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Product Description
Activision, Inc. announced that it will release the next installment
of the best-selling skateboarding franchise of all time, Tony Hawk's
Pro Skater(tm), on six platforms - the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment
system, Xbox(tm) video game system, Game Boy® Advance, PC, PlayStation
game console and Game Boy® Color. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 will offer
fast-paced skateboarding fun in a variety of massive living levels with
new features enhancements.
"Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 takes skateboarding to the next level through
its innovative technical advancements and unique gameplay features that
offer fast and furious competitions both on the ramp and in the street,"
states Larry Goldberg, executive vice president, Activision Worldwide
Studios. "The title's inherently fun and intuitive game design will
translate seamlessly across multiple platforms."
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 delivers realistic, cutting edge graphics,
action-packed gameplay, seamless video cinematic sequences and crisp
special effects. The game extends beyond the boundaries of the traditional
skateboarding genre by setting players in living environments that evolve.
Players can choose to skate through realistic urban settings complete
with pedestrians, cars, traffic accidents, natural disasters and changing
weather conditions.
Players go high flying through some of the hottest skating locales
in the world including Skater's Island in Middleton, Rhode Island, Rio,
Los Angeles, Canada, Tokyo and Paris. Fluid animations let gamers pull
off hundreds of combo moves and tricks including nollies, manuals and
lip tricks using the franchise's signature solid control scheme.
Elevating the game's overall excitement, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 delivers
a star-studded lineup of skateboarding pros that join Tony Hawk including
new-to-the-roster Bam Margera of "MTV Jackass" fame, and returning riders
Steve Caballero, Rune Glifberg, Eric Koston, Bucky Lasek, Rodney Mullen,
Chad Muska, Andrew Reynolds, Geoff Rowley, Elissa Steamer and Jamie
Thomas. Additionally, fans can create their own skateboarding idols
and personalize their skaters with glasses, hair, armbands and tattoos.
The game's expanded multi-player modes increase re-playability for the
ultimate in skateboarding fun.


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subset: commoncrawl


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Binghamton University to host Science Olympiad competition
Binghamton University will host the Southern Tier Science Olympiad competition starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, February 14, at various locations on the University campus.
Hundreds of area high school students, representing more than 10 schools, will face off in a day long series of contests designed to test their knowledge in diverse fields such as chemistry, cell biology, structural engineering, astrophysics and mathematics. A total of 22 different events, held in locations across the campus such as the East Gym and the Lecture Hall, will test students' engineering and scientific skills.
A closing ceremony will be held at 3 p.m. in Lecture Hall 1. The winning teams will move on to the state competition at the United States Military Academy West Point and to the national competition to be held at Augusta State University in Augusta, Georgia, on May 15-16, 2009.
The Science Olympiad is a national non-profit organization devoted to improving the quality of science education, and creating a passion for science. The Olympiad provides recognition for outstanding achievement in science education by both students and teachers. The mission of the Science Olympiad is "to promote and improve student interest in science and to improve the quality of K-12 science education throughout the nation."
This event is sponsored by the Binghamton University Chemistry Department, the Binghamton section of the American Chemical Society and Endicott Interconnect Technologies, Inc.
For more information go to http://chemistry.binghamton.edu/ACS/.


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Apricum (Apricum Kingdom #1)
- by mandyrosask
- Rating:
- Published: 30 Sep 2014
- Updated: 13 Feb 2015
- Status: In Progress
Orphaned and in charge of keeping her young brother alive, Helga survives by using her powers to kill for hire. But, when she is kidnapped by people wanting to exploit her, Helga's life changes drastically. No longer sure who to trust, she escapes and goes looking for her brother Finn. But she's been keeping secrets even from those closest to her, and secrets have a way of finding you, in the end... [PG-15 for violence and language - keep in mind that the protagonist kills for a living. Some references to sex.]
Join MovellasFind out what all the buzz is about. Join now to start sharing your creativity and passion
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If GMO is safe then one as to ask themselves why would they bother to do this?
The US House of Representatives quietly passed a last-minute addition to the Agricultural Appropriations Bill for 2013 last week - including a provision protecting genetically modified seeds from litigation in the face of health risks.
The rider, which is officially known as the Farmer Assurance Provision, has been derided by opponents of biotech lobbying as the "Monsanto Protection Act," as it would strip federal courts of the authority to immediately halt the planting and sale of genetically modified (GMO) seed crop regardless of any consumer health concerns.


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Dance Classes for Toddlers, Kids & Teens
Kids need constant stimulation for their developing brains and bodies. Most activities don't challenge them for long, but dance is constantly evolving to keep them on their (pointed) toes!
Terpsichore Dance Company has no trouble keeping their students engaged and excited with their dynamic dance classes. They teach toddlers, kids, teens and adults how to master moves in welcoming ballet classes, tap classes, jazz classes and stretch classes.
There's no end to the benefits of dance! Physically, it's a great cardio workout, improves coordination and balance, increases lung capacity, strengthens the core and builds stamina. Plus, it's one of the world's most fun-filled forms of self-expression! Letting go and mastering moves builds confidence and puts you in a great mood.
Terpsichore Dance Company teachers design their dance classes to be warm, welcoming and supportive for pupils of all experience levels. So whether you're a budding bust-a-mover or a die-hard dancer, you'll find your place with the Terpsichore crew.
But no matter how much your little star wants to shine, fitting in dance classes can be tough for busy families. Luckily, Terpsichore Dance Company makes it easy for you! Their schedule is packed with timeslots across all styles of dance with days divided by age group and style so your child can do a couple classes back to back.
Click 'Visit Website' for more information.
Contact: 02 8006 2098
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Wonderful dance schoolBy kimbradleyware on 5/11/2014 4:19:15 PM
Our son dances in the boys only Jazz and Tap and completely loves it! his younger brother cannot wait to get his turn to dance as well. The administration of the school is immaculately organized by Ms Jess and the caliber of teachers is completely awesome.
Fab dance school!By gabi.harvey on 25/04/2014 2:26:29 PM
We joined this dance school as my daughters school friends were going here and we were made welcomed into their lil community straight away! My daughter thoroughly enjoys her lessons and has made heaps of new friends! She performed for the first time last year in the recital & I volunteered as a backstage mum which was a great experience for my daughter & I as I got to sha (...) Read more
TDC is a great dance communityBy A new local on 3/04/2014 10:35:12 PM
My daughter first joined as a little "Shirley Temple" last year. She (we) loved the fact that she got to do BOTH ballet and tap (which is rare in many of the dance companies we'd previously looked into). This year she gets to do jazz too, as part of Broadway Tots. She loves Miss Jess and absolutely loves coming to dance at TDC. My son trialled one class soon after my d (...) Read more
Extremely happy with TDCBy Bec M on 30/03/2014 9:25:47 PM
My 4 year old daughter started a tap, ballet and jazz class with Miss Jess this year. She was hooked after the first lesson and looks forward to going every week. Once the class is over, she can't wait to get home and show me what she learnt. Miss Jess is a fantastic teacher and is great with the kids - she is cheerful and friendly and keeps them in line!
A wonderful communityBy te55ki on 27/03/2014 11:44:31 AM
Both my daughter and I take lessons with TDC. The classes are fun, focused and the teachers are just amazing! My daughter spends over 5 hours a week dancing with Miss Jess and Mr Justin and I cannot thank them both enough for all they do for her. She has made some beautiful friends during her time at TDC and her love for dance grows and grows with every lesson. I join in o (...) Read more
Outstanding Dance CompacyBy emily.gompertzmcintyre on 25/03/2014 1:20:12 PM
My daughter started dancing with TDC this year and we absolutely love it. She is in the Broadway Tots class and just loves the variety and the challenges of the different styles of dance that this class offers. Miss Jess is a great teacher. Warm and friendly whilst also keeping the children's focus and getting them to do their best. My daughter raves about the class and is (...) Read more
TDC - Wonderful Dance Classes and moreBy Vicki on 24/03/2014 6:56:47 PM
Both my son and daughter attend dance classes at TDC. They are always so excited to participate in the lessons. My son has developed great co-ordination and love of music. The instructors are wonderful and make the classes enjoyable. End of year Recital is truly amazing.
TDC Dancing classesBy katrina.boyle3 on 21/03/2014 10:02:31 AM
My daugher attends a jazz and tap class with Miss Jess and she loves it so much that I decided to join too and I now do an adult tap class. We both have lots of fun, get to socialise and exercise. Thanks Jess!
thanks TDCBy poune.mitchell on 20/03/2014 2:14:31 PM
My daughter Sophie joined TDC with Miss Jess at around 2 1/2 years of age and from day one till now 3 years later she looks forward to every class and seems to enjoy it more and more as time goes by. She loves her teachers and all the friends she has made through the years and I have been so impressed with the professionalism and organisation that Jess brings to the exper (...) Read more
Love your Work TDC!By Zhilla on 20/03/2014 9:29:15 AM
My 3 year old daughter ,Elena , has been attending TDC ballet and tap classes since she turned 2 and she is loving it and can't wait for it every week. It has helped her a lot to build her self confidence and I was amazed when she went on stage at the end of year recital and did all the dance moves ! Jess and all the teachers are very good and supportive with children. L (...) Read more


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Exciting Legacy Program coming soon
Join us on Thursday evening, May 9, at 7 p.m. as we welcome Nancy Scheibe of Ely.
Scheibe is an author, an artist and an adventurer. Her program, "River stories — making dreams come true," focuses on making true her childhood dream of paddling the Mississippi River.
She divided the river into three sections and in 2004, 2007 and 2011, with teams of volunteers, led the kayaking expedition that ensued. She's written three books that vividly capture the flavor and adventures of each section of the river and tell the heartwarming and inspiring stories of the women she met along the way.
This program will appeal to everyone. It is free of charge and is made possible through the Legacy Fund voted on by the people of Minnesota to preserve Minnesota's art and cultural heritage.
Come read to Rocky
Our Reading to Rocky program continues Saturday, May 11, from 10 a.m. to noon. Rocky, a certified pet therapy dog, will be at the library to listen to children read to him.
Rocky's friend, Linda Shalley, accompanies Rocky. She says that children, especially those who struggle with reading, benefit from reading to someone who is totally nonjudgmental. That would be Rocky!
Rocky and Linda will be at our library from 10 a.m. to noon the second Saturday of each month. Mark your calendars!
To all of our volunteers
You rock! Thanks!
Quote for the Month
"Books are a uniquely portable magic." — Stephen King


