text: Show Hide image Politics 11 July 2012 Taliban commander: "I was relieved at the death of Osama" "Mawlvi", a veteran Taliban commander, shares insights into the movement's thinking, relations with Pakistan and Hamid Karzai's future, in this exclusive interview from behind Afghanistan's "iron curtain". Sign up for our weekly email * Of all the militant groups waging insurgencies in the Muslim world, the Afghan Taliban movement is the only one that has experience of forming a national government. The memory of the Taliban wielding state power has helped them and their backers to sustain their protracted armed struggle against the new state structures put in place in Afghanistan after the Bonn Agreement of 2001. But two other aspects of the Taliban's political practice are remarkable. First, they have maintained their internal cohesiveness for approaching two decades. Second, they manage to operate from behind an iron curtain, with tight central control over communications between the movement and the non-Taliban world. The Taliban's compunction to trade on their status as a former governing party helps ensure that there is a certain corpus of political thinkers within their ranks. However, because of the movement's shyness, those studying it from outside only get to hear a carefully controlled message, delivered by authorised spokesmen, through the movement's propaganda websites and in its periodic set-piece communiqués from Mullah Omar. Yet understanding Taliban politics is as important as ever. Afghanistan still matters and despite a protracted international intervention the prospects of the country lapsing back into civil war are great. To probe the Taliban's latest political perspectives for this special edition of the New Statesman, I conducted an exclusive interview with a veteran of the movement. He is one of the most senior surviving Taliban commanders and a confidant of the movement's leadership. The significance of his interview, which I conducted over Skype in Pashto and then translated into English, is that he speaks with authority and inside knowledge about the Taliban, but because he is doing so unofficially he is not bound by the "party line". This is important, because the movement has Stalinist tendencies and members talking in an official capacity often have to adopt positions that are contrary to the observable facts and/or their conscience. We have to protect his identity because the movement is acutely sensitive about unauthorised contacts between members and the outside world. I refer to him as Mawlvi. However, I have verified his identity and status within the movement and am confident that he has given a faithful account of how he and the senior Taliban view the present political challenges. To put this particular Talib's ideas in context, one should say that he is from the original generation of Taliban and so has been active in the movement since the mid-1990s. He held a senior position in the movement's administration during this period and for his pains he did time in Guantanamo. That establishes his credentials as a peer of the group of men who are now leading the fight, and one who knows and understands them well. He remains loyal to the movement but has astutely avoided holding any leadership or command position in recent years. He is best thought of as a critical loyalist – someone wise enough to have a sense of what is wrong with the movement yet discreet enough to avoid airing criticism in forums where it would be misconstrued as disloyalty. This senior Talib speaks thoughtfully from behind the iron curtain. Does the Taliban movement hope for military victory over the Afghan government? Does the movement think it can capture Kabul? It is in the nature of war that both sides dream of victory. But the balance of power in the Afghan conflict is obvious. It would take some kind of divine intervention for the Taliban to win this war. The Taliban capturing Kabul is a very distant prospect. Any Taliban leader expecting to be able to capture Kabul is making a grave mistake. Nevertheless, the leadership also knows that it cannot afford to acknowledge this weakness. To do so would undermine the morale of Taliban personnel. The leadership knows the truth – that they cannot prevail over the power they confront. Now that Nato has clearly announced a timetable for withdrawal from Afghanistan, what is the justification for the Taliban to continue their armed campaign? The Taliban believe that they are obliged to fight for a certain period to gain acceptance as a power that people have to deal with. They also believe that over time they will become stronger than the Karzai regime. Their situation is like the Pashtun tale of a bird seen sprinkling water from its beak on the forest fire. When asked why it was trying to do the impossible, the bird answered that it simply carried as much water as it was capable of carrying. How does the Taliban movement assess the pledge that Nato countries made in Chicago to sustain support to the Afghan government long after the end of Nato's combat mission? The Taliban have observed that Nato does everything to prop up the Karzai regime. The regime's political power is entirely dependent on the military backing provided by Nato. We have listened to Nato statements that they will never allow al-Qaeda or the Taliban to return until they accept the current constitution, an unrealistic condition. The Taliban consider the announcements in Chicago to be a signal that the Nato presence continues, but in a different form, as part of a conflict imposed on the Afghan people. Does the movement aim to restore its Islamic emirate to rule Afghanistan and is it prepared to fight for this if other Afghans resist? The Taliban are fighting to expel the occupiers and to enforce shariat. They are sufficiently far from achieving their objectives that now is not the time for a realistic discussion of whether they will re-establish an emirate. Any side involved in a conflict like this has decided to fight for power. If they fall short of achieving national power they have to settle for functioning as an organised party within the country. We also know that there are other political forces in Afghanistan – for example, [the warlords] Dostum and Sayyaf. They all have their own political programme. Even when the Taliban were in power there was a difference in the way shariat was practised. There was shariat in Kandahar and Kabul, but far less in Herat and almost none in the north. If the Taliban were ever to return to power they would face enormous problems. But they are a long way from having to grapple with the challenges of power, and for the moment, as long as Mullah Omar is alive, the Taliban will be prepared to follow him in this fight. How should Afghanistan's head of state be selected? While the Taliban were in power they had their own way of electing a head of state. Now that others are in power they do it their way. Under the Taliban, 2,000 religious scholars, including people from every district, gathered to elect Mullah Omar. The point of this election was to establish who can be a just ruler, who knows how to respect fellow Muslims, how to apply the shariat and how to maintain peace and eradicate narcotics. Voting is very important in the Muslim tradition. The choice of political system in Afghanistan is between a republic and an emirate. I believe that, fundamentally, Afghanistan will always be a republic. The Taliban opting for an emirate was dictated by the conditions of war. Afghanistan faced multiple external and internal threats. Many of the measures the Taliban took when in power, even the banning of television, were related to the prevailing state of war. Our religious scholars promised to find another way of approaching these issues, consistent with the shariat, after the war. In the meantime under the current system, we believe that it is basically the Americans who get to pick the president. If there were a political settlement with other Afghans, what role would the movement expect in the government? It is difficult to predict what role the Taliban might accept in a settlement. What is clear is that they will not accept what has been offered many times – surrender and slavish bowing to the authority of their enemies. How has Taliban social policy changed since it achieved a reputation for banning female education and using force to make people comply with petty rules? The international community has little right to ask the Taliban about their social policy when the internationals have failed so miserably in everything they promised. The international community vowed to render Afghanistan secure, prosperous and free of drugs. Instead, Afghanistan has become the most insecure place in the world, and Afghans must face daily the indignity of house searches where foreign troops separate their women from their men. A single soldier can run amok and kill a hundred people. The international community is now notorious for its own deeds in Afghanistan. In their time, the Taliban gained notoriety over three points – their treatment of women, their harsh enforcement of petty rules on things like beards and prayers, and their international relations. The priority now should be restoration of security. But on the other issues I anticipate that they would soften their tough policies. What were the Taliban's objectives in participating in the Qatar talks process? The world has long been keen to portray the Taliban as wild and uncivilised, ignorant of international norms and uninterested in government. Nato has long claimed that it wants peace but the Taliban are an obstacle who refuse to break links with al-Qaeda. The Taliban wanted to turn the tables on Nato and show who are the real obstacles to peace. It has been argued that they only wanted to use Qatar to get their people out of Guantanamo, but this is untrue, because in this case the Taliban would not have talked about a political office in Qatar; they would have told their members that they have established a commission for prisoner exchange. Under what conditions will the leadership of the Taliban be prepared to meet with representatives of the Afghan government? The Kabul regime has no authority in the issues that matter in a war – power and control of the armed forces. There is little point in talking to Kabul. Real authority rests with the Americans. Which other Afghan political groups does the Taliban leadership expect to have to deal with if ever there is to be a settlement? If we look at the political figures who have come to prominence in the current regime – Dr [Rangin Dadfar] Spanta, Mirwais Yasini, Karim Khalili – none of these people has real standing as a national leader. The only other serious political force in Afghanistan is that of the Northern Alliance. The other creatures of the current regime are actually businessmen, who only do politics to build their houses. Is the current Taliban leadership capable of making peace? In truth, no one knows whether the Taliban leadership has the authority to make a peace deal. But the same question could well be asked about [Hamid] Karzai, except that, with regard to Kabul, we know that authority is in the hands of someone else. With regard to the Taliban, it is only a suspicion. As far as I am concerned, they have established a political structure and they are running it. We are not allowed to ask whether there is one God or two. What lessons has the movement learned from the experience of being allied with and providing shelter to al-Qaeda? At least 70 per cent of the Taliban are angry at al-Qaeda. Our people consider al-Qaeda to be a plague that was sent down to us by the heavens. Some even concluded that al-Qaeda are actually the spies of America. Originally, the Taliban were naive and ignorant of politics and welcomed al-Qaeda into their homes. But al-Qaeda abused our hospitality. It was in Guantanamo that I realised how disloyal the al-Qaeda people were. Taliban who returned from Cuba have refused to let al-Qaeda operate in their provinces. Part of the problem with al-Qaeda was that the Afghans round Jalalabad are in the habit of welcoming everyone who comes. They do an attan [Pashtun dance] for them. To tell the truth, I was relieved at the death of Osama [Bin Laden]. Through his policies, he destroyed Afghanistan. If he really believed in jihad he should have gone to Saudi Arabia and done jihad there, rather than wrecking our country. Why has the Taliban movement delayed making an unambiguous break from al-Qaeda and other terrorist organisations? Al-Qaeda has at most a few hundred fighters in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Taliban have thousands of mujahedin and have no need of them. The leadership's delay in breaking from al-Qaeda is simply based on a fear that it might alienate some Islamist constituencies. Is the Taliban movement free to make independent decisions in the interest of Afghanistan when its leadership has been based in Pakistan for over ten years? The one thing I dare not talk about is the relationship with Pakistan. Does the movement want Afghanistan in future to have normal, friendly relations with the international community? And how is it prepared to help achieve this? You cannot be human and refuse to recognise others. The Taliban have no fundamental disagreement with the international community. Analysis Mawlvi offers a nuanced assessment of the movement and those associated with it, which is generally lacking in the movement's authorised communication. He presents the Taliban movement as committed to a struggle for power in Afghanistan. Anyone inclined to take literally the leadership's rhetoric about ambition ending with the exit of Nato troops, or the struggle being in defence of religious values, should note that Taliban actions are deeply political. The challenge for them, as Mawlvi acknowledges in his first response, is that they are locked into a military campaign but have no prospect of achieving their political objectives. It is a problem with parallels on the other side. Some of us have long hoped that the logic of the impossibility of the Taliban winning a military victory will persuade the movement to engage politically and open the way for conflict resolution. Mawlvi argues that the movement's leadership was serious in engaging with the US in Qatar this year, yet his description of the movement's stance suggests that there is a long way to go before reconciliation delivers. Even if everybody agrees on the basic notion that there can be no military solution, there is still little sign of agreement on the political route forward. His comments confirm that the Taliban and Afghanistan's international allies have totally different views of the structures put in place in Kabul over the past ten years. The Taliban see the Karzai regime as a puppet of the United States, with little natural constituency and no staying power. But the west has much invested in this regime and is not ready to ditch it, and therefore the Americans constructed a strategy predicated on cajoling the Taliban towards negotiating with Karzai's team. The movement hopes to be able to subvert the Karzai government, not negotiate with it. Mawlvi anticipates that the Taliban will fall short of regaining national power. But the prediction that they will end up carving out a place for themselves as one party within the system is his personal conclusion and not the leadership's strategy. He points out that if there is any Afghan political force they expect to have to reckon with, it is their old enemy of the 1990s, the non-Pashtun "Northern Alliance". This view of Afghan politics, essentially dismissing the significance of the numerous interest groups that have associated with the Kabul government over the past ten years, is antediluvian and it suggests that the Taliban leaders are locked in the outlook of the old civil war era. And yet, in conflict resolution, such perspectives count. Even getting agreement on which Afghans have to sit round a table to talk peace will be difficult. I asked about how a leader should be selected to gauge how Mawlvi would deal with the challenge of winning legitimacy for a national leader of this country, with its many different peoples. He knows that Afghans will not accept a repeat of the Taliban's effort to impose an emir and that, ultimately, democratic elections make sense for Afghanistan. But he dismisses the idea that what has been practised over the past decade constitutes democracy. His attitude to the al-Qaeda conundrum is more encouraging. Mawlvi and his peers feel that they have paid a high price for the earlier association with al-Qaeda and will be delighted to ditch the alliance when it becomes expedient to do so. This echoes the findings of Alex Strick van Linschoten and Felix Kuehn in An Enemy We Created. Indeed, the lack of progress over a ten-year period towards orchestrating this break between the Taliban and al-Qaeda is one of Washington's biggest failures. The implication of Mawlvi's words is that a little out-of-the-box thinking by the US might long ago have allowed the break to take place. Unsurprisingly, the issue Mawlvi found too sacrosanct to address was that of the movement's relationship with intelligence and jihadi constituencies in Pakistan. The Taliban have depended on their "iron curtain" approach to shirk transparency on these links. The movement's pragmatists fear that a long period of operating from Pakistan has left the leadership incapable of autonomous decision-making. To put it in simple terms, they worry that the leaders would not dare to halt the war if their Pakistan-based supporters thought the fighting should continue. In an authoritarian environment, expect double entendres. As such, when Mawlvi criticises Karzai for prolonging the conflict by accepting dependence on outside forces, the criticism is intended for both sides in the conflict. Finally, any discussion of the Taliban in the west is bound to home in on their social policies. Mawlvi is aware of concerns about the movement's track record on women and is reasonably confident that it has learned it must avoid alienating the population and the international community by reverting to any enforcement of obscure rules and bans. But in the meantime, pragmatists of his kind are engaged with issues of life and death and how to avoid a civil war, rather than social policy. Thinking Taliban veterans such as Mawlvi have few illusions about their movement but are deeply concerned about the future of their country and comrades. Hopes that Afghanistan will avert another civil war depend on such pragmatists making their mark on the opaque world of Afghan conflict politics. Michael Semple is the author of "Reconciliation in Afghanistan" (United States Institute of Peace Press, £10.95) Subscribe from just £1 per issue This article first appeared in the 16 July 2012 issue of the New Statesman, Age of Crisis More


