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Texas Ranger Division
Learn more about Texas Ranger Division
- For other uses, see Texas Rangers.
The Texas Ranger Division, commonly known as the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction based in Austin, the capital city of Texas, in the United States. Over the years, the Texas Rangers have investigated crimes ranging from murder to political corruption, acted as riot police and as detectives, protected the Texas governor, tracked down fugitives, and functioned as a quasi-military force at the service of both the Republic (1836–45) and the state of Texas.
The Texas Rangers were unofficially created by Stephen F. Austin in 1823 and formally constituted in 1835. Although the organization went through periods of inactivity during the 19th century, it was never officially dissolved. Since 1935, the organization has been a division of the Texas Department of Public Safety, and currently fulfills the role of Texas' State Bureau of Investigation. As of 2005, there are 118 active Rangers.
The Rangers have taken part in many of the most important events of Texas history, and were involved in some of the most well known criminal cases in the history of the Old West, such as those of gunfighter John Wesley Hardin, bank robber Sam Bass, and outlaws Bonnie and Clyde. Scores of books have been written about the Rangers, from well-researched works of nonfiction to pulp novels, making them significant participants in the mythology of the Wild West. During their long history, a distinct Ranger tradition has evolved, and their cultural significance to Texans is such that they are legally protected against disbandment.
[edit] History
[edit] Creation and early days
By the early 1820s the Mexican War of Independence had subsided, and some 600 to 700 families had settled in Texas—most of them from the United States. Because there was no regular army to protect the citizens against attacks by Native Americans and bandits, Stephen F. Austin in 1823 organized small, informal armed groups whose duties required them to range over the countryside, and who thus came to be known as "rangers". Around August 4 of that year, Austin wrote that he would "... employ ten men ... to act as rangers for the common defense ... the wages I will give said ten men is fifteen dollars a month payable in property ..." [1]
However, it was not until 1835 that the Texas Rangers were formally constituted, when Austin returned to Texas after having been imprisoned in Mexico City. Upon his return, Austin helped organize a council to govern the group. On October 17, at a consultation of the Provisional Government of Texas, Daniel Parker proposed a resolution to establish the Texas Rangers, totaling some 60 men distributed among three companies. This was instituted by Texas lawmakers on November 24, and within two years the Rangers comprised more than 300 men.
In their early days, Rangers performed tasks of little significance. During the Texas Revolution, they served mainly as scouts, couriers, and guides for the settlers fleeing before the Mexican Army, and performed general support duties. These minor roles continued after independence, when the region became the Republic of Texas under President Sam Houston. Houston, who had lived with the Cherokee for many years (and who had taken a Cherokee wife), favored peaceful coexistence with Indians, a policy that left little space for a force with the Rangers' characteristics.
This situation changed radically when Mirabeau B. Lamar became president in December 1838. Lamar had participated in skirmishes with the Cherokee in his home state of Georgia; like most Texans, he had not forgotten the support the Cherokee had given the Mexicans at the Cordova Rebellion against the Republic. He favored the eradication of Indians in Texas—a view that he shared with Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Thomas Rusk. Lamar saw in the Rangers the perfect tool for the task, and he obtained permission from the Texas Legislature to raise a force of 56 Rangers, along with other volunteer companies. During the following three years, he engaged the Rangers in a war against the Cherokee and the Comanche, and succeeded in weakening their territorial control. [2]
[edit] The Mexican–American War
Sam Houston was re-elected President of Texas on December 12, 1841. He had taken note of the Rangers' cost-efficiency, and increased their number to 150. Under Captain John Coffee "Jack" Hays's leadership, the force played an important role in the defense against the Mexican invasion led by General Adrian Woll in 1842 and against attacks by Indians. Despite his youth at the time, the charismatic Hays was a rallying figure to his men, and is often considered responsible for giving cohesion, discipline and a group mentality to the Rangers. Flacco, a chief of the allied Indian tribe of the Lipan, used to call Hays Bravo too much. [3] The adoption of the state-of-the-art five-shot Colt revolver (which had been turned down by the U.S. Army) was also his work. Hays trained his men to aim, fire and reload their weapons from horseback, a radical innovation from the usual contemporary technique of dismounting before shooting at enemies and reloading, which was a necessity with more cumbersome weaponry. This tactic was put to devastating effect, and it was imitated shortly afterwards by the military. [4] At the suggestion of one of Hays' officers, Samuel Hamilton Walker, these revolvers soon evolved into the famous, enhanced six-shot version, the Walker Colt. During these years, famous Rangers such as Hays, Walker, Benjamin McCulloch and William "Bigfoot" Wallace first established their reputation as frontier fighters.
With the annexation of Texas within the United States and the Mexican–American War in 1846, several companies of Rangers were mustered into federal service, and proved themselves at the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma. From that moment on, their effectiveness as guerrilla fighters and guides to the federal army through a territory that they were familiar with marked the pace of the American offense. Rangers played an important role in the battles of Monterrey and Buena Vista. The army commanded by General Winfield Scott landed at Veracruz in March 1847, and the Rangers once again provided valuable support at the ensuing Siege of Veracruz and the battles of Cerro Gordo and Chapultepec. They were also responsible for the defeat of the fierce Mexican guerrilleros that hindered the advance of the federal troops, which they achieved ruthlessly and efficiently. By then, the Rangers had earned themselves a considerable reputation that approached the legendary among Mexicans, and when Ranger companies entered and occupied Mexico City with the U.S. Army in September 1847, los Diablos Tejanos (the "Texas Devils") were received with reverence and fear. [5] Their role in the Mexican–American War also won them nationwide fame in the United States and news of their exploits in the contemporary press became common, effectively establishing the Rangers as part of American folklore. As the Victoria Advocate reported in the November 16, 1848, issue:
- Four newly raised ranging companies, have all been organized, and taken their several stations on our frontier. We are much pleased. We know they are true men, and they know exactly what they are about. With many of them Indian and Mexican fighting has been their trade for years. That they may be permanently retained in the service on our frontier is extremely desirable, and we cannot permit ourselves to doubt such will be the case.[6]
On January 27, 1858, Runnels allocated $70,000 to fund a force of Rangers, and John Salmon "Rip" Ford, a veteran Ranger of the war with Mexico, was commissioned as senior captain. With a force of some 100 Rangers, Ford began a large expedition against the Comanche and other tribes, whose raids against the settlers and their properties had become common. On May 12, Ford's Rangers, accompanied by Tonkawa, Anadarko and Shawnee scouts from the Brazos Reservation in Texas, crossed the Red River into Indian Territory and attacked a Comanche village in the Canadian River Valley, flanked by the Antelope Hills in what is now Oklahoma. Suffering only four casualties, the force killed a reported 76 Comanche (including a chief by the name of Iron Jacket) and took 18 prisoners and 300 horses.
In December 1859, Ford and his company were assigned to Brownsville, in south Texas, where the local Mexican rancher Juan Cortina had launched an attack and briefly occupied the town, and later conducted a series of guerrilla actions and raids against local Anglo landowners. Together with a regiment of the U.S. Army commanded by Major Samuel P. Heintzelman (who later became a notable general of the Union in the Civil War), Ford's Rangers took part in the Cortina War, and on December 27, 1859, they engaged and defeated Cortina's forces in the battle of Rio Grande City. Pursued and defeated by Ford and his Rangers again a few days later, Cortina retreated into Mexico, and although he would continue to promote minor actions against the Texan ranchers, the threat of a large-scale military incursion was effectively ended.
The success of these campaigns marked a turning point in Rangers' history. The U.S. Army could provide only limited and thinly stretched protection in the enormous territory of Texas. In contrast, the Rangers' effectiveness when dealing with these threats convinced both the people of the state and the political leaders that a well-funded and organized local Ranger force was essential. Such a force could use the deep familiarity with the territory and the proximity with the theater of operations as major advantages in its favor. This option was not pursued in the light of the emerging national political problems, and the Rangers all but disappeared as a functioning group until 1874. However, the conviction of their usefulness had become firmly established, and the agency would eventually be reconstituted. [7]
[edit] The Civil War and late 19th centuryseceded from the United States in 1861 during the American Civil War, many Rangers enlisted individually to fight for the Confederacy, such as Walter P. Lane, George W. Baylor, Thomas S. Lubbock, Benjamin McCulloch, John B. Jones, Leander H. McNelly and John Ford himself. Although the famous Eighth Texas Cavalry regiment was widely known as Terry's Texas Rangers, neither its leader and founder, Benjamin Franklin Terry, nor the majority of its members had been affiliated with the state agency. The fact that both groups have often been regarded as related (and Terry's men themselves had thus adopted the organization's name) speaks of the widespread fame that the Rangers had achieved by that time. During the Civil War, the duties of scouting the state frontiers for Union troops, hostile Indians and deserters devolved upon those who could not be drafted into the Confederate Army due to their age or other disabilities. This mixed group was never officially considered a Ranger force, although their work was essentially the same.
During Reconstruction, the Rangers served as state police. Charged with enforcing unpopular new laws that came with reintegration, the organization fell into disrepute. During this period, the Rangers were essentially a hybrid military and police unit; when fighting Indians or Mexicans, its members behaved much like troops, but when hunting down criminals, they functioned as detectives and policemen.
The scenario changed radically for the Rangers with the state election of 1873. When newly elected Governor Richard Coke took office in January 1874, he vigorously restored order to Texas in pursuit of improvements to both the economy and security. Once again Indians and Mexican bandits were threatening the frontiers, and once again the Rangers were tasked with solving the problem. The state legislature authorized the reorganization of the agency, and a special force was created within its aegis: the Frontier Battalion, consisting of six companies of 75 men each under the command of Major John B. Jones. This group played a major role in the control of ordinary lawbreakers as well as the defense against hostile Indian tribes, which was particularly necessary in the period of lawlessness and social collapse of the Reconstruction.
The Frontier Battalion was soon augmented with the Special Force, a second military group of 40 men under Captain Leander H. McNelly, with the specific task of bringing order in the area of south Texas between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande, called the Nueces Strip. At this particular region, the general situation of lawlessness was aggravated by the proximity of Texas to Mexico and the conflict between agrarian and cattle interests. Raids along the frontier were common, and not only perpetrated by ordinary bandits but also promoted by local Mexican caudillos. In particular, Juan Cortina's men were again conducting periodic guerrilla operations against local ranchers. In the following two years, McNelly and his group energetically engaged these threats and virtually eradicated them. [8]
It was at these times that many of the Rangers' myths were born, such as their success in capturing or killing notorious criminals and desperados (including bank robber Sam Bass and gunfighter John Wesley Hardin) and their decisive role in the defeat of the Comanche, the Kiowa and the Apache peoples. It was also during these years that the Rangers suffered the only defeat in their history when they surrendered at the Salinero Revolt in 1877. Despite the fame of their deeds, the conduct of the Rangers during this period was far from exemplary. In particular, McNelly and his men used ruthless methods that often rivaled the brutality of their opponents, such as taking part in summary executions and confessions induced by torture and intimidation. [9] McNelly also made himself famous for disobeying direct orders from his superiors on several occasions, and breaking through the Mexican frontier for self-appointed law enforcement purposes. [10] Arguably, these methods either sowed the seeds of discontent among Mexican-Americans or restored order to the frontier. After McNelly's retirement because of health problems, the Special Force was dissolved in 1877 and their members absorbed into the Frontier Battalion, which continued to function even after Jones's death in the line of duty in 1881. By the last years of the 19th century, a high measure of security within the vast frontier of Texas had been achieved, in which the Rangers had played a primary role.
[edit] The Mexican Revolution and early 20th century
At the beginning of the 20th century, Texas' frontiers had become more settled, thus rendering the 1874 legislation obsolete after the organization had existed as a quasi-military force for more than 25 years. Amidst serious legal troubles that questioned the authority of the Rangers to exert such a role, new resolutions appropriate to the current times were adopted. The Frontier Battalion was disbanded with the passing of new legislation on July 8, 1901, and a new Ranger force was created, consisting of four companies of "no more than 20 men each" with a captain in command of every unit. The Rangers had slowly but firmly evolved into an agency with an exclusive law enforcement focus.
