text:
That's No Phone. That's My Tracker
Cellular systems constantly record the location of phones in their networks, data treasured by police and advertisers alike. The surveillance and privacy implications are simple: If someone knows where you are, they probably know what you are doing.
7/20/2012: This story has been updated.
This story was co-published with The New York Times.
This story is not subject to our Creative Commons license.
The device in your purse or jeans that you think is a cellphone — guess again. It is a tracking device that happens to make calls. Let's stop calling them phones. They are trackers.
Most doubts about the principal function of these devices were erased when it was disclosed Monday that cellphone carriers responded 1.3 million times last year to law enforcement requests for call data. That wasn't even a complete count, because T-Mobile, one of the largest carriers, did not initially reveal its total. It appears that millions of cellphone users have been swept up in government surveillance of their calls and where they made them from. Many police agencies don't obtain a search warrant when requesting location data from carriers.
Thanks to the explosion of GPS technology and smartphone apps, these devices are also taking note of what we buy, where and when we buy it, how much money we have in the bank, whom we text and e-mail, what Web sites we visit, how and where we travel, what time we go to sleep and wake up — and more. Much of that data is shared with companies that use it to offer us services they think we want.
We have all heard about the wonders of frictionless sharing, whereby social networks automatically let our friends know what we are reading or listening to, but what we hear less about is frictionless surveillance. Though we invite some tracking — think of our mapping requests as we try to find a restaurant in a strange part of town — much of it is done without our awareness.
"Every year, private companies spend millions of dollars developing new services that track, store and share the words, movements and even the thoughts of their customers," writes Paul Ohm, a law professor at the University of Colorado. "These invasive services have proved irresistible to consumers, and millions now own sophisticated tracking devices (smartphones) studded with sensors and always connected to the Internet."
Mr. Ohm labels them tracking devices. So does Jacob Appelbaum, a developer and spokesman for the Tor project, which allows users to browse the Web anonymously. Scholars have called them minicomputers and robots. Everyone is struggling to find the right tag, because "cellphone" and "smartphone" are inadequate. This is not a semantic game. Names matter, quite a bit. In politics and advertising, framing is regarded as key because what you call something influences what you think about it. That's why there are battles over the tags "Obamacare" and "death panels."
In just the past few years, cellphone companies have honed their geographic technology, which has become almost pinpoint. The surveillance and privacy implications are quite simple. If someone knows exactly where you are, they probably know what you are doing. Cellular systems constantly check and record the location of all phones on their networks — and this data is particularly treasured by police departments and online advertisers. Cell companies typically retain your geographic information for a year or longer, according to data gathered by the Justice Department.
What's the harm? The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, ruling about police use of tracking devices, noted that GPS data can reveal whether a person "is a weekly church goer, a heavy drinker, a regular at the gym, an unfaithful husband, an outpatient receiving medical treatment, an associate of particular individuals or political groups — and not just one such fact about a person, but all such facts." Even the most gregarious of sharers might not reveal all that on Facebook.
There is an even more fascinating and diabolical element to what can be done with location information. New research suggests that by cross-referencing your geographical data with that of your friends, it's possible to predict your future whereabouts with a much higher degree of accuracy. This is what's known as predictive modeling, and it requires nothing more than your cellphone data.
If we are naïve to think of them as phones, what should we call them? Eben Moglen, a law professor at Columbia University, argues that they are robots for which we — the proud owners — are merely the hands and feet. "They see everything, they're aware of our position, our relationship to other human beings and other robots, they mediate an information stream around us," he has said.
Over time, we've used these devices less for their original purpose. A recent survey by O2, a British cell carrier, showed that making calls is only the fifth-most-popular activity for smartphones; more popular uses are Web browsing, checking social networks, playing games and listening to music. Smartphones are taking over the functions that laptops, cameras, credit cards and watches once performed for us.
If you want to avoid some surveillance, the best option is to use cash for prepaid cellphones that do not require identification. The phones transmit location information to the cell carrier and keep track of the numbers you call, but they are not connected to you by name. Destroy the phone or just drop it into a trash bin, and its data cannot be tied to you. These cellphones, known as burners, are the threads that connect privacy activists, Burmese dissidents and coke dealers.
Prepaids are a hassle, though. What can the rest of us do? Leaving your smartphone at home will help, but then what's the point of having it? Turning it off when you're not using it will also help, because it will cease pinging your location to the cell company, but are you really going to do that? Shutting it down does not even guarantee it's off — malware can keep it on without your realizing it. The only way to be sure is to take out the battery. Guess what? If you have an iPhone, you will need a tiny screwdriver to remove the back cover. Doing that will void your warranty.
Matt Blaze, a professor of computer and information science at the University of Pennsylvania, has written extensively about these issues and believes we are confronted with two choices: "Don't have a cellphone or just accept that you're living in the Panopticon."
There is another option. People could call them trackers. It's a neutral term, because it covers positive activities — monitoring appointments, bank balances, friends — and problematic ones, like the government and advertisers watching us.
We can love or hate these devices — or love and hate them — but let's start calling them what they are so we can fully understand what they do.
An earlier version of this story said T-Mobile had refused to reveal how many cellphone data requests it received from law enforcement. Based on additional information from T-Mobile and Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., it has been updated to say the company did not initially reveal its total. After the story appeared, T-Mobile responded that it had privately provided a number to Markey's office before the congressman, on July 9, publicly reported that other cell companies had answered 1.3 million data requests from law enforcement last year. Markey's office said T-Mobile declined repeated appeals to make the company's number public, so the office agreed to keep it confidential. The figure — 191,000 requests in 2011 — was not included in T-Mobile's May 23 letter of response to Markey, who had written to nine carriers asking for the data. In an email to ProPublica, company spokesman Glenn Zaccara explained: "Because each carrier has different ways of calculating the total number of lawful requests, we were initially concerned the comparison could lead to an inaccurate portrayal." T-Mobile did not respond to specific questions about conversations with Markey's office. Zaccara said T-Mobile gave the number on July 9 to TR Daily, a subscription-only trade publication.
32 comments
Is there any way that we can control the GPS signal? Can we turn it on when we need directions and off when done?
Nope. Not unless you pull out the batteries.
Actually, on an htc evo at least, you can turn off gps, I keep mine off unless I need directions.
T what extent does ProPublica track it's readers? To what extent does ProPublica provide user information to marketing companies that also provide marketing services for left-wing political causes?
We know ProPublica blocks use of proxies in comments, which evades users who prefer to avoid being tracked. To what extent does ProPublica filter responses on an IP basis in an effort to skew public impressions of reader's responses?
The requests that are being discussed in this article aren't being made for GPS data from the phone but for cell tower data from your carrier. You cannot stop them from storing this data and tracking you unless you stop connecting to the cell towers (by turning off your phone).
Cell phones leak all kinds of data, not just your location. Third party applications can copy your contact list, read your text messages, and access your photo's. The fact is that you cannot trust your cellphone, you cannot trust the software that runs on it, and you cannot trust the network that it connects to.
I care as much about my privacy as anyone, but I have to say that this article is packed with misinformation.
It claims that "these devices are also taking note of what we buy, where and when we buy it, how much money we have in the bank, whom we text and e-mail, what Web sites we visit, how and where we travel, what time we go to sleep and wake up — and more." But actually, the only information available to the phone company (or anyone other than the cell phone owner) is the location of the phone and the numbers that are texted or called. Maybe the contents of texts and calls, with a warrant.
Later it says, "Shutting it down does not even guarantee it's off — malware can keep it on without your realizing it. The only way to be sure is to take out the battery. Guess what? If you have an iPhone, you will need a tiny screwdriver to remove the back cover. Doing that will void your warranty." I've heard of no malware that can make a phone appear to be off when it's on. It certainly doesn't exist for iPhones, so in fact you can be sure of turning them off without removing the battery. Finally, opening the back does not void the warranty (a common misconception with no basis in fact).
Most cellphones also have an option to turn off the GPS (or location services). But cell phone companies can still identify your general location, based on which tower you connect to.
So, the gist of this article should have been, "Cell phone companies can keep track of where you are and who you contact. This makes it possible to spot trends in your movements and those of everyone else around you. Law enforcement agencies often get access to this data, sometimes without warrants. This is scary if you are worried about the emergence of a police state." This is a legitimate argument, but rather briefer and less hysterical than the article.
You could always wrap your phone in tin foil when you're not using it. While you're at it, probably safest to make a hat of the stuff as well.
This article appeared also in the New York Times on-line. I read it on July 15, 2012. Right below the article was "an ad by Google" which states:
"Track Any Cell Phone
Remotely track any cell phone online. Get Call and Message Logs now.
For me, this says it all.
I also just read it in the NYT online. My complaint with the article is lack of clarity. Yes, I see that if you're connected to the internet, all kinds of data on the phone is available, but what if you aren't ever connected to the internet with it? What if you have no Apps running? What if you use the phone as a phone only? Is this a bit like warning everybody of the dangers of Facebook?
Here's a good phrase description for these phones, "Freedom Killers." Honestly, those of you who post comments questioning the validity of the story have no concept of what government and corporations do, or are too content and complacent from taking their money. Prosecutors drink the data streams from your phones like milk, it makes their difficult jobs easier. Police suck it down like roaches at a sugar pile. Can you blame them? Their caseloads are in the extreme numbers and our legislatures are way too busy catering to the whims of the rich to actually take the time to investigate this crucial matter. Enforcement agencies are extremly underfunded and need this technology to give them the opportunity to catch and convict the real criminals, but the innocent ones, we just get sucked up into data stream until someone with bad intentions opens one eye, comes in our direction, and wipes away all of freedoms with single click of a button. You could be at a job interview for very important position, and all of the sudden data about a long term health condition pops up on your potential employer's screen that you never get to see. Your friend does bad things you never knew about, but your cell phone ping shows you met with him on a few occasions. The police show up at your work posing questions to your employers. Your reputation has been tainted, but you never get told why it happened, it remains on someone computer screen, the one you never get to see.
I'm taking the battery out of "Freedom Killer" and throwing it into the garbage. Paying $100 or more a month to give up my constutional rights is not what I signed up for. I'm going to carefully read my cell phone service contract, look for a provision that states I have surrendered my constitutional rights to privacy and that my cell phone service provider has all access and rights to my private information, if its not in there, I'm sending service provider a letter that they are breach of contract, will stop payment immediately, and that I expect them to comply with all applicable state and federal discovery rules in anticipation of litigation so that I can later go through their smelly records and exposed them for their being the foul rats that they've become.
This did not have to be this way. Cell phone companies could have easily sat in their board rooms and decided to do the right thing. When the question came around table "should we track our customers, record their personal data, and sell it to the highest bidder" they could have easily said no or let's give our customers the choice of whether we can track them and sell their data. But no, greed overpowered any common sense or pride they may have once held in our nation's rich heritage of the protection of individual liberty and freedoms.
Think you are powerless to stop them? Threaten them. See what they do. At first it will be a few calls and a lowly phone operator threatening to sue you, but after a couple thousand phone calls and people yelling on the streets holding up their "Freedom Killers" in protest, they will panic and give in to whatever we want. You have more power than you think. It's in your pocket and in your head. Once you wake up, it's game over for them. A clause in their endless contracts is placed in bold letters. "The company will not tread on my individual liberties and freedoms and sell my personal data to the highest bidder without my informed consent."