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Media Contact: TPWD News, email@example.com, 512-389-8030
Nov. 18, 2010
Fairfield Lake stocked with Toyota Sharelunker offspring
ATHENS—On November 16 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Inland Fisheries biologists began rebuilding the fishery at Fairfield Lake affected by a serious fish kill in August by stocking 500 largemouth bass up to 16 inches in length into the reservoir.
Fairfield Lake, near the town of the same name on Interstate 45 south of Dallas, has suffered extensive fish kills the past three years, including August 2010.
"The kills are the result of low oxygen levels that occur following several days of cloudy weather," said TPWD fisheries biologist Dr. Richard Ott. "Fairfield Lake is very rich in nutrients, which causes phytoplankton to grow rapidly and produce oxygen during the day. Normally this is enough to keep oxygen levels high enough overnight to keep fish alive, but several days of cloudy weather in a row can cause the oxygen level to drop too low at night, and the fish basically smother."
The fish stocked into the lake were surplus Toyota ShareLunker offspring that are part of the Operation World Record research program. "These fish are growing so fast that we wanted to selectively remove some of them from the research lake before they outstripped the food supply," said Allen Forshage, director of the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens, where the ShareLunker program is housed. "It was great to have a lake nearby that needed stocking; both lakes benefited."
Anglers will also benefit, since the bass are now living in a public reservoir where anglers can try to catch them.
A video of the stocking and an explanation of the reasons for the fish kills can be viewed at http://www.facebook.com/TPWDIFTyler?ref=ts
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Families are being invited to learn more about the medieval history of the borough at a museum open day.
For the past two months the Museum of London has been digging around Headstone Manor, in Pinner View as part of the its Excavate London project.
On Sunday July 20 people are invited to Harrow Museum on the site find out more about what has been found during the dig.
The day will also include tours of Headstone Manor, medieval re-enactments, craft stalls and displays from the Museum of London's medieval collections with some skeletons of medieval Londoners.
The free day of activities will take place from 12pm to 4pm and is open to all.
The site is a medieval moated manor, which was owned by the Archbishops of Canterbury before the English Reformation.
The manor, which was owned by Henry VIII for six days during the reformation, is the only moated house in Middlesex and one of the few remaining in the country.


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This game was classified by the community with the following category scores - Violence=1/3, Sex=0/3, Mature Content=0/3. Ever want to watch your Xbox Live Avatar plummet helplessly through the air and smash into things? Well now you can in the humorously cruel new game "Avatar Drop"! You and your friends can experience the side-splitting hilarity of watching your digital alter-egos bump, scream and crash their way through random obstacles.
Buy Xbox content on Xbox.com. Your Xbox 360 console will automatically download the content next time you turn it on and connect to Xbox Live.Learn More


