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The woman put her sad moon-face in at the window of the car. "You be good," she said. "You hear me? You little ones, mind what Dicey tells you. You hear?"
"Yes, Momma," they said.
"That's all right then." She slung her purse over her shoulder and walked away, her stride made uneven by broken sandal thongs, thin elbows showing through holes in the oversized sweater, her jeans faded and baggy. When she had disappeared into the crowd of Saturday morning shoppers entering the side doors of the mall, the three younger children leaned forward onto the front seat. Dicey sat in front. She was thirteen and she read the maps.
"Why'd we stop?" asked James. "We're not there yet. We've got food. There's no reason to stop." James was ten and wanted everything to have a reason. "Dicey?"
"I dunno. You heard everything she said, same as I did. You tell me."
"All she said was, We gotta stop here. She didn't say why. She never says why, you know that. Are we out of gas?"
"I didn't look." Dicey wanted some quiet for thinking. There was something odd about this whole trip. She couldn't put her finger on it, not yet. "Why don't you tell them a story?"
"What story?"
"Cripes, James, you're the one with the famous brain."
"Yeah, well I can't think of any stories right now."
"Tell them anything. Tell them Hansel and Gretel."
"I want HanselnGretel. And the witch. And the candy house with peppermint sticks," Sammy said, from the backseat. James gave in without a quarrel. It was easier to give in to Sammy than to fight him. Dicey turned around to look at them. Maybeth sat hunched in a corner, big-eyed. Dicey smiled at her and Maybeth smiled back. "Once upon a time," James began. Maybeth turned to him.
Dicey closed her eyes and leaned her head back. She put her feet on the dashboard. She was tired. She'd had to stay awake and read maps, to find roads without tolls. She'd been up since three in the morning. But Dicey couldn't go to sleep. She gnawed away at what was bothering her.
For one thing, they never took trips. Momma always said the car couldn't run more than ten miles at a stretch. And here they were in Connecticut, heading down to Bridgeport. For one thing.
But that might make sense. All her life, Dicey had been hearing about Momma's aunt Cilla and her big house in Bridgeport that Momma had never seen, and her rich husband who died. Aunt Cilla sent Christmas cards year after year, with pictures of baby Jesus on them and long notes inside, on paper so thin it could have been tissue paper. Only Momma could decipher the lacy handwriting with its long, tall letters all bunched together and the lines running into one another because of the long-tailed, fancy z's and f's and g's. Aunt Cilla kept in touch. So it made sense for Momma to go to her for help.
But driving off like that in the middle of the night didn't make sense. That was the second thing. Momma woke them all up and told them to pack paper bags of clothing while she made sandwiches. She got them all into the old car and headed for Bridgeport.
For a third—things had been happening, all at once. Things were always bad with them, but lately worse than ever. Momma lost her checker's job. Maybeth's teacher had wanted a meeting with Momma that Momma wouldn't go to. Maybeth would be held back another year. Momma said she didn't want to hear about it, and she had ripped up every note, without reading any of them. Maybeth didn't worry her family, but she worried her teachers. She was nine and still in the second grade. She never said much, that was the trouble, so everybody thought she was stupid. Dicey knew she wasn't. Sometimes she'd come out and say something that showed she'd been watching and listening and taking things in. Dicey knew her sister could read and do sums, but Maybeth always sat quiet around strangers. For Maybeth, everyone in the world was a stranger, except Momma and Dicey and James and Sammy.
Momma herself was the fourth thing. Lately she'd go to the store for bread and come back with a can of tuna and just put her hands over her face, sitting at the table. Sometimes she'd be gone for a couple of hours and then she wouldn't say where she had been, with her face blank as if she couldn't say. As if she didn't know. Momma didn't talk to them anymore, not even to scold, or sing, or make up games the way she used to. Except Sammy. She talked to Sammy, but even then they sounded like two six-year-olds talking, not one six-year-old and his mother.
Dicey kept her feet on the dash, and her body slouched down. She looked out through the windshield, over the rows of parked cars, to where the sky hung like a bleached-out sheet over the top of the mall buildings. Bugs were spattered all over the windshield and the sky promised a heavy, hot day. Dicey slid still further down on the seat. Her skin stuck to the blue plastic seat covers.
James was describing the witch's house, listing the kinds of candy used for various parts of the building. This was the part James liked best in Hansel and Gretel, and he always did it a little differently from the time before. Picturing the almond Hershey bar roof and the shutters made of cinnamon licorice sticks, Dicey did fall asleep.
She woke covered with sweat from the hot sun pouring in through the windshield. She woke hungry. Maybeth was singing softly, one of Momma's songs, about making her love a baby with no crying. "I fell asleep," Dicey said. "What time's it?"
"I dunno," James said. "You've been asleep a long time. I'm hungry."
"Where's Momma?"
"I dunno. I'm hungry."
"You're always hungry. Go ask someone what time it is, okay?"
James climbed out of the car. He crossed to the walkway and stopped a man in a business suit. "Twelve thirty," James reported.
"But that means I slept for more than two hours," Dicey protested.
"I'm going to eat," Sammy announced from the backseat. He opened the bag of food and pulled out a sandwich before Dicey could say anything.
"What do you want me to do?" James asked, looking into Dicey's face. His narrow little face wore a worried expression. "Want me to go look for her?"
"No," Dicey said. (Now what had Momma gone and done.) "Sammy, give Maybeth a sandwich too. Let her choose for herself. Then pass the bag up here."
When everyone had a sandwich, and James had two, Dicey reached a decision. "We have to wait here for a while more," she said. "Then we'll do something. I'm going to take a walk and see if I can find her."
"Don't you go away too," Maybeth said softly.
"I'll be right where you can see me," Dicey said. "I'll stay on the sidewalk—see?—just like a path in front of the stores. Then maybe later we can all go into the mall and look in the stores. You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Maybeth smiled and nodded her golden head.
Dicey did her best thinking when she walked. On this warm June afternoon, she walked so fast and thought so hard, she didn't even see the people going past her. If Momma went past she'd say something, so Dicey wasn't worried about that.
She was worried that Momma had wandered off. And would not come back.
("You always look for the worst," Momma had often told her. "I like to be ready," Dicey answered.)
If Momma was gone . . . But that wasn't possible. Was it? But if she was, what could they do? Ask for help, probably from a policeman. (Would he put them in homes or orphanages? Wouldn't that be just what the police or some social worker would do?) Go back to Provincetown, they could go back home. (Momma hadn't paid the rent, not for weeks, and it was almost summertime, when even their old cabin, set off alone in the dunes, could bring in a lot of money. Mr. Martinez wasn't sympathetic, not when it came to money, not when it came to giving something away for free. He'd never let them stay there to wait for Momma.) They could go on to Bridgeport. Dicey had never seen Aunt Cilla—Great-Aunt Cilla. She knew the name and address, because Momma had made her write it down four times, on each paper bag, in case something happened: Mrs. Cilla Logan, 1724 Ocean Drive, Bridgeport, Connecticut. Aunt Cilla was family, the only family Dicey knew about.
The sun beat down on the parking lot and heated up the air so even in the shaded walkway Dicey was hot. The kids must be hot too, she thought, and turned to get them.
Momma must have gone away on purpose. (But she loved them, loved them all.) Why else the addresses on the bags? Why else tell them to mind Dicey? (Mothers didn't do things like going off. It was crazy. Was Momma crazy?) How did she expect Dicey to take care of them? What did she expect Dicey to do? Take them to Bridgeport, of course. (Dump it all on Dicey, that was what Momma did, she always did, because Dicey was the determined sort. "It's in your blood," Momma said, and then wouldn't explain.)
Anger welled up in Dicey, flooded her eyes with tears, and now she was swept away with the determination to get the kids to Bridgeport. Well, she'd do it somehow, if she had to.
Momma wasn't at the car when Dicey returned, so Dicey said they'd wait for her until the next morning.
"Where'll we sleep?" Sammy asked.
"Right here—and no complaints," Dicey said.
"Then Momma will come back and we'll go on tomorrow?" Sammy asked.
Dicey nodded.
"Where is Momma? Why's she taking so long?" James asked.
"I dunno, James," Dicey answered. Maybeth was silent, staring.
After a few minutes, Dicey hustled them all out of the car and trailed after them as they entered the mall.
The mall was built like a fortress around a huge, two-story enclosed street, where store succeeded store, as far as you could see. At one end of the central section was a cage of live birds in a little park of plastic trees and shrubs. The floor of their cage was littered with pieces of popcorn and gum wrappers. At the other end, the builders had made a waterfall through which shone different colored lights. Outside, beyond the covered sidewalk that ran like a moat around the huge building, lay the huge, gray parking lot, a no-man's-land of empty cars.
But here inside was a fairyland of colors and sounds, crowded with people on this Saturday afternoon, artificially lit and planted. Inside was a miniature city where endless diversions from the work-day world offered everything delightful. If you had money, of course. And even without money, you could still stare and be amazed.
They spent a long time wandering through stores, looking at toys and records and pianos and birthday cards. They were drawn to restaurants that exuded the smell of spaghetti and pizza or fried chicken, bakeries with trays of golden doughnuts lined up behind glass windows, candy stores, where the countertop was crowded with large jars of jelly beans and sourballs and little foil-covered chocolates and peppermints dipped in crunchy white frosting; cheese shops (they each had two free samples), where the rich smell of aged cheeses mingled with fresh-ground coffee, and hot dog stands, where they stood back in a silent row. After this, they sat on a backless bench before the waterfall, tired and hungry. Altogether, they had eleven dollars and fifty cents, more than any one of them had ever had at one time before, even Dicey who contributed all of her babysitting money, seven dollars.
