard memory for each GPU or 3 gigabytes in total. As usual, AMD installs Hynix H5GQ2H24MFR T2C chips on its Cayman-based reference cards. These chips have a voltage of 1.5 volts and a rated frequency of 5000 MHz. The card's memory frequency is 5000 MHz, too, but is lowered to 600 MHz in 2D mode. The memory bus is 256 bits wide.
The GeForce GTX 590 comes with Samsung K4G10325FE-HC04 chips that have a rated access time of 0.4 nanoseconds and a rated frequency of 5000 MHz. However, the card clocks them at 3414 MHz only, which is 15% lower than the memory frequency of the GeForce GTX 580 and 10% lower than that of the GTX 570. The memory frequency is lowered to 270 MHz in 2D mode. The memory bus is 384 bits wide.
This is what the GPU-Z tool reports about the two cards:
Unfortunately, version 0.5.1 does not recognize the GeForce GTX 590 and I had already given the card back by the time version 0.5.2 was released (March 21).


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Today, my daughter turned Emo. FML
by nyaahaha / 09/01/2011 at 11:44pm / United States / Kids
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The comments are deactivated because of reasons.
I'm sure that was a long time coming.
#3 - On 09/02/2011 at 2:40am by suprmidgt
See in context
I remember my first black nail polish...
#18 - On 09/02/2011 at 2:46am by ScottieZ
7607694 FMLs submitted since the site's creation!
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text:
Funfetti® Cookies with Vanilla Flavored Frosting
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Ready Time: 60 min
- Yield: 3 dozen
- 1 package Pillsbury™ Funfetti® Sugar Cookie Mix
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 egg
- 1 container Pillsbury™ Creamy Supreme® Vanilla Flavored Frosting
- Decorator sprinkles
Preparation Directions
- PREPARE cookie mix according to package directions using butter and egg. Bake according to package directions to make 3 dozen cookies. Cool completely.
- PLACE frosting in decorating bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe a small swirl of frosting on top of each cookie. Top with decorator sprinkles.
Nutritional Information Per Serving
Serving Size (1 cookie), Calories 130 (Calories from Fat 50), Total Fat 6g (Saturated Fat 3g, Trans Fat 0.5g), Cholesterol 15mg, Sodium 130mg, Total Carbohydrate 19g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 14g), Protein 1g; Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 2%, Vitamin C 0%, Calcium 0%, Iron 2%.
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
* Ensure all recipe ingredients are gluten free by referencing the ingredient labels, as products may vary. If uncertain, contact the ingredient manufacturer.


text:
// Pull & Bear shirt, Zara top, Blanco pants (I changed the buttons), Mango heels, Parfois watch and ring, and DIY necklace worn as a bracelet.
Last sunday's outfit. I've been meaning to post it sooner but these past days were pretty chaotic. Yesterday, I even started to type something, but in adition to the lack of sense in every sentence, I actually fell asleep with the laptop on my lap. Sad, just plain sad…
Anyway… About the outfit – You know those pieces you never wear but only when you have absolutely nothing else to put on? Well, these pants live in that category… But since I usually don't take much with me when I go home (to my parents') for the weekend (I always think – why bother? You have so many clothes, why not use them, even if it's just once a month!?), sometimes I find myself having an hard time picking what to wear. And so, pieces like these pants suddenly look appealing. And so does the shirt, stolen from my sister's closet.
The sandals were one my first purchases this sale season. They looked pretty perfect for something to wear with a lot of stuff and for a very long time. I must confess, though, that they are not exactly the most confortable shoes on earth… But I believe that is only due to the fact that they are new; once they'll get used to my feet I'll be good to go!🙂


text:
Managing for drought on Playa Country
By Dale Bolton • Oct 29, 2012
This week on Playa Country, we begin a three part series on grazing. Much of Playa Country has been in a two-year drought, and parts of the region are in exceptional drought. How do ranchers and range managers plan and operate and protect their grasslands under these conditions? A strategic plan is essential. Playa Country airs on Tuesday's at 6:44 pm during All Things Considered.