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Phillips on target to secure the cup for Crymych
11:02pm Tuesday 6th May 2014
By Fraser Watson
11:02pm Tuesday 6th May 2014
By Fraser Watson
Pembrokeshire Junior Union Cup Final:
Whitland 2nds 8-9 Crymych 2nds
A LATE penalty from Crymych outside half Sam Phillips secured his side the Junior Union Cup in a tight battle with Whitland at the Lewis Lloyd Memorial Ground in Narberth.
Phillips had already kicked two second half penalties as Crymych battled back from being 8-0 down at the break – and with the Borderers down to 14 men, secured victory with just four minutes left as he held his nerve from 20 metres out.
Whitland, who went in the game having won the trophy for the past four seasons, made the brighter start and full back James Stephenson was just off target with an early penalty from 40 metres out.
But with Shane Phillips probing constantly at outside half, and the wind at their backs, the Borderers continued to threaten and Stephenson made no mistake when presented with a second shot at goal.
Whitland second row Daf Walters then broke from deep inside his own half and chipped into touch just short of the Crymych line – but when the ball went loose from the ensuing lineout, flanker James Thomas knocked on as he tried to touch down over the line.
But the Preseli Men soon got a foothold in the game and went close when centre Aled Davies chipped into the path of winger Tomos Lewis, but his hack ahead was well covered by Stephenson.
Moments later Whitland centre Liam Price kicked ahead but Crymych second row Mike Llewellyn did well to get back and pounce on the loose ball – but was forced back over his line in the process. From the resultant scrum a heavy spell of pressure saw the Borderers grab the game's only try – as No 8 Karl Williams linked with centre Anthony James to put winger Ian Thomas over in the corner.
Stephenson missed a chance to extend the lead when he was wide with a straight forward penalty from in front of the posts – and at the other end Crymych went close when they worked an overlap out wide but replacement centre Emyr Williams, on for the injured Martin Jones, spilled the ball in midfield.
The half ended with a melee as tempers flared - and Whitland prop Lee Williams was shown a yellow card by referee Matthew Evans.
The second half started at a furious pace as both sides showed willing to keep ball in hand and run quick tap penalties, and Whitland had the first opportunity when a drive by Walters set up James, but after he made ground down the left wing he was smothered by the cover defence.
But at the other end Crymych centres Davies and Williams combined well in midfield and after the Borderers infringed from the ensuing ruck – Phillips reduced the deficit to 8-3.
And it was Phillips who then went close with a jinking run after 55 minutes, following a good break by winger Rhodri Lewis, before being presented with another chance in front of goal which he duly goaled.
The Preseli Men began to get in the ascendancy in the final quarter and prop Andrew Fletcher intercepted Shane Morgan's attempt to chip out of defence, but from the proceeding ruck Phillips span it wide but winger Lewis knocked on when trying to step the cover defence.
With six minutes left, Whitland again went down to 14 when prop Gethin Lewis was penalised for offside, and after Phillips kicked the resultant penalty into the corner, the Borderers infringed again when replacement flanker Matthew Owens came in from the side of a ruck.
Phillips landed the pressure penalty to put his side into the lead for the first time – although the Borderers tried to respond when Walters charged into the 22. But second row Sam James was sin binned for foul play to leave Whitland with 13 men – and the Preseli Men held out to complete a memorable season which has not only seen the capture the Junior Union Cup but also win the All Wales Sport League Division One title.
Whitland: James Stephenson, Aled Morgan, Liam Price, Anthony James, Ian Davies, Shane Morgan, Adam Davies (capt), Gethin Lewis, Lee Williams, Barry Jones, Sam James, Daf Walters, James Thomas, Mark Beasley, Karl Williams. Replacements: Aled Howells, Matthew McMillan, Matthew Owens, Charlie Preece, Ryan Thomas, Rob Howells.
Crymych: Aled Morgan, Rhodri Lewis, Martin Jones, Aled Davies, Tomos Lewis, Sam Phillips, Barry Davies, Matthew House, Martin Edwards, Andrew Fletcher, Cennydd James, Mike Llewellyn, Rhys Davies, Gareth Owen, Carwyn Lawrence. Replacements: Carwyn Rees, Rhys Mathias, Aled Scourfield, Mark Oakman, Andrew Thomas, Emyr Williams, Steffan Kurtz.
Referee: Matthew Evans.
Assistants: Jason Summers and Ross Grieve.
© Copyright 2001-2017 Newsquest Media Group


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In the West, warm, mostly dry weather prevails west of the Rockies. Summer water-supply concerns exist from California to the central and southern Rockies, despite early-March precipitation. California recently completed its driest January-February period on record, and the Sierra Nevada snow pack is only about two- thirds of normal for mid-March. However, Southwestern grasses have improved in recent weeks; on March 10, less than one-third (32%) of Arizona's rangeland and pastures were rated in very poor to poor condition.
On the Plains, cold, dry weather prevails, except for snow showers in the Dakotas and some light rain in southern Kansas and northern Oklahoma. Despite recent topsoil moisture improvements, nearly half (44%) of the Texas winter wheat crop was rated in very poor to poor condition on March 10. On the same date, well over half (61%) of the rangeland and pastures in Texas were rated very poor to poor.
In the Corn Belt, cold weather accompanies scattered snow showers. A substantial snow cover remains in place across the upper Midwest, but snow has melted away in the southern and eastern Corn Belt.
In the South, lingering rain showers are sweeping across the southern Atlantic States. Showers are temporarily reducing irrigation demands across Florida's peninsula. Cool, dry weather covers the remainder of the region.
Outlook: A cold front crossing the East will move offshore later today, although precipitation may linger into Wednesday across New England. In the front's wake, cold weather will prevail through week's end in the East, while a series of disturbances will generate snow showers from the Midwest to the Appalachians. Elsewhere, little or no rain will fall through week's end across the southern half of the U.S., while locally heavy precipitation will occur in the Northwest. Mid- to late-week temperatures will quickly rebound to above-normal levels across the Plains, while unusual warmth will prevail in the West. The NWS 6- to 10-day outlook for March 17-21 calls for near- to below-normal temperatures nationwide, except for warmer-than-normal weather from the Ohio River southward to the Gulf Coast. Meanwhile, above-normal precipitation in most areas between the Rockies and Appalachians will contrast with drier-than-normal weather along the southern Atlantic Coast and from the Pacific Coast to the Rio Grande Valley.


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Officials say fire on the second floor of a two-story home in Chula Vista sent one person to the hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation.
Authorities tell City News Service that the fire was reported on Carissa Court around 1 a.m. Tuesday. It took firefighters about 20 minutes to put it out.
Firefighters didn't know how badly the fire victim was injured.
The cause of the fire was under investigation and a damage estimate is pending.


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Bété Sleevelesss are an Idakoos specialtiy! Idakoos has many things to offer. Whether you want to get a Bété Sleeveless for a special occasion, give a Bété Singlet as a present or need to represent with a funny Sleeveless Bété Shirt during Holidays or Family and Friends get-togethers, Idakoos is sure to have the right Bété Sleeveless for you! Even if it turns out you can't find the right Sleeveless Bété Tee with the perfect design for your mother, father or children (or friends!); Idakoos offers all of its men's women's and children's Bété Sleevelesss as Custom Bété Sleevelesss. Personalize any Bété Sleeveless the way you want to ensure the perfect gift.
Showing 1 - 24 of 44 Sleeveless T-Shirt


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Newest Statue Release In "Sonic the Hedgehog Modern" Series...
Today, First 4 Figures announced the latest installment in their Sonic the Hedgehog Modern line; Shadow the Hedgehog. The line launched earlier this year with the release of Sonic the Hedgehog himself and now it's time to introduce his mysterious rival. Shadow the Hedgehog first appeared in the 2001 game 'Sonic Adventure 2' where he become associated with the level 'Radical Highway'. First 4 Figures created Shadow's base with this in mind as he is posed in a mid-skating motion atop the iconic red road. Shadow stands at approximately 15.5" tall and is cast in highquality polystone and is completely painted by hand.
Shadow the Hedgehog will be launching in the fourth quarter of 2013, joining not only Sonic in the Modern line, but also First 4 Figures' existing line of Classic Sonic the Hedgehog statues. The statue be available in two editions: the regular version - pictured above - will retail at $214.99, and the Exclusive version - below - with light up flames seen on the right will cost $229.99.
To insure your action figure collection, get in touch with Collectibles Insurance, the official insurance company of the Figures.com network. Say "Figures.com" to get 5% off your first term premiums.
To buy action figures, take a look at BigBadToyStore.com, PlasmaInfusion.com, Toynk.com, BriansToys.com, ToyWiz.com, and MonkeyDepot.com.


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Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references. ] [ Media Contact: TPWD News, email@example.com, 512-389-8030 ] Aug. 29, 2013 TPWD Law Enforcement Division's Annual Award Ceremony Recognizes Peace Officers and Private Citizens AUSTIN -- The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Law Enforcement Division has recognized more than 30 peace officers from multiple agencies and four private citizens for their professionalism and dedication in serving the people of Texas. The awards were presented by TPWD Executive Director Carter Smith and Game Warden Col. Craig Hunter at 10 a.m. Thursday at TPWD headquarters. This year, the awards highlighted TPWD game wardens and state troopers from the Department of Public Safety who worked together and responded to the fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas earlier this year. The responding officers were instrumental in the success of response and recovery operations, as well as the actions of more than 350 other state troopers and game wardens. Game wardens, fellow peace officers and private citizens who have saved lives on public waters were also recognized. Three recipients of this award were Asst. Commander Brandi Reeder, her husband, game warden Derek Reeder, and their friend Mike Amidon, who were recognized for saving the life of a kayaker who was struggling to hang on to the side of the kayak after he went underwater. The Medal of Valor award was given to Game Warden Jacob Crumpton of Concho County who had put himself in the line of fire last May 26 to aid Concho County Sheriff Richard Doane after he was struck twice by a gunman who had already killed two people. Two special agents with the FBI, who have supported and offered continuing educational efforts for game wardens, were awarded the Director's Award. Also recognized, were TPWD employees and private citizens who have helped with fundraising and other administrative functions of the TPWD Law Enforcement Division, and special recognition was given to all game wardens who have served in the armed forces during a time of conflict. The recipients are: Director's Humanitarian Award --Game Warden Capt. Kevin Davis- Llano County --Game Warden Kenny Lee- Kerr County --Game Warden Kevin Webb- Llano County Director's Citation Award --Game Warden Lt. Trey Shewmake- Cherokee County --Game Warden Brent Tucker- Borden/ Dawson Counties --Game Warden Kenneth Zuber- El Paso County --Game Warden Jason Campbell-Falls County --Game Warden Andrew Alexander- Bastrop County --Game Warden Jim Daniels- Hamilton County --Game Warden Mark Hammonds- Hill County --Game Warden Dayton Isaacs- Bosque County --Game Warden Trent Marker- Limestone County --Game Warden Jeff Powell- Ellis County --Game Warden Michael Serbanic- McLennan County --Game Warden Doug Volcik- Hill County Director's Life Saving Award --Game Warden Asst. Commander Gary Teeler- Travis County --Game Warden Asst. Commander Brandi Reeder- Travis County --Game Warden Derek Reeder- Aransas County --Game Warden Dewayne Noble- Rains County --Game Warden Derek Spitzer- Wood County --Game Warden Kris Bishop- Bastrop County --Game Warden Joann Garza-Mayberry- Caldwell County --Game Warden David Lewis- Brazos County --Game Warden Charles Tweedle- Castro/Parmer/Deaf Smith Counties --Game Warden Mallory Brodrick- Lubbock County Medal of Valor --Game Warden Jacob Crumpton- Concho County Veteran's National Defense Service Award --Game Warden Capt. James Ranft (receiving on behalf of all eligible game wardens)- McLennan County Director's Award --Scott Boruff- TPWD Deputy Executive Director --Jeannie Munoz - TPWD Project Management Office --Larry Sieck - TPWD Project Management Office --Anne Brown - Executive Director Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation --Susan Houston - Philanthropy Director Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation --David Schmachtenberger's- FBI Special Agent --Mike Rodriquez- FBI Special Agent --Texas Department of Public Safety state troopers --Sgt. Victor Panicera - South Padre Island Police Department --Capt. David Blevins - U.S. Food and Drug Administration --Mike Amidon --Alex Campos --Mike Fugate --Gene Cozart --- On the Net: Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/texasparkswildlife/sets/72157635285206187/ -30- [ Note: This item is more than four years old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references. ] [ Media Contact: TPWD News, email@example.com, 512-389-8030 ] Aug. 29, 2013 Texas Game Wardens Preparing for Labor Day Weekend AUSTIN -- All available Texas game wardens will be patrolling the state's public waters over the Labor Day weekend to make sure everyone who goes boating or fishing gets home safely. p>Game wardens will be particularly on the lookout during the holiday for boat operators who have had too much to drink. Boating while intoxicated provides the same penalties as DWI, and for those on the water, it is just as dangerous. So far this year, TPWD game wardens have arrested 195 people statewide for BWI. In 2012, game wardens took 301 people to jail for operating a boat while drunk. During the Labor Day weekend last year, game wardens handled 6 BWI cases and investigated 9 boating accidents that resulted in 13 injuries and one fatality. In addition, two drownings were reported during the holiday period in 2012. Statewide so far this year, 59 people have drowned in Texas public waters. For all of 2012, 88 drownings were reported. When heading out to the water, don't drink if you are going to be operating a boat, wear your lifejacket even if you are a good swimmer and if on a personal watercraft, keep at least 50 feet away from other PWCs, vessels, the shore or any object such as a boat dock. . Boating Safety Tips --Wear a personal flotation device --Avoid alcohol --Be especially careful on personal watercrafts --Children younger than 13 must wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket while underway --Take a boater education class --Don't overload your boat --Operate at a safe speed --Have a passenger serving as a lookout in addition to the operator --In light of the ongoing drought, watch out for low water areas or submerged objects --Carry extra PFDs in both adult and child sizes --PWC operators and passengers must wear a life jacket --Maintain a 50-foot distance from other PWCs, vessels, persons, shore, stationary platform or other objects unless operating at idle speed -30-


