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Montgomery Student Named UA Homecoming Queen
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Emily McLaughlin of Montgomery was named The University of Alabama Homecoming Queen for 2011 Friday, Oct. 7, during UA's annual Homecoming Pep Rally on campus.
McLaughlin, who was sponsored by Phi Mu Sorority, is a senior majoring in nursing.
The following students, all seniors, were selected as members of the 2011 UA Homecoming Court:
Erika Baranek of Gloucester, Va., a communication studies major sponsored by the Student Athlete Advisory Committee
Coresa Nancy Hogan of Birmingham, a marketing major sponsored by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority
Fernanda Lima of Douglasville, Ga., an accounting major sponsored by the University Honors Program
Mary Talley of Orlando, Fla., an interior design major sponsored by Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority
The queen will be crowned at halftime of the homecoming football game between Alabama and Vanderbilt on Saturday, Oct. 8, at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
UA students selected the queen in a general election held Tuesday, Oct. 4. Some 8,245 votes were cast in this year's election; voting was done online through student myBama accounts.
(Photo courtesy of Margo V. Smith, The Crimson White)
The University of Alabama, a student-centered research university, is experiencing significant growth in both enrollment and academic quality. This growth, which is positively impacting the campus and the state's economy, is in keeping with UA's vision to be the university of choice for the best and brightest students. UA, the state's flagship university, is an academic community united in its commitment to enhancing the quality of life for all Alabamians.
- CONTACT: Linda Hill, UA Media Relations, 205/348-8325, firstname.lastname@example.com
- SOURCE: Kelli Knox-Hall, UA Ferguson Center, 205/348-3250, email@example.com


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The process of buying a new FIAT car or truck can seem overwhelming if you don't know where to begin. Edmunds.com can get you started on the right track with a convenient directory of FIAT car dealerships in and around Hamden, Connecticut. Compare online price quotes on the new or used car, truck, SUV, minivan, or wagon of your choice to locate the best deals. Edmunds.com makes it easy to find trusted FIAT car dealers in Hamden, saving car buyers time and money on what will be an important purchase.
Non Display Review Name "Was looking for a Fiat 500 Abarth and requested a quote through the Fiat website. Josh contacted me regarding my query and was very friendly and infor"... Read more Review by: rcferguson85

subset: commoncrawl


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A Jungle of Jokes
de Salvino Lombardi
Acerca del libro
You don't find a book of jokes in English like the one produced here very often. The author of this book has managed to collect over two hundred jokes for those who enjoy telling them to others.
Some say they do not manage to remember the jokes they hear or read; the secret to remember a joke is by telling it to others once or twice. When the ripe time comes you will remember that joke. It even works if you tell it to yourself several times. This also applies to those who say that they are not able to tell a joke. Telling it to yourself helps you learn how to tell a joke to others. It even helps you to learn to make the joke your own by telling it in your own unique way.
In most cases telling a joke is relieving and soothing and for most, listening to someone telling a joke is fun and entertaining.
Inicia sesión o crea una cuenta para publicar un comentario.


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Approximating Probability Distributions (III): Monte Carlo Methods (II): Slice Sampling is Lecture 13 of the Course on Information Theory, Pattern Recognition, and Neural Networks. It is the one of the series of sixteen lectures covering the core of the book "Information Theory, Inference, and Learning Algorithms". A subset of these lectures used to constitute a Part III Physics course at the University of Cambridge. To find out more about this particular topic look up for other parts of this course.
With more than 18,000 students from all walks of life and all corners of the world, nearly 9,000 staff, 31 Colleges and 150 Departments, Faculties, Schools and other institutions, no two days are ever the same at the University of Cambridge.
Suggested Courses
1034 min
15 min
14 min


text:
Mitsubishi Repair Problems? Ask a Mechanic for Answers ASAP
Hello Doug,
1) Timing Belt: I was looking for a listing of components that needed to be removed and what their torque specifications/tightening sequence are. I believe the 3.0 is an interference engine so I will need instructions on pulley locations when installing the belt
2) Valve Guides: I am going to be using an air-compressor to hold valves up. I don't know what to expect when replacing the seals. I am guessing I will have to remove the cam shaft & valve keepers. Not sure if there is anything else to this...or any potential difficulties I may run into.
Sure, time will not be a problem. I have not purchased the parts yet. Will be doing that this weekend.
Thanks for your help
PDF is perfect. Much clearer than a scan.Thanks,David
Wow. This is exactly what I was hoping for. All vehicles are pretty much the same technology. It's the little details that are unique...like using a 1/4" drive 6-point socket, or the masking tape detail. Thank You very much. Your information has been very useful.Regards,David
Hi Doug. Believe it or not, I just started the work yesterday. Started valve stems today. I'm almost positive I know the answer to this, but since it happened to all cylinders and the car does run excellent I will get your feedback:After removing both intake & exhaust rockers on passenger side head, i pumped each cylinder with air. In each case, I heard air leaking through the valves or piston rings. With both sets of rockers removed the valves are all closed & the cylinder should be perfectly sealed. Could all my piston rings be bad?Your feedback is much appreciated. Regards,David
Hi Doug,
This is turning into somewhat of a nightmare. Everything is installed and running. I test drove it till it warmed up and even let it sit for awhile to verify there would be no smoke and that everything would run as expected. It did for me... so I turned it over to my buddy. However, on his way home, he said the oil light was coming on/off, particularly when he accelerated. I am crossing my fingers...hoping it is the pressure sensor and not a more serious problem. Could end up being a clogged screen or filter but I doubt it. Can you tell me where the oil pressure sensor is located so I can check its operation? Also, we have been covering a lot of information. I don't want to use this service unfairly...let me know if I need to post a new question.
Thanks for all your help/guidance on this.
Hi David,Did you do any work near the oil filter (the oil pressure switch is right there)?Did you have any sludge in the head, and if so did you try to clean it?
You mentioned some timing belt work you had done... you didn't happen to tug hard on the wire harness that goes down on the driver side upper timing cover area did you? This leads down to the AC and oil pressure switch.
No risk the rocker shafts were put on backwards?
With the light coming on with rpm rather than going out with rpm, I would be more concerned with a loose/damaged wire and fan turbulence is making it lose connection. Let me know on those questions though. I will be leaving shortly, but will catch up with you in the morning if we miss each other.It's OK to continue here for now. You can always offer a bonus later :)


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The Elise Shifrin of 'Cosmopolis' reportedly confirms her involvement in 'The Amazing Spider-Man' franchise, and is now rumored to be the replacement of Shailene Woodley.
Just yesterday fans heard that Shailene Woodley would no longer be committed to "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" or any other production related to the franchise, a new name now emerges as her possible replacement. ET Canada confirms via Twitter that "Cosmopolis" star Sarah Gadon "is joining The Amazing Spider-Man franchise."
Though the site does not give further details of what role Gadon agreed to take on, it leads to a speculation that she might be the one who's gonna take over the Mary Jane Watson role. MJ will be introduced in "The Amazing Spider-Man 3" following Marc Webb's decision to "streamline the story and focus on Peter and Gwen and their relationship" for the second film.
Woodley, who only shot around three scenes, admitted to Entertainment Weekly that she felt "bummed" after dropped from "Amazing Spider-Man 2". Even so, she respected Webb's "need for holding off on introducing MJ until the next film."
"MJ only appeared in a few scenes and I wouldn't trade the experience of working with Andrew [Garfield] and Emma [Stone] for three days on set for the world," she said.
"Amazing Spider-Man 2" is headlined by Andrew Garfield, and will be widely released on May 2, 2014.


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"Nothing is more capable of troubling our reason, and consuming our health, than secret notions of jealousy in solitude."
Related quotes
"If one tells you some things about another person, be aware that he will also tell another about you in the same manner."
"A competent and self-confident person is incapable of jealousy in anything. Jealousy is invariably a symptom of neurotic insecurity."
"Jealousy would be far less torturous if we understood that love is a passion entirely unrelated to our merits."
"Life is one big road with lots of signs. So when you riding through the ruts, don't complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy. Don't bury your thoughts, put your vision to reality . Wake Up and Live!"


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Quince Trees
A relative of the apple, the quince is one of the earliest known fruits. For over 4,000 years, quince trees have grown in Asia and the Mediterranean. Today, they are also found in Latin America, the Middle East and here in the United States where there is a resurgence of interest in this ancient fruit. Quinces typically aren't eaten fresh (with the exception of the Aromatnaya Quince), but make wonderful marmalades, are a lively addition to apple sauces and pies, and compliment meat dishes. Because they contain a large amount of natural pectin, they are also ideal for jellies, chutneys and preserves. Quinces are all low chill (300 hours), self-fruitful and tolerate wet soils better than most fruit trees.


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A Bunch Of Famous Guys Walked In Prada's Show
If you're Miuccia Prada, you don't get just anybody to walk in your fashion show. No, no, you enlist some of your famous friends — like Tim Roth, Willem Dafoe and Emile Hirsch — to pretty themselves up and walk the catwalk for your Fall/Winter 2012 collection. Keep clicking to see who channeled their inner "Zoolander."


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Someone set on fire two black trash cans full of trash sometime before trash pickup on Tuesday (1/8). The cans were in the alley between Rose Ave. and Flower Avenue, close to 7th Street.
I wonder if this is the same firebug that was lighting cars on fire one alley over near Flower and 7th.
If anyone saw anything strange Monday night or early Tuesday, please call LAPD with the info. Would be especially helpful if someone has video from the alley that night.
7:35 am
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This handsome little fur-fella is our first ever cream and white teacup Persian! It has been a REAL struggle as to if we should keep him or list him up for sale. He is super tiny & ultra petite, but has an incredibly fluffy coat!!
At this point he will be listed available, but if not sold shortly will remain back as a future breeder.
His markings are absolutely perfect! He is a very energetic little guy and is always purring! He is too cute!
For more information on this unique little fella, please visit our website.