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It has been a long hot summer but Campbell Live has been enjoying a much longer season in the sun.
Campbell's interview with former defence and intelligence supremo Sir Bruce Ferguson on Wednesday was the latest of many wins over the last year and more, and after eight years the show has found a current affairs sweet spot.
Alongside the light and bright fare, and traditional heart-warming yarns required for the 7pm timeslot, the show keeps an eye out for serious current affairs nuggets.
And when it sees them it digs deeper.
Some will dismiss the brouhaha over Key's shoulder tap of his childhood acquaintance Ian Fletcher to head the Government Communications Security Bureau.
They will say it is another case of the media raining on the PM's parade.
But Campbell's interview with Ferguson was an excellent "get".
Rather than offering the usual Labour versus National tarrying, it examined the views of a concerned respectable public servant and the reputation of the shoulder-shrugging PM.
It was a significant move from a retired civil servant who clearly placed a lot of trust in Campbell.
There has been a similar strong coverage of Solid Energy, the Dotcom saga, and Pike River - all involving some intense legwork from John Campbell himself.
Campbell Live's reporting crew of 12 are known for hard work, but how did they find the current sweet spot, where it breaks serious news stories while holding its own in the ratings?
"We've always had the raw material to be the show we are now," Campbell says. "To begin with a new show gets all the ... well intentioned ... advice to, 'Do this, do that'," he says.
"That is understandable. There is a lot of money invested in the show."
Eventually people stopped giving advice and in his mind the show took off after the February 2011 earthquake.
"We were away from advice and machinations of office [life] and we kind of made our own way ... we got our mojo."
Campbell's coverage of the Dotcom fiasco was fulsome. But it drew brickbats from some because it seemed unwilling to debate Dotcom's right to inhabit the moral high ground.
Campbell Live got around that by focusing on the extreme aspects of the raid and the breaches in political process. The Ferguson interview fits into the latter dynamic.
News hungry
Latterly TVNZ's decision to walk away from serious current affairs at 7pm has led to TV3 focusing on the genre, combined with a marketing campaign that on Campbell Live it was "Time for answers".
Once TV3's image was dominated by shows such as Outrageous Fortune and Seven Days but current affairs is now front and centre of the channel's brand.
"We are receiving the marketing back up at a time we are the truest to ourselves," Campbell says. "What the 7pm audience suffers from - and our audience suffers from in particular - is that it only has a finite appetite for news. We have to make sure we offer something different to the 6pm news."
The reality is that, like Paul Holmes and Paul Henry, Campbell polarises audiences. I find his style a little unctuous, but you can't argue with the journalism.
Settling down
Television New Zealand's 7pm show, Seven Sharp follows the same notion that audiences have a limited appetite for news, so avoids it.
It appears to have settled down in the ratings and to be holding its own against Campbell Live, albeit with a much lower lead than its predecessor, Close Up.
In March, Seven Sharp had a rating of 8.4 per cent for the audience aged over 5 years, compared to 10.2 per cent for Close Up in March last year, a fall of 17.6 per cent. Campbell Live has a rating of 7 per cent compared to 5.5 per cent, an increase of 27.3 per cent.
Seven Sharp seems to have resolved many of the issues about its format. The hope at TVNZ will be that having settled down, its show will pick up more viewers.
I am not being mean to TV One - whose news and current affairs team probably has as many talented individuals as TV3's does - but there is a serious lack of leadership.
Worse, there is no sign of any willingness to use the talented people they do have. Once more it is being run by an overseas import consultant, Michelle Romaine.
With Campbell Live offering strong journalism at 7pm, and Seven Sharp offering fluff, the solution to TVNZ might be to build up One News. There is no sign yet of a new head of news and current affairs capable of improving One News.
NZOA 'unhappy'
Taxpayer funding agency New Zealand On Air is "unhappy" after being told by the Herald that TVNZ has canned one of its funded shows, Global Radar, due to poor ratings.
The show - given $487,174 of public money - was cancelled after Wednesday night, five episodes into an eight-part series.
"It is the first we have heard of it. We'll [be] talking to the broadcaster in due course," said spokeswoman Gina Rogers.
TVNZ spokeswoman Megan Richards confirmed the cancellation was due to poor ratings and that the remaining episodes would be played later in the year.
Programmers said the last season of Global Radar, which played in August last year, performed better on Sunday nights.
Wednesday had 357,600 viewers and 20.1 per cent of the audience compared to the last series featuring Te Radar which had on average 635,900 viewers and a 33.2 per cent share.
Global Radar's share of the 25-54 year old demographic went from 25.9 per cent for series one to 12.1 per cent.
The independent channel Choice has done well out of Sky TV's re-numbering of channels.
Choice is also expecting more viewers from the decision to move from Channel 78 to 26 effective on May 1.
Sky TV chief executive John Fellet said that Choice - which is also on Freeview - was a typical example of the sort of channel that would be cable-only in other markets.
Sky's early decision to allow Choice on to its platform is a big boost for the channel, opening it up to the half of the country that has Sky.
Waiver wave
Complainants to the proposed News Media Standards Authority would not need to sign a waiver against further legal action as do complaints to the Press Council.
Under a Law Commission proposal for a new self-regulatory body, the Press Council would be incorporated into the proposed authority.
The Law Commission has rejected the current waiver.
Meanwhile, the government-appointed Broadcasting Standards Authority - which will continue to have a role administering complaints against broadcast entertainment, and some news standards - says some appeal function should apply to the NMSA.
The process to establish a new media standards regime is expected to be long, but media here have breathed a sigh of relief that the proposed regime would not have a significant effect on press freedom, as some believe will occur with proposed regulatory standards in the United Kingdom.


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Hello all,
I am wondering if it is common practice to fill combs with sugar syrup. I had several empty combs in each hive, and I laid them in a tub and filled both sides with 2:1 syrup, then put them back in the hives. Is this okay to do? I figured it was just another way to feed, but if it is not advisable to do this, I will shake the syrup out. Also, how many of you put your candy boards on at the beginning of winter when you wrapped versus in the middle of the cold season when you think they need it? Thanks in advance for your input.


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For compute developers working in Eclipse development environment, please see Nsight Eclipse Edition
NVIDIA® Nsight™ Visual Studio Edition brings GPU computing into Microsoft Visual Studio (including VS2015 Community Edition). This application development environment for GPUs allows you to build, debug, profile and trace heterogeneous compute, graphics, and virtual reality applications built with CUDA C/C++, OpenCL, DirectCompute, Direct3D, Vulkan API, OpenGL, and the Oculus SDK.
Screenshot shows Scrubber, Range Profiler with Range Info and Pipeline Overview, and Geometry View.
Version 5.2 supports debugging of Oculus SDK applications as well as Vulkan API applications.
Nsight's expanded Direct3D 12 support allows graphics profiling in Visual Studio 2015.
Download the latest version and corresponding dependencies
Access the latest announcements, early release candidate access, file bugs, event invites and more. Sign up today!
List of features of Nsight™ Visual Studio Edition
Details the hardware and software support of Nsight™ Visual Studio Edition
User Guide, Documentation, Forums, and more
Teaser and Instructional Videos showing Nsight™ Visual Studio Edition in action
Past Nsight™ Visual Studio Edition Webinars
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"Once you get hooked on Nsight it's hard to live without it!"Dan Ginsburg, President, Upsample Software, LLC
"NVIDIA Nsight Visual Studio Edition is a terrific tool for both debugging and analyzing the performance of your shaders and graphics code. My favorite feature is the powerful shader debugger and the way it integrates into Visual Studio. It has improved my workflow to the point where I almost don't know how I can write graphics code without it."Greg Hjelstrom, Technical Director, Petroglyph
Please visit Nsight™ Visual Studio Edition 5.2 - New Features for a listing of the new features of the 5.2 release.
Nsight™ Visual Studio Edition Debugger for GPU Computing
Nsight™ Visual Studio Edition Application and System Trace
Nsight™ Visual Studio Edition Graphics Debugger
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Nsight™ Visual Studio Edition VR Inspector
Nsight™ Visual Studio Edition Geometry View


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Dick's Sporting Goods first Field & Stream outdoor specialty store is scheduled to open this fall in the Pittsburgh suburb of Cranberry Township.
The company on Monday announced plans for two Field & Stream stores in 2013 when it reported fourth quarter financial results and later the following day revealed the location of the first store. Dick's acquired the Field & Stream brand last year. The company said the store will offer the best brands to meet the evolving needs of hunters, anglers and outdoorsmen in categories such as outdoor equipment, accessories and services in hunting, fishing, archery and camping.
"We look forward to opening the Field & Stream store and delivering a high level of service for the passionate outdoorsman," said Joe Schmidt, Dick's president and COO. "Dick's Sorting Goods originally began as a bait and tackle shop, and the Field & Stream store will build upon both brands' heritage to provide an excellent customer experience for outdoor enthusiasts."
Said enthusiasts already have a range of options between over-the-top specialty retailers such as Bass Pro and Cabela's or the subdued presentation found at Gander Mountain stores. Dick's also operates 518 full line stores that feature hunting, fishing and camping as core departments.
Word of the store's location came a day after the retailer reported a fourth quarter profit of $1.03 a share that was three cents shy of analysts' estimates. A meager 1.2% same store sales increase, partially caused by unseasonably warm weather and soft sales of big ticket items, contributed to the miss.
Total sales for the 14 week period ended February 2, increased 12% to $1.8 billion compared to the 13 week period the prior year. The company's consolidated same store sales increase of 1.2% was driven by a 54.2% increase in online sales, offset by a 2.2% decrease at Dick's Sporting Goods stores and a 1.3% increase at Golf Galaxy stores.
With 518 full line stores already, Dick's contends the U.S. can support upwards of 1,000 of its stores, but the Field & Stream concept could represent a new growth vehicle. The same could be said for a new concept Dick's said it will introduce this year called True Runner. The retailer plans to open two of the running specialty stores at locations yet to be identified.