The Mexican Revolution that began in 1910 against President Porfirio Díaz changed the relatively peaceful state of affairs along the border drastically. Soon after, violence on both sides of the frontier escalated as bands of raiders began crossing the Rio Grande on a near-daily basis, whether partisans in search of resources to wage civil war against Díaz, or gangs of simple bandits who took advantage of the turmoil to loot. [11]
The political decision was clear: restore control and order by any necessary means. As Governor Oscar Branch Colquitt instructed Ranger Capt. John R. Hughes: ...you and your men are to keep Mexican raiders off of Texas territory if possible, and if they invade the State let them understand they do so at the risk of their lives [12]. Hundreds of new special Rangers were appointed by order of the state, which neglected to carefully screen aspiring members. Rather than conduct themselves as law enforcement officers, many of these groups acted more like vigilante squads. Reports of Rangers abusing their authority and breaking the law themselves became numerous [13]. The situation grew even more dramatic when on March 9 1916, Pancho Villa led 1,500 Mexican raiders in a cross-border attack against Columbus, New Mexico, increasing the high tension that had already existed between the communities. Before the decade was over, hundreds if not thousands of lives were lost, counting Anglos, Tejanos and Mexicans alike; although by far, these last two groups suffered the most. In January 1919, at the initiative of Representative José T. Canales of Brownsville, the Texas Legislature launched a full investigation of Rangers' actions throughout these years. The investigation found that from 300 up to 5,000 people, mostly of Hispanic descent, had been killed by Rangers from 1910 to 1919, and that members of the Rangers had been involved in many sordid misdeeds of brutality and injustice [14].
These were the most turbulent times in the history of the Rangers, and with the objective of recycling the force's membership, putting it back in tune with its past and restoring the public's trust, the Legislature passed on March 31 1919, a resolution to purge it and enhance it and its procedures. All special Ranger groups were disbanded; the four official companies were kept, albeit their members were reduced from 20 to 15 each; better payment was offered in order to attract men of higher personal standards; and a method for citizens to articulate complaints against any further misdeeds or abuses was established.
The reforms proved positive, and the new Ranger force eventually regained the status of a respectable agency. Under the command of captains such as Frank Hamer (who would later become famous for leading the party that killed the outlaws Bonnie and Clyde), the Rangers displayed remarkable activity in the following years, including the ever-present fighting of cattle rustlers, intervening in the violent labor disputes of the time and protecting the citizenry at the Ku Klux Klan's public displays. With the passage of the Volstead Act and the beginning of the Prohibition on January 16 1920, their duties extended to scouting the border for tequila smugglers and detecting and dismantling the illegal stills that abounded along Texas' territory.
One of the Rangers' highest-profile interventions during this period was taming Texas's oil boomtowns (beginning with Spindletop's discovery in 1901), which had developed into lawless territories. During the 1920s, martial law was decreed on several of these towns, such as Mexia and Borger; at others, like Desdemona, Wink, Ranger, Kilgore and Burkburnett, the situation was also very serious, and the Rangers were called in to quell agitated locals and terminate all illegal activities. This trouble proved to be a recurring one until well in the 1950s, but the Rangers prevented it from growing into an even more dramatic problem. At Borger, a total of ten officers were sent on April 7 1927, including Capt. Hamer. The balance of the Rangers' activities upon their arrival as reported was:
A thorough-going clean-up was put underway. The liquor traffic was broken up, many stills being seized and destroyed, and several thousand gallons of whiskey being captured and poured out. Two hundred and three gambling slot machines were seized and destroyed, and in a period of twenty four hours, no less than twelve hundred prostitutes left the town of Borger [15].
[edit] Modernization and present day
The Great Depression that began in 1929 forced both the federal and state governments to cut down on personnel and funding of their organizations, and the Rangers were no exception. The number of commissioned officers was reduced to 45, and the only means of transportation afforded to Rangers were free railroad passes, or using their own personal horses. The situation worsened for the agency when its members entangled themselves in politics in 1932 by publicly supporting Governor Ross Sterling in his re-election campaign, over his opponent Miriam Amanda "Ma" Ferguson. Ferguson was elected, and immediately after taking office in January 1933, she proceeded to discharge all serving Rangers. The force also saw its salaries and funds slashed by the Texas Legislature, and their numbers reduced further to 32 men. The result was that Texas became a safe hideout for the many Depression-era gangsters escaping from the law, such as Bonnie and Clyde, George "Machine Gun" Kelly, Pretty Boy Floyd and Raymond Hamilton. The hasty appointment of many unqualified Rangers to stop the increasing criminality proved completely ineffective. [16]
The general disorganization of law enforcement in the state convinced the members of the Legislature that a thorough revision of the public security system was in order, and with that purpose it hired the services of a consulting firm from Chicago. The resulting report yielded many worrying conclusions, but the basic underlying facts were simple: the criminality levels in Texas were extremely high, and the state's means to fight them were underfunded, undermanned, loose, disorganized and obsolete. The consultants' recommendation, besides increasing funding, was to introduce a whole reorganization of state security agencies; especially, to merge the Rangers with the Texas Highway Patrol under a new agency called the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). After deliberating, the Legislature agreed with the suggestion. The resolution that created the new state law enforcement agency was passed in 1935, and with an initial budget of $450,000, the DPS became operational on August 10.
With minor rearrangements over the years, the 1935 reforms have ruled the Texas Rangers' organization until present day. Hiring new members, which had been largely a political decision, was now achieved through a series of examinations and merit evaluations. Promotion relied on seniority and performance in the line of duty. More and more sophisticated means of crime fighting were put at their disposal, like automobiles, advanced weaponry and forensics. By the late 1930s, the Rangers had one of the best crime labs in the United States at the Headquarters Division in Austin. The appointment of Colonel Homer Garrison in September 1938 as director of the DPS proved decisive as well. Under his leadership, many respected captains such as Manuel T. Gonzaullas worked extensively to restore the good name of the force that had been compromised in the previous decades, keeping it in line with its traditions within a modern and civilized society and regaining its high status. [17] The number of commissioned officers grew and the Rangers developed a clear detective function, while the Highway Patrol took charge of direct law enforcement duties.
The quality of the force in terms of training, funding, modernization and number strength has continued to improve. In the last few decades, the Rangers have intervened in several thousand cases with a high level of effectiveness [18], including many high-profile ones such as the pursuit and capture of serial killer Ángel Maturino Reséndiz. The agency is also fully integrated with modern Texan ethnic groups, counting numerous officers of Hispanic and African American origin among its members. Today, the historical importance and symbolism of the Texas Rangers is such that they are protected by statute from being disbanded ("The division relating to the Texas Rangers may not be abolished" - Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 147, Sec. 1, September 1, 1987).
The Texas Rangers' internal organization still maintains the basic outlines that were set in 1935. The agency is formed into six companies, lettered from "A" to "F", each commanded by a Captain. The number of personnel is set by the Legislature; today, the Texas Rangers number 118 commissioned officers (including one woman), three crime analysts, one forensic artist, one fiscal analyst and 17 civilian support personnel (largely women). The Legislature has also made a provision for the appointment of 300 Special Rangers for use in emergency situations. The statewide headquarters of the Texas Rangers is located in Austin at the Texas DPS headquarters. Many incorrectly assume that Waco is the Rangers' headquarters, because the Ranger Hall of Fame is located there. Since August 31, 2005, the Chief of the Texas Rangers in command has been Senior Chief Ray Coffman and Assistant Senior Chief Jim Miller.
The companies' headquarters are distributed in six geographical locations:
- Houston is the headquarters for Company A, commanded by Capt. Tony Leal.
- Garland is the headquarters for Company B, commanded by Capt. Richard H. Sweaney.
- Lubbock is the headquarters for Company C, commanded by Capt. Randy Prince.
- San Antonio is the headquarters for Company D, commanded by Capt. Clete Buckaloo.
- Midland is the headquarters for Company E, commanded by Capt. Barry K. Caver.
- Waco is the headquarters for Company F, commanded by Capt. Kirby Dendy.
[edit] Rangers' mythos
From its earliest days, the Rangers were surrounded with the mystique of the Old West. And though popular culture's image of the Rangers is typically one of rough living, tough talk and a quick draw, Ranger Captain John "Rip" Ford described the men who served him thus:
A large proportion ... were unmarried. A few of them drank intoxicating liquors. Still, it was a company of sober and brave men. They knew their duty and they did it. While in a town they made no braggadocio demonstration. They did not gallop through the streets, shoot, and yell. They had a specie of moral discipline which developed moral courage. They did right because it was right. [19]
As it happened with many Old West myths like Billy the Kid or Wyatt Earp, the Rangers' legendary aura was in part a result of the work of sensationalistic writers and the contemporary press, who glorified and embellished their deeds in an idealized manner. The case of the Rangers is, however, unique: it was a collective force that, in exercise of the authority granted by the government, protected Texas against threats considered extremely evil at the time. While some Rangers could be considered mere criminals wearing badges by a modern observer, many documented tales of bravery and selflessness are also intertwined in the group's history. [20]
- A lament for "The Texas Ranger" (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- One of two versions of "The Texas Ranger", recorded in 1939 at a home in Medina, Texas.
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- "The Texas Ranger" bids farewell to the frontier (file info) — play in browser (beta)
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[edit] "Los Diablos Tejanos"
The Mexicans, who often tangled with the Rangers, called them Los Diablos Tejanos ("the Texas Devils"). John "Rip" Ford, who served under Captain John Coffee Hays in the Mexican-American War, recalled in his diary the moment the Rangers entered Mexico City and the reaction of the local population towards them:
"Los Diablos Tejanos! Los Diablos Tejanos!" cried the Mexicans as they crowded along the streets to get a look at the "Texas Devils". One war correspondent said they rode some standing upright, some sideways, some facing the rear, some by the reverse flank, some on horses, others on mustangs and mules; on they rode, pell-mell, wearing motley "uniforms" of almost every conceivable variety of pants and shirts, hats and caps ("caps made of the skins of the dog, the cat, the bear, the coon, the wild cat, and each cap had a tail hanging to it"). And the frightened onlookers and passers-by, not knowing whether to cheer or to run, believed the Texan to be "a sort of semi-civilized, half man, half devil, with a slight mixture of lion and the snapping turtle", and had "a more holy horror" of him than they had of "the evil saint himself." [21]
[edit] "One Riot, One Ranger"
One of the most enduring phrases associated with the Rangers today is One Riot, One Ranger. It is somewhat apocryphal in that there was never actually a riot; rather, the phrase was coined by Ranger Captain William "Bill" McDonald, who was sent to Dallas in 1896 to prevent the illegal heavyweight prize fight between Pete Maher and Bob Fitzsimmons that had been organized by the eccentric "Hanging Judge" Roy Bean. According to the story, McDonald's train was met by the mayor, who asked the single Ranger where the other lawmen were. McDonald is said to have replied: Hell! Ain't I enough? There's only one prize-fight!
Although some measure of truth lies within the tale, it is largely an idealized account written by author Bigelow Paine and loosely based on McDonald's statements, published in Paine's classic book Captain Bill McDonald: Texas Ranger in 1909. In truth, the fight had been so heavily publicized that nearly every Ranger was at hand, including all the then-captains and their superior, Adjutant General Woodford H. Mabry. Many of them were not really sure whether to stop the fight or to attend it; and in fact, other famous lawmen like Bat Masterson were also present for the occasion. The orders from the governor were clear, however, and the bout was stopped. Bean then tried to reorganize it in El Paso and later in Langtry, but the Rangers followed and thwarted his attempts. Finally, the fight took place on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande near Langtry, and all the Rangers could do was watch. Fitzsimmons won in less than two minutes, and according to their testimonies, they enjoyed the event very much. [22] The motto appears on the pedestal of the large bronze statue of a Texas Ranger in the Love Field airport, contributed in 1961 by Mr. and Mrs. Earle Wyatt. [23]
[edit] High-profile busts
The Texas Rangers have assisted in many high-profile cases throughout the years. Most of them had a short-lived repercussion, while others have received wide coverage by the press and writers alike. However, there are some collars that are deeply entrenched in the Rangers' lore, such as those of outlaw John Wesley Hardin, bank robber Sam Bass, and the gunman Clyde Barrow and his moll Bonnie Parker.
[edit] Sam Bass