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What is a list of water saving features in a home?
So if you are building a house, what are some obvious or non-obvious water saving features?
e.g: Water tanks, using half-flush, 4 minute showers, ect.
Best answer:
Answer by dave
id say youve pretty much nailed it with those there, that will save alot
Add your own answer in the comments!
Alternative Fuels, Green Technology, Hot Niche, HHO Hybrid, Besthybrid
Most Complete Water Hybrid Diy Guide - Very High Demand, Help People Save Money And Environment! Low Refunds,high Conversions, Refund Protection Guarantee! Alternative Fuels,green Technology,hot Niche
Alternative Fuels, Green Technology, Hot Niche, HHO Hybrid, Besthybrid


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A brand from Germany, Borbet wheels can be seen as Original Equipment on a number of Europe's most prestigious vehicles from the likes of BMW and Volkswagen to Mercedes-Benz and more. Borbet wheels are also available as upgrades to Original Equipment, which means that you, too, can drive on a set of premium light alloy wheels customizing the look of your vehicle. And Borbet has fully earned the reputation of being a premium alloy wheel brand. Every Borbet wheel undergoes extreme tests in quality assurance to cement that high-quality status.
Here are a few Borbet favorites:


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SOUTH FLORIDA — Shipments (8-7-11, endive 4-3-4, escarole 4-4-7) — Movements expected to remain about the same. Trading moderate. Prices generally unchanged. Cooling included. Endive 1 1/9-bushel cartons/crates 18s (include some 14s and 16s) $10.95. Carton 24s $12.95. Escarole 1 1/9-bushel cartons/crates 18s (include some 14s and 16s) $10.95; 24s $12.95. Quality generally good.
IMPERIAL, COACHELLA AND PALO VERDE VALLEYS, CALIF., CENTRAL AND WESTERN ARIZONA AND MEXICO CROSSINGS THROUGH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND SAN LUIS, ARIZ. — Shipments (CA 1-1-1, AZ 2-2-3, crossings MX light) — Movement expected about the same. Trading early slow, late moderate. Prices slightly lower. Cartons 24s endive (wide range in price) mostly $9-12.50, escarole mostly $10.35-12.35. Quality generally good.


text: Afrush, you shld have gone higher than $50; more of a discount; empty the tank first. Safeway keeps tabs on area prices and the discount is higher to the amount purchased. Everyone. remember you do have to have a Safeway, Pavillion or Von's card or a number by using your telephone number. Great savings compared to other stations in the area excluding Cosco which may very.


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So pretty much everyone in Cape Town under the age of 20 is losing their sh*t that Justin Bieber will be performing tonight at CT Stadium and i'm told there are already plenty of people camping out at the gates to the concert. Yes they slept there last night. The Bieber landed in Africa yesterday (he tweeted it so it must be gospel) and here's the first pic of him with SA police.
Haha..that's all you're getting you desperate Bielieber you. Deal with it.
There's another pic of him outside the building being escorted by the same police and that big oke
his boyfriend in the red t-shirt.
And then there's a pic floating around of Bieber at the McDonalds in Green Point last night posing with staff. Given the fact the there were plenty of crazed fans just meters away waiting for the concert at the CT Stadium i'm totally convinced that he went there all on his own at night and risked getting mobbed
If you spot Bieber in Cape Town send me a pic hey.
You will get good Bieber karma or whatever they call it.
[pics via Twitter…err'body claiming it as their own and i'm too lazy to go find the source]


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Sto-Rox QB chasing WPIAL title, passing record
Someday, Sto-Rox football players will tell tales about their championship clashes with the dynastic Clairton Bears. After losses to Clairton in the WPIAL Class A title game the past two years, though, the Vikings are hoping 2013 brings with it a victory story.
Coach Dan Bradley stopped short of calling the losses — which came by 42-6 and 58-21 margins in 2011 and '12, respectively — motivating factors for this season. But now that his team has played on the mammoth Heinz Field stage in consecutive seasons, he said he believes the experience can help them bridge the gap between contending for and winning a title.
"It's always tough to end the season on a loss, and the further you go in the playoffs, the harder it is to absorb that loss," Bradley said. "But we're anxious to get this season under way."
Once they do, they'll use the same formula that's helped them win 23 of their past 26 games: Follow Lenny Williams.
The senior quarterback, who threw for 2,237 yards last season, could challenge the WPIAL's all-time record for passing yardage, a milestone he's openly shooting for.
"I was never much of a personal stat person," said Williams, who has 5,632 career yards and is chasing South Fayette grad Christian Brumbaugh's record of 7,164. "But this is a big thing, so to be able to get that would be big for me and my team, so I'm definitely going to try and get it."
However, a hand injury could cause him to miss a couple weeks.
If Bradley has his way, though, Williams will make his presence felt not only in the passing game but also the running game.
The coach noted his signal caller has a tendency to hold onto the ball despite possessing the athleticism to scramble a bit more, so he's encouraging Williams to look for open space when designed passing plays break down.
"I'd like to see him run a little bit more when the third or fourth guy isn't open," Bradley said.
Williams said film study in the offseason revealed numerous situations where running lanes were open last year. Though he likes to make the big plays, he said he believes recognizing the medium gains when they present themselves will be important.
"This year, I'm going to try to be way smarter in everything," Williams said. "If it's easier for me to just pick up 15 yards instead of throwing 70 yards down field, I don't have a problem with that."
But when throwing, senior wideout Mallory Claybourne, a transfer from Perry, will be among Williams' top targets.


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Loyalist Township Council Resists Bullying By Algonquin Power
May 30, 2017 Category: Uncategorized
Stella, May 30, 2017
The Association to Protect Amherst Island (APAI) applauds Loyalist Township Council's decision to defer approval of Windlectric's Operations Plan for the Amherst Island wind turbine project. Council resisted pressure from Algonquin Power to approve a Plan that in Windlectric's own words, anticipates "Structural failure of lsland roads".
On May 29, 2017, Mr. Jeff Norman, Chief Development Officer for Algonquin Power wrote:
"Due to the differences separating Windlectric and the Township, Windlectric can see no basis on which arbitration can be avoided on some of the issues identified in the Staff Report...Read More
Paper Scissors Stone Gallery Supports the Great Amherst Island Yard Sale
May 25, 2017 Category: Uncategorized
Presents the
2017 Collection of Chive Vases
12485 Front Road
Saturday May 27
Below is a 2017 selection of vases that we believe will appeal to anyone who is opposed to wind turbines on Amherst Island. We are pleased to donate 100% of all sales from these vases to support the environmental and cultural objectives of APAI. Great hostess gifts!
The 2017 Chive / APAI Vase Collection
Atrion Tube Vase – silver ceramicRead More
As far as modern decorative vases come, they truly don't come as classy, cool and current as the Atrion tube vase that Chive has designed...
Special Council Meeting re Operations Plan
May 15, 2017 Category: Uncategorized
Loyalist Council will consider Windlectric's Operations Plan on Monday May 29 at 5:00 pm (Note correction!)
Of equal importance Council will consider verbal submissions at its meeting on Tuesday May 23 2017 at 7:00 and will consider written submissions no later than Tuesday May 23rd at 4:30 pm.
Please attend both meetings and ensure your voice is heard.
This is a critical opportunity to make the case about the impact on your property. You may wish to comment on the lack of survey information, safety, load bearing capacity of roads, truck traffic, location of collectors, enforceability given Windlectric's performance to date, compliance, impact on your well and aquifers, and all aspects of the project keeping in mind that Council is limited by the Green Energy Act.
You can view the Operati...
Who are you going to call?
April 3, 2017 Category: Uncategorized
APAI continues to take all possible legal action to stop the ill-conceived Amherst Island Wind Project. In the meantime, please be an active steward of our community and Lake Ontario. The sunken barge and fuel spill in Picton Bay (and Windlectric's deafening silence) has heightened our concerns about safety and compliance. If you know of a safety or compliance issue for the proposed Amherst Island Wind Project please contact the following. Only you can accurately report what you witness.
Emergency – Call 9 1 1
State your name, exact location and type of emergency. Remain calm, follow the operator's instructions, and stay on the line until the operator advises you to hang up. Be prepared to signal first responders as to the location of the emergency if it is safe to do so.
Fuel Spills – Rep...Read More
Ministry of the Environment missing in action on Prince Edward County fuel spill
April 3, 2017 Category: Uncategorized
Parker Gallant Energy Perspectives
Ministry of the Environment missing in action on Prince Edward County fuel spill
Hard to imagine how a wind power contract handed out by the Ontario Power Authority could have a negative impact on Prince Edward County miles away, but it has! The contract was awarded to a shell company (Windlectric Inc.) owned by Algonquin Power. The approval granted Windlectric is to erect 26 industrial wind turbines (IWT) each soaring over 500 feet high with a capacity of 74.3 MW on Amherst Island. When completed they would deliver unneeded surplus power intermittently and unreliably.
Needless to say, residents of Amherst Island have been fighting the IWT invasion...Read More
March 24, 2017 Category: Uncategorized
STELLA- March 23, 2017
Following the Ontario Energy Minister's statement that there is a robust supply of energy for decades to come, the Association to Protect Amherst Island (APAI) called on the Provincial Auditor-General, Bonnie Lysyk, to examine why the provincial Liberal Government is not exercising its right to terminate an expired wind turbine contract signed in February 2011 and save the Ontario taxpayers more than $500MM over the next 20 years. Windlectric, a subsidiary of Algonquin Power and Utilities Corporation, continues with plans to build a 75 MW wind project on Amherst Island that would produce unnecessary and expensive electricity costing $140 per MWh.
Although Premier Wynne admitted that the "green energy" policy is a mistake and that the electr...Read More
Deny Approval of Parkland for Construction: MOECC
March 3, 2017 Category: Uncategorized
STELLA, March 2, 2017
The Association to Protect Amherst Island (APAI) has requested the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) to reject INVISTA (Canada)'s Application for an Amendment to a Certificate of Property Use (CPU) to allow construction of the Amherst Island Wind Project mainland dock on contaminated land.
APAI submitted a report to MOECC produced by XCG Consulting Ltd, Environmental Engineers and Scientists detailing the reasons why MOECC should reject the Application to amend a Condition of the Certificate of Property Use that specifies that "the owner or agents refrain from using the property for any other use other than 'Parkland Use' ".
APAI submits that INVISTA's Application fails to address several key environmental risks, is incomplete, and lacks several...Read More
Dock location causing friction on Amherst Island
February 6, 2017 Category: Uncategorized
Kingston, ON, Canada / CKWS TV
CKWS Newswatch February 06, 2017 05:48 pm
This open field on Lake Ontario faces Amherst Island – it's the perfect spot for bird watchers and dog walkers to come spend time on a nice day.
But that could soon change – and there's not a whole lot Loyalist Township can do about it.
Ric Bresee: "Loyalist Township needs to be more involved in the approvals and the requirements before such projects go forward. But this is just another example of how the Municipality has absolutely no options."
The land is actually owned by Invista – which has an industrial park across the Highway.
As of now it's zoned as parkland, but it's looking to have the 'Certificate of Property Use' changed temporarily in order for Algonquin Power and its subsidiary Windlectric t...Read More
Stop the Outrage – Write Minister Glen Murray re EBR 012-9749 re Contaminated Invista Lands
February 6, 2017 Category: Uncategorized
Stella, February 6, 2017
After assuring the public repeatedly that all approvals were in place and starting construction of the Amherst Island wind project, Windlectric was advised by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) that the company lacks approval to use the contaminated Invista South Parcel lands designated as Parkland...Read More
Amherst Island: perfect example of why wind power can be a bad choice
January 30, 2017 Category: Uncategorized
Parker Gallant Energy Perspectives January 29 2017
Thank you Parker for highlighting the folly of the Amherst Island Wind Project.
Cancel the contract Minister Thibeault 416-327-6758
Ontario's Energy Minister Glenn Thibeault, at the launch of planning for the next Long-Term Energy Plan, said "We have a robust supply of all forms of energy for at least the next 10 years." The month prior to the launch he announced the suspension of LRP II slated to acquire another 1,000 MW of renewable energy. His claim at that time was, it would save ratepayers $3.8 billion in electricity costs over the projected term of the contracts.
Cancel the contracts
Why didn't he go further and cancel contracts that have not broken ground and saved billions more? Amherst Island's "Windlectric" project, owned ...Read More