They spent almost four dollars on supper at the mall, and none of them had dessert. They had hamburgers and french fries and, after Dicey thought it over, milkshakes. At that rate, they could have one more meal before they ran out of money, or maybe two more. It was still light when they returned to the car. The little ones horsed around in the back, teasing, wrestling, tickling, quarreling and laughing, while Dicey studied the map. People walked by their car, vehicles came and went, and nobody paid any attention to them. In parking lots, it's not unusual to see a car full of kids waiting.
At half-past eight, Dicey herded everybody back into the mall, to use the bathrooms they had found earlier. Later, Sammy and Maybeth fell asleep easily, curled up along the backseat. James moved up to the front with Dicey. Dicey couldn't see how they were both to sleep in the front seat, but she supposed they would manage it. James sat stiffly, gripping the wheel. James had a narrow head and sharp features, a nose that pointed out, pencil-thin eyebrows, a narrow chin. Dicey studied him in the darkening car. They were parked so far from the nearest lamppost that they were in deep shadows.
With her brothers and sister near, with the two youngest asleep in the backseat, sitting as they were in a cocoon of darkness, she should feel safe. But she didn't. Though it was standing still, the car seemed to be flying down a highway, going too fast. Even the dark inside of it was not deep enough to hide them. Faces might appear in the windows at any time, asking angry questions.
"Where's Momma gone?" James asked, looking out at the night.
"I just don't know," Dicey said. "Here's what I think, I think if she isn't back by morning we ought to go on to Bridgeport."
"On our own?"
"How'll we get there? You can't drive. Momma took the keys."
"We could take a bus, if we have enough money. If we don't, we'll walk."
James stared at her. Finally he spoke. "Dicey? I'm scared. I feel all jiggly in my stomach. Why doesn't Momma come back?"
"If I knew, James, I'd know what to do."
"Do you know the way?"
"To Bridgeport? I can read a map. Once we get there, we can ask directions to Aunt Cilla's house."
James nodded. "Do you think she's been killed? Or kidnapped?"
"Rich people get kidnapped; not Momma. I'm not going to think about what might have happened to her, and I don't think you should, either."
"I can't help thinking about it," James said in a small voice.
"Don't tell Sammy or Maybeth," Dicey warned.
"I wouldn't. I know better. You should know I'd know better than that."
Dicey reached out and patted him on the shoulder. "I do know," she said.
James grabbed her hand. "Dicey? Do you think Momma meant to leave us here?"
"I think Momma meant to take us to Bridgeport, but—"
"Is Momma crazy?"
Dicey turned her head to look at him.
"The kids said so, at school. And the way the teachers looked at me and loaned me their own books and talked to me. And Maybeth. Craziness can run in families."
Dicey felt a great weight settle on her shoulders. She tried to shrug it off, but it wouldn't move.
"She loves us," Dicey muttered.
"But that's the only reason I can think of that might be true."
"There's nothing wrong with Maybeth. You know that."
"It runs in families. Hereditary craziness."
"Well, you don't have to worry about it, do you? You're the smart one, with A's in school and the science projects that get entered in the state contest."
"Yeah," James said. He settled his head back on the seat.
"Listen, I'm going to go to a phone and see where the bus station is and call them up to find out how much tickets cost. You lay low."
Dicey decided to tell him the truth. "Just in case. I mean, three kids in a car in a parking lot at night . . . See, James, I think we've got to get to Bridgeport and I just don't know what would happen if a policeman saw us. Foster homes or something, I dunno. I don't want to risk it. But one kid . . . and I'm pretty old so it doesn't look funny."
"Okay. That sounds okay."
"We've got to get to Bridgeport."
James thought about that, then nodded his head. "I never listened much to Momma's talk about her. What will she be like, Aunt Cilla?"
"Rich," Dicey said.
"It would be a long walk," James said.
"Long enough," Dicey agreed. She got out of the car fast.
It was full dark, an overcast night. The parking lot was nearly empty; only two cars besides theirs remained. Dicey wondered how many cars were left in the other three parking lots that spread out from the other sides of the building. It felt as empty as all of space must be. She hoped there were cars in each lot. The more cars there were, the safer their car was for them.
Dicey headed confidently for the walkway, as if she had every right to be where she was, as if she had an important errand to run, as if she knew just where she was going. She remembered a telephone at the far end of the building. It wasn't a real phone booth, but a kind of cubicle hung up on the wall, with an open shelf underneath to hold the directory. James could probably see her from the car, if he looked for her. From that distance, she would look small.
The walkway was lit up, and the store windows were lit, so she moved through patches of sharp light. At the phone, she took out the directory to look up bus companies in the yellow pages. She ran her finger down the names, selected one that sounded local and reached into her pocket for change.
She heard footsteps. A man approached her, in a uniform like a policeman's, but tan not blue, and without the badge. He took his time getting to her, as if he was sure she'd wait, sure of his own strength to hold her, even at that distance. He moved like he thought she was afraid of him, too afraid to run.
"Hey," the man said. His shirt had the word "Security" sewn onto it. Where his belly sagged, the shirt hung out over his pants. He carried a long-handled flashlight. He wore a pistol at his belt.
Dicey didn't answer, but she didn't look away.
"Hey kid," he said, as if she had shown signs of running and he needed to halt her. He was heavy, out of shape. He had a pig-person face, a coarse skin that sagged at the jowls, little blue eyes and pale eyebrows, and a fat, pushed-back nose. When he came up next to her, Dicey stepped back a pace, but kept her finger on the number in the book.
"You lost?"
"Naw. I'm making a phone call."
"Where do you live?"
"Just over there," Dicey said, pointing vaguely with her free hand.
"Go home and call from there. Run along now. If you were a girl, I'd walk you over, but—"
"Our phone's broken," Dicey said. "That's why my mom sent me here."
The guard shifted his flashlight, holding it like a club. "Phones don't break. How's a phone break?"
"We've got this dog that chews things up. Slippers, papers, you know. He chewed the phone. The cord, actually, but it's all the same—the phone's broken."
"Are you bulling me?"
"I wish I was."
"What's your name, kid?"
She felt funny, strange, making up lies as quickly and smoothly as if she'd been doing it all her life.
The man took a piece of gum out of his pocket, unwrapped it, folded it in half and stuck it into his mouth, chewing on it a couple of times.
"Danny what?"
"Tillerman." Dicey couldn't make up a new last name, except Smith, and nobody would believe that even if it was true.
"You don't look more than ten. Isn't it late to be out?"
Dicey shrugged.
The guard grew suspicious. "Who're you calling?"
"The bus company. My sisters and me are going down to Bridgeport some time soon, to stay with my aunt."
He chewed and thought. "Sometime soon wouldn't send you out after ten at night to phone. What's the rush?"
"My mom just got back from the clinic and she's gonna have her baby, any day now the doctor said, and my aunt needs to know what time the buses arrive so she can meet us on Monday. So's we can take a bus it's good for her to meet. My mom asked me to come find out so's she can call first thing in the morning, before my aunt goes to church. It's hard for my mom to get around now—you know."
"Where's your father?"
"Gone where?"
"Dunno. He just up and went, way back, last winter."
The guard nodded. He reached in his pocket and pulled out the pack of gum. He offered a piece to Dicey, but she shook her head.
"Can I call now, mister?"
"Sure thing," he said. "I wouldn't have bothered you except that there've been some windows broken around here. We think it's kids. I'm the security guard. I've got to be careful."
Dicey nodded. She inserted the coins and slowly dialed the numbers, hoping he'd go away. But he stood there and listened. Behind him lay the parking lot, a vast open space where occasional clumps of planted bushes spread long shadows over the ground.
An impersonal voice answered. Dicey asked about tickets to Bridgeport, how much they cost.
"From where to Bridgeport."
Dicey grabbed at a name. "Peewauket." That was what the map said. She pronounced it Pee-Walk-It. The guard, listening narrowed his eyes.
"From Peewauket?" the voice asked, saying it Pwuk-it.
"Two dollars and forty-five cents a person."
"What's the rate for children?"
"The same. The charge is for the seat. Unless you've got a child under two."
"What time do buses run?"
"Every other hour, from eight to eight."
Dicey thanked the voice and hung up the phone. She stood with her arms hanging down at her sides, waiting for the guard to leave.
He was studying her with his little piggly eyes. He held his flashlight now in one hand and slapped it into the palm of the other. "You better get back now," he said and then added, "You didn't write anything down."
"I've got a good memory."
"Yeah? I'll give you a test." His body blocked the way to the safe darkness of the parking lot. "You don't remember anything about broken windows in the mall, do you? For instance, just one for instance, at Record City."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"I wonder about that. I really wonder, Danny. You said Danny, didn't you? Tillerman, wasn't it? You see, we figure it was probably kids did it, account of nothing's been stolen. Or maybe just one kid did it, that's what I'm thinking."
Dicey glared at him. "I said I don't know anything about that."
He put one arm out to bar her in, resting his hand against the side of the phone. "I can't think of why I should believe you. Nope, now I come to think of it, I don't think I do believe you. The only question in my mind is, what do I do with you?"
Dicey thought fast, then acted just as fast. She lifted her right knee as if to hit him in the groin where she knew it would hurt bad. He lowered his arm and stepped back, to protect himself. In that one second while he was off balance, Dicey took off. She sprinted into the darkness of the parking lot. As soon as she was in the cover of the shadows, she turned left around the corner of the building, away from their car. He thundered after her.