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DAY 2 -- Secret Caverns of MADNESS!!!
Trip Start Jun 13, 2004
7Trip End Jun 19, 2004
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Howe's Caverns is the place that everyone goes around here to see caves. We are greeted by a horrifying plethora of school buses and schoolchildren as we pull into the otherwise fairly empty parking lot after our long drive. The lobby is like running a gauntlet, but I suppose (as I told myself at the time) that it is probably much worse on weekends -- less schoolkids and more tourists. We wipe the sweat from our foreheads as we are told by the ticketseller that the school groups go on tours of their own and won't be rampaging all over us as we try to sedately gawk (ha!) at all the cave formations and passageways. Phew!
While waiting we peruse the gift shop and Chris ogles the fudge selections. Danger, Will Robinson, Danger!!! I stick a dime in the dime-squisher machine and get a funny little souvenir token for my trouble after watching the little automated rail cart carry it to its doom (or should I say makeover). Over the lobby fireplace is a plaque that reads "Howe's Cavern 1842-1928." Tristan wants to know if that means we are visiting a non-existant attraction, as the dates certainly make it seem as if it stopped existing some time back. There is a poster near the tour waiting area that points out some of the cave's formations including Bacon Folds. Later I will kick myself because I forgot to get a picture of that section of the poster. Duh.
Photos in the caverns are tricky because of low-light issues, but I should really be spending more of my time absorbing the atmosphere of the caves instead of snapping shots willy-nilly. You'd think I'd have learned this by now. I haven't been to the caverns since a trip in the late 1980s as a cynical high school freshman (the blatant crap-itude of the gift shop disgusted me then, now it's just funny), and it looks like they have put in new walkways and railings, quite slick. Everything is very easy to walk through, and some of the formations are amazing. Good stuff! Tristan tries to keep me from getting a marvelous concussion as I try to snap shots on the boat ride where outcroppings from the stone threaten my skull. Chris listens to the legend about the glowing Heart Stone -- if you touch it, you are said to be married within a year -- and decides to get crazy and dances on it like a lunatic.
Actually, she just posed for a funny photo, but we are still supposed to keep track of the date just in case next year brings news of a bridal type (yes, cave madness, it must be)...
Along our route there have been various exclamations of surprise and disgust as tour participants are splatted with drippings from the cave's nether regions far above us. In another touristy twist of romance and sentimentality, our guide insists that these drops of cold clammy cave water are called "cave kisses" and are a sign that the cave likes us and/or we will have good luck.
The Winding Way which is the last part of the tour is the most impressive, because you come in contact with the cave itself on a much more intimate level. Not recommended for claustrophobics, but certainly impressive for those of us not affected by the willies that close spaces bring. On our way out we snap shots of the cool old lamps by the elevator and giggle about the stash of "Cave Cheese" we discover covered in plastic off to one side. Cave Cheese of the Future! Yow.
We beat off hordes of small children to get at the cheezy souvenirs we picked out on our scoping-out visit to the gift shop and amble out with our bag of booty to find Chris mulling over the many flavor choices of fudge. Controversy arises over what exactly Penuche Fudge is made of. The nice old lady, harassed by the clamoring children, is kind enough to tell me that it is in fact made simply with brown sugar. Chris buys some. Later I find out it tastes pretty much exactly like the Maple Fudge she bought at The Farmer's Daughter in Vermont (she ate at least a quarter pound of it before I snagged a piece. No wonder she felt cruddy!). The Howe's Cavern box is miles better than the box for her other fudge because it has a cool BAT on it. Never underestimate the power of a cave-dwelling bat to help in selling your souvenir fudge.
We are disgusted by the paltry meat-free options of the snack bar and thwarted in visiting the restaurant which is only open on weekends, currently. Ravenous and beginning to overheat (the day has warmed up quite a bit), we scuff out to the car and snarf down the small bag of Fritos and a few animal crackers we have stashed in case of emergencies.
Feeling crazy, and driven further mad by the huge schizophrenic billboards used to advertise the marvel that is Secret Caverns, we drive a little further up Cavern Drive to find this sensational often-looked-over neighbor of the bigger Howe's Caverns complex. Secret Caverns tantalizes us with a score of amazing signs. Did you know Dentists Prefer Their Cavity to others? I didn't, but now I do.
On arrival we are not disappointed. A wide gravel drive and lot leads us towards a gaping bat's maw -- wow!!! The entire barn that their shop and offices are based in is painted up as a GIANT BAT with glowing red eyes! You walk into its mouth to get to the tour info. Oh, I am in LOVE with Secret Caverns!!!
While waiting for our tour to start we check out the Ice Cave which has the first of many crazy instructional signs we find at SC, and I try to talk everyone into having their pictures taken at the pillories out back. All that happens is that Chris takes my picture while Tristan traps me in them. Ahhh!! No one else appreciates the humor inherent in cheezy pillory portraits but me, apparently. That's what I get for not overdosing on pillory humor when I was a kid, I guess.
The guide shuts down the shop to take us on our tour. He leads us into a dark stairwell and down into the caverns. Unlike Howe's, these are smaller passageways, much more natural -- the only manmade additions are a smattering of accent lights at various formations (much fewer than at Howe's), a concrete walkway, and safety lights that run their circuits section by section, so that the guide simultaneously shuts down the lights behind you and turns on the next set of lights ahead of you as you make your way through the stream-carved tunnels, leaving only a set of guidelights running behind you in the dark. By the time we get all the way down through the caverns we are about 150 feet below the surface, and we are in front of the amazing 100-foot tall underground waterfall. The cavern walls are bejewelled with water droplets and condensation this far in, and it looks like they are coated in strange space jewels. Or maybe tiny alien eggs. Anyways, it's cool. The falls are loud and the water moves so fast it's just a white blur in the dark. It's pretty frickin' cool.
After staring dazedly at the natural wonder, we wind our way back up to the surface. The gift store hides a few prize souvenirs -- $2.00 posters, coffee mugs that are as crazy as the billboards, and more sedate magnets with bats on them (one gets bought for my boss Marti's magnet collection). Off to the side are murals telling about the areas geological history, including mention of the DEVOnian era (Mark Mothersbaugh would be proud, I hope).
On the other side of the barn is a series of clippings about the Secret Caverns' history, including articles about a suspicious fire in the 1990s that leveled the barn and left behind over $1 million in damages, with no insurance to pick up the cost. Rumor has it that the pranksters at Howe's Cavern, long rivals of the Secret Caverns, had snuck up and embarked on a brilliant plan to set the Caverns' tool shed on fire. The tool shed had a bunch of gasoline in it and went up like a torch, taking the barn with it, and all the souvenirs for sale, props, art, etc. But the Secret Caverns folk rebuilt, and boy are we glad they did. Definitely stop and take a look around if you go to Howe's Cavern -- it's just up the road!!!
By the time we left Secret Caverns the sun was blazing away and the drive back was great except for the giant house-hauling truck that threatened to tip over ahead of us on the steep road. Almost back to Lake George, we scanned the highway signs on Route 87 anxiously, looking for Betty Beaver. We whooped with joy when the sign finally showed its face and hollered our way down the exit ramp in high hysterics, which only escalated when we saw the sign for the diner down the road, with its GIANT PROTUBERANT BOSOM. I swear I thought the Farmer's Daughter sign couldn't be beat, but what do I know? I certainly hadn't reckoned on Betty Beaver. We are all a little delirious from hunger and too much driving, but really that's hardly an excuse. Just see for yourself!
The diner is actually a truck stop, where if you fill up at their gas pumps you can get a free shower. There is a small convenience store, a room of rental videos off to the side, a dining room full of booths, and a nice old fashioned diner counter for the traditionalist in all of us. The food was excellent, and I followed up my meal with a delicious homemade coconut custard pie! Holy cow, I must say!!! Do try some if you are in the neighborhood. Chris tried the Mystery Pie (a chocolate oreo-type concoction that the waitress didn't know the name for), yum, and Tristan just ate mine. Ha!
Home once more, we play with the ducks (boy they are pushy -- two of them pile onto the dock to try to get Tristan to feed them more quickly).
Things get goofy back in the cabin. Tristan wonders what in the world is going on.
We can't seem to sit still. So, deciding we are gluttons for punishment (either that or we are worried that we won't find enough time during the week to thoroughly tour all of Lake George's wonders, you pick) we trot off to play mini golf at Around the World Golf! We decide to go for the exotic approach when forced to choose from the two courses available. Each is 18 holes, one being the actual "around the world" course, and the other being the U.S. version, featuring various states.
The giant guitar hole is pretty cool, but I really can't remember what country, exactly, it was supposed to represent. You golf down the neck of the guitar using its "strings", which are thin metal pipes, as runners. There is a slight widening of the strings near the mouth of the guitar if you golf the ball down the center of the neck. The rest is history.
Napoleon, having conquered Tristan's ball with his stomping, impetuous foot, coolly surveys the rest of his intended domain. Today a small red golf ball, tomorrow the world.
Meanwhile the boxing kangaroo of Australia meditatively ponders the giant sombrero of Mexico.
This tranquility obviously being too much for our wigged out touristy state-of-mind to take, violence erupts.
The horse-drawn ambulances cart us away giggling and swearing outrageously.
TO BE CONTINUED (stay tuned for days 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7!!!)


text:
The noise made when one sticks their tongue out whilst simultaneously blowing air outwards. This causes the tongues tip and sometimes palette to vibrate at a high frequency and produce the iconic 'pleurp' sound. It can be used to make the sound of flatulence, mock or play with someone in good humor. It is most typically used as a personal joke or communication tool between people of the commonwealth.
by smudge89 December 08, 2009
The vengeful act of crapping on a lover's chest while they sleep.Buy the plush