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款式: 22669626 颜色:
Free People
cutest shorts ever
buuut runs large and trust me i have hips :) Im size 4 (sometimes 6) but XS was for me. sideways are little puffier in the shorts. because of the lace and the stitching. so if u are wide on sides it may make u look wider in light colors.. if so choose dark ones.. xoxo
Super Cute, but Heavy Fabric
This is a great short. It works like a basic but the lace keeps it from being too boring or typical. I purchased the white and thought it was ok (I actually wanted the teal or the red, but they were out of my size). It fit mostly TTS, maybe a smidgen large. Since all the reviews indicated that it ran big I ordered a medium when I usually wear a large, especially because I wanted to minimize the billowy shape some people experienced in the lower half of the shorts. That did the trick, but the medium waistband was a little tight, but it's stretchy so not uncomfortably so. I think I would have kept these shorts in the end if they hadn't been white lace - just isn't my style (a little too sweet and feminine) and I'm afraid I wouldn't have worn them often enough to justify the purchase. I will say from an objective point of view that these shorts have great styling potential if they're your kind of shorts, and could easily be dressed up or down for both day and night. Oh, I also found the fabric to be a bit heavy, so maybe not ideal for the hottest/most humid summer days, but certainly doable for evenings and more temperate weather.
These are a "skort" which means skirt + short, so they do have some flair. I don't mind that. In hot weather, I don't like tight clothing...even shorts. The lace is good quality, somewhat durable #not fragile# and very very soft. These drape nicely. I bought the burgundy which is a real rich red and very classy. My only complaint is...NO POCKETS! :#
Too big!
What a bummer! I love lace shorts and based on all the rave reviews, I thought for sure these were a winner. They are beautiful and seem very well made. However, they was waaaay too much fabric on the sides of the shorts and it made me look like I was wearing more of an A-Line skirt rather than actual shorts. In a nutshell, I felt like I looked really wide in the shorts. Not at all flattering! For reference, I am 5' 1" 108lbs and ordered the XS. Oh well...the search continues.
These shorts are much better than a similar pair sold last year. They are not sheer, so they can be worn without tights, and they have an elastic waist band to keep them from falling. The lace is beautiful and the fit is great. I imagine they fit true to size, although I sized down because I have a very small butt. Both the Small and Extra Small fit me in the waist though. For reference, I have 35" hips. These also can be worn high or low on the hips to vary length because of the elastic waistband which is really nice for occasion versatility.
don't want to wear anything else
I adore these shorts! They're so comfy and roomy and pretty. They seem to run big, but I have never been able to figure out my size in FP. For reference, I'm 5'5", about 135, typically size M in tops and bottoms, and I got an M in these because I wanted the shorts to be nice and loose all over. They are *very* loose. People who like their clothes to be more form-hugging miiight want to size down. I got these in the olive color and the photo is pretty accurate. The only negative for me is that the lace is already snagging, but this could be my kitten's fault - I didn't keep track of when or how the snags happened. Lace should always be treated delicately, though, so for me it's not so much a complaint as a caution.
Love them
These shorts are so cute! They can be dressed up or down! I receive tons of compliments on them every time I wear them. The fit is pretty accurate; maybe a little small around the waste. I love these shorts and want another pair. I hope they go on sale!
A little baggy
I fell in love with these shorts and bought the coral back in June. I bought a medium and then read reviews where everyone says they run big. Based on the picture, they look like they have a loose fit so I didn't mind it at first. Sometimes I roll the top because I find that the cut on the crotch is baggy. I am so in love I want to buy more colors! It is definitely worth trying these on in store though because I am 5'9 and I found the small would of been to short on my legs