text:
By Pam Hardy
Hyde School Parenting Coach
Recently I met a friend for coffee; she's a grandmother, like I, but she is much more involved in her grandchildren's lives than I am. I admire her for her energy and her untiring devotion and support of them. They are lucky to have her in their corner.
We began talking about things she's concerned about for them. The oldest is going to be in middle school next year, and she's read recently that's the age when kids often start to experiment with alcohol. "I'm going to tell him I'll give him $1,000 if he won't drink until he's of age."
At first I didn't say anything; then she asked me what I thought about that.
I have to admit I tried things like this with my kids, too: "If you bring that C up to a B next grading period, I'll buy you that skate board you want. If you bring it up to an A, I'll buy you… (something more expensive than the skateboard)." It hardly ever worked.
The problem with bribing a kid not to drink, or smoke pot, or whatever it is we're trying to keep them away from, is that we set up the possibility of moving truth out of the center of the relationship. If he/she can't stick to the promise, then it's unlikely they will tell you of their failure because they don't want to lose the money! The truth would set them free – of their guilt and the money. It's as if there's too much at stake to bet on the truth.
I suggested to my friend that she talk to her grandchild about her concern with underage drinking.
"Tell him what you were planning to do, and the bind you realized you'd be putting him in by doing this. Ask him if, when and if he gets into a situation where he might drink or feels like he wants to try it, would he speak with you first, so you can give him your views and advice. That way, he has you as a resource for important and possibly life-changing decisions, rather than as the 'policeman' of right and wrong."
Bribing our kids makes them accountable to us; we want to raise them to live by their own conscience, and to be accountable to life.
Read more of Pam Hardy's articles on parenting on www.biggestjob.com.


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ok, i dont know the name of this movie.
there's this guy, who's mother gets hit by a car. and there's this letter about his father who left them a long time ago. then there's this older lady who has a bunch of letters from other orphans or something...grr i cant remember much about it. so when the guys finds his father it turns out that he has half brothers or something.
does this fit into any movie you've seen?
It takes place in Sao Paulo Brazil.
let me know, i wanted to see it again.


text:
Offering a balance of performance, safety and comfort, the Master Class Contoro Carving Knife is ideal for slicing roasts and joints. Manufactured from the highest quality stainless carbon steel with a taper ground plain cutting edge, flared bolster, full length tang and an effective non-slip soft grip handle for essential control whilst cutting.
FeaturesDishwasher safe
25 year guarantee
Soft grip handle
Not to be sold to persons under the age of 18


text:
I am honored that the citizens of Kootenai County have chosen me to serve as one of their county commissioners.
Thank you. I'd like to let you know a little more about who Dan Green is - I have been blessed and happily married
to Linda for 25 years. We are very proud parents of our two sons, Ryan and Brett. In 1991 our family moved to Kootenai
County and we were very pleased with the education our sons received in the Kootenai County public school system.
Currently both boys are attending college. Since 1977 I have worked in the lumber industry. While working, I attended
California State University, Fullerton and received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. In 1995 I started my own
company and retired in 2008. Locally, I was appointed to the Kootenai County Planning & Zoning Commission in 2003.
I served on P & Z from 2003 through 2010; Six of those years I served as Chairman of the Board. I also currently serve on
the board of directors for CDA Homes. (CDA Homes is a non-profit, Christian based corporation that provides several living
options for our seniors.)
The challenges that our county faces revolve around developing and maintaining a healthy economy and protecting the
natural resources we all enjoy. My goal as a county commissioner is to make this county an even better place to live than
it already is. My family and I are blessed to be able to live here and I am proud to have the opportunity to serve all of