text:
The Russian connection: See all our coverage | Read about our investigation
Kevin DrumOct. 26, 2012 1:42 AM
Ten days ago, Citigroup's Vikram Pandit walked into the chairman's office for what he thought was a routine meeting:
Instead, Mr. Pandit, the chief executive of Citigroup, was told three news releases were ready. One stated that Mr. Pandit had resigned, effective immediately. Another that he would resign, effective at the end of the year. The third release stated Mr. Pandit had been fired without cause. The choice was his.
Instead, Mr. Pandit, the chief executive of Citigroup, was told three news releases were ready. One stated that Mr. Pandit had resigned, effective immediately. Another that he would resign, effective at the end of the year. The third release stated Mr. Pandit had been fired without cause. The choice was his.
I like it! The only thing that could have made it better would have been a fourth press release stating that Pandit was deeply remorseful for his poor performance and was voluntarily accepting a position as a teller in Citi's Fargo branch as a way of demonstrating his earnest desire to redeem himself through honest labor alongside the workers he had let down. No need to go so easy on the guy, after all.
Kevin DrumOct. 25, 2012 10:58 PM
This is a drag. Tyler Cowen draws my attention to a study that suggests a home team win by a local college football team shortly before an election boosts the vote for an incumbent president. The biggest effect, oddly enough, is for the game ten days before the election, not the game right before the election. A win this weekend could boost the local vote for the incumbent by a stunning 2.59 percentage points.
Right away, I'm going to say I don't believe this. It's just too big an effect. But you can't be too careful, can you? And that sets up some conflicts. My USC Trojans, for example, are playing Arizona this weekend, and a USC win would have no effect. Who cares if Obama gooses his winning percentage in California by a point or two? A win by the Wildcats, however, might just put Arizona over the top for Obama.
Or how about Penn State vs. Ohio State? I have some residual loyalty to Penn State because my father taught there for a year and my sister was born there. What's more, as a Pac-12 guy, hating Ohio State is bred into my genes. But Pennsylvania isn't in play. Ohio is, and if an Ohio State win gives Obama an extra point or two in the Buckeye State, that could determine who wins the election.
Luckily, Ohio State is a big favorite, so it probably doesn't matter. Nonetheless, for the first time in my life, I might just be rooting for them.
Oct. 25, 2012 8:00 PM
David Corn joined MSNBC's Martin Bashir and Time magazine's Michael Scherer Thursday to talk about why the Romney campaign is avoiding sit-down interviews with the media before the election. Is it the result of fallout from Richard Mourdock's rape comments, the campaign's fuzzy tax plan, or something else?
David Corn is Mother Jones' Washington bureau chief. For more of his stories, click here. He's also on Twitter.
—By the Mother Jones news teamOct. 25, 2012 7:29 PM
Two bodies are taken away by the NYC Medical Examiners from a driveway in Ditmas Park in New York City on Tuesday, October 30.
This explainer has been regularly updated; click here for the most recent post.
Some are calling it a "Snoreastercane." Others have dubbed it a "Frankenstorm." Whatever its nickname, Hurricane Sandy is bringing gale-force winds, flooding, heavy rains, and possibly even snow to the Eastern seaboard.
UPDATE 21, 5:30 p.m. EDT, Thursday, November 1: Limited bus and subway service returned to New York City Thursday morning, but cars remained one of the only options for moving between boroughs. As a result, the streets of Brooklyn—which normally depends heavily on public transit—were overwhelmed with drivers, and they were all looking for one thing: gas. But the city's main artery for this staple, the Port of New York, was closed during Hurricane Sandy and only just re-opened, leading to massive shortages, closed stations, and excruciating—and tense—lines for the pump.
The Climate Desk was on the scene in Brooklyn earlier today:
UPDATE 20, 11:55 a.m. EDT, Thursday, November 1: The Climate Desk team visited one historic high-rise apartment in Manhattan where residents were running perilously low on water, food, and patience:
UPDATE 19, 2:15 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, October 31:
The Climate Desk team headed over to Breezy Point, Queens, to survey the damage from the neighborhood's massive fire and flooding:
Sandy's strength will continue to weaken throughout the next 24 hours, but the storm's impact continues to linger. The US death toll has risen to 59, with 26 in New York City, including a young couple killed by falling trees in Ditmas Park Monday night. At an afternoon press briefing, Gov. Cuomo reiterated his belief climate change is responsible for the power of this storm saying, "I think part of learning from this is the recognition that climate change is a reality." The Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang has a good round up of weather related stats from Sandy.
More than 8 million people remain without power, and utility companies say it might be a week before power is fully restored in New York. City buses resumed full service this morning, and limited subway service is expected to resume on Thursday. JFK and Newark Liberty International airports re-opened with limited service this morning (LaGuardia remains closed), and Mayor Bloomberg rang the bell to reopen trading this morning at the NYSE. IHS Global Insight's latest estimate of the cost of damages from Sandy is $20 billion in property damages and $10 to $30 billion in lost business.
In an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, Rick Ostfield of the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, NY expressed concern about how the historic flooding has likely displaced hundreds or possibly thousands of rats, which could lead to the spread of rat-borne diseases: "You get infected individuals mixing with uninfected individuals and that's a recipe for an outbreak."
People continue to take to Twitter to document the aftermath of the storm:
The disaster zone formally known as Hoboken. Some areas still have waters chest deep and no power. #sandy # instagr.am/p/Rcrp2RBbco/
— jacob santiago (@jacobsantiago) October 31, 2012
The disaster zone formally known as Hoboken. Some areas still have waters chest deep and no power. #sandy # instagr.am/p/Rcrp2RBbco/
Evacuating SW #Hoboken, NJ. Clinton & 2nd #sandy Oct 31 @nydailynews instagr.am/p/RdHURTnxha/
— Claus Guglberger (@clausg) October 31, 2012
Evacuating SW #Hoboken, NJ. Clinton & 2nd #sandy Oct 31 @nydailynews instagr.am/p/RdHURTnxha/
— Claus Guglberger (@clausg) October 31, 2012
Evacuating SW #Hoboken, NJ. Clinton & 2nd #sandy Oct 31 @nydailynews instagr.am/p/RdHURTnxha/
Photos showing damage to the MTA New York City Transit system in the aftermath of Hurricane #Sandy. flic.kr/p/dprpQv
— MTA (@MTAInsider) October 31, 2012
Photos showing damage to the MTA New York City Transit system in the aftermath of Hurricane #Sandy. flic.kr/p/dprpQv
UPDATE 18, 10:15 p.m. EDT, Tuesday, October 30:
The US death toll from Hurricane Sandy has now climbed to at least 50, including numerous victims killed by falling trees. Millions are still without power up and down the Eastern seaboard, including 684,000 in Manhattan. Con Ed officials called Sandy the worst storm in the company's history. An explosion at a substation on the east side of Manhattan on Monday night led to the outages in Manhattan south of midtown. John Miksad, Con Ed's senior vice president of electric operations, told the Wall Street Journal that the equipment is under several feet of water and operators are in rowboats working to pump it out, and that it could take up to a week to restore power to parts of Manhattan. Con Ed customers outside the city who lost power due to downed lines and trees may be without power for up to two weeks.
The industry forecasting firm IHS Global Insight is estimating that the superstorm could cost up to $50 billion in damages and lost business.
In Brooklyn, pedestrians are steering clear of standing water for fear of toxic sludge that could contain heavy metals and human waste. An apiary at the Brooklyn Navy Yard was destroyed, and 1 million honeybees were lost. A representative of the Brooklyn Grange, which managed 25 of the hives each containing about 40,000 bees, called the loss catastrophic.
Around Manhattan, people were gathering around power outlets.
What an interesting future we live in: "@zephoria: People huddled around power outlets in nyc charging devicestwitter.com/gilgul/status/… #Sandy
— Janna W. (@jannaw) October 30, 2012
What an interesting future we live in: "@zephoria: People huddled around power outlets in nyc charging devicestwitter.com/gilgul/status/… #Sandy
The superstorm dumped three feet of snow in parts of West Virginia.
1st Halloween snow storm of the year via #Sandy. Courtesy of lil sis from West Virgina. twitter.com/dmgirt/status/…
— Jesse Martinez (@dmgirt) October 30, 2012
1st Halloween snow storm of the year via #Sandy. Courtesy of lil sis from West Virgina. twitter.com/dmgirt/status/…
For the first time since 1888, the New York Stock Exchange was closed for two consecutive days.
Have u ever se this? Sandy 1 wall st 0 #wallst #sandy #hurricane #hurricanesandy@ Wall Street instagr.am/p/Ra8eGaiCpw/
— dean bertsos (@deanbertsos) October 30, 2012
Have u ever se this? Sandy 1 wall st 0 #wallst #sandy #hurricane #hurricanesandy@ Wall Street instagr.am/p/Ra8eGaiCpw/
The storm made landfall along the Jersey shore.
Northern portion of AC's Boardwalk post-hurricane. #Sandy #njsandy #sandynj twitter.com/NewsWorksNJ/st…
— NewsWorksNJ (@NewsWorksNJ) October 30, 2012
Northern portion of AC's Boardwalk post-hurricane. #Sandy #njsandy #sandynj twitter.com/NewsWorksNJ/st…
yo this is no joke #Pray4NJ #sandy twitter.com/RealAndrewRile…
— Andrew Riley (@RealAndrewRiley) October 30, 2012
yo this is no joke #Pray4NJ #sandy twitter.com/RealAndrewRile…
The WSJ's Eric Holthaus has been a steady hand from the build up to the storm and through its aftermath, though he cites Wikipedia in this tweet.
At >8 million customers, it appears #Sandy has caused the most power outages of any hurricane in US History. Ike #2 bit.ly/SaSOep
— Eric Holthaus (@WSJweather) October 30, 2012
At >8 million customers, it appears #Sandy has caused the most power outages of any hurricane in US History. Ike #2 bit.ly/SaSOep
UPDATE 17, 1:45 p.m. EDT, Tuesday, October 30:
During a press conference this morning, Gov. Cuomo directly linked Hurricane Sandy to climate change, saying, "There has been a series of extreme weather incidents. That is not a political statement, that is a factual statement. Anyone who says there is not a dramatic change in weather patterns I think is denying reality."
The Associated Press is reporting that Sandy's US death toll is up to 33 and there are at least 7.4 million without power. Check out this interactive from the New York Times to see where damage was done to the city. More than 80 homes were destroyed in a fire in Breezy Point in Queens on Monday night, and there were reports of fires in Long Island as well.
House destroyed by fire. Flood prevented Massapequa FD from saving it. #Sandy twitter.com/TonyAielloNY/s…
— Tony Aiello (@TonyAielloNY) October 30, 2012
House destroyed by fire. Flood prevented Massapequa FD from saving it. #Sandy twitter.com/TonyAielloNY/s…
Flooding continues throughout New Jersey and New York, as well as property damage from fallen trees.
Taxi terminal in #Hoboken, NJ. @abc7news #Sandy #NYC @tvnooz #weather twitter.com/SteveRudinABC7…
— Steve Rudin ABC7 (@SteveRudinABC7) October 30, 2012
Taxi terminal in #Hoboken, NJ. @abc7news #Sandy #NYC @tvnooz #weather twitter.com/SteveRudinABC7…
Historic section Montclair, NJ 10/30/12 After #Sandy instagr.am/p/RaeOz1i-Eb/
— Susan Durrwachter (@DespSeekSusan) October 30, 2012
Historic section Montclair, NJ 10/30/12 After #Sandy instagr.am/p/RaeOz1i-Eb/
#hurricane #sandy #destruction #terror #mayhem #nyc @ Park Slope instagr.am/p/RadaOlJjFR/
— Iz Real (@MrIzReal) October 30, 2012
#hurricane #sandy #destruction #terror #mayhem #nyc @ Park Slope instagr.am/p/RadaOlJjFR/
UPDATE 16, 10:56 a.m. EDT, Tuesday, October 30:
There are many crazy storm photos popping up online–some legit, some fakes. They seem to be confusing many people; a friend working abroad says her colleagues keep asking her if there are really sharks swimming in the NYC subway system. In service to the public, both Buzzfeed's Katie Notopoulos and The Atlantic's Alexis Madrigal have posted great real-time fact-checking on some of the most unbelievable photos. Please check these out before tweeting any wild photos:
The AtlanticUPDATE 15, 10:15 a.m. EDT, Tuesday, October 30:
In television appearances Tuesday morning, New Jersey's Republican Gov. Chris Christie praised the federal government's response:
"The federal government's response has been great. I was on the phone at midnight again last night with the President, personally, he has expedited the designation of New Jersey as a major disaster area," Christie, a top surrogate for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, said on NBC's "Today."
He added, "The President has been outstanding in this and so have the folks at FEMA."
On MSNBC's "Morning Joe," Christie was equally laudatory, saying "the President has been all over this and he deserves great credit." Obama, he said, "told me to call him if I needed anything and he absolutely means it, and it's been very good working with the President and his administration."
UPDATE 14, 6:58 a.m. EDT, Tuesday, October 30:
President Obama has issued a disaster declaration for New York and surrounding counties, USA Today reports, making federal aid available for those areas. In Bergen County, New Jersey, emergency responders are battling a levee breach that has reportedly sent several feet of water into three towns, and in Breezy Point, Queens, a six-alarm fire has destroyed nearly 60 homes. Up to 7 million are now without power; you can check which areas are blacked out on the Google Maps team's Sandy map. The storm is expected to keep battering the East Coast all the way into Ontario, but winds are predicted to weaken through the day.
UPDATE 13, 1:45 a.m. EDT, Tuesday, October 30:
CNN tallies at least 13 US deaths so far; the New York Times reports "once-in-a-generation flooding." Several sources say that a New York City ConEd plant exploded earlier this evening, causing massive power outages in lower Manhattan. Outlets are also reporting a large fire in the Breezy Point section of Brooklyn.
In a statement early Tuesday morning, MTA chairman Joe Lhota said, "The New York City subway system is 108 years old, but it has never faced a disaster as devastating as what we experienced last night."
Meanwhile, the National Weather Service predicts continuing high winds in New York and New England, more heavy rain in the mid-Atlantic, and 2-3 feet of snow in the mountains of West Virginia.
UPDATE 12, 8:30 p.m. EDT, Monday, October 29:
The water is starting to recede at New York City's Battery Park, but the worst dangers of the storm may still be ahead. New York University Hospital lost power and has had to begin evacuating patients. Since many patients at the hospital are in poor health and some are on ventilators, the evacuation is very dangerous. (WYNC's Fred Mogul reported that the hospital's backup generator failed.) The New York Fire Department has tweeted that firefighters are on the scene at Coney Island hospital and there is no fire, despite earlier reports. There are unconfirmed reports of trouble at other area hospitals.
The Metropolitan Transit Authority has confirmed that there is water in the subway tunnels under the East River—an event that the New York Times reported in September could be a $55 billion disaster. Charles Seaton, a spokesman for the MTA, told the Weather Channel on Monday night that it would take a "significant amount of time" to get subways running again. And Long Island is now completely cut off from the mainland: all bridges and tunnels are closed.
UPDATE 11, 7:15 p.m. EDT, Monday, October 29:
Hurricane Sandy made landfall in southern New Jersey just after 6 p.m. EST, and is quickly moving towards New York City. Approximately 3,000 people have not yet evacuated Atlantic City and according to Politico, Governor Christie has said, "They're going to have to ride out the storm there until at least 7 o'clock tomorrow morning. I cannot in good conscience send rescuers in as the storm is about to hit, nor can I send them in the dark given all the various hazards that would potentially occur for them." Sandy is expected to hit New York at 8 p.m. Governor Cuomo ordered the closure of NYC bridges at 7 p.m. and warned that, "the worst is still coming."
There is record breaking storm surge flooding in Battery Park, in lower Manhattan:
#NYC | ALERT: Lower Manhattan is submerged #Sandy twitter.com/HC_Sandy/statu…
— Hurricane Sandy (@HC_Sandy) October 29, 2012
#NYC | ALERT: Lower Manhattan is submerged #Sandy twitter.com/HC_Sandy/statu…
And some NYC media outlets are down:
Gawker is temporarily down because the 57th Street Crane just flooded our servers with sea foam, or something. Back with you shortly.