In 1878, Sam Bass and his gang, who had perpetrated a series of bank and stagecoach robberies beginning in 1877, held up two stagecoaches and four trains within twenty-five miles of Dallas. The gang quickly found themselves the object of pursuit across North Texas by a special company of Texas Rangers headed by Captain Junius "June" Peak. Bass was able to elude the Rangers until a member of his party, Jim Murphy, turned informer, cut a deal to save himself, and led the law to the gang. As Bass's band rode south, Murphy wrote to Major John B. Jones, commander of the Frontier Battalion of Texas Rangers.
Jones set up an ambush at Round Rock, where the Bass gang had planned to rob the Williamson County Bank. On July 19, 1878, Bass and his gang scouted the area before the actual robbery. They bought some tobacco at a store and were noticed by Williamson County Sheriff Caige Grimes, who approached the group and was shot and killed. A heavy gunfight ensued between the outlaws, the Rangers and the local lawmen. A deputy named Moore was mortally wounded, as was Bass. The gang quickly mounted their horses and tried to escape while continuing to fire, and as they galloped away, Bass was shot again in the back by Ranger George Herold. Bass was later found lying helpless in a pasture north of town by the authorities. They took him into custody where he died from his wounds the next day, on July 21, 1878, at 27 years of age.
[edit] John Wesley Hardin
One of Texas' deadliest outlaws, John Wesley Hardin was reputed to be the meanest man alive, an accolade he supposedly earned by killing a man for snoring. He committed his first murder at age 15, and admitted to killing more than 40 men over 27 years. In May 1874, Hardin killed Charles Webb, the deputy sheriff of Brown County, for which the outlaw was relentlessly pursued. John Barclay Armstrong, a Texas Ranger known as "McNelly's Bulldog" since he served with the Special Force as a sergeant and Captain Leander McNelly's right hand, asked for permission to arrest the gunman, which was granted. Pursuing Hardin across Alabama and into Florida, Armstrong caught up with Hardin in Pensacola.
After Armstrong, Colt pistol in hand, boarded a train that Hardin and four companions were on, the outlaw shouted, "Texas, by God!" and drew his own pistol. When it was over, one of his gang members was killed and his three surviving friends were staring at Armstrong's pistol. Hardin had been knocked unconscious. Armstrong's hat had been neatly pierced by a bullet, but he was uninjured. Hardin was tried for murder, convicted, and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Seventeen years later, Hardin was pardoned by Governor Jim Hogg and released from prison on March 16, 1894. He moved to El Paso, where he began practicing law. On August 19, 1896, he was murdered in the middle of a dice game at the Acme Saloon over a personal disagreement. [24]
[edit] Bonnie and Clyde
Frank Hamer, the longtime Ranger captain, left the Rangers in 1932. In 1934, at the request of Col. Lee Simmons, head of the Texas prison system, Hamer was asked to use his skills to track down Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow (Bonnie and Clyde), whose Barrow gang had engineered a successful breakout of associates imprisoned at Huntsville. Prisoner and Barrow friend Joe Palmer had killed a guard while escaping, and the Barrow gang was responsible for many murders, robberies, and car thefts in Texas alone, while thwarting law enforcement with embarrassing consistency.
After tracking the Barrow gang across nine states, Hamer, in conjunction with officials in Louisiana, learned that Bonnie and Clyde had visited a home in Bienville Parish on May 21, 1934, and that Clyde had designated a rendezvous point in the vicinity with gang member Henry Methvin, in case they were later separated. Methvin, allegedly cooperating with law enforcement, made sure that he was separated from them that evening in Shreveport, and the posse set up an ambush along the route to the rendezvous at Highway 154, between Gibsland and Sailes. Led by former Rangers Hamer and B. M. "Manny" Gault, the posse now included Sheriff Henderson Jordan and Deputy Prentiss Oakley of Bienville Parish, Louisiana, and Dallas County Deputies Bob Alcorn and Ted Hinton. They were in place by 9:00 that night, waiting all through the next day, but with no sign of Bonnie and Clyde.
Around 9:00 a.m. on May 23rd, the posse, concealed in the bushes and almost ready to concede defeat, heard Clyde's stolen Ford V-8 approaching. When he stopped to speak with Henry Methvin's father (planted there with his truck that morning to distract Clyde and force him into the lane closest to the posse), the lawmen opened fire, killing Bonnie and Clyde while shooting a combined total of approximately 130 rounds. Some have questioned whether there was any legal authority to kill Parker. The United States Congress awarded him a special citation for trapping and killing the outlaws. [25]
[edit] Rangers' badges and uniforms
Modern-day Rangers (as well as their predecessors) do not have a prescribed uniform; rather, they wear what they please. Historically, according to pictorial evidence, Rangers wore whatever clothes they could afford or muster, which were usually worn out due to heavy use, as well as lack of money to buy new ones.
To carry out their horseback missions, Rangers adapted tack and personal gear to fit their needs. Until the beginning of the 20th century, the greatest influence was from the vaqueros (Mexican cowboys). Saddles, spurs, ropes and vests used by the Rangers were all fashioned after those of the vaqueros. Most Rangers also preferred to wear broader-brimmed sombreros as opposed to cowboy hats, and favored square-cut, knee-high boots with a high heel and pointed toes, in a more Spanish style. Both groups carried their guns the same way, with the holsters positioned high on the gun belt around their hips instead of low on the thigh, or in cross-draw holsters. This placement made it easier to draw and shoot while riding a horse. [26]
The wearing of badges did not become common until the late 1800s. Historians have put forth several reasons for the lack of the regular use of a badge; among them, that some Rangers felt that a shiny badge was a tempting target. Other historians have speculated that there was no real need to show a badge to a hostile Indian or outlaw who without doubt knew he was in for a fight. Additionally, from an historical viewpoint, a Ranger's pay was so scanty that the money required for such fancy accoutrements was rarely available. Nevertheless, some Rangers did wear badges, and the first of these appeared around 1875. They were locally made and varied considerably from one to another, but they invariably represented a star cut out of a Mexican silver coin (usually a five-peso coin). The design is reminiscent of Texas' Lone Star flag, and the use of a Mexican peso was probably intended to belittle Texas' southern neighbors, with whom there was constant struggle. Although present-day Rangers wear the familiar "star in a wheel" badge, it was adopted officially only recently. The current design of the Rangers' badge was incorporated in 1962, when Ranger Hardy L. Purvis and his mother donated enough Mexican five-peso coins to the DPS to provide badges for all 62 Rangers who were working at that time as commissioned officers. The design has, essentially, remained the same to this day. [27]
[edit] Popular culture
The Texas Rangers police force is the basis for the naming of the Texas Rangers baseball team.
[edit] Novels
- Heavy Weather by Bruce Sterling features a run-in with a Texas Ranger patrol with the novel's group of storm chasers, which segues into a detail description of the group following the collapse of the Federal Government.
- The Lonesome Dove novels of Larry McMurtry depict the fictionalized adventures of several Texas Rangers in the mid to late 19th century.
- One Ranger: A Memoir by H. Joaquin Jackson and David Marion Wilkinson is a biography of Texas Ranger H. Joaquin Jackson.
[edit] Television
- The Lone Ranger (1933–57) (in background)
- Tales of the Texas Rangers (1955–59)
- Laredo (1960s)
- The Texas Rangers (1981)
- Walker, Texas Ranger, created in 1993 and starring martial arts practitioner and instructor Chuck Norris as Cordell Walker, has drawn much attention to this Texas law enforcement body. Late Night with Conan O'Brien features the Walker, Texas Ranger lever.
- King of the Hill (Texas rangers appear in at least two episodes.)
- Medium: Allison DuBois works with Captain Push of the Texas Rangers in several episodes
[edit] Radio
- Tales of the Texas Rangers featured Joel McCrea as Jace Pearson, personification of Texas Rangers everywhere. The show ran on NBC July 8, 1950 to September 14, 1952. Technical assistance for the program was provided by real life Texas Ranger Manuel "Lone Wolf" Gonzaullas.
[edit] Print
- Texas Rangers was a pulp sized magazine produced by Better Publications that published 206 issues beginning October 1936 with the last issue dated February 1958. It featured lead novels about Texas Ranger Jim Hatfield.
- In the tabletop roleplaying game Deadlands, the Texas Rangers hunt supernatural monsters throughout the nineteenth century's "Weird West."
[edit] Film
- "The Texas Rangers" 1936 film starring Fred MacMurray
- The Rangers have a prominent part in portions of "The Searchers", (1956), starring John Wayne.
- "The Comancheros" (1961) starring John Wayne, is a highly fictionalized account of the Rangers conflict with Comanches and their white allies.
- Bonnie and Clyde (1967) features a questionable portrayal of real-life Texas Ranger Frank Hamer.
- In True Grit (1969), starring John Wayne as a United States Marshal, Glen Campbell plays a Texas Ranger from Waco.
- In Stephen Spielberg's first film produced for theatres, The Sugarland Express, the Texas Department of Public Safety troopers call in two Texas Ranger snipers to try to kill the fugitives. (1974)
- Chuck Norris plays Texas Ranger "J.J. McQuade" in Lone Wolf McQuade (1983)
- Dennis Hopper plays Texas Ranger "Lefty" Enright in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2 (1986)
- Clint Eastwood plays Texas Ranger Red Garnett in A Perfect World (1993)
- Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez's From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) features a fictional Texas Ranger named Earl McGraw (portrayed by Michael Parks).
- Earl McGraw is a lead character in From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter (2000), a prequel to From Dusk Till Dawn.
- Kill Bill Vol. I (2003) also features Earl McGraw.
- Texas Rangers (2001) portrays the exploits of Capt. Leander H. McNelly, played by Dylan McDermott.
- Man of the House (2005) stars Tommy Lee Jones as a Texas Ranger who has to protect a group of cheerleaders that witnessed a murder.
[edit] Notes
- ↑ Robinson, Charles, The Men Who Wear the Star: The Story of the Texas Rangers.
- ↑ Webb, Walter Prescott, The Texas Rangers: A Century of Frontier Defense.
- ↑ O'Neal, Bill, Captain Jack Hays, Texas Ranger Dispatch Magazine, the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum, issue 1, 2000.
- ↑ Circelli, Jerry, Lawmen of the Old West, Western Horsemen Story. Accessed October 12, 2005.
- ↑ Ford, John Salmon, Rip Ford's Texas.
- ↑ Cox, Mike, Texas Ranger Tales: Stories That Need Telling.
- ↑ Wilkins, Frederick, Defending the Borders: The Texas Rangers, 1848-1861
- ↑ Wilkins, Frederick, The Law Comes to Texas: The Texas Rangers 1870-1901
- ↑ Parsons, Chuck & Hall Little, Marianne E., Captain L. H. McNelly, Texas Ranger: The Life and Times of a Fighting Man.
- ↑ Parsons, Chuck & Hall Little, Marianne E., ibid.
- ↑ Cox, Mike, op. cit.
- ↑ Cox, Mike, ibid.
- ↑ Harris, Charles H. III & Sadler, Louis R., The Texas Rangers And The Mexican Revolution: The Bloodiest Decade, 1910-1920.
- ↑ Harris, Charles H. III & Sadler, Louis R., ibid.
- ↑ Cox, Mike, op. cit.
- ↑ Webb, Walter Prescott, op. cit.
- ↑ Cox, Mike, op. cit.
- ↑ Texas Rangers from the Handbook of Texas Online. Accessed October 13, 2005.
- ↑ Ford, John Salmon, op. cit.
- ↑ Wilkins, Frederick, The Legend Begins: The Texas Rangers, 1823-1845.
- ↑ Ford, John Salmon, ibid.
- ↑ Robinson, Charles, op. cit.
- ↑ Dallas view trivia, about halfway down there is an image of the statue.
- ↑ John Wesley Hardin from the Handbook of Texas Online. Accessed October 12, 2005.
- ↑ Butler, Steven, In Search of Bonnie and Clyde in Louisiana, Dallas Sights. Accessed June 17, 2005.
- ↑ Circelli, Jerry, op. cit.
- ↑ The Texas Ranger Costume. Accessed September 15, 2005.
[edit] References
- Robinson, Charles, The Men Who Wear the Star: The Story of the Texas Rangers, Modern Library, (2001). ISBN 0-375-75748-1.
- Wilkins, Frederick, The Legend Begins: The Texas Rangers, 1823-1845, State House Press, (1996). ISBN 1-880510-41-3.
- Wilkins, Frederick, Defending the Borders: The Texas Rangers, 1848-1861, State House Press, (2001). ISBN 1-880510-41-3.
- Wilkins, Frederick, The Law Comes to Texas: The Texas Rangers 1870-1901, State House Press, (1999). ISBN 1880510618.
- Webb, Walter Prescott, The Texas Rangers: A Century of Frontier Defense, University of Texas Press (1989). ISBN 0-292-78110-5.
- Cox, Mike, Texas Ranger Tales: Stories That Need Telling, Republic of Texas, (1998). ISBN 1-55622-537-7.
- Ford, John Salmon, Rip Ford's Texas, University of Texas Press (1987). ISBN 0-292-77034-0.
- Harris, Charles H. III & Sadler, Louis R., The Texas Rangers And The Mexican Revolution: The Bloodiest Decade, 1910-1920, University of New Mexico Press (2004). ISBN 0-8263-3483-0.
- Chuck Parsons & Marianne E. Hall Little, Captain L. H. McNelly, Texas Ranger: The Life and Times of a Fighting Man, State House Press (2000). ISBN 1-880510-73-1.
- Barrow, Blanche Caldwell & John Neal Phillips (Ed.), My Life With Bonnie & Clyde, University of Oklahoma Press (2004). ISBN 0-8061-3625-1.
- Knight, James R. & Davis, Jonathan, Bonnie and Clyde: A Twenty-First-Century Update, Eakin Press (2003). ISBN 1-57168-794-7.
[edit] External links
1910*Official Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum
- Rangers and Sovereignty, Published 1914, hosted by the Portal to Texas History
- The Adventures of Big-Foot Wallace, the Texas Ranger and Hunter, Published 1870, hosted by the Portal to Texas History
- Diary of Ephraim Shelby Dodd : Member of Company D Terry's Texas Rangers, December 4, 1862--January 1, 1864. published 1914, hosted by the Portal to Texas History.
- Texas Rangers and The Mexican War
- Texas Rangers from the Handbook of Texas Online
- The Smithsonian Institute. The Problem of Identity in a Changing Culture. Popular Expressions of Culture Conflict Along the Lower Rio Grande Border, by Dr. Américo Paredes.
- Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum Article on Texas Rangers in Popular culture.
- The King Ranch and The King Rangers
- Excerpt detailing Ranger misconduct during the Mexican-American War.
- Lone Stars and Gunsmoke a Primary Source Adventure, a lesson plan hosted by The Portal to Texas History
- "Border Bandits" (2004) Article about a recent documentary film exposing the thousands of murders committed by Texas Rangers during the "bandit wars" of the early 20th century.
|State Police/Highway Patrol in the United States of America
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de:Texas Ranger fr:Texas Ranger Division hu:Texas Ranger Division ja:テキサス・レンジャー no:Texas Ranger Division sv:Texas Rangers (polismyndighet)