text:
Wordsmith Talk
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#31071 - 06/03/01 03:44 PM where's AWAD
Registered: 06/03/01
Posts: 1
My Sat and Sun words have not arrived. And when I came to this web site and clicked "today's word," it was Friday's word. Am I the only one in the Twinky Zone (much farther out than the Twilight Zone)?
#31072 - 06/03/01 04:07 PM Re: where's AWAD
Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 11/25/00
Posts: 3439
Loc: New England, USA
Sometimes our Word A Day behaves like a naughty child and doesn't show up when expected. If it does not show up in a day or two, contact the firstname.lastname@example.com and tell him your problem and the dates.
Welcome to the Board with all it's whimsicality .... look forward to hearing more from you.
#31073 - 06/03/01 04:11 PM Re: where's AWAD
Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 01/18/01
Posts: 13858
Dear noelieG: I don't remember ever seeing new Words on Saturday and Sunday. Have you yet exhauted the Archives of past words? Perhaps the Satrap who selects them is an Anchorite on weekends.
#31074 - 06/03/01 05:41 PM Re: where's AWAD
Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 03/15/00
Posts: 11613
Loc: Louisville, Kentucky
Welcome aBoard, noelieG.
Several months ago, the WAD staff put it to a vote among the
subscribers as to whether to continue with the 7-day-a-week
plan or go to five days.
Five days won by a narrow margin, and the staff thanked all of the people who specified that they really appreciated the seven days, but were voting for five to give the staff a
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Current OpeningsCurrent Openings at The Biltmore Hotel
Work With Us
Please apply for any position that you are interested and where your background and skills match the posting requirements. We encourage you to apply on line, if unable you may submit in person at the Human Resources Resources office (Monday-Thursday, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm).
If you are looking for a career in hospitality, The Biltmore is where you want to be. We are committed to the successes of our employees, their training and development both personally and professionally. We look forwarding to assisting you in your career search.
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Back Home, Some Tea Partiers Still Back Boehner
The nationalized tea party might be railing against him, but Boehner has conservative support in Ohio.
House Speaker John Boehner reportedly has spent nearly $300,000 on campaign ads in the Cincinnati and Dayton markets, evidence that his road to re-election isn't as smooth as it could be.
House Speaker John Boehner doesn't look to be in serious jeopardy of losing his congressional seat or his speaker's gavel in 2014, but nationalized tea party groups are making things uncomfortable for the 12-term incumbent and forcing him to campaign harder than he has in many years.
This election cycle, political action committee the Tea Party Leadership Fund has sent invitations to a "Surprise Retirement Party" for Boehner, R-Ohio, to reporters and constituents, and has spent $320,000 supporting one of Boehner's three primary challengers: J.D. Winteregg, a French teacher.
The group appears to be harnessing the national frustration with Boehner that has been bubbling up for years, as the speaker has brought legislation to the floor that's passed with more Democratic votes than Republican ones. As a response to Boehner pushing to increase the debt ceiling earlier this year, the Senate Conservatives Fund launched replacethespeaker.com, an online site where more than 38,000 people have signed a petition to oust Boehner and a forum for tracking House Republicans who have called on Boehner to resign from his position as the GOP's point man.
[READ: House Majority PAC Dives in Early Ahead of 2014]
To counter the insurgency, Boehner has been forced to run a television advertising campaign touting his ties to his district after a four-year hiatus from the airwaves. According to The Washington Post's tally, the speaker's spent nearly $300,000 on campaign ads in the Cincinnati and Dayton markets that will run at least until late April. The small cost of the ad buy is a drop in the bucket for Boehner, who has more than $3.3 million cash on hand in his personal campaign war chest. Yet it's still evidence of his having to work harder than he has in some time to keep his seat, ahead of competing in a May 6 primary.
Back home, however, Boehner's constituents are not so sure the nationalized anti-establishment groups know what's best for them, nor are they sure that groups like the Tea Party Leadership Fund have their best interests at heart.
"They are just carpetbagging," says Susan McLaughlin, a board member of the Liberty Township Tea Party. "They need to go home and take care of their districts and their counties. We are smart enough here. We don't need them."
McLaughlin defends Boehner, whom she affectionately refers to as "John." She says there is certainly an undercurrent of folks in the district who wish Boehner would be more "fiery and flamboyant," but that sort of leader "has never been him."
[ALSO: How Obamacare Alternatives Could Impact 2016]
"I just have never seen this kind of opposition to John, and a lot of it is coming from out of the district," McLaughlin says.
Kevin McDonald, a GOP activist in Boehner's district, calls all the outside campaigning against Boehner "a little dumb." He argues that not everyone is "thrilled" with Boehner, but many still understand that he's not just their lawmaker, he's the speaker of the House.
"You cannot please everybody, but he still has a good groundswell of support," McDonald says.
Carl Rullmann of the West Chester Tea Party is more on the fence. With just a few weeks until the Republican primary, he still has not made up his mind on which candidate will get his vote.
"I don't think John is a 'RINO' [Republican In Name Only], but he has given in on a few things that we wish he had not," Rullmann says. "I cannot think of a single thing he has done wrong, but I look at results and he has not been able to stop the liberal socialist juggernaut."
[MORE: John Boehner's Dismal Popularity Inches Higher, Trails Obama]
A stronger undercurrent of similar dissatisfaction eventually could fester and threaten Boehner's position in the future.
"He has made several promises that I don't feel he has kept. Nothing about him says he is one of us anymore. We cannot even get him to come to a town hall meeting," says Richard Inman, who represents the Fairfield Tea Party.
Inman says his frustration with Boehner isn't personal, it's just about his job performance.
"As a person, I like him. I have voted for him. I have campaigned for him," Inman says. "The loyalty doesn't apply when [lawmakers] are doing a bad job."