Dicey ran smoothly. She was used to running on beaches, where the sand gave way under your feet and each thrust of your legs was hindered. Running over asphalt was easier. Dicey pulled away from her pursuer. His steps were heavy and his breathing was heavy. He was out of shape and too fat to catch up with her. She had time to crouch behind one of the little islands of green that decorated the parking lot. She had on a dark shirt and jeans, her face was tanned and her hair brown; she was confident nothing would give her away.
He stopped by the front entrance shining his flashlight out over the parking lot, like one bright eye. Dicey watched him. He listened, but his chest was heaving so much that she was sure he couldn't hear anything but the blood pounding in his ears. She smiled to herself.
"You haven't got a chance," he called. "You better come out now, kid. You're only making it worse."
Dicey covered her mouth with her hand.
"I know you now. We'll find you out," he said. He turned quickly away from the parking lot and looked farther along the front of the mall. He hunched behind the flashlight. He used the beam like a giant eye, to peer into the shadows. "There you are! I can see you!" he cried.
But he was looking the wrong way. Dicey giggled, and the sound escaped her even though she bit on her hand to stop it.
He turned back to the parking lot, listening. Then he swore. His light swooped over the dark lot, trying to search out her hiding place. "Danny? I'm gonna find you."
Dicey moved softly away on soundless sneakers through the covering shadows. He continued to call: "I'll remember your face, you hear? You hear me? Hear me?"
From halfway across the parking lot, safe in her own speed and in shadows, Dicey stopped. Her heart swelled in victory. "I hear you," she called softly back, as she ran toward the empty road and the patch of woods beyond.
Much later, when she returned to the car, James awoke briefly. "Everything's okay," Dicey whispered, curling down onto the cold seat to sleep.


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Trains, Bikes, and Bushes: Pinellas Trail Letterb LbNA # 38040
|Placed Date
|Feb 18 2008
|Seminole, FL
|Planted By
|Found By
|The Aloes
|Last Found
|Oct 25 2014
|Hike Distance
The Pinellas Trail is a wonderful bike path that traverses Pinellas Co. from as far north as Tarpon Springs to as far south as 34th St. South in St. Pete. It's safe and scenic, and in addition to riding your bike, you can also walk, skate, ride a scooter, or travel it in any other non-motorized way. It's party of the "Rails to Trails" program which converts old train tracks into pedestrian trails.
The best place to park is in a grassy off-street parking area on the south side 102nd Ave., just east of 119th St., a little further east of Walsingham Park in Seminole. 113th St. is further east of the parking area. A neighborhood called Quail Ridge is right by the parking area.
After you park there, get on the Pinellas Trail heading south. After a short walk, find the Pinellas Trail Mile 12 sign. It's in the middle of the Trail. Then walk about 150 steps south (as measured by a 7-year-oldl), and look for a large grouping of bushes to the right, growing beside the fence. WARNING: These bushes have prickles! The letterbox is hidden behind the bushes at the north end. Good luck and please let me know if you find it.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
MINNEAPOLIS & ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Maxxum Inc., a leading IT asset disposition solutions provider, introduces MaxxumSAFE™ - a web-based document repository and project management tool that provides Maxxum clients with proper exit documentation and ready access to complete information on all end-of-life equipment records by date, location or equipment type. MaxxumSAFE provides proof of compliance to indemnify organizations against IT security and financial risk, and can only be accessed by authorized personnel.
"Being able to quickly access organized and sortable information can prove absolutely invaluable when during an audit, when proving compliance is critical."
"MaxxumSAFE is essentially a 'paperless paper trail' hosted by a third party Tier One US Internet provider that provides proof of process and compliance, in response to regulatory requirements for both data destruction and environmental disposal," says Rich Woodward, President and CEO, Maxxum, Inc. "Being able to quickly access organized and sortable information can prove absolutely invaluable when during an audit, when proving compliance is critical."
About Maxxum
With secure, modern facilities located near Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, Maxxum is an IT lifecycle management consulting firm that serves a wide range of North American clients with cost effective IT Asset Disposition solutions.
Maxxum, a NAID AAA Certified entity, uses industry best practices to sanitize computer hard drives and information bearing devices, complete with Certifications of Destruction, as outlined by the Department of Defense Data Security Standard and the National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) Guidelines. Maxxum is committed to providing the best customer service in the industry. As IT lifecycle management consultants, every program Maxxum creates is fully customized to meet the specific needs of each client. Maxxum also has a strict no-landfill policy.
Maxxum Inc., 1350 South Field Avenue, PO Box 489, Rush City, MN 55069; 651-674-2715; www.maxxuminc.com.


text:
SAISD Athletic Hall of Fame
Submit a nomination to the SAISD Athletic Hall of Fame
Nominations are being accepted through May 15, 2015, for the 2nd annual SAISD Athletic Hall of Fame.
View details about the nomination guidelines and process and access a copy of the nomination form.
The District's 2016 Athletic Hall of Fame will honor six individuals, who may include retired or currently active student-athletes, coaches, administrators, contest officials, media personnel, sports medicine personnel, athletic trainers, or distinguished volunteers. Nominees must exemplify the highest standards of sportsmanship, ethical conduct and moral character.
A selection committee will review all nominees and select the final honorees.
The inaugural Hall of Fame ceremony was held in February 2015, where eight honorees were inducted and hundreds of community and family members were in attendance for the star-studded ceremony.
The Hall of Fame's purpose is to recognize and preserve the heritage of SAISD's high school athletics, keep alive its tradition and spirit, and honor those persons, who through distinguished achievement, have excelled in one or more of the District's high school athletic programs. In addition to outstanding athleticism, inductees are chosen for their distinction and excellence based on their conduct both on and off the field, or court, of competition. This recognition helps maintain and strengthen the District's spirit, pride and sense of community, as well as serve as a historical account of our great athletic traditions.
Along with being honored in a special ceremony, those inducted will receive a plaque to keep while another will be displayed in the Hall of Fame Wall located on the visitor's side of Alamo Stadium. Inductees also are recognized with bricks inscribed with their induction date, which are placed in the stadium's Hall of Fame Walkway.


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Mitchell Scott Crador
Last Modified: Saturday, August 24, 2013 11:38 AM
By Johnathan Manning / American Press
A judge in state district court sentenced a Lake Charles man to three years in prison for injuring an infant.
Judge Ron Ware sentenced Mitchell Scott Crador, 32, on Friday morning.
Crador pleaded to second-degree cruelty to a juvenile.
Crador is to report to Calcasieu Correctional Center on Tuesday.
Prosecutor Bobby Holmes said the 5-month-old child suffered two skull fractures and retinal hemorrhaging on May 29, 2011.
Holmes said whether the act was intentional or negligent while Crador was drinking, both were covered by the law.
"Only Crador knows what happened in that room," Holmes said, but told the court that had the act been accidental Crador still should have told the child's mother and sought help for the child.
Ware agreed that "the statute does not distinguish" between intentional or criminally negligent injuring.
Crador did not speak in court.
The child's grandmother testified that she is doing well.
She said when the child's mother picked her up from Crador, he did not tell her about the injuries, but "left her there to die."
Crador was in a room with the girl and her 1 1/2-year-old sister when the incident occurred, according to court testimony. Two other adults were in the house.
Mitchell's mother, Carlena Lundy, testified that Crador had taken steps to turn his life around.
She said Mitchell had a drinking problem at that time and is mildly mentally handicapped.
She said Crador could watch children, but did not have the mental capability to raise kids.
She said he has turned his life around, goes to church regularly and has sought treatment for his drinking.
Defense attorney Barry Roach said Crador had been "rehabilitated" and asked Ware to take that into consideration when sentencing.
Roach asked Ware to give Crador credit for time served for at least some of the 2 1/2 years he spent under house arrest.
Ware declined to do so.
Ware commended Crador for addressing some of his problems.
"I am loathe to send people to prison," Ware said, then went on to say that incarceration is necessary in certain crimes.
Posted By: Jackson On: 8/27/2013
Title: Don't be so quick to judge...
As someone who knows Scott personally, he is not a Monster. Alcohol is the monster, and will cause you to do things you wouldn't normally do. That's why he quit drinking and turned his life around. As the judge said, he loathes sending people to prison, but incarceration is necessary in certain crimes. I do not condone his actions, but also know that people can and do change.
Posted By: Jacobin On: 8/25/2013
Title: Unless you are there.
Unless you are present in the courtroom and privy to all evidence by both prosecutors and defense, then news is not a reliable source of information to base an opinion on. Nothing is as simple as or complicated as our local news makes things out to be.
Posted By: Joseph On: 8/24/2013
Title: could have been prevented
Because he doesn't have the mental capability to raise kids doesn't make him a monster. This young man has prospered and achieved far beyond what may have been expected given his level of disability.
As a young adult, his parents should have had the foresight to have him undergo a vasectomy to prevent him from having children in the first place, then he wouldn't be where he is and you and I wouldn't be paying for his meals and room and board for the next 3 years during his incarceration.
It is heartbreaking to know what happened to this innocent child. We would have a much better world if Judges ordered vasectomies instead of sentencing.
Posted By: Richard On: 8/23/2013
Title: mr
he should gotten more than three years for all he's done to such a poor innocent child, he's nothing more than a Monster and need to be locked up more than three year


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This full website whois and analysis report on Cooksdaycare.ca was ran on May, 26, 2017.
