text:
Town Square
Why Not Help Save The Last Orchard in Palo Alto?
Original post made by Margo Davis, Barron Park, on Sep 25, 2013
"A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can let alone." Henry David Thoreau
"There were ten thousand thousand fruit to touch,
Cherish in hand, lift down, and not let fall." Robert Frost
I am a photographer who has been teaching and working at Stanford and living in Palo Alto since 1972: 41 years in a city I love, more years than I have spent anywhere else in my life. I co-authored, The Stanford Album, A Photographic History 1886-1946. The first chapter describes the area when Leland Stanford Junior University was founded. It was "set among wild grainfields and paddocks".
Now known as Silicon Valley, it was formerly referred to as "the Valley of the Heart's Delight" because of the myriad fruit orchards and flowering trees. One of the last orchards around is the Palo Alto Orchard on Maybell Avenue, last owned by an Italian family. With their permission, I was able to harvest beautiful Blenheim apricots every July to make preserves and chutney.
The destiny of this 2.4 acre orchard with about 100 trees is currently being determined. Originally, all the land in our entire region were family orchards. Many of us would like to save this historic last orchard in our town and develop a heritage orchard and visitor center.
Before the Hewletts and the Packards, before the Jobs and the Andreessens forged Silicon Valley, this area was abundant with lush fruit orchards surrounded by foothills. The transition to a valley of chip manufacturers has been rapid, almost too rapid to avoid the total erasing of our past. Change is, for sure, inevitable and progress occasionally moves us forward. But, it is also destroying us. As our own Wallace Stegner has so eloquently written in his Wilderness Letter of Dec 3, 1960:
Something will have gone out of us as a people if we ever let the remaining wilderness be destroyed; if we permit the last virgin forests to be turned into comic books and plastic cigarette cases; if we drive the few remaining members of the wild species into zoos or to extinction; if we pollute the last clear air and dirty the last clean streams and push our paved roads through the last of the silence, so that never again will Americans be free in their own country from the noise, the exhausts, the stinks of human and automotive waste….
I urge everyone to read his entire memorable letter so poignant from our perspective of 2013:
Web Link
The orchards were man-made and replaced much of the wilderness that Stegner refers to. But looking back from our contemporary concrete jungle to the millions of acres of orchards with flowering fruit trees that was this land, we now pray for any garden of green in almost any form to provide relief from the asphalt and the cement. And, it behooves us to preserve a part of that history.
Why not memorialize this legacy by keeping the Palo Alto Orchard as an orchard of trees instead of an orchard of houses?
It is painful to see our communities morph into cookie-cutter cities without a shred of their singular past. It is painful to read Stegner and understand that what he was trying to prevent is already overwhelming us…in Palo Alto and many other towns around. It should be possible to move forward to meet the needs of our citizens for shelter, to be attentive to the needs of our seniors, and still hold on to features that cherish our history and preserve our aesthetics. Sadly, it seems that developments are erasing our natural environment and these links to the valley's history.
Why not keep the Maybell orchard as a community orchard of apricot trees and other stone fruit trees with a small center about the agricultural history of this valley? -- the same idea that frames the Pearson Arastradero Preserve with its center about the area's wildlife or something similar to the heritage orchards in Saratoga and Los Altos. As residents of Palo Alto we must take control of our town and legacy and plan for the kind of development WE want.
This idea would extend the Juana Briones Park and be so educational for all the schools, some seven, that are within a very few miles of its location. Our children should understand their own legacy and appreciate the agricultural heritage that is here, that belongs to the entire State of California as well. In understanding the deep roots of the orchards, we can connect more passionately to the history of our land and thus add more continuity to our lives.
Margo Davis
Comments (38)
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Sep 25, 2013 at 9:19 am
Have you driven on the 280? We have plenty of trees and forests here, but a desperate shortage of affordable housing.
a resident of Crescent Park
on Sep 25, 2013 at 10:17 am
Margo Davis has a truly environmental proposal. But first we need to defeat Measure D. Say no to the intense development the City has proposed which will destroy the orchard she speaks so eloquently about. Developments are being proposed in Palo Alto that will have huge impacts on the livability of our city. As dense multi-family housing is built, more parks will become mandatory to maintain Palo Alto's great residential quality. Rows of multiple housing have been built in south Palo Alto and not one acre of new park land was required to offset the influx of the expected new populationl. Our current park facilities (those within biking and walking distance) will become inadequate and over crowded. This is surely not what any resident wants for our city. To defeat Measure D and add the orchard to Juana Briones Park would be fitting for "green" Palo Alto.
a resident of Downtown North
on Sep 25, 2013 at 10:27 am
"We have plenty of trees and forests here, but a desperate shortage of affordable housing."
Especially in Old Palo Alto which, to my knowledge, has none. It's time for that 'hood to step up to the plate.
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Sep 25, 2013 at 2:00 pm
I'd like to see a small heritage orchard kept. 2.4 acres isn't going to make a big difference when it comes to affordable housing. Indeed, the city has problems servicing the population boom it's already had--heavy traffic, overcrowded schools and no end in sight.
Green space matters--it's good for our sanity. And this is one of the best places in the world for growing apricots and plums.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Sep 25, 2013 at 3:20 pm
The land is so valuable and the housing shortage so severe that it simply must be turned into housing. Perhaps the homes can be built around some of the orchard trees.
Blame the parents of the Boomers, who did not use birth control, for all the overcrowding.
a resident of Downtown North
on Sep 25, 2013 at 3:43 pm
We have a choice between quality of life and quantity of life. The basest biological instincts and profit motives favor the latter; in the end there is often neither.
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Sep 25, 2013 at 6:49 pm
Until the 1960s the Santa Clara Valley was the largest fruit production and packing region in the world, with 39 canneries. Is there anyone living in or visiting the area who would know this from the current physical landscape? We would not call the area "the Valley of the Heart's Delight" anymore, not with cars parked on our freeways at rush hour and development pouring more and more concrete on the land. Why not keep 2.4 acres of fruit trees for those who might otherwise not know the meaning of "orchard" to the Valley.
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Sep 25, 2013 at 8:46 pm
Because the land is worth like $30 million dollars that's why. It's literally insane to talk about maintaining a farm on some of the most valuable land on earth. Is the owner supposed to forego $1.5 million in income on the $30M per year so that the residents of PA can "know the meaning of 'orchard'"? What on earth are people thinking? I suppose it is easy to think about how we should just have an orchard if it costs you nothing -- yes I think that someone else who owns this land should just keep it a farm -- in the middle of Palo Alto -- because I would really like a farm across the street rather than low-income housing. All those old poor seniors should just go to Redwood City or anywhere they should go away. Palo Alto is for young, rich people and their vanity fantasy farm.
If you want a farm, move to Woodside. Oh, wait, you can't afford Woodside. But you would like someone else to subsidize that experience for you.
Now I have heard everything.
a resident of Downtown North
on Sep 26, 2013 at 1:54 pm
I believe Ms Knight was implicitly suggesting the city buy the orchard and dedicate it as a park. I totally support that idea; providing neighborhood open space is an essential, albeit blithely neglected, function of our city government. Our blind impulse to pack in population must be balanced by a program to acquire all possible park land.
Or do you advocate converting all our existing parks to high density housing for seniors and low income tenants?
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Sep 26, 2013 at 7:56 pm
Some responses here are rather bizarre. Land's valuable here, but $30 million for unimproved acreage?
Housing for seniors? Okay, let's get real--the whole housing-for-seniors thing is a developer boondoggle around here. Most of the seniors around here *own* their own homes and don't feel like moving into a condo next to a freeway. It's a way for developers to get high-density projects approved without having to deal with school-overcrowding issue (and be assessed accordingly)
There's no huge demand for senior housing here. The people who want to move to Palo Alto are A) families who want their kids in the district and B) people who work in the area. The big exception would be the seniors in the mobile home park.
And NO the demand for housing here and its high cost is NOT about the population boom. There's *plenty* of housing in this country. The demand's fed by the tech industry and the wealth it generates and, lately, by overseas investors--specifically, the Chinese who are looking for someplace to park their cash before the Chinese real-estate bubble bursts.
Open space and heritage orchards are something that would benefit the *entire* community. And, no, nothing about the OP's comment implies that the landowners are supposed to just give the land away.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Sep 27, 2013 at 1:19 am
I'm with Margo Davis here.
(And not merely because Stegner was my neighbor for 20 years...okay, I'm exaggerating in that I was oblivious to his work for much of that period and met him three times towards the end of his life, but he did sign my copy of "Crossing to Safety" "To my neighbor"...)
There's also a recent book about the orchards of Santa Clara Valley I picked up at Bell's Books, and the book by Ms.Yvonne Jacobson nee Olson from a few years ago. Robin Chapman,
Web Link
Web Link
Plus, see also George Packer comments on changes here... "The Unwinding..." -- reviewed in these vary pages last week.
But first get the word out on Measure D as a referendum on "planned community zoning" or on current bad leadership...AGAINST D / NO ON D
Of course I don't have the $30 million either but Foundations do, or people can make smaller contributions towards buying the land, or POST can maybe do it. (And I do have a track record of suggesting moon-shot take-backs from the maws of capital, like buying 209 Hamilton and reverting it to artist studios, or 456 University as a performance space...)
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Sep 27, 2013 at 1:19 am
I'm with Margo Davis here.
(And not merely because Stegner was my neighbor for 20 years...okay, I'm exaggerating in that I was oblivious to his work for much of that period and met him three times towards the end of his life, but he did sign my copy of "Crossing to Safety" "To my neighbor"...)
There's also a recent book about the orchards of Santa Clara Valley I picked up at Bell's Books, and the book by Ms.Yvonne Jacobson nee Olson from a few years ago. Robin Chapman,
Web Link
Web Link
Plus, see also George Packer comments on changes here... "The Unwinding..." -- reviewed in these vary pages last week.
But first get the word out on Measure D as a referendum on "planned community zoning" or on current bad leadership...AGAINST D / NO ON D
Of course I don't have the $30 million either but Foundations do, or people can make smaller contributions towards buying the land, or POST can maybe do it. (And I do have a track record of suggesting moon-shot take-backs from the maws of capital, like buying 209 Hamilton and reverting it to artist studios, or 456 University as a performance space...)
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Sep 27, 2013 at 1:35 am
Actually maybe concurrent to AGAINST D could be Margo Davis and her fellow travelers fleshing out the idea of an initiative to promote PALO ALTO ORCHARD idea, perhaps with a colorful outreach campaign. What comes to mind is Howard Gossage and Jerry Mander's work with and for David Brower in the 1960s, about National Parks:
Web Link
I've been loosely AGAINST D for months but only recently saw the site for the first time and not until 10 minutes ago did the significance of the fruit blossom so to speak.
Independent of the actual campaign (i.e the one for which Tim Gray is treasurer), nothing prevents citizens from articulating their desires and visions.
Mark Weiss
refugee from the ad industry
a resident of Woodside
on Sep 27, 2013 at 1:49 pm
The question is, why would we not want to save an orchard space? As a realtor I often see developments created with total disregard to future generations and the preservation of the beauty that has made this area special. Remember once this development is completed it can not be reversed. There are other sites available that in my opinion would be better candidates, sites that involve improving existing developed sites instead of removing a beautiful natural site enjoyed and appreciated by neighbors and residents of the neighboring towns.
a resident of Barron Park
on Sep 28, 2013 at 8:11 pm
"Only after the last tree has been cut down. Only after the last river has been poisoned. Only after the last fish has been caught. Only then will you find that money cannot be eaten."
Cree proverb, quoted today by Greenpeace activist Kumi Naidoo on the Bill Moyers show on PBS and KQED
a resident of Barron Park
on Sep 29, 2013 at 9:49 pm
Orchards only have a limited lifetime. The current one needs to make way for development. Instead we should fund a proper community orchard somewhere more accessible and where it's overbuilt so the community gets the greatest benefit. The best location would be with the removal of Macarthut Park.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Sep 30, 2013 at 9:16 pm
Come up with the money and buy it. I do not support the city buying it.
a resident of Green Acres
on Oct 30, 2013 at 2:14 am
The City already bought it. The $15 million came from public money from the City and County. Alright, I understand that they moved on buying the property, but they should have then held a public process to decide the land use, especially since so much was the Stanfrd funds which the Council spoke about buildng another path over 101 with.
The property was $15 million, not $30million, and it has 4 ranch houses along one end that could be renovated lavishly for probably $600,000, to sell for 10million, especially if some more land was added to their yards and they were for sure going to have an orchard in back. That leaves $5million for the orchard, which is cheap as these things go.
There are $40million in the Standford funds for just such visionary projects. If the City were to even put up half from the Stanford funds, a small faction of the total, not much more than they are spending to gussy up City Chambers more than they already are, the neighbors could raise the rest. And it saves that location as a low traffic use.
People forget that ths neighborhood already has more affordable housing developments than any other residential neighbrhood. I don't say that out of resentment, I say that because we include affordable housing, and understand that is a bad location for a dense development. I also say it because the only other location with as much affordable housing developments, downtown, also has City Hall, Lucie Stern Community Center, Lucie Stern Theatre, the Children's Theatre, the Children's Museum and Zoo, the Main Library, the Downtown Library, the Children's Library, the Bowling Green, Rinconada Park, Gamble Gardens, Rinconada swimming pool, the children's wading pool (awesome place!), Avenidas, the Art Center, nearby, the golf course, Rinconada tennis courts - do I go on?
We have Juana Briones Park and Bol Park. And the City would have put an electric substation where Juana Briones Park is if neighbors hadn't fought it off and gotten it placed in a more appropriate location near El Camino. That's it. We used to have a (private) bowling alley, but now it's a dense ugly development.
We aren't even really on the same side of town as Mitchell Park, having to cross El Camino, the railroad tracks, and Alma to get there. One time when Maybell was blocked for street work, it took me 45 minutes to drive there - (too bad I needed the car, it would have been a faster walk)!
The point is, why are we chopped liver? Our taxes help support all those things in other areas of town. What is wrong with expecting the Council to invest in a public asset over here, especially since our code has an open space requirement and our side of town has had so much development without that being met? The orchard was purchased with public money. The real estate agent above is right, there are better sites for such development, they do come up for sale, and the City never engaged in a search for them with PAHC. Although frankly, I think Measure D should be defeated and they should put the money into saving the mobile home park, in the same neighborhood. That money added to the $14.5 million the neighbors have would be a competitive offer, and the city and county would own an asset that they could develop or sell later, but in the meantime, instantly save over 400 low-income residents who are longtime Palo Altans.
And at the same time, they could (for cheap) save 100 established fruit trees, across the street from the OH at Juana Briones, and in the heart of a neighborhood that could really use a public gathering space as this essay so beautifully lays out.
a resident of Midtown
on Oct 30, 2013 at 10:27 am
I LOVE this idea!!! Would any of the open space organizations be willing to aid the purchase for land in the middle of Palo Alto?
a resident of Barron Park
on Oct 30, 2013 at 6:02 pm
The suggestions by the resident from Green acres are the first imaginative ones I've read.
a resident of Green Acres
on Oct 30, 2013 at 6:56 pm
@Midtown Mom,
There are public grants for heritage agricultural sites. But the bulk of fundraising can't happen while the land is in this kind of controversy, philanthropists don't like to give in a situation like that with all the controversy.
If anyone on the City Council cares about their political future (or ending the battles), they'll swallow their bile if Measure D fails and work out something like that. Neighbors would put similar energy into making it a reality. Low-traffic land use = safety for the kids first and foremost.
a resident of Green Acres
on Oct 30, 2013 at 7:03 pm
@Stephanie Enos,
Thanks - if you like the idea please write email@example.com ! Of course, they aren't going to take kindly to it now, but if Against D wins, that will be what I'd be pushing for. In many ways, I think it would also help heal any rifts in the community.
a resident of Midtown
on Oct 30, 2013 at 8:05 pm
I really like the idea put forth about saving the land as an orchard and having some open space preserved. So many people visit Palo Alto and have no idea about " the Valley of Hearts Delight" and our agricultural history. Los Altos did a beautiful job preserving their apricot orchard, City Hall, City Library and History Museum. Let's all defeat Measure D and then try to save some open space here in Palo Alto.
a resident of Barron Park
on Oct 30, 2013 at 9:07 pm
@ Greenacres
I don't feel that the city council really listens anymore as once an idea is
locked into, a few tweaks here and there is all they are prepared to do as a nod to local objections.
I have been living here for 20 years and we chose it mainly because of Bol Park and the low key funky kind of place it was. That has all changed sadly
and it is already being knocked down house by house replaced by the humungous houses that swallow almost the whole lot with scant regard or consideration for neighbors, the environment or the idea of community.
Bol Park itself was saved by action from local people banding together to preserve it as open space for everyone and look how many people from all walks of life benefit from their foresight for the future. I'm sure if Bol Park wasn't already a dedicated Park today the same arguments would be used by developers to build it out with a minor portion given over to low income housing.
Nevertheless I will write to the city council.
a resident of Palo Verde
on Oct 31, 2013 at 5:12 pm
@Greenacres, maybe you can answer something I've been idly curious about -- were the owners of the four houses on Maybell forced to sell, or just made an offer they couldn't refuse? Or were they just rentals on leased land? Were they threatened with redevelopment of the orchard and unknown hoards staring over the fence into their backyards? Will they have seller's remorse if the orchard is preserved? Or did they laugh all the way to the bank and live happily ever after in some other community? I figured to live the rest of my days in hometown Palo Alto, but at the current rate I will probably be driven out one way or another.
a resident of Barron Park
on Oct 31, 2013 at 11:09 pm
Jerry Underdal is a registered user.
The houses were rentals. The heirs who owned the entire property, houses and orchard, decided to sell it. Several commercial developers bid on it. One of them was under contract for it in 2011 but pulled out, only to re-enter the competition in 2012. PAHC won out with a lower bid because it could close in the tax year 2012, before tax changes took effect that would reduce the sellers' gains. Other tax advantages that come from selling to a non-profit like PAHC also helped make its offer successful.
a resident of Palo Verde
on Nov 1, 2013 at 8:13 am
Thank you Jerry. I guess in the end everything is driven by taxation.
a resident of Barron Park
on Nov 1, 2013 at 8:26 am
I love the idea of the owners of the Maybell property giving up millions of dollars to keep it an orchard for the rest of us to enjoy!
You know what really bugs me, though? How small Juana Briones and Bol Parks are, compared to how big they could be. If only the current property owners that border them donated their land too, they could be so much larger! Wouldn't that be a real testament to a bygone way of life, when you could stroll through the orchards to the railroad line to the city?
I unfortunately live just outside the reclamation zone, but I would be happy to contribute my encouragement to these landowners to give up their rights so that we can raze the existing houses and create a real community treasure!
a resident of University South
on Nov 1, 2013 at 9:08 am
I agree with it's the $, Stupid. Sad, but true.
a resident of Green Acres
on Nov 1, 2013 at 9:26 am
@I'm with,
In my suggestion above, no one is asking the owners to donate the land. They have already sold it. It was purchased with $15 million in public money. Read what I wrote. The same circumstances that made it attractive to PAHC also make it easier to save the orchard. We should put our money where are mouths are and save Buena Vista AND the orchard. It is doable, but would take a City Council willing to work with, rather than at odds with, energized residents.
a resident of Barron Park
on Nov 1, 2013 at 9:51 am
Jerry Underdal is a registered user.
In the "marketplace of ideas" that we pride ourselves on in Palo Alto, the idea of blocking development of the Maybell/Clemo orchard in favor of putting resources into a memorial to our agricultural past has been found wanting.
"Greenacres," an organizer of the Maybell Action Group, parent to Palo Altans forResponsible Zoning and "No on D," tried hard but failed to get support for actively promoting this use of the land. Other portions of the coalition against PAHC's affordable housing for seniors project had other objectives in mind.
The orchard notion was seen as at best a distraction from the serious business of confronting the city on traffic management issues and promoting a city-wide movement to block zoning changes that enable developers to push aside restrictions. And at worst, sheer folly.
If "Greenacres" had a plan for renovating the orchard and building a visitors center at the beginning of the "Maybell Revolution," it should have been laid out for public reaction and submitted to a reality check.
As things stand, this is a land use version of the "vaporware" announcements that characterized competition among software developers here not so long ago. We should recognize it when we see it.
So here we have a situation where a pioneer of the anti-PAHC proposal movement is pushing for the orchard, while the movement she founded and for which she still advocates strongly here in the Town Square talks reassuringly to concerned Palo Altans about affordable housing done right.
Should Palo Alto turn away a responsible, attractive development that would provide affordable housing for seniors for at least 55 years just to preserve the fantasy of an unrealizable orchard project for a bit longer.
Until the bulldozer's roar signals that reality still rules.
Vote Yes on D.
a resident of Midtown
on Nov 1, 2013 at 3:18 pm
Could the orchard be designated a historical property? With Green Acres idea of selling portions of the land at market rates, maintaining the Orchard as a buffer to the park would be a great thing to do
a resident of Green Acres
on Nov 1, 2013 at 3:28 pm
You are strange and delusional.
a resident of Ventura
on Nov 1, 2013 at 3:54 pm
Anyone interested in joining the Palo Altans to Preserve Neighborhood Zoning should sign up on the volunteer page of Web Link
Just provide your contact info so we can get in touch with you on zoning issues.
a resident of another community
on Nov 1, 2013 at 5:20 pm
I would be all for saving the orchard as a tribute to our agricultural past... except thats clearly not the goal. Lets be adults here, this is just a backhanded attempt to prevent any development on the property.
a resident of Green Acres
on Nov 1, 2013 at 5:37 pm
@ Robert,
You are wrong to imply subtext where there is none. An orchard is a better outcome for the neighborhood and school safety. The orchard has like 100 trees that don't need watering and they are green all summer.
We should put our money where are mouths are and save Buena Vista AND the orchard. It is doable, but would take a City Council willing to work with, rather than at odds with, energized residents. Everyone wins, there would be more affordable housing now and in the future, open space, quality of life, and safety get conserved.
a resident of Green Acres
on Nov 2, 2013 at 3:11 am
@ Robert,
You are obviously not familiar with the neighbors. This side of town desperately needs a central meeting place. Are you kidding? If neighbors get the opportunity to put in a small community center as part of agricultural heritage and orchard like in Los Altos, it's a dream come true. This part of town is very centered around the kids. It would be amazing to expand the park that way.
People who want to save the orchard have tried to be quiet and take a back seat to the goal for senior housing, though. That was probably the intent of the Council in pushing after all the ruckus when the fewer and far less magnificent trees on California Avenue were removed.
a resident of Ventura
on Nov 2, 2013 at 10:44 am
Margaret Fruth is a registered user.
Maybell Middle Ground
Everyone agrees that the Maybell site is an excellent site for senior housing, which could be the start of working toward consensus. No one wants to see the land sold to a for-profit developer, but an alternative to the rezoning overdevelopment will not emerge unless Measure D fails to pass.
The corporation backing Measure D, the proponent of rezoning, claims that they cannot obtain all of the grants & loans with just a 41-unit apartment building at Maybell. But they can build the 60-unit building they want to build, without any modifications to to the existing design, through a density transfer from the rest of the land. They also claim that their budget will not balance without the twelve luxury homes planned for two-thirds of the land. I have been attempting to obtain evidence which prove or refute this claim since July, 2013; when and if I receive any I'll get back to you.
If Measure D fails, the financial issues can be put on hold while the neighbors & the corporation negotiate a solution everyone can live with. Preferably directly, without the City Council playing emperor. If a compromise is reached, the pending lawsuits will disappear before the next City Council election. Otherwise the discord will continue to be expensive for all in both time, money, & additional damage to the social fabric of the community.
This could include at least part of the orchard.
This much-needed reconciliation will not happen unless Measure D fails, so please vote NO on Measure D.
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Friday, November 29 - Ben Wilson guitar and vocals, music of 60s, 70s, 80s
Ben Wilson has an extensive repertoire including originals, Americana, and acoustic classics, with emphasis on music from the 60s and 70s. His style has been compared to Elvis Costello, Bob Dylan, John Prine, and Todd Snider. Wilson records on the Contemporary Buffalo Jumping Spoon Productions label. Voted one of Florida's Top Five Songwriters, he has toured for the last 15 years singing, and playing guitar and harmonica. Ten albums, two charted songs, and nearly 2000 live shows later, Wilson now makes Asheville his home.
Saturday, November 30 - Jacob Johnson guitar, vocals. Folk, funk, pop, jam. Guitar sensation, Jacob Johnson is a young, energetic performer who has shared the stage with songwriting masters from Edwin McCain to David Wilcox, and who hangs out with guitar heroes like Tommy Emmanuel, and Tim Reynolds (right-hand man to Dave Matthews).
The Classic Wineseller, Waynesville's premier retail wine and craft beer shop, small plate restaurant, and intimate live music venue, presents local, regional, or national talent each Friday and Saturday night at 7pm. For more information visit www.classicwineseller.com or call 828-452-6000.