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Not far from Kitimat, B.C., on the rugged western shore of Douglas Channel, a plot of land is set to serve as the terminus of Enbridge Inc.'s $6.5-billion Northern Gateway project.
It is from this spot, if the pipeline can be built, that Alberta crude will pour on to supertankers, opening Canada's energy industry to Pacific markets and providing a key western outlet for surging output from the vast oil sands. It's an unremarkable tree-covered shoreline, but for Gateway it's critically important.
And in the fall of 2011, Enbridge nearly lost it, after the Haisla First Nation staged a bold attempt to seize control of the land in question – one of the most striking examples of the rancour that has swelled around the project.
Now Northern Gateway is mired in deep uncertainty. Local qualms have blossomed into broad opposition, raising questions about its viability.
The ill will Enbridge faces in building a project identified as vital to Canada's international trade strategy speaks to the frailty of the many multibillion-dollar new developments planned by the country's resource sector, which are key to the country's economic future. Gateway has made clear there's no certain path for resource expansion, even for projects with the full weight of government support behind them.
It was, after all, just over two years ago that Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver boldly declared: "Gateway, in our opinion, is in the national interest."
Federal enthusiasm for Northern Gateway, however, has since appeared to cool as attention has shifted elsewhere. This week, Prime Minister Stephen Harper called TransCanada Corp.'s $12-billion west-to-east pipeline plan an "exciting" project "that will assure all of Canada will benefit from our energy industry."
Yet the success of TransCanada's Energy East plan will depend in some measure on the company's ability to solve many of the same issues that Enbridge has faced on the West Coast – skeptical First Nations, politicians and activists – and avoid the tangled socio-political mess Gateway finds itself in.
In coastal British Columbia, Enbridge's years of attempts to smooth the way for Northern Gateway have been met with a deepening sense of mistrust in local communities. In some places, the company's efforts to win support have succeeded largely in strengthening the resolve among critics that it vanish from their province.
Northern Gateway, to be sure, is far from dead. It maintains broad resource sector support, its backers still give it solid odds of succeeding, and Enbridge still has months, if not years, to make the case that turning down this pipeline would do great injury to Canada.
But in the face of broad opposition, the prospects for Northern Gateway are decidedly cloudy. Indeed, it has become a kind of modern-day template for industrial projects gone wrong.
"It couldn't be any worse for Enbridge. They have become a four-letter word," says Robert Metcs, a consultant who has spent years working with B.C. First Nations on pipeline projects. Or worse. Enbridge is "sort of like the Harry Potter thing. Like the name you do not mention."
The First Nations factor
It wasn't always this way. Northern Gateway entered B.C. with a flourish few now remember. At the outset, Kitimat and Prince Rupert, a nearby coastal town, did battle for the privilege of landing Gateway. "The community at that time was quite anxious to have the terminal locate here," recalls former Kitimat mayor Rick Wozney.
In the years since, however, Northern Gateway has become to some a textbook example of how not to pursue a major industrial development, particularly in the unsettled First Nations landscape of British Columbia, where corporations face great demands to employ sympathetic ears, not to mention hands willing to reshape plans wrought in faraway office towers.
Other companies interested in the Kitimat area "now come to us and they say they'll do the opposite of what Enbridge did to talk to First Nations," says Ellis Ross, chief councillor of the Haisla.
Enbridge executives themselves acknowledge that they have made missteps: that in its early days, the Alberta company did not fully understand British Columbia; that it leaned too heavily on outside help; that it has not listened well enough.
But the company also argues that the outsized shadow over its name is not deserved, and the record shows its Herculean effort to engage with those along the 1,177-kilometre route. Former chief executive officer Pat Daniel devoted nearly a week of his time in 2009 to personally visit a series of coastal communities, staying late in some to hear the outpouring of opinion. The company has documented some 2,000 meetings with those along the route. It has flown First Nations to multiple-day primers on how pipelines work, and brought them together to discuss ways to profit from the project.Report Typo/Error
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HaydenMarie Model
Alex WhiteheadModel Male Las Vegas, Nevada, US
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About MeHi my name is Alex, I am 20 years old, and a freshman in college studying Biological Sciences. Making my climb to be an IFBB PRO. Since about 3 years ago I fell in love with the gym and the natural high from it, and now after placing 2nd in my first show i cant wait for many more. I feel like everyone has there true calling in life and i feel like this is it for me. Need any more information about me please contact me, really looking forward to hearing back. Thanks
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I've reviewed the report personally and was alarmed by several of the accusations, but two particular issues really stood out to me as having the ability to completely undermine the USDA's organic standards.
First, genetically modified ingredients, or any ingredients manufactured using genetically modified substances as a medium, should never be approved under USDA organic standards!
Next, and perhaps most concerning, is the bias towards Big Food that the USDA seems to have when it comes to appointing members to the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). The NOSB was established under the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (part of the 1990 Farm Bill). The United States Secretary of Agriculture set up a 15-member board to make recommendations on policies regulating the production and distribution of organic food and products. In order to protect the integrity of this board, there were strict rules put in place about who would serve on the board. Here are the rules:
- four shall be individuals who own or operate an organic farming operation;
- two shall be individuals who own or operate an organic handling operation;
- one shall be an individual who owns or operates a retail establishment with significant trade in organic products;
- three shall be individuals with expertise in areas of environmental protection and resource conservation;
- three shall be individuals who represent public interest or consumer interest groups;
- one shall be an individual with expertise in the fields of toxicology, ecology or biochemistry, and;
- one shall be an individual who is a certifying agent as identified under section 2116
These and other accusations in the report must to be thoroughly investigated and swift action taken to prevent any further discrediting of the USDA and the organic food movement, which is why I took the time to sign this proxy and mail it to The Cornucopia Institute.
That being said, I am not against the USDA's organic program. In fact, I think this program has done a great deal to bring transparency and integrity to the organic food movement. I know first-hand that there are many wonderful organic products being produced under the USDA Organic label by hardworking farmers and visionary business owners, and I couldn't agree more with Cornucopia Institute co-director, Mark Kastel's statement when he says, "we implore consumers not to reject organics because a handful of corporations have acted recklessly and the USDA has failed to do their legally mandated job. Organic farmers, and their ethical processing partners, need your support now more than ever."