Tucows.com Co.
Cook's School Day Care Inc.
Lynn Stubbings
700 DArcy Street, Building 18, Unit 31
Cobourg, ON K9A 5T3
Telephone: 19053724525
Fax: 19053722441
Mr Stephen Covert
3-302 University Ave. E.
Cobourg, ON K9A 1E9
Telephone: 9053738043
We include detailed information like the server IP Address which is 18.104.22.168. Cooksdaycare.ca resides at TekSavvy Solutions in Gatineau, QC, Canada. The domain Cooksdaycare.ca was first registered on 07/03/2008 which was 8 years and 10 months ago and is set to expire on July, 07, 2021.
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Banjara Hills
Rest of Hyderabad
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Abhijit Pal
September 22,2015
Not worth of spending 600 bucks
Let me start with this: The first two starters they served were: Dosa & Bhel Puri. Yes! What the hell! They had total 4 veg starters and 2 non-veg starters. And, main course seriously lacked variety. Desserts were okay.
But, service was not up to the mark at all. The staffs are not attentive, unapologetic. And, that makes this place not worth of spending 600 bucks. Yes, not worth.
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September 21,2015
very nice ambience
definitely the best ambience. crowded in weekends. try to book in advance. taste is very good. Open air in the corners. Rest covered
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Siddharth Moghe
March 12,2014
Paradise in the Midst of a Concrete Jungle
Of late , I am making it a point ti visit all my pending hotels during the week or as part of a team lunch.
Same is the case with Zarfraan. I've only heard good about this outlet, although everyone has an occasional off day as in case of my elder sister.
That blemish not withstanding for long, I landed today at Exotica after nearly 8 months of waiting.
We had a choice of buffet or ala carte but the choice of ala carte prevailed as I find the ala carte far superior to the food served in the buffet.
The place is on the 5th floor of the 12th square building. Geographically located opposite the Audi Hyderabad show room.
Its all wooden roofing with mist guns lined from the inside with a lot of water fountains and ponds with fish. Tall grass on the sides, Floor lines with carpet grass, lemon grass incense sticks , sound of flowing water - bliss !
The place has got a sort of tropical look to it for the al fresco area , I did not venture in to the closed seating space as I had already chosen to sit outside.
The weather was immaculate. Cool breeze blowing across the table with no obstruction from any direction. Overcast conditions made it all the more better.
Our order was quick and simple
Paneer Tikka
Drums of Heaven
Sunehri Butte Ki Tikki
Dal Zafraani
Murgh Makhni
2 garlic Naan
4 tandoori Roti
1 veg Biryani
I did not get to taste the veg starters but I believe they were well done. The drums of heaven were a little moist for our liking but decent at that.
The Sunehri Bhutte ki tikki never made it to the table.
The murgh makhni was amazing. When paired with a garlic naan - oh pure bliss. Subtle flavors , pulled chicken, not too sweet, not to spicy - amazingly palatable dish it was.
Pair this bliss with a well made, thick intense dal zafraani - oh dear lord, I never wanted to leave the place. All I wanted to do was just sit there in that pot of dal makhni...This is the only other place that I have found a killer dal makhni. The first 2 being, Kanak , Tansen.
The veg biryani was also pretty decent as to what I think.
The service was a little goofy, but Santosh our server had an infectious smile. The atmosphere was such that it was almost forgivable that he forgot our 3rd starter.
Service was watchful and not too nosy. Ambiance amazing, thanks to the weather.
The entire meal cost about 2700 for 5 people which i think is real VFM, considering the place and the ambiance.
The only blemish was that one of my colleague insisted on plucking out a lotus from the pond behind, to which although the wait staff did not object but were visibly disturbed. One gentleman did say, he hasn't had any one in 10 years to pluck out a lotus. For a moment i thought i killed his baby.
I think the place still has a few rough edges to smoothen out, but I will definitely not think twice before recommending this for a good Indian meal.
Now that I know its potential, it will real task to not want to frequent this place !
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Vishal Fernandes
December 28,2013
Decent Spread for the price tag
Zafraan Exotica has been on my wish list since quite a long time and I got an opportunity to visit them yesterday for their Lunch Buffet.
Directions to reach:
Zafraan Exotica is located on the 5th floor of 12th square building, opposite to Audi Showroom on Road number 12, banjarahills.
As I entered into the ground floor of the building, I was told that the only way to get to the restaurant in the 5th floor is by a small lift which can only accommodate 5 people at a time. I was surprised when I was told that there are no stairs. Strange !!!
Nevertheless, once I landed at the 5th floor, I was spell bound with the ambiance.
The out-door seating ambiance was spectacular, chairs and tables laid out in the open lawn, with a wooden flooring and water-fountain all around. I found the ambiance to be extremely peaceful in spite of a busy and sunny afternoon.
The inside ambiance is quite ordinary, with the buffet laid out near the bar and on the pathway. The place was very congested and there was hardly enough place to walk. I pity for the crowd sitting inside as I am sure they may have been disturbed and uncomfortable with the crowd pouring in for the buffet.
The soups and starters were served on the table. For the soups we had Chicken hot & sour and Talumein soup, the chicken hot & sour was totally burnt and tasteless while talumein soup was decent with very little hint of vegetables.
For the starters, Paneer tikka peshawari, vegetable kebab, Tangri kebab, Harre pattowali macchi and veg Frankie was served. I loved all the starters out of which the paneer tikka peshawari and tangri kebab were the favourites, the veg Frankie was ordinary.
The main course was self-service, the spread was elaborate with multiple salads, and mains including both indian and Chinese, Since I was already full with the starters I opted for the murgh lababdar & Dal Zafraan & a bit of mutton biryani. The roti basket was served on the table and they were not the fresh of the lot, but I was able to manage them with dal zafraan and murgh lababdar. Both the curries were outstanding, The dal zafraan is one their specials and true to its name it was one of the best I've had. The Mutton biryani was also outstanding, the mutton pieces were soft and tender and completely flavorful. I loved it !!
For the deserts, there was an option of gajar ka halwa, Strawberry soufflé, and chocolate cake. The gajar ka halwa was delicious, I couldnt get over it until I reached office. The strawberry soufflé was ordinary and chocolate cake was well done. But the star among the deserts is definitely Gajar Ka Halwa.
Right from the valet to the table, every service was fast and quick. No complaints on it.
Final Verdict: For the price tag of 427 AI, this is perhaps one of the best value for money buffets in town.
Ambiance: 4/5
Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
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Arcot Srinivas
August 27,2013
Great Food and Good Ambiance
It was my wife's birthday and I wanted to take her to a place she never visited and was very special so I tried booking a table at the faluknama but they were fully booked by then,I was in a state of utter confusion and started reading reviews on Zomato after reading multiple reviews i decided on exotica as its the place which I never visited and everyone was raving about the experience they had at exotica,so finally I madeup my mind and reached exotica the first view i had was that of a lovely fountain close to the entrance and the japanese style open air seating with canopys along with small pools with fish around them,I was assisted to a lovely corner table in less than five minutes and a small candle was lit inside a glass holder on the table.then we went ahead and ordered a Veg Platter as wife is an eggitarian followed by their signature dal zaafrani and egg masala we also ordered 3 garlic naan's to go along with the gravy and the dal,please cross check while ordering as the portions are really good in quantity,wifey was on cloud 9 she loved the place and I was impressed with the level of service and detail at exotica,even though the pricing is a bit on the higher side its defiently worth it,finally not to forget the panwalla who is on the groud floor of the building he sells some of the best magai pans in town.overall it would rate it as great based on the food/service and the ambiance.
Do leave a comment if you like my review.
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August 20,2013
Ideal for a romantic dinner
The rooftop location, romantic candle light, and mouth watering food is best combination to surprise your better half. Try the mutton dishes at this place, they are awesome.Exotica is a must go in Hyderabad.
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May 01,2013
Satisfactory Experience
After reading the reviews, I selected this place to give a treat to my friends. The setup was good and we sat inside as it was hot outside in this summer. We went for the buffet.
In the beginning we were served soups which were fine , non veg was good. Then came the starters. We felt the options were very limited, just 2 for non veg and 3 for veg. Deepak was serving us and he did a great job and was always smiling even though there was delay in preparation of veg starters. I guess they cook more of non veg than veg. Then came the main course which, surprisingly, became the best part of the buffet. It is usually either starters or desserts. The food was delicious and we enjoyed it thoroughly . Deserts was disappointing. They have options of double ka meetha , vanila ice cream and small rasgulla with powdered coconut. They were fine but did not met our expectations. Definitely there is plenty of scope in improving the deserts.
Overall it was a satisfactory experience for me and my vegetarians friends whereas my non vegetarian friends had a pleasant experience
Ambiance 4/5
Service 3.5/5
Food 3/5 ... not much options
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Jonah Jagadeshan
January 28,2013
For the ambience, Yes!
Service - 5
Food - 4
Ambience - 4.5
Expensive, but for date nights a perfect spot. The look and feel of the place laidback and pleasant. Worth a visit for sure.