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Testimonies heard for Pocatello non-discrimination ordinance
Vote ultimately delayed pending further review of phrases used and their meaning
Pocatello, Idaho - A City Council meeting was held in Pocatello Thursday night, and the non- discrimination ordinance was on the agenda.
Many people attended to show their support and make their opinions known.
The city's legal department made updates to the ordinance, helping ease the minds of those with concerns about the "bathroom" portion of the ordinance. With the current revisions, more specific terms are used.
Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad says it is important for everyone with differing opinions to respect their fellow community members.
"It's tough issue," Mayor Blad said Thursday before the council meeting. "It's an emotional issue for people, and we need to be very sensitive. The council needs to be sensitive to that and other people on both sides of the line need to be sensitive to the issues at hand."
The meeting was packed with people both for and against the ordinance, though the majority of people were for it.
The process started last May, when a resolution was denied by the City Council because it wanted to go with something stronger - an ordinance.
Boise, Sandpoint and Moscow have already passed similar ordinances, but others, like Idaho Falls and Twin Falls are still discussing, just like Pocatello.
Many people have been calling into question all the definitions in the ordinance, like "perceived sexual identity or orientation," "facilities" and other key phrases.
However, many in attendance also said it's a good sign that this is being taken so seriously.
One woman, a substitute teacher for school district 25, knows all too well what this ordinance can mean for her. The school district has adopted a policy that protects her against discrimination of her gender.
"It's part of that non- discrimination policy that has allowed them to be supportive of me," said Grae Brennan, who has received numerous complaints from parents about dressing as a woman while teaching several classes. "I think that's very relevant to what we're facing today with the city and their non-discrimination ordinance."
A point that came up Thursday evening numerous times was simply how this is a personal matter, just like religion or race, and as such should have no effect on your employment or living situation.
Some concerns raised by those opposed included having to defend themselves if an LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered) person were to claim they were either hired, fired or evicted because they are part of the LGBT community.
However, many for the ordinance said there shouldn't be a problem if a business owner or landlord either hired, fired or evicted an LGBT person for another reason, like violation of a lease, past-due rent or, in a job setting, failing to perform the tasks in which you were hired to perform.
Many people's personal stories also reflected how this ordinance affects more than just those it is for.
We will continue to bring you updates as they come.
If you are interested in sharing a story on this issue, please contact Chris Cole at email@example.com.