For those of you who are still asleep, it's 2012, the fictions you read in high school about companies and governments taking away your freedoms and liberties have all become true. At your doorstep are simple questions that the government and companies are paying billions to convert into irrelevant emocons concerning matters that will keep you divided, confused, and apathetic. The real questions, the ones they are afraid of you knowing about, are "do you value your freedoms and liberties as guaranteed to you and your children by the consitution of the United States? Should you do something to stop the flood of cash that is corrupting our governments and sucking away our freedoms and liberties, or go back to sleep in front of your iphone?" How you answer them, will affect not only you and your loved ones, but grandchildren and great grandchildren. What will they say about you? Will thier eyes tear up with pride as they recount the heroic and peaceful efforts you made on their behalves, or will they shrug their sholders, pick up their personal data tracking devices, never tasting the liberties and freedomes that our forefathers bravely died to defend.
Everyone already knows cell phones are trackers, and that "smart" phones simply expand the tracking capabilities of the old text-less versions. The convenience and instant gratification of having all of those mobile capabilities far outweigh our fears of surveillance risk for the most part, and most of us aren't dumb enough to risk insecure connections in conducting financial transactions with them. We also know that we're increasingly losing privacy through our use of these devices as well as home internet, but also realize the only non-criminals left who may have some real privacy are jobless hermits living off the grid. Any sensible criminal will continue using burner phones.
If the ACLU still exists down the line, perhaps another supreme court ruling on privacy may take place in the very distant future. I'll be dead by then.
Stephen: Your solution is stellar! I've made my hat in the shape of a helmet. :)
I hear lot of people compare social media as an opportunity for governments to keep tabs on people like Big Brother in George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.
In China, it is the reverse that is true: Big Brother wants to stop any conversation they cannot control. There's a worldwide struggle to control the conversation, the focus and meaning. Fortunately, there's a diminishing monopoly on information not only by the government in China, but also here in the US as people are directly engaging in conversations without the need for some middleman on television who interprets what it all means.
"Tracker" sounds sort of sporty, like gamesmansip.
"In just the past few years, cellphone companies have honed their geographic technology, which has become almost pinpoint."
You could call smartphones "pointers". They point to who you're calling, they point to where you've been, and they point to where your money goes, and they tip off those who want or like to get into other people's business.
Prepaids mask identity? Not if the investigator knows your habits. In the electronic or real world you're known less by your name than what you do, your own "network." Some researchers have shown that they can guess 99% of the time where you're heading knowing only the first two turns you make out of your neighborhood. What real-world detectives do is even easier to do in the electronic realm.
The only privacy protection that's possible is what the (law requires the) courts deny as evidence (see Judge Posner's writings on the fact that sand and rust don't violate privacy, only carbon (protein) can).
We're returning the static, no strangers, small town of 150 years ago where everyone knew your name, and all your childhood weaknesses - and if you didn't grow out of them, your adult character better than your own mother.
What about making regular use of "Airplane Mode" - the seeting intended to comply with the requirements to NOT connect with other devices while in flight.
I have used this in the past on camping trips to save battery for when I need it. Could that mode also reduce the amount of location sharing?
While Mattias is correct in principle, that is, the phone company only tracks your location, these tracking devices are also loaded with apps that are often hungry for your personal information—credit card numbers, addresses, contacts, etc., and security on these devices is pretty junky when you get right down to it.
Yes, you can turn off some of the tracking features but then what's the point in having the "smart" part of the smartphone/portable computer in the first place then? Turning them on only when you need them, as someone above suggested, is certainly feasible but it's a pain and most people will just give up and let the phone take over their privacy.
The best course of action is to simply not have one.
I don't have a cell phone and I seem to be surviving. Yes, I'm an old geezer who grew up when there were still "party lines" and dial phones (we had both up until the time I left home for college!) and I admit I'm not as plugged in to the mobile digital age as those who were born more recently, but I've also worked on the cutting edge of research computing for a good fraction of my adult life and understand both what a boon and what a danger computers can be.
Oddly enough, I'm not as worried about the government tracking my every move (I also worked for a time in the Civil Service and know how competent the government can be) as I am resentful of the fact that my habits, likes, and dislikes are being recorded in some database (or, more accurately, multiple databases), datamined by anonymous and unaccountable algorithms, and then used against me to pursuade me to buy junk that I don't need or, quite likely, to deny me (or price out of my reach) things like insurance that I do need.
Pre paid phones are not a hassle at all. I have had one for years because I refuse to pay over $75./ month for a cell plan.
Every 3 months I can buy a card or log on and add time or add time straight from the phone. Easy, simple and very cheap.
Would I like an iPhone? Yes. Am I willing to pay so much for a smartphone? No.
All I can say is 'duh'. FINALLY this is being brought to light. You got GPS or bluetooth? Guess what? I, this commonplace internet user, can track you, hack into your files, steal your pictures and all your personal info that YOU willingly gave your cellphone company. All I have to do is find the right program, download it, and BAM! I found you. You remember that old sci-fi notion where the government placed barcodes on the back of all their citizens necks? Got an I-phone? Ladies and gentleman, you have your barcode.
There are always processes running on mobile phones. Think back a year or so ago when Apple was busted for having a non-encrypted list of every cell tower your phone used. There was an outcry. The solution was simply to encrypt it, not to stop creating the list. Then after that, it was found that Google's Android mobile did the same thing.
Then throw in fancy and new Near Field Communication where instead of using a credit card to swipe for payment, you just wave your mobile.
I don't think turning off the GPS will solve the problem as in an emergency situation like being lost while hiking, the authorities can have it remotely activated so they can rescue you. It sounds like a great thing until you start wondering who you can trust.
The lapses are so easy, too. I worked at a video store in college. On a boring day, it was nothing to search the computer and see if your old elementary school teacher had and account and what she rented. It was innocent and harmless invasion of privacy. Now you walk around with much more private information in the palm of your hand.
Perhaps most interestingly, try to use a social networking site like Facebook while using TOR. They will fight like the devil to keep you out. Why? Because they don't know where you are or what you are doing.
I mentioned most of what I know on the topic in the article on the providers' extent of cooperation with law enforcement, so I won't repeat myself beyond repeating the point that the phone companies can turn your phone on remotely (as was done on behalf of the FBI for a mob case), and with a smartphone, they can log in and do whatever they like.
However, there are a couple of other issues to consider.
There was a TED talk over the weekend (I don't have access to provide a direct URL, but go to ted.com and scan the front page for the title referring to GPSs) discussed that we're on the verge of millimeter-granular GPS—"on the verge" as in the science is trivial, and just not being manufactured. That means reporting not only that you're at a bar, but by asking for the entire tower, we can see who's sitting next to you.
The same talk briefly discusses jamming (which is illegal, though easy to build with plans online) and spoofing (which isn't, but expect it to be on some vague claim of potential terrorism). Of course, as always, the problem is that making something illegal doesn't stop the criminals from using it. It just stops us from protecting ourselves. (Encrypting and timestamping GPS signals might stop the criminals, however, if that ever happens.)
As to "airplane mode," it's hard to say. Since receiving GPS information is passive, it could record it and send your history out on the next reconnect. That also may have implications for anyone making an adorable tinfoil hat for your phone to protect it.
Brian also makes an important point, too, that you WANT the GPS signal broadcast, in case you have an emergency when you're alone. If you pass out in a quiet place, you don't want to rely on waking up, unwrapping your phone, and reconfiguring the GPS signal for someone to find you. The signal isn't the problem.
As noted by a few people, it's also not just GPS. Facebook and Google try to wring every last piece of information out of you that they can, including who you know, where you are, what you look like, what aliases you use, and so forth, without worrying in the least about GPS signals.
The problem is officials getting this information (and much more, as that Occupy protestor is finding out) without a warrant and private companies recording it for unclear means that you didn't explicitly agree to.
To Gen's point, there's an enormous market for cellphone hacks, exploits bought in many cases for six figures by organized crime and governments. This is also (absurdly) illegal. It's noteworthy that such a thing is never discussed in the various cybersecurity bills, whereas giving blanket immunity for companies tattling on you for "suspicious behavior" is the centerpiece.
Steve, I agree in that I don't have a cellphone, either. However, people like us do need to realize that some people's lifestyles no longer allow that option. For example, there's an entire class of jobs where you get fired if you're not instantly available 24/7, usually staffed by people who can't get a better job. Kids can't be released from school without parental consent, even in an emergency, in some parts of the country, and "abandoning" them could trigger a visit from CPS.
Plus, while it's not my thing, they're far more convenient than carrying change for a payphone, a watch, some maps, a calendar, and so forth, and then worrying about what to do in an emergency.
Why worried about all that if I don't have nothing to hide? Just let them s**!
You're right, Gino. Everything that people have written that they're worried about couldn't possibly apply to you because the rest of us must be breaking the law. Nobody innocent has ever been arrested or convicted of a crime. Criminals never steal this information to attack people. And nobody is ever sarcastic in comments…
This article was the straw that broke the camels back for me, and I finally did away with my smartphone. In reality, I have no need to hide, but I don't need people tracking me. I also don't need an smartphone either.
The only question I have about the article is the section where it mentions that one can buy a prepaid cellphone that doesn't require an identification. I spoke with a friend that works at a phone company and they said that under the Patriot Act they aren't allowed to sell a prepaid phone to anyone without proper identification, citing that the individuals who planned the 9/11 attacks were using that very method. Is this true, or is my friend misinformed?
John - is this the TED talk you're referencing? http://www.ted.com/talks/todd_humphreys_how_to_fool_a_gps.html
Yep. Thanks again, Blair! Our office weirdly blocks TED under, I assume, a theory that engineering types shouldn't be learning about stuff…
But yeah, in there, you'll see the science behind getting GPS down to millimeter accuracy, the logical progression in size, a reference to a buildable jammer, and the science behind spoofing the signal to look like you're somewhere else. For anybody who has an interest in the field, it's a good way to waste fifteen minutes or so.
Pre-paid dumb phone. Purchase it and minutes with cash. $25 every three months. Small enough to fit in the watch pocket of my jeans unlike those big ass smart phones. Wouldn't want an iPhone if it was free.
I read this article from my iPhone
Wrapping it in aluminum foil or putting it in a metal case isolates you from having the phone pinged while it is encased.
After wrapping your phone - try calling it from another phone. Mine never receives the incoming call and, a call in progress is shut down once the phone is wrapped.
Just wrap your cell phone with aluminum foil and it will not be able to receive or transmit on any network. Simple and easy solution. Uncover to use the phone, cover to leave network connection.
Is it possible to buy a prepaid phone now without a tracking device and without using your real name? Do phone companies even allow that. I buy prepaid minutes on my phone, only because I started doing this a way long time ago. But it dawned on me that maybe now they might start asking for ID, I don't know.
"Prepaids are a hassle, though. What can the rest of us do?"
If the question is rhetorical, then the answer is 'nothing'. But if not, the answer for now is 'get an Android phone model that is well supported by the white hat hacker community and hack it into near invisibility.'
Like buzzards circling around this matter are axioms about getting out what you put in. In their role as consumer, people who want their cake and eat it too, who want the magic of mobile functionality without any personal responsibility or burden of self-protection, they are bound to be taken advantage of by carriers, governments, technology providers, and malicious hackers.
If the predictions of 100 years of sci-fi and the histories of corporate greed and government surveillance did not give you a clue, then get one now.
Assume that if you will use a modern cellphone or smartphone, that you will need to
1. actively choose one that lets you take maximum control of its function and electronic visibility, and
2. commit to take and maintain that control, or
3. tacitly submit to the invasion of your privacy by parties who knowingly act at your expense.
There are a few things one can do short of getting rid of your hand-brain tracker.
1. Run Cyanogenmod 7 instead of stock Android (iPhone users probably like being tracked). CM7 has a thing called "permission management" which allows you to, for example, prevent a ring-tone app from reading your phone number and sending text messages. (It appears at this point that CM has bowed to, and I quote, "the powers that be", meaning Google, who apparently demanded they remove it in future versions such as CM9.)
2. Run CM7 or, failing that, another ROM with the P-Droid patch and app. P-Droid is another type of app permission management.
(More info about the above topics can be found via duckduckgo.com search or at xda-developers.com).
3. Use Orbot and Orweb for less-trackable browsing.
Commenting on this story is closed.
Dragnets: Tracking Censorship and Surveillance
ProPublica investigates the threats to privacy in an era of cellphones, data mining and cyberwar.