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January 02,2013
what an awesome expereince
i have been to zafraan exotica a lot of times and never get tired of its food .. first of all the location of the restaurant is in a really nice place , to add on top the open air roof top atmosphere with live fishes , wooden hut shaped roofing with wooden plank flooring .. it almost feels are u are dining in the lap of nature staff is fast and are very friendly and courteous
Zaafran serves quality food on the menu food .. personally loved the cheese naan and murg kurchan quite memorable .. must say a great place ..
food although priced being a little on the expensive side .. but still anytime worth it
my review - for sure a must place to dine .. one of the best food experiences in hyderabad :)
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August 17,2012
Brilliant Place
I went to this place with my friends, in a friends Bday Party, the food ambiance is simply superb, we ordered finger foods like Shredded Lamb, Dahi Kebab, Vegetarian Seekh Kebab and Crispy Vegetables,, Leaving the Lamb, as it was tooooo Spicy, all of them were worth trying, specially the Dahi Kebab.
Then among the Main Course, we went for Delchi Chicken, Dal Makhani, Malai Kofta and varieties of Roti's and Paratha's. We went for one Ulta Tawa Paratha, served hot in a foil, it was surely a must try,
All the main courses were good, but surely been overshadowed by Dal Makhani as it was brilliantly cooked. The entrance of this restaurant was slighly odd though, as the elevator was not working and we were asked to take the back route, for instance i thought it is Kitchen door entry, but it wasn't. Loved the ambiance, The food was well served and the food was much above average.
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September 05,2011
I went to Exotica with some associates for their lunch buffet on a friends recommendation and was absolutely blown away by the ambience which is simply great. The buffet had a nice spread with a good variety of dishes and the taste was very good. The starters were served on the table which ensured that we did not to get up time and again to fill up our plates. They also had 2 live counters serving chaats & khichdi which I have not seen in any of the restaurants I have been to . The service was attentive. Special mention of the delicious chocolate mousse in the desserts has to be made since I am a chocoholic. The overall experience was value for money as they are also offering a pint of beer or mocktail with the buffet
Im going back soon to try out their regular menu items as well since I have heard very good feedback from friends who are regulars.
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Deepak Kulkarni
August 08,2011
WORST SERVICE by Waiters ..
Not Always Boss is not always right ... kinda proved it with this experience... With recommendation of my Boss, by now this was so so known place as Boss talks so often about this place as his friend owns this place....we visited Exotica last weekend ...We were 13 VEGGIE's.. yes Vegetarians and Strictily told to Waiter that it was a Veg Group Everything was going perfect .. Ambience .... Starters ( Although we felt the Quantity was Less).... Nice Mock and Cocktails .... BUT the problem started when the Waiter screwed it up on Food ... he gots us some Chicken dish and served in the plates with other Veg food ... we were about to have and someone in group guessed it wasn't VEG.... That was the End of pleasure having at this Place ... Firstly 2 members is the group got upset and left the place as they were pure VEGGIES .. and secondly half the food was wasted as they never changed the Food maincourse which was ordered and served ... This was completely unacceptable from a place which is suppostedly well know .. YOU CANNOT SCREW UP on Food .... thats the main thing ...
Overall we ended with a bill of big buck with a unsatisfactory party ...
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Aqheel Siddiqui
July 09,2011
no variety in non- veg
Ambience is great. ideat for a date. i've been to lunch buffet, starters were good. But zaafraan is ideal for a veggie. non- veggies, u may not get a variety in the main course. but in all, a nice experience and worth a try..
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November 28,2010
Worth a try
We were 4 of us and we went to zafran exotica on 27th November 2010 which was a Saturday. The first look itself makes you feel like spending a lifetime there...beautiful decor with artificial water falls and a cozy hut type feel and cool wind just ads to the experience. We started with soups (2 veg and 2 nonveg hot & sour) followed by the starters which were unlimited. In Nonveg it was mutton shami kabab which was just ok and coriander chicken which was very good. In the Veg we had veg Manchurian and veg seekh kabab and both were very good. Then the mocktails were served which were equally good.
There was a live cheela counter and then in the main course there was mutton coriander, chicken biriyani and some Chinese chicken dish...all of them very good. In veg there was paneer jalfrezi, palak corn, dal and lot different types of rice preparations. For the usuals there was rasam and curd rice to company.
In the deserts there was ice cream with chocolate sauce ? , kheer which was extremely good, pastry, fruits, asome gulab jamun and some usual papad n onion. Over all it was a very good time we spent there and hoghly recommend the place. The service at times becomes slow but they are instantly available on call. Bes time to visit is around 12:30 for lunch
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November 23,2010
Ambiance is great
Ambiance is great and food is good. Cocktails are expensive but they are different. I tried Hot toddy, it cleared my sore throat. Good recommendation from the waiter. Waiters are attentive. My 4 yr kid liked the small pool with fishes. Food price is same as any upscale restaurant like Ohris. It will be around 1500 for two.
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August 29,2010
Zafraan Exotica
I am truly delighted with what Zafraan Exotica offered...beautiful ambiance, great food, attentive waiters. The place was more than awesome. There is a buffet system as well and for people who chose ala carte, ZE has a terrace arrangement with a nice view of the city. Candle lit tables, soothing soulful music, water flowing along side, dim lights...i guess it was more than perfect!
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August 10,2010
An anti ode to Exotica
Four friends including moi,
Decided to have dinner here on Fri nite,
Turned out to be quite a fri ght,
Ladies and Gentlemen here's the reason why,
The dinner even before it started, turned out bad,
As the waiting area was quite sad,
Guess Exotica does not really expect a good turnout,
Only three can be seated for waiting and even that after a shoutout,
Seated at the table after thirty minutes,
Would have not been too bad,
But the servers were intent,
To turn the evening into a shame,
So even after 15 minutes no one came.
Shouted out twice for the menu,
Cursing the servers every second in my mind - damn you,
45 (30 + 15) minutes, gave us time aplently,
To savor the ambience, if any,
And sirs as hard as you may try,
The ambience from being excellent is a far cry,
The rooftop concept is neither new or novel,
Oh well on the ambience I will just throw in the towel,
Coming back to the food,
Was that about to save the evening,
Read on Sirs and Madam,
Would have thought that Mirchiwala Tikka in Exotica,
Would have been a safe bet,
Alas, no such luck as it tuned out really bad,
How can anyone muck up a simple tikka dish?
Ask exotica, the chef and the rubber panner dish
Was torn with the second starter too,
Really chef that bad pepper corn too,
Sad were both the starter dishes,
Darn you can pass my time only looking at the equally bored swimming fishes,
The servers decided we were being stubborn,
So they decided to mix up the mains just for fun,
Insisted on serving the wrong dish just because it was also veg,
Really sir are you a basket case,
Mixing issues sorted after a polite but firm rebuttal,
I'm getting out of rhymes so will this lead to exotica's acquittal,
Not quite as I need to do some good for humanity,
And save the human kind from such monstrosity,
Mains consisted of paneer lababdar and dal zafraan,
Dal zafraan was the saving grace, else the whole meal was down the drain,
It was average not great, what could we do that was our fate,
The servers were really on our healths lookout,
And didnt want us to finish the meal,
Guess it was the calorie deal,
As they insisted on clearing our plates,
Even before we were done,
One more time and I would have turned into Jean Claude Van Damme,
And smacked the server and all of his mates,
Thus ended a pathetic evening,
Thanks Exotica for ruining it thus,
I will surely be sending all my foes, for in your awefulness I trust!
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June 29,2010
Exotica?? huh..
Folks, do reserve an extra hand while dining here.. Coz u may need 'em to get rid of the flies that will be hovering around u. Yep..me and my frenz visited this place last friday for lunch, hoping for a grand feast. v wer 3, opted for buffet..ended up paying around 1000 bucks.. for Very less varieties in both veg & non veg..i wont recommend this place...
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Soham Paul
December 27,2009
Go for the Nice ambience
Well, I would say that don't expect too much from the food, but the ambience and service is good.
The chinese is a bit Indianized but not intolerable. Indian food is good. Value for money is another reason for visit.
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Rahul Basu
December 22,2009
Build up to nothing
Ambiance - 5/5
Service - 3/5
Food - 3.5/5
I guess when you visit a restaurant you look for the service and good food until offcourse if you are not awed by the ambiance. With an impression of being a top class crowd puller, we planned to make a trip to this joint for a farewell of our friend.
Though I pre booked the seats as it was a Sunday evening still the manager was in dismay when I demanded my place. Somehow they managed to provide a seating for 4. The waiter promptly came as asked for the type of water to be served and to my sheer disbelief never returned with regular water.
We went through the list on the menu card and select few of the known starters. Golden Fried Prawns and Talwari Kabab. After a long wait of 20 mins our water was served and then came the starters. Both the dishes looked unfamiliar unlike to their name. Golden Prawns tasted battered but for it being cold. The Talwari Kabab was more like chicken cooked in mustard paste which was unexpected as we hoped it would be something near to Ohri's Gunfaa kabab. While munching on the starters we planned our meal with Chicken Kashmiri and Chicken Pakhtooni with Dum Murg Biriyani and Kashmiri Pulao. Yet another long wait of 30 minutes another glass of water was served. Then arrived the main course and the sensational announcement came from the waiter that they have goofed up Kashmiri Chicken with Butter Chicken. Tragedy!!! I could not hold my laugh and ordered a replacement which they obliged to very submissively. Kashmiri Pulao tasted fine with the fragrance and taste but for the rice pilafs needed a steam or two more. Nothing much to talk about the food we ended up with our dinner.
Overall I will not rate this among the finest restaurants and they need to do a lot into service and management. Ambiance was the only bonus which made us the cheer the whole evening.
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May 15,2009
Forever favourite!