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From boats bobbing on the Great Barrier Reef, to the hilltops and beaches in between, tens of thousands of scientists, tourists and amateur astronomers watched as the sun, moon and Earth aligned and plunged northern Australia into darkness.
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Sponsored Tingles: SCENEtourage – Twilight Breaking Dawn Pt. 1
Over the next few weeks, we're teaming up with our friends at SCENE to bring you highlights of some major upcoming Hollywood flicks and this includes your chance to enter to win FREE movies at a Cineplex Entertainment Theatre for you and a guest for ONE YEAR! Details on how to enter as well as the many benefits of being a SCENE member are below.
But first, we'll start with our first feature movie - The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Pt. 1.
There's no question, this will be BIG business this weekend. Some are even projecting a total take of $155 million the first weekend. It's been over a year since the last Twilight movie; the Twi-Hards, they've been hungry a long, long time. And... well... then there's the wedding.
And the wedding dress.
Amazingly, at press time, they've managed to keep UNleaked.
Who cares about the dress???
They have SEX!
It's supposed to be, like, turbulent, adult, harlequin, written for women who read those books, heartpounding sex. With love. This is why they were sleeping in tents, waiting on the streets, in advance of the premiere the other day in LA and tonight in London for the UK premiere.
Here they are, Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner in London just an hour ago. Stewart looks amazing. And I much prefer this long dress - yay for variety! - over the purple one she wore in LA with the big slit. It's a very, very flattering neckline on her. I just wish she had a little more shoe imagination, you know? Like, it could be been even more explosive with a different shoe.
Back to the contest. So what exactly can you win? How about 48,000 SCENE points! That's two movies per month for you and a guest for an entire year!
And how do you win? First, you have to be a Canadian resident, at least 14 years old, and a SCENE member in good standing. If you're not familiar with SCENE, it's the first and only entertainment rewards program in Canada that is packed with benefits including FREE Movies and 10% off movie snacks at Cineplex Entertainment Theatres, and exclusive Contests and Discounts for SCENE members only. Points are easy to earn and redeem and you'll get 250 just for joining. Click here to join SCENE and for more details.
Once you join, click here to go to our contest page and fill out the ballot. Fill out the form and enter your SCENE membership number. The grand prize draw will take place on December 29, 2011 and the winner will be contact via the email address provided. We'll also be doing weekly draws for two movie passes (2000 SCENE points) from entries received between featured SCENEtourage posts. So get to it and good luck!
Wenn, Dave Hogan/Getty