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Every so often I suffer from fairly powerful migraines, and normally have some painkillers to hand to deal with the symptoms. However, a few months ago I was hit by a migraine late in the evening and had run out of painkillers, and so my girlfriend went out the next morning to buy me some tablets to ease the pain. She decided to buy these tablets due to the price (45p for 16 tablets, significantly cheaper than premium brand painkillers at around £2.40), which now come in a half white, half navy blue box with white writing instead of the picture displayed.
The packaging claims that the tablets (caplets) are capable of easing the pain of a variety of things including: headaches and migraines, sore throats, muscle pain, cold and flu symptoms and tooth pain. They contain aspirin, caffeine, paracetamol and sorbitol.
I took two of these caplets with water, and although they did help with some of the symptoms, they took a long time to kick in, which is why I tend to prefer the faster acting premium brand painkillers. The caplets look like slightly elongated pills with rounded edges, and do not have the powdery texture common to some tablets and pills, nor do they leave any after-taste when taken.
Recently my girlfriend also came down with a severe headache, and took one of these caplets after some persuasion, as she does not normally like taking tablets. According to her the tablet kicked in after around 20 minutes and the headache went completely away shortly after this.
In my opinion these caplets do not live up to their claim of being super-powered, although given the price they are reasonable enough painkillers.
Thank you for reading
The Platypus Hoser is a plastic water bladder with a short plastic hose attachment capped with a flexible silicone bite cap. It comes in 3 sizes, 1L, 2L and 3L and is designed to fit easily into a rucksack. In fact, many modern rucksacks come with a specially designed section for water bladders or at least a hook in the main section to attach the bladder to. The Platypus Hoser is designed to allow for easy access to water while hiking, biking or climbing without the need to stop and extract a water bottle from your rucksack.
It is easy to use, simply remove the hose, fill with water or other liquid, reattach the hose and then place top down into the rucksack and attach the hose the one of the arm straps. While walking you can then simply bite down on the silicone cap and drink the water. In my experience the Hoser does not add any plasticy taste to the water, and the bite cap has a very inoffensive taste.
Depending on the length of my hiking trip, I will take a 2L Hoser, and either 1 or 2 1L Platypus bladders with sports bottle caps tucked into side pouches of my rucksack filled with fruit squash to drink when I break for lunch, when cooking in the evening or if the main bladder runs out of water.
If you are planning on using them in very cold environments (for instance while ice climbing or winter mountaineering), you may find that the exposed sections of the hose may freeze, however it possible to purchase insulation tubing designed for water bladder hoses in outdoor shops which will reduce the chances of the hose freezing.
I have been using my current set of Platypus water bladders for the past 3 years, and have never had reason to complain about the quality of the materials or design, and have never had any real problems while using them on trips. I bought these water bladders from the Cotswold Outdoors shop in Nottingham 3 years ago, and paid around 15 pound for the 2L bladder and 10 pounds each for the 1L bladder.
Thank you for reading
A few weeks ago I got a really bad migraine and had barely any painkillers in the house, so had to suffer through the night. In the morning my girlfriend went down to Sainsburys to pick up some painkillers, and came across a box of these cooling strips. A small box of 4 of these strips was selling for around £2.89 at the time.
Packaging is fairly minimal, a basic card box around 3"x5"x1", containing two resealable packets, each of which contains two of the cooling strips. To use, you remove the thin transparent layer of plastic over the gel, and apply to the area who wish to relieve pain from. The box recommends applying the strips to either the forehead or the back of the neck. The strips themselves are approximately 1.5"x4" and the box suggests they are good for up to 8 hours of use.
The box also recommends the strips for use with high temperatures, hot flushes and sprains as well as headaches, and because the gel contains no medication, you can safely combine their use with normal pain relief tablets, and they do not require any refrigeration before use. In addition the strips can be cut to size if required.
The strips are very easy to use, simply remove the plastic film and apply to the area, and the cooling effect sets on almost instantly. The strips do not leave any sticky residue after removal, and in my opinion the cooling effect from the gel lasts between 6 and 8 hours of use. Combined with painkillers they were reasonably effective at relieving most of the pain from the headache, although I think if I had had them when the initial symptoms kicked in they would probably have been much more effective. I ended up using 2 or 3 of these strips before the migraine let up a few days later.
Since then I have purchased another box of these strips and have found them to be also useful for relieving aching neck and shoulder muscles, and have luckily not had to use them to treat any more headaches yet.
I would recommend these strips to other people who suffer from migraines and severe headaches, although they are in no way a miracle cure, and so normal medication should probably be used in combination if your headaches are really bad.
Thank you for reading
My girlfriend had a white pair of these headphones lying around in a drawer for quite some time, and so when my recent pair of headphones died, I borrowed her pair. I tend to go through sets of headphones fairly quickly, but given their age, this set still lasted a reasonable amount of time.
Unlike some other in-ear headphones, these are made of a slightly flexible material and so are generally more comfortable, although the flexible earpiece made it possible to pop the plastic cover and the speaker device out of the housing without too much effort. The sound quality was reasonable, and the wiring held up to a fair amount of stress, unlike some pairs of headphones I have had where the wire has separated from the earpieces after a few weeks of use.
However, the headphones did eventually reach the stage of only working in one ear unless the wire was held at a specific angle and position. All in all, they probably lasted through 3 months of fairly frequent use before beginning to fail, and another 1-2 months before giving up entirely.
These headphones are currently available for £5.49 on Amazon, and come in Black, White, Pink, Blue, Red and Orange. For that price, I think the quality and lifespan of the headphones was fairly reasonable, and would probably buy another set when my current headphones need replacing.
Thanks for reading
Warning, this is a long review.
Warhammer 40,000 (or Warhammer 40k as it is know to may of the people who play the game) is one of Games Workshop's three main product lines (the others being Warhammer Fantasy Battle and the Lord of the Rings). Warhammer 40k has existed for 23 years and is currently in its 5th rules edition (published in 2008)
It is sent in the 41st millennium within our own galaxy. The game history spans approximately 10,000 years since the founding of the Imperium of Man, and the Horus Heresy, in the 31st millennium. The Imperium of Man is spread across the vast majority of the Milky Way, and is ruled from Terra (the name given to Earth in Warhammer 40k) by a massive bureaucratic government on behalf of the Immortal Emperor of Mankind (also known as the God-Emperor or the Master of Mankind). The Imperium exists in a state of perpetual war both with internal cults and with a variety of alien races.
The races you can control are as follows: The Imperial Guard (the army of the Imperium), Space Marines (superhuman shock troops created by the Emperor at the foundation of the Imperium), The Inquisition and its allies (The Inquisition is the secret police of the Imperium, divided into three Ordos (Hereticus, Malleus and Xenos) which are tasked (respectively) with hunting down witches and traitors, Daemons and the forces of Chaos, and Aliens), the Eldar (a dying race of aliens dwelling on massive spacecraft known as Craftworlds - essentially space elves), Dark Eldar (evil, often piratical, space elves), Tyranids (think Alien), Orks (a highly warlike race of greenskinned aliens) , Necrons (think Terminator with a slightly Egyptian theme), the Tau (a recently emerged caste based alien empire, following the principle of the Greater Good) and the forces of Chaos (Daemons and Chaos Space Marines).
Outside of reality exists the Warp (or the Immaterium) which is a dimension of psychic energy considered to be a dark reflection of the material universe formed by the actions and emotions of sentient beings. It is is the home of the Chaos Gods and their daemonic minions, and is also the means for faster-than-light travel and communication in the 40k universe. It is also the source of the psychic powers and sorcery used by various units within the 40k game. Daemons are creatures made purely of Warp energy, but with the right preparations, they can be summoned into the mortal universe by the followers of chaos to provide powerful additions to their forces
The Emperor created 20 superhuman warriors from his own DNA. These warriors were known as the Primarchs and were to lead the 20 Space Marine Legions. Each legion was created from the genetic material of their Primarch. Before the Primarchs were fully grown, the Chaos Gods stole them and spread them across the galaxy. Each Primarch therefore grew up on a different world, and so their beliefs, perceptions and tactics were altered by the world they grew up on, and this then affected the chapter they eventually came to control.
According to the history of the game, the Emperor is the most powerful psychic (or psyker in 40k terminology) in recorded human history, and led a great crusade to reunite all planets under human control that had been lost during the so-called Age of Strife when Warp Storms prevented travel and communication between systems, and also to rediscover the Primarchs that had been stolen from him.
The Four Chaos Gods are the greatest opponents of mankind, existing to corrupt and destroy humanity. They are known as Khorne (the Blood God, god of war and fury), Slaanesh (the Dark Prince of Pleasure, god of desire and hedonism), Tzeentch (the Changer of Ways, god of magic and change) and Nurgle (the Great Unclean One, god of decay and disease).
During the 31st millennium, they were able to tempt nearly half of the Space Marine Legions into betraying the Imperium, causing a civil war which became known as the Horus Heresy (after Horus, the leader of the Chaos Space Marines, who was previously the most favoured son of the Emperor). In a final confrontation, on the bridge of Horus' ship in orbit above Terra itself (for the war eventually resulted in a siege upon the Palace of Terra), the Emperor killed Horus, but not before being mortally wounded. In order to remain alive, the Emperor was placed in a device known as the Golden Throne, which was able to keep his body sufficiently alive for the Emperor's mind, and great psychic power, to survive. It is only through the Emperor, and the psychic beacon known as the Astronomicon (which he projects through the Throne) that humankind can transmit messages, and safely navigate, through the Warp.
After the Heresy, it was decided that the Legions were too powerful, and so were divided down into Chapters of 1000 Space Marines. Each chapter had its own tactics, home worlds and uniform colours, although they were frequently similar in certain respects to the Legion they were founded from. In the years since the Heresy, many more chapters were founded, using the gene-seed of one of the founding legions, and now there are at least 244 Loyal Chapters that have been named, leaving approximately 756, give or take, unnamed. This allows players to design their own chapter if one of the existing chapters does not appeal to them, and also allows Games Workshop to introduce new chapters (as they did with the Blood Ravens who were the iconic chapter in the Dawn of War computer game series).
This has remained the situation for the 10,000 years of game history, as the government of the Imperium stagnated centuries ago, bogged down in the immense task of governing billions of people across millions of worlds. Even the scientists of the Imperium (known as the Tech-Priests of the Machine God), do not invent technology any more, believing that knowledge and technology from the Age of Technology are sacred, and thus seek to discover more of the secrets of ancient technology (which was all lost during the Age of Strife which preceded the foundation of the Imperium), and are forbidden from inventing new technology as it is seen as blasphemy.
Each army has a range of units and independent heroes sculpted in plastic or metal by Games Workshop's expert team of miniature designers, as well as books detailing the history and rules of the army. These books are known as Codexes, and also include a hobby section, with suggestions for painting schemes and conversion ideas. Warhammer 40k miniatures are designed at a 28mm scale, and come unassembled and unpainted, allowing players to customise them as they wish. Many people often choose to convert certain models (using components from different sets within their own army, or even from other army ranges) in order to give their army a unique flavour. I particularly enjoy this aspect of the hobby and have a great many conversions (some simple, others more complex) within my collection.
In recent years Games Workshop has begun using advanced computer aided design programs and top of the range machinery resulting in much more detailed miniatures and more components on the individual plastic sprue than they were previously capable of making using their old machinery.
I have been collecting Warhammer 40,000 for the past 13 or so years, and have a number of different armies, although my first and still favourite army is the Dark Angels Chapter of the Space Marines due to the unique style of the army, and their detailed history. The Dark Angels were one of the original legions, and for the most part remained loyal, although one third turned to chaos during the Horus Heresy, and became known as the Fallen Angels. The Dark Angels believe that they must locate every one of these fallen, and convince to repent, before they can truly be accepted by the Emperor again, and so their armies are designed towards rapid and decisive strikes, involving elite units of bikers (known as the Ravenwing) and heavily armoured units of Space Marines wearing Tactical Dreadnought(or Terminator) armour (known as the Deathwing). These specialist units have their own distinct colour schemes, with the Ravenwing wearing black armour, and the Deathwing wearing bone-white armour, while the rest of the chapter wears dark green. The chapter has a somewhat monastic feel, with their veteran troops and their senior commanders wearing bone-white robes over their armour. This makes them very interesting to paint, and results in a striking appearance of the army on a tabletop.
Warhammer 40k games are played between at least two people, but can involve groups of players. The games go from skirmishes between two armies consisting of two man units and a hero, (taking perhaps an hour or two to play) to massive conflicts consisting of hundreds or thousands of models and large groups of players (which might take all weekend).
Through the hobby I have met many good friends, and very much enjoy painting and assembling the models, and also playing massive battles with people both in the local Games Workshop stores and in my university gaming club. I think that the Games Workshop hobby is a way to meet new people, and encourage children and young people to take part in a creative and social activity.
However, the prices of Games Workshop models has steadily increased over the years, and granted some of this is due to the increase in price of the materials and the recent purchase of more advanced manufacturing machinery, but desire for increased profits also is involved somewhat.
Despite this, I still enjoy the hobby, and probably will for many more years, and would encourage anyone reading this to wander down to your local GW store and ask for a free taster game.
Thanks for reading, and apologies for the length
Warhammer World (located in Lenton, Nottingham) is Games Workshop's international Headquarters. The site includes the expected company areas (such as HR) and the manufacturing and dispatch areas, but also includes a number of sections that are open to the general public.
These include a fully licensed dwarven themed bar (known as Bugman's Bar), a miniatures hall containing examples of the various Games Workshop product ranges (including some historical models that they now no longer produce), all painted to a very high standard by the 'Eavy Metal team, which is Games Workshop's team of professional model painters who among other things prepare models for inclusion in Games Workshop's various print publications (including their monthly hobby magazine White Dwarf).
Also at Warhammer World is a large gaming hall full of themed battlefields for customers to use to play games of Warhammer, Warhammer 40,000 and the other Games Workshop games. The gaming hall frequently plays host to a variety of Games Workshop tournaments and events including visits from stores around the country (my own first introduction to Warhammer World was on a trip from the Eastbourne store when around 6-8 years ago, and it was very enjoyable),
Finally, there is also a Games Workshop store, located just off the main gaming hall. In addition to the standard products available in any Games Workshop store, the Warhammer store offers a select range of Forge World products (Forge World is an offshoot company of Games Workshop - also based at Warhammer World - that produces highly detailed resin miniatures to extend the various ranges that Games Workshop produce), and same day Mail Order delivery (provided that you order early enough in the day - currently 1pm for a 3pm delivery I believe).
Bugman's serves a wide range of drinks including their own ale, and a number of fruit smoothies, as well as good quality food. Also available at Bugman's are a variety of board games (some of which are based in the Games Workshop universe), which are free to play, and a variety of Bugman's merchandise including hoodies and pendants.
The staff, both in the store and in the bar are very friendly, and I would recommend a visit if you are into the hobby, or are in Nottingham and thinking about starting the hobby.
Thanks for reading.
I bought one of these Maxtor BlackArmor external hard drives last summer as I was working away from home and wanted a more portable external drive that did not require mains power to function. This drive is the perfect size to carry round tucked into a laptop bag or small rucksack pocket, being only 3"x5"x0.5" in size and weighing approximately 200g. The drive comes with a short (approx 18") USB cable (the drive uses a USB 2.0 interface). I mainly use this drive on my Windows Vista Laptop, but have had no problems using it on other windows machines. Advertised at 320GB, after formatting the available space is closer to 298GB.
The first time you use the hard drive, it will load a read-only partition with the setup software. the software will initialise the hard drive and you will then be asked to set the decryption password (which must be between 6 and 32 characters), which you be asked for in future when you plug the drive into your computer. In addition to this password, you can set the reminder hint. I cannot stress enough how important it is to remember the password (or set a hint that makes sense to you without being obvious), as there is no way to reset the password should you forget it, and without the password, your data is inaccessible. The entire initialisation process takes no more than a minute to complete, and then the drive can be used on any machine with no software installation required.
When the drive is plugged in to a computer (after it has been initialised), it first acts a virtual CD drive, running the BlackArmor Manager program. This program gives you the option of testing that the drive is functioning correctly (which does not require a password and does not affect the data on the drive), changing the password, changing or removing the password hint or unlocking the drive. Selecting the option to unlock the drive will prompt for the decryption password, and if correctly entered will stop the virtual CD drive and allow access to the main hard drive.
I bought this drive from Ebuyer.com for around £60, but since Seagate and Maxtor merged, it has become difficult to track down this specific model, however Seagate have released a new version BlackArmor range, including a 500GB version of this drive.
I have had no problems with this drive and carry it around with me most of the time, particularly when I'm at university or on the train. If you want a portable, fully encrypted and reliable hard drive, you can't go wrong with a BlackArmor drive.
Thanks for reading