text:
Cox Cable Franchise Renewal
On May 14, 2013, the Board of Supervisors held a public hearing and adopted an ordinance granting a new non-exclusive franchise to CoxCom LLC, d/b/a/ Cox Communications Northern Virginia ("Cox") to provide cable service to households and businesses in Fairfax County (excluding the Reston Franchise Area). The new Franchise Agreement is effective June 9, 2013, for a term of ten years.
Cox acquired its cable system in Fairfax County from Media General Cable, Inc., in 1999, with a 15-year franchise term ending on June 9, 2013.
The new agreement generally maintains the benefits of the 1998 franchise agreement, with appropriate changes to reflect advances in technology and anticipated future developments.
The agreement addresses significant County priorities.
Service, Signal Quality and Safety
- Includes customer service standards similar to those in the Verizon and Comcast Agreements.
- Allows the County to assess liquidated damages if Cox does not comply with customer service standards or other provisions of the Agreement, in addition to the right to revoke or shorten the franchise for material violations.
- Like Verizon, Cox will be required to extend service at no charge to housing densities of at least 30 homes per mile (improved from 35 homes per mile in the previous agreement).
- Provides video service to County and Fairfax County Public School (FCPS) sites at no charge.
- Continues to maintain the authority of County inspectors to enforce construction, safety and signal quality standards in the County and to respond to homeowner complaints.
Financial Benefits
- Cox continues to pay the County 5% of gross subscriber revenues from cable service via the state Communications Sales and Use Tax. Under state law, this tax has taken the place of the franchise fee in the current Agreement.
- Provides for payment to the County of 3% of gross revenues from cable service as grants for Public, Educational and Governmental (PEG) Access, including capital funding for the Institutional Network (I-Net).
Public, Educational and Governmental (PEG) Channels
- Secures up to fourteen PEG access channels, including current PEG channels such as Fairfax County Government Channel 16, FCPS Red Apple 21, Fairfax Public Access Channel 10, George Mason University Channel 18, and Northern Virginia Community College Channel 19.
- Incorporates provisions for upgrading access channels to high-definition (HDTV) and other advanced formats as they develop; for "on-demand" access to PEG programming; and for inclusion of PEG channels along with broadcast channels in packages Cox may make available for other platforms, such as smartphones and tablets.
Institutional Network
The I-Net is a fiber-optic network connecting County and FCPS sites, built by Cox to the County's specifications and paid for from the PEG grants described above.
- Preserves the benefits of the existing I-Net.
- Simplifies and customizes the provision of video service to County and FCPS sites, reducing complication and expense.
- Includes a fixed fee paid by the County for end-to-end maintenance of the I-Net fiber.
Questions about cable service, or complaints about service quality, construction, and other problems, may be directed to the Communications Policy and Regulation Division of the Fairfax County Department of Cable and Consumer Services. Contact us by e-mail or call 703-324-5902, TTY 711.


text:
Worcestershire county cricket club has announced the death of Damian D'Oliveira, Director of their Academy and son of England and Worcestershire legend Basil.
He had been suffering from cancer for two years and passed away in the early hours of this morning.
In a statement the club said: "The 53-year-old played for the county between 1982 and 1995.
"He scored more than 9,000 first class runs, with a highest score of 237, and nearly 5,000 List A runs and was part of one of the most successful sides in Worcestershire's history.
"D'Oliveira was also responsible for the discovery of many of the current first team squad which includes his son Brett D'Oliveira. The players were informed of the news of his death shortly before the start of todays LV= County Championship match with Glamorgan at New Road.
"He leaves his wife Tracey and three sons Marcus, Dominic and Brett."


text:
Editor's Note: The following article was written by Christine Souza, Assistant Editor for the California Farm Bureau Federation's publication, AgAlert.
The new 113th Congress will be asked to complete work on a five-year farm bill, which the outgoing Congress left undone as it completed work on a "fiscal cliff" and farm bill extension package that passed on Jan. 1.
California Farm Bureau Federation policy specialists describe the package as a mixed bag for farmers and ranchers, citing treatment of the estate tax as a positive, but failure to pass a five-year farm bill as a negative.
Because Congress extended the 2008 Farm Bill through September, CFBF Federal Policy Division Manager Rayne Pegg said farm organizations now have the next several months to educate new members of Congress about programs critical to the success of the state's farmers and ranchers.
"We're starting with some new members who are going to have to get up to speed on the farm bill and its impact on California. We hope the progress that was made in the House and the Senate during 2012 is not lost in this new Congress," Pegg said. "Farm Bureau will be meeting with the committees to discuss the importance of these programs for California farmers and ranchers."
Because an agreement on a new, five-year farm bill could not be reached, the package approved by Congress, known as the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, was negotiated between Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Vice President Joe Biden.
That meant that much bipartisan work on a new, multi-year bill by the chairs of the House and Senate agriculture committees was not utilized, Pegg said, adding it's uncertain whether any of the negotiated changes will end up in a bill worked out by the new Congress.
The final package extended most provisions of the 2008 Farm Bill, including the Milk Income Loss Contract program through Sept. 30 and the Dairy Product Price Support Program through Dec. 31.
But Michael Marsh, CEO of Western United Dairymen, said simply extending existing dairy programs will not help California dairy farmers. He noted that the MILC, which compensates producers when milk prices fall below a certain level, and the DPPSP, which maintains a minimum farm price for milk through government purchases of cheddar cheese, nonfat dry milk and butter, deal only with low milk prices and do not provide adequate protection for dairy farmers when they are faced with high feed costs.
What dairy farmers want, he said, is a program in the farm bill that would protect their margins. One proposal, the Dairy Security Act, offers a voluntary margin insurance program, although Marsh said the current proposal favors Midwestern dairies. The failure by Congress to pass a five-year farm bill, he said, may provide more opportunity for California dairy producers to have their voices heard.
"We've already been preparing to make another push to see if we could get a margin insurance program that gives Californians some better protection on the Dairy Security Act. So we are going to keep pushing ahead," he said.
The Specialty Crop Block Grant, plant pest and disease research, and market access programs have been extended with mandatory funding in 2013, whereas funding for other programs important to specialty crop research will be left to approprirations committees to determine.
The fiscal-cliff package also authorized $80 million for livestock indemnity payments; $400 million for the livestock forage disaster program; $50 million for emergency assistance for livestock, honeybees, and farm-raised fish; and $20 million for trees assistance, which have only been authorized and not funded, Pegg said.
CFBF federal policy analyst Josh Rolph said the bill makes a number of changes to tax laws that will apply to farmers and ranchers, including a permanent exemption for the estate tax.
"I want to applaud our membership for making their voice heard in Washington. The new change in the context of the last two years is better than it could have been for the family farm," Rolph said. "We got the higher exemption indexed to inflation, along with much-needed planning certainty that hasn't existed for years."
But, Rolph added, "We won't rest until we have a workable estate tax solution for family farmers and ranchers."
The estate tax exemption now stands at $5 million per person, indexed for inflation—currently $5.12 million—with any unused amount allowed to transfer to a spouse. The maximum rate will increase to 40 percent, up from 35 percent. The estate and gift tax exemptions were unified. Stepped-up basis is already permanent law, Rolph said.
Tim Chiala of George Chiala Farms, a vegetable grower and processor in Santa Clara County, said repeal of the estate tax remains the ultimate goal.
"Our parents and grandparents worked hard to build a farm operation that not only could be passed on to the next generation, but could provide and intrigue the younger generation to go into agriculture," Chiala said. "These family farms and ranches have been paying taxes from the second they went into operation and will continue to pay as long as they can afford to operate. Elimination of the estate tax is what we need, but an extension of the exemption is better than nothing."
The bill also finalized these permanent tax rules:
- Capital gains tax: The top rate will be 15 percent for taxpayers earning less than $400,000 for an individual or $450,000 for a couple. At the higher income levels, the top rate rises to 20 percent.
- Income tax rate brackets will be 10 percent, 25 percent, 28 percent and 35 percent for taxpayers making less than $400,000 for an individual or $450,000 for a couple. There are no caps on personal exemptions or itemized deductions. The marriage penalty is eliminated for many taxpayers.
- Alternative minimum tax: The bill increases the AMT exemption for 2012 to $50,600 for individuals and $78,750 for married filing jointly, and indexes it for inflation.
- Payroll tax: Each employee pays 6.2 percent in payroll tax and the employer pays a matching 6.2 percent. Those who are self-employed pay 12.4 percent.