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How much product is too much? Most acts drop an album every two years or so. Some established artists — say, Radiohead and DJ Shadow — can go three or four years. But others, like Guided by Voices' Robert Pollard, put out so much material so often that even though diehards scoop it all up, it's hard for most fans to keep pace, to keep shelling out cash, and to avoid wondering whether some of the releases aren't more filler than killer.
You can file Jason Molina with the über-prolific: the 32-year-old Chicago-based songwriter has 20-odd full-lengths and EPs to his credit since starting his career in the mid '90s, first as Songs: Ohia and under his own name, then with his band Magnolia Electric Co., whom he's led since 2003 after retiring the Songs: Ohia name and who come to the Middle East this Friday.
Even now Molina is in the midst of turning out six new albums on long-time label Secretly Canadian. First up was the vinyl-only solo album Let Me Go, Let Me Go, Let Me Go, released under his own name, in August, a stark, downcast, stinging acoustic-folk treatise on depression and isolation that was self-recorded in a dimly lit Indiana garage studio over three days last year. This week sees the release of Magnolia Electric Co.'s Fading Trails, an overview disc that draws its nine tracks from the four Magnolia discs that will emerge in the coming months: The Sun Studio Sessions, recorded this past February in Memphis; Nashville Moon, recorded by Steve Albini in Chicago in July 2005; The Black Ram, a collaboration with David Lowery (of Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven fame) recorded mostly last fall in Virginia; and Shohola, a batch of older, home-recorded tracks once slated for release but then shelved.
Over the phone from his Chicago home, Molina acknowledges the doubters. "I've heard rumblings about people thinking, 'If you put out all this music, is there no editing? Is it now up to the purchaser of the music to file through all the shit you put out and decide what's good?' That's absolutely not the case with me, because there's so much editing, so much quality control. I throw so much stuff away. But if I have a lot of material that I think is good and worth sharing, I'm gonna try to get it out there. Why not?"
Indeed, Fading Trails bodes well for the four Magnolia discs to follow. Molina has a nasally, wobbly tenor and a fondness for ragged country-rock six-strings and majestically weary mid-tempo chord progressions. Yes, Pitchfork was prompted to label the entirety of the band's prior output "Crazy Horse fantasy camp," and Neil Young's influence is hard to deny, particularly on the opening "Don't Fade on Me" and "Montgomery," with their chewy, twangy guitars, taut drumming, and pedal steel. Farther in, however, Molina reaches far beyond Zuma worship. "The Old Horizon" is three minutes of doleful piano beneath the sorrowful exhalations of the singer's seafaring narrator. "Talk to Me Devil, Again" offers uplift to troubled hearts via pretty picked chords, swelling Hammond organ, and Molina's repeated "Baby, I still have time." Throughout, Molina sings of ghosts, lonesome valleys, and empty roads; it's not just stock imagery.
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Notable Oregonians: Herbert Hoover - U.S. President
Herbert Hoover was born in West Branch, Iowa on August 10, 1874 to Jesse and Hulda Hoover. His father worked as a blacksmith and farm-implement dealer and his mother was a very pious woman who eventually adopted Quakerism. Hoover's idyllic childhood was shattered at the age of ten when his mother died in 1884, four years after the death of his father. The rest of his youth was spent with his maternal uncle and aunt, John and Laura Minthorn, who took him into their home in Newberg, Oregon.
Hoover was a member of the first class at Stanford University in 1895. He graduated with a degree in geology and became a mining engineer, working on a wide variety of projects on four continents and impressing others with his business skills. Within two decades of leaving Stanford he had amassed a personal net worth of about $4 million.
Hoover first drew note for his humanitarian work when he organized relief for the trapped foreigners during the Boxer Rebellion in China in 1900. He later led major relief efforts during and after World War I. President-elect Warren G. Harding chose Hoover in 1921 to serve as secretary of commerce. In the Harding cabinet Hoover found himself to be one of the few progressive voices in a Republican administration that generally saw little role for government other than assisting the growth of business. He continued as secretary of commerce in the Coolidge Administration and when Coolidge chose not to run in 1928, Hoover received the Republican nomination for president.
Within a year of his winning the presidential election, the stock market crash of 1929 threw the country into the worst economic crisis in history. While the Republican Party saw no alternative but to let the business cycle run its course, Hoover took several unsuccessful steps to stem the tide of the economic decline. As the Depression worsened, banks and other businesses collapsed and poverty grew, and the American people began to blame Hoover for the calamity. The homeless began calling their shantytowns "Hoovervilles." He resisted the calls for direct payments to the needy, citing the importance of a balanced budget and the likelihood of creating dependency on a welfare system. The 1932 election brought a landslide for Franklin Roosevelt and his calls for more forceful government intervention to bring the country out of the Depression.
After his term ended, Hoover moved first to Palo Alto, California, and then to New York City, where lived at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. For the next 30 years he was closely identified with the most conservative elements in the Republican Party, condemning what he regarded as the radicalism of the New Deal and opposing Roosevelt's attempts to take a more active role against German and Japanese aggression. He believed fascism lay at the root of government programs like the New Deal and argued so in The Challenge to Liberty (1934) and the eight-volume Addresses Upon the American Road (1936-61). An ardent anticommunist and foe of international crusades, Hoover opposed American entry into World War II (until the attack on Pearl Harbor) and denounced American involvement in the Korean and Vietnam wars. His last major activity was heading the Hoover Commission, under presidents Harry Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower, which aimed at streamlining the federal bureaucracy.
He died at the age of 90 in New York City on October 20, 1964. The research-oriented Hoover Institution on War, Revolution, and Peace at Stanford University is named in his honor.


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Started my first batch sunday.
Monday morn saw a patch of foam about 2'' dia with spots of evident yeast activation surrounding.
Monday night checked : top had foam across pail about 3/4'' thick. I've got plastic wrap on top and it dipped down and touched foam. That night i added more nutrient and gave a small roll stir. ( found out i didn't give enough nutrient).
Tuesday night came home smell coming from pail was a strong ferrmentation smell but upon inspection no large amount of foam.... but do have a mild lite bubble. I figure it's still working but is this how it will bubble for the next 2 weeks or should i have a vigerous bubble evedent at the top?
i know the hydrometer should level off later...just worried about a stuck ferment!!!
Am i parinoid?