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This module bridges "Class::DBI::Loader" and "GraphViz::DBI", to allow "GraphViz::DBI" to know about "Class::DBI"'s "has_a" relationships. It provides one method in "Class::DBI::Loader", "graph_tables" which returns a graphviz object....SIMON/Class-DBI-Loader-GraphViz-1.0 - 12 Apr 2004 14:04:49 GMT - Search in distribution
SIMON/Acme-OneHundredNotOut-100 - 24 Jun 2004 14:21:59 GMT - Search in distribution
This package includes all of the needed CPAN to run a cPanel & WHM system. The first two numbers of this version (eg: 11.36) refer to the major version of cPanel & WHM system. which it applies to. MODULES REQUIRED Acme::Spork Perl extension for spork...CPANEL/Task-Cpanel-Core-11.36.004 - 19 Nov 2012 18:08:35 GMT - Search in distribution
I think it's good fun to compare Maypole against other frameworks, so here's how to build the ASP.NET tutorial site in Maypole. We begin with a lengthy process of planning and investigating the sources. Of prime interest is the database schema and th...TEEJAY/Maypole-2.13 - 18 Apr 2008 10:27:38 GMT - Search in distribution
This section lists the some of the components (and plugins) that are available to extend the runtime functionality of Catalyst. Most components are not distributed with Catalyst but should be available from CPAN. They typically require additional mod...ETHER/Catalyst-Manual-5.9009 - 13 Dec 2014 18:22:20 GMT - Search in distribution
This is a subclass of GraphViz::DBI. It can be used to generate a graph of foreign key relationships between the tables of a database, given a database handle (and perhaps a schema name and/or a catalog name). It should work for any database with a d...DOOM/GraphViz-DBI-General-0.1 - 07 Apr 2005 00:25:49 GMT - Search in distribution