text:
For the latest element of its R 1200 GS and F 800 GS-promoting Unstoppable campaign BMW is asking riders to draw their own pictures using GPS systems and tracking software and submit them to the campaign's site. Several maps have already been created by factory riders, our favorite of which is the boat, seen in the picture above and the video after the jump.
The Unstoppable films are nearly perfect in their execution, casting a
lone rider exploring exotic locations in order to portray the kind of
romantic adventure purchasing one of the GS models makes possible. It's
a reasonably subtle, high budget, aesthetically appealing, clever campaign of
the type more often associated with the car world, not low budget,
behind-the-times, in your face bike advertising. Never mind that it
take an incredibly skillful rider to throw a big, heavy GS around in
the manner depicted in the videos or that most BMWs will never find
their way as far as New Mexico, much less Uruguay.
Of course, we say nearly perfect because the campaign is yet another
example of BMW needlessly attaching itself to Ewan McGregor's coat
tails (he provides the voiceovers). When will the company learn that
its products and this campaign deserve to stand on their own merits,
rather than on those of a couple of rich idiots bumbling their way
through an all-expenses-paid holiday?
It remains to be seen how popular the interactive component of the
campaign will be (so far there's only six user-generated drawings), but
based on the strength of its videos and images, we would declare
Unstoppable a success.
BMW GPS Drawing


text:
*****es Aren't **** - Ben Folds.
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*****es Aren't **** - Ben Folds.
Led Zep - Tea For One;
Led Zep - Traveling Riverside Blues
Jesus Saves - Slayer
Einstein on the Beach - Counting Crows
Dirty Laundry - Don Henley
(Keep Feeling) Fascination - Human League
Wake Up Dead Man - U2
Hole in Time - Sam Phillips
Naughty Naughty - John Parr
Why do the things that we treasure most, slip away in time
Till to the music we grow deaf, to God's beauty blind
Why do the things that connect us slowly pull us apart?
Till we fall away in our own darkness, a stranger to our own hearts
And life itself, rushing over me
Life itself, the wind in black elms,
Life itself in your heart and in your eyes, I can't make it without you
Rob Zombie - The Ballad of Ressurection Joe and Rosa Whore
Dio - Rainbow in the Dark
Godsmack - Realign
Megadeth - The Conjuring
Scorpions - No One Like You
AC/DC - Highway to Hell
Bon Jovi - Bad Medicine
Foo Fighters - Stacked Actors
Please Take Your Drunken Fifteen Year-old Girlfriend Home - Jimmy Buffett
Please take your girlfriend home
She's only fifteen, she shouldn't be back here alone
I'm horny and my mind begins to roam
So please take your drunken fifteen year-old girlfriend home
The Pandas Must Die-Corky and the Juice Pigs
Seishun Kyousoukyoku- Sambomaster
Kibouhou-Strawberry Jam
It wasn't about being the team everyone loved, it was about beating the teams everyone else loved.
Division Champions 1955, 1956, 1988, 1989, 1990, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
Conference Champions 1955, 1956, 1988, 2005
NBA Champions 1989, 1990, 2004
bright eyes - old soul song
cursive - harold weathervein
Dreams of our Fathers - Dave Matthews Band


text:
PLEASANTON — A 23-year-old San Jose woman accused of stabbing her infant son to death in a Livermore park pleaded not guilty to murder charges on Thursday.
Authorities say that Ashley Renee Newton used a pocket knife to stab her 7-month-old son William Brian Sherman the morning of April 26 at Del Valle Regional Park.
Livermore police Chief Michael Harris was off duty at the park with his children when Newton ran up screaming and handed him the wounded boy. "I'm sorry, I killed my baby," police quoted her saying.
Newton also cut herself and was first arraigned on her murder charges from inside a psychiatric hospital. She is currently being held in Santa Rita Jail without bail.
Newton returns to court for a pretrial conference on July 17.
Contact Malaika Fraley at 925-234-1684. Follow her at Twitter.com/malaikafraley.