— Gawker (@Gawker) October 29, 2012
Gawker is temporarily down because the 57th Street Crane just flooded our servers with sea foam, or something. Back with you shortly.
Our site is down. Problems with NY-area servers due to Sandy. Be back ASAP.
— BuzzFeed (@BuzzFeed) October 29, 2012
Our site is down. Problems with NY-area servers due to Sandy. Be back ASAP.
Check out this time lapse video from the Climate Desk of the Manhattan skyline awaiting Sandy:
Climate Desk's James West took to his Brooklyn rooftop to talk with his home country's national breakfast radio show to describe what he was seeing across the city, and how he was preparing for something that might last days and days. Listen here.
Even before making landfall, the storm caused power outages for 1 million people, and the National Grid expects that 60 million more could ultimately be affected. This ConEd map shows where power outages have occurred in New York.
Some are predicting that overall, Sandy could cause an economic loss of $20 billion.
People continue to take to Twitter and Instagram to document the storm. According to Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom, "There are now 10 pictures per second being posted with the #sandy - most are images of people prepping for the storm and images of scenes outdoors."
Tree down in Harlem #sandy instagr.am/p/RYUl54oKqX/
— Sebastian Delmont (@sd) October 29, 2012
Tree down in Harlem #sandy instagr.am/p/RYUl54oKqX/
OMG THE BOARDWALK IS GONE :(Atlantic City#Sandy twitpic.com/b8l5km
— Claire Sollenberger (@TheQueenBTW) October 29, 2012
OMG THE BOARDWALK IS GONE :(Atlantic City#Sandy twitpic.com/b8l5km
Reporting from Brooklyn, Climate Desk Producer James West and Climate Desk Fellow Tim McDonnell spoke with people who were planning on staying in areas like Red Hook that have mandatory evacuations, "recalling what they thought were over-hyped precautions during last year's Hurricane Irene disaster." In Red Hook, a neighborhood along New York Harbor featuring low-lying land and industrial piers, sandbags weren't enough to prevent flooding, not just of seawater but also curious tourists, locals and television vans. James West
UPDATE 10, 4:15 P.M. EDT, Monday, October 29:
The Coast Guard today posted this video of the harrowing rescue of 14 people from life rafts from the sunken HMS Bounty, 90 miles off the coast of Hatteras, N.C. Two people remain missing. The HMS Bounty sent out a distress beacon early this morning. The 14 people were flown to Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., where they were met by awaiting emergency medical services personnel with no life threatening injuries. Coast Guard helicopters continue to search for the two missing crewmembers.
UPDATE 9, 3 p.m. EDT, Monday, October 29:
Coastal communities up and down the Mid-Atlantic coast and in the Northeast are already experiencing heavy flooding, but Hurricane Sandy hasn't even made landfall yet. A crane in midtown Manhattan collapsed due to high winds.
"The last time we saw this threat was never," Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy said during a press conference today.
Below is video of the Hudson River overflowing on the west bank.
A girl with "snazzy new rainboots" on the East River at 18th Street in Manhattan posted a video shot at 11 a.m. EST of the East River overflowing its bank as an NYPD officer announces over a bullhorn that the area is a mandatory evacuation zone.
An ominous NASA video shows the storm gathering steam as it approaches New York City, displaying the massive scale of the storm which has already broken the record for being the largest storm in recorded Atlantic basin history.
People all up and down the East Coast have been posting their photos (real and, uh, less real, like the one above) to Twitter of the flooding and storm surge encroaching upon the landscape.
"@daweeq: HURRICANE #SANDY IS GETTING REAL twitter.com/Daweeq/status/…" that's some crazy shit!!
— Mohammad Ali(@Lil_Mad) October 29, 2012
"@daweeq: HURRICANE #SANDY IS GETTING REAL twitter.com/Daweeq/status/…" that's some crazy shit!!
Flooding in #AtlanticCity caused by Hurricane #Sandy twitter.com/CruiseMiss/sta…
— Danielle (@CruiseMiss) October 29, 2012
Flooding in #AtlanticCity caused by Hurricane #Sandy twitter.com/CruiseMiss/sta…
sarahleingang's photo FDR flooded already. instagr.am/p/RX7GDhnkyu/ #sandy #nyc #flooding #cocktailtime
— Lesa Wright McHale (@MissLesaMac) October 29, 2012
sarahleingang's photo FDR flooded already. instagr.am/p/RX7GDhnkyu/ #sandy #nyc #flooding #cocktailtime
Early flooding from Sandy.Red Hook section of Brooklyn.twitpic.com/b8i8a1
— John Robb (@johnrobb) October 29, 2012
Early flooding from Sandy.Red Hook section of Brooklyn.twitpic.com/b8i8a1
East river flooding by the FDR. #Sandy instagr.am/p/RX36K0s-5d/
— CJ Dunn (@youknowcj) October 29, 2012
East river flooding by the FDR. #Sandy instagr.am/p/RX36K0s-5d/
UPDATE 8, 11:30 a.m. EDT, Monday, October 29:
According to the National Weather Service, "Sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph are expected by 8 am this morning, then increasing around noon to 35 to 45 mph with hurricane force wind gusts 60 to 70 mph lasting into early Tuesday morning."
The New York Times has created an interactive map to help New Yorkers figure out whether or not they need to evacuate.
Mother Jones' Adam Serwer analyzes how Hurricane Sandy could swing the 2012 election, concluding that if it "turns out to be as bad as the meteorologists fear, it could have a real impact."
Mike Ryan, senior writer at Huffington Post Entertainment, tweets out a photo of FDR Drive in New York underwater:
@startingptcnn Thank you for your amazing coverage Soledad! Here we are marooned in Red Hook, Brooklyn!! #Sandy twitter.com/greenpainting/…
— Nick Cope (@greenpainting) October 29, 2012
@startingptcnn Thank you for your amazing coverage Soledad! Here we are marooned in Red Hook, Brooklyn!! #Sandy twitter.com/greenpainting/…
UPDATE 7, 10:00 p.m. EDT, Sunday, October 28: Cities from Washington to Boston were ordering mass evacuations on Sunday night and public school was cancelled for all of New York City, Boston, Washington, Baltimore, and many of their suburbs. Airlines canceled more than 5,000 flights, and Amtrak began suspending train service across the Northeast.
President Obama today reviewed emergency response plans with FEMA administrator Craig Fugate in advance of what the president has called a "serious and big storm." He urged residents in the path of the storm to heed the warnings and directions of their local emergency officials and to leave their homes if evacuation is deemed necessary.
The New Jersey National Weather Service station sent out a particularly disturbing emergency bulletin to residents who would avoid evacuation warnings, telling them to think of the emergency responders who will "recover your remains if you do not survive."
A high-wind warning will go into effect Monday at 6 a.m. (EDT) for New York City, with gusts expected to reach 80 mph. People living in the strike zone, especially those in high rise buildings above the 10th floor, are warned to stay away from windows as flying debris could pose a threat.
The National Guard has called upon 61,000 troops to prepare for storm response.
UPDATE 6, 3:00 p.m. EDT, Sunday, October 28: Sandy is threatening to bring significant storm surge flooding to Long Island Sound and New York Harbor with winds near hurricane force at landfall, according to the Sunday afternoon bulletin from NOAA which was tracking the hurricane about 270 miles off the coat of Cape Hatteras in North Carolina. Heavy snow is also forecast in the Appalachian Mountains. The death toll in the Caribbean is up to 65.
Already hundreds of flights have been canceled and mass transit systems are shutting down all along the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast in advance of the storm which is supposed to make landfall in Southern New Jersey by late Monday or early Tuesday.
With just over a week before the election, President Obama has scrapped campaign plans for Monday and Tuesday to focus on storm response, and Republican challenger Mitt Romney has been scrambling his schedule, canceling events in Virginia and joining running mate Paul Ryan in Ohio.
While just a few days ago, weathermen and journalists were coming up with playful monikers for the storm, the descriptions have gotten notably more ominous. Meteorologists are calling Sandy extraordinary, historic, and potentially the worst storm on record. Indeed, Sandy is now the largest storm in recorded Atlantic basin history, with a diameter of gale force winds over 1000 miles.
For those in the path of the hurricane looking for infomation, the Red Cross has a Hurricane App which will allow users to monitor conditions in their area or throughout the storm track, prepare their family and home, find help and let others know they are safe even if the power is out.
UPDATE 5, 8:00 p.m. EDT, Saturday, October 27: While tropical storm warnings regarding Sandy have been discontinued for the Bahamas, the death toll throughout the Caribbean has risen to 59, with 44 in Haiti. High wind warnings and watches are now in effect for southeastern Virginia, the Mid-Atlantic, and southern New England, and near hurricane force winds could reach the Mid-Atlantic, as well as Long Island, by late Monday, according to NOAA's latest report. Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Fire Island in Suffolk County, as well as Delaware's coastal communities, and Governor Christie has ordered Atlantic City's 12 casinos to shut down at 4 pm on Sunday. Massachusetts has declared a state of emergency and has mobilized 200 members of the National Guard.
According to the Guardian, there is a major threat of coastal flooding, especially in low-lying areas like Alexandria, Virginia and New York City. Dr. Jeff Masters from Wunderground.com predicts that there is a 30% chance that the New York City subway system will be flooded and the New York Times reported in September that flooding resulting from storm surges can cost $55 billion in economic damage. AccuWeather.com expects that Sandy "will be more like a Nor'eastern on steroids", with 60 million people in its path and storm surge levels that could range from five to ten feet.
To continue to track the storm's path, check out the New York Times' interactive tracker, and make sure to follow @capitalweather, @twc_hurricane, and @wunderground for updates.
UPDATE 4, 1:00 p.m. EDT, Saturday, October 27: Early Saturday morning, Sandy was briefly downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm, but hurricane strength winds were observed a few hours later. According to an update from NOAA at 11 am EST, tropical storm watches and warnings for the east coast of Florida have been discontinued, but they are in effect for areas in South and North Carolina, the Bahamas, and Bermuda. Maximum sustained winds are near 75 mph and the storm is expected to move parallel to the southeastern coast of the US throughout the weekend. Gale force winds, storm surge, and rainfall from four to eight inches are likely to reach the Mid-Atlantic coast by Sunday evening. Some are predicting that Sandy will make landfall in Delaware on Tuesday, and Maine, New Jersey, and Connecticut have joined North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, D.C., Pennsylvania and New York in declaring a state of emergency. According to the NY Daily News, city officials are considering evacuating 375,000 New Yorkers and three to six feet of water could be seen in subways in a worst cast scenario. AccuWeather senior meteorologist Henry Margusity warned MarketWatch, "There will be school closures, travel will be messed up for days and major airports will be closed. This could be a disaster of biblical proportions - a multi-billion dollar disaster."
Some have taken to Twitter to share how they are preparing:
Two walmarts and a target. None have water. #sandy twitter.com/ericjodom/stat…
— Eric Odom (@ericjodom) October 27, 2012
Two walmarts and a target. None have water. #sandy twitter.com/ericjodom/stat…
well i went out for food. came back with 6 bags of candy corn, cosmo, diet cokes, and nail files. mission hurricane prep accomplished #sandy
— Jennifer Wakeling (@jennywakes) October 27, 2012
well i went out for food. came back with 6 bags of candy corn, cosmo, diet cokes, and nail files. mission hurricane prep accomplished #sandy
UPDATE 3, 5:45 p.m. EDT, Friday, October 26: As the storm leaves the northern Bahamas, death tolls from its path through the Caribbean continue to rise. The Associated Press is reporting that 40 have been killed, with 26 in Haiti. Throughout the Caribbean there are reports of power outages, heavy crop damage, blocked roads, and collapsed houses. In Jamaica, where the hurricane first hit, officials are saying it is still too early to estimate the cost of damages.
Meanwhile, several states in the US—North Carolina, Virginia/D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York—have declared a state of emergency. Officials in New York City are considering shutting down mass transit before the storm hits. Weather.com has a good round-up of how various states are preparing for Sandy.
Folks are sounding off on Twitter:
This about sums it up.#Sandy twitter.com/amichalenicz/s…
— Andrea Michalenicz (@amichalenicz) October 26, 2012
This about sums it up.#Sandy twitter.com/amichalenicz/s…
And with the Romney campaign cancelling their planned rally in Virginia Beach due to the storm and potential disruptions to early voting, many are speculating that the hurricane could ultimately impact the election.
"The Sandy Effect":Sandy will hamper voter turnout through election day due to post-stormimpact.Swing states VA & NH in its path.
— Mike Seidel (@mikeseidel) October 26, 2012
"The Sandy Effect":Sandy will hamper voter turnout through election day due to post-stormimpact.Swing states VA & NH in its path.
UPDATE 2, 2:45 p.m. EDT, Friday, October 26: The latest weather models show Sandy on a collision course with the mid-Atlantic and Northeast with 50 million people in its projected path. The Capitol Weather Gang at the Washington Post is predicting a one-in-three chance of a direct hit on New York City, in which case city officials may call for evacuations as a storm surge could flood parts of Lower Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. Many are freaking out about this storm. On his blog, Accuweather meterologist Mike Smith quoted a "prominent National Weather Service meteorologist" as saying: I've never seen anything like this and I'm at a loss for expletives to describe what this storm could do.
The National Hurricane Center says Sandy is moving slowly due north at about six mph with wind speeds of up to 80 mph and are calling the storm a hybrid with tropical characteristics. Eric Holthaus, contributing meteorologist at the Wall Street Journal, said a midwestern snow storm is currently generating over the Great Lakes and will pull the hurricane inland. The full moon on Monday could play a role in coastal flooding, bringing higher tides. He said a direct strike on New York City might actually be a better scenario than if the storm hits in Southern Jersey as it is currently forecasted to do. Coastal flooding could bring a storm surge between six to 10 feet in the city in a worst-case scenario, he said.
The financial markets, utilities, and the tourism industry are also bracing for impact with storm damage estimates already predicted at upwards of $1 billion.
UPDATE 1, 1:10 p.m. EDT Friday, October 26: During a teleconference call on Friday morning, James Franklin, branch chief of NOAA's National Hurricane Center, predicted that the coastline from Florida up through through North Carolina will experience peripheral impacts from Sandy through Sunday, and that the storm will move north to Virginia through New England Monday through Wednesday. The expectation is that the storm will move slowly and there will be two or three days of impacts for many people. According to Dr. Louis Uccellini, director of NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Prediction, the West Virginia and Appalachian area could potentially get one to two feet of snow, and there is likely a risk of river flooding in Delaware and Pennsylvania. New York City may experience tropical storm force winds as well as flash flooding. "Someone is going to get a significant surge event out of this, much broader than Irene," said Franklin.
Read on for a primer:
Where's Sandy headed?
Hurricane Sandy's predicted path NOAA
The hurricane first hit just south of Kingston, Jamaica, on the morning of October 24 and blew through Haiti, Cuba, and the Bahamas. The storm is expected to make landfall in the Mid-Atlantic on Monday evening as a Category 1 storm with winds up to 95 mph. Forecasters predict that it will lose some steam as it bears due north toward the greater New York City area on Tuesday, likely becoming a tropical storm. However it could collide with an early winter storm out of the west and a blast of Arctic air from the north to potentially wreak more havoc than an ordinary hurricane.
To see for yourself where the hurricane is headed, check out this live map, as well as this interactive hurricane tracker.
The storm has already caused flooding in Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti and the Bahamas. Folks in those places have taken to Twitter to share videos, pictures, and updates about the damage.