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What exactly do you need to know to be a dating success in La La Land?
Los Angeles Dating Ground Rules
With its idyllic subtropical-Mediterranean climate, hilly terrain, Hollywood glitz, lively nightlife, this city of beautiful people has plenty of options for memorable dates.
Just don't count on public transit to get you there.
Dating in Los Angeles: Bike or Ride
Who says nobody walks in L.A.? Based on the number of trails in Los Angeles, hiking should be the official city pastime. Taking a long walk with a date is also a great way to get to know a person. Plus, it's inexpensive and low maintenance! How very un-L.A.!
Go for a secluded romantic walk on the Tapia Spur Trail in Malibu Creek State Park.
Explore downtown on foot. Play tourist in your hometown and take a guided tour of City Hall, Little Tokyo or the Biltmore Hotel.
Tired of walking? Bike the Strand, a 22-mile path that runs along Los Angeles County's shoreline. Break for a picnic for two at Venice Beach.
If you want to make your date see you as her knight, take her for a Friday night dinner ride at Sunset Ranch Hollywood Stables. It's first come, first served, so show up early.
Dating in Los Angeles: Museums
L.A. boasts two of the best museums in America. The Getty Center, celebrating art and architecture, opened in 1997 to instant fame. The view overlooking the city is breathtaking, and the Central Garden is practically a sculpture in itself.
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) holds over 100,000 works of art, and frequently hosts date-worthy evening jazz and other music events.
Dating in Los Angeles: Farmers Market
This "farmers market" isn't all pickup trucks and fruit stands. It opened in 1924 and has become a gathering place for several L.A. communities. With dozens of restaurants, shops, markets, and bars, the date strolling is superb. Celeb-watchers should keep their eyes peeled for A-listers like market-regulars Jennifer Garner and Reese Witherspoon shopping for fresh veggies.
Dating in Los Angeles: Game Night
Some of the best sports teams call L.A. home: the Lakers, the Dodgers, USC, UCLA, the Galaxy, the Kings and even the L.A. Clippers. Take your date to the game, or cheer from the comfort of a place like Santa Monica's Yankee Doodles. It has the distinction among L.A.'s sports bars as having females among its regulars, making it a little more date-friendly than other options. Or shoot pool together at Q's Billiard Club & Restaurant on Wilshire while pretending to watch the game — it's more about looking great than rooting for the team at this chic locale.
Dating in Los Angeles: A Different Kind of Game Night
Play games! Nosh on comfort food, sip microbrews and play board games at Henry's Hat, make friends at Vodvil, a newer bar/restaurant devoted to modern-day parlor games, or opt for a quieter date night and play Scrabble on a Thursday evening at Deyermond Books in Santa Monica.
Dating in Los Angeles: Movie Night
Los Angeles has been called "the creative capital of the world," with a silver-screen history and culture that's hard to ignore.
Embrace Hollywood and stroll along the Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard. Visit the Hollywood History Museum or Paley Center for Media.
If you've spent a summer in Los Angeles and haven't caught a movie on the lawn of Hollywood Forever Cemetery, you're missing out. This affordable summertime Saturday-night staple runs from May through September. Bring a picnic dinner — with a bottle of wine, as alcohol is permitted — and a low-back chair and sit back for a unique film experience.
Dating in Los Angeles: Night Owls
Los Angeles has a great late-night scene. So if you and your date are night owls, be sure to explore some of the legendary hot spots.
Some of rock's biggest names have played at famous/infamous The Viper Room. The Troubadour was a major folk draw in the '60s, with Carole King, James Taylor and Joni Mitchell all stopping by. It remains a great showcase for emerging artists, making it a draw for new-music fans.
The Atlas Supper Club on Wilshire is an upscale nightclub with a posh Jazz Age vibe. Listen to live music on the weekends. Top DJs spin here during the week.
If you're trying to skip the club scene, head over to Aloha Sharkeez, a popular Hermosa Beach local bar for a more relaxed atmosphere. The patio and dance floor are sure to be packed with beautiful beach bums.
Mojito-sippers and salsa fans will love El Floridita. Just make sure you make a reservation if you want a table.
Dating in Los Angeles: Be a Kid
Men, take notes from Ryan Gosling's dating playbook and take your girl to Disneyland or Magic Mountain. Escape the cynicism of the city and laugh like kids together.
Dating in Los Angeles: Laugh
One advantage to living in a city packed with wannabe actors is that you've got the nation's top amateurs eager to entertain. Comedy clubs are scattered throughout the city, with The Laugh Factory in West Hollywood — popular comedians still frequent the place to try out new material — and Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre as standout date possibilities.
Learn more about Los Angeles Singles.


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The Tri-Valley Babe Ruth 13YO All-Star team defeated Bel Mateo last night 6-1 in Woodland, California to advance to the Babe Ruth Pacific Southwest regional championships in Arizona. James Cowick hurled a no-hitter for TVBR striking out 8. Cowick also added two singles at the plate. Darroch Koel went 2-3 with a walk, two doubles and 3 runs. Saiki Roy doubled twice with an RBI.
TVBR trailed 1-0 entering the bottom of the 3rd when Koel doubled and scored on a clutch two-out single by Dante Albanese. Leading 2-1 entering the 5th, Max Moore led off with a pinch-hit single, Koel walked, Jack Morgan reached on an error, Albanese walked, then, Jack Maloon continued his clutch hitting by knocking in a pair with a line drive single to center. TVBR added a run in the 6th with a mammoth double by Koel and an RBI single by Morgan.
Overall in the tourney, Koel was 8-16 with 7 runs, 3 RBIs and 5 doubles, Roy was 8-14-4-9 with 4 doubles, Maloon was 5-16-1-7, Morgan was 4-12-6-3, Cowick was 5-11-3-2 Albanese 3-5-2-3 with a triple, Ryan Bowman 3-8-3-1 and Nick Venezia 3-8-3-1. TVBR pitchers Cowick, Josh Ott, Koel, Bowman and Maloon combined for a 1.50 ERA with 27 strikouts.
TVBR opens with Northern Utah at 5:30PM on Tuesday July 31st in Surprise, Arizona.


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[Article]-June 2009 Free Giveaway Winner - Black Hat USA
Permanent link: [Article]-June 2009 Free Giveaway Winner - Black Hat USA
I did offer this to a couple members who were gracious enough to decline, because they wouldn't be able to use the ticket. Thanks again for proving that the EH-Net Community truly is a unique one. That being said, the winner this time around surely isn't a third choice. He absolutely deserves it as his contributions to EH-Net over the past year far outweigh his post count. Thanks to Ryan Linn AKA Apollo as he will be attending Black Hat USA on us, EH-Net.
The world's premier technical event for ICT security experts is being held July 27 - 28, 2009. Featuring hands-on training courses and Briefings presentations with lots of new content. Network with thousands of delegates and review products from leading vendors in a relaxed setting, including Sustaining Sponsors Core Security, IOActive, Microsoft, Norman, Qualys and SAINT. At stake is a Passport Admission Ticket worth $1595 ($1995 at the door) that allows entry into the Briefings portion of the event. This year's venue is again Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.Participation is the ONLY way to win. Start a thread that sparks lots of interest; share thoughts and experiences; help a newbie... quality is more important than quantity.
Only members are eligible!
Registration Is FREE!
Thanks to everyone who participates even when a prize is not on the line.


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Movie Review: Man of Steel

 The most iconic, upstanding and noble of all comic book heroes gets smothered in a cape of Dark Knight-style psychological complexity.

Director: Zack Snyder
Rating: PG-13
Studio: Legendary Pictures / DC Entertainment
Stars: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon
The most iconic, upstanding and noble of all comic book heroes gets smothered in a cape of Dark Knight-style psychological complexity, angst and high seriousness in the glum Man of Steel.
As directed by Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) from a story developed by producer Christopher Nolan and a script by David S. Goyer, this attempt to bring the Superman myth into our post-Nolan era works—at least for its first hour or so. Our hero, born on dying planet Krypton, wracked by civil war instigated by troublemaking General Zod (Michael Shannon) and about to erupt into oblivion, gets jettisoned to earth by his father, played by Russell Crowe acting comically super British and oddly remote. The superstrong, lonely, misunderstood boy matures into a haunted young guy who drifts from job to job (fisherman, bartender) and keeps himself apart and anonymous by necessity. His Midwestern adoptive parents (nicely played by Kevin Costner and Diane Lane) wisely warn their wonder child that he must keep his identity secret or risk being hunted and feared by those who don't understand him. How else to explain his ability to lift a school bus full of his drowning classmates from a river after it's toppled off a bridge?
Our steely hero is played by strapping, square-jawed, blue-eyed Henry Cavill, an actor who looks every inch the part but whose forehead worry lines get more of a workout than his charm or acting range. That becomes a problem with the introduction of Lois Lane (Amy Adams), a character elevated by the movie's makers from plucky, pert reporter for the Daily Planet to a Pulitzer-winning journalist investigating a military operation involving an alien craft encased in a block of ice. Lois Lane's job promotion aside, though, Adams' role is left so slapdash and sketchy that, up against Cavill's sullen, walled-in gravitas, she doesn't get much chance to sparkle, let alone engage our emotions. We're left wondering what in hell this pallid duo see in each other and, for a Supes flick—pardon us, a Superman film—that leaves a big, gaping maw. Into the vacuum, the screenwriter and director stuff a carnival of CGI sequences.
We get bombarded by endless, aggressively noisy fight scenes, fireball spaceships, insistent religious symbolism and scenes of terrified city workers racing from collapsing office buildings that shamelessly exploit our collective memories of September 11th. Long before the final fadeout, the big, ambitious, admirably intentioned movie gets crushed under the weight of its unearned grandiosity. The hooey and absurdity begin to seep out. Overlong, full of itself and joyless, Man of Steel has kryptonite programmed into its own DNA.


text: Trainyard Express More Fun in the Trainyard, only this time for Free! Earlier this year we reviewed the full version of Trainyard and it scored 4.5/5 thanks to its unique puzzles, simple controls and 100+ levels. Well now, or actually on September 30th 2010, a free version of the game is being released in the form of Trainyard Express. It's … Read More


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but geez, come to think of it, this Plushy fellow has no more color than a polar bear
I think Tomas and Plushy should both take a trip to SoCal and spend a day on the beach with Evan. He just looks so healthy and natural compared to both of them
Warning; this post is not so serious
Last edited by janetfan; 11-16-2009 at 09:37 AM.
Leave those 2 white boys to Euros . I believe Evgeni will make an appearance at Euros. Also in Euros is my boy, Michal. Don't forget that, and of course, we will have another look at Brian.
Come to think of it, I'm now wondering about 4CC more than the US Nats.


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First of all, didn't he declare himself a Jets fan when Rex Ryan arrived? Now he comes out and says he is a Cowboys fan?
You can pick whatever team you want, governor. Just stop wasting space around John Mara when the Giants win the Super Bowl. I don't want to see you at the parade or on the podium for the trophy presentation.
From 2011:
"In tomorrow's game, I just have one thing to say," he told WFAN's Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton. "J-E-T-S! Jets, Jets, Jets!"
"My son Patrick is a Giants fan. The rest of the family roots for the Jets," said Christie. "Patrick is often the lone wolf in the Christie household."
I know, I know, what a shock, a politician who flip flops, right?