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When the 2013 NFL season began, Brandon Weeden was the starter for the Cleveland Browns. But he was injured and eventually lost his job to Brian Hoyer, who took Cleveland by storm before tearing his ACL in Week 5.
So it was back to Weeden, but it wasn't long before he was benched in favor of Jason Campbell. Yes, Jason Campbell. But Campbell was injured in Week 12 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, so for the third time this season, Weeden returns to the role of starting quarterback.
Phew. Got all that?
Amidst all of the confusion, the question for fantasy football owners is what effect this most recent change will have for studs like Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron, both of whom have dominated their respective positions at various points this season.
But first, we turn to the latest on Weeden and Campbell. From Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal:
#Browns HC Chud said QB Brandon Weeden will start Sunday vs. #Jaguars and we'll rally around him.— Nate Ulrich (@NateUlrichABJ) November 27, 2013
Meanwhile, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer has more on Campbell's status:
#Browns' Chud said Campbell is feeling better, won't practice today, doubtful he'll play.— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) November 27, 2013
It probably wouldn't matter if Fred Flintstone were under center—Gordon will produce. He's fresh off of a huge performance in Week 12, finishing with 14 receptions for 237 yards and a touchdown.
It's now his sixth double-digit fantasy performance on the season, his third game in the past four weeks with 18 or more fantasy points and the fifth time he's reached 100 receiving yards.
More importantly, last week he had eight catches for 166 yards and a touchdown after Weeden entered the game, making him not only matchup-proof but also quarterback-proof as well. It's safe to consider Gordon an elite fantasy receiver every single week.
But Cameron is a different story.
He thrived with Hoyer under center, accumulating 39 of his 97 total fantasy points in two games with Hoyer. While he's had some success with Weeden—16 fantasy points in Week 1, 11 fantasy points in Week 7—he's really struggled of late in general, with just 10 receptions for 65 yards in his last three weeks.
Which player benefits more with Weeden under center?
While it seems unlikely that he'll return to the heights of the Hoyer games, Cameron will probably be quite happy to see Weeden back under center, as Campbell never seemed to develop much chemistry with his tight end.
Cameron is no longer the locked-and-loaded TE1 he was early in the season, but his owners should feel comfortable keeping him in the starting lineup with Weeden manning the reins. It's arguable that the return of Weeden is a positive for the Browns, but it certainly doesn't hurt the team's top fantasy options.
Hit me up on Twitter—I'll answer your fantasy lineup questions, tweet random fantasy musings and propose theories for how Antonio Brown overcame Joe Haden's fantasy kryptonite.


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Chili Dog Casserole
Total Time
Prep 10 mins
Cook 40 mins
They say that necessity is the mother of invention. I did a lot of inventive cooking when I was a single mom of 3 hungry boys. Cheap and filling were top on the list, followed by...kids will eat it! I noticed other chili dog casseroles posted but they all call for hot dog buns. If you have a bun, make a hotdog! if you don't..make a casserole. hahaha
Ingredients Nutrition
- 8 hot dogs
- 1 (15 ounce) can chili (no beans)
- 1⁄2 onion, chopped finely
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 1⁄3 cup water
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
- 1 (12 ounce) can refrigerated biscuits
- Spray 7x11 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut hotdogs into bite size pieces. Cut biscuits into quarters. Place biscuit pieces in bottom of dish. Layer hotdog bites over biscuits.
- Mix onion and mustard together and spread.
- over hotdogs. Combine 1/3 cup water and can of chili. Pour over ingredients in casserole dish.
- Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle top with cheddar cheese and bake for another 10 minutes. Let set for 10 minutes before serving.
- Recipe can easily be doubled and cooked in 13x9 inch pan.
Most Helpful
Clever and fun! Really tastes just like a chili dog! I made this as written and mixed a little ketchup in it too. Gives the adults heartburn just like a real chili dog too! ;) Sauerkraut would be great in this! Thanx for sharing this fun recipe.
This was ok, but I would have to make a few changes in order to make it again. First, bake at a maximum of 30 minutes because baking for 30 then putting the cheese on and baking for another 10 burnt the bottom and top of the casserole. Second, I would suggest another can of chili because one for me just wasn't enough it seemed very dry.. besides that it was pretty good
SO GOOD!! Piece of cake to put together and my family loved it! Thanks for sharing!