If there is one place where we don't mind visiting again and again and again, it is Zafraan Exotica. It has excellent ambience, the staff is very courteous and the food is simply awesome! The profile on Burrp says that it is purely vegetarian but actually it serves excellent non-veg food. The food and drinks are very reasonable priced. It has both indoor and open terrace sections. I always prefer the open terrace. Nice view of teh city, cool breeze and there are lots of fish in the water channels which criss cross the terrace. I have taken my friends and colleagues from UK and US too to Zafraan Exotica and they too always want to come back again to that place.
Keep up the good work!
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December 05,2008
Nice roof top widin a selective price range
Zafraan Exotica is one of my fav dining places.. i just love the ambience there at night. To start with its more than a decent place at the center of the city.. Off all the restaurants with open roof top, this one seems to be the best, atleast the breeziest (surprisingly though) !! Pricing is a lil on the expensive side considering the offerings.. I would suggest going for a buffet would be a better idea (do try out the baby corn starters)..One big drawback is that it gets overcrowded at times and you might feel wanting for some space, moreso when you are wid ur special date... U gotta identify ur spot and that helps..i prefer the little sitout in the open, next to the elevator..... Surprisingly, it was always breezy everytime i went there... Like Arvind says, its the perfect romantic getaway for a perfect night.. In my opinion, a perfect restaurant for a perfect dinner (if you like open air that is !!)
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November 16,2008
Ideal for a romantic dinner!!!
Recession had taken a toll even on our little team here in Hyderabad and for a while, we had to do away with the team lunches that we had so gotten used to. So, after a hiatus of almost 2 months we decided that it was time for another one of our mid day Friday team outings, the venue this time being Zafraan Exotica in Banjara hills. The ambience in this place stands out. Its a little bit like a rooftop restaurant with lots of cool breeze and skyscrapers in the backdrop. Ive heard that the place looks beautiful in the evening. One look and you will figure out why this place is popular with the couples.
As it is the norm with most of our team lunches, we opted for the buffet for want of time. The buffet had a veg and a non veg soup which werent exactly great and a couple of starters in both veg and non veg. The starters were quite good. The main course was predominantly north Indian and comprised of 6 Veg side dishes and a couple of non veg side dishes to go with the rotis and parathas. In addition to this, there was Mutton Biryani and noodles and a Chinese side dish. The food overall was average or perhaps above average but certainly not extraordinary. The Gulab Jamun and Kheer which formed the desserts were pretty good. The buffet cost us Rs.225 per head which I thought was a little on the higher side. To cut a long story short, the ambience at Zafraan exotica is better than the food. It would be an ideal setting for a date or a romantic getaway.
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January 19,2008
Is Zafran getting overconfident
About a year ago when i visited this place, the ambience took me over, the food was good.
Now a visit a week ago left me shell shocked
Got a food order on my table which i had not ordered.
Me being a veggie was served chicken inspite of my telling the waiter that it was not my order.
Zafran are u getin to overconfident on your ambience that the food and service has become shameffful.
Buck up...
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The Metamorphosis
The past 25 years have brought vast changes in the technology and corporate structure of journalism. Along the way, the definition of news and the expectations of news consumers and producers have been dramatically altered.
> read more
Marc Fisher
"How Did I Do This Before Google?"
The relationship between newspapers and computers got off to a shaky start, but it was destined to go the distance. What are the ramifications?
> read more
William Prochnau
Going Live
The transition from film to videotape wasn't just about technology. It altered the style, pace and content of TV news.
> read more
Paul Farhi
"Bang, Bang, Bang"
Whether it's on your favorite top-40 station or NPR, radio news is a much faster-paced affair than it was in the past.
> read more
Kathryn S. Wenner
Finding a Niche
From ferrets to tattoos: Specialization is the name of the game in today's crowded magazine world.
> read more
Jill Rosen
We've Only Just Begun
Now a firmly entrenched part of the media landscape, online journalism is poised to confront the next generation of challenges.
> read more
Barb Palser
The Life and Times of AJR
Back in the 1970s, a lowly grad student named Roger Kranz had a crazy idea and a VW bug. The rest is history.
> read more
Lori Robertson
Into the Spotlight
An FBI search of his home catapulted an obscure bioweapons expert named Steven J. Hatfill into national prominence as a "person of interest" in the anthrax investigation. Was this Richard Jewell all over again?
> read more
Rachel Smolkin
Help Wanted
Newspapers are finding it increasingly difficult to fill top-level editing positions.
> read more
Don Campbell
A Call to Action
We need a national commission to examine the news business.
> read more
Thomas Kunkel
A Milestone and a Challenge
As AJR turns 25, the field it covers and loves is at a crossroads.
> read more
Rem Rieder
The Out-of-Towners
For many local news sites, a good chunk of readers dont live around here anymore.
> read more
Barb Palser
Let It Snow
Just lay off the incredibly hyped storm tracker coverage and give it to us straight.
> read more
Deborah Potter
Testing the System
Should journalists who break the law while gathering news be prosecuted?
> read more
Jane Kirtley
Consolidation Nation
There could be a lot of newspaper shuffling if the FCC drops its ban on cross-ownership.
> read more
John Morton
Drop Cap
Sniper Coverage: How Big to Play It?
Journalists debate the appropriateness of non-stop sniper coverage
> read more
Jill Rosen
Pentagon Access: Extra Defensive
The Pentagon cracks down on who gets press passes
> read more
Luciana Lopez
Singing Sopranos
Headline writers can't refuse a crack at mob references
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Jill Rosen
Poised for Battle
New organization offers support for journalists covering the military
> read more
Kelly Heyboer
End of an Era
The near-death experience for a long-lived D.C. writers' organization
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Jim Anderson
Talk the Talk, Yo
Could Headline News be starting a trend with its 'slang dictionary?'
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Jill Rosen
Election Fallout: Revenge, Texas-Style
Rep. Dick Armey plays the heavy with Texas' Belo
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Kelly Heyboer
It Was a Womans Job, Too
War Torn: Stories of War from the Women Reporters Who Covered Vietnam
Random House
294 pages; $24.95
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Book review by
Carl Sessions Stepp
The Beat
Betting on Her Future
The Washington Post's Katherine Boo wins a genius award.
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Carla Correa
Tough Choices
National Public Radio cuts investigative reporter Daniel Zwerdling's job in a money-saving move.
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Kathryn S. Wenner
Can't Quit It
After a year in academia, Chris Peck will return to the daily news business as editor of Memphis' Commercial Appeal.
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Kathryn S. Wenner
Lure of the Lone Star
Keven Ann Willey departs the Arizona Republic to become editorial page editor of the Dallas Morning News.
> read more
Kathryn S. Wenner
More to Say
A Vermont television station hires former ABC News correspondent Barrie Dunsmore to deliver weekly commentaries.
> read more
Kathryn S. Wenner
Fresh Start
Six months after an embarrassing scandal drove out its former editor, the Harvard Business Review selects Thomas A. Stewart to be its new editor.
> read more
Christine E. Hines
Detroit Wheels
Thom Fladung leaves the Akron Beacon Journal to return to the Detroit Free Press as managing editor.
> read more
Sarah Schaffer
The Sportin' Life
Penn State University launches a Center for Sports Journalism and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is right behind.
> read more
Kathryn S. Wenner
Cliché Corner
Cliché Corner
> read more
Jill Rosen
This is not the first time we've keenly focused our
replica handbags uk
attentions on Kylie Jenner's handbag collection. Or even the second or third, honestly. Like most of her clan, Kylie amasses designer
prada replica
handbags at a pace that most celebs can't or won't match. As her collection continues to expand, her taste in bags and
replica gucci
preference in brands evolves, occasionally in surprising and unexpected ways. But recently, she's just been carrying
cheap ray ban
a lot of neutrals, exotics and Birkins. And neutral, exotic Birkins. We figure this period in her consumerist history is probably still worth exploring.
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Child Actors Lee Hyun Woo, Kim Yoo Jung, Park Ji Bin and More All Hang Out Together
After working together for so long, the child actors revealed that they are all friends and hang out with each other often.
On October 10's broadcast of MBC's Radio Star, well-known child actors, Park Ji Bin, Lee Se Young, No Young Hak, and Oh Tae Moo.
On the show, the MC panel asked the child actors if they get competitive when they see child actors, such as Yoo Seung Ho, Lee Hyun Woo, and Kim Yoo Jung, getting popular. The child actors replied no.
"We're all friends," replied No Young Hak of Iljimae, Giant, and Queen Seondeok fame. "Since there aren't a lot of child actors, we meet up with each other a lot. Usually it's Lee Hyun Woo, Park Ji Bin, Kim Yoo Jung, and Lee Se Young."
With Park Ji Bin's MBC May Queen, Jin Se Yeon's SBS Five Fingers, and No Young Hak's KBS The King's Dream all airing at the same time on Saturday and Sundays, the child actors revealed that they call each other and try to guess whose drama will get the higher rating that weekend.
Photo Credit: MBC, Park Ji Bin's Twitter
- Tag
- Lee Hyun Woo 20121011 Radio Star 20121011 Kim Yoo Jung 20121011 Jin Se Yeon 20121011 Park Ji Bin 20121011 No Young Hak 20121011


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Bozeman: The Sentinel via Windy Pass Trail
Climb the rocky guardian of the northern Gallatin Range on this 10-mile out-and-back to a skyline full of lofty pinnacles.
Limited (Secret Link): Anyone who has the link can access the trip. No sign-in required. Will not appear on your public profile or search results. The secret link can be removed or regenerated at any time.
Private: You are the only person who can access the trip.
*Note: If a trip's visibility is changed from secret link, the previous value will be invalidated and cannot be used again.