Lane Plaza Liguanea twitter.com/JamaicaObserve…
— JamaicaObserver (@JamaicaObserver) October 25, 2012
Lane Plaza Liguanea twitter.com/JamaicaObserve…
Water surges under bridge by the Spanish Town bypass twitter.com/JamaicaObserve…
— JamaicaObserver (@JamaicaObserver) October 24, 2012
Water surges under bridge by the Spanish Town bypass twitter.com/JamaicaObserve…
Santiago de Cuba "devastated" by #Sandy, reports of 1 dead, dozens injured and widespread damage to homes & buildings. Total power blackout.
— Nick Miroff (@NickMiroff) October 25, 2012
Santiago de Cuba "devastated" by #Sandy, reports of 1 dead, dozens injured and widespread damage to homes & buildings. Total power blackout.
#Sandy aftermath. twitter.com/sheniquemiller…
— Shenique Miller (@sheniquemiller) October 26, 2012
#Sandy aftermath. twitter.com/sheniquemiller…
Have there been any casualties?
65 are dead across the Caribbean, according to the Huffington Post.
Could Sandy impact early voting/the elections?
It's possible, according to AccuWeather. They suspect that as the storm batters the east coast at the end of this week and into next week, early voting may seem less appealing to those planning on heading to the polls. Several of the states that might be hit by the storm, such as Florida, Maryland, D.C., Vermont, and Maine, allow for in-person early voting. According to AccuWeather meteorologist Bernie Rayno, "The worst case scenario is that if this storm does go up into New England...we could see lots of power outages, we could see flooding. That could have an impact even a week later, depending on how bad the storm is." A recent survey conducted by the Weather Channel showed that 35 percent of undecided likely voters would be less inclined to head to the polls if there is bad weather on Election Day.
Isn't it a little late in the year for a hurricane?
No. Hurricane season in the Atlantic begins June 1 and ends November 30. However, 2012 has seen an extremely active hurricane season filled with oddities.
Is climate change to blame for the active season?
Possibly. NOAA scientists have shied away from blaming human activities and climate change outright on the more active hurricane seasons in recent years. However, they do say that anthropogenic warming by the end of the 21st century will likely cause hurricanes globally to be more intense on average. Forecasters have also said warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures and wind patterns that favor storm formation mean chances are higher for an above-normal season.
How has Obama reacted?
President Obama has been briefed on the hurricane, and the White House is encouraging those along the Eastern seaboard to monitor weather reports and listen to local officials.
How can I stay on top of the latest news?
We'll be updating this post with the latest.
Weather.com's Hurricane Central has continuous updates about Sandy's course, as does AccuWeather.com. The Washington Post's blog has identified various scenarios and potential impacts for the DC area.
Eric Holstaus, the weather guy for the Wall Street Journal, is tweeting up a storm.
HPC's all like "whoa #Sandy's gonna be a big snowstorm", NHC's all like "no, it's a hurricane". #cantwealljustgetalong?
— Eric Holthaus (@WSJweather) October 25, 2012
HPC's all like "whoa #Sandy's gonna be a big snowstorm", NHC's all like "no, it's a hurricane". #cantwealljustgetalong?
AccuWeather's Henry Margusity, NOAA, and FEMA are also tweeting continuous updates.
Kevin DrumOct. 25, 2012 6:43 PM
Republicans may have taken to hating the Fed in recent years, but University of Michigan political scientist William Clark tells us today that the Fed sure loves Republicans. In every single presidential term over the last five decades, interest rates have risen between the beginning and end of Democratic administrations and dropped during Republican administrations:
This is actually even more sinister than it looks. Clark says that, even after controlling for macroeconomic conditions, it appears that "as elections draw near, the Fed adopts a looser monetary policy when Republicans control the White House." In this, he's echoing Jamie Galbraith, who wrote a paper in 2007 showing exactly the same thing. In fact, he demonstrated that the Fed systematically intervenes during election years, but in opposite directions depending on which party holds the White House. Controlling for economic conditions, the Fed loosens more than expected when Republicans are seeking reelection and tightens more than expected when a Democrat is seeking reelection.
Of course, this might all just be a big coincidence. I report, you decide.
POSTSCRIPT: Fairness dictates that I acknowledge Ben Bernanke as the exception to this rule. He couldn't actually lower interest rates for Barack Obama, since rates were already near zero when he took office, but Bernanke has certainly engaged in several rounds of nontraditional monetary easing during Obama's term.
Of course, fairness also requires me to acknowledge that Republicans have screamed blue murder about this every step of the way, because they're bound and determined to oppose anything that might help the economy during a Democratic administration.
Kevin DrumOct. 25, 2012 5:46 PM
Via Twitter, I've gotten a fair amount of pushback on my post this morning titled "How Twitter Is Ruining Political Journalism." I blame my editors. They spent years trying to get me to write less boring headlines, and their nagging finally worked! But sometimes it leads me astray. Just for the record, then:
Debate coverage is an extreme case. Reporters should actively want to develop their own opinions about the candidates' performances. They should actively want to avoid letting the rest of the herd influence them. That's just common sense. After they've done that and put their thoughts down on paper, they'll want to get reactions from various folks who have campaign roles, but even then there's no real reason they should be interested in reactions from other reporters. There's no reason to be afraid of having a different take than everyone else.
If you're covering a riot or a burning building, that's different. Twitter can be an important part of keeping abreast of what's going on. But political debates are different. Twitter may be fun, but doing your job comes first. Turn it off until the debate is over.
Tim McDonnellOct. 25, 2012 5:16 PM
Feel like you're undersaturated with campaign advertising? Need even more exposure to the slogans and smiling faces of our two major presidential contenders? When Alexey Komissarouk, a Bay Area programmer, wanted to add to the growing list of apps for political junkies, he designed a program that can give voters a bit more control over the web ads they see.
This week he and a few friends launched Hotspot the Vote, which harnesses Android devices to "Obamify" or "Romnify" WiFi routers so browsers will replace every ad (including ads for Amazon, Etsy, OkCupid, or whatever else you might normally see, along with ads for other politicians) with ads for your candidate.
"It's like putting up a campaign poster in your living room," he said. And while you might apprecitate being reminded of which candidate you're rooting for with each and every banner ad, the program packs a bigger punch when installed on public routers: Komissarouk is pitching the tool to coffee shops and other spaces with open internet connections. It's Obama or nothing at Philadelphia's Trolley Car Diner, a 1950s-style eatery that owner Ken Weinstein said "Obamified" its free WiFi yesterday.
"We're in a very liberal community," Weinstein said. "Our choice to Obamify reflects our clientele."
Still, Weinstein said the change didn't equate to an official Trolley Car Diner endorsement of the incumbent, and rejected the suggestion that limiting online content for his patrons was a form of censorship: "They have a choice about whether to eat here, and about whether to sign in to our WiFi. As long as we're providing it for free, I think that's reasonable."
[Read more]
Adam SerwerOct. 25, 2012 3:35 PM
The Atlantic's Conor Friedersdorf has posted a video of an exchange from a few days ago involving former Obama press secretary (and current Obama campaign adviser) Robert Gibbs, who was asked about the death of Abdulrahman al-Awlaki, the 16-year old son of the late radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki. Like his father, the younger al-Awlaki was killed in a drone strike in Yemen. "I would suggest that you should have a far more responsible father if they are truly concerned about the well being of their children," Gibbs said, suggesting the son somehow deserved his death because of the sins of the father. "I don't think becoming an al Qaeda jihadist terrorist is the best way to go about doing your business." Watch:
As Friedersdorf notes, the al-Awlakis were not killed together—Abdulrahman was killed weeks later in a subsequent drone strike, and as Esquire's Tom Junod wrote, he hadn't seen his father in two years. That Gibbs appears to believe they were killed together changes the meaning a little bit, since it suggests he wasn't aware that he was justifying Abdulrahman's death weeks after the fact.
Still, the US government has never provided any evidence that the younger al-Awlaki was a terrorist or played an operational role in Al Qaeda, and it's an elementary moral precept that children are not responsible for the sins of their parents. It's one thing to argue that killing Anwar al-Awlaki was justified because of evidence he was part of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, (although one does not simply lose the constitutional right to due process as a US citizen by being abroad); it's another to justify the killing of a teenager based on decisions made by his father.
It's worth contrasting Gibbs' response with that of an anonymous administration official quoted in the Washington Post's recently published profile of White House counterterrorism adviser (and targeted killing czar) John Brennan. According to the Post, the official called the younger al-Awlaki's death "an outrageous mistake. . . . They were going after the guy sitting next to him."
Perhaps it's too much to expect an admission of error from a political spokesperson. But no one forced Gibbs to justify Abdulrahman al-Awlaki's death in such glib and callous terms.
Andy KrollOct. 25, 2012 2:42 PM
There's been plenty of news lately about big companies urging their employees to vote in the 2012 presidential election and, in some cases, nudging those employees to vote for the GOP ticket. Executives at Westgate Resorts, ASG Software Solutions, and a handful of other businesses have even warned that an Obama vote could lead to layoffs. Romney himself, as In These Times reported, told business owners during a June conference call to "make it very clear to your employees what you believe is in the best interest of your enterprise and therefore their job."
Another CEO has joined the pro-Romney push. Last week, Brooks Smith, the CEO of Interactive Communications (also known as Incomm), the country's leading purveyor of prepaid gift cards and debit cards, forwarded a Romney campaign fundraising email to all of his employees. The email, ostensibly written by Romney, slams President Obama for irresponsibly running up the nation's debt and deficits. "We need to get serious about this before it's too late," the email says. "My plan for deficit reduction cuts and caps federal spending, balances the budget, and reduces our nation's debt—to put America on a path to prosperity."
A former Incomm employee forwarded Smith's message to Mother Jones, after receiving it from a current employee.
Incomm's website says it did nearly $10 billion in sales in 2009, and has one billion customers each week. Incomm's customers include Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and 7-Eleven.
Asked about the Romney email Smith circulated to his employees, an Incomm spokeswoman wrote in a statement that the CEO "neither shared any personal views nor suggested the employees take any specific action." She went on: "However, Mr. Smith feels the information he shares is important information for individuals to have when choosing their candidates. Of course, whom they vote for is their decision alone."
Here's the email from Smith:
Kevin DrumOct. 25, 2012 2:28 PM
Jared Bernstein makes a point today that's worth repeating: Republicans have given a lot of love to the Bowles-Simpson deficit reduction plan lately, but it turns out that we've already made a lot of the spending cuts in their plan. Here are the basic numbers:
This doesn't count savings from interest on the debt, it doesn't count reduced war expenses, it doesn't count sequestration cuts scheduled for January 1, it doesn't include entitlement cuts, and it's not inflated by stimulus spending. These are apples-to-apples numbers on discretionary spending and revenue increases.
So we've already made pretty good progress on Bowles-Simpson's discretionary spending cuts. Add in interest reductions and war cuts and we've made even more. But we've made no progress at all on the Bowles-Simpson revenue increases. When does that part of the plan get started?
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One of my fears is having to take part in a fuel economy run. Although some colleagues regard events such as an Energywise rally as a highlight of their motoring year, I hide at the mention of one.
A couple of times, car companies have unwisely thought it worth seeing "if I were available" but I've always had an excuse: "Sorry, I'd love to, but I have a headache planned for all that week."
There's nothing at all wrong with economy runs, but I couldn't be bothered spending a week driving across the country measuring every gentle poke of the accelerator in case it gets me another point zero-zero-zero something of a litre per 100km.
There are stories of competitors, and they obviously were competitors in every sense of the word, weighing their clothes, not wearing undies to save weight, shoes ditto, and not even carrying a bottle of water because the weight of their sip might mean an added sup of gas.
Hard-core giga-mileage drivers disdain braking, will put the transmission into neutral at the first sign of a downhill, refuse to use the windscreen wipers even when hailing, and won't turn on the radio, let alone (and their throat tightens as these words fight to get out), the air conditioning.
I'm not against economical driving, just against silly economical driving. I'm not really into slipstreaming behind large trucks or straightening out curves with a road-righteousness possessed only by pumped-up economy run participants.
My own vehicle, a V6, chews petrol, though fortunately the cheaper 91 octane kind. Handing over a credit card after filling its greedy tank provides motivation to drive softly, to use my accelerator foot as smoothly and gently as a downy feather drifting on to a jerry can's filler cap.
My other aid to fuel economy is the ECO ON message that glows from the instrument panel whenever the computer judges that the vehicle is being driven in an economical fashion.
Another set of green LEDs keeps tabs of the overall litres per 100km - which is usually depressing - or the instant consumption, which is often either zero (throttle off) or in the 90s (racing up a steep hill).
I have found a few things that make, in their own way, a small contribution to the economy tally which I'll share with you.
There's no point in carrying around a heap of unnecessary weight, so leave all the crap at home. The bags of garden mix don't need a motoring holiday before spreading. Take off the roof rack if it's not being used because it contributes weight and drag.
Another is to put an automatic transmission into neutral at the lights or when stopped for more than a few seconds. Foot on the brake or use the handbrake, though.
Don't let the engine idle unnecessarily. If you're afraid to switch it off because it may not restart, get it fixed. I used to think switching off to be silly, back in the days when I owned a frugal diesel, but the V6 caused me to revisit the advice.
Keeping tyres properly inflated helps a wee bit. I go one step further and put in a little more air than recommended, but be careful; too much will cause uneven wear and create handling and grip problems.
Stay off coarse-chip seal, said to worsen economy by up to 5 per cent. On the other hand, snaking along an alternative route may use more fuel than you're saving.
Driving below the 100km/h highway limit saves, as long as you can stand the tailgating, headlight flashing and gesticulating from other motorists.
Please don't stick to a righteous 80 in the "fast" lane.
A nervous Significant Other is good. Despite the addition of his/her weight, the fuel savings from being admonished to "slow down" and "don't drive like a maniac" are not to be underestimated.
A friend, hitchhiker or anyone else will probably be too timid to offer such useful fuel-saving advice. So leave them behind and save the cost of carting their weight. If you have a selfish streak, it's a great way to put it to practical use.
*Mitsubishi NZ staged an economy run to underline the pump-passing abilities of its new fuel-sipping champ, the Mirage. We're wondering how badly Phil Hanson skewed the result. Find out in Wednesday's Driven.