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February is a big month in the mobile world as most of the industry heading to Barcelona for the annual launch-fest known as the World Mobile Congress (14-17 Feb).
Back in the UK, telecoms regulator Ofcom is this month consulting on proposals outlining the auctions for 800MHz and 2.6GHz frequency bands that are well suited for the planned Long Term Evolution (LTE) of wireless broadband.
In America they have 4G, but so far only Austria, Norway, Poland and Sweden have rolled out LTE in Europe. And it will still be some time before it reaches the UK.
The move to digital TV in the UK is freeing up a portion of the wireless spectrum at around 800 MHz that is optimal for LTE, but PwC telecoms manager Simon Harris warned that Ofcom needs to resolve some outstanding issues around the auction quickly to ensure the UK is not left behind in the shift to LTE.
Peter Grant, Regius professor of engineering at Edinburgh University also warned that LTE might not live up to expectations when it comes on stream: "High download speed [will] be available close to the base station or access point, but at the cell edge... noise and interference levels [mean] rates will be 1/100 that at the cell centre."
Key smartphones at Barcelona WMC
4G devices such as Motoroloa's
were prominent at January 's Consumer Electronic Show and are likely to feature at the WMC in Barcelona too. But don't be tempted to acquire a 4G device for UK use until major UK networks announce full commercial services.
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Yellow Squash Patties
Recipe by macy0611
This is great for this time of year when a lot of us are over-run with squash out of the garden!
Top Review by OceanLuvinGranny
I tried this recipe for my picky family. I used 6 yellow summer squash and 2 green zucchini unpeeled. I also added 1 small can diced green chilies I used 1/2 c cheddar cheese and 1'2 c mozzarella cheese. After frying, I topped them with our favorite spaghetti sauce and then with mozzarella cheese and baked them for 30 minutes. This is a really great basic recipe that is so easy to tailor to your family's likes and particular tastes. Thank you so much for posting this one! I had been looking for one like this for a while and wasn't able to find one!!
See Discussion:1 Review
Ingredients Nutrition
- 8 yellow squash, grated
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 cup self-rising flour
- 1⁄2 cup cornmeal
- 1 egg
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese (optional)
- black pepper
- 2 -3 tablespoons oil (for frying)
Directions See How It's Made
- Place grated squash and onion in a colander over sink and sprinkle with salt. Let them drain over the sink until all moisture is gone. Add flour, cornmeal, pepper, egg and cheese. Mix well. Form into patties and fry in a little oil.


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Sam Miller author archives.
December 28, 2012
by Ben Lindbergh and Sam Miller
Ben and Sam ask and answer eight mostly unrelated questions about baseball and themselves.
December 27, 2012
by Sam Miller
The evolution, or lack thereof, of a pitcher who makes pitching seem simpler than it should be.
Ben and Sam answer listener emails about Ian Kinsler, how to decide when it's time to change GMs, R.A. Dickey and the dome, and more.
December 21, 2012
And finding it, too. Surprise: it may have involved the Mets.
Ben and Sam discuss Edwin Jackson and the rest of the Cubs' offseason signings and talk about how the specter of draft-pick compensation is affecting some free agents.
December 20, 2012
Kendrys Morales goes to Seattle, and the Angels get Jason Vargas.
Ben and Sam answer listener emails about the Angels' offense, the dreaded mental block known as the yips, and the impact of the time pitchers take between pitches.
December 19, 2012
Ben and Sam answer listener emails about R.A. Dickey, the Red Sox, and more.
December 18, 2012
Ben and Sam discuss what they see as the worst signings so far this winter.
December 17, 2012
Ben and Sam are joined by Jason Parks for a discussion of the R.A. Dickey deal and the risks and rewards of trading top prospects.
December 14, 2012
The bigger the split between big-market and small-market budgets, the harder it is to evaluate a seeming overpay on the free agent market.
Ben and Sam are joined by Ian Miller and Riley Breckenridge, the heroes behind Productive Outs, to talk about the Angels, Josh Hamilton, and whether fans should worry about bad contracts anymore.
Sometimes, the player-value models disagree, and you get to make a choice. Make that choice.
December 13, 2012
Ben and Sam answer listener emails about whether a Yankees fan can learn to like Kevin Youkilis, whether the Diamondbacks got enough back for Trevor Bauer, why teams love left-handed starters, and more.
December 12, 2012
Our take on Tuesday's surprising three-team trade involving the Diamondbacks, Indians, and Reds.
Ben and Sam talk to Kevin Goldstein about his life after leaving Baseball Prospectus to work for the Houston Astros, what he's working on, and what he's learned about how baseball teams work. Also, what he's drinking.
December 11, 2012
Ben and Sam weigh in on the Rays-Royals trade involving James Shields and Wil Myers a day after the dust settles.
December 10, 2012
The Dodgers signed Zack Greinke to a contract that reflects his ace-like abilities. But does he have ace-like abilities?
Ben and Sam discuss the Zack Greinke signing and the Dodgers' astronomical payroll with Mike Petriello of Dodgers blog Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness.
December 7, 2012
These are all rumors from baseball's winter meetings in Nashville. I swear it!
Major League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.Copyright © 1996-2017 Baseball Prospectus, LLC.


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Anyone watched tonight's game? I just woke up so I missed it. I can re-watch it in YouTube but I want to know if anyone saw it live (either from being there or from watching the official stream).
In any case, this is Solo Hill's statline. 15 points (6/14 from the field, 3/8 from 3), 4 rebounds, 2 blocks and 1 assist. He also had 2 turnovers. The Mad Ants apparently won big (130-116) against the Iowa Energy.


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The NSU Ro 80 of 1967 was not only the first sedan in the world to be powered by a rotary engine but so technically advanced in many other ways it deserved a better fate than being the last car to carry the pioneering German firm's badge.
The Ro 80 was one result of a friendly rotary engine rivalry begun in the early 1960s and still being played out in the technology development centres of Mazda and Audi (of which NSU later became a part). And the paths these companies decide to follow will likely determine the still uncertain automotive future of the only non-reciprocating internal combustion power plant to be used in a volume production vehicle.
In the 1960s, many thought the rotary, more properly known as the Wankel after its German inventor, was poised to create the biggest engine design revolution in the industry's history.
A lengthy list of major auto manufacturers – from Porsche to General Motors and even American Motors – had signed licensing agreements with NSU, for whom Felix Wankel had been developing his engine since the early 1950s. Among them was Mazda, which inked a development agreement with NSU in 1961.
NSU was the first to bring a Wankel-powered car to market, the tiny single-rotor-engined Spyder of 1964, which became the world's first rotary motored production car. Only 2,375 were built before production was stopped in 1967, the year NSU unveiled its Ro 80. Mazda embarked on its rotary adventure that year with its Cosmo sports car.
The flawed Ro 80 would prove to be NSU's undoing and the rotary engine almost caused Mazda's demise, too. In the early 1970s, the Japanese auto maker had to switch to conventional engines for most of its products to survive. Not surprisingly, all this scared off the other car companies looking at rotary motors.
Mazda persevered, however, winning Le Mans with a rotary racer in 1991, and it continued to offer a rotary-powered production car through the years. Until now anyway, as it recently pulled the plug wires off its RX-8 sports car, leaving itself rotary engine-less for the first time in 45 years. The company is focusing resources on its new SkyActiv powertrain technologies and isn't saying where this leaves the rotary in its future plans.
Meanwhile, Audi recently rooted around in its engineering archives and found inspiration for a small rotary engine to serve as the "range extender" for its A1 e-Tron electric car, 20 of which are currently buzzing around the streets of Munich as part of an extended test program. And the rumour mill recently had the two companies discussing plans to share rotary technology resources once again.
So maybe the rotary engine, which has proven its versatility by powering water craft, chainsaws, full-size and model aircraft and motorcycles – and has been built big with twin rotors and 1,100 hp and is currently the focus of research efforts to micro-size it – may still find a niche in the car business. Although, despite its compact size and light weight, it has always proven problematic for car makers because of its thirst and emissions and, in the early days of NSU's Ro 80, unreliability.
NSU began making motorcycles in 1901 and then cars, but sold its automotive operation to Fiat in the early 1930s. After the Second World War, it began building bikes again, but management steered it back towards cars. The first was the tiny Prinz of 1958, but by the early 1960s the mini-car market was fading and NSU launched ambitious plans for a larger rotary-engined car – that soon became larger still.
In fact, what emerged from the design process was an ultra-modern design, certainly one of the best looking Euro-sedans of the 1960s, which would rival Mercedes and BMW models in size and premium price.
The Ro 80 was a large-ish-for-Europe four-door sedan (a little shorter than most of today's mid-sizers) with an aero-smooth wedge shape and plenty of glass area to give it an airy cabin, which was nicely if not lavishly fitted out. Its features included four-wheel MacPherson strut-based independent suspension, disc brakes all round, power steering and a semi-automatic transmission.
The latter was a clutch-pedal-less three-speed unit with torque converter. A micro-switch on the gearshift knob disengaged the clutch while the driver shifted to the next gear manually and re-engaged it when his or her hand was removed.
All this was quite advanced for the day, but it was the Wankel engine that was really out there in techno-terms. This was a twin-rotor device displacing 995 cc and producing 113 hp with an uncanny smoothness compared to most reciprocating engines.
It could propel the Ro 80 to a quick-enough 180 km/h, but it also drove the car and the company into ground with its initial lack of reliability and high fuel consumption (about 18 litres/100 km).
The main problem was rotor apex seals that wore rapidly, causing heavy oil consumption and even worse fuel economy, and rebuilds as early as 50,000 kilometres. Paying customers have never liked playing the role of development mule drivers, and despite very generous warranty policies (which NSU couldn't afford) the Ro 80's reputation swung down to the empty mark faster than its gas gauge.
The problems (which were also plaguing Mazda) were in large part solved by 1970, but by then the damage was done and NSU had become part of the Volkswagen Group and was operating under the Audi banner. The Ro 80 stayed in production until 1977, but it remained a hard sell and only a total of 37,398 were built.
Back in 1967
The Summer of Love is a "happening" that sees 100,000 descend on Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco and thousands of hippies gather in cities across North America, including Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal as part of a counter-culture movement espousing music, free love and drugs.
Canadians celebrate their 100th anniversary with events that included the Expo 67 World's Fair in Montreal, which we snapped up from the Soviets – who wanted to use the fair to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Russian Revolution.
An audience of 400 million sits in front of their TVs to watch Our World – the first live international satellite broadcast – which features among others, opera singer Maria Callas, painter Picasso and the Beatles singing All You Need Is Love (which was written for the show).
The Doors debut album hits store shelves, the Beatles release Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Canadian pianist Glenn Gould records Prokofiev's Seventh Piano Concerto.
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Comparative Efficacy of Three Preparations of Botox-A in Treating Spasticity
This study has been completed.
The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
Gerard Francisco, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First received: September 12, 2005
Last updated: December 9, 2013
Last verified: December 2013
- Full Text View
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- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
No Study Results Posted on ClinicalTrials.gov for this Study
|Study Status:
|This study has been completed.
|Study Completion Date:
|March 2010
|Primary Completion Date:
|March 2010 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Certification or Request for Extension to Delay Results Received:
|December 9, 2013