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|Patriots Look Poised For Another Super Bowl Run
|Bruins Trade For Drew Stafford
|Black and Gold Bruins Turn Yellow On Parade Day
|Inconsistency Will Continue For Bruins Unless A Change Is Made
Perhaps Stan Van Gundy was upset for getting the proverbial "coal" in his stocking after an 86-77 loss to the Celtics on Christmas Day. Perhaps he doesn't fully understand how lucrative it is for his team to be featured on big prime-time games. Perhaps he was upset he didn't have time to open his presents Christmas morning.
"I think we get a little carried away with ourselves with sports thinking we're more important than everything else," Van Gundy said before the game. "But that's the way it is. There's nothing more important than the NBA on Christmas Day."
Van Gundy woke up early, but only managed to spend 15 minutes with his family Christmas morning before heading to the game. While Christmas is meant for relatives to spend time together, Van Gundy should feel grateful. Many people are required to work Christmas Day across the country, as well as our servicemen and women defending our country and freedom overseas.Van Gundy is making more than $1 million per year to do something he supposedly loves: coach the Orlando Magic. Have some respect, crybaby!
Is the NBA punishing successful teams (like the Magic and Celtics) by forcing them to play on holidays? No, they're cashing in on big games in prime-time slots. Van Gundy later admits he already understands money is a motivating factor in NBA games on Christmas Day.
"The league has been good to all of us in terms of what we get out of all these TV contracts and everything, so it would be a little disingenuous to complain too much," Van Gundy said. "But if I had my way, we'd take a five-day break at Christmas. I mean it."
Tags: Celtics, Christmas, NBA, Orlando Magic, Stan Van Gundy


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If ya'll are sick of "selfies" . . . you probably won't care too much for this.
2014 has kicked off with the SELFIE OLYMPICS on Twitter. The rules of this silly competition consist of 1.) taking the picture in the bathroom and 2.) using a prop.
Entries so far include: replicating a Foot Locker, creating a safari park and a guy with his head in the toilet. Post you're your own . . . or just sit back and observe @SelfieOlympics.
Mia Bug knew about this before I did. I took her to see a movie last week and she said we needed to take a "Cinema Selfie" before the flick started. So . . .


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You KNOW you are a geek when stuff like this gets you excited. Doug Hofstadter is one my favorite writers ever, and that's saying something, since books have filled my world (and my home) since I can remember. If you are a Hofstadter fan, you may be surprised to know that my favorite book of his is NOT the enjoyable "Godel, Escher, & Bach", rather it is the much more obscure but no less sumptuous, "Le Ton Beau de Marot".
He's got a new one now and I can't wait to get it!


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Veteran jazz and R&B vocalist Freda Payne, in her salad days a protégé of Quincy Jones, is best known for the funky 1970 tearjerker "Band of Gold." More recently, she's been turning up with tributes to Ella Fitzgerald. Here, Payne hits Iridium to warm you up for NYE.
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Answers Home
» Puppies
» Housebreaking
How do I stop my puppy toileting inside in bad weather?
My (nearly) 5 month old GSP/GWP x Mastiff mix is pretty much toilet trained, but when it's raining and I put her outside she just sits at the door. Even if I go out and stand in the yard she won't put a paw off the back step. When I let her back in the house she runs off and goes to the toilet inside (this morning on my mother's bed whilst she was still in it...) does anyone have any suggestions on how to get her to go outside to toilet regardless of a bit of rain?
Asked by
on Jul 31st 2010
in Housebreaking
- Cast your vote for which answer you think is best!
If she is not liking the rain she will have to get use to it. Do you bathe her often? that might help her with the water thing. I would treat her in the tub.
I would treat her in the rain.
If it is raining, I would take her for a walk in it.
Sounds like just a fear of hers. I work at the concept it is ok to her feet wet.
I use kiddie pools, which are the plastic child pools. They are great for teaching pups water is fun, I throw toys in them for them to dig out.
You can also toss food tid bits in the grass and let her find them.
Dieta answered on 7/31/10. Helpful? / 2
You'll need to reinforce the NO command for indoor potty. Not many dogs like to go out when it is raining, and will opt to hold it. When your dog is a bit older and is able to hold her bladder, this problem will likely subside. If she knows she'll get in trouble for peeing inside, she will either go out with you to pee, or she will learn to hold it till the rain quits.
Take your dog for walk's on rainy days, to get her use to it. She will learn that the rain isn't going to hurt her. Once she knows this, it'll be easier to reinforce the no potty inside rule. She'll hold it as long as she can, but she won't be fearful to go out and get it over with. Once she has done it a few times then you'll have no problems with it.
Don't be afraid to get wet yourself. Teach her it's okay to get wet by playing and walking with her in light rain. She may learn to love it.
My dogs love to be towel dried afterwords, so it's a game with us to see who makes it to the towel first.
Hector answered on 8/1/10. Helpful? / 1
I agree - if you won't go out and get wet, why should the puppy?
I always put on a raincoat or get the umbrella and take my dogs out. Especially Snickers, he HATES getting wet. He won't go out if the grass is wet - goofy dog!
This may be the way it is until the pup is well over a year.
Snickers answered on 8/1/10. Helpful? / 1


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Franchisees Need To Focus On Real Solutions Not Current Fee Structure
Wednesday August 11th, 2010 - 11:18AM
These are shortcuts to your favorite social networking and bookmark sites. Add this story to your Facebook page, del.icio.us, DiggIt, and many others!
One of the staples of our annual Franchise Report is the comprehensive fees report culled together with the cooperation of all the brand companies. As I pour over the many numbers this year, one thing that jumps out at me is there are few meaningful changes from last year.
To that point, another thing that jumps out at me is a panel from the recent AAHOA conference where a number of leading brand executives were questioned long and hard about their fee structures and the possibility of reducing fees. Disillusioned members maintained that the return on investment isn't what they were promised when they signed on with their current flags.
But the brand executives on the panel stood firm that there would be no reduction in fees, and in reality, how could there be? Franchise fees have long been their collective bread and butter, but with many companies shedding their real estate in recent months and years, they are more reliant on franchising than ever before. In addition, the development pipeline isn't exactly overflowing here in the U.S.
There has been much concern over the past two years about potentially distressed properties, and the impact they will have on the overall market as well as the owner/operators. But the health of the brand companies is vital to the industry as well. They may have deeper pockets than
the franchisees, but in many cases they also have Wall Street to answer to.
Owners should know right now better than anyone the damaging effects of lowering prices, so asking the brands to do the same thing doesn't seem particularly fair. The same way when profits were rolling in a couple of years ago, there weren't many franchisees volunteering to give more in fees to the brand companies because returns were higher than expected.
The knock from franchisees against the brands used to be that they were only their partners during good times, but when they struggled the brands turned a blind eye. However, that does not seem to be the case any longer.
More than ever before we hear from owners and operators that brand companies are working with them as much as possible. As an example, the lead story of this issue on Property Improvement Plans (PIPs) chronicles how brands have tried to remain patient with cash strapped owners who may not be have the means to implement every aspect of a PIP, but continue to make good faith efforts.
The recovery seems to be taking root slowly but surely, and maybe within a few months this will all be a moot point. But for now, franchisees would be wise to continue to work with the brands on solutions rather than trying to adjust the fee structure.
To comment on article, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com.
Tags: • Hospitality •
A big thank you to all of our readers who so graciously helped with the content of this issue by responding to my invitation to take a walk with Hotel Business down memory lane: a 25-year hike. We heard from Vimana's Steve Belmonte who was featured in our first issue when he was with Ramada, as well as RLHC's Roger Bloss, who was, at the time, with Economy Lodging Systems. And then there's Jonathan Tisch, who has been at Loews the whole time. I also received a few letters, sharing stories of the past.
Aloft Perth Debuts in Australia »
Autograph Collection, SMASHotels Open Hotel EMC2
Meliá International Debuts China Flagship Shanghai Hongqiao
Mama Shelter Plans Dubai Hotel for 2020
Best Western Hotels & Resorts Acquires Sweden Hotels
Hilton Opens First Tru by Hilton
Crescent to Manage Cambria Chicago Loop – Theatre District
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The America On Line POLL directly related to an AOL StarBucks News Article.
What do you think about laws that allow people to carry guns in public?
I support them 74%
I oppose them 22%
Undecided 4%
Total Votes: 14,998
This is a discussion on Another Starbucks Poll to hit within the The Second Amendment & Gun Legislation Discussion forums, part of the Related Topics category; Voted. Results were 24% keep out, 75% guns welcome, 1% too scared to state an opinion...
Voted. Results were 24% keep out, 75% guns welcome, 1% too scared to state an opinion
The America On Line POLL directly related to an AOL StarBucks News Article.
What do you think about laws that allow people to carry guns in public?
I support them 74%
I oppose them 22%
Undecided 4%
Total Votes: 14,998
Facing Gun Issue, Starbucks Throws Up Its Hands
Richard C. Paddock San Francisco Correspondent
SAN FRANCISCO (March 3) -- The Starbucks coffee chain announced today that it will continue letting customers openly wear unloaded handguns in its coffee shops.
At the same time, the company asked members of the "open carry" gun movement and their opponents to refrain from putting Starbucks in the firing line of the national debate over the right to bear arms.
"The political, policy and legal debates around these issues belong in the legislatures and courts, not in our stores," the Seattle-based company said in a statement released to the media.
Forty-three states allow citizens to wear an unloaded handgun in public.