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Wow, what a commentary, I get more and more impressed to say that you should be a writer. Love it.
Kory & Mandy's Day of FUN!
Loading Map
The sun was shining bright when our alarm went off this morning - perfect weather for heading out to MacKerracher State Park to check out some tidal pools! After a few cups of coffee (brewed in the kitchen of our cottage) and a quick stop at Rite Aid for water shoes, we were on our way. The park ranger who greeted us at the entrance was awesome...his first question was, "Well guys, what kind of fun are you looking for today?". We told him we wanted to check out the tidal pools so he provided us with a map and a quick (and funny) explanation of how to get to the pools. He also mentioned the park has "6 miles of sandy beach for enjoying a romantic walk...and 4 miles of cliffs if you have issues" - LOL! Once we arrived at the tidal pools, we were eager to get our adventure started. The first thing we saw were seals (big ones and babies!) napping in the sun on a large rock - they were SO cute!
After lunch we made a quick trip back to the cottage to change, and headed into Mendocino to check out the cute little shops downtown. Our first stop was for coffee, which was delicious (caramel latte for Kory and a white chocolate latte for me - perfecto!)..the perfect treat to enjoy as we perused Main St
Around 9 we were hungry again so we headed back into Mendo to find some supper. We were hoping to hit up the Mendocino Cafe, based on the rave reviews we've read, but we walked in only to find out they were closed - argh! So we headed to Patterson's instead, which turned out to be a small pub with amazingly delicious food! We should know, we sampled almost everything on the menu LOL! Veggie spring rolls to start, spicy chicken noodle soup and beer-battered halibut with sweet potato fries for me, and a Philly cheese steak for Kory...boy, were we full!!
Now we're back in our cottage, preparing for an early drive into San Fran tomorrow. Super sad to be leaving Mendocino though, our stay here has been absolutely wonderful and we can't wait to make a trip back someday - and stay longer than 2 nights! Thanks Mendocino...it's been a slice :)
Off to San Francisco tomorrow - tune into SportsNet tomorrow night to see us at the Giants vs. Reds game - we'll be front and center behind home plate!!!
Post your own travel photos for friends and family More Pictures
You make me feel like I am actually along for the ride! Your love for writing is showing - always knew you would be a "book maker"! Mavi sends his luv--he is doing great--loves his Uncle Jon--follows him everywhere and sleeps with him at nite. Grumpy pants is tolerating Mavi unless Mavi tries to get too close to Dad! Lots of love
Hey Mandy
Your mom gave me the link so I can follow your holiday adventure! It is amazing, a trip that Richard and I hope to one day make. I just have to comment that you are an amazing writer! I think that writing is something you could freelance or full time! hmm maybe you should submit your writing of your trip to a tourist magazine?????? Have fun and safe travels - looking forward to more entries! Sherry