subset: commoncrawl


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In 2007, Virginia Tech featured four players who were imported from Europe -- three Germans aged 25, 23 and 23 and an Englishman, 6-foot-6 Robert Edmans -- and played only one season. Richmond Times-Dispatch columnist Bob Lipper called them "ringers," whose participation "toys with the spirit of college athletics."
Weiss thought otherwise. "They are bona fide students," he told Lipper. "They are serious students. They are exceptional. They reflect the academic experience more than most kids. They're eligible by NCAA rules, and they're amateurs."
The Hokies' star was Ghanaian Patrick Nyarko, who was attracted to Virginia Tech because of its strong academic programs and spent three seasons with the Hokies before turning pro and signing with MLS's Chicago Fire.
In 2008, the Hokies lost all eight of their games in the ACC and finished with a 5-13-1 record overall.
Weiss had himself come to the United States as an exchange student in high school and stayed to star at the University of Richmond. He was at assistant coach at William & Mary before taking over at Virginia Tech, which made four NCAA tournament appearances in seven years.
"I have enjoyed my tenure here," Weiss said in a statement. "I have had the pleasure of working with some wonderful young men over the last eight years, and the program has accomplished great things. I want to thank my players, fellow coaches, Virginia Tech, the fans, alumni and the families of the players for all of their support. While I move on to other opportunities, I am proud of what we have accomplished, and I wish the team the best of luck in the fall season."
Asked about Weiss' departure, Tech athletic director Jim Weaver told the Daily Press, "It's a personnel issue. I can't talk about it. [Weiss] has some other irons in the fire."
Weiss' successor is expected to be Michael Brizendine, a Tech assistant the past five years.


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games / Previews
E3: Assassin's Creed III (PS3, Xbox 360, Windows PC, Wii-U) Preview
The main Assassin's Creed Trilogy will reach its conclusion later this year with Assassin's Creed III. Continuing off the story from the previous games, we get a look at another assassin of the Brotherhood by the name of Connor Kenway. Connor is the first ever American assassin of the franchise (his parentage is half-British and half-Mohawk/Native American). The Ubisoft Montreal team kept trying to harp on how he was indeed "half-British and half-Mohawk." And then when I asked, "What's more American than Native American?" They said, "nothing," so I believe I won that debate. The game is set in colonial America during the era of the American revolution against England. Desmond Miles' story I'm told will also be playing a major part of this game as well.
In the closed door preview at E3, the Ubisoft Montreal developers showed off several stages featured in the game. One stage features Connor in his full Assassin garb in 1700's Boston, accurately and painstakingly recreated for the game even including the old Boston statehouse which still exists today. According to Ubisoft, the maps in the game are some of the biggest ever produced. The Boston map is 1/3 scale. All the maps featured in the game will be open world as well. In the Boston stage, Connor takes out a soldier harassing a young woman. The demo showed off Connor's weapons and combat. One of Connor's trademark weapons is a tomahawk. Connor is of course no less nimble and parkour enabled as previous assassin's. In another part of the demo he creates a distraction by being able to hang a redcoat from a tree to free a man from the stockades. When evading British soldiers, Connor can call to other members of the Brotherhood for help who will come in dressed as British soldiers and pretend to fake arrest Connor to allow him to safely escape. The bail of hay to hide in is back, but this time you can hide in a wagon of hay that is actually moving and being hauled off in a neat little change on the previous games.
Since Connor is also a navy ship captain, another element to the same is warfare on the high seas. Connor and his crew in his navy vessel will engage and stage realistic ship dogfights with British ships. This gameplay looked particularly awesome to see the ships lining up and shooting their cannons followed by storming the ships for some swashbuckling action. I'm really looking forward to this game and I that the flashback story of the franchise has finally reached America and being set during the American Revolution is awesome. Other featured characters in the game will be George Washington and Benjamin Franklin.
Assassin's Creed III is set for an October release on PS3, Xbox 360, and PS3. It will be a launch title on the Wii-U afterwards for the holiday season. There will also be a new companion game, Assassin's Creed III: Liberation to be released on the PS Vita around the same time. It's set approximately around 1765 to 1780 in New Orleand and will feature the first ever female assassin for the franchise.


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CCNO / Josef Nadj (France)
Saturday October 15 at 10:00 p.m.
Teatro alle Tese
CCNO / Josef Nadj (France)
Woyzeck ou l'ébauche du vertige
choreography Josef Nadj
with Guillaume Bertrand, Istvan Bickei, Denes Debrei, Samuel Dutertre, Peter Gemza, Josef Nadj, Henrieta Varga
music Aladar Racz
lighting Raymond Blot
lighting direction Lionel Colet
produced by the Théâtre National de Bretagne, Rennes - Centre Chorégraphique National d'Orléans
The author of visionary and dreamlike performances that seem to reinterpret the paintings of Bosch, Bruegel and Chagall, harking back to his Mittel-European cultural roots (he was born in Serbia as part of the Hungarian minority), Nadj is one of the most multi-faceted artistic personalities working in France, where he has lived since 1980. Currently the Director of the Centre Choréographique National d'Orléans, a position he has held since 1995, Nadj expresses himself not only in dance and direction, but also in the figurative arts. He exhibited his sculptures in 1996 in a show called Installations – dedicated to the notion of time – which was presented in Lausanne, Limoges, Paris and other cities.
In 2000 (again in Paris and Orleans), Nadj exhibited a series of ink drawings gathered under the title of Miniatures. A trace of this artistic versatility, rooted in his education (he attended an artistic high school and took courses in art history and music at the University in Budapest), is visible in his theatre production as well. For Nadj - who is difficult to define, given that depending on what his creativity requires he relies on either dance theatre or miming or circus techniques - everything can be material to develop for his "theatre of movement", especially that which is extraneous to the tradition of dance itself. This conception led, from 1987 (the date of his debut with the extraordinary Canard Pékinois) to the present day, in a series of highly successful productions performed in France and the rest of the world: from Japan to Australia, from Brazil to Russia. His artistic versatility and the technique derived from his experience with these languages gave rise to productions such as the dance macabre 7 Peaux de Rhinocéros, the show Le Cri du Caméléon (created with the artists who graduated from the Centre National des Arts du Cirque, from the French company Anomalie) or Les temps du repli, a work for a trio composed of two dancers and a percussionist. In 1994 Nadj won the Europe Theatre Prize for New Theatrical Realities and in 2006 was named associated artist for the Festival d'Avignon.
Josef Nadj has already participated in the Dance Biennale with Petit psaume du matin in 2001, with Dominique Mercy, and in 2002 with Journal d'un inconnu, inspired by a story by Otto Tolnai. This time he has been invited by the Theatre Biennale to hold a workshop for actors, and for the occasion, he will be presenting one of the most intense productions of his repertory, which continues to tour to this day. Like many of Nadj's productions that draw their inspiration from literary sources, from Borges to Beckett, from Otto Tolnai to Bruno Schulz, Woyzeck ou l'ébauche du vertige is also inspired by a play, by Büchner's famous incomplete masterpiece; through the evocative poetics of objects, gestures and appearances, it condenses the tragic rise and fall of the soldier who murdered for love.
The black gilded Prague of the old alchemists, the poor and patient diaspora of Joseph Roth's novels, the music that tastes of puszta and cymbals, but that could easily come close to the comic desperation that Polish author Tadeusz Kantur injected into the little marches of his productions, of happiness and death. Postcards torn from the old albums of Central Europe. As one can see, pages of inspiration that Nadj likes to concentrate on a stage so small that they explode. The small rooms of a rural proletariat, minute doors and surprise boxes, from which men materialize at the limits of contortion. Crooked chairs and windows that overlook fated poverty, feeble light bulbs, rationed food on which Nadj spreads the cream of a dark, violent humour, acrobatic one might say, were it not that axes and knives are what fly through the air. (…) A play in which Büchner's defeated hero, the good soldier Woyzeck, a murderer out of jealousy and desperation, is just a stimulus for the other seven actors, who incarnate distortion. Of feeling, reduced to reaction. Of behaviour, which has become exasperation. A furious, fantastic vignette, "the beginning of dizziness" which cannot be reduced to mere theatre, dance or literature.
Roberto Canziani, Il Piccolo, 8 February 2002
What is left of Woyzeck? Nothing – nothing but the mystery of Büchner's work that Nadj miraculously preserves: the vision, the torment, murder. The low-level summations of nature that reduce man to nothing but an aching puppet. Atavistic sorrow. The fatal abyss.
Frédéric Ferney, Le Figaro, 19 July 1997.
[ Download the Festival's brochure in PDF ]
[ Download the Festival's brochure in PDF ]


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We just knew the government couldn't keep its nose out of this...
Speaking to the BBC, Lord Triesman (above) - parliamentary Under Secretary for Innovation, Universities and Skills - has admitted that formal laws may well be introduced into the United Kingdom to ban file sharing.
"If we can't get voluntary arrangements we will legislate," he said while demanding ISPs play a "more activist role" in stopping the widespread activity. "It is quite possible to know where it is happening and who it is happening with," he explained in a line which will no doubt have privacy advocates up in arms (and file sharers looking nervously over their shoulders).
Thankfully at least - unlike much action in the US - Triesman said he doesn't want to target individual members of the public deriding the idea of "hounding 14-year-olds who shared music" and instead focusing on those who distribute it for profit. "We have some simple choices to make," he added. "If creative artists can't earn a living as a result of the work they produce, then we will kill off creative artists and that would be a tragedy."
So yet another body has thrown in its money's worth. With everyone from the RIAA hunting down sharers to Radiohead launching its latest album online for a user-decided price there is clearly major industry upheaval.
Ultimately, I suggest the solution is in the hands of the record companies themselves and that is to introduce a flat rate, cross label subscription fee for unlimited access to all online music and (ultimately) video. Universal is already known to favour this approach, but how many years of negotiations and corporate infighting this will take is another matter entirely...