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I t hoguht Cruz already had Jay Z handling his commercial stuff?
don't expect cruz to sign a long term deal with the giants until after April 19th at minimum. After this date, no other teams can give cruz an offer sheet since the draft is a week away. so he would be shooting himself in the leg if he signed with the gmen before then. even then, the negotiations will likely continue through the offseason and potentially into the season. hopefully, we can lock him up before he becomes an UFA after the 2013 season.
If NY Giants actually offerred Victor Cruz 21 million guaranteed as I read in another thread, he would be foolish not to accept that. He is an excellent slot receiver but it looks like he as well as other folks may be overvalueing what he is. Victor should take the money now while he still can and if not, we should try to get all we can for him right now as oppossed to getting nothing for him next year.
Cruz isn't signed yet because the Giants cap room is ****. Cruz deserves to be PAID. He was one of the main reasons we won the super bowl in 2011 and without him last year we might have won 3 games. He is an All-Pro talent and much more than a slot receiver.


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Stay connected with us to get the latest health and fitness news, innovative workouts, healthy recipes and wellness tips.
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Cooking potatoes in a foil packet means one less pot to wash, and highlights the delicate, earthy flavor of just-dug new potatoes.
Nutrition Profile:
Gluten Free Diet
Healthy Weight
Heart Healthy
High Fiber
High Potassium
Low Calorie
Low Cholesterol
Low Sat Fat
Low Sodium
Serves 4
Prep Time 20 min
Total Time 35 min.
Step 1
Heat grill to medium-high.
Step 2
Meanwhile, place potatoes, shallots, oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl; toss to coat. Place two 24-inch-long pieces of foil on the counter and lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange potatoes and shallots in a single layer, slightly overlapping, on half of each piece of foil. Leave a 2-inch border on all sides. Fold foil over and pinch the edges together, making two packets.
Step 3
Place packets on the grill. Cover the grill and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. (When you open a packet to check doneness, be careful of steam.) Serve immediately.
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Focus on pulling, rotating and building strength with workouts created alongside Olympic Gold Medalist Dominique Dawes.
This workout provides a challenging total-body workout that can be done from the comfort of home with no equipment other than bodyweight and space.


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Norv Turner Chats With BoltHype
BoltHype, the San Diego Chargers blog, had a recent opportunity to chat with Head Coach Norv Turner. In the interview, we asked a number of questions including the status of the offensive backfield, the battle at right guard, and if the Chargers will show any Wildcat formations during the regular season. Click on to read the interview in it's entirety:
Philip Rivers had an MVP-type season last year as far as I'm concerned. He is certainly one of the better QBs in the AFC, if not the entire NFL. Could you see Philip getting more opportunities to throw the ball this season? Could he have 500-600 attempts this year, or does the commitment to the running game take those opportunities away?
"We want to be balanced. We want to be able to run and throw the ball with equal proficiency. The perception is that we became a passing team because we threw the ball extremely well last year. We were in situations where we needed to throw the ball and our quarterback had a great year."
Speaking of the running game, is it safe to say that LT will get 300 carries this season?
"That wouldn't surprise me. We expect LT to be 100% and have an LT kind of year."
If LT goes down for an extended period of time, who steps up and fills that role?
"Darren Sproles would step in as he did last year. Michael Bennett is a veteran who was here part of the season last year and will compete there as well. Jacob Hester is in the mix, and Gartrell Johnson has been impressive this spring and will compete."
Is Jacob Hester a fullback or a tailback?
"Jacob is focusing on fullback, but he can also carry the ball.
Does Darren Sproles have a defined role in the system or will his role in the offense continue to expand?
We'd like to continue to expand Darren's role. He's really improving as a runner. He's using his eyes, finding soft spots in the defense and has developed much better patience."
How many running backs + fullbacks will the final roster contain?
"That won't be determined until training camp."
For the arm-chair coordinators out there, what position does Vincent Jackson and Chris Chambers play (X, Y, Z)?
"Chris is the X, Vincent plays Z."
Speaking from a fan's perspective, it seems to me that Jackson is a vertical, deep ball type receiver, whereas Chris Chambers can also be that guy but he is much more polished as a route runner and does some different things with more breaks in his routes. Is that an accurate observation? What are the biggest strengths that Jackson and Chambers posses?
"Both players possess similar abilities. They both run well, are outstanding route runners, have excellent ball skills and will go up and get the ball at its highest point. Chris plays bigger than he actually is and he had several big plays for us last year. I think Vincent is really under-appreciated outside of San Diego. He had seven catches of 40-plus yards last year and is a dangerous deep threat."
In terms of evaluation offensive lineman, what goes in to determining who the starter will be, and who will be the backup? Specifically, I'm curious about the process that you and the coaching staff will go through in deciding who will start at right guard. Is the top criteria strictly playbook knowledge, or does physical ability also factor in? Could a guy who is a bit raw have the chance to start if he was physically dominant?
"The main thing we do in the spring is get guys ready to compete for jobs in camp. The real evaluation comes when we get to camp and get the pads on. It's about endurance, understanding leverage and angles, your ability to work with the guy next to you. The right guard battle is shaping up to be a good one, but we've got several guys who will compete for backup spots, for roster spots and for the opportunity to be one of the 45 guys that dress on Sunday."
Will the Chargers show any Wildcat looks this season (please!)?
"We have practiced it mostly for the benefit of our defense. However, if we get good at it, who knows."
Thanks so much for the time Coach Turner, and good luck this season!
June 17, 2009at 12:00 AM Posted by Rob Zepeda
Join our team:
Labels: Norv Turner, Player Interviews
4 comments:
Great read! Stoked to see what Gartrell Johnson can do on the football field
So is Norv calling the plays this year or what? Don't they have Chud handling the quality control stuff so that Norv can focus on the play calling?
thanks for the insight!
best of luck Norv.your a great coach
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Poet Claudia Rankine and Photographer John Lucas
UTSA hosts creative writing, reading series
By Ashley Harris
Public Affairs Specialist
(April 4, 2007)--The UTSA Department of Department of English, Classics and Philosophy will host the final spring event for the 2007 Creative Writing Reading Series with a presentation by poet Claudia Rankine and photographer John Lucas at 7 p.m., Thursday, April 5 in the John Peace Library Building Assembly Room (4.03.08), 1604 Campus.
The event will feature a series of multimedia collaborations that combine poetry and images that reflect real-life experiences.
Today's headlines
- La Prensa Foundation is newest member of UTSA Lone Star Society
- UTSA alumna Jordan Kaufmann wins $50K for new stent-graft start-up
- UTSA begins new way-finding sign installation this summer at Main Campus
- USA Today: UTSA long jumper Tyler Williamson rescues three-year-old boy
Article tools
A native of Jamaica, Rankine earned her B.A. from Williams College and her M.F.A. in poetry from Columbia University. She is the author of four collections of poetry, including "Don't Let Me Be Lonely" (Graywolf 2004), "PLOT" (2001), "The End of the Alphabet" (1998) and "Nothing in Nature is Private" (1995), which received the Cleveland State Poetry Prize. She also received the 2004 Academy of American Poets fellowship.
Lucas' work has been exhibited in galleries throughout the United States and internationally including Galarie Marouska in Lyon, France; La Panaderia in Mexico City; DeBond, Brugges in Belgium; Fieldgate in London, England, and David Jacobs Fine Art in Santa Monica, Calif. He lives and works in Southern California.
For more information, contact UTSA Assistant Professor David Ray Vance at (210) 458-5359.


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The fifth annual Walk of Honor brings together community members and veterans organizations for leisurely walk across the "Alfred Zampa Memorial Bridge" and barbeque. The event regularly draws over 600 participants, many of whom walk in honor of a family or friend who is currently serving.
Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, May 15, 2013, 2:06 PM
Town Square
Residents walk to honor veterans
Original post made on May 16, 2013
Like this commentPosted by J. Garfield
a resident of Walnut Creek
on May 16, 2013 at 1:17 pm
Thanks for reminding us about the walk of honor sponsored by Phillips 66 today. We missed it two years ago and last year found it to be a fun morning walk - not to mention the nice lunch. Very worthwhile.


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Any hockey fans here? Rangers fans? I'm pretty disgusted with ny teams this year so far
Any hockey fans here? Rangers fans? I'm pretty disgusted with ny teams this year so far
at least they looked competitive tonight.
Columbus fans all talked about how Dorsett is quickly going to be a fan favorite, and hes become the opposite, just a guy who takes bad penalties and offers nothing else.
Yeah they looked alot better, and Dorsett is basically Hollweg version 2, definetly not like Prust
I'm completely disgusted with these guys.. Giants/Rangers have let me down big time. Hoping they can pick it up here. Not impressed at all. New system from AV so its going to take some time.. Like Slip said, at least they looked somewhat competitive.
Baby Steps.
Stop Booing Tiki Barber.
NY teams are a joke always, other than the giants and yankees who are now a joke also.
Henrik looks below average. He definitely benefited from Tortorella's defense first, shot blocking strategy.
Last edited by P_Simms_#11; 10-13-2013 at 05:36 PM.
I'm a little upset with them, I thinnk AV needs and wants a new set of players.
They were bad in preseason and still bad at the start of the season. 9 games on the road while they finish up the Garden doesn't help either.
They looked really good against the LA Kings but that is about it.
I'm willing to give the Blueshirts the benefit of the doubt for the first month... besides, maybe I'm being pessimistic here, but every one of my teams this year has been putrid (Yankees & Giants) so why not make it a triple play and have my Rangers be bad as well... just so they can all stay in sync.
See how they're doing in mid - late November...
are sucking.
Mood: WOOF!
Great game Blueshirts!