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Helps mom return to normal size and lose fat; strengthens bones; reduces cancer risk; makes feeding convenientIn addition to the many infant health benefits just cited, breastfeeding clearly is advantageous to a mother's well-being. Consider the following:
Breastfeeding causes release of the hormone oxytocin, which helps shrink your uterus back to its normal size after delivery.
When this hormone is at work during the first few days of breastfeeding, you might notice some contractions of your ute-rus while nursing. These afterpains, as they are called, are more pronounced among women who have delivered more than one baby. While oxytocin's effect on the uterus can produce temporary discomfort, it also can be lifesaving for some women in settings where access to medical care is limited. By putting the baby to the breast immediately after birth, postpartum bleeding can be reduced. In the United States, it is customary to give an intravenous injection of synthetic oxytocin after delivery to help control uterine bleeding. Before the advent of modern technology, routine breastfeeding after birth offered the best protection against postpartum hemorrhage.
Breastfeeding utilizes additional calories, which helps mothers lose some of the extra fat they accumulated during pregnancy.
It is nature's plan for pregnant women to store fat reserves to be used to subsidize lactation. That's why the combined weight of the baby, placenta, amniotic fluid, and blood lost at deliv-ery doesn't add up to the total weight gained during pregnancy. After the first month, many breastfeeding women find they lose about two pounds a month while lactating, and they can expect to return to their prepregnancy weight sooner than bottle-feeding women. A recent study showed significantly greater weight loss in breastfeeding than formula-feeding women, primarily between three and six months postpartum.
Breastfeeding provides maternal protection against osteoporosis and hip fracture in later life.
Osteoporosis is an age-related bone loss that leads to brittle bones and fractures of the hip, wrist, spine, and elsewhere. This crippling bone disease affects approximately one in three women over sixty years of age. Studies of postmenopausal women have shown higher bone mineral densities in those who have breastfed. A recent study of Australian women over sixty-five years found that having breastfed offered a protective effect on the risk of hip fracture in old age.
Women who have breastfed have a slightly reduced risk of premenopausal breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
Approximately one in nine women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. Many of the established risk factors for breast cancer are beyond our control, such as age at first menstruation, age at menopause, family history of breast cancer, and age at birth of first child. However, breastfeeding is one factor within a woman's control that can reduce her breast cancer risk. A number of studies have shown a significant protective effect of breastfeeding against premenopausal breast cancer. In general, the effect increases with the cumulative months of lifetime breastfeeding. It is estimated that if all women who gave birth were to achieve a combined breastfeeding duration among their children totaling twenty-four months or longer, the national incidence of premenopausal breast cancer might be reduced by nearly 25 percent. A recent study suggests that being breastfed herself is a possible factor that lowers a woman's risk of breast cancer.
Several studies also have shown a protective effect of lactation against ovarian cancer. One of the most important of these studies found a 20 to 25 percent reduction in risk of ovarian cancer for women who breastfed at least two months.
Breastfeeding is very convenient because no matter where you are, you always have the perfect food ready for your infant, at the right temperature, and in the correct amount.
When you breastfeed, you can conveniently take your infant with you anywhere, knowing your milk will be ready for her whenever she is hungry. Despite power outages, snow storms, or natural disasters, the breastfeeding mother can feed her hungry baby, in the absence of electricity or potable water. I often enjoyed the freedom of traveling and camping with a nursing baby, without being bogged down by formula preparation.
Breastfeeding in the middle of the night is much more convenient than going to the kitchen to mix and warm a bottle of formula. With your newborn in a bassinet at your bedside, you can scoop up your baby when she gets hungry and nurse her without leaving your bed. Some women choose to sleep with their nursing infants in the same bed and scarcely have to disrupt their sleep for feedings.
Before I'm accused of overselling the convenience of breastfeeding, let me acknowledge that the first few weeks with a new baby are a particularly exhausting time. When breastfeeding is just getting launched and feedings seem to preoccupy a great deal of time and everyone is overwhelmed with the demands of a new baby, "convenience" in relation to any aspect of baby care might seem a remote concept. In this article, I offer advice to help you survive the early weeks and get off to a successful start so that you really can enjoy the remarkable convenience of long-term breastfeeding.


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Lung Cancers
Lung cancer is a collection of several diseases that are characterized by the cell type that makes them up, how they behave, and how they are treated. They are divided into two main categories: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and Small cell lung cancer (SCLC).
This video will help you learn about lung cancer, its diagnosis, staging, potential treatments and side effects