The informal open-carry movement apparently originated in Virginia several years ago but has come to unlikely prominence in the San Francisco Bay Area.
In recent months, Bay Area gun advocates have staged frequent open-carry "meet-ups" at Starbucks coffee shops and other restaurants. Some of the events have attracted dozens of men and women wearing handguns.
Last weekend, about 20 members of the movement -- 12 of them sporting guns -- came to Presidio National Park in San Francisco to pick up trash at scenic Baker Beach.
"We decided to do a serious activity while educating the public about responsible firearm ownership," said Jon Schwartz, a leader of the informal movement. He was wearing a Smith & Wesson .45-caliber automatic on his left hip.
"It's not just law enforcement and criminals that have guns but law-abiding citizens as well," he said.
Schwartz, like other participants in open-carry events, was carrying two magazines on his belt with the maximum 10 bullets each. It takes about two seconds for him to load his weapon.
In California, much of the open-carry movement is focused on protesting county rules that sharply restrict the number of concealed weapon permits that are issued.
Bill Shelbrick, who also took part in the beach cleanup, said many of the open-carry advocates are former police officers and members of the military who believe they can protect themselves and the people around them by carrying weapons.
For Shelbrick, an electrician who said he once worked as a police officer in a Pennsylvania township, wearing his Ruger 9 mm automatic is an attempt to show the public that law-abiding citizens can go around armed.
"It's my right and I want to exercise my right," he said. "I think everybody should. We are not the gun-toting crazies that anti-gun organizations make us out to be."
The sight of armed men drinking a venti latte at a Starbucks or dining out at a restaurant can be unsettling for some customers.
Police are frequently called to the scene of open-carry events, where they typically check to make sure all weapons are unloaded and in plain sight.
For business owners, open-carry events can create a dilemma. Employees risk offending armed customers by asking them to leave. But other patrons might walk out because of the presence of weapons.
Peet's Coffee & Tea and California Pizza Kitchen have banned customers from wearing handguns on their premises. But Starbucks has allowed the practice to continue in the states where open carry is legal.
Richard C. Paddock for AOL
Jon Schwartz, a leader in the movement to allow people to carry guns in public, picks up trash in San Francisco during a recent open-carry event. He was wearing a handgun on his left hip. He said such events promote responsible firearms ownership.
As a result, Starbucks has come under fire from gun-control advocates, particularly the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, which has urged the chain to ban guns on its premises.
"Tell Starbucks: Espresso Shots, Not Gunshots," the group says on its Web site. "The practice of packing heat in places like Starbucks is intimidating and could be potentially dangerous to our families and communities -- and it must be stopped."
Last month, the Brady campaign sent a letter to Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz urging him to reverse the company's policy. The campaign noted that three Starbucks employees were shot and killed at a Washington, D.C., outlet in 1997 during a robbery attempt.
"These gatherings of armed individuals have provoked a strong and adverse reaction from members of the public who are appalled that coffee shops and restaurants would allow guns on their premises," the letter said.
Starbucks did not cite the Brady Campaign by name in its statement today, but appeared to be responding to the anti-gun group.
"We recognize that there is significant and genuine passion surrounding the issue of open-carry weapons laws," the company said. "Advocacy groups from both sides of this issue have chosen to use Starbucks as a way to draw attention to their positions."
The company noted that if it prohibited weapons in its shop, its employees would have to ask law-abiding citizens to leave, placing them in "an unfair and potentially unsafe position." The statement also said the company is "extremely sensitive to the issue of gun violence in our society" but believes "that supporting local laws is the right way for us to ensure a safe environment for both partners and customers."
Whether Starbucks' attempt to disassociate itself from the issue will work remains to be seen.
"I can't speak for everybody, but I might think twice about having a large-scale event at Starbucks," said Schwartz, the Bay Area open-carry advocate. "But I wouldn't think twice about taking myself and my family and meeting a couple of friends for a great cup of coffee while participating in unloaded open carry."
I just voted and it is 75/24/1. Soon as I get off the computer I think I'll go get a large mocha from the local Starbucks.
Reading the article, I found it interesting that some of the open carry states require the gun to be "unloaded"!!! What the heck good is an UNLOADED gun! A very expensive club or throwing object! Or is it just in "the land of fruits and nuts" that it must be unloaded?
Live to ride, ride to live. Harley Road King And keep a .45 handy Kimber Custom TLE II
I fixed the picture in the story...
"Laws can't control the lawless"
Christian Gun Owner
Still 75/24/1.
The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools.
-Herbert Spencer
NRA Life Member
What's important here, if you read between the lines of Starbucks' statement, is that OCers need to practice some restraint and try to blend in. If there continues to be demonstrations and such by OC groups, they might revisit their policy. OTOH I think they are well annoyed by Brady et al and are enjoying telling them to shove off.
"Each worker carried his sword strapped to his side." Nehemiah 4:18
Guns Save Lives. Paramedics Save Lives. But...
Paramedics With Guns Scare People!
Another photo shows someone OCing....but wearing RealTree camoflage...nothing like propogating the stereotype by the media.
Magazine <> clip - know the difference
martyr is a fancy name for crappy fighter
You have never lived until you have almost died. For those that have fought for it, life has a special flavor the protected will never know


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If i were to grade Te'o to a player in the NFL right now he would be similar in prospect to brian cushing. The kid is as instinctual as they get, does he disappear sometimes yes, but he is a play maker when it counts. Stout run defender / solid not great but better than most pass coverage. and Jarvis Jones would be the next Adrian Tracy of the giants meaning ( Linebacker converted to DE)
edit: Brian Cushing pre roid exposure! sigh*
I think Te'o is the type of player that can revolutionize a defence but the chances of Giants drafting him are very slim


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By Erick Smith, USA TODAY
When we last saw the Florida Gators seven months ago, coach Urban Meyer and quarterback Tim Tebow were celebrating their second national championship in three years. The question now is whether Florida will still be in the top spot of the rankings when the USA TODAY Top 25 Coaches' Poll is released on Friday at 6 a.m. ET?
Whether they're No. 1 or somewhere else, Florida is loaded to make a run for a third title under Meyer. The offense will again be in Tebow's capable hands. His combination of running and throwing talent will continue to test opposing defenses. Jeffery Demps and Chris Rainey are two backs that can help take the pressure off Tebow in the running game.
The big concern is the loss of Percy Harvin, who led the team in receiving and was the No. 2 rusher. His playmaking skills will be hard to replace. Also gone is starting wideout Louis Murphy, leaving Tebow with some inexperience at wide receiver.
Experience is not a concern on defense, where the Gators return all 11 starters from a unit that ranked in the top 10 in scoring and total defense. Senior linebacker Brandon Spikes is the leader while the secondary has standouts Joe Haden and Ahmad Black.
USA TODAY TOP 25: Final USA TODAY coaches' poll from 2008
If the Gators can reach the BCS title game, a familiar foe could be waiting. Oklahoma, who lost to the Gators in Miami last year, is ready for another run at their second championship of the decade.
Heisman winner Sam Bradford's surprising return for his junior season was cause for celebration in Norman. DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown running mate complete one of the nation's top backfields. However, the offense that scored a FBS-record 716 points last season will have to replace four starting offensive lineman and its top two wide receivers.
But don't cry for Bradford. He still has all-world tight end Jermaine Gresham as a passing option. Gresham is a rare combination of size and speed for his position. The senior had 950 yards receiving and led the Sooners with 14 touchdown catches last year.
There are fewer questions on defensive. All-American Gerald McCoy anchors the line from his tackle spot while Travis Lewis and a healthy Ryan Reynolds make the linebacker group rock solid. Dominique Franks and Brian Jackson return at cornerback, leaving safety as the only concern entering the season.
The road for Oklahoma will have a major road block in Dallas which hosts its annual meeting against Texas. The Longhorns are still smarting over their exclusion from the Big 12 title game after they beat the Sooners in the regular season. That should only raise the emotional level in one of the country's most-heated rivalries.
Senior quarterback Colt McCoy, like Bradford and Tebow, decided against leaving for the NFL. McCoy quietly finished second in the Heisman voting and is primed for another big season.
Wide receiver Jordan Shipley, his favorite target and roommate, should see even more balls after a junior year with 1,060 yards receiving. While McCoy is an effective runner, the fact that he is top returning ball carrier is a concern. There needs to be more balance to keep defenses honest.
Linebackers Sergio Kindle and Roddrick Muckelroy are linchpins on a defense that must replace its starting line that helped the team lead the nation in sacks. The secondary was young last season but will get better with the safety Earl Thomas leading the way.
Any national championship talk also has to include Southern California. The Pete Carroll-led Trojans are taking aim at their eighth straight BCS game. There were some heavy losses with quarterback Mark Sanchez and all three starting linebackers leaving for the NFL. But the cupboard is always full at USC because Carroll is one of the best recruiters in the country.
Aaron Corp enters the fall as the starting quarterback. Running back Joe McKnight and wide receiver Damian Williams are two outstanding threats on offense. The defense has Taylor Mays at safety to provide big plays and leadership.
There are more contenders than just the top four. Alabama is back with 14 starters after winning its first 12 games last season. Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor could be ready to blossom after an up-and-down freshman year. Virginia Tech won the ACC title in a rebuilding year. Now the Hokies return 15 starters.
It all adds up to another intriguing year for college football that won't crown a champion until Jan. 7 in Pasadena.
•Who do you think will play in the BCS championship game in January? Post your picks and comments below.
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