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The California Prison Industry Authority (CALPIA) developed the Industry Employment Program (IEP) in 2001 to enhance the ability of CALPIA participants to obtain
meaningful jobs upon release, thus reducing recidivism and contributing to safer communities. CALPIA requires factory supervisors to prepare and evaluate job
skills, experience, education, and work habits acquired by participants assigned to enterprises.
CALPIA work assignments allow participants the chance to obtain
and apply the skills and experience in a real work environment. CALPIA participants also develop a valuable work portfolio that can be used by the parolee, parole
agents, and employment specialists for job preparation and placement.
Purpose: To assist in facilitating CALPIA offender workers' successful re-entry back into the community.
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Friday, February 3, 2012
One of My Favorite Appetizers - try this for Super Bowl or anytime
Your friends will beg you for this recipe! This one is ALWAYS a hit! Place in the oven until it is all molten and soft...just ready to spread on pork rinds or low-carb crackers or Monterey Jack Dipping chips or slices of English Cucumber.
For other great Low-Carb, Gluten-Free recipes by the team & me:
Support your team, buy Low-Carbing Among Friends cookbooks at:
(Paypal/Amazon) - SALE priced!
8 oz light cream cheese, softened (250 g)
1/2 cup mayonnaise (125 mL)
11/2 cups Cheddar cheese (375 mL)
2 tbsp chopped chives, OR (25 mL)
green onions
1 tsp dried parsley (5 mL)
1/4 tsp garlic powder (1 mL)
8 crisply cooked bacon slices
In food processor with sharp blade or in blender, process cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth. In medium bowl, combine cream cheese mixture, Cheddar cheese, chives or green onions, parsley and garlic powder until well combined. Spread evenly in 9-inch (23 cm) glass pie dish.
Place bacon on bacon rack and cover with two paper towels. Microwave on high power 7 to 8 minutes. Cut into small pieces with pair of kitchen scissors. Garnish top of cheese spread with bacon pieces. Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven 15 minutes and serve with low-carb crackers. See my easy Crisp Nutty Crackers, or serve with Taco Chips. You can use low-carb wraps and cut 'em and bake in an oven or you can serve this with sliced English cucumbers.
Yield: 12 servings
1 serving
176.4 calories
7.5 g protein
15.7 g fat
Posted by Jennifer
Labels: Appetizers
8 comments:
- Kelly the Happy Texan said...
Bacon and cheese? What more can one ask for?! Sounds perfect!
- Friday, February 03, 2012 6:51:00 PM
- Jennifer said...
Haha - I agree.
- Friday, February 03, 2012 6:58:00 PM
YUMMY! Philly is on sale this week and I was looking for a new dip to try. Thanks again!!! I appreciate the hard work it takes to keep your site going for us.
- Friday, February 03, 2012 9:47:00 PM
- scratch-made wife said...
I told the husband I wanted to make a low-carb Buffalo chicken dip this weekend, but I think you just changed my mind. This dip looks delicious! And the husband loves bacon, so I'm sure it'll go over well. :)
- Saturday, February 04, 2012 7:09:00 AM
- Jennifer said...
You are welcome, Angie. :)
- Saturday, February 04, 2012 7:34:00 PM
- Jennifer said...
I wonder what hubby will think of it, Scratch-made wife? My guess is like most guys, he will LOVE it! I'm making it soon for a get-together with dear friends.
- Sunday, February 05, 2012 8:28:00 AM
- Lizzy said...
Oh, YUM! This would be gone in a flash at our house...wonderful dip, Jennifer!
- Sunday, February 05, 2012 12:39:00 PM
- Jennifer said...
LOL Lizzy! ;)
- Sunday, February 05, 2012 2:29:00 PM
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Running every red light on memory lane
#2 in the Christianity & Psychology in Dialogue X-Nous (Christian mind) series is on tonight at 5.30 at Ramsey House, 8 Kelburn Parade. Last week's was pretty good and this one is likely to be even better. It'll be 'simulcast' on 88.1 Human FM. Flash eh?
2 responses to "Running every red light on memory lane"
It was a good talk tonight, though I fell asleep in the middle of it. I tried coffee right before the talk but it didn't work. Kudos to Tim, though. Matt, have you heard of facebook? I want to add you to my friends' list.
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Don't miss your chance to see Amos Lee in Indianapolis! Check out the schedule below for the concert date of your choice, then buy your Amos Lee Indianapolis tickets before they sell out!
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Dean Merrill is a former magazine editor (Campus Life, Leadership Journal, Christian Herald) and editorial director (David C. Cook, Focus on the Family) who has written seven books and co-authored 30 others. His works have twice been honored by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association with Gold Medallion awards, while another was named Christian Book of the Year.
Merrill has had the privilege to travel widely overseas, especially during his seven years as a vice president at International Bible Society (now Biblica). His favorite part of the globe to visit is Africa.
His bachelor's degree was earned at Christian Life College (Chicago) and his master of arts in journalism at Syracuse University. He and his wife live in Colorado Springs, Colorado; they are the proud parents of three and the grandparents of 10.
Dean Merrill


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RT @WorldNewsRecord: Asking Barack Obama Friendfeed about cognitive inflitration of 911 Truth movement http://a.. http://tinyurl.com/ybov7xc
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If you are a regular on Caviar20.com you have probably encountered the amazing lighting designs by Lyfa.
The Danish lighting manufacturer is one of our favorite. Working with an array of Scandinavian design talent, they produced some of the most distinctive and sculptural lighting of the 20th century.
Best of all, many of their designs remain both incredibly contemporary looking and are in excellent condition - and are quite affordable.
These pendant lights are somewhat of an anomaly compared to Lyfa's output - as they are a solid cobalt blue rather than a metallic. The simplicity of the form alludes to a later decade.
We can deduce from the aesthetic and the foil sticker label that "Torch Trio" (which is officially model #9538) is from the late 1970's.
Questions about this product? Contact us or call +1.416.704.1720
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8" H (each)
Denmark, circa 1970's
Very good condition