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Pulaski Tech's Campus Center took on a fun, festive atmosphere Friday night as nearly 200 Bingo players turned out for the Pulaski Technical College Foundation's first Bingo Night fundraiser.
Game fans from the community as well as from the college's faculty and staff purchased $25 tickets to the event to raise money for the Pulaski Technical College Foundation, which supports numerous projects on campus.
Pamela Smith, a weekend anchor for Channel 7, emceed the event through 14 Bingo rounds. Winners took home more than $5,000 in prizes donated by area businesses, including gift certificates to area restaurants, products and services from local merchants, and memberships and passes to community events.
Between Bingo rounds, guests could register for several door prizes, including a year's worth of Skippy peanut butter and meal certificates to Popeye's, Wendy's and Cici's Pizza. Mainstream Technologies also donated an Information Technology review valued at $1,000.
"This event was really a success because of the support we had from the business community," said Joyce Taylor, executive director of the Pulaski Technical College Foundation. "The crowd had a great time playing Bingo, and they were treated to some fabulous prizes by the end of the night."
Guests were treated to hors d'oeuvres of crudit? fruits, chocolate-dipped strawberries and antipasto platters, prepared by students in Pulaski Technical College Arkansas Culinary School. Bluebell also supplied ice cream.
The event was the foundation's first Bingo fundraiser since Arkansas voters approved a constitutional amendment legalizing charitable bingo and raffle games in Arkansas.
The amendment, approved last November, took effect July 31. The amendment restricts the games to authorized organizations such as nonprofit religious, educational, veterans and civic groups that have existed a minimum of five years with net receipts going for "charitable, religious or philanthropic purposes."
Pulaski Technical College


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Romantic Day After Shoot from BrancoprataI'm the first one to admit to admit that I love Brancoprata. Like love, love, love. They are the super talented duo behind this two day after the big day shoot with André behind the camera and his uber talented wife, Sofia,
View CreditsRead More


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***To read the full blog, please check out the complete post on NewsBusters***
NewsBusters Video
A newly released NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll found that 51% of Americans think the media have been "too critical" in their coverage of President Trump. That number was eight times larger than the 6% of the public who thought the press hadn't been critical enough of the new administration. 41% said the news coverage has been objective.
From the Monday, February 27 Today show on NBC:
MATT LAUER: But there's enormous division right now. And although President Trump has said he hopes to unify the country, have you, in the first month, seen him do or say anything that, in your opinion, would be an attempt to heal the wounds of the election?
[See NewsBusters for more.] The journalists on ABC, CBS and NBC on Sunday couldn't quite agree how to spin new Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez. Is he "moderate," "establishment" or actually really progressive?
Things arguably got a little embarrassing for NBC moderator Chuck Todd during Sunday's Meet the Press, after Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton had to explain to him that the claims of anonymous sources should be taken with a grain of salt. "Anonymous sources said Steve Bannon drove from the White House to the Department of Homeland Security to confront John Kelly, which we now know is not the truth," Cotton reminded Todd, "That's not like the tone of a conversation, that's someone's physical whereabouts."
Things got painfully real for the liberal media during CNN's New Day Sunday after Nick Adams, Founder of the Foundation for Liberty and American Greatness, called out the White House Correspondent's Dinner for being "a Democratic Party worship center." "But, I think that there's no reason for the President to go on this particular occasion," Adams explained, after being asked if Trump should attend the lavish liberal event, "I know that it's a long-standing tradit
Thursday was the national "Day Without Immigrants" protest, an event where immigrants of all statuses walked out of their jobs and schools and protested President Donald Trump. The protest was like candy to the liberal Big Three networks, all of which conducted full reports.
The media were at DEFCON three Thursday following a lengthy and heated press conference with President Donald Trump where he went toe-to-toe with the biased press. Trump's tongue lashing of the media had Fox News' Shepard Smith frothing at the mouth with anger as he accused the president with a dubious smear during his show.


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So, about Nicks....
Any updates? I saw he didnt practice but how is he looking?
Spin that Webb young Davis
he'll get back ... he's been a good healer in the past and while this has been a frustrating start for him, we'll have our stud back for SF ... Hix, Randle, JJ ... they'll have us covered vs. Cleveland ... ummm .... covered is a bad adj. there, but you know what i mean
Apologize to Melo 5
NFL Network just reported that Nicks status for Sunday is still uncertain and it depends on if he practices tomorrow.


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Take your woodworking skills up a notch. Learn how to make the four basic biscuit joints with these close-up, step-by-step photos and videos.
The Family Handyman editor, Ken Collier, explains the basics of using a biscuit joiner—a great tool for building cabinets, bookshelves and other woodworking projects.
Ken Collier is Editor in Chief at The Family Handyman, and is a former cabinetmaker. His kitchen cabinets are all held together with biscuit joints.
It's easy to fall in love with biscuit joints—they're so fast and easy. At least they are when you get the hang of them. If you're new to biscuit joinery, you can learn here how to do the four basic woodworking joints. Even if you already own a biscuit joiner (or plate joiner—same animal), I'm sure you'll pick up a tip or two. Either way, be sure to check out these biscuit joint articles and projects.
If you want to get started using biscuits (or "plates," as they're sometimes called), you can pick up an entry-level machine for about $100. Five minutes of fooling around with the machine or a little time with our online videos and you'll have the basic idea: Use the machine to cut slots in both parts, and then add glue to each, insert a biscuit, clamp to hold, and you're done. Your tool manual will show how to adjust the tool.
The cool thing about biscuit joinery is that the biscuit is made from compressed wood. The biscuit fits loosely in its slot, which makes assembly easy, but it expands after the glue has had a few minutes to soak in, so it fits extremely tight. You have a little window of time when the two pieces you're joining can be slid sideways into perfect alignment. Biscuit joinery may not be for the DIYer who's just building one cabinet, but if you have a lot of cabinets in your future, a biscuit joiner is a great tool to own.
First, mark the height of the shelf on the cabinet side, then stand the shelf up and mark the location of the biscuit slots on both pieces.
Clamp the pieces together, rest the joiner on the cabinet side and cut the slots in the shelf.
Now flip the joiner upright and cut the matching slots in the sides.
This is where joinery shines: the T-joint, where a fixed shelf meets the sides of a cabinet (Photos 1 – 3). The sideways wiggle room that biscuits give you allows you to get the edges of the shelf and the sides perfectly flush, and the case looks good, with or without a face frame, both inside and out. And since the glue is all on the biscuits, there's rarely any squeeze-out to clean up.
The process for making a T-joint begins with marking on the edge of the sides where the top of the shelf should be. Stand the shelf in position and mark the biscuit locations. Then lay the shelf on its side, lined up with its location mark. Clamp the side and shelf together and to your bench, with the edges flush to each other. Now cut your biscuit slots, first in one piece, then in the other. Do the other side of the cabinet the same way, making sure the shelf is oriented the right way: front to front, bottom to the bottom.
The Family Handyman editor, Ken Collier, shows you how to make a T-joint for shelves in bookcases or cabinets. This basic technique will give you strong, reliable shelves and it's an easy joint to master.
On the corner of a cabinet, use an L-joint. Mark the biscuit positions as shown.
Cut the slots, using the fence to register the slot from the top surface of your piece.
Hold the fence down firmly for accuracy. For the sides, give the joiner more support by clamping both sides of the cabinet together.
Biscuits are also a great way to make an L-joint, for example, to join a cabinet top to the sides (Photos 4 – 6). For this kind of joint, you usually want to have the outside edges flush, without a little step. So use the fence to ensure the pieces are flush on the outside. When you're using the fence, be certain your workpiece extends completely off the edge of the workbench. Also, press down firmly on the fence to make sure the slot is cut properly; it's easy for the fence to be tipped.
The Family Handyman editor, Ken Collier, shows you a great technique for putting a top on a bookcase. Making an L-joint with biscuits will give you a strong top on many woodworking projects.
The joiner is designed to be used two ways: You can have the fence down, which allows you to align the biscuits to a surface that faces up, that the fence rests on (Photos 5 and 6). You can also fold the fence in, which allows you to align the biscuits with the bottom of the tool (Photos 2 and 3). The trick is to figure out which one to use, then use it consistently.
Imagine you're joining two pieces of different thicknesses edge to edge. Using the fence allows you to get the top surfaces flush; using the bottom of the joiner (no fence) allows you to get the bottom surfaces flush. When you use a joiner without the fence, the slot is centered in 3/4-in. material. For any other spacing, you need to use the fence.
The Family Handyman editor, Ken Collier, shows you how to glue and clamp biscuit joints for a strong and nearly invisible joint.
For narrow pieces like a face frame, just let the slot run out the side that doesn't show.
To support the piece you're cutting, make a simple support jig from a scrap of face frame attached to a base. Keep your hands well away from the joiner, or use clamps.
Plate joinery is a fast way to make face frames. It's also a convenient way if you're already using the joiner for the cabinet boxes. To join face frames with biscuits, you usually need to let the biscuit extend past the outside of the frame and trim it off. Just be sure you've got your face frame pieces supported, since they're usually narrow (Photo 8). I like to line up the middle of the biscuit, and the mark on the joiner, with the edge of the face frame so half the biscuit is being glued. Of course, on wide rails you can sometimes use the entire biscuit.
First, mark the slot locations with both pieces upside down on the workbench.
When you cut slots in the edging, put thin cardboard or a few pieces of paper under the joiner.
The edging will be slightly above the surface of the plywood when you glue it on. This gives you a small, safe amount to sand off without damaging the plywood.
If you're gluing solid wood edging onto plywood, biscuits can make it a success (Photos 9 – 11). If you try to glue the edging on perfectly flush, a small section inevitably ends up lower than the surface of the plywood, which is a disaster. The trick is to leave the solid wood a fraction above the surface of the plywood, then sand it flush. The plate joiner makes it easy.
Have the necessary tools for this DIY project lined up before you start—you'll save time and frustration.
Avoid last-minute shopping trips by having all your materials ready ahead of time. Here's a list.