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Junior Connor Panas has been named a Third-Team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association. Panas and junior Rohn Pierce were voted to the ABCA Northeast All-Region First Team while senior Jimmy Luppens and sophomore Anthony Massicci were voted to the ABCA Northeast All-Region Second Team.
Panas earns All-American status for the second time as the Toronto, Ontario native was placed on the Louisville Slugger All-America Second Team. The 2014 MAAC Player of the Year also earned ECAC Division I First-Team All-Star and Capital One Academic Second-Team All-American accolades.
A unanimous selection to the All-MAAC First Team, Panas posted a .362 batting average and led the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference with six home runs and 51 RBI. Panas also had a .574 slugging percentage and 16 stolen bases in 53 games. A two-time MAAC Player of the Week, Panas also earned Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week honors on May 5, after going 8-for-11 with three home runs and 11 RBI in a sweep at Quinnipiac.
Pierce, a 19th-round draft pick of the Seattle Mariners in the Major League Baseball Draft and unanimous selection as the 2014 MAAC Pitcher of the Year and to the All-MAAC First Team, Pierce posted an 11-3 record with a 2.18 earned run average in 111.2 innings and 15 starts. The Lockport, N.Y. native is one of five pitchers in the country with an ERA under 2.50, 110 innings pitched and 11 victories. A two-time MAAC Pitcher of the Week, Pierce earned Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week honors on Feb. 17, after throwing seven shutout innings in a 3-0 win over No. 5 NC State and Carlos Rodon.
Luppens, who earned Second-Team All-Region honors in 2013, posted a .363 batting average in 55 games during his senior season and had 15 doubles to go along with 42 RBI. The Wading River, N.Y. native recorded a program-record 25 HBP and posted a .490 on-base percentage to rank in the top 15 nationally in the category. Massicci, a First-Team All-MAAC selection at shortstop, led the team with a .364 batting average and was just behind Luppens with a .489 on-base percentage. The Ithaca, N.Y. native appeared in 52 games and led the MAAC with 48 runs scored and 42 walks.
The four Golden Griffins to be named ABCA All-Region are the most in program history. Canisius had three players voted All-Region in 2013 and 2008 and have had 15 players earn the distinction in the last seven years – the most in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
Canisius All-Region Selections Since 2008
2014: Connor Panas (First Team)
2014: Rohn Pierce (First Team)
2014: Jimmy Luppens (Second Team)
2014: Anthony Massicci (Second Team)
2013: Garrett Cortright (First Team)
2013: Jon Fitzsimmons (First Team)
2013: Jimmy Luppens (Second Team)
2011: Sean Jamieson (Second Team)
2010: Ian Choy (First Team)
2010: Steve McQuail (First Team)
2009: Kevin Mahoney (First Team)
2009: Kevin Mailloux (First Team)
2008: Shane Davis (First Team)
2008: Kevin Mahoney (First Team)
2008: Kevin Mailloux (First Team)


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Travel Picks: Top 10 spots to get an adrenaline rush
LONDON (Reuters) - Everyone likes a bit of excitement on holiday. But for those bold travelers who enjoy testing their limits with exhilarating stunts, rides and thrills, the members and editors of VirtualTourist (www.virtualtourist.com) have compiled a list of their Top 10 Spots to Get an Adrenaline Rush. Reuters has not endorsed this list:
1. Bungee jumping at the Macau Tower, China
Most bungees are built into gorges or natural settings, so how about jumping off a man-made structure into a booming metropolis' harbor beneath you? This is just the case at the Macau Tower, the world's second highest bungee jump, dropping 765 feet from a platform around the tower. The views are incredible, but also terrifying. You're dropping a few feet from a steel tower with cars driving beneath you and it's enough to terrify even the most confident daredevil. If you get up there and aren't ready to jump the tower has other offerings. They provide skywalks so you can walk the perimeter of the tower on the rim, but with a harness and without needing a leap of faith. They also offer a Tower Climb. Although it doesn't involve jumping, it's even higher than the bungee. Climbers do a 328 ft. ascent to the tower's summit at 1,108 ft..
2. Trekking to Mount Everest Base Camp near Kathmandu, Nepal
One of the most popular adrenaline treks among VirtualTourist members is the trip to Mount Everest Base Camp. While making it to Everest Base Camp definitely requires some training and planning beforehand, few experiences can top the view from the Nepalese side, which is at an altitude of 17,598 ft.. A VT member suggests The Upper Mustang Trek, particularly the portion above Chele, if you want really adrenaline vertigo inducing excitement. Some travelers also consider trekking the Annapurna Circuit, and members of VirtualTourist can advise you about whether or not you should trek on your own, with a guide or porter, or with an organized group. Each of these means a different experience and pace.
3. Running with the Bulls - Pamplona, Spain
A national tradition that became an international sensation, the Running with the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain, is a once-in-a-lifetime thrill that many adrenaline junkies include on their bucket lists. Popularized by Ernest Hemingway's novel The Sun Also Rises, the Running of the Bulls occurs during the San Fermin Festival, which runs each year from July 6 to 14, celebrating San Fermin, the patron saint of Navarra. The actual "Running of the Bulls" occurs every morning of the week and serves a distinct purpose - the bulls must get from outside the city to the bullring. Just being a spectator to this event is an adrenaline rush!
4. Zip lining in Costa Rica
The jungles and animals of Costa Rica are a thrill in themselves, but the vantage point and excitement of a zip line takes the entire experience to another level. A zip line, becoming more and more popular in tropical resorts, combines a series of cables and platforms at different heights that allow visitors to travel through the rainforest canopy and over rivers and water features safely. While they are a total adrenalin rush, they also serve as a unique way to see ecology, botany, and animals up close in the wild. Zip-lines are increasingly popular and can be found throughout Costa Rica, but some of the best areas to find them are Monteverde, Arenal, and Manuel Antonio. Continued...


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Sacred 2 - Preview, Temple Guardian
Sacred 2 has been previewed at Worthplaying, with the author quite impressed:
What this doesn't touch on is how fun combat can be. Releasing an arrow from the string of a longbow can drop an unsuspecting bandit from a good ways away, smashing in a kobold's face with a mace is a reward unto itself, and though the combat is characteristically repetitive, it doesn't really feel that way. When killed enemies drop their loot and enter a nice ragdoll effect, combat sometimes gets a visceral edge, as you can snag the loot while simultaneously marveling at how an enemy's body just flipped over the railing and off the bridge.
The variety of quests in Sacred 2 keep the player busy, which at times makes the game feel more like an open-world title than an RPG. Tons of entirely optional quests pepper the landscape, tasking the player with everything from slaughtering a number of enemies to rescuing prisoners or recovering stolen items. Though plot quests must be completed in order to advance the game, every one of those the player tackles will have been offset with 20 side-quests that you complete just for the heck of it — and the experience, money and the odd item, of course.
...and the official site has details of the last class - the Temple Guardian. Head over for a wallpaper, 360 degree rendering, screen and details.
Information aboutSacred 2
SP/MP: Single + MP
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: RPG
Platform: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Release: Released


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Girl hit with shovel during fight gets Kendrick Lamar, Ludacris remix (Video)
There's a tremendous Vine video that's been going around the Internet on Cinco de Mayo, and it shows a young girl wearing yoga pants and a pink T-shirt getting KTFO by a shovel. The video is really priceless, and most people are sharing it with little regard for shovel girl's well-being. But after seeing the full fight video, it's hard not to say that she didn't have it coming.
The full video is eight minutes long and provides a little context to the fight. It seems like two girls are fighting over a guy, so they arranged a fight at shovel-thrower's house. It's all rather civilized, too. They decided to fight on their fight, with no kicking or shoes involved. Really high-level combat rules from a couple of thuggish ruggish bones.
[Also see: Shovel girl has been identified – check her out]
Before the fight, shovel girl decides to go pet some chickens inside the chicken coup on shovel thrower's house/barn. Then they agree to fight.
Shovel girl actually gets a lot of shots in and was beating up shovel thrower pretty badly. So much so that shovel thrower wanted the fight to end and demanded that shovel girl vacate the property, pronto.
When shovel girl taunts her in response and says she won't leave unless the cops tell her to, shovel thrower says she's going to get her BB gun instead.
But on the way to the BB gun, shovel thrower finds something much, much better: a shovel.
And she shows no hesitation when hoisting it at her enemy's head. Goodness.
And the best part?
Shovel girl's victory quote: "I beat her ass, so it's OK."
What's that? You say you want more? Here's the full fight video:
[Also see: Shovel girl has been identified – check her out]


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University of Virginia. Library. Rare Book Department
University of Virginia, Library, Department of rare books
VIAF ID: 139319107 (Corporate)
Permalink: http://viaf.org/viaf/139319107
Preferred Forms
4xx's: Alternate Name Forms (2)
- 410 2 _ ‡a University of Virginia. ‡b Library. ‡b Department of Rare Books
- 410 2 _ ‡a University of Virginia. ‡b Library. ‡b Rare Book Dept.
5xx's: Related Names (3)
|British bards & American re-viewers, 1987
|Fiction of James Fenimore Cooper an exhibition of American, English and continental editions and manuscripts from the Clifton Waller Barrett library, University of Virginia, April-June 1974
|The grand tour and beyond, 1982
Countries and Regions of Publication (1)
Publication Statistics
Selected Publishers (1)
Personal Information
- US - United States
- eng - English