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At age five, George Uetz did not know he was arachnophobic. What he did know was that he had stuck his hand into a bush and a large spider had run up his arm. For years after that, the creatures terrified him. Then he enrolled in the wrong biology course in college. Spiders, it turned out, were the focus of the course. For Uetz (rhymes with "foots"), it was an epiphany: "As you find out more about them," he says, "your fear turns to fascination."
Today, George Uetz's fascination has led him to become president of the American Arachnological Society. A behavioral ecologist at the University of Cincinnati, Uetz is also one of the nation's leading arachnologists, or spider researchers. Because the creatures are both predators and prey, they make excellent model organisms for studying animal behavior and ecology. These days, Uetz spends much of his time ensconced in Mexican fields and forests amid clouds of webs—spider metropolises where hundreds of thousands of the eightleggers communally snag insect prey.
Uetz is among the growing number of scientists taking a closer look at nature's master web-weavers and, in the process, making some astonishing discoveries. "The thing that really knocks me out about spiders," he says, "is that here you have a group of some of the most recognizable creatures in the world, creatures that exhibit greater diversity of form and behavior than birds, for example. Yet hardly anything is known about them."
What is known is that spiders have a special talent for producing silk, which they use for everything from building homes and bagging meals to finding mates. So strong and lightweight is spider silk that industry hopes to exploit it for use in the development of products for humans. In one project, the U.S. Army is trying to produce the silk artificially and use it to make bulletproof vests.
Unlike insects, which have six legs, spiders have eight. Spider bodies are also divided into two sections, not the insects' three. Along with mites, ticks, scorpions and daddy long legs, they make up the class Arachnida. Of spiderdom's estimated 120,000 species, scientists have described only about 34,000 and actually studied far fewer. Not all the species weave webs, but all produce silk.
Most spiders will not bite, even when threatened, and very few species are dangerous to people. Of North America's 3,000 or so species, only two—the black widow and brown recluse—are poisonous to people. Despite the creatures' ghoulish image, such as in the movie Arachnophobia, deaths from wasp and bee stings far outnumber those from spider bites.
But perhaps not even that reassuring statistic would comfort the tourist who happens upon one of the larger arachnids. Hairy South American bird spiders, which stalk lizards and small birds, grow as big as dinner plates, spanning 10 inches from toe to bristly toe. "The biggest spiders weigh a quarter of a pound," says Uetz. At the other end of the size spectrum are the dwarf spiders, which grow no bigger than a pinhead.
Some of the spiders that do not weave webs use more conventional predator tactics to catch their dinner. Tarantulas, for example, hunt by night, lying in wait and pouncing when they sense movement nearby. Cornered, they sometimes hiss and rear up on their back legs. As do most spiders, these creatures grip prey with claws on their feet and two leglike pedipalps protruding from their front ends. They disable victims with venom injected by two fangs, then regurgitate digestive enzymes onto their prey and suck out the pre-digested material.
Jumping spiders, which are most abundant in the tropics, stalk their quarry using eyes that resemble headlights and leap for the kill. Tropical spitting spiders spew out threads as if throwing a sticky net over their victims. Brightly tinted crab spiders, which live in many parts of the world, hide in flowers and ambush their prey.
It is the creatures' gift for spinning silk, however, that most fascinates scientists. Glands produce the silk in liquid form as a protein called fibroin, which is pumped out through spigotlike spinnerets at the creature's rear. When stretched, the fibroin hardens into a thread. The silk of one species—Nephila, found in the southern United States and in the tropics—is among the strongest of natural fibers. (South Sea islanders use the webs to make bags and fish nets.) Lightweight and fine, a spider web nonetheless absorbs a force proportionally equal to the impact of a jet fighter landing on an aircraft carrier every time it snags a fly.
In the early 1700s, a French inventor fashioned gloves and stockings from spider silk, which is twice as strong as silkworm silk and much more elastic. However, commercialization of the material was stalled for years when the Academy of Sciences of Paris reported it would take the efforts of 663,522 spiders to produce just one pound of silk.
Scientists today are exploring ways to get around that problem and are looking at other possible applications for spider silk technology. At the U.S. Army's research center in Natick, Massachusetts, molecular biologist Stephen Lombardi is splicing spider silk genes into bacteria. His goal is for the bacteria to mass-produce liquid fibroin in vats for scientists to convert into usable yarn.
Lightweight bulletproof vests and helmets made of spider silk are the Army's chief interest. But Lombardi says the silk could be woven into featherweight tents, sleeping bags and other clothing. "I'd say commercialization is about five years away," says Lombardi, who is known among his coworkers as "Dr. Spiderman."
As scientists in the field have discovered, spiders make different silks for different purposes. During their travels, most spiders spool out a single strand of silk called a dragline. Strong as nylon and twice as elastic, dragline is a highly versatile tool. Roving spiders follow their dragline back to headquarters. If a spider stumbles, its dragline stops it from falling and then becomes a handy ladder for climbing back up.
Spider silk owes much of its strength and flexibility to the fact that it is a composite. Strands have stiff crystalline sections interspersed with rubbery regions, according to researchers at the University of British Columbia, who found spiders to be prodigious silk producers. Working with a common garden spider, the scientists collected silk by pushing a spider off a card so that it hung by a strand. They twirled the card to reel in the silk, and before they knew it, they had gathered a half-mile of the material.
Oxford University biologists compared two types of strands that garden spiders use in their webs. Strong but rigid drag-line silk provides the web's structural support. Onto this frame, the creature spirals a sticky prey-snagging strand that can stretch to four times its original length to absorb impact.
Using a scanning electron microscope, the Oxford scientists noticed that each sticky strand is beaded with droplets of a gluey liquid. Inside each droplet, the line is coiled like a telephone cord. When a captured insect struggles, the coils unwind, giving the strands their elasticity. When the prey is subdued, the silk recoils. Meanwhile, the spider hiding nearby grips a single strand attached to the web and, like a fisherman awaiting a bite, senses any vibration in the line.
Many spiders weave protective silk cases for their eggs. The eight-eyed nursery web spider, for instance, carries her egg sac in her mouth until hatching time. Then she ties leaves together with silk to create a nursery and stands by, ready to protect her emerging young. The European water spider weaves a bell-shaped web underwater and attaches it to bottom-growing plants. The creature collects air around its body at the surface, dives and then releases the air into the web, making a bubble in which it hatches its young and spends most of its life.
Trapdoor spiders dig burrows using a spiny rake mounted on their jaws, then line the burrow and the opening with silk. They create a trapdoor at the entrance to the burrow, camouflaging their handiwork with debris. When passing insects or other prey create vibrations, the spiders throw open the hatch, seize them and pull them below.
Spiderlings use silk to fly, perching atop limbs and playing out silken strands like kite strings. The wind catches the silk and wafts the spiders off to new frontiers. On some fall days the air glistens with the young balloonists.
Two years ago, Yale University researchers discovered that some spider silks reflect ultraviolet light, which is invisible to the human eye but a virtual neon advertisement for hungry bugs. (Many flowers reflect ultraviolet light to attract pollinating insects.) Some researchers think spider webs made of ultraviolet-reflecting silk mimic blossoms, luring unsuspecting insects to their doom.
A number of spiders weave webs that do not reflect ultraviolet light. When that's the case, though, the creatures often weave designs into their webs using a type of thread that does have reflective properties. In at least one tropical species, Argiope argentata, the spider itself reflects ultraviolet light. "The spider's body colors are an important part of the design, while the legs seem to disappear," says Yale researcher Catherine Craig. She and Gary D. Bernard, a University of Washington electrical engineer, found that decorated webs capture 58 percent more insects than plain webs.
Cornell University entomologist Thomas Eisner suggests another purpose for web designs: avian traffic signals. On a Florida field trip, he noticed that two spider species—Argiope florida and the golden orb weaver (Argiope aurantia)—both weave thick patches of white silk strands into their webs. Eisner observed that songbirds chasing insects on the wing veered away to avoid crashing through these highly visible webs. Eisner, along with animal behaviorist Stephen Nowicki, found that spiders expend the extra energy to create ornamentation if they are species that weave long-lasting webs. Spiders that construct webs in the evening and take them down at dawn have fewer problems with birds and do not go to the trouble.
Eisner also has found that certain opportunistic flies actually benefit from a spider's handiwork. Many insects emit defensive chemicals when caught in a web. These effusions generally do not harm the spiders, though they can invite trouble. "I've been studying tiny flies that catch a whiff of those protective chemicals off in the woods and make a beeline for the spider's web," says Eisner. The flies then try to eat the web owner's catch. "The spiders try to chase the flies away," he says. "It's like hyenas around a lion kill in Africa."
Paul J. Watson, a former Cornell researcher now at Oxford University, has discovered why male Sierra dome spiders sometimes roll up a female's web into a ball, destroying the fruit of her labors. It's the old story of the flirtatious female and a jealous male, he explains.
Usually, the female attracts a number of suitors, which battle for her favors. When males are scarce, however, the female weaves strands perfumed with male-attracting pheromones into her web. "It is the last resort of a ten-month-old female that has only a month in her one-year life to breed," says Watson. When a male answers the call, he rolls up the web and its scented strands to keep it from attracting unwanted competition.
Master builders, spiders are also amazingly resourceful. Not long ago, NASA rocketed a spider into space to test the effect of zero gravity on web-building. Unable to use its own body weight as a guide, the spider at first wove a misshapen web. After three days the animal got its "space legs," and its webs were near-perfect.
Some of the creatures have even adapted to an urban life-style. For about ten years, George Uetz has been studying the Metepeira incrassate spiders that live and hunt in vast, interconnected spider cities in the Mexican state of Veracruz. "The largest colony we found had around 160,000 spiders," he says.
Less than one-tenth of one percent of the world's spider species are social. Indeed, most spiders aggressively defend their property from others of their kind. What's unusual about this one species in Mexico is that each spider anchors its web to its neighbors' to create a single web that often covers a distance longer than a-football field. They do this, says Uetz, because of what he calls the ricochet effect: An insect that escapes one web is apt to bounce off and become snared in a neighboring web. "Where food is abundant, it sometimes makes sense for them to go together," says Uetz. Each spider thus expends less energy bagging meals.
To the Mexican farmers living in the remote areas where Uetz works, spiders are commonplace—but scientists are not. "Sometimes we'll be working, look around and see 30 kids watching us, giggling," says Uetz. Once, when he and a colleague were photographing webs in Mexico, they heard a horse. The scientists looked up to find themselves surrounded by rifle-toting security guards. "They were serious guys," remembers Uetz.
As it turned out, a local landowner had hired the riders to chase away squatters. Uetz explained in broken Spanish that he and his associate were merely studying spiders. That seemed to satisfy the guards, who let the scientists go unharmed. For George Uetz, however, those few tense moments were almost as scary as that time long ago when a spider ran up his arm.
Richard and Joyce Wolkomir share their Vermont home with spiders and enjoy having a little wildlife in the house.