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In the wake of state Sen. Leland Yee's arrest on public corruption charges, the powerful Senate Rules Committee insists on shielding his official activities from the public by refusing to release his legislative calendars.
The committee's response to three recent requests from this newspaper echoes a consistent line the California Legislature has articulated over the years: The public is better served by keeping lawmakers' activities secret, it argues, than by shining a light on them. Not even the intense interest in Yee, the subject of an FBI sting, justifies public scrutiny of the company he kept.
Critics label the stance outrageous.
"Democracy only works when voters know what their representatives are doing (or not doing)," said Peter Scheer, executive director of the First Amendment Coalition. "Information permits voters to hold reps accountable, which is the essence of democracy."
This newspaper sought calendars and other Yee-related documents that could illuminate details outlined in a 137-page federal complaint filed against the senator, his fundraiser Keith Jackson, and former Chinatown gang leader Raymond "Shrimp Boy" Chow, among others. On the strength of numerous interactions with undercover agents, many of which appear to have been recorded, Yee has been charged with political corruption and brokering an illegal weapons deal.
In its insistence on shielding its members' activities from the people who elect them, the Legislature stands in stark contrast to public agencies and officials at all levels. Many local politicians in the state, including the San Jose City Council, routinely post their appointment calendars online. Since 2004, following a legal settlement between Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and media organizations, including the San Jose Mercury News, California's governor also regularly releases such information.
The Legislature's fervent resistance to sharing appointment calendars dates at least to 2010, when it declined a request from The Associated Press. The next year, it turned down a combined 171 requests from this newspaper, The Associated Press and the First Amendment Coalition for legislators' calendars, each one asking for specific appointments on various topics or time periods. Rules committees in both houses rejected the requests, citing exemptions in the state's Legislative Open Records Act.
The requests followed a 2010 Mercury News series highlighting legislators' close relationships with lobbyists and campaign contributors, and sought to reveal additional aspects of those relationships, but the blanket denials stymied the effort.
Ironically, Yee was one of three legislators who volunteered to release their calendars at the time, only to be refused permission by the Senate rules committee.
In 2010, Yee wrote a letter asking Secretary of the Senate Gregory Schmidt for permission to release his calendar, referring to himself as "an advocate of government transparency."
Schmidt denied Yee's request, telling him it was important to guard the privacy of those who meet with legislators. "We have an equal responsibility to protect the right of citizens to complain, chastise, petition or even praise their elected officials without third parties using their communications for purposes not intended by the constituents," he said in a letter to Yee.
Schmidt's three recent denial letters to this newspaper, like his earlier refusals, insist that the secrecy is justified by the Legislative Open Records Act, which is somewhat weaker than the California Public Records Act that applies to governments on the local level. Schmidt cited the broad concept of "legislative privilege" and argued that the public interest served by withholding the records outweighed the interest in releasing them, paraphrasing language in the act.
Not so, said Terry Francke, general counsel of the open-government nonprofit Californians Aware.
"This public interest standard is all the more applicable to records showing the official appointments and expense claims of a member of the Legislature who stands indicted for his allegedly corrupt overtures to those involved in criminal activity, especially given his prior stated willingness to share his calendar with the public for the sake of accountability -- an offer that was countermanded by the Senate leadership," Francke wrote in an e-mail.
Following the arrest of Yee, and the criminal charges pending against state Sens. Roderick Wright and Ron Calderon, top legislators have faced a difficult public relations task, trying to show they are serious about ethics.
Senate President Darrell Steinberg moved to suspend all three sullied senators after Yee was indicted, and the Senate concurred. Steinberg is also supporting some tightening of rules regarding campaign fundraising and contact with lobbyists. And following Schmidt's perfunctory denials of this newspaper's requests for records, a spokesman for Steinberg last week offered a more elaborate explanation of his reasons for opposing public access in this particular case.
Releasing Yee's calendar "may jeopardize" the ongoing criminal investigation, said spokesman Mark Hedlund, adding it would possibly violate a judge's protective order prohibiting public disclosure of evidence provided to the defense.
"If there is a situation or situations where there is a scheduling record of Sen. Yee meeting with someone, and that turns out to be supportive of criminal accusations, that will be publicly revealed in due time during the criminal proceedings," he said in an e-mail. "Your desire to acquire such information prematurely to help you write a story does not supersede the need to maintain the integrity of the judicial process."
In general, Hedlund said, the Senate does not release such records in order "to protect the safety and security of legislative members. That advice to the house has been consistent from Senate security personnel." He did not explain how releasing appointment calendars that are months or even years old would jeopardize Yee's safety.
Leila Knox, an attorney representing the First Amendment Coalition, said such disclosure of legislative records is vital.
"It all goes to the decision-making process. How do laws get made. How legislators think," she said. "Knowing who legislators are meeting with helps the public understand the democratic process."
Staff writer Karen de Sá contributed to this report. Contact Matthias Gafni at 925-952-5026. Follow him at Twitter.com/mgafni.


text: Delivering significant gameplay enhancements over the first title, X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse challenges players to explore immense, destructible environments set in classic X-Men locations like Genosha and the Infinite Factory, and exotic worldly locales like Egypt and the South Pole in both single player and, for the first time ever, online multiplayer modes. X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse is being developed by Raven Software for the console systems, Vicarious Visions for the handheld platform and Beenox Studios for the PC , and has not yet been rated by the ESRB. Handheld platform gameplay differs from console systems and PC platform gameplay. (PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, PlayStationí'® Portable, Windows PC)


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Love it! May just have to try one
Welcome to the Quilting Board!
Love it! May just have to try one
Thank you for the tute. I am definitely making this bag but first need to figure out how to print it side ways on a sheet of paper filling the page.
Anna Quilts
This is a beautiful bag. Thanks for the great ideas. I love the inside as much as the outside.
that is beautiful. Thanks for sharing your tutorial.
enjoy your life...it's the only one you have!!!
I really like your bag! and tute!


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Drywall screws have conquered home centers and hardware stores, but the traditional wood screw is still better designed for holding two pieces of wood together.
Because they're threaded the full length, drywall screws can actually force two pieces of wood apart slightly.
Wood screws have a smooth shank that makes it easier to pull two pieces of wood together.
Predrill holes for screws with countersink bits to avoid splitting the wood or snapping the screw.
Wood screws are better than drywall screws for woodworking projects. Drywall screws are made of hardened, brittle steel, and the shaft will often snap during installation, especially if they're screwed into hardwoods. That can be a disaster when you're working with finished material and you want to remove the screw to reposition something—it's nearly impossible to get the broken-off shank out of the wood without damaging the surface. Drywall screws are hardened so that the Phillips slots won't strip out under the stress from high-speed screw guns. Wood screws are thicker and made of softer metal, making them more snap-resistant.
Different thread patterns make the screws work slightly differently too. Wood screws are smooth rather than threaded just below the screwhead. The smooth section of the shank slides by the top half of the wood so the head of the screw and the threads can more or less clamp both pieces of wood together.
Drywall screws are threaded nearly all the way to the head. When you use a drywall screw to fasten two boards, the top threads will anchor in the top board and sometimes actually keep the two boards apart unless the two pieces are tightly clamped to begin with.
The bad news is that using wood screws requires a little more prep work. You not only need to drill a pilot hole for the threads but also a wider counterbore hole the length of the unthreaded shaft and then a countersink hole for setting the head. Sound like a lot of work? Just buy a set of three countersinking bits and they'll handle all three drilling chores at once for most common screw sizes. No more excuses for using the wrong screw.
Have the necessary tools for this DIY project lined up before you start—you'll save time and frustration.
Avoid last-minute shopping trips by having all your materials ready ahead of time. Here's a list.


text: White with pink dots would go into my pinks. Pink with white dots would go into my pinks. Funny how we all do it differently. I do keep all my Hoffman in one spot, all my Kaffe Fassett and the like in one spot. Christmas and holidays in one spot and childrens in one spot, the remainer goes by colors.


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The entrance of a European building products giant into the Christchurch rebuild market will increase competition in the industry and potentially drive down prices for consumers, says Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce.
The Government has awarded Germany's Knauf Plasterboard and Fletcher Building-owned Winstone Wallboards procurement contracts on plasterboard systems estimated to be worth $40 million for the rebuilding.
"The introduction of Knauf into the New Zealand market will not only save the Government up to 6 per cent in plasterboard system costs for the residential rebuild, it also [has] the potential to provide benefits to New Zealanders over the longer term," Joyce said. "Having Knauf set up shop in New Zealand will see increased industry competition that will provide consumers with more choice and could potentially drive down prices."
Fletcher investor relations manager Philip King said locally owned Winstone Wallboards - which operates two manufacturing plants in New Zealand, including one in Christchurch that has been expanded to cope with rebuilding demand - had the capacity to supply all of the project's plasterboard needs.
But the company accepted the Government's decision, King said.
"The customer's always right."
First Union general secretary Robert Reid said he was concerned that a foreign manufacturer had been awarded a contract when local capacity existed.
With mass redundancies taking place in the manufacturing sector it was crucial that contracts for the rebuilding went to New Zealand firms, Reid said.
The Government said the contracts would cover plasterboard and associated fasteners, adhesives, and jointing compounds being used by the Earthquake Commission and Southern Response Earthquake Services for their reconstruction programmes.


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