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This is a discussion on From Arizona within the New Members Introduce Yourself forums, part of the Welcome To DefensiveCarry.com category; Hello Just found the forums, gonna start looking around now....
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HK45c V1
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Glock 27
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Proverbs 27:12 says: The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.
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Welcome from Montana.
When youre wounded and left on Afghanistans plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,
Just roll to your rifle and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldier.
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Damage + Liposuction Q&A
4 Months Post Lipo: Should I Still Be Swollen and Unable to See New Shape?
Lipo to iliac crest, sacral fat pad, abdomen, arms, waist,and outer thighs. I used to have a smooth silhouette and a nicely proportioned hourglass.... READ MORE
Will Additional Weight Loss (10lbs) After Lipo of Abs and Flanks Hurt my Results?
I am having lipo of abs and flanks on 2-28-11 and I was wondering if after I recover I want to lose an additional 10lbs would it have a negative... READ MORE
Compression Garment too tight. I damaged my skin, can you please tell me how I can help it heal faster? (photos)
I had lipo about 10 days ago. I put on the second faja at 1 week. It felt tight but I thought as long as I could tolerate it, it would be fine. Well... READ MORE
How likely is sciatic nerve damage through Liposuction/BBL fat transfer? Can that lead to paralysis ?
I am planning on having a secound round of BBL with liposuction fat grafting and I suffer from low back pain; I believe was from my previous BBL. READ MORE
I smoked after my Lipo. Can I still have successful results?
I had lipo to my trunk area and fat transfer. No smoking one week prior. I'm 7 days Post op. Day 5 & 6 I had 4 total cigarettes. After reading on the... READ MORE
I didn't wear my garments after liposuction. Is it possible that the contouring my doctor did will be damaged?
I had liposuction 3 weeks ago I slept without my garments last night. Is it possible that the contouring my dr did will be damaged because I didn't... READ MORE
Ankles and feet very swollen from Lipo Garment, when switching to shorter length spandex garment swelling goes down.
I have religiously been wearing my compression garment since I had surgery on 17/12. My post op bruising is nearly gone (Ive had 1 session of... READ MORE
Will circumferential liposuction of the calves and ankles damage the circulatory or lymphatic systems? I have cvi. I'm healthy.
I have mild cvi. My legs are nice in the morning, though I do have some extra flesh. By evening, they look thick. I saw a board certified surgeon who... READ MORE
Can a doctor accidentally stab you in your back (spine) or stomach while doing lipo? Does this cannula scrape the insides?
I have been freaking myself out lately watching BBL videos in Youtube. I was looking at the canula sometimes pointing downward during liposuction. Is... READ MORE
6 yrs post op Liposuction, I still have pain every night when I lie down. Is this normal?
In 2008, I had liposuction on the back and outer side of my legs. After all these years, I am unable to sleep on either side for more than a couple of... READ MORE
Can a plastic surgeon damage muscle in outer thigh/buttocks during lipo? What specialist would know if damage was done? (Photo)
I had lipo done 2 yrs ago by a PS. It hasn't healed fully. There's still a scab at the core. I have trouble walking even short distances. As I walk... READ MORE
My neck liposuction is horrible. Could I be permanently damaged? Will cortisone shots help?
Neck lipo 2 weeks ago. No healing progress. Followed PS instructions: head elevation, compression garment, ice first week heat the second. Neck looks... READ MORE
4 days after my Lipo I became ill and bedridden and couldn't use rolling pin. Now I have HORRIBLE hard knots.
It's been 16 days since my surgery. Can this damage be reversed with the rolling pin or is it to long after the surgery to fix it? I'm desperate!... READ MORE
Lymph damage from liposuction?
I've been to every kind of doctor and specialist trying to figure out why my legs are swollen at the end of the day, especially if I wear tight pants... READ MORE
Can multiple times liposuction on thighs (for fat transfer to breasts) cause damage to lympvessels or lympnodes?
I already had several times a mini liposuction done on my inner and outer thighs. The fat was transferd to the breasts (in total +/- 300 CC). Now I... READ MORE
Does liposuction damage collagen and make you more likely to experience premature aging in lipo'd areas?
I've been trying to find info on what actually happens to tissue during liposuction, but there's not much available out there for lay people. Will... READ MORE
What can I and the anesthesiologist do to reduce possible brain damage from a 4 hr lipo procedure done under general anesthesia?
I am 34 and having my full back, abs and flanks done removing about 1 liter. I had a bi lateral mastectomy (DCIS) 4 years ago and dont remember how... READ MORE
Will it do damage or ruin the tightening of my skin if I take off the garment for work for 6 hours 4 days a week? (photos)
I'm 2 wks after lipo to tummy flanks inner thighs it's my 1st nyt bk as a dancer I wnt be on the pole just solw stuff but I can't ware my garment at... READ MORE
Post op swelling of liposuction on inner & outer thighs? (Photo)
Im post op of inner /outer thigh lipo. I was fine the 1St few days, relatively, today, day 3, Im caring for my children & 2 hours of walking... READ MORE
I had two treatments of lipo cavitation and wonder if I did abdominal muscle damage. Will this pain go away?
I had two treatments of lipo captivation on my abdomen and since have a upper abdominal muscle pain and cramping. I stopped treatments . Will this... READ MORE


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Bedlam: A Year in the Life of a Mental Hospital
by Dominick Bosco
No current Talk conversations about this book.
Published in the 1990's, this book is a look inside a psychiatric hospital and the mental health system; the good, the bad, and the ugly. Mostly, it seems, that the bad and the ugly predominate, but there are glimmers of the good, of hope. There seem to be more caring people than not at this particular hospital, although the uncaring seem to wield more power.
I chose this book because I know little about the subject. I found it to be discouraging at times. At other times it was inspiring, hopeful, and even frightening. It was almost always riveting.
I came away with more compassion for the dangerously mentally ill, and with respect for those who battle to improve conditions for those with mental illness as well as for those who battle this disease on a daily basis.
It was well worth the read.
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Ukraine's Ugly Electionsthe Editors
Oct. 26 (Bloomberg) -- An ex-convict turned president and an ex-prime minister turned convict. A former striker for AC Milan and a world heavyweight boxing champion. The vote playing out this weekend in Ukraine has no shortage of colorful characters.
The parliamentary elections also promise no dramatic turnovers. Instead, they may well accelerate a dangerous consolidation of executive power. And the response of the European Union and the U.S. will do much to determine whether Ukraine moves down the path of democracy or sinks deeper into a morass of corruption and soft authoritarianism.
The Party of Regions, led by President Viktor Yanukovych (whose troubled youth did, in fact, land him in jail twice), is expected to win about a quarter of the vote. Next, with about 16 percent, is likely to be the UDAR (an acronym that also means "punch") party led by the boxing champ Vitali Klitschko. Poised for third place is an opposition coalition that includes the Fatherland Party of jailed ex-prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko. The other two parties projected to clear the 5 percent threshold for representation are the Communists (who have partnered with Yanukovych) and the right-wing Svoboda party.
Changing Rules
Several thousand observers from the EU, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and other international groups will watch the polls. But much mischief has already occurred, including bribery, assault, advertising buyouts and media suppression. Complicating this year's contest is a change in electoral rules orchestrated by Yanukovych that turns half the parliament's seats into "single-mandate" constituencies, which can be easily swayed or bought. There has also been an eruption of nominally independent small parties, whose purpose seems to be to splinter the opposition. Over the last two years, moreover, the president has rolled back reforms that limited executive power, a process that some fear may be further institutionalized by this election.
It's an ugly contrast to the 2010 vote that ushered Yanukovych into office, after he beat Tymoshenko in elections widely deemed free and fair. Unfortunately, Yanukovych walked away from promises to reform the economy and curb corruption. Instead, he embarked on a trumped-up prosecution of Tymoshenko and several of her Cabinet ministers; she and Yuri Lutsenko, the former interior minister, are now in jail.
Those cases, as well as a crackdown on press freedoms and dissent, led Freedom House in January 2011 to downgrade Ukraine to the status of "partly free." Such abuses also prompted the EU to suspend progress on an Association Agreement that has the potential to transform Ukraine's economy.
Simultaneously, Yanukovych has presided over a worsening decline in Ukraine's economy, which grew 5.2 percent last year, but may have entered a recession last quarter. The current-account deficit almost doubled to $8.6 billion through August. The Ukrainian Equities Index is down 47 percent this year, a steeper decline than for any other benchmark, data compiled by Bloomberg show. In addition to jeopardizing its trade agreement with the EU, Ukraine is also embroiled in a dispute with Russia over natural-gas supplies.
Most disturbingly, corruption under Yanukovych has become what Freedom House dubbed the "greatest threat" to Ukraine's democracy and sovereignty. The former Soviet Republic's rank in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index has slipped from 134 to 152, on par with Tajikistan. The concentration of wealth around Yanukovych, his family and their associates -- what some Ukrainians call the "familyization" of their economy -- has turned one of the president's sons, trained as a dentist, into one of the country's richest men.
Brazen Behavior
This increasingly brazen behavior has disquieted even Ukraine's oligarchs. Some have sponsored political parties or candidates to protect their interests. And an increasingly vibrant civil society, with monitoring groups such as Opora and Chesno, is also stepping into the breach.
The EU can keep the pressure on by setting a high bar for certifying the elections as fair and refusing to move on its Association Agreement until Tymoshenko and her former colleague are released without prejudice. While U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton joined her EU counterpart, Catherine Ashton, in calling for Ukraine to address such issues, the U.S. has seemingly been more focused on Ukraine's strategic attributes than Yanukovych's democratic failings. Instead of granting Yanukovych grip and grins, as he did at the United Nations last month, President Barack Obama would be wise to follow the lead of those in Congress who seek to remind autocrats that bad behavior has consequences, including possible restrictions such as a ban on travel to the U.S.
In addition, both the U.S. and the EU can ensure that the International Monetary Fund does not extend a frozen $15.4 billion loan to Ukraine unless it enacts some promised economic reforms. Measures such as bringing natural-gas prices more in line with the market have the added benefit of reducing opportunities for corruption; instead of using broad subsidies, Ukraine's government can ease the burden of higher prices on the poor with targeted payments.
In 2015, Ukraine will elect its next president. Over the next two years, the nation's friends should ensure that that vote, unlike this one, reflects the untrammeled will of its people.
Read more opinion online from Bloomberg View. Subscribe to receive a daily e-mail highlighting new View editorials, columns and op-ed articles.
To contact the Bloomberg View editorial board: email@example.com.