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Jason Collard, managing director of the South West branch of Urban Splash, bought the island in a private sale for an undisclosed fee last friday.
"I bought the pier because I think it's an amazing place and I think we can do something to it others can't," he said.
Ideas for the site include a visitor centre, a small hotel and restaurants.
The company hopes to hold talks with groups including Friends of the Old Pier and the Birnbeck Regeneration Trust before an architect is assigned.
The Victorian pier was opened in the late 1800s and links the Somerset town to a small island.
The previous owner, ferry company Whitehorse Ferries, had wanted to operate ferry services to Cardiff Bay.
Most Popular Now | 56,514 people are reading stories on the site right now.";

subset: commoncrawl


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PERRIS, Calif. — Opee is only 8, but he's already a popular veteran in the down and dirty sport of motocross.
He can pull 6 Gs. He has been the centerfold for Cycle News and poses regularly for fan photos. He's a survivor of the grueling Baja 500 and has racked up more than 10,000 hours on a dirt bike.
Sometimes, you can barely see the 70-pound pooch — a blue merle Australian shepherd — through the dust on his goggles and his custom helmet, complete with cam.
"I am his biggest fan," said Mike Schelin, Opee's owner, race partner and a purveyor of used motorcycle parts from a shop next to his mobile home.
Schelin got the dog in 2001 shortly after his divorce. He raises him with other dogs and two horses at a spread he calls Miracle Flats. Known as the Dogfather to some in the sport, Schelin always takes a back seat to Opee.
"He was my instant best friend," Schelin said. "He slept in my tool bag. There was something about him. He's had charisma since Day One. I knew I had a dog who could make a difference."
Schelin, 41, realized he had a four-legged motocross fan as a pet when he started riding in the desert with Opee on the chase.
"I felt bad for him, he would run so long." So Schelin bought a four-wheeler and they went desert riding together. The dog didn't like the dust in his eyes, so Schelin got him goggles. One day, Opee ditched the four-wheeler and hopped on the motorcycle tank, where he has been ever since, Schelin said.
Schelin doesn't go racing without Opee these days. "I can't go as fast without him. I can't jump as far without him. I don't feel as safe without him. He's become a natural part of the bike with me. We have this natural rhythm."
Even the most skilled motocross racer has a plaster cast past and Opee is no exception. His worst crash came in the 2006 Baja 500.
"We took a spill at 75 mph in the dirt and went into a 40-foot skid," Schelin said.
The dog isn't attached to the bike or Schelin in any way. He skinned his nose and scraped his paw. Schelin sliced his leg. The injuries weren't enough to put them out of the race though.
"I would never do anything to hurt my dog," Schelin said. "Opee keeps me in check at all times. If he doesn't jump up on the bike, we don't go."


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SAFETY inspectors are investigating reports of a methane gas incident at a coal mine near Selby, which has led to hundreds of miners being laid off.
Miners were evacuated from Kellingley Colliery – where many former Selby coalfield miners are among the 600 employees – after the incident on Tuesday night.
HM Inspectorate of Mines said it was called in and a team of inspectors was now investigating.
A woman who said she was a relative of a miner called The Press and claimed miners had been 'blown off their feet' after a methane gas 'explosion,' with some suffering cuts and bruises.
Pit operator UK Coal said there had not been any injuries, and said that while there appeared to have been an "ignition of methane" from an area where coal had previously been extracted, this did not constitute an explosion.
He said 200 employees were underground at the time and all had been safely accounted for.
He said mining had been halted and most of the mine's 600 staff laid off while the investigation continued, although some employees were carrying out other work. It was not known when the laid-off miners would be able to return to work.
A National Union of Mineworkers' spokesman said he had heard reports of a 'rush of air' following a build-up of gas which had blown miners off their feet, but could not confirm this.
Kellingley is one of Britain's few remaining deep coal mines, and it provided for miners who worked at pits in the Selby coalfield when it closed down some years ago.


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Sources: Obama to nominate Hagel as Pentagon chief
By JULIE PACE
and ROBERT BURNS
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama will nominate Chuck Hagel as his next defense secretary, a senior administration official said Sunday, choosing a former Senate colleague and a decorated Vietnam veteran and signaling he's ready for a contentious confirmation fight likely dominated by questions about Hagel's stands on Israel and Iran.
Obama, who avoided a Capitol Hill battle by deciding not to nominate U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice as his first choice for secretary of state, went ahead with Hagel, 66, even as leading Republicans announced their opposition — though they stopped short of saying they might try to block Hagel.
Seeking to soften the ground, the White House was alerting Senate Democrats that Hagel's selection as the successor to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta in Obama's second-term Cabinet was imminent, according to a congressional official.
Obama, who returned to Washington on Sunday from his Hawaiian vacation, was expected to nominate Hagel today. Congress is on break this coming week.
The officials requested anonymity in order to discuss Hagel's nomination ahead of Obama.
Hagel, a moderate Republican, built a strong relationship with Obama during their travel as senators. But the former Nebraska lawmaker has faced withering criticism from Congress since emerging as the front-runner for the Pentagon post.
Hagel is the second straight Obama favorite for a top national security post to face criticism from Capitol Hill even before being nominated. Rice withdrew her name from consideration for secretary of state amid charges from GOP senators that she misled the public in her initial accounting of the attacks on Americans at a diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya.
After Rice withdrew, Obama named Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass, to lead the State Department. Kerry is expected to be easily confirmed by his longtime Senate colleagues.
If confirmed, Hagel would take over a Pentagon that faces budget cuts and a scaling back of the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan. Afghan President Hamid Karzai is expected to meet with Obama in Washington this week to discuss the U.S. presence in Afghanistan after the war formally concludes at the end of 2014.
Hagel is likely to support a more rapid withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, the top Senate Republican, said earlier Sunday that he was reserving judgment on whether to support Hagel. But he predicted the former Nebraska senator would face serious questions about his stands on Iran and Israel.
Any nominee must have "a full understanding of our close relationship with out Israeli allies, the Iranian threat and the importance of having a robust military," McConnell said on ABC's "This Week."
Hagel has criticized discussion of a military strike by either the U.S. or Israel against Iran. He has also backed efforts to bring Iran to the table for talks on future peace in Afghanistan. Some lawmakers have been troubled by his comments and actions on Israel, including his reference to the "Jewish lobby" in the United States.
"This is a controversial pick," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told CNN. "He is an antagonistic figure when it comes to the state of Israel. It's a signal you're sending to Iran at the worst possible time and to our allies."
McConnell, R-Ky., said Hagel, who left the Senate in 2009, has "certainly been outspoken in foreign policy and defense over the years. The question we will be answering, if he's the nominee, is do his views make sense for that particular job?"
McConnell said he would "wait and see how the hearings go and see whether Chuck's views square with the job he would be nominated to do." He added, "I'm going to take a look at all the things that Chuck has said over the years and review that, and in terms of his qualifications to lead our nation's military."
The second-ranking Senate Republican, John Cornyn of Texas, said in a statement that making Hagel defense secretary would be "the worst possible message we could send to our friend Israel and the rest of our allies in the Middle East." Cornyn did not say he would try to block a Hagel nomination.
Obama, in an interview that aired last week on NBC's "Meet the Press," called Hagel "a patriot" who "has done extraordinary work" in the Senate and on an intelligence advisory board.
Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the second-ranking Senate Democrat, told CNN's "State of the Union" that Hagel "is a serious candidate if the president chooses to name him."
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Campus Watch Archives
April 9, 2002
Colorado Building, 701 Colorado
Occurred on 4-8-02 at 1:45 a.m.
Suspicious Person: A non-UT subject was observed hanging out in a doorway of the Colorado Building.
Graduate School of Business, 100 West 21st Street
Occurred on 4-7-02 between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Theft: A black Nokia cellular telephone was stolen from the 3rd floor Atrium after being left unsecured. Loss value $50.00.
Music Building East, 2405 Trinity
Occurred between 4-2-02 at 5:00 p.m. and 4-3-02 at 9:00 a.m.
Theft: An Apple iBook laptop computer, model M6497 was stolen from an unsecured cart which was left outside a third floor computer lab. Loss value $1,237.00.
Paisano Ranch House, 11535 Raw Hide Trail
Occurred on 4-8-02 at 7:00 p.m.
Suspicious Activity: Loud music was heard coming from the west end of the property. No one was found on the property.
Parking Lot 103, 2100 Block Comal Street
Occurred between 3-25-02 at 8:00 a.m. and 3-28-02 at 7:00 p.m.
Burglary of Motor Vehicle: The front passenger window of a red 1993 Honda Civic was found broken out. Stolen from the vehicle was a Pioneer in-dash AM/FM/CD player, approx. 80 compact disks by various artists, a green/black nylon bag containing clothes and the factory AM/FM cassette player. Loss value $455.00.
Parking Lot 115, 1600 East 20th Street
Occurred on 4-9-02 at 3:40 a.m.
Suspicious Activity: A UT student was found sleeping inside a green 1995 Dodge truck. Subject stated he had driven in from San Antonio and was tired.
Physical Plant, 1500 Manor Road
Occurred on 4-8-02 at 1:00 p.m.
Theft of Service: An unknown subject was observed washing a white Toyota extended cab truck at the UT car wash. When confronted by Physical Plant employees the subject became argumentative when questioned about the vehicle since it was not displaying any State seal. Subject left the area. Subject is described as: Black male, 6'0" 200 lbs., and was last seen wearing black pants with mud on the legs and a blue shirt. Loss value $7.00.
Simkins Hall Dormitory, 2501 San Jacinto Blvd.
Occurred between 4-4-02 at 12:01 p.m. and 4-8-02 at 8:30 a.m.
Theft / Criminal Mischief: Two shower curtains were stolen from a first floor men's restroom and a door to a toilet stall was removed from its hinges. Loss value $100.00.


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Infrastructure Australia's national co-ordinator,
Mr Deegan said their parochial focus had restricted the development of roads, railways and ports.
"I'm staggered at how colonial the country is," Mr Deegan told the Committee for Economic Development of Australia in Sydney. "Our colonial history is alive and well."
Mr Deegan, who has overseen the day-to-day operations of the federal-funded group since its creation by the Rudd government two years ago, said the three narrow-gauge railways, in Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania, were "just one small example of the difficulties we have in working as a nation".
He also criticised the level of political debate, saying "radio jocks" were "running the country", and suggested people attending the CEDA forum "take the country back".
Mr Deegan's comments come as Infrastructure Australia prioritises a list of projects, including a $1.78 billion road around Brisbane, the NorthernLink; a $4.9 billion underground rail line in Melbourne, the Melbourne Metro; and a $4 billion project, Managed Motorways, which plans to introduce variable speed limits and other traffic management systems on some motorways to stop traffic jams.
Projects that would lead to the greatest productivity increases include the proposed Moorebank Intermodal Terminal in south-western Sydney, which will handle container traffic from interstate rail freight and Port Botany, and the development of a national freight network, Mr Deegan said.
As well as encouraging a national approach to tackling the works backlog, Infrastructure Australia is pushing for greater collaboration between the government and the private sector.
"The default position that the government does it better is not sustainable," Mr Deegan said.
"How do we change the discussion between the public and private sectors so that the private sector is the default position?"
Other priorities included improving the quality of life in cities.
Research has shown that people want to be egalitarian but are worried by housing developments that create enclaves or slums, attitudes Mr Deegan described as "code for race".
Meanwhile, the group is targeting what it calls "international-level infrastructure arrangements".
Its chairman,
New Zealand was "dead keen to be part of the Australasian infrastructure pipeline", Mr Deegan said.
Separately, professional association Engineers Australia released an "infrastructure report card" on NSW yesterday, saying the state's infrastructure was "under stress" and generally in "average to poor condition".
The chairman of the group's report-card committee, Ian Pedersen, said: "There remains a lack of strategic planning, co-ordination and integration and a commitment to existing plans and, with population growth driving further demands, the public and private sectors will need to invest a significant amount of money to bring NSW's infrastructure up to a reasonable standard."
The NSW Business Chamber backed the report, calling for an independent agency to manage infrastructure planning and funding.
"NSW should replicated the model created by the Federal Government and take infrastructure decisions out of the hands of politicians and into the hands of infrastructure experts," said Stephen Cartwright, chief executive.
The Bligh government released its 20-year south-east Queensland infrastructure plan yesterday. The total cost has increased by $10 billion to $134 billion.
Infrastructure Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the total number of projects in the plan had increased from 378 to 399 this year, including seven new projects worth $1.4 billion.
Mr Hinchliffe said from next year SEQIP would be replaced by a state-wide infrastructure plan to anticipate infrastructure needs in fast-growing regions across the state.
The Australian Financial Review


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THE father of disgraced businessman Tony Ramsden has resigned his post with a public body that hands out tens of millions of pounds.
David Ramsden said Daily Echo reports about his son had prompted his resignation as a director of the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership.
Tony Ramsden had resigned within 24 hours of the Echo revealing that he had been appointed chairman of the Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch branch of the Federation of Small Businesses.
The appointment came soon after he was released early from a 10-month jail sentence.
David Ramsden was the branch's secretary and has previously been its chairman.
He is the federation's national chairman on tax and economic affairs, despite having been bankrupted in the past.
Local Enterprise Partnerships were set up to involve the business community in channelling public money to promote economic growth. The Dorset LEP had already secured more than £45million for local projects.
In a statement, David Ramsden said: "As a result of the adverse publicity afforded to me by the Bournemouth Daily Echo and because the LEP is a publicly-funded body, unlike the FSB which takes no public funding, I decided to offer my resignation from the board of the Dorset LEP, which the chairman has accepted with regret.
"I was appointed to the board in my own right and not because I was a member of the FSB.
"During my time as a director of the LEP I have had the privilege of leading the Growing Places Fund in Dorset and hope that in some small way I have made a contribution to the improvement of the economy in Dorset.
"I would like to make it clear that my role within the LEP was a voluntary role which carried no remuneration, nor expenses."
The chairman of Dorset LEP, Gordon Page, said: "He has tendered his resignation for personal reasons. I accepted it and also his resignation from his place on the Growing Places steering group."
Cllr Philip Eades, who stressed he was speaking as a Poole councillor rather than in his role as the town's mayor, said: "I have been pestering the Dorset LEP for more than a year on their recruitment and appointment procedures.
"I welcome the resignation of Mr Ramsden but still remain concerned that too much of the LEP's work and their decisions are taken and kept in secret."
David Ramsden led Dorset LEP's Growing Places Fund, which won £9.6m from government to lend to projects which would generate economic activity and growth.


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Articles about reggae music, reviews, interviews, reports and more...
As is the norm for the launch party, various artistes, musicians and media personnel turned out for the event. With performances that night from the group No-Maddz, Ras Shiloh, Tony Tuff and Tony Rebel himself, the launch took the form of a mini concert giving the audience a hint of what to expect at the event in January.
The announcements by Organic H.E.A.R.T. Group of Companies, the promoters of the event (headed by DJ Tony Rebel) are expected to please both the new and the loyal patrons who make the show an annual event. Two significant changes were announced. For the first time in its twenty year history the event will be held on the north coast instead of Jamaica's south coast which has been its home ever since its inception. Additionally, it will be expanded to a two night event.
The details of these announcements are that Rebel Salute 2013, 'The preservation of Reggae', will be held at the Richmond Estate, Priory, St. Ann on January 18th& 19th 2013. The advantages, as Tony Rebel highlighted are that patrons will benefit from an abundance of hotel rooms and villa accommodation located in Runaway Bay and Ocho Rios areas. Accessibility to the venue will also be an improvement, as over the years, challenges included finding the location, navigating the terrain, and securing adequate parking (particularly at the earlier venues) existed. These will be solved with the new venue. Camping facilities on the grounds of the venue is a new feature as well.
In keeping with the principles of the event over the years; no weapons, alcohol, meat or drugs will be allowed. The line-up is indicative of the efforts made by Organic H.E.A.R.T. Group of Companies to attract some of reggae finest performers. Among some of the big names scheduled for the two day event are Luciano, Busy Signal, Sizzla, Richie Spice, Pablo Moses, Tarrus Riley, Queen Ifrica, Errol Dunkley, The Hippie Boys, Ernie Smith, Pluto Shervington and Marcia Griffiths to name a few. The return of Shinehead and Aswad to the local scene are performances being anticipated by many.
In addition to being available online, the tickets outlets are Organic H.E.A.R.T. Group of Companies, and Fontana Pharmacy (Mandeville, Sav-La-Mar and Montego Bay). With the reputation of past shows and the stellar line up of artistes, Rebel Salute 20th should be, its most successful staging yet.
Reproduction without permission of United Reggae and Steve James is prohibited.
Interview: Things you didn't know about Derajah
By Angus Taylor
Interview: Ken Boothe in Kingston (Part 1)
By Angus Taylor
Interview: Kabaka Pyramid in Kingston
By Angus Taylor
Alborosie - Freedom In Dub
By Erik Magni
Interview: Samory I
By David Katz
Wilkswood Reggae Festival 2017
By David Katz
Stand High Patrol - The Shift
By Erik Magni
Pama International - Love & Austerity
By Erik Magni
© 2007-2017 United Reggae. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited. Read about copyright
Terms of use | About us | Contact us | Authors | Newsletter | A-Z


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at what month do babies start eating solids?
hi mommies of july 2009 babies. im sadey. im 17 years old with a 6 month old babygirl.
Started by Sadey on 01/22/2010 in July 2009
Last update on 01/24/2010 by Gabriella
hi mommies of july 2009 babies. im sadey. im 17 years old with a 6 month old babygirl.
Last update on 01/24/2010 by Gabriella
Last update on 11/09/2009 by Jennifer
I am 20 years old and just had my first child. He is two weeks old and I know it is far to soon for him to start eating cereal or having anything other than formula , but I was...
Last update on 11/19/2013 by Sarah
my son has been on solids almost a month and the last 3 or 4 days he wants to nurse only no solids at all or water. could it be because of teething? he was doing great
Last update on 08/20/2009 by Jolene
3 months
Last update on 08/10/2009 by Emma
I think I've made the decision to start my baby on solids. I was wondering if I could get some opinions on when you started your babies on solids and what you started them...
Last update on 08/17/2009 by Kimmy
I have an almost 9mo. old he spent the first month of his life in the NICU. He has had no more complications since coming home. However he does not seem to be taking to eating...
Last update on 09/17/2011 by Teresa
Heath was born Oct 5, just turned 8 months. For about 1 week now he hasnt wanted to eat the food I make him, he just wants to play with it. I offer him my breast afterwards...
Last update on 06/20/2010 by Jennifer
is it okay to start giving my 5 month old baby jar foods and if so how much do i start giving him at first
Last update on 02/06/2013 by Melanie
I am interested in making my daughters baby food and would love any tips you might have! I think she might be having rice cereal for the first time this weekend then next will...
Last update on 08/12/2010 by Mandy
is it ok to eat solid food in four months old baby?
Last update on 06/23/2011 by Rebecca
my son is two months old and his dr. told e i should start him on cereal and fruit , just wondering if this is to early.
Last update on 02/24/2012 by Michelle
Last update on 06/16/2010 by Jaja
I'm just curious how many babies are eating actual solid food at this point. I've tried the typical Stage 3 foods with my son (born 9/28/09) and he still can't do it. He...
Last update on 08/09/2010 by Kristen
My daughter just turned 5 months old a few days ago and right now i'm just nursing her, but it doesn't seem to be filling her up!! We've never been able to get her to take a...
Last update on 12/22/2011 by Shannintipton
My son, Landon, will be 5 months old on January 24th. He does nothing but eat all day. Recently I have noticed that he watches when people eat as well. He was born 2 months...
Last update on 01/29/2010 by Jill
My son still seems hungry after being fed. How old was your baby when you started them on solids?
Last update on 11/12/2010 by Catherine
My daughter will be 1 at the end of the month and we've been trying to get her to expand her diet. She's great with baby cereal and jarred foods. She'll eat cheerios and...
Last update on 10/28/2010 by Karen
OK - I think I am behind, but I am not sure. George (my son) will be 8 months on the 19th and to date he has eaten: peas, beans, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, squash,...
Last update on 06/22/2009 by Kelly
Just wondering how much I should feed my son solid foods (born on 4/30). Currently I'm giving him fruit with oatmeal for breakfast and a vegetable with rice cereal for lunch...
Last update on 12/03/2009 by Andrea


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Irish Cottage
10807 72nd Avenue
Forest Hills, NY 11375
View more Forest Hills restaurants
(718) 268-1329
View more restaurants at exit 21 on I-495.
4 of 5.0 from 21 reviews
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Irish Cottage Reviews
Add your review for Irish Cottage.
This is definitely one of the worst places in forest hills. Overpriced disgusting food and rude service.
by Natalie M.
The bartender was the most lovely! Made me feel like home!
by Megan M.
Make sure you order a nice pint of Guinness.
by Gabriel C.
After a late night movie you should stop by and relax with a drink.
by Gabriel C.
Sharon is the best bartender ever.
by Bryan H.
Was greeted by a very nice male bartender. After ordering 2 rounds of drinks and a round of shots, there was a shift change and a dark haired rude woman took over the bar. We will never go back!!!
by Mel A.
This was the worst bar I've ever been to. The dark haired woman behind the bar was beyond rude!!! Please do not give this place business!!!!!
by Laura E.
Ambiente descontraido, uma lareira gostosa e comida muito boa. Vald conferir!
by Adriana P.
The no longer new bartender has earned a namr and itssss (errr ummm.... Oh ya) AWESOME RICHIE!
by Kitty s.
Best Bass in Queens
by Rohan B.
The new bartenders name is notsharon
by Kitty s.
Stay for the guinness but leave before karaoke.
by Joe A.
Hot and wild wings are fantastic! Tasty and not soaked in vinegar.
by Rita C.
Sharon is back so you better come in and say hi to her.
by Gabriel C.
For St. Patty's they wanted a $20 minimum. They had a select menu that was over priced, and you can't "share" your meal. Weak. Thanks, but no thanks.
by Brandon F.
Harp is on tap. Glub Glub Glub.
by Brandon F.
Don't ever ever go to this place. The owner Kathleen is a rude drunk.
by John M.
come when Sharon is here!!!
by Joseph S.
friendliest and homeliest pub around!
by Albert O.
Avoid the 8 dollar pint of Guinness
by Tracy V.
Get a spot of Irish Breakfast and Irish Milk
by Yuki
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First phase costs rise at Echo Hills
Oconee County councilmen are unhappy that the cost of first phase development at the Echo Hills industrial park on highway 11 is increasing by $100 thousand. At second reading last night, what had been a $2.5 million general obligation bond rose by $100 thousand. County Administrator Scott Moulder explained the added cost reflects the handling of the bonds to be issued to cover the costs of readying part of the acreage for potential employers. What to call the county's latest industrial park is another matter. After District Two's Wayne McCall complained that Echo Hills sounds like a gated golf course community, Moulder said a name change is coming.


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Sweet Li'l Scarfette
A cute little necktie/headband, Sweet Li'l Scarfette is a fun accessory that makes a perfect gift or accompaniment to your wardrobe.
Choose between fingering weight or lace weight yarn held double, the possibilities are endless. Make a Sweet Li'l Scarfette in your favourite colour, a luxury yarn, choose self striping or a gradient yarn . Worked in the round from end to end, this is a simple project - a perfect project for travelling or TV watching.
Length 90cm/35.5"
Width 9cm/ 3.5"
Ozi Farmers Market, Gradient dyed Glitterati. (Fingering / 4ply, 75% Merino, 20% /Nylon, 5% Stellina, 401m / 438 yards / 100 grams)
230m / 250 yards "Dusk".
SoFtrope, Kidsilk. (Lace / 2 ply, 70% Mohair, 30% Silk, 384m / 420 yards / 50 grams)
1 skein "Oxalysis" held double.
4 mm/US 6 DPNs or your preferred needles for small circumference knitting.
Notions: 2 Stitch markers
Tapestry needle
Gently blocked stockinette in round:
Fingering: 28 sts and 33 rows = 10cm/4"
Lace held double: 28 sts and 28 rows = 10cm/4".Gauge is not crucial for this project; however, variations in gauge will affect finished measurements and yardage required.
Join us over in Ambah's ravelry group for company and support while knitting your project.
Subscribe to Ambah's Newsletter to hear about New Designs, subscriber only special offers and News from Ambah's Studio. New Subscribers will enjoy a free pattern.


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A timely twist on the roast chook.
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- Serves:4
- Degree of difficulty:Medium
- Preparation time:2 hours
1 chicken, large
50g butter, unsalted
4-6 rashes of proscuito
1 onion
2 chorizo sausages
200g rolled oats
pinch of mixed herbs
1 egg
1 apple, cored and chopped
50g dried apricots, chopped
100g red currant jelly
100ml port
1 carrot
1 onion
1 stick of celery, roughly chopped
Start by making your stuffing and preparing the chicken.
For the chicken make sure you rinse it well in clean water and pat dry.
Cut your onion into a fine dice and set aside. Peel the casing from the chorizo sausage, and dice to a similar size of the onion.
Heat a little butter in a fry pan and gently sautthe chorizo and the onion until they are tender.
Place these ingredients into a bowl; add the rolled oats, chopped parsley, mixed herbs, diced apple and apricots.
Season with a little salt and pepper add the beaten egg to help bind all the ingredients.
Carefully pack your stuffing into the cavity of the chicken.
Use a piece of butchers twine or similar tie the two legs of the chicken together to help secure the bird while roasting.
Using your finger tips carefully lift the skin from the breast of the chicken and insert any remaining butter under the skin. Next lay and wrap the rashers of proscuito around the chicken and secure with some toothpicks.
Place the chopped carrot, onion and celery (mire-priox) in the base of a baking tray. Place the chicken on top.
Put the baking tray into an oven pre heated to 220c and cook for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180c and cook for a further 50 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked.
Once cooked, allow the chicken to rest in a warm area.
While the chicken is resting strain the juices from your roasting tray into a sauce pan; add some redcurrant jelly and a splash of port.
Bring to the boil, skim any fat from the surface and reduce to the required consistency, strain the sauce ready for use.
Serving suggestions
Great for lunch or dinner
Wine suggestion


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Meisler MH, Russ C, Montgomery KT, Greenway M, Ennis S, Hardiman O, Figlewicz DA, Quenneville NR, Conibear E, Brown RH. Evaluation of the Golgi trafficking protein VPS54 (wobbler) as a candidate for ALS. Amyotroph Lateral Scler. 2008 Jun;9(3):141-8. PubMed.
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|You are in: Entertainment: Music
Thursday, 21 February, 2002, 02:10 GMT
Travis: All-weather favourites
Travis have been named best British group at the Brits in both years that they have been up for the award - 2000 and 2002.
In those years, the Scots group held off competition from such big names as Radiohead, Blur, Stereophonics and Texas - no mean feat.
Their hits include Why Does It Always Rain On Me and Sing - which reached number three in the UK chart in May 2001 - while two of their three albums have hit the UK chart's top spot.
Singer Fran Healy met bassist Dougie Payne in 1990 while studying art at Glasgow University. The two became friends after discovering they had a shared skill in Rolf Harris impersonations.
Click here to watch Travis perform Sing on Top Of The Pops
"I left art school because I had so many arguments there. It's very elitist and not very much for people that are coming from where I've come from," he said.
"That's maybe why I'm doing what I'm doing, because what music's got that fine art doesn't have is radio. Radio's free."
Slowly, they built up a reputation, and by 1996 record companies were beginning to take an interest. Sony sent an executive to Edinburgh, who signed them for a publishing deal - despite the gig degenerating into a brawl.
The foursome moved to London, where events moved quickly.
They became the first signings to record label Independiente after releasing their debut single All I Want To Do Is Rock themselves, and the follow-up U16 Girls was their first top 40 hit.
Their debut album, Good Feeling, was recorded in four days, and received glowing reviews. The band were also chosen to support Oasis on a UK tour.
They disappeared from view in 1998 - taking six months, five studios and two producers to record Good Feeling's follow-up, The Man Who.
Their break-through to the big time came with the single Why Does It Always Rain On Me?, released in August 1999.
A sad, classic record, it reached number 10 in the UK but lingered on radio playlists all summer. It followed the band's appearance at the Glastonbury festival when, as they started to play the song - it rained.
It also helped them win the best British band Brit in 2000, while The Man Who was also named best British album.
They played 237 gigs to promote that album, including a support slot with Oasis on a US tour, then faded from view again to work on their third long player, The Invisible Band.
One of the secrets to Travis' success is that they have always produced simple, sing-along, uplifting songs that give a warm glow to their subjects - love and the trials of life.
Through it all, they still come across as happy, down-to-earth and friendly stars, with none of the rock heirs and graces that many bands develop.
"There's no ego here, man. If freaks me out sometimes," Dunlop has said.
See also:
27 Aug 01 | Reviews
Travis triumph on home turf
07 Jun 01 | Reviews
Travis: The hollow band
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text:
Awesomeness Meter
Have fun playing pranks on your friends with the Awesomeness Meter. It measures how Awesome you are by scanning your finger. Only you control the Awesomeness.
Instructions for the hidden controls will be displayed the first time you run the App only, be sure to read them!
Find the Awesomeness Meter on the AppStore (http://itunes NULL.apple NULL.com/au/app/awesomeness-meter/id408606463?mt=8).


text:
Verizon's Motorola XOOM is making the jump to Android 4.0 ICS starting on June 4
Before, it was believed that the Motorola XOOM would spend it last days agonizing in pain being stuck with Honeycomb, but that's not the case any longer. Call it a miracle or whatever, but the original Honeycomb tablet is making the jump to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich – and ever better, the wait will be a short one!
Verizon announced the wonderful news today, as they give us the concrete date of Monday, June 4th as being the day ICS will become available to the tablet. In addition to all the cool features that we find with the most up-to-date version of Android, Verizon's beauty will also see additional functionality with the update – such as a speech-to-text technology and the option to dismiss notifications individually. Not ending there, it'll also include a built-in photo editor app that'll provide owners with some on the go editing functions.
So who's excited by this unexpected news? Well, if you're in possession of a Motorola XOOM tablet for Big Red, we're certain you're already itching to get this one. Thankfully, the wait at this point is merely a few days, so it won't be that bad at all.
source: Verizon via Mobileburn
20 Comments
1. roscuthiii (Posts: 2241; Member since: 18 Jul 2010)
Well dip me in sour cream and call me a taco, I never thought I'd see ICS on a XOOM!
3. KingKurogiii (Posts: 5713; Member since: 23 Oct 2011)
really? you never thought you'd see ICS on a Google Experience Device? :P
6. roscuthiii (Posts: 2241; Member since: 18 Jul 2010)
Not from an (semi)older device using service from Verizon, they're not yet proven to be gratuitous enough with updates.
Plus, I think you missed my subtle ribbing of a well known site naysayer of all things Google... perhaps too subtle.
9. Sniggly (Posts: 7305; Member since: 05 Dec 2009)
I didn't miss it. ;)
10. KingKurogiii (Posts: 5713; Member since: 23 Oct 2011)
yeah, because Verizon is such a big, bad bully and won't let Google update their version of a product that's been running ICS for months. xD
hm, must have. :P
16. Mxyzptlk (unregistered)
Only seven months later. Such a quick and timely update.
2. KingKurogiii (Posts: 5713; Member since: 23 Oct 2011)
5. Droid4Life (unregistered)
FE? As in foto editor? By the way, I can spell photo.
11. KingKurogiii (Posts: 5713; Member since: 23 Oct 2011)
if you can spell photo then you must have known from the start that was a dumb guess. it's for Family Edition, the XOOM: Family Edition.
4. gallitoking (Posts: 4721; Member since: 17 May 2011)
well pluck up all my feathers and call me a duster.... I never thought I will see a Xoom owner
7. petermania (Posts: 4; Member since: 16 Mar 2012)
I love my xoom....underrated tablet if u ask me
8. Sniggly (Posts: 7305; Member since: 05 Dec 2009)
Aaand here is a perfect example of carrier interference in Android updates. The wifi only XOOM got ICS in December. The exact same tablet, albeit with an extra radio, gets the same update seven months later.
15. mynameisfyl (Posts: 12; Member since: 27 Feb 2012)
EXACTLY...I was wondering what all the hubub was about as I've had ICS on it for ages.
12. Harold1066 (Posts: 19; Member since: 01 Jun 2012)
Very nice, now we just need to see ICS on more devices. I love CM9 Alpha on my Touchpad.
13. ankrul2004 (Posts: 16; Member since: 21 Mar 2012)
My Xoom is the 3G/4G model but is currently being used as a WiFi device only since it is NOT connected with Big Red data plan. Will I still get the update?
14. imkyle (Posts: 1086; Member since: 18 Nov 2010)
You should be able to. I would imagine it will be OTA and if you're on WiFi or Big Red's service, it shouldn't make a difference.
17. Mxyzptlk (unregistered)
A little late to the party Motorola.
18. Gcombs (Posts: 133; Member since: 22 Aug 2011)
Just hurry up my Razr is waiting for ICS...
19. jphillips63 (Posts: 245; Member since: 04 Jan 2012)
This isn't much of a surprise this tablet has been the worse purchase I've ever made and dealing with Moto I now understand why. Broken promises from day one when this was launched and then it was just a half baked product. The Xoom is old news and history there are much better tablets out there today and for half the cost to boot.


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By Mason W. Canales
Killeen Daily Herald
Bell County district courts set a special hearing for early December in the Nolanville, Harker Heights and Belton case, but the cities' attorneys say the hearing will not happen.
Harker Heights filed a suit in October against Nolanville to seek a judicial ruling on Nolanville's most recent population count of more than 5,000 residents, and Belton later joined Heights in the suit.
The cities were supposed to meet in court for the first time Friday, according to Bell County District Courts civil docket.
That hearing was pushed back, with all sides hoping to settle the issue outside of court, said Roger Gordon, a Bojorquez Law Firm PLLC attorney, which represents Nolanville.
"This is an opportunity for us to sit down and discuss all the cities' claims," Gordon said.
Harker Heights and Belton both agreed that meeting to settle the conflict outside of court, if an agreement can be reached, would be ideal.
"It has been Harker Heights' position all along, and I believe Belton's too, if there is some opportunity to resolve the issue out of court then that would be everybody's preference," Harker Heights City Attorney Burk Roberts said.
Belton's City Manager, Sam Listi, agreed with Roberts.
"We are trying to see if there is opportunity for a meeting that would be meaningful," Listi said. "And we remain open to that as we have been through this entire process."
The cities held several meetings prior to Harker Heights filing for a judicial ruling, but an agreement was never reached and Nolanville never presented Heights or Belton with an official proposal for an agreement.
Nolanville's population count, which was passed in December 2008, extended Nolanville's extraterritorial jurisdiction into areas Heights and Belton's ETJs were going to expand into through annexation.
Friday's special hearing was for the judge to decide a plea of jurisdiction filed by Nolanville's attorneys.
"This court lacks subject matter jurisdiction over the plaintiff's and intervenor's claims because neither the plaintiff nor the intervenor have pleaded sufficient fact to demonstrate: a) that (Harker Heights and Belton) claims present a ripe case or controversy for decision by the court, and b) that (Harker Heights and Belton) have a sufficient stake in the matter to establish the necessary standing to pursue their claims," stated the plea.
A plea of jurisdiction is a claim that the court doesn't have the authority to make a determination on the case, Roberts said.
"It is a tool ... to prevent the court from hearing a case," Roberts explained.
Gordon was hopeful that a meeting between the cities, which hasn't occurred since the suit was filed, would take place in December, he said. He was also "optimistic" that an agreement could made at the meeting that could be taken to each cities' councils for approval.
"If our attempts fail, we will have this (court) hearing in January," Gordon said.
Contact Mason W. Canales at email@example.com or (254) 501-7554.


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Friday, July 30, 1999 Published at 17:30 GMT 18:30 UK
HIV+ patients 'need drug therapy help'
For many HIV has bene brought under control with expensive drugs
The lives of HIV patients could be put at risk if doctors do not help them take the complex combination of drugs which have caused death rates to plummet, an Aids conference heard on Friday.
Two hundred HIV positive delegates meeting in Coventry were told that 10% of the estimated 16,000 people on combination therapy drugs are not responding to treatment.
Some patients have to take up to 30 pills a day. Many have to be taken at particular times of the day to be effective and meal times often have to be tailored to the drug timetable.
Some of the drugs also have strong side effects, for example, nausea.
If people do not take them correctly, HIV can become resistant to them, meaning they have to switch to other drugs.
Combination therapy - a cocktail of different anti-HIV drugs which can lower the virus to undetectable levels - was introduced in the UK in 1996 and is said to have reduced the Aids death rate by 75%.
Staying alive
Paul McCrory, chair of the Network of Self-Help HIV and Aids Groups (NSHHA), said: "Many people are not getting advice from their doctors about how to keep up with this level of medication.
"It is vital that doctors, and the companies that produce these drugs, address this issue seriously so we can keep people with HIV alive and well."
The number of people newly infected with HIV is rising, with 3,000 new cases last year - the highest number since the epidemic began.
Many others are living with HIV on combination therapy, but only 39% in a recent survey said their doctors had given them advice about how to take the drugs.
Less than a third said the advice was written down so they could look over it at home.
The patients as expert
The conference, organised by the National Aids Trust, the UK Coalition of People Living with HIV and Aids (UKCPLHA) and the NSHHA, also heard calls for more recognition for the role HIV positive people have played in educating people about Aids.
Ian Kramer, deputy chair of the UKCPLHA, said: "We are the experts when it comes to how this virus is transmitted."
He said HIV positive people should be at the centre of policies and education initiatives to stop the virus from spreading.
Public health minister Tessa Jowell told the conference the government was putting together new policies on HIV and would be involving HIV positive people.
She said: "I welcome the key points for action identified at this conference as a valuable input for the HIV/Aids strategy, as this means consultation has been opened up to a wider involvement of people with HIV, at an early stage in the development of the strategy."
Health Contents
Background Briefings
Medical notes


text:
Waiting for the (Google) Wave to wash over me
It takes two to tango. It also takes two to Wave.
As my blog-colleague here at Net Worked Amanda Maurer wrote recently, Google Wave is out and the invites are going around. I lucked into one and I've messed around a little bit with it.
Wave integrates elements of e-mail (er, Gmail), instant messaging, chat and interactive documents. It looks very, very cool.
I think Google Wave has the potential to revolutionize how large newsrooms large and small share information. It could create the ultimate collaboration system that opens the creative process to everyone involved in producing the daily news report — reporters, editors, designers, copy editors, photographers and Web producers.
The problem is, reporters, editors, designers, copy editors, photographers and Web people aren't on Google Wave. At least not in my newsroom. Indeed, not in most newsrooms I know of. Not yet, at least.
I only know 3 people on Google Wave, and, while they're fine folks, I don't work with any of them. So I can't tell you for certain whether Google Wave is really as cool a newsroom collaboration tool as I think it might be. I've never had to share a story or a presentation or a spreadsheet with any of my three contacts on Google Wave. Or haggle with them over a headline while the copy desk chief looms over my desk, smoke spewing from his ears, and says, "We have to have that story NOW!"
And it's not just me. I sense there are a bunch of folks out there who got Google Wave invites but, because they don't have any other contacts on Wave (or any other contacts they care to Wave at/with), they sit and look at their monitors and think, "What the heck do I do with this dang thing?"
I asked one of my digital sherpas, Dwight Silverman of the Houston Chronicle, when will other people I know get on Google Wave? He could not offer me much consolation, saying Google is slowly rolling out the invites. Darn.
If I can ever use Google Wave in a real, rubber-hits-the-road newsroom environment, I'll put it through its paces and see if it's really as cool and as barrier-breaking a collaboration tool as I think it could be. When I do that, I'll offer a full report here. Until then, all you'll get from me is the sound of one hand Waving.
Jennifer Peebles is deputy editor of Texas Watchdog in Houston, Texas. She's @jpeebles on Twitter and email@example.com. Please Wave at her. She's lonely.
Defending the First Amendment and promoting open government are more crucial now than ever. Join SPJ's fight for the publics right to know either as an SPJ Supporter or a professional, student or retired journalist.


text:
Oil Search paid a full price for its stake in the Elk-Antelope gas fields, according to Citi analysts, who have downgraded the stock to "sell" from "neutral".
The gas giant announced on Thursday it would pay $US900 million ($1 billion) for a 22.835 per cent interest in PRL 15, which contains the Elk-Antelope gas fields, and fund it with a $US1.2 billion placement to the Papua New Guinea government.
Citi said the price paid was higher than that proposed by French giant Total in December, when Total agreed to pay InterOil up to $US3.6 billion for a majority stake in the gas field.
Oil Search's deal also trumped the Total/InterOil transaction, which had break clauses in case another party came in and mopped up the minority interests.
But Citi analysts said they expected Total and InterOil to stick together and come up with a new deal.
"Based on [Oil Search CEO] Peter Botten's comments on today's conference call, we suspect this deal will come as a small surprise for Total, but we think it will quickly move to lock down a very similar deal with Interoil to that initially proposed," the analysts told clients.
JPMorgan analysts said it was possible Oil Search's deal could open the door for another oil giant.
"Purely to float the possibility, if Total is blocked, we believe perhaps Exxon could make a return to the licence it was previously negotiating for via its PNG LNG partner OSH," the analysts said.
The Australian Financial Review


text:
This content has been marked as final. Show 1 reply
1. Re: db_associate fails with : Lock table is out of available lock entriesBogdan Coman-Oracle Jun 13, 2011 9:20 PM (in response to user605606)Hi Ashley,
You should be sizing the locking subsystem with high enough values so the secondary database rebuilds successfully, then run the "db_stat -C" utility and see how many locks, lock objects and lockers did you need to perform the operation and reconfigure the locking subsystem with values slightly bigger than what you needed, so you make sure that you'll have enough resources for the next time you'll rebuild the secondary.
"Lock table is out of available lock entries" means that the Berkeley DB locking subsystem has not been configured for enough locks. For more information, see the "Configuring locking: sizing the system" section of the Berkeley DB Reference Guide, included in your download package and also available at:
To see what locks are held in the database environment at any time, you can dump the lock table using the -Cl options:
% db_stat -h [database environment directory] -Cl -N
Additional documentation:
db_stat: http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E17076_02/html/api_reference/C/db_stat.html
set_lk_max_locks: http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E17076_01/html/api_reference/C/envset_lk_max_locks.html
Bogdan Coman


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Theater owners believe they still have a good shot to beat the rule, adopted yesterday by the New York City Board of Health, that would ban sales of large sized sugar drinks in movie houses, restaurants and other venues. It doesn't take effect until March 12. And before then a coalition of opponents likely will ask the courts to overturn the measure, supported by Mayor Michael Bloomberg as part of his effort to fight obesity. It would bar food sellers regulated by the Board of Health from selling sugared drinks in portions larger than 16 oz. It would apply to restaurants, theaters, and workplace cafeterias, but not supermarkets and convenience stores. It also exempts diet sodas, alcohol, and fruit juices. Bloomberg called the Board of Health vote "the biggest step a city has taken to curb obesity." It has drawn attention to the issue, and will "eventually begin turning the tide of the obesity epidemic that is destroying the health of far too many of our citizens." But Robert Sunshine, executive director of the National Association of Theatre Owners' New York State operation, says his group is "opposed to anyone telling us what we can eat and what we can drink." Concessions account for more than 25% of a typical theater's revenues, according to SNL Kagan estimates. If the ban takes effect then "somewhere along the line the profit will have to be made up," Sunshine says. "It's going to have a tremendous impact."
NYC Theater Owners Back Fight Against Ban On Large Sugar Drinks
16 Comments
Finally someone brings this up!!
The only time i ever get a super-sized soda is at the movies.
It is when i choose to indulge myself.
This is also the only situation where refills are not practical.
Also, most of the cup is ice anyway. A 32oz soda is probably already just 16oz of liquid.
I will not be watching movies in NYC anymore.
Hey fat fucks!
Stop eating and drinking so much! The responsibility is now back on you. Control yourselves! That is all. You're welcome.
People are ranting and raving about their rights and blah, blah. Seriously, people? Do you honestly want to pay $5.00+ for a soda that actually costs them about 17 cents? Put a 20 oz from the bodega in your purse or pants and call it a day.
I don't drink soda. I also don't live in NY.
And I think this is RIDICULOUS. What weak, childish society do we live in where our government has to take away things that are bad for us?
Best part is that it doesn't apply to diet soda and fruit juice.
At least they've figured out not to take alcohol away from us wayward, gluttonous children.
Actually no, diet soda has no sugar, that's the point. And at least fruit juice has some nutritive value…
Mayor, I have an idea! Ban ALL food, replace it with a perfect health bar and pill regimen, and if refused, force-fed. There you go, obesity solved! That certainly suits your premise that the ends justify the means, right? You know your subjects are far too stupid to care for themselves. And if you don't go along, you must hate children, and want them to be obese! Well? Will you do it for the health of New Yorkers?
While I don't think the law is a good idea, I don't think most Americans realize just how big of a problem obesity is. Americans are, by far, the fattest people in the world. Almost a full 1/3 of Americans are obese. Not just fat, but obese. One in three!!!
When I travel to the US, it's probably what jumps out at me the most, just how overweight everyone is. And it's no wonder when you go to a restaurant and order something. The portions are HUGE. It's not like that in other countries. Americans somehow have begun to believe that in order to get good value, you have to get more food. Why does anyone need to eat or drink the portions that you are served? It's ridiculous.
I don't agree with the law, but I certainly applaud the thought behind it.
It amazes me how many of you just don't get it. It has nothing to do with whether giant sodas can contribute to obesity. They can. But good intentions don't negate the fact that this is NOT the government's business.
You never lose your rights all at once. It's always a slow trickle. Next up: burgers ok, DOUBLE burgers must be banned. Etc. wake the fuck up.
I always thought people in New York were tough and didn't take crap from anyone…and now they're letting a mayor tell them they can't buy a goddamn jumbo soda? Really?
Look, if you don't like it, vote out Bloomy and his minions at the next election. I wonder how many of those who are screaming and squawing about this, even do vote.
Theater owners feel they can tell us what we can and can't eat by not allowing outside food and now they're bitching about the gov't. doing that to them?! Good for them.
We've waited long enough for people to do the right thing of their own volition. It's not working.
The number of Americans with diabetes will nearly double in the next 25 years, and the costs of treating them will triple.
By 2034, 44.1 million Americans will be living with diabetes — nearly twice the current number of 23.7 million. Accounting for inflation, the direct medical cost of treating them will rise from $113 billion annually to $336 billion,
I agree – portions are too big – and people tend to eat whatever they're given. I have the will power to drink bottled water and throw half my popcorn away when I go to a movie in NYC, but a lot of people don't. It's getting to be an embarrassment – too many fat people in my hometown. Disgusting. When I visit Paris, it's not like this.
This is a good move by the mayor. Hopefully he will tackle chain food portions and get rid of high fructose corn syrup. Bad for children, bad for adults. No one needs the 'freedom' to kill themselves – that's going too far.
It's time to cut the fat.
All the people applauding the rule and saying it will punish those who buy large sodas obviously don't know the full details. The law prohibits the use of the actual cups over 16oz, so you can't even get a 20oz water or diet soda or unsweetened iced tea at a restaurant or movie theater. You can't even get a pitcher of sweetened iced tea for a table, even if twenty people will be drinking one shotglass each. The whole thing is ridiculous. There is nothing inherently wrong with sugar anyway, and limiting the cup size of soda doesn't guarantee limiting sugar intake. So next up, no 10-inch birthday cakes?
What an idiot!! Nothing inherently wrong with sugar? Try living with diabetes. And just so you are aware:
Sugar in a 20oz soda =65g
Sugar in a slice of birthday cake = roughly 38g


text:
Anti-Piracy group wants to ban you from talking about piracy
View Single Post
Posts: 39
Karma: 290320
Join Date: Dec 2011
Device: Nook Color
I'm not endorsing piracy, and would be unlikely to go to their websites, but then I'm old and even pay for the software I use. I think this whole thing deserves a big "Duh!"
The major publishers are still operating in 19th century robber-baron mode, in a 21st century world with 21st century technology. And incessantly claiming poverty, which I think the vast majority of people no longer believe (if they ever did).
Colluding to raise prices, treating the buying public with disdain (as was stated earlier), charging ridiculously high prices for a format with miniscule add-on costs (if you can sell a paperback for $3, is there any reason other than greed that you can't sell an ebook for the same $3?)... Does anyone REALLY wonder why piracy is happening, and I suspect will grow increasingly, just as it has for computer software?
Electronic formats have, I believe, introduced new generations to reading. Those generations have, again I believe, a much greater acceptance of music "piracy", software "piracy", and ebook "piracy". When it's sufficiently cost effective to purchase a "legitimate" copy from a "legitimate" source, the piracy will decrease. If that doesn't happen, it'll grow...
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text:
On May 15, the New York Yankees called up a 25-year-old rookie by the name of Chase Whitley and were hoping that he would show the team something in his first ever start against the New York Mets.
Almost a month later, Whitley is now 2-0 with a 2.41 ERA in his first six starts of his major league career and had his latest impressive outing against the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night in a 6-3 victory; going 7.2 innings, allowing two runs on five hits, walking none and striking out six while throwing just 82 pitches.
Whitley was once a reliever in the Yankees minor leagues, but was converted this year into a starter and impressed at Class-AAA Scranton/Wilks-Barre, going 3-2 with a 2.39 ERA; numbers that got Whitley a call up to the majors and into the starting rotation when CC Sabathia went on the disabled list with the knee injury. The Yankees were hoping he'd show them something; what he did was earn his way into the starting rotation.
Whitley, in 33.2 innings, has walked only three batters, which means Whitley is locating the ball and is throwing a ton of strikes; a great sign for a rookie pitcher. In his last start against the Mariners, Whitley threw 82 pitches, 62 of them were for strikes. In his previous start against the Kansas City Royals, Whitley threw 87 pitches, 51 of them were for strikes. The one before that against the Minnesota Twins, Whitley threw 83 pitches, 56 of them were for strikes.
Having great location and attacking the strike zone always bodes well. Whitley as a reliever used to struggle with command, as he used to average four walks per nine innings, but Whitley said he's trusting his stuff more and isn't pitching scared like he used to in the minors. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said that trusting his stuff has earned him success.
"That's trusting in his stuff," Girardi said. "He doesn't beat himself. He doesn't walk people. He gets ahead in the count. And he's mixed in an outstanding changeup with his fastballs and sliders. He gets ahead in the count. He's done a really good job for us."
Not only has he been effective, Whitley has shown a lot of mental toughness on the mound. In the bottom of the third inning against the Mariners, Whitley had a situation where it was first and third with two outs and Seattle had a chance to get some runs off Whitley, but instead, Whitley struck out Kyle Seager to end the threat. In his first start against the New York Mets, Whitley was in a spot where he had first and third with one out and got out of it by having Eric Young, Jr. fly out and Daniel Murphy striking out to end the inning.
Some of his starts have come on the road and in spacious ballparks like Citi Field and Safeco Field, but he has had a start in Yankee Stadium; one he could have won if not for an implosion by David Robertson in the ninth inning that cost them a victory. If not for that inning, Whitley could be 3-0, although in retrospect, with a little more run support and pitching a little longer in some of his previous starts, Whitley could easily be 5-0 or 6-0 because he's been that good.
When Sabathia and Michael Pineda return to the Yankees, Whitley won't be the one who gets demoted back to the minors; David Phelps and Vidal Nuno will be subject to losing their spots before Whitley. Whitley continues to show the Yankees that he not only belongs in the major leagues, but belongs in the Yankees rotation and will continue to give the Yankees a serious, fighting chance to climb right back into the A.L. East race.
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A TALENTED Bridgwater student has continued a family tradition by winning the carnival concert judges' cup 50 years to the day since his grandad did the same.
Ashley Quinn, 17, won the best vocalist cup on what would have been his grandfather Cyril's 80th birthday. It is thought to be the first time two generations of the same family have won the award.
Cyril Quinn, who died in 1996, was head of the carnival committee for some time, involved in the now defunct Pig and Whistle club and compered the concerts himself, won the cup in 1962.
Ashley is pictured with a photograph of his grandfather Cyril.