text:
The Departmental Honors Track in Psychology allows Honors College students who are psychology majors to earn an official Honors Bachelor's degree in Psychology. This is the only way that psychology majors can have the designation of Honors appear on their degree.
Quick Navigation
The honors advisory for psychology, Dr. Jeanine Stefanucci, will be holding office hours in 2016-2017 by appointment. Dr. Stefanucci is on leave during the Fall 2016 semester. To schedule an appointment, contact her at firstname.lastname@example.com
Dr. Kristina Rand is also available for psychology honors advising during the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 academic years. During Fall 2016, her office hours are Wed from 11:30-1 and by appointment. To contact Dr. Rand or schedule an appointment, please email her at firstname.lastname@example.com.
The new program consists of several psychology honors electives. These are new honors courses, advanced undergraduate courses, and special honors sections of existing courses. We also require HON 3200, a challenging academic writing course, taught through the Honors College.
In addition to coursework, a central element of the departmental honors track is extended research experience with one or more faculty members, culminating in a departmental honors thesis. This extended research experience will provide substantial benefit to students who plan to apply to graduate or professional school. This program is also appropriate for students who just love psychology and want to learn more, even if they are unsure of their future plans.
Applications & Requirements
|Phase 1: Students must first apply to (and be accepted by) the University Honors College.
Phase 2: Honors Thesis Proposal (to be submitted no later than spring of the Junior year)
Requirements and Electives | Electives for 2016-2019 | Honors Track Checklist
Honors Thesis Example Formatting
Application Instructions
|Phase 2 Application Deadlines
Fall deadline: Oct 25
Spring deadline: Mar 25
Apply to the Honors College as soon as possible! Because the Departmental Honors track in Psychology requires 9 units of special honors electives, plus the writing course, 6 units of research experience, and the honors thesis itself, it is important to get started early.
Please see the Honors College advisor for information about additional requirements of the University Honors degree, including specific provisions for transfer students.
Transfer Students
If you are a transfer student, do not worry -- we have a plan for you. As long as you start the program in your junior year, it will be possible to finish. Please make an appointment first with Honors College advising and with the Psychology Advising Center to get started.
Benefits of the Honors Track
The departmental honors track provides access to small challenging courses and in-depth research experience, culminating in a year-long honors thesis project. Honors students may also take other classes offered through the Honors College and are eligible for Honors College scholarships and other events. We also offer special Honors advising through the PAC Office and a dedicated faculty honors advisor (currently Dr. Jeanine Stefanucci) who can help you find research opportunities and a faculty advisor.
The psychology honors thesis provides our students with the following opportunities:
- Opportunity to investigate a topic of interest and importance in depth
- Opportunity to work closely with a faculty member
- Opportunity to show potential employers and admissions committees that you have a sustained commitment to a line of inquiry and a finished product to present
- Opportunity to earn formal departmental honors in psychology on your transcript
- Opportunities to present your work at university conferences and beyond
Frequently Asked Questions
If I want to do a research project with a faculty member, am I required to participate in the departmental honors program?
No. The departmental honors program provides a structured series of courses and research experiences and confers the designation of "departmental honors in psychology," but is not the only way in which students may have extended involvement in faculty research or undertake their own independent research projects under faculty supervision. Students may continue to take 4800-4806 classes to work with faculty and graduate students whether they are in the honors program or not. However, the resulting project would not constitute an honors thesis, nor would it confer the departmental honors designation on the transcript. Students doing research with faculty members and graduate students are also eligible to present at various departmental, college, and university events, and are strongly encouraged to do so.
When should I apply to the departmental honors program?
As soon as possible! Students must first apply to the University Honors College. Once you have been accepted, you will have mandatory meetings with Psychology Advising and a mandatory orientation session during your first semester in the departmental honors track in which you will learn about research opportunities in departmental labs. The second phase of the application process is the honors thesis proposal with two application cycles each year (fall and spring). The Phase 2 application must be made by the end of March of the junior year.
How do I find an honors advisor?
We recommend a variety of strategies for getting to know more about faculty members and their research.
- Take advantage of opportunities in class to ask questions and to visit faculty office hours.
- Read the research published by faculty members and ask them questions about it.
- Participate in faculty research labs and ask questions about why the research is being done in particular ways and what the researchers hope to learn from the work.
- Attend the University Research Symposium and College Research Day each spring to see the research being done by your fellow students.
- Make an appointment with the departmental honors advisor to discuss your interests.
How do I get a permission code for a departmental honors class or section?
Please contact Cynthia White in the Psychology Department Main office. You may also contact the faculty instructor directly, though many prefer that you go through the main office.
For what kinds of questions should I see the faculty honors advisor for psychology vs. the Psychology Advising Center (PAC) on the 5th floor?
Please see the PAC Office for questions concerning course requirements for the psychology major, graduation requirements, the writing requirement, and registration difficulties. You should also meet with the PAC Office once per semester to review your progress toward the completing departmental honors track requirements.
Please see the psychology faculty honors advisor for questions concerning whether the departmental honors track is right for you, research opportunities in faculty labs, advice about specific courses to consider to prepare you for research and graduate school, specific questions about the thesis proposal, and other questions that arise as you plan, conduct, and complete the honors thesis itself.
What if I have undergraduate research experience in related fields, but not psychology -- could that count toward the 6 required units of 4800-level Research Experience?
If you have research experience in related fields that you believe is relevant to psychology and the Honors thesis you plan to do, please write a brief petition to the Honors Advisory Committee describing the nature and length of that research experience and providing contact information for the faculty or graduate students who supervised you. We will evaluate these petitions on a case-by-case basis. Please note that you must have completed this research experience for credit for the petition to count these units toward the departmental honors track to be approved.
What funds are available to support my research?
Students may apply to the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) for assistantships to support their research for up to 2 semesters.
How long is a typical departmental honors thesis?
Departmental honors theses range from approximately 20 to 40 pages, including references, tables, and figures.
Where can I find examples of departmental honors theses?
Completed honors theses from across campus are filed with the Marriott Library: http://uspace.utah.edu/theses.php
How should my thesis be formatted?
The thesis should follow the required formatting of the Honors College and also conform to APA style. Honors Thesis Example
What happens if I am enrolled in the departmental honors program and receive less than a B in a psychology class?
The Psychology Department Honors Advisory Committee will work with individual students and faculty advisors in cases where a student is making insufficient progress in either the research experience requirements or the thesis research or needs to repeat a course to improve on a B grade or to maintain his or her GPA at the 3.5 level required for successful completion of the program. In all such cases, a written plan of remediation and conditions for reinstatement to full departmental honors status will be formulated, and student progress will be monitored through the Psychology Advising Center as needed.
What is an honors section?
An honors section has its own syllabus in addition to the syllabus for the parent class. An honors section will feature additional assignments and activities and enhanced interaction with regular members of the department faculty. An honors section may or may not have its own separate lab meeting.
What kinds of jobs or graduate or professional training opportunities would an honors program prepare me for?
Successful completion of a departmental honors thesis is excellent preparation for graduate or professional school and also for careers in research administration (such as study coordinator). Regardless of your career plans, showing that you can complete a year-long project and produce a high-quality written product and poster presentation will be impressive to future employers and admissions committees.
Can students not enrolled in either University Honors or the departmental honors track enroll in a psychology Honors course or section?
Preference goes to University Honors and departmental Honors students. However, highly motivated students may enroll in departmental honors courses and sections with instructor permission. We encourage you to pursue this option for classes you are especially interested in.
If I am enrolled in both University Honors and the Psychology Honors track, can I use the same electives, the same writing course, and the same honors thesis to meet the requirements of both programs?
Thankfully, yes. The program is designed as a single structured program of study and research, which means that the Honors electives, honors writing course and honors thesis satisfy the requirements of the University Honors degree in psychology. Please see the Honors College advisors or the PAC Office if you have other questions about specific requirements.
Can I do the Departmental Honors track if I am enrolled as a student part-time?
Yes, as long as you meet the requirements of the departmental honors track and work out an arrangement with your faculty advisor to make consistent progress on the Honors thesis research itself. There is no inherent time limit to successful completion of the departmental honors track.
If I have already taken PSY 3000, but not the honors section, can this class be counted as one of my psychology honors electives?
No, you would need to take 9 units of approved Honors electives in psychology. The non-Honors version of the course will not count for the departmental Honors track.
Completed Honors Theses
USpace Institutional Repository
Michael Cazayoux
Optimism, Health, and Well-Being: Implications for Intervention
Andrew Choi
Examining Off-Task Behaviors as Regulatory Mediators of Long-Term Interest and Performance
Lauren Forrest
The Role of Perception in Eating Disorders
Jennica Galloway
Unforgiveable: Examining Reasons for Not Forgiving with Children and Adolescents
David Gerritsen
Decision Making and Judgments with a Computer
Haley Hoffman
The Effect of Technology Use on Distraction and Safety in High School Student Pedestrians
Ashley Pyne
The Effects of Nature and Urban Environments on Working Memory Capacity
Stefan Huynh
Self-Affirmation Counteracts the Effects Cognitive Resource Depletion in Perception
Kristina Oldroyd
The Effect of Perceived Discrimination on Social Trust as Moderated by Ethnic Identity
Jessica Robinson
"It's OK to be mad, even if you're wrong": Mother's Explanations of Their Children's
Harmful and Helpful Behavior
Rebecca Stoffel
Lay Perceptions of Genetic Determinism: An Experimental Study of the Impact of Genetic
Penetrance on Perceptions of Disease Risk and Preventability
Kiana Taheri
Individual Differences in the Presence of Specific Scripts in Narratives of Negative
Alexandra Trani
What Cognitive Processes Benefit From Nature?


text: The Extra Glenns are John Darnielle and Franklin Bruno. The pair have been friends since their youthful college days in the Inland Empire of California and their bands (Darnielle is the Mountain Goats and Bruno fronted Nothing Painted Blue) have played together many times. Both had done early work for mutual friend Dennis Calacci's Shrimper Records including several 7"s, but had never recorded an album. A 2001 living room show at the invitation of Absolutely Kosher owner Cory Brown during the Noise Pop festival was so triumphant, the pair agreed to collaborate for a full length for AKR. Only a handful of Extra Glenns live dates have been played since the 2002 release of Martial Arts Weekend, though Bruno frequently appears as part of the Mountain Goats' live lineup and on their records.


text:
Kevin Pietersen has been retained as a Delhi Daredevils player, according to reports.
The 33-year-old had always been expected to be on the Indian Premier League side's retained list, but if the stories are proved to be correct, it means the batsman's England future will remain a point of debate for some time to come.
IPL franchises had to confirm their lists of retained players by Friday and with all reports suggesting the South Africa-born Pietersen is remaining with Delhi, further questions will be provoked regarding what he and England team director Andy Flower will do next.
Reports this week suggested Flower wanted to call time on the 33-year-old's international days, with the suggestion in some quarters that the Zimbabwean had delivered a 'him or me' ultimatum in the wake of the 5-0 Ashes whitewash.
Flower responded quickly to dismiss those claims as "totally inaccurate" and called for a "calm and logical" assessment in the wake of the Ashes debacle before verdicts were reached on any player.
Conspicuous by its absence in the carefully-worded statement was any kind of public support - or even mention - of Pietersen.
If Pietersen is still a part of Flower's plan then a decision to skip at least part of the IPL, and its riches, would be an obvious way for him to prove his England commitment and prepare for the domestic summer.
Pietersen has twice this week taken to Twitter to voice his "strong desire" to remain an England player and now seems to have the chance to prove that.
At present the agreed cut-off date for players to return is May 13, which would give them seven days to prepare in home conditions for the one-day international series against Sri Lanka.
But after the fall-out of the Ashes - and Flower's desire to begin a "new era" - there is reason to suggest those England players who do go to the IPL might benefit from returning earlier to play in the LV= County Championship, which begins on April 6.
James Anderson, Stuart Broad and rising star Ben Stokes are thought to be receptive to the idea of returning early to county cricket, while Jos Buttler is another with Test ambitions who could be snapped up in next month's IPL auction.
Pietersen is, however, both a bigger draw and a bigger advocate of the IPL than his colleagues.
He has spoken passionately about the sporting benefits and is immensely popular in India, making it highly unlikely he would miss it in favour of some early-season four-day outings with Surrey.
David Warner, one of Pietersen's Ashes adversaries, was also retained by the club, according to NDTV.
Virender Sehwag, the Indian broadcaster said, was to be put up for auction for the first time in six years.


text:
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TVR S Convertible 2.8 2dr
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The Tvr Legend Lives On More Stronger And Better Than Before. The Classic Vehicle …


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This was said in pot #4 in another thread, http://www.pacersdigest.com/apache2-...ad.php?t=36917
"Kravitz said a couple weeks ago on his radio gig that he'd asked
Bird why they don't just rebuild. Bird told him that he was
concerned that, if they did so and had a couple really crappy
years, that they might lose the franchise."
So the question is what would put you in the seats at Pacer games?


text: Bas and calli were both members of EFCL. At that time they had their own board, though: Muked-SDG. It was hosted by Bas' boss. After 1 or 2 years he needed the serverspace and Bas and calli decided to let the board die. As it was a friendly and funny board, we members decided to not give up that easily and so I rented a server segment, registered a domain and 10 years later (exactly 10 years, today ! =) ) SDG is still there (though inactive). I've never again heard from bas and calli, though. Is anyone in contact with them? Naah, Addie is a nice guy (and Dutch, not Belgian. Admittedly a difficult difference, given the size - or lack of - of both countries *ducks and hides from Santaman and C* )


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Holdan wrote:Alex123 wrote:Did the Buddha ever tell the king, "We need democracy, freedom for slaves, and no capital punishment"? No. Buddha took for granted the absolute power of the King, slavery, torture and capital punishment. The Buddha did not recommend this to the Bhikkhus.
He never outlawed army, etc.
You appear to have not comprehended Buddha. Buddha gave advice to those who sought it from him. Buddha did not evangelise publically. Also, I trust you are aware of the sutta about being a soldier, where Buddha explained the karmic consequences of being a soldier (Yodhajiva Sutta: To Yodhajiva (The Warrior)).
This is why there are Bhikkhus (who should stay out of politics and war) and soldiers whose job isn't exactly to give out cookies.