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New & featured releases, updated June 14, 2017
Terry Malts "Lost At The Party"[LP » $13.00] [CD » $8.00] [more info]
Terry Malts Lost At The Party LP/CD
Our punk heroes Terry Malts are back with their third album and it's their boldest pop statement yet. There's always been a melodic core to the Malts sound, but this time around the band has decided to focus on it, using enhanced studio techniques to emphasize the POP. The band's influences have always included flavors like the Flying Nun sound and classic power-pop, and now they put their augmented sonic palette in the service of some of their strongest tunes yet. It's still plenty punk, but also their most sophisticated outing yet.
Real Numbers "Wordless Wonder"[LP » $13.00] [CD » $8.00] [more info]
Real Numbers Wordless Wonder LP/CD
Finally! We're excited to bring you the brilliant debut album from this Minneapolis band whose string of excellent singles and EPs have been staples on the SLR turntable. Well-crafted crash-pop is the order of the day, with echoes of such greats at Television Personalities, The McTells and Cause Co-Motion adding historical color to these great songs. Wordless Wonder's ten tunes are brief and perfectly-formed, benefitting from thoughtful production that expands the band's DIY approach into rich new areas. Cut at 45rpm for maximum oomph, this great album is guaranteed to take a stake out a permanent spot in your "now playing" pile.
various artists "Continental Drift"[LP » $13.00] [CD » $8.00] [cassette » $6.00] [more info]
various artists Continental Drift LP/CD/cassette
Four great bands, two great labels and two continents meet on this stellar mini-LP. Frequent collaborators Slumberland Records and Fortuna POP! team up to bring you "Continental Drift," a smashing eight song sampler of some of the finest pop out there in 2016. Featuring new songs from Mercury Girls, The Spook School, Tigercats and Wildhoney, "Continental Drift," is a stellar survey of the state of independent pop in all its colors: tuneful, noisy, passionate and above all FUN.
Mercury Girls "Ariana"[more info]
Mercury Girls Ariana
Electrifying, sonic indiepop from this Philly supergroup that includes members of Literature, Pet Milk and Little Big League. Mercury Girls take classic indiepop as a jumping-off point and rev it up with bits of shoegaze, post-punk and 90s alt-pop. "Ariana" is gorgeous tangle of chorused, jangling guitars and Sarah's dreamlike vocals. A marvelous two and a half minutes of perfect, forward-thinking pop. On the flip, "All That Heaven Allows" leans more on the band's post-punk inspirations, marked by a careening rhythm and a huge chorus that will stick in your head for days.
Tony Molina "Confront The Truth"[7" » $6.50] [more info]
Tony Molina Confront The Truth 7"
We've all been waiting WAY too long for a new Tony Molina record, and this here eight song EP delivers in spades. Leaving the guitar crunch behind, Tony spotlights his formidable songwriting with spare, mostly acoustic arrangements that owe as much to early Bee Gees and Teenage Fanclub's mellower moments as they do to Georges Harrison and Martin. The sadness of this music has precedents in pop's past indeed, but in these songs you hear exactly what Tony found in those influences that shaped his experience -- years upon years of focus and isolation in developing his guitar and writing skills to speak to these truths. The main difference here is that where Tony's previous works felt casual and easy to digest, here we feel the full weight of his emotional needs pressed against the gentlest and most careful music of his career. The record's coda, a highlight reel of Thin Lizzy's "Banshee," indicates that the Tony you knew is still in there, but the game has changed, and the rules are entirely his own. Tony Molina is in complete control of his own destiny, and we should all care about where he's going.
Tony Molina "Dissed And Dismissed"[LP » $11.00] [cassette » $6.00] [CD » $6.00] [more info]
Tony Molina Dissed And Dismissed LP/cassette/CD
Breathless, lightning-quick power-pop songs that feature some of the best tunes we've heard in ages. Taking his cues from Thin Lizzy, Teenage Fanclub, Big Star, Dinosaur Jr and Guided By Voices, Tony has an unerring grasp on what makes great pop work, and these twelve songs (including an ace GBV cover) could all be lost 70s radio hits, albeit ones filtered through a love of punk and hardcore. Brevity is the name of the game here - most songs run under one minute and yet don't skimp at all on melody or self-deprecating humor. Awesome.
Bent Shapes "Wolves of Want"[LP » $13.00] [CD » $9.00] [more info]
Bent Shapes Wolves of Want LP/CD
Bent Shapes' second album sees them taking their angular, literate indie rock in bold directions. Catchier, tougher and more focused then their debut, Wolves of Want marries smart songwriting to infectious, energetic playing and comes out a winner. With echoes of everyone from The Feelies to The Wedding Present and Unrest, this Boston band knows their history but also knows how to write great tunes, and this is a taut, expertly-written album that is at once personal and universal, reinvigorating indie rock with fresh relevance.
Terry Malts "Nobody Realizes This Is Nowhere"[LP » $13.00] [CD » $8.00] [more info]
Terry Malts Nobody Realizes This Is Nowhere LP/CD
The Bay Area's Terry Malts are back with a smashing new album, and it's every bit the equal of their debut "Killing Time." On this tough second album, Terry Malts deliver up eleven bone-crunching punk/pop anthems that ably blend smart, disgusted lyrics with breakneck tunes and stick-in-your-head melodies. From ripping opener "Two Faces" through alienated first single "I Was Not There" right down to closer "So Serious," "Nobody Realizes This Is Nowhere" is a total blast and one of the records of the year.
Terry Malts "Killing Time"[LP » $13.00] [CD » $8.00] [cassette » $6.00] [more info]
Terry Malts Killing Time LP/CD/cassette
Smashing chainsaw pop from this great San Francisco group. Smart, funny punk-pop with all the hooks, energy and attitude you could ask for. If you're into The Undertones, Buzzcocks and/or The Exploding Hearts you should definitely check out Terry Malts. Fourteen big tunes, including "Something About You," "Nauseous" and a slamming cover of Negative Approach's "Can't Tell No One."
Pete Astor "Spilt Milk"[LP » $14.00] [more info]
Pete Astor Spilt Milk LP
"Spilt Milk" is the brand new album from indie auteur Pete Astor, previously of The Loft, The Weather Prophets, and other esteemed acts. It was recorded onto 1/2 inch tape at the home studio of James Hoare of Ultimate Painting, The Proper Ornaments and Veronica Falls, with James playing guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and singing backing vocals. "He was", says Astor, "an amazing band." Other contributions came from members of Astor's live band, with Pam Berry (Black Tambourine, Withered Hand) supplying vocals, Jack Hayter (Hefner) on pedal steel, Alison Cotton (The Left Outsides) on viola, and Robin Christian (Male Bonding) and Susan Milanovic (Feathers) on drums. The album has all the hallmarks of a future Pete Astor classic, drawing together key strands and tributaries of his work over the years, blending intuitive songwriting, acute lyrics and incisive melodies. After many years making more experimental, electronic music Astor has come full circle to the sound that made his name.


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Texas homecoming brings displays of full-frontal corsages
By Amanda Orr
HOUSTON (Reuters) - An annual homecoming rite of passage is unfolding in Texas high schools this month with the presentations of heavily ornamented corsages called "mums" that stretch from neck to knees and are festooned with trinkets often weighing several pounds.
The practice of exchanging homecoming corsages originated in the early 20th century when college men gave their homecoming dates a single, live chrysanthemum with a few short lengths of ribbon to pin on their dress.
Since then, the now apron-size mums - typically with no natural flowers - that are given by high school boys to their homecoming dates have grown bigger, more ornate and more expensive.
This has led some parents, students and school administrators to question whether the tradition has gotten out of hand and fostered what could be seen as an adornment competition among students.
The culture and pageantry of Texas high school homecoming activities now reach the level of a mini-Mardi Gras with royal courts, dances, parades, pep rallies and nearly whole-body faux-floral displays.
The homecoming mums of today are jumbo, synthetic chrysanthemums. Yards of ribbon, streamers and feather boas cascade from the arrangement with decorative trinkets, cow-bells, bows, photo frames, whistles and lights attached.
The cost for custom mums can reach $75 to $250. The corsage becomes a lifelong keepsake with many girls mounting the arrangement on their bedroom wall until they move out of their parents' home.
"Over the last few years, it has gotten popular to even add hot pink, lime green, purple or turquoise to the mums," said Amy Fogarty, co-owner of the Mum Shop in Dallas, which opened 31 years ago. Continued...


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the Family Support Program, The Arc provides a range of social
and recreational respite opportunities for hundreds of people
with developmental disabilities who live in Atlantic County.
offered through family support include:
provides a much needed break to families from the responsibility
of caring for a person with a developmental disability. This service
is provided in the family's home. Families can access 20-hours
of respite care a month. Division of Developmental Disabilities
(DDD) eligibility is required.
trained staff members will provide three to four individuals with
developmental disabilities the opportunity to spend the night
away from home in an area hotel. The individuals (depending on
the age of the group) will have the opportunity to enjoy such
activities as going to a restaurant, the movies, the boardwalk,
casino shows, or dance clubs. This program is limited to one weekend
a year per individual. Participant must be DDD eligible.
with children can often use a break on Saturday. We offer a five-hour
out-of-home respite service from 10 AM to 3 PM. Children with
developmental disabilities have the opportunity to interact and
hone their social skills. Activities are structured and designed
to improve social skills. Our staff meets the needs of the children
who require personal care and assistance. Eighteen children can
be served each week. This is a very popular service and families
must sign up each week for their child to attend the program.
DDD eligibility is not a requirement to attend.
adult respite service is provided year-round on Sunday from 12
to 5 PM to families caring for an adult with a developmental disability.
Individuals over the age of 17 can attend and participate in a
wide variety of activities. Small field trips are held several
times a year. Families (or the individuals) must call and sign
up each week. We can accommodate 16 adults each week. DDD eligibility
is not required. No transportation is provided, however, many
individuals are able use Access Link.
service allows parents who have a child with special and who need
to work beyond school hours. Four staff provide up to twelve children
after school care from 3 PM to 6 PM. DDD eligibility is required.
A small
amount of money is available for families to assist with expenses
incurred in caring for a family member with a developmental disability.
Applications are handled by the Division of Developmental Disabilities
and reviewed quarterly by a committee. In the past, families received
funds to help pay for summer camp, adaptive equipment not covered
by insurance, guardianship expenses, and special dietary supplements
to name a few. To apply contact your Division of Developmental
Disabilities case manager at DDD (609) 561-5070 for more information.
This program is specifically
designed to tailor the teaching to the students. The goal is always
to promote greater independence and to help prepare the student
for daily living responsibilities both at school or in the work
world. Typically the sessions either take place in the student's
home or appropriate community setting. To be eligible, the student
must have a developmental disability, be a resident of Atlantic
County, and meet income criteria set by the Division of Youth
and Family Services (which provides the grant to run the program).
There is no age restriction.
For further
information contact:
The Arc of Atlantic County
6550 Delilah Road, Suite 101
Egg Harbor Township, N.J. 08234
609-485-0800 or
CLICK HERE to
send email to the The Arc


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There is important work to be done. Citizens are still dependent on the City to provide services and resources even when budgets are cut.
Volunteers are capable of performing important work. Volunteers bring added labor, community resources, experience/training and serve as City ambassadors within the community.
Managing volunteers well, insures the important work is done well. Like anything else we may do, our success will be reflected by our energy, enthusiasm and devotion.