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For the Record
A View of Our Candidates
Bob Capazzo
The impression projected by Peter Tesei, Republican candidate for first selectman and the current BET chairman, is one of quiet modesty — certainly not the chest-thumping kind that might lead a revolution or a Baptist revival. That demeanor reflects an intensely thoughtful person who, while studying all aspects of an issue, seeks consensus and is not prone to making rash decisions. Trustworthiness, he claims, is a trait that has guided him in his role in the BET. A fifth-generation resident of Greenwich, Peter Tesei has come up through the ranks of local elected office. With ten years in the RTM, two as chairman of District 9 and nine in the BET, including five as chairman, he has a depth of experience and intimate knowledge of our government. He has also found time to be a board member of the Greenwich Chapter of the Boy Scouts of America, Greenwich Point Conservancy, the Red Cross and the United Way.
Dedication to Greenwich is what Tesei says has led him to run for the town's highest office. Confirmation of this is his willingness, if he wins, to make a major sacrifice in resigning as a vice president of the Bank of New York, ending an eighteen-year career that began with its predecessor, Putnam Trust.
Among the issues he cites is the need to obtain legal clarification from the State Attorney General of the effect of the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision on the racial balancing program being promoted by the state commissioner of education and Greenwich School Superintendent Betty Sternberg. Tesei believes that neighborhood integrity should be preserved and that busing is not in the best interest of our residents. Because of the increasing number of lawsuits and costly settlements experienced by Greenwich, he would initiate a study of the town's legal posture and introduce risk management programs for town employees. His work on the BET has prepared him well for the first selectman's job, he says, and demonstrated his ability to build relationships and create consensus.
Opposing Tesei is Democratic contender Frank Farricker, a relative newcomer to the political scene who has a lot of ideas on how he would improve town government, primarily in the area of land use. A native Greenwichite, for the past three years Farricker has been a member of the Planning & Zoning Commission. His experience in commercial real estate in New York City has provided him with a professional perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing Greenwich in managing growth. His contribution to P & Z is especially critical now as the commission prepares the all-important ten-year Plan of Conservation and Development.
Foreseeing a decline in the growth of the grand list that will affect planned capital improvement projects, Farriker offers the development of public/private partnerships as a solution. He cites his proposal to construct an office building on the parking lot at the foot of Arch Street and Sound View Drive as a new home for the Board of Ed that would have parking under it. Farricker supports tree conservation, as well as the preservation of historic buildings through economic incentives.
In typical campaign style, Farricker assails the present administration of Jim Lash as simply preserving the status quo, when arguably more has been accomplished during the four years of this administration than any other. Such unfounded rhetoric is unfortunate, since Farriker has some very sound and progressive ideas in the area of land use and zoning regulations where his expertise lies. If he were to be elected to the Board of Selectmen, these special talents would be greatly missed at the P & Z as it works to develop our ten-year plan.
In the run for selectman positions, we have Republican incumbent Peter Crumbine and Democratic candidate Lin Lavery. Interestingly, these two worked closely together when Lin was chairman of the Selectman's Nominations Advisory Committee. She has valuable experience in locating and qualifying the proper people for town boards and commissions. Lin has served on the boards of numerous volunteer organizations, including Greenwich Library, the United Way and the Greenwich High School PTA. She was vice chairman of the Commission on Aging, president of the Junior League and a founder of Kids in Crisis. She has many enthusiastic supporters, and we predict she will do well at the polls.
Peter Crumbine has served four terms as selectman, after serving four years on the BET and four in the RTM, for a total of sixteen years of volunteer work for Greenwich. He enjoyed a long and successful career with Mobil Oil followed by executive positions with Citibank and Sempra Energy. He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Dartmouth College with an MBA and MS in engineering from Stanford.
The town is very fortunate to have the services of such a well-rounded and talented professional as Peter Crumbine. Articulate and level-headed, he has been a little-heralded but key member of the Board of Selectmen under both Lash and Bergstresser.
At the town level of politics, party labels can be less important than the qualifications of the candidates. Each of these candidates has special talents and experience, and we hope voters will be guided by what each can do best.