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Set 10 years after Little Men, Jo's Boys revisits Plumfield, the New England school still presided over by Jo and her husband, Professor Bhaer. Jo's Boys — including sailor Emil, promising musician Nat, and rebellious Dan — are grown. Jo remains at the center of this tale, holding her boys fast through shipwreck and storm, disappointment...and even murder.
(P)1997 Blackstone Audio Inc.
There are no listener reviews for this title yet.
"Tragedy: Poor Jo Becomes Rich & Famous"
After toiling in obscurity, suddenly Jo's stories begin selling. Money came in but so did visitors at all hours. I have no doubt, Ms Alcott was writing of her own vexing experiences with fame. C. M. Hebert does another solid job narrating. I think I have six of her titles. She is very good with Alcott's brand of humor. This is one of several books which follows Jo March's life after Little Women.
Here is romance, a bit of murder, high heroics, little things of interest and a tragedy. Jo and her professor husband, Mr. Bhaer have established Plumfield College. I am a bit vague concerning the philosophical underpinnings of Louisa May Alcott but I think she followed the Transcendentalists of Emerson and company. Think of them as an improvement association for mind, body and soul: no excuses and no shirking of responsibilities allowed. In any case, Plumfield was run on these principles.
Like all Alcott works, this book is packed with humorous anecdotes and funny incidents slyly tucked in among cleverly disguised advice and admonishments. Not bad advice either; it was solid in 1880 and maybe even more solid in 2009.
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The iPad hit shelves over the weekend and is already sending ripples through the book world. On the first day, Apple says customers downloaded more than 250,000 eBooks — it calls them iBooks — in its iBookstore.
Some familiar titles appearing on iPad's virtual bookshelves are Lulu's very own: PhotoSecrets 101 Tips for Travel Photographers, Getting Real: The smarter, faster, easier way to build a successful web application, Briefs, and Memories of the Future.
A few Lulus purchased iPads. Here are a couple screen shots of Briefs and Memories of the Future.
To get on the iBookstore yourself, here are the details.


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The most strange thing I have imaginated about me is that:
I had invented the way to write and put pictures in the sky.
I had earned a lot of money by selling advertisements. I had killed internet
Every nights sky was plenty of coloured writing and imagines.
I dreamt it, too.
Belive me, for a moment it was fantasic
Now I feel ashamed of it. Fortunately nobody can stop us from looking at the stars!!


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CHICAGO—My flight from Boston wasn't until Friday afternoon, and with both the Bruins and Blackhawks already ahead of me in Chicago, I had no actual hockey activities to cover leading up to Game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, NBC). So, that made it a perfect time to open up the Tweetbag and field questions once again using the #AskSpector hashtag. As always, you, the readers, did not disappoint. Hope I can say the same. (Ed. note: ME TOO.)
@bcgalore asks: "if you were trying to convert a hockey skeptic, what game would you show them? What player?"
I'm not sure I'd pick out a past game to use as someone's introduction to hockey. There's something special about watching a game live that I think it takes to get into a sport—that you can't just go to your phone and look up who won. So, I'd say the next game in this Blackhawks-Bruins series is the one to show to a hockey skeptic, because this series has had a little bit of everything; there are clear stylistic differences between the two teams, and lots of replays from different angles to highlight the most important plays.
That may be a bit of a cop-out, but so is the past game I'd show if that were the requirement—it's Game 4 of Blackhawks-Bruins, an action-packed, high-stakes game that went to overtime and featured all kinds of ebbs and flows of emotion and momentum. I think if you're trying to bring someone into the the game, you want to show them something current—USA-USSR from 1980 is a great story, and definitely, watch the movie "Miracle," but the game is different, not to mention the video quality. If you're not taking the hockey skeptic to the arena, at least make sure you're watching in HD.
As for a player, Alex Ovechkin is the MVP of the NHL, he lets people into his life a bit on Twitter (@ovi8), which is cool, and his top skill is scoring goals, which is pretty easy to latch onto.
MVP??wow!!!)))haha— Alex Ovechkin (@ovi8) June 16, 2013
Or you could go with two of the players who were around when I got into hockey, Jaromir Jagr and Teemu Selanne. But you really can't go wrong—it's not written anywhere that you have to have a future Hall of Famer as your favorite player. In fact, sometimes it's more interesting when it isn't (said the guy whose favorite player as a kid was Scott Lachance).
@alekflekel asks: "Is there any chance Chara, Seidenberg and Bergeron will have back to back bad games defensively?"
Of course there is. They're humans, and hockey players go through slumps sometimes. This would be a bad time for one, and I certainly don't expect any of those players to suddenly find the worst possible time to play bad hockey, but it's always possible.
@ScottTKennedy asks: "I get the 'no cheering in the pressbox' policy but is the anthem at the UC also an entirely passive experience?"
Members of the media stand up during the anthem, as we do at all arenas, but we're not cheering at the United Center, just the same way as we don't cheer in other places. A few polite claps at the end are acceptable to acknowledge the performance. That's about it.
@DtownSportsSite asks: "The Red Wings have to use a buyout on Mikael Samuelsson, right?"
Samuelsson is owed $3 million on a 35+ contract, and the Red Wings are tight against the cap with Jakub Kindl, Damien Brunner, Valtteri Filppula and Gustav Nyquist all due for new contracts, so he would be the most likely candidate for a buyout. Detroit doesn't absolutely have to do it, but it would make sense and not cost the team as much as, say, the Rangers buying out Brad Richards.
@NotTheRealGoose asks: "are you hoping for a game 7 in the SCF?"
I'd love to cover a Game 7 for the Cup, absolutely. I also won't be upset if it ends in six games, because it will mean more time with family and a bit of a respite before the draft. That's the journalist's situation—happy with a longer series because it's a good story and fun, happy with a shorter series because you get to go home.
@ShawnDulin asks: "What's your favorite Bowie song?"
David Bowie has a great discography. I'm going to say "Changes" (Ed. note: Oh no) because of its prominent role in "An Amazin' Era," the Mets' 25th anniversary VHS tape, which I absolutely wore out as a kid. Can't discount "Under Pressure"(Ed. note: DOESN'T COUNT) for its role in, uh, inspiring "Ice, Ice, Baby."
@bobbles412 asks: "What is your favorite place to eat when you come to Pittsburgh?"
It's Essie's Original Hot Dog Shop, otherwise known as "The O," or "The Dirty O." It's probably best for my health that the Penguins didn't make it to the Stanley Cup Final, because I don't think my body has fully processed the cholesterol from my last visit. Primanti's sandwiches are a nice treat, and I love the burgers at Fat Head's, but give me the hot dogs and fries in Oakland. (Ed. note: I once found what appeared to be a chicken foot in my drink there. Do not listen to him.)
@TheChrisConway asks: "Do you think the Final will ever again use the 2-3-2 format? (And would you be in favor?)"
If Vancouver-Boston and Los Angeles-New Jersey didn't make the league want to go to 2-3-2, it's hard to see what will. I've asked about it in the past, and been told there are no plans for it. I think there's actually a bit more fairness to 2-2-1-1-1 because it gives each team a chance to win a long series on home ice, but it's also a grind. I think that there should be some consideration to making sure that two days off between games comes in between cities, not like Games 1 and 2 of Blackhawks-Bruins, although that worked out OK because of triple overtime.
@thesturgen asks: "What is Dion Phaneuf's trade value? If Leafs offered him up, how many teams would be interested?"
A 28-year-old top-pair defenseman with a $6.5 million cap hit should fetch quite a bit, although why the Maple Leafs would want to give up their best player at a weak position is beyond me—it's not as if they're going to replace him with someone better, and I would think that there would be more focus on getting the captain of the team re-signed to a long-term deal before he hits free agency next summer. Probably 25 to 29 teams would be interested.
@BCISLEMAN asks: "Rhetorical question: Will there ever be a defenseman who's as much a terror at both ends of the ice as The Captain?"
Given that your Twitter picture is Denis Potvin lifting the Cup, I'll assume you mean him and say that the answer is yes: Zdeno Chara.
@cultureoflosing asks: "I've enjoyed your appearances on #MvsW (Marek vs. Wyshynski). Any plans to start your own podcast?"
I've thought about it from time to time, but I don't have any actual plans to do one.
@coreypronman asks: "what is the meaning of life"
The Meaning of Life is a 1983 film by the British comedy troupe Monty Python, and a quite funny film, at that.
@arwisneski asks: "what city besides NYC has the best pizza?"
Anytime I've asked this question, I've been told New Haven, but I haven't actually sampled the pizza there. I've had some really good slices in Boston, notably in the North End.
@RunsWithHawks asks: "how weak is your glove side?"
So weak, I'm not even totally sure which side would be my glove side. The last time I was a goalie was in high school, playing floor hockey, and I wore the glove on my left hand because it was a baseball glove, and that's what I was comfortable with. Then I got rid of it because I found that I liked to switch hands with the stick, and you don't really use a glove in floor hockey. At least I didn't.
@T_Kerdman asks: "who's your favourite player to interact with as a media member?"
The key here is that you said "interact with" rather than interview, and that means it's whoever the mysterious goaltender is behind the @strombone1 Twitter account.
I'M WILLING TO STAY, BE THE BACK UP AND PLAY FOR FREE IF THEY LET ME SIT IN AT EVERY TORTS PRESSER! #MAN #MYTH #LEGEND— Strombone (@strombone1) June 22, 2013
@foliedujour asks: "Obviously the Stanley Cup is best, but after that how do the various North American sports championship trophies stack up?"
I like the World Series trophy because it has all of the flags, and then the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The BCS' crystal football is cool, because it can be smashed to smithereens. Basically any order you want to choose, with the NBA's Larry O'Brien Trophy last. It is so super dull.
@bfitzpatrick_10 asks: "which team actually ends up getting Bernier?"
I have no idea who frees Jonathan Bernier from backing up Jonathan Quick in Los Angeles, but the Flyers make the most sense.
@nyynygnjd asks: "Raw tomatoes: For or against? Choose wisely."
There are lots of different kinds of tomatoes. Some of them should be cooked, some of them are just fine raw. I'm confused by the "choose wisely" portion of this, as if my opinion of a second-tier food item will have bearing on the fate of the universe. It won't … will it?
@DDirectingTitan asks: "Pizza or tacos? Tread carefully, Spector..."
Again, my food choices seem to have great meaning to the bigger picture, but this is no question. It's pizza all the way. Tacos are nice, but they're basically a weak substitute for burritos. (Ed. note: You will pay for this.)
@iso17 asks: "If Lindy Ruff goes to Dallas, could Briere follow him or does he stay close to Philly and sign with NJ?"
Well, Ruff has gone to Dallas, but I don't see Danny Briere as a great fit there. I think he's better off staying in the Eastern Conference once his buyout from the Flyers becomes official. The Devils could work, but another team in that area, the Islanders, might be better, as a second-line center with some veteran presence after trading former captain Mark Streit to Philadelphia, the move that actually hastened Briere's exit there.
@ihaveoreos asks: "favorite style of jazz?"
I actually took a jazz history class in college, and found myself enjoying the music less and less as the class went on, with atonal jazz pretty much making me want to rip my ears off. Louis Armstrong was my favorite artist.
@dturkenk asks: "When is @YouppiPuppy getting a brother @PuckyPuppy?"
Not anytime soon, although Pucky the Whale is a great namesake for a companion to my furry pal.
@Nick23_asks: What airport has the best food?
I don't know about best, because I generally tend to eat what would be considered worst, but I like stopping in Cincinnati and getting a coney. (Ed. note: There's a Louis CK bit that I can't link here.)
@mymclife asks: "Which Nick GAS show was the best?"
It's gotta be GUTS, for the theme song, the Aggro-Crag, and throwing it to Mo.
@bib21693 asks: "Do you have plans to visit the Simpsons park in Universal Studios. I want a Bort license plate."
You should have asked last year when I was staying at Universal with the finals in Los Angeles. Bad timing. Sorry.
@cvetrano32 asks: "Biggest area of concern for the Islanders this offseason and who should they target?"
If you watched their playoff series, it's pretty clear that the answer is goaltending. I'd target Roberto Luongo and try to sell him on the idea of waiving his no-trade clause to return to a low-pressure situation for a couple of years before heading to Brooklyn. The Islanders have the prospect base to make a trade, so why not go for it? Ryan Miller also would be a fascinating trade target.
@TomFornelli asks: "Do you even lift, bro?"
No, I haven't touched a weight in more than a year. My preferred method of exercise is taking long walks.
@spinn5371 asks: "red or white wine?"
Yes please.


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Game Time Start: 7:30 PM ET
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
Officials: T. Washington, N. Buchert, M. Lindsay
Media Notes: Indiana Notes, Dallas Notes
Television: FOX Sports Indiana / FOX Sports Southwest
Radio: WFNI 1070 AM, 107.5 FM / KESN 103.3 FM, KFLC 1270 AM
NBA Feeds:*NBA Audio League Pass (available free to NBA All-Access members)
*NBA League Pass Broadband (subscription req'd)
REMINDER: Per PD policy, please do not share a link to, describe how to search for, request a link to, or request a PM about streaming video of a NBA game that is not coming directly through the NBA. Not even in a "wink-wink, nudge-nudge, know-what-I-mean" round-about sort of way. Thank you
Season Records: (W-L) 46-16 Away: 17-12
West: 17-9
37-26 Home: 20-10
East: 18-9
Upcoming Games: Mar 11 Mar 14 Mar 15 Mar 17 vs at at vs 7:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 7:00pm
Projected Starting Lineup: HIBBERT WEST GEORGE STEPHENSON HILL Projected Starting Lineup: DALEMBERT NOWITZKI MARION ELLIS CALDERON
Andrew Bynum - stuck X button (out) [H/T Richard_Skull]
C.J. Watson sprained right elbow (game-time decision)
Perpetually Disappointing Trader Joe Minimally Relevant Video:
Semi-Relevant Video:
Semi-Relevant Trivia:
In fifteen and a half seasons of professional basketbal, Dirk
Nowitzki has become the Dallas Mavericks career leader in
games, minutes, points, free throws as well as both offensive
and defensive rebounds. How many combined assists, steals
and blocks does Dirk need to lead those categories, too?
Hardwood Paroxysm: Andrew Lynch: In Defense of the Most Maligned Presentation at Sloan
What was the point of that?
That question, or some similar version, resonated through the halls of the 2014 MIT
Sloan Sports Analytics Conference after one particular presentation Automatically
Recognizing On-Ball Screens, a dense tome of numbers and self-referencing computer
jargon. Essentially, the paper seemed to prove that on-ball screens do in fact exist.
WOOOHOOO! Our eyes arent lying to us. Hail and rejoice!
Yet the importance of this paper is reflected in one of its most vocal critics. Stan Van
Gundy touched on it when he ranted about the accuracy of play categorizations in
Synergy Sports:
I read some of the stuff that people write on ESPN.com and stats
on pick-and-roll defense and stuff that came off Synergy.com or
somewhere else. I dont know who is recording that information.
via Fifty NBA notes, quotes and anecdotes from the 2014 Sloan
conference | The Point Forward SI.com
Its a problem encountered by anyone whos used the scouting tool before; while there
is a certain acceptable degree of accuracy in the labeling of each individual play, the
accuracy on any one play can vary greatly. People are behind this: a dedicated team
must slave over game film and dissect it into its various components for easy
digestion by the end-user. They work diligently and do their very best, but theyre
human. Sometimes, they get it wrong.
And even when they get it right, the process is incredibly labor-intensive. Thats an
issue, as resources are far from limitless for this kind of endeavor. Analytics is a
growing field, but theres only so much money and time to go around. The SportVU
data tracking cameras were supposed to remedy this, but theyre not some sort of
magical black box. All of the data captured by the cameras is there for manipulation
and analysis, but it comes in a rather raw form X,Y,Z data with event tags that
correspond to the play-by-play data, along with some standard tabulations and
formatting provided by STATS. From there, its up to the teams to figure out how
to turn raw information into actionable intelligence. When teams get the best and
brightest data scientists, programmers, and graphic user interface designers, the
numbers become art in motion.
That video, of course, comes from Zach Lowes thorough investigation of the Toronto
Raptors use of SportVU technology. The video is elegant and simple; it conveys an
infinitely complicated process in a way so basic as to be comprehensible to the
average basketball viewer. Such simplicity is misleading, however. To generate
that kind of visualization from a jumble of coordinates is really, really hard. The
computers dont innately know how to do it; like some sort of sci-fi dystopian
nightmare, they have to be trained to do our bidding before they can replace us.
This is the maddening genius...CONTINUE READING AT HARDWOOD PAROXYSM
140 Characters of (Non-PD) Coverage
Candace Buckner @CandaceDBuckner
Jared Wade @8pts9secs
Tim Donahue @TimDonahue8p9s
Tom Lewis @indycornrows
Ian Levy @HickoryHigh
Whitney @its_whitney
Dwain Price @DwainPrice
Brian Gutierrez @BallinWithBryan
Kirk Henderson @KirkSeriousFace
LJ Rotter @LJRotter
Rebecca Lawson@beccaaftersix
Doyle Rader @TheKobeBeef


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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) - Elijah Pittman scored 22 points, D.D. Scarver added 19 and Marshall hit 9 of 10 free throws in the final 30 seconds to knock off Southern Mississippi 88-84 Tuesday night, snapping a two-game skid and splitting the season series.
The Thundering Herd (13-17, 6-9 Conference USA) avenged a 102-46 drubbing Jan. 23 despite a career-high 35-point effort by the Golden Eagles' Dwayne Davis.
Marshall, which ranks ninth in the league standings, shot 64 percent in the first half (16 of 25) and led by nine points early in the second.
However, the second-place Golden Eagles (22-8, 11-4), who came in having won four of five games, rallied to pull ahead 74-73 on Neil Watson's 3-pointer.
Tied for the eighth time, at 79-79 with 1:03 left, Nigel Spikes made two free throws, Scarver hit four straight and Pittman was 3 of 4, his final foul shot missing